Kitchen Or Bathroom Remodel – The Truth Not Seen on TV Shows and What to Expect From a Contractor

With all of the do-it-yourself shows on network television, most home owners fail to realize how many extras actually are required to complete a remodel. These shows which run for a 30 minute span of time can actually take well over a month or two depending upon the project undertaken. While edited television holds the viewer’s interest, it does a poor job of educating the home owner with the actual process of having a remodel. Patience and planning are the keys to an effective remodel. There is no general rule of thumb when it comes to how long a particular remodel will take. An example is some kitchen remodels can take as little as one week while others can take one month or more.
There are numerous factors to be considered. It all comes down to how well planned the design is, how the home owner makes themselves available for the contractor, what materials are to be used, where the source for the materials is located, and so on.
The first key ingredient to a successful remodel is patience. The home owner needs to understand and expect that the design stage can take several weeks alone. After sitting down with the builder or contractor to discuss what the home owner’s desires are, both the contractor and the home owner need to address potential challenges of the space to be remodeled. While the home owner will have many questions needing to be answered, the remodeling contractor should be asking a plethora of question of the owner. The more thorough this preliminary consulting is the more enjoyable the remodel will be and with fewer surprises.
Even with the most conscientious builder or remodeling contractor, occasional unforeseen snags can pop up from time to time. There are many reasons that this situation may occur. Older homes often can possess more hidden surprises than newer houses due to new building codes which were not the same as when the house was originally built. That is not to say that newer constructed homes are free of these types of situations. The solution for this scenario is to clarify the contractor’s experience.
Contractors always should have a portfolio of past projects to offer up to new clients. Many times a new design possibility may come to mind of the home owner from viewing examples of past work performed. Most remodeling contractors are more than happy and even excited to display their past accomplishments.
The home owner needs to patient once the planning and design stage has begun. It can take weeks upon weeks to decide on materials and acquire them for the job ahead. The one aspect of remodeling or even having a custom home built, which many clients fail to do, is consistently inspect the progression of work being performed and observe materials being used. The most contractors are competent and know exactly what they are doing, but an extra set of eyes will not hurt. Asking questions throughout the remodel will help to avoid any possible confusion with both parties and will yield result in a happier home owner when the job is completed.…

Hiring A Home Remodeling Contractor

Finding a contractor is a headache in home repair, causing the most anxiety of all phases. In a contractor you are looking for someone trustworthy who puts effort in a good job and charges a decent price. Unfortunately, contractors cannot offer guarantees. However, do your homework and you can improve your odds, finding a winning home remodeling contractor can take a ton of weight of your shoulders and relieve you of that throbbing headache.
The Overseeing General Contractor
General contractors are the people hired to oversee your project, responsible for managing every aspect of the project. Purchasing material, hiring sub-contractors is all included in the expectations of a general contractor. Usually, a contract is signed between the contractor and the party needing work performed, in order to ensure payments only be made to him. At that point, the contractor is responsible for being sure the sub-contractors and suppliers get paid. The general contractor act as a general in the military would, you can go to them if you have any concerns.
How to Find a Reputable Remodeling Contractor
Common knowledge tells us to get at a minimum three bids on the project. Most people would say ask around at your local hardware shops like Lowe’s or Home Depot and consider the word-of-mouth candidates. Ask your friends and family, even neighbors about remodeling contractors they have used in the past. In this field it’s important to believe in your instincts, consider if the contractor respond back to you promptly did they show up early or on time to your appointment? In meeting with the contractor pay attention to see if they answer questions with elaboration ask for references, lay out the expectations of the job. After the meeting has concluded ask yourself if the communication between the potential client and contractor was where it needed to be? Most importantly, you need to be sure that you can be comfortable speaking directly to this person throughout the entire process of your project you will be communicating back and forth.
Bidding
When asking contractors to bid jobs make sure you provide an identical scope of work with your plans, also include a materials list. You want every contractor to receive identical plans, otherwise they will be bidding upon different basis then you will have inaccurate bids for comparison which probably wont work out well for you. The remodeling contractor should send you bids in writing that contain itemized labor charges and a list of material.
References
When your contractor submits their references, put forth effort in checking the credibility of the reference, call and find out if it is okay that you do a drive by to take a look at the work personally. Before signing the contract, it would be a good idea to check up on how this person conducts business. Run a background check, you probably don’t want a person who is a known burglar in your house. Confirm the contractors worker’s comp as well as the liability insurance, be absolutely positive that the contractor does not have multiple lawsuits against them.…

Kitchen Renovation: One of the Best Ways to Add Value

What type of remodeling is the best bet when it comes to adding value to your home?
A kitchen renovation is one of the best ways to add value to your home (a bathroom renovation is another potentially good home remodeling investment.) In addition, a renewed kitchen also gives you something you can enjoy while you continue to live in your home.
So, what should you keep in mind when planning your kitchen renovation? Houston homes with custom kitchens sell more than homes without — and there are some specific keys to keep in mind:
1.) Your kitchen renovation should be as functional as it is beautiful. Keep this in mind when it comes to the flow of your kitchen. Where will the work space be? Will the dishwasher be close to the sink?
2.) Lighting & fixtures can go along way in making a statement — sometimes it’s the small things that make the difference.
3.) Appliances are important — especially if you are selling your home soon. In this market — nice appliances can make the difference. Nice means both appearance (stainless perhaps,) and also brand & functionality.
4.) Storage is important — this is one of the top requests when it comes to a new kitchen. Additional storage space can often be added during a remodel. When renovating, think about way to add rather than decrease storage.
The best thing about a kitchen renovation in Houston, is the joy it will bring you for years to come as you remain in your home.…

Many Bathroom Remodeling Ideas Do Not Have to Be Expensive

Outside of the kitchen, the bathroom is the biggest selling point in a home. Why? Because when a prospective home buyer sees a bathroom that is in disrepair all they see is the money that they would have to spend to fix it up.
While there are plenty of do it yourself projects that you can do for yourself, when a prospective homeowner sees a home that they have to work on, they are deducting the amount of money that they are willing to pay for your home. You can get more value for you home if you just implement a couple of bathroom remodeling ideas
Some bathroom remodeling ideas like replacing an entire bathtub might require that you bring in a contractor to help you out. That is a project that most unskilled do it yourself homeowners cannot tackle. However some bathroom remodeling ideas such as replacing the tile in your bathroom is a do it yourself project that you can fully do yourself.
Replacing bathroom tile is going to require a lot of hard work. What you do not often see on DIY programs is the hours that the people spend ripping tile out of their bathrooms before they start installing new tile.
However, compared to the cost of paying a contractor to do it for you, a bit of elbow grease is well worth the money that you save.
While you are putting tile on the walls and flooring, you may want to go ahead and take on some inexpensive projects as well like purchasing fabric shower curtains or replacing the lighting. You can also find expensive wall cabinets and molding for the mirrors to give them a finished framed look.
Some bathroom remodeling ideas require some more work than others but that does not mean that they are not good ideas or impossible to do. Some small design changes could be getting new faucets, bathroom liners or extra long shower curtains to change the look of the bathroom.
By purchasing small designer items, you can make a bathroom look more expensive that it really is, which will help increase the value of your home.…

Budgeting for a Home Renovation

Budgeting for home renovations is always tough. Even when you plan for everything and even a few glitches along the way budgets often find a way to be busted. In order to keep your progress from ending in a budget stale mate here are a few things to keep in mind when renovations are planned for your home.
First decide why you are renovating your home. What do you hope to accomplish with the renovation? Are you adding space for a new addition? Are you adding space for a kids play room or do you hope that with your renovation you increase the value of your home. Knowing exactly what you hope to accomplish with your home renovations will make it easier to create a budget and stick to it. It is often when a plan is not created that we go overboard with spending. So the more you can think out ahead of time before renovations on your home begin the better your finances will look in the end.
Speaking of a budget determine how much you can afford to spend on this home renovation. If you realize that what you hope to accomplish is not possible within the funds you have allotted for the project than you can easily put it on hold at this stage of the process. Determine the cost of all materials, tools and furnishings that will be needed to complete the renovation. If you are doing a kitchen renovation make sure to take into account large items like stoves and refrigerators. If you are doing a bathroom remodel take into account a new tub, sink and vanity. A toilet and new fixtures should also be added to the budget.
Next ask yourself are you up to taking on the challenge of a remodel or is it better for you to hire a contractor to ensure a smooth renovation. If you are the handyman type simple renovations can easily be done on your own and can save your contractor fees. If you are going to hire out a residential contractor make sure to look at examples of their previous work. Ask for references and check out their website. The detail put into their work, references and website will give you a good idea of their work and work ethic. It is also important to make sure your gut tells you that the contractor you have chosen is right for you and your home renovation.
A timeline is also important in home renovations. It is important to go over this with your contractor and get in writing a plan of attack. It is important that each step is broke down into a time frame so that you and the contractor can work together to make sure progress stays on track.
Making sure that the contractor you hire is on the same page as you is one of the most important steps in home renovation. You can have this by opening the lines of communication from the start. Know that sometimes things can take an unexpected turn but that you are interested in keeping up to date with the progress and would like updates even when something goes haywire
Once you have agreed upon a plan do not keep changing things. Nothing makes a contractor bitter more than an indecisive customer. They to have a time frame to stay within so that they can continue work with other clients. Every change adds time and money to the budget so stick to the original plan of attack. It will ease the schedule and budget if you stick to the initial renovation plan.
The last thing you will need to decide is if you plan on living in your dwelling during the construction or if you plan on finding a place that is more conducive to your life. If you decide to live in your home during the renovation make sure that you do not interrupt the progress. A happy contractor makes for a happy homeowner.…

Struggling With Your Roof? Try These Tips!

In order to successfully manage putting a good roof on your home, you need to know the necessary knowledge about taking care of such a big task. This article contains much helpful information concerning what you need to consider so that you can move forward. Keep reading to find out more about roofing.

Never hesitate to replace your roof’s shingles. While you may believe it is okay to put off a roof repair, you will only further the damage by prolonging it. Repairing shingles immediately will save cash for you and avoid you a headache. Taking care of your roof will make it last.

While it may sound backwards, one of the best times to find a leak is when it’s completely dry out. Keep an eye out for things like mold in corners, unusually dark ceiling tiles, and damp insulation. You can use these things to guide you to the spot the leak is coming from.

Check to make sure the contractor has all the licenses he needs. If you’re unsure of what that is exactly, don’t just assume everything is okay because the contractors says it is. Contact your local building department and ask them what is needed.

If you’re looking into getting insurance on your roof, make sure replacement is covered along with repairs. You don’t want to be stuck paying for a new roof out of pocket. Repair coverage is a great thing to have, but you also want to be covered for the worst case scenario.

Before spending thousands of dollars on having your roof repairs by a contractor, see if you can do the fixes. While more complicated matters (such as needing your whole roof replaced) require the help of a roofer, you can do simpler issues on your own, like shingle repairs. You can head to the Internet for step-by-step guides on simple fixes.

Slate roofs can offer you something that a shingle roof cannot, this is an aged and sophisticated look. Slate roofs have been used for hundreds of years, as tar shingles have not been produced for as long as people have needed roofs. Some of the most famous buildings have slate roofs, all having a sophisticated and timely look.

Home Repair

Always keep safety in mind. Danger abounds in roofing work. Wait for ideal conditions. If the weather looks bad, hold off. It isn’t worth dying over! You must know what you are doing, and you must work safely.

Remodeling

Invest in the highest quality roofing tiles your money can buy. This is especially important if you are living in the house you are remodeling. The best roofing materials for your home depend on the climate of your location, so be sure to research the best roofing tiles for your climate.

How do you feel about your roofing knowledge now? You should have learned quite a bit from reading the article, so keep the advice that you’ve picked up in mind as you continue your roofing project. Now that you have all you need, you can ensure that the roof you put on your home is adequate.…