Remodeling by Adding and Staining a Deck

Beautiful Deck Addition

Adding a deck onto your house is an excellent remodeling idea.  It will add usable living space and value to your home.  There are endless deck designs ranging from square or rectangular with rails to octagonal and open.  Some people build in seating or hot tubs and decks can even surround trees which add shade and privacy to your new outdoor space.  Staining a deck protects it and adds beauty to the wood.

Choosing a decking material may be the least thought about aspect of deck remodeling, but you live with your choice for  a long time.  There are basically three types of materials for use as a deck that is not covered by a roof: 

• Synthetic composite materials,
• Natural wood, or
• Pressure treated wood.

Pressure treated wood is the least expensive choice.  Staining a deck made of this wood will require a lot of pigmentation to make it look good and frequent care and remodeling will require a lot of pigmentation to make it look good.  Natural wood for decks is usually redwood.  It will naturally resist rot and and insects, but it will still require sealing and staining.  A deck made of redwood can be lightly stained to reveal its natural beauty and remodeling chores will be less frequent than with pressure treated lumber.

Synthetic materials are a newer choice and require no staining.  A deck made of these materials will last a lifetime and beyond.  It will require virtually no maintenance or remodeling beyond washing.

(Photo Credit:  www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzygalore/769119277/)

Kitchen Remodeling: Replacing Kitchen Cabinets as Part of Home Remodeling

Professionally Designed Kitchen

Replacing your kitchen cabinets during kitchen remodeling is about as drastic and expensive as you can get for a home remodeling project.  Hopefully the following information will help you to spend your money wisely and get the most from your home remodeling budget.

If you are adding cabinets or changing the layout of your kitchen, remodeling services of a professional to plan a functional kitchen will be worth it.  Many of your choices are going to be driven by your home remodeling budget, but there are ways to make sure that your are getting the best quality for the money.

Some kitchen remodeling cabinet expenses are related to aesthetics and some are related to how the cabinets are built.  Either way, the first decision to make is whether you want to use stock cabinets or custom cabinets.  Custom cabinets are generally of higher quality, but not necessarily.  Be sure to check references and ask to see samples.  The benefit to custom cabinets is that they are built to fit your space.  If you want uniquely sized cabinets or special design features in your kitchen remodeling, custom cabinets will be your best choice.  One negative is that if you ever need to replace a door or panel, you will have to go back to the custom cabinetry shop since materials and sizes are, well…custom.

Stock cabinets are made in standard sizes.  All levels of quality and varieties of finishes are still available, but if the standard sizes leave a gap when they are laid out in your kitchen, a filler strip is used to close the gap.  This is generally not noticeable, but it is different from custom cabinets.

There are several things to look for in determining the quality of kitchen cabinets:

• Look at the quality of the hardware that comes with the cabinets.  Is it durable as well as beautiful?
• Will accessories, such as trays and baskets, work with your cabinets?
• Corner blocks made of plastic indicate lower quality cabinets.
• Look at the quality of the finish on the materials.
• Joints that are glued and nailed are lower quality than those that are dovetailed or use dowels.

After you’ve finished kitchen remodeling, enjoy your new cabinets and know that you have added value to your home.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flikr.com/photos/architectural-rendering-models/3871670220/)

Hiring a Handyman: The Remodeling Contract

Now that you’ve gone through the process to find a good, reputable handyman, it’s time to consider a written remodeling contract.  Sometimes it seems that a remodeling contract may be overkill for your situation.  It’s not.  A remodeling contract will prevent misunderstandings during the job and will help you enforce your verbal agreements.  The complexity and amount of detail in the remodeling contract will depend on your comfort level with the handyman, and the complexity and dollar value of the job.

A remodeling contract should, at the minimum, contain:

• What is expected of each party
• Who is responsible for acquiring any necessary permits
• A statement affirming that appropriate insurances and licenses are held by the handyman
• Price and payment schedule
• Detailed list of materials (if the handyman is supplying them)
• Timetable for completion

Some experts say that you should never give a handyman a down-payment, however it may be acceptable if the handyman is purchasing the materials.  A handyman is different from a contractor and may not have all the credit accounts needed for your job.  Another alternative would be to set up an account at a lumberyard against which the handyman can charge.  If you do this, be sure to carefully monitor receipts.

Many nightmare remodeling stories can be averted by having a good understanding with your handyman and then entering into a written remodeling contract.  It makes sense for you and is also good business for any handyman.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/30157413@N08/3567036023/

A Contract Will Help Make Sure this gets Finished

Hiring a Handyman: The Search

You’ve decided your remodeling project is more than you can handle alone and you want to hire a handyman.  This decision will lead you to many questions about who to hire and why.  In a later post, I will talk about the need for the remodeling contract itself.  Before you get to the remodeling contract phase, you need to decide who to hire.

You can find handyman through web searches, recommendations from friends, newspaper ads, or fliers at home improvement stores.  There are some specific things that you need to know about your handyman:

1. If there are employees involved, does the handyman carry worker’s compensation insurance?
2. Does the handyman carry sufficient liability insurance?
3. Is the handyman licensed according to the requirements of your area?

If the handyman has employees and does not carry worker’s compensation insurance (calls the employees independent contractors), any on-the-job injury claims could be filed against you and your homeowner’s insurance.  Liability insurance protects you from negligence on the part of the handyman, and allows you to collect damages.  Knowing that the handyman is running a legitimate business will help keep you out of court if things go wrong.

Proof of all of these should be provided to you with no hassle.  If there are excuses and delays, that might be a red-flag that this particular handyman may not be operating a legitimate business.  Recommendations from friends are a great place to start, as they obviously had a good experience, but be sure to check out the legitimacy of the business before making a deal.  It could save you many head-aches in the future.

Now that you’ve found someone with good recommendations and a solid business, it’s time to put things in writing and enter into a remodeling contract.  Check out tips on this in my next blog entry.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/yes2art/2515713408/)

Basement Remodeling, How to Plan Ahead?

Egress Window for a Basement Bedroom

Finishing a basement or basement remodeling is a sure way to add value to your home.  As with all home improvement remodeling projects, be sure that the basic design of the finished space is functional.  Things to consider for a basement remodeling project:

• When all the walls are up, will furniture be able to be moved into the space?  Too often a poorly planned wall is erected at the bottom of the stairs and there is no room to wriggle that large sofa into the family room.
• Will there be enough light?  Basement offices need a good lighting source.  Include as much natural light as possible and use overhead can or fluorescent lights.
• Will your bedrooms be counted?  Each basement bedrooms should have a closet and an egress window.  Check your local building codes for the specific requirements of your area.
• How difficult will it be to put in a bathroom?  Plan your bathroom with existing drains and plumbing in mind.  There may already be easy access to a drain and plumbing.
• How cold will it be?  Basements can get cold in the winter, so remember to have plenty of heating ducts installed.

Most basement remodeling will double the square feet of your home.  This investment, as part of an overall home improvement remodeling plan, will pay off in the future as well as give you expanded living space now.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/twozens/1270919505/)