A Fresh Sheen

A Fresh Sheen: Introductory Tips for Home Renovations

When it’s your first time renovating a property, it’s not always clear what to expect. In this article, we’ll get to grips with the types of renovation, timelines, costs, and contractors that you’ll need to succeed in your efforts.

Common Renovations

There’s no limit to the ways you can renovate a property indoors and out, with options including extensions, conversions, remodels, and passion projects.

● Kitchen/bathroom remodels: One of the most common (and high return) home improvements you can make - a kitchen/bathroom remodel completely transforms your key living spaces to increase functionality and appearance. This will typically involve new light fixtures, faucets, surfaces, improved storage, and more.

● Fence installations: From 2019 -2020, households undertaking home improvement projects outdoors increased by an overall 21%, many of which were focused on security and improved living. Renovating or installing new fences is a great way to capitalize

on a growing trend and protect your property in the process.

● Home offices: With the advent of remote working, home offices are a unique selling point when it comes to shifting a property and can help to facilitate self-employment, work-from-home days, and more successful conference calls. Take the time to research and refine yours for optimum comfort and productivity during the week.

● Basement conversions: If you’re able to declutter, your basement could be modified in any of a thousand ways to increase your property value and quality of living. It’s not unheard of to use this space as a cinema room, mini bar, home library, wine cellar or something even wilder.

Planning for Renovations

Once you’ve decided on an idea for your renovation, the next step is to create an airtight plan. Take the time to learn about the required legalities, costs, and timelines required to complete the project at a high standard.

● Budget: Your first point of action is to write a budget for your home renovation, ensuring that you’ve factored in costs of personnel, materials, licensing, legal fees, and more. You should be happy with the estimated expenditure (such as quotes from your contractors and utility providers) before moving forward.

● Timeline: Trying to negotiate a schedule with your contractors can be difficult (and it’s advised to exercise some leniency on this point), but by using nationally recognized averages, it’s possible to create an estimation. Take into account shipping/delivery times, stripping, finishing, and, for outdoor projects, weather.

Admin for Renovations

You can expect any renovation project to come with a large amount of legal and administrative paperwork. It’s a good idea to look into these in advance if you want to get ahead of it.

● Home warranties: For a newly renovated home, warranties can be particularly advantageous, protecting you if home systems or appliances break down. Before opting for a home warranty, be sure to check the home inspection report for any red flags and check for existing warranties on your appliance and their coverage.

● Property valuation: Throughout the renovation, it’s important to track the increase in valuation. Keep receipts, document progress, and always check online for similar listings to see how much they might be selling for.

● Landscape design software: When you’re having an outdoor area revamped (such as with fencing), it’s often a good idea to use landscape designer software - this can be used to estimate labor/material costs, manage timelines and effectively delegate tasks.

Whether you’re carrying out home improvements on the inside or outside of the home, it’s important to go into the process with preparation and warranties in place. Adopting an active, hands-on approach will increase the likelihood the work is carried out to a high standard.

Looking for a licensed Fence Contractor? You're in the right place. We provide quality workmanship, reliable servicemen, and affordable prices. Learn more about our services at: www.elitefenceservices.com

Image by Pexels

A Guide to Preparing for Unexpected Home Repairs with a Rainy-Day

A Guide to Preparing for Unexpected Home Repairs with a Rainy-Day Repair Fund

Few things can send your finances into turmoil like an unexpected home repair. With projects that can cost tens of thousands of dollars just to get things functional and with nearly every home experiencing an emergency sometimes, it’s important to prepare your finances by creating a rainy-day home repair fund and using it wisely when the time comes.

1. Determine How Much Your Rainy-Day Fund Should Be

Although a rainy-day repair fund is universally important, how much that repair fund should be can vary widely between areas and homes. While replacing a hot water heater may be comparable in cost regardless of where you live, the cost of replacing a roof will depend on the square footage of your roof, the materials appropriate for your climate, and the length of time the workers will have to spend putting the roof on. The average roof replacement costs between $5,000 and $22,000.

Assess your home for the issues that are most likely to arise based on its history and usage. Common home emergencies include burst pipes needing cleaned up and replaced, a flooded basement, and a damaged roof, all of which can cost you a pretty penny to remedy.

2. Get Your Rainy-Day Fund Funded

Part of the rainy-day fund’s appeal is that it is accessible to you when you need it without a waiting period, so getting it funded ahead of time is of utmost importance. While it’s possible to save for your fund by putting away a bit of spare cash each month or paycheck until you get it to the amount you’ve decided on, for others, refinancing their home might be a better option.

Particularly for those who are planning on staying in their homes long-term, refinancing can be a wonderful way to take advantage of a lower rate and possibly even negotiate better terms than the ones of your current mortgage. If you’re considering refinancing your home, keep an eye on the market and note when interest rates are low, as that is the perfect time to refinance and lower your monthly mortgage payment. Then you can divert that money toward your rainy-day repair fund.

3. Choose Affordable Qualified Contractors

While having a rainy-day fund can save you from some headaches, you don’t want to blow the money you’ve saved up unnecessarily when a little shopping around can get you better results for less cash. Emergencies often cause people to skip smart steps they normally would've taken, potentially costing them thousands of dollars more than they should've paid. Don't make that mistake.

While it’s important to repair issues with plumbing, for example, quickly and effectively to keep those problems from growing, you shouldn’t simply hire the first plumber in your internet search to save time. Taking a little time to look for prescreened plumbing repair services in your area with proven track records of quality and affordable service can get you the desired results for a price you can feel satisfied with.

Do your research as soon as you set up your rainy-day repair fund prior to any issues arising so that when one does, you can feel confident you have the money to repair it and a dependable professional who can fix it. For your fencing needs, book Elite Fence Services today.

Don't wait around until it's too late. Prepare today by starting your rainy-day repair fund and researching professionals such as plumbers so that you can relax tomorrow, safe in the knowledge that you, your finances, and your home are ready for whatever life might throw at you.

Lets Build

Home Projects Best Left to Contractors

According to SoFi, the average cost of remodeling a home is anywhere between $15,000 and $200,000 on average. That’s not exactly pocket change! However, it’s not necessarily a surprise. The reason remodeling is so expensive is because of labor and materials, but also because you need the expertise of a general contractor.

Sure, there are a number of DIY projects for your home that you can tackle yourself. These might include fixing the sink, installing shelving, painting the front door, tearing old carpet off your stairs, or planting an evergreen border around your yard. But for bigger projects, Elite Fence Services shares some tips and resources.

General Contractor Rules

First, you need to be mindful of certain hazards (especially where electricity is concerned), and realistic in regards to what you can do on your own. And, generally speaking, you should hire a contractor if the job lasts more than a week, requires more than one permit, or calls for various professionals doing different jobs. Even for smaller jobs that might be feasible for you to complete, such as installing a new range hood to provide more fresh air in your kitchen or converting a guest room into a home office, if you feel uncomfortable tackling the project by yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Otherwise, it could be more difficult in the long run – and that’s contrary to why you’re interested in remodeling in the first place.

A contractor can be enormously helpful, but also keep in mind that there are contractors out there you want to avoid. Be wary if a contractor only accepts cash, goes door-to-door drumming up business, asks you to pay for the project upfront, or insists that certain repairs can’t wait and need to happen now.

Some common scams you might encounter include contractors doing unnecessary work to beef up the bill, or doing a slapdash job and covering it up to hide the problem while also charging you full rate. That’s why it’s a good idea to interview several contractors until you find someone you trust. This is somebody you’ll be working with for weeks, maybe months.

Fencing

For a little extra privacy – especially if you have a four-legged friend you want to keep out of the street or the neighbor’s yard – contact a professional like Elite Fence Services to help you install a high quality fence. They provide quality workmanship, reliable servicemen, and affordable prices to help you bring out our home’s full potential. Contact them to get started, and you’ll be having backyard barbecues in no time!

Plumbing Work

Even if you’re a whiz at installing a new faucet, it’s still a good idea to hire a pro for complex plumbing issues. The risk of doing it yourself to save money is that you may mess up the pipes and cause a leak without realizing it. That leak can fester in the walls or drip into the basement and cause widespread water damage. This can often hike up the original price tag of renovating the bathroom by thousands of dollars, so make sure to hire a pro. Mold, rotted wood, and out-of-control leaks are not only pricey problems, but might cause respiratory issues for your family down the road.

HVAC

Another part of the house to avoid tinkering with is the HVAC system. Certain manufacturers void the warranty you have on your HVAC if you alter it without appropriate licensing. If botching a project in the bathroom might cause water damage, messing up the HVAC could result in a huge leak of Freon, a hazardous chemical compound. Breathing too much of it in can cause asphyxia, dizziness and severe breathing problems. Suddenly, your basement or closet or storage unit becomes a waste site, which is only the start of your headaches.

The Roof

Along with maintaining your home’s major systems, timely roof repairs are essential for keeping your home in tip-top condition. Whether the work is minor repair or installing a completely new roof, it’s a necessity when it comes time to sell your home. It’s better to pay a roofer, rather than doing the work yourself. Replacing roofing joists can be complex, sometimes requires a permit, and requires certain tools to get the job done right. Plus, there’s always the possibility that if not harnessed correctly, you will fall off. Going the pro route is a smart move, but AROCON says to be aware of roofing scams.

The true cost of a house is not just how much it’s listed for, but also the repairs and maintenance that end up going into it. Many of these repairs you can do yourself. The more challenging the project, the more necessary calling someone with a craftsman’s touch becomes. Calling in a professional will often save you money and certainly headaches in the long run.

Elite Fence Services is a small business with great value and commitment. Our Fence Contractors are professional and reliable. Our business provides Free Fence Estimates - Fencing Supply Store financing with quality contracting services in Palm Coast and surrounding areas. No matter the size of the project, we are committed to making sure to give 100 percent to each job. Contact us to set up a no-obligation consultation today. Call 386-236-7145.