Home improvement

Home improvement can be defined as modifying the existing structure of one’s home by making additions and making changes. Mostly a professional technician is recruited however, sometimes; the home improvement is done on a non professional and an amateur basis by the home owner.

As mentioned above, there are two ways of going about the process of home improvement. The first id the professional and the second is the do it your self (DIY) method. In the professional method you could hire a general contractor to be in charge of the whole home improvement project. On the other hand you could do away with the contractor and ‘do it yourself (DIY). You will need to hire the plumbers, electricians, roofers etc yourself.

There are endless types of works in home improvement that you could do. To begin with the walls could be wall papered, or painted. Wood paneling can also be installed on it. New flooring, such as linoleum, hardwood flooring, and tiling can be installed. The kitchen and bathroom sink, cabinets, and pipes can be replaced with new ones. The electrical and plumbing systems could be upgraded. As also the heating and the air conditioning systems.

Similarly other home improvement projects that could be undertaken are the tearing and replacement of the roof, repairing the foundation and the chimney if required, waterproofing the basements etc. these are only a few of the home improvement projects mentioned here.

By: Tej Sharma

Contractors can make the process of completing a home remodeling project quite pleasant…or a total nightmare. So choose carefully. And if you choose to hire unlicensed contractors, be sure to know the applicable laws in your state…as well as the potential risks and liabilities you are assuming.

Even if you prefer to do it yourself (DIY), there will be times when you need the services of outside contractors. One way to save money is to act as your own general contractor and deal with the subcontractors and skilled labor directly — although you should be prepared to handle lots of associated headaches. You can try beating the bushes for reasonably-priced, high-quality workers on your own. It has worked well for me. For example, I learned that our hard-working maintenance gardeners were also competent at simple fencing, plumbing, irrigation, grading, and brickwork. Ask around through your network of friends and neighbors. Also, I’ve met good workers by chatting up the crowd on my trips to the local home improvement store (be sure to ask for references, though!).

However, I wouldn’t suggest doing it this way on large renovations or new construction — it’s just too much for an amateur to handle. But it has worked for me on the smaller updating, upgrading and enhancement projects that I focus on (although I’ve had my share of bad experiences).

Beware that if the workers you hire are not licensed, bonded and insured or if they are not legal residents, you might run the risk of getting entangled in legal or liability issues — not to mention ethical questions. If you hire unlicensed workers, be sure to check out the laws in your state. For example, in California, any contractor who is paid more than $500 for a job technically must be licensed by the state board. Also, unlicensed contractors are not covered by state worker’s compensation. The California Contractors State License Board (cslb.ca.gov) recommends that homeowners get at least three bids, ask to see their license, and be wary of door-to-door solicitors.

You can certainly save a lot of money by acting as your own general contractor and hiring your own specialty subcontractors — licensed or unlicensed. However, when you use unlicensed workers, you might end up spending a lot more if you have to bring in people later to fix problems. So make sure you have confidence in who you hire — particularly for plumbing and electrical, in which the consequences of shoddy work can be catastrophic, and likely leave the liability squarely on your shoulders.

Let me leave you with one more tip. Try to avoid paying any contractor in advance — for construction materials or anything else. There is nothing worse than having a contractor start the demolition stage, but then leave your project idle for days at a time because another (ostensibly more important) client needs him to do a new project or repair an older one. You won’t be in a position to fire him and bring in someone else if you’ve already paid him a chunk of money upfront — and all the while your house remains a shambles from the demo. In other words, don’t give away all the leverage!

Seek simplicity, comfort and value!

By: Laura Martindale

If you have home improvement in mind, hiring a contractor makes more sense than doing it yourself. Firstly, a contractor can work with greater expertise and put his experience to best use. Secondly, contractors work within fixed time and budget, which may otherwise exceed expectations. No wonder, many homeowners are opting for contractors to fulfill their home renovation needs!

You can either hire a general contractor or avail services of a specialized contractor such as flooring contractor, roofing contractor and plumbing contractor. While the services of general contractor are more economical and organized (if you don’t like hassles of handling too many people), services of specialized contractor hold the finesse of experienced hand. All depends on your requirements and the kind of work you are looking at.

Another aspect that you must consider while hiring a contractor for home improvement is whether or not the contractor belongs to your local area. If the contractor is located too far from the construction site, the project will suffer lack of personal attention. Moreover, the local contractor is well aware of the trends of the local market and challenges posed by the local conditions such as weather, economic, social and cultural.

By: Natasha Salve

You hear it almost everyday that getting a mortgage is getting harder. One of the hardest loans to get right now is a construction or home improvement loan. Once again FHA is helping borrowers with their home improvement needs.
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FHA has a program call 203(k) streamline. This program can be used for refinancing a current mortgage, or to purchase a home and make upgrades or repairs to the property all under one single loan. Unlike conventional mortgages it is not re-qualified, as it is only underwritten one time, upfront. There is no minimum amount for the repair cost; however the maximum is $35,000.
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The FHA 203(k) offers both fixed and adjustable rate options, and the interest is the same as a standard FHA loan. On a purchase the appraisal is completed as “subject to” meaning after the repairs and or improvements are completed. On a refinance two appraisals are required. The first appraisal will reflect the current as is value. The second appraisal will reflect the subject to completion value.
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Eligible properties include one to four unit residences, including HUD REO properties. Manufactured homes, and spot approval for Condos are also allowed. The property must be 100% complete – no partially built homes.
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Contractors and repair criteria

All repairs/work must be completed within three months of the closing date. Repairs must be completed by a licensed contractor unless the borrower can demonstrate the required expertise. The contractor making the repairs does not have to be a licensed general contractor; however, he or she must provide a resume along with two references.
Self Help (borrowers completing work)
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The borrower is required to have the necessary expertise and experience to complete the work in a satisfactory manner (ie: borrower is a licensed plumber and will complete that portion of the work). The cost of labor is included in the repair / rehabilitation cost in case the borrower is unable to complete the work and a contractor needs to be hired. The borrower must provide written estimates of the repair / rehabilitation cost as well as written estimates from the suppliers of the materials.

By: D Clark

For the roofer, plumber, repairman, or general contractor who relies on local patronage to keep business coming, nothing is more important than visibility. These days people will drive past home undergoing extensive makeovers and see the lawn signs planted by the curb informing everybody who is doing the work. While that’s a great method of exposing a first-hand look at your craftsmanship, you must also consider the limits of such advertising. If the home is not in a busy area, how many people will really see the sign? To broaden your reach, it’s necessary to set aside time for online marketing, and having a blog is key.

The home improvement owner who is skilled with his hands for building and repairs might not think he is apt to write about his work, but in truth blogging doesn’t necessarily have to be regular theses on construction. Blogs are flexible yet powerful marketing tools – you don’t need a marketing or writing degree to operate a successful webblog that attracts readers. All you need is the time to invest in building an audience and showcasing what your company does best. Here are just a few things you can do with a blog to help bring homeowners to your site, and to contact you for work.

Post before and after photos. If you have an especially daunting renovation project, nothing is more encouraging to a homeowner than to see the progress of the job. Posting before, mid and after pictures of a kitchen or bathroom remodel, a new roof installation, or a deck construction lets prospective clients see you in action, and the great results.

Post videos. You can embed videos in posts of certain blog content systems. Show locals how you operate, the quality materials you use, and the efficient labor that defines your brand.

Offer online specials. Gauge different promotions with your blog. Advertise “blog only” discounts and track how often they are redeemed.

Offer home improvement tips. Does a homeowner need a quick fix for the toilet or faucet? How can somebody keep their roof safe in winter? Provide helpful tips on your blog and build authority and trust.

With a blog attached to your main website, you provide regular fresh content, which in turn alerts search engines to give you better results in search. Start a blog today if you have not done so, and see the positive effects it can have on your online presence, and your business.

By: Kathryn Lively

Sometime there are certain points where we need to improve our house whether to expand it, to remodel it or to get it fixed. Home Improvement can be described as term of projects of building houses to modify or to change the current structure of the building so that it can be improved by expanding the spaces or adding other exterior such as gardens or gazebos. If you are planning on having it, the works can be done in three ways; either you hire a general contractor, hire specialized contractors, or do the project by yourself. Any of these options deliver different benefits.

When you decide to hire a general contractor, the contractor may be charged for multiple positions; the contractor will act as project manager, access enabler to the site, debris remover, milestones and work coordinators, and other related aspects. Because of those reasons, this option may cause you multiple trades with only one person that will be in charged for the whole works.

But, if you want each part of your house to be handled by the right persons, then hiring specialized contractors can be your options. Hiring specialized contractors will enable you to choose different contractors for many aspects that related to your house improvement. For example, you can hire plumbers, electricians, roofers, engineer, and other handyman to get the related job done. Well, of course, you will have to pay extra cash for this option.

The last option is to manage and to do the project by you. With this option, you will be contractor, project managers, materials and milestones coordinator, or even as handyman for any field in your house. It will cost you less than two other options, but you need to make sure that you have the skills and capability to remodel or to do your house improvement. It might be the best option if you only remodel one part of your house, but if you plan in improving your entire house, it is recommended that you hire professional to get the job done.

In improving a house, there are several goals needed to be achieved; to improve the comfort level for the occupants, to maintain and repair part of the house or even the entire house, and to add some values to additional spaces that are still left within the house. Make sure that your house improvement project has a clear goal to save you from spending too much money during the process.

By: Noor Sugeng

I have been writing and sharing my stories with thousands of people, all over the United States and the story that I’m about to tell you, happen to someone that I truly enjoyed working with. This person’s life changed forever, because one man chose to share something special with him.

I don’t know how many struggling contractors there are out there, but this guy was one of them. He was working for other contractors during the week and on the weekends he was trying to get his own construction company going. He would often work long hours during the week, earning enough money to take care of his family and working on the weekends, trying to save up enough money to start his own business.

After doing this for about five years, he finally realize that he was having problems at home with his wife and children, who rarely got to see him, he decided to put his dream aside and focus on his family. A few more years went by and he took odd jobs every once in awhile to keep his dream alive.

Things seem to be going okay for him, until one day he met a man who would change his life forever. The man that he met was on his way to becoming a very successful general contractor and was starting to use the services of this young man. They soon became pretty good friends and the general contractor told the young man that one day he could see him running a successful construction company.

The young man started to think about what the other guy had said, but didn’t want to disrupt his family. He explained this to the general contractor, and got a response that would change his life forever.

The general contractor handed him a book called,” Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.” The young man looked at the book and said, “What do you want me to do with this, read it.” Yes said the general contractor and I have other books that I would like you to read also. If you’re serious about making more money in the construction industry and providing a better life for you and your family, I suggest that you start doing a little more reading.

It wasn’t just this one book, that changed the young man’s life forever, it was the rest of the books that he read also. Sometimes we tend to focus on the way things have always been done, when we really need to focus on the things that really work.

The young man went on to become a successful general contractor and never forget about the other contractor’s generosity. Today this guy helps others fulfill their dreams as a way of returning the favor that changed his life forever.

By: Greg Vandenberge

After purchasing your home builder’s model home, the new construction phase is exciting and filled with anticipation. You’ve signed the contract and construction is about to start. What do you do? You need to make sure that your home is built correct.

What is correct?

The first thing that commonly comes to mind is the home being built to ‘Code.’ In a general sense, the code issue is reviewed by the governing municipality. Commonly they have inspectors that look for your house to be built to code.

By the way, the ‘Code’ is only the MINIMUM set of standards. Kind of scary to realize that your new home is only being inspected to a minimum set of standards. You would have a fit if your children were taught to a minimum set of standards. The bar is not being set too high here.

The most important factor when your new home builder or general contractor starts construction of your model home is having a game plan. Ask your self these questions: Do I understand the new home building process? No, truly ask yourself! Do I REALLY understand the new home building process? Can I tell if my new home is being built to today’s standards?

If your answer is not a definitive yes; you should consider choosing between one of the following options.

Home inspector or not
One solution is to hire a home inspector with experience reviewing the new construction home building process of your new home. This type of inspection process is not the same creature that you may have experienced when purchasing an existing home. Fees for this type of service will be at least $500. Multiple visits along with fully documented reports at specific milestones during construction process are necessary. The trick here is to make sure that your inspector understands the finer elements of the new construction process.

There are three likely pit falls with the home inspector route. First, in an effort to prove his worth, the report is filled with issues that don’t matter much. The concern here is provoking and creating an adversarial relationship with your new home builder or construction company. Second, issues which are truly important in the construction and ultimately performance of your house are missed in the process. The third and final area of concern lies with accountability. Home inspectors do not guarantee or provide a warranty for the accuracy of their services.

Is there another way?

There sure is; just to do it yourself. I know what you’re thinking. Hold on there partner, don’t you remember the questions asked at the top? Of course I do. This is where with a little help, you can take the bull by the horns and make sure the work is completed correctly yourself. It is possible for you to manage this task.

What if you had a step by step process? What about a process that not only tells you what to look for, but when to look for it? And, how about a process that even provides photographs as examples of what to look for. With all of that, I’m confident that you’ll have the skills necessary to make sure your new home is built to today’s standards.

Now you understand that it you can make a difference in the quality of your home builder’s new home construction.

By: Jon Andrson

Green building has been all the rage the last couple of years and for good reason. Reducing waste, conserving and re-purposing materials and creating a sustainable structure and project benefit’s everyone and protects the environment.

But did you know that you could apply these same principals when hiring home remodeling contractors that will protect your money by reducing the potential for wasting it while creating clear and concise guidelines that both parties can consistently depend on to guide them throughout the project?

Using these same principals when planning to hire the right contractor for your project will translate into a successful and satisfying remodeling project. There are 3 very simple but key strategies homeowners can incorporate that will give them a sustainable project that moves forward with fewer problems, less waste and conserves their money.

A homeowner can reduce wasting their money by:

#1. Reducing their exposure to “extra work” not covered in the contract and spec sheet. Extra work becomes a “change order” which means more unexpected money is spent. The potential to go over budget becomes very real if you’re not familiar with these risks. Solution: Never assume oral agreements made will be part of the contract. Having a thoroughly written specifications sheet that spells out every detail of the scope of work to be performed, materials and supplies that are to be used in the project.

A homeowner can conserve their time, energy and money by:

#2. Reducing their exposure to Mechanic’s Liens filed against their property. It’s not uncommon for homeowners having to pay twice for work or supplies that were “presumably” already paid for by the general contractor.Solution: Stipulate in the contract that the contractor is to obtain all Lien Releases from subcontractors and material suppliers for the work performed to date upon each payment made to him.

#3. Hire the right contractor whose business ethics, competency and proven track record are transparent and verifiable. Choosing a contractor with little research on the part of the homeowner, other than a license check is a recipe for disaster. Solution: A homeowner must go beyond the usual check licenses, references and complaint history. Conducting a thorough background search that reveals related lawsuits, complaints filed with online consumer agencies, verifying various insurance coverage’s and conducting an extensive interview related to past performance and customer care.

These 3 simple strategies contribute to creating a sustainable project that will have fewer problems with less waste in money, time and energy spent.
Choosing the right contractor, knowing and protecting your rights along with having a thoroughly written agreement that provides clear direction in performing the work translates into a positive “green” renovation experience for everyone.

By: Jody Costello

The art of becoming your own home improvement contractor depends on the size of the project, your own experience and the amount of learning you require beforehand. You need to understand what a contractor does if you wish to be your own home improvement contractor. First of all, he need not do any of the work himself. The project manager is the home improvement contractor. He keeps the project on time, oversees everything from planning to order materials to hiring subcontractors. In most cases, he provides worker’s compensation, liability insurance and obtains permits.

The Responsibilities

The main qualities of a good general contractor are experience and know how. Whether you can bring that to the table depends on the project. It is easier to be a home improvement contractor if the project is smaller. Information can be found at home improvement stores, TV, the internet and any number of books. To start, you have to plan the project in detail. Finding out what materials will be required, what subcontractors you will need and how long it will all take.

Next, enquire if any building permits will be needed. Most new structures and some electrical need permits. Find out with your local authority to understand the requirements. While you’re at it, find out about building codes and zoning regulations. You might need planning help from an expert for larger job.

To locate and hire any subcontractor would be the next big responsibility for a home improvement contractor. Subcontractors are the experts who do a specific part of the project, this include electricians, plumbers and any other type of expert who can do a job that you would rather not do. This is where being your own home improvement contractor can be a disadvantage. An experienced local contractor has relationships and experience with local subcontractors.

You will need to hunt out each subcontractor, coming out a contract and supervise the work as the home improvement contractor. Many subcontractors realize that you will only need to hire them once and may not be motivated to do the same kind of job they would do for a contractor who means a lot of return business. You can overcome that problem by establishing a good relationship with the subcontractor and providing a good working environment. A good deal of education and a detailed understanding of the project can help you find success as a home improvement contractor.

Tips to Start with

It’s a good idea to get a few quotations once a project has been decided. The project has to be defined and the requirements highlighted to achieve this. Obtain at least 3 quotations. Don’t be taken in by very low quote as it can mean that substandard material will be used, inexperienced workers will be hired or that the price will increase as the project proceeds. Prepare the home improvement contract with your selected contractor. It should include all of the project’s demands.

The home improvement contract should comprise of specific materials, all scopes of work to be done, start and completion dates, a warranty on the work and materials, the contractor’s specific duties (site cleanup, getting permits, etc.), a clause limiting work to the home improvement contract and stating that any additional work requires a change order, the manner of settling disputes should be highlighted and a clause allowing either party to back out of the contract within three days of signing without penalty.

The home improvement contract should also include a payment schedule and not make a large deposit. Ten percent is just nice with regular payments made by schedule or at the time that certain benchmarks are completed. Be sure that all the work is done to your expectation before you make the final payment. Use the home improvement contract to spell out all understandings between you and your contractor. If you expect the contractor to personally oversee certain aspects of the job, put it in the home improvement contract.

In the home improvement contract, if you want the contractor to give liability insurance and worker’s compensation. Don’t leave anything to chance. Most contractors have several projects going at the same time and verbal agreements can be forgotten, misunderstood or confused. Before signing the home improvement contract, ask any questions to ensure that you understand what the meaning of each clause. Home improvements can be stressful, let the home improvement contract take some of the stress away.

By: Cindy Heller