Bathroom Remodeling – Michigan
Bathroom Remodeling in Michigan has seen a spike in demand in recent months. The community is capitalizing on the rock bottom prices for all renovations, but targeting bathroom remodeling in particular as a low risk renovation with large ending gains for the value of their home.
With so much demand for bathroom renovation, Michigan attracts remodeling businesses of almost every conceivable genre. But before choosing a Michigan remodeling contractor for your remodeling project, weigh your options carefully and do your research.
Old fashioned proprietors who have been doing business for many years have a great sense of commitment to their community, but they often lack the streamlined efficiency of some of the newer renovation companies. They typically have a more relaxed attitude about project management and deadlines, and while they will certainly give the customer one on one attention, rarely do they follow through with their commitments.
Larger companies, on the other hand, are often so streamlined and efficient that the customer himself can be all but forgotten. The personal touch that so many home owners look for is lost amid the many tentacles of the corporation. And when it comes to something as personal as a home, this gives the whole project an underlying feeling of coldness and trepidation. Sure, they get the job done fast, but the sense of community and one on one service is practically non-existent.
This is why home owners in Michigan have come to trust companies that not only give the personal attention of an old fashioned business, but execute the renovation at the speed, cost, and efficiency of a multi-conglomerate corporation. When dealing with a local company of solid reputation, home owners can rest assured that the contractor’s experience with homes of similar style and value will make their renovation as successful as possible.
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Update Your Home Safely with a Lead Safe Certified Remodeler
Filed under: Bathroom Remodeling, Doors, Home Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling, Lead Safety, Sunrooms, Windows
P & B Finishers is a Lead Safe Certified Firm
You’ve made the decision to finally remodel the outdated kitchen and living room of your home. But if you live in a house built before 1978, a new federal law regulating the removal of lead paint may affect your home remodeling project. In 1978, the use of lead paint was officially banned from residential construction. Before that, however, lead paint was used in more than 38 million homes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
The Dangers of Lead Paint
During a renovation or remodel, dust from lead paint removal can fill the air and be breathed in or small children could ingest lead paint chips that fall from the wall. For young children, lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, hearing loss and behavior problems. In adults, lead poisoning can lead to hypertension and high blood pressure. Pregnant women run the risk of passing the poison on to their unborn child.
It is important that you find a remodeler who is trained in lead-safe work practices rather than try to do the work yourself. To ensure the safety of the home’s occupants, the EPA’s new regulation requires that any major renovation to homes built before 1978 must be performed by a certified remodeler or renovator.
What are Lead-Safe Work Practices?
EPA has a free brochure on its website called “Renovate Right” that provides guidance to home owners and contractors about the safe removal of lead paint. Your contractor should follow specific work practices, including these three simple procedures:
1. Contain the work area so that dust and debris do not escape. Warning signs should be put up and heavy-duty plastic and tape should be used to seal off doors and heating and cooling system vents and to cover the floors and any furniture that cannot be moved.
2. Minimize dust. There is no way to eliminate dust, but some paint removal methods create less dust than others. For example, using water to mist areas before sanding or scraping; scoring paint before separating components; and prying and pulling apart components instead of breaking them. Methods that generate large amounts of dust and should not be used include open flame burning or torching; sanding, grinding, planing, needle gunning, or blasting with power tools and equipment not equipped with a shroud and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuum attachment; or using a heat gun at temperatures greater than 1100°F.
3. Clean up thoroughly. When all the work is done, and before taking down any plastic that isolates the work area from the rest of the home, the area should be cleaned up using special cleaning methods . These include using a HEPA vacuum to clean up dust and debris on all surfaces, followed by wet mopping with plenty of water.
How Do I Find a Certified Firm?
To become lead-safe certified the firm must submit an application to the EPA and complete a federal or state-administered eight-hour class with two hours of hands-on training.
To find a lead-safe certified contractor or firm near you visit EPA Certified Firm Locator.
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Get the Best Bang for Your Remodeling Buck
Filed under: Bathroom Remodeling, Home Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling, Windows
Your home is your castle, but sometimes that castle may need a facelift. Remodeling is a great way to create a home environment that can meet your family’s changing needs and tastes without you having to spend a lot of money.
Before you spend your hard-earned dollars, however, make sure that the changes you make now will have longer-term benefits for you when you look to sell your home in the future.
You should find out what features are standard for homes in your neighborhood. If you only have one bathroom but most of the other homes average two or more, you will want to bring your house up to that standard. On the flipside, do not make changes to your house that are too extravagant or out-of-place for your neighborhood.
Make sure you are not making changes that will turn off prospective buyers. Keep in mind what future home buyers would like to see in their next home. It is often wiser to add an additional bathroom or bedroom rather than a sunroom or sauna, for example, which are costly and will not necessarily be a priority for anyone else.
The size and cost of your project matter as well. The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University advises that smaller or midrange jobs overall will tend to recover a higher percentage of their cost than larger, higher-end projects.
For example, replacing old windows will generate a higher payback ratio than adding a high-end kitchen with all of the bells and whistles and it costs significantly less, according to Stephen Melman, an economist with the National Association of Home Builders.
Maintenance-related projects, such as siding and window replacement, are especially popular because they are repairs that are seen as needed, but can also help improve curb appeal at fairly low costs in relation to other projects.
The top-ten midrange projects cited in Remodeling magazine’s “Cost vs. Value Report” that provide the highest percentage return are:
- Deck Addition (wood) - 81.8 percent
- Siding Replacement (vinyl) – 80.7 percent
- Minor Kitchen Remodel - 79.5 percent
- Window Replacement (wood) – 77.7 percent
- Window Replacement (vinyl) – 77.2 percent
- Major Kitchen Remodel - 76.0 percent
- Bathroom Remodel - 74.6 percent
- Attic Bedroom - 73.8 percent
- Deck Addition (composite) – 73.7 percent
- Basement Remodel - 72.9 percent
These numbers represent the national average and percentages may vary in your region. To get information on projects that are the best investment for your area, check out the Remodeling magazine’s “2009-2010 Cost vs. Value Report” published by Hanley Wood online at www.costvsvalue.com. If you would like a copy of the Detroit area Cost v Value report contact P & B Finishers and we will send you one.
Whether you are looking to sell your house soon, or are just looking to remodel for yourself, it makes sense to keep an eye on how the changes you make now will reflect on your biggest investment down the road.
To find a professional remodeler in southeast Michigan, contact your local home builders’ association at http://www.biaremodelor.org/ or visit www.nahb.org/remodel.
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Aging (Gracefully) in Place – Refrigerated Medicine Cabinets
Filed under: Adaptive Remodeling, Aging in Place, Bathroom Remodeling
Now here’s a novel idea: Store your perishable medications in the medicine cabinet – where they belong.
We often resort to storing our meds in the refrigerator in the kitchen since most won’t tolerate the moist, warm conditions often found in our bathrooms. With the advent of the refrigerated medicine cabinet we won’t need to do that anymore. Several manufacturers now offer refrigerated medicine cabinets to keep those important (and often expensive) prescriptions at the recommended temperature. The cabinets (er-uh, refrigerators) are offered in a variety of sizes including the old standards that most homes have now, eliminating the need for sometimes expensive re-framing and drywall work. However, most we looked at require hard-wiring for the electrical supply so qualified contractors should be used for their installation. The units carry a moderate to expensive price tag but may be well worth it for many of us.
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Cheapest is Seldom Best — When to say “NO”
Filed under: Bathroom Remodeling, Home Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling, Sunrooms
We’ve gotten a lot of calls recently for remodeling and I’m noticing an expected trend in the outcome of my sales calls: Contractors are quoting unbelievable (and unrealistic) prices for remodeling. This will be a problem that both contractor and homeowner will likely pay for in the end.
One of the most basic things a business must do to stay in business is make a profit. There is no faster way to go “belly-up” than to take jobs too cheap and break even or lose money on them. Yes, even the guy who breaks even will fail, sooner than you might think. And when that happens, you could get stuck with an unfinished project or long delays, a warranty claim that can’t be filled, or suppliers and tradesmen to pay — for a second time.
The best way to protect yourself is to hire professionals. There are a lot of “trunk slammers” coming onto the playing field right now. Unemployment is high. Almost anybody can drive a nail, paint, or finish drywall and that’s all it takes to be a remodeler–right?
Wrong.
It takes more. Professional remodelers know what it takes to run a successful business. They may have years of experience, hold a variety of credentials and even have college degrees. It’s not just about driving nails and finishing drywall. It’s about business practices and managment skills.
When you are ready to start a project you should always seek referrals from your family and friends who have used a professional remodeler before. If you don’t have that resource, call your local Home Builders Association or NARI chapter for recommendations of an accredited contractor in your area. Get three quotes from professional contractors. Look for professional designations such as NAHB’s Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) or NARI’s Certified Remodeler (CR). Earning these designations means the remodeler is serious about his/her business and wants to be successful at it…and that benefits you, the homeowner, too.
Review each quote carefully to make sure the contractors are bidding apples for apples. There’s nothing like getting well into a job then finding out the contractor didn’t include plumbing fixtures in the proposal.
How do you as a homeowner know when to say “no thanks?”
Look for the obvious first. A bid that’s considerably cheaper than others you’ve received should probably be dismissed immediately. A bid that’s considerably higher might also be dismissed but, you may want to make sure everyone is bidding the same thing and has the same allowances for fixtures, cabinets, etc. You’re usually better off taking the middle bid. Notice I said usually.
A professional will come to you with licensing, insurance and references, usually without your asking. Steer clear of uninsured contractors. They can be big trouble for you. You can be liable for them, their workers and any damage they may cause. If they ask you to secure the permit, beware. There’s usually a bad reason.
You can check licensing online in most if not all states. Remember that electricians, plumbers and HVAC (Mechanical) contractors must have their own corresponding licenses. The remodelers Builders’ License does not cover it. You can feel secure if you’re remodeler is using licensed electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors and is providing you with all the necesary permits — Building, Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical — for the project. Remember too, that some jobs — painting, many repairs, cabinet replacements, etc. — don’t require a permit. Check with your local building authority.
If you’re still not sure, look for advice at your local Home Builders Association or check you state’s Builder Licensing Division for useful information. Oh, and don’t discount the gut feeling.
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What’s a Certified Graduate Remodeler?
Filed under: Bathroom Remodeling, Home Remodeling, Kitchen Remodeling, Sunrooms
Good afternoon.
The Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) designation is the title given to remodelers who complete the necessary educational course to achieve that recognition. They are also required to have aminimum of 5 years of remodeling experience.
The CGR course teaches business practices, marketing, contruction and project management, construction practices and numerous other subjects related to the industry.
Going a little deeper, finding a remodeler with the CGR designation means you have found a professeional. This remodeler is serious about what they do…serious enough to take the time for practical education and instruction in their field of expertise. It’s what helps distinguish those who just dabble or do side work from those who do high quality, professional remodeling.
I received my CGR designation 3 years ago and continually find value in the things I learned by attaining the designation. It helps me better serve my customers and give them a project that is of higher standards and better value.
It’s important to hire companies that know what they are doing and are seious about it.
–Lenox
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