Kitchen Remodeling

R. Dodge Woodson asked:


Remodeling Rip-Offs

 

When the economy is down it is common for homeowners to contemplate remodeling their homes. Since they can’t sell the houses for maximum value they often decide to improve the homes.

Calling in remodeling contractors can be risky business. Many so-called contractors are less than reputable. Having been a remodeling contractor for decades I have seen the good ones and the bad ones. There are many horror stories that could be told.

Homeowners must protect themselves, and their homes, from the very beginning of a remodeling venture. This starts in the bidding phase and continues until a job is completed. If you are not diligent in your efforts you may find your dream job turning out to be a nightmare.

How can you guard against remodeling rip-offs. Educate yourself. Read articles and books before you choose a contractor. Kitchen and bath remodeling are generally the most valuable improvements that you can make. These are rooms of a home that you will not want to be without for long. The last thing you want is a contractor who spins your job around until it takes months to create a simple bathroom remodeling project.

Now let me give you some key tips that have served me well for many years. Even though I have been a general contractor, I still have relied on subcontractors for a lot of the work my company has done. Finding and managing subcontractors is a job in itself. My experience is not that different from what you are likely to encounter.

1)      Seek a minimum of five competitive bids. Three bids is common, but go for five. It will give you more data to work with in evaluating your cost and your contractors.

2)      Whenever possible, visit jobs that bidding contractors have in progress. Every remodeler has references, but you want to make sure that they are not mothers, brothers, and cousins. Take the time to go to job sites to see for yourself that the contractors are working and that their work is up to your standards.

3)      Get all bids in writing. Don’t accept estimates. Insist on quotes. A contractor can try to squeeze you for more money when working from an estimated bid. This is not the case with a firm quote.

4)      Review all bid packages closely. Never allow the term “or equal” to be slipped in on you when materials are specified. It is best to have all contactors bidding on an apples-to-apples basis.

5)      Check to see that any contractor you are considering is licensed and insured. Insist on these requirements. Don’t accept copies of insurance that a contractor hands you. The contractor may not have kept the premium payments up and the insurance could have lapsed. Get the evidence of insurance from the contractor’s insurance company.

6)      Specify that all required permits for code enforcement will be provided by the contractor.

7)      Sit down with the contractor you choose to do the work and layout a firm schedule of what is to be done and when it is to be done. Keeping contractors on time and on budget will take some serious effort.

8)      Make sure that the contractor is taking responsibility for cleaning up and removing all work debris.

9)      Make arrangements to protect any pets that you may have in the home.

10)  Beware of contractors who insist on large down payments to start a job.

11)  Supervise the job regularly.

12)  Keep communication lines open with your general contractor. Many problems in remodeling are the result of poor communication.

13)  When the job is done, inspect the work closely before you pay the final invoices from your contractors.

14)  Require the general contractor to provide you with a lien waiver and lien waivers for all subcontractors and suppliers. If contractors, subcontractors, or suppliers are not paid you may suffer from having a lien placed against your home. This can adversely affect your ability to sell or refinance your home.

15)  Confirm that all required code inspections were done by the appropriate code officers.

 Let me share one horror story with you to show the reality of your risk. Many years ago I was called to a home for a remodeling estimate. I did not get the job due to my bid being too high. Some weeks later the same homeowner called me again. She wanted me to come out and talk with her about the sunroom she wanted added onto her home.

I went on the estimate and heard a terrible tale of woe. The woman awarded her job to the low bidder. In accordance with the request of the remodeler, the homeowner gave a one-third deposit on labor. She paid a supplier in full for all glass products to be used in the sunroom. The glass components were delivered and the remodeler was called.

On Monday morning the homeowner met with the contractor and went over the material delivery for accuracy. Then the woman went to work and left the contractor to do his work. Upon her return home, the homeowner noticed that all of the glass components had been moved. She assumed that the contractor had moved them to the back of the house where they would be used. When she looked out her back sliding door, there were no materials. Long story short, the remodeler ripped her off for one-third of the labor cost and stole thousands upon thousands of dollars in glass components. He then disappeared never to be found. I wound up doing the job, but the homeowner lost a lot of money by going with the low bidder who turned out to be a ripoff artist.

An entire book could be written around the risks of remodeling rip-offs. Space is limited here. Use these tips as a beginning towards your learning curve. I urge you to read books written by experts in how to protect yourself while getting the best deals possible when remodeling your home.



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SH18 asked:


I have 3 bathrooms and I need to update them. However, I know that there are some structural water/ fungal damage as well. How do I start the remodeling process? Do I need to hire a contractor or a bathroom specialist? Any advice/ hint you can give me is greatly appreciated. Thank You.

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naruto fan asked:


I need to know some good companies I can call for outdoor remodeling, such as with concrete and brick construction to make a patio. Any good ones near Los Angeles, California? And the website and/or phone number would be nice too.

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danielpattiz asked:


when i say remodeling, i don’t mean re-decorating, or fashion or anything. Also, what kinds of jobs are available in this field? would i be best off freelancing?

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Stephen Morgan asked:


Are you a homeowner? If so, there is a good chance that you may be a little tight on cash. As nice as it is to own a home, it is expensive to. Despite being low on financial resources, you may still want to remodel your home, particularly your kitchen. Although you might not think that it is possible, there are a number of different ways that you can go about changing your kitchen around without having to spend more money than you need to.

Perhaps, the most obvious way to save money, when it comes to remodeling your kitchen, is deciding whether or not your kitchen really needs to be remodeled. As a homeowner, you have every right to remodel your kitchen, if you wish to do so; however, if money is tight it may be a good idea to rethink your decision, at least until your financial outlook improves. Although it may be a good idea to hold off on the kitchen remodeling, you may not necessarily want to. As previously mentioned, there a number of relatively low-cost ways that you could go about remodeling your kitchen.

One of the best ways to go about remodeling your kitchen without going broke is by taking it one step at a time. Although your goal may be to remodel your whole kitchen, inside and out, it can be costly do it all at the same time. By doing your remodeling in steps, it may make it easier for you to afford the overall cost of a kitchen remodeling project. For instance, if you would like to replace your kitchen cabinets, it may be a good idea to start there first. After your kitchen cabinets have been replaced and you have additional money for remodeling, you may want to move onto the next remodeling project, say changing the light fixtures in your kitchen. Taking one step at a time may not only make it easier for you to afford the cost of remodeling, but it may also help to make sure that you are choosing the right materials, supplies, and designs.

Where you buy your supplies and materials from may also have an impact on how much a kitchen remodeling project costs. Whether you decide to do all of your remodeling at once or do it a little bit at a time, you will want to keep an eye on where you are buying your materials from. If you are looking to save the most money, you may want to think about shopping at one of your local home improvement stores. Most home improvement stores, especially those that operate on a national level, carry everything that you need to undergo a kitchen remodeling project. In addition to the tools needed, you may also be able to find the supplies or materials that you need, such as kitchen sinks, kitchen sink pipes, kitchen floor tiles, as well as kitchen light fixtures.

You can also save money, when remodeling your kitchen, by doing all of the work yourself. It may be easier to use a professional contactor, but it is also more expensive. Even if you are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of kitchen remodeling, you may be able to learn. There are a number of resources guides that can be found online, in your local book stores, or in your local library. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to attend a kitchen remodeling class, course, or seminar. These resources, not matter what they are, may make it easier for you to remodel your kitchen yourself. In fact, most of the time, all you need is a plan and a set of directions to follow and you should be good to go.

Despite all of the above mentioned tips, you may still find it difficult to remodel your kitchen, money wise. If this is the case, you may want to place more of a focus on redecorating. Simply by changing your kitchen curtains, replacing some of your kitchen appliances, or even by changing your kitchen towel theme, you could get the new kitchen feel that you were looking for. While it might not be exactly what you had hoped for, it is an alterative that may just give you what you need.



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Dan Fritschen asked:


Remodeling a kitchen can be a very big job.  Depending on the extent of the remodeling project, remodeling a kitchen can take weeks or even months.  There are, however, some things you can do to remodel your kitchen faster.  The ten ideas listed below will get you started on ways to remodel your kitchen faster and still have a finished room that shows quality work and attention to details.



1.  Work with the existing space if at all possible. Moving walls takes a great deal of time. It is also costly. If you are trying to update or remodel, try to think creatively about how you can make better use of the existing space. If you are trying to enlarge the kitchen, try to do so by moving or removing only one wall. This will reduce the amount of electrical work, as well as the amount of framing and drywall work necessary.

2.  Don’t move the sink. Moving plumbing also takes a great deal of time, and adds significant cost to your project.  Even if you are replacing the sink, keeping it in the same location will save the time of rerouting pipes, which could also result in the need for work to replace flooring.

3.  Don’t move a gas line or gas appliances. Moving a gas line will take additional time in completing your kitchen remodel.  In many localities, this will require the assistance of a professional.  You will need to schedule this work and allow the time necessary to move the line and then make any necessary repairs to walls and flooring.

4.  Choose standard-sized pre-built stock cabinets. These cabinets will probably be available for immediate pick-up or delivery, eliminating the wait for custom work and delivery.  These stock cabinets will be ready to simply set in place and attach to walls or floor.  This saves the assembly time required for special-order cabinets and the on-site construction time for custom cabinets.



5.  If you choose custom or semi-custom cabinets, pitch in and assemble the cabinets yourself for your contractor. Assembling pre-cut cabinets is not terribly difficult if you have some do-it-yourself remodeling experience.  Assembling cabinets takes time, however.  If you can assemble the cabinets in advance and have them ready for your contractor or for installation, you will save time during the actual remodeling project.

6.  Use large stock cabinets to make a pantry instead of building a closet. This saves the time of knocking out wall, re-framing for the closet, hanging the drywall, etc.  You might even find that you prefer the appearance of the matched cabinetry throughout your remodeled kitchen.

7.  Reface instead of replacing your cabinets. If your existing cabinets are in reasonably good condition, have them refaced instead of replacing them. This will also save time.  In some cases, the actual work can be done in a day.

8.  Install a new countertop. A new countertop will make your remodeled kitchen look bright and clean.  Your choice of countertop material could completely change the appearance of your kitchen. 



9.  Don’t install a backsplash. If you are trying to remodel your kitchen faster, don’t take the time to install or replace a backsplash.  Tile installation takes some time to set and allow it to dry completely.  If you are in a hurry, leave this for a weekend project at some point in the future.

10.  If you are building a window seat, save construction time by installing stock cabinets as the base for the seat. You can easily find stock cabinets the right height for a seat.  Just choose cabinets that match or complement your kitchen cabinets.  Then you need only position the boards on top of the cabinets and add cushions.

These ten ideas can save time on your kitchen remodel.  You will probably think of others as you begin planning your project.  But you can make a good start with these ten things to do to remodel your kitchen faster.

Copyright 2008 by ABCD Publishing



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umar2t asked:


I live in my beautiful one bedroom apartment in Tokyo but hate my Japanese bathroom.How can i find a remodeling agency to fix my bathroom with that prefabricated fixtures without moving?

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Asha asked:


Any homeowners would at least undertake one major home remodeling plan in the lifetime. There could be lot of reasons such as ugly wallpaper, stain, cracked or nasty linoleum floor. Mainly people deal with kitchen and bathroom remodeling and they also remain important, but might not be really necessary for all kind of homes, you need to make your choice according your needs.

The most excellent home remodeling ideas are the ones, which assure to develop your class of life. Bathroom and kitchen remodels might actually have the chief average fiscal return on the investment made, but any home remodeling plan would probably add to your land value and few add the complete cost of the renovation. Your principal want might be a home office or the cellar remodel. The family room might be in real bad form due to the pet damage that it’s pleading to be deal with first. In addition, you might not actually know what a possible home buyer is going to like most.

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In spite of the home area you select for remodel, the input to a winning home remodeling project is simply planning. Trade shows, display area and the Internet are all amazing ways to make beginning ideas. You must give yourself for a while to get a sense for what you actually desire, the size of your project budget, and how you could get finance for the remodel. For big home remodels, a tradition floor plan and other building consents are obligatory before any real production starts. You of course don’t want to have entire answers, but the more you understand about what you need the more competent and annoy free your remodeling plan will be.

In addition, by taking a more practical, well-informed, and patient move towards your home remodeling project, you can actually reduce the risk of miscommunication among you and your contractor. You would further boost the ability of carrying out your home remodel/renovation and, certainly, decrease the actually cost of your plan, while yet getting all that you desire from your fresh home living area.

Not all home remodeling plans comprises wide planning and other floor plans. Replacing your boring wallpaper, counting storage cabinets, or just revamping could change some of your areas in home without the pricey process of an entire bathroom or the kitchen remodel. Another amazing foundation for home remodeling plan is to increase your money roughly and keep away from discarding all your dispensable cash into one particular area. This is particularly accurate for homeowners that carry some additional cash, will like to smarten up their home, but do not have one part of the home, which has any urgent remodeling needs. So decide upon your needs and work along with the contractor for completely home remodeling!

Asha is a Copywriter of Houston home remodeling.She written many articles in various topics such as Houston Home Repair,Home Remodeling in Houston. For more information visit: www.allphaserenovations.com. Contact her at allphaserenovations@gmail.com



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Jennifer S asked:


We have had our home for 4 years now, we only owe 11 more years on it and our payments are only 355.00 a month. We really need some work done on it. What is our best option for getting a loan to to have like vinyl siding, heating and air, new windows, those are the only things that need to be done, but all of them are so high to have done? I know nothing about this kind of stuff, some suggestions would be great.

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whisper asked:


I am remodeling an older lake home.I have read in many of the books and magazines that salvage yards are a great source of all kinds of materials.
How do I find a salvage yard in my area..
I would love to find 100 year old wood doors..glass door knobs and the like.

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