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Home remodeling projects are capable of transforming any house into a dream home. With so much money at stake in this type of project, careful planning is necessary to avoid potential, financial pitfalls.

Below are some tips guaranteed to safeguard your home investment.

1. Analyze the return on investment for upgrade options.

Few would argue that a home is much more than financial investment to most of us. That’s why it can be far too easy to make emotional decisions about adding highly customized features with little thought about whether they make sense from an investment standpoint.

It is important to analyze upgrades factoring in the rate of return expectations. For example, minor kitchen and bathroom upgrades are typically a safe bet in most housing markets, while adding an outdoor swimming pool in a colder climate might not make much sense when it is time to sell your home.

2. Hire a contractor with a good reputation and a business license.

Get recommendations from friends and family members. Once you have a list of recommended contractors, do your homework and research them online and with the Better Business Bureau. Before hiring a contractor, ask to see their license and insurance paperwork.

Some contractors try to satisfy these requests with a license number and the name of the insurance company. Insist on seeing the paperwork yourself to ensure that they have adequate insurance to cover any problems that might arise. You also need to verify that their license is in good standing.

Obtain references, then call on them. Verify that they are qualified for the project you have in mind. For example, if you’re having a foundation replaced, ask them for references related to foundation repair.

 

3. Draw up a work contract.

Never rely on oral agreements. A written contract provides you with legal recourse if a problem arises related to the terms of the agreement.

The contract should outline details related to the work to be completed, the parties involved, a schedule of activities, and a deadline for completion. Be sure to read the entire contract before signing it or paying an upfront deposit. If you have any reservations, it makes sense to have a trusted attorney read the contract.

4. Get a warranty.

The warranty can be part of the contract. Essentially, the warranty should state that the work completed must be free of defects and conform to the agreed-upon design. Beware of an extremely limited warranty that many contractors try to use as a way of avoiding legal ramifications. It is noteworthy that the warranty can be unlimited or for a long period of time.

5. Plan Ahead for Maintenance

When planning your remodeling project, it’s important to consider the maintenance that will go into the new materials and surfaces. Will you be installing new carpeting?  Xtremecarpets.com recommends that you have your carpets professionally cleaned twice annually to prolong their life and beauty. Keep in mind the cost and time involved in maintaining countertops, fixtures, walls and, flooring. You might decide to go with low-maintenance materials to save time and money in the long term.

 

Our homes are often the biggest investment in our lives. It’s important to maintain them. Whether we want to sell as soon as possible or continue living in our homes for years to come, there are ways to maintain their value.

 

Here are 5 tips you can use to fight depreciation:

 

1. Improve Curb Appeal:

Curb appeal is an important aspect in home value and impacts potential buyers’ decisions. Some ways you may choose to improve your home’s curb appeal include:

• Painting your exterior or getting siding
• Landscaping the front yard
• Adding or upgrading a walkway
• Adding planters
• Adding or upgrading your mailbox

 

Small changes add up to make a big difference in your home’s appearance.

 

2. Update Appliances:

You don’t always have to focus on having the top of the line when you need to replace an appliance. For best results, simply update the appliances that might be close to their end. Things like furnaces and water heaters, for example. Choosing to go with energy efficient and eco-friendly models is definitely a plus for you and potential buyers.

 

3. Assess Plumbing:

One of the most common and costly home issues is plumbing malfunction. Inspecting your plumbing for leaks can save time and money later. You can avoid household floods by ensuring your faucets, toilets, showers, and pipes are in working order. You can fix small leaks yourself, or call in a professional plumber if needed.

 

4. Avoid Termite/Insect Infestation:

If your home becomes infested with wood-eating insects like termites, the value will plummet, and liability will skyrocket. When it comes to termites, prevention is far better, safer, and cheaper than repairing the damage they cause. You can use pest prevention treatments to protect the structural integrity of your home. If an infestation happens, so much renovation and repair may have to be done that no buyer will want to purchase your home.

 

5. Improve Cosmetics:

In a similar vein to curb appeal, sometimes appearances make a big difference. Some things you can do to spruce up your home include:

• Replacing older carpeting
• Painting
• Adding molding
• Updating your lighting(including outside lighting)
• Installing new door handles
• Deep cleaning the house 

6.Regular Cleaning

Schedule regular professional cleaning for the carpets and hard surfaces to keep everything looking and smelling its best!

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If you can implement a lot of small changes and improvements into your home, its value will be maintained or even improved over time. Then, if or when you are ready, you will be able to sell it easily. 

 

 

 

Surely, you are tired of walking on and staring at dirty floors. This explains why you might be looking into renting a heavy-duty cleaning machine. If you tackle the tedious job by yourself, you will save money. However, your plan can quickly backfire if you make one or more missteps, so why take a chance when there is a much better option on the table? Take into account these five reasons to work with a professional carpet cleaning service:

 

1. Licensed Cleaners Have the Required Knowledge and Insights

 

Dissimilar carpets need a different amount of attention and a specific cleaning solution. While you will probably have to use your best judgment and unreliable methods, professionals will draw on their pertinent knowledge and excellent insights to clean your carpets right. Because they have high-powered equipment, they can complete deep cleanings in a timely manner.

 

2. Removing Age-Old Spots and Unsightly Stains Is Easy Work for Licensed Cleaners

 

Uplifting embedded debris is challenging when you don’t have a good understanding of what to do. The involved process can also be risky since irreversible damage can occur if you use the wrong cleaning products. That’s why it makes sense to hire professional cleaning services. They cost money because they can effectively get rid of stubborn stains without damaging your carpets in any way. Licensed cleaners know which stain-removing methods will have the desired effect.

 

3. There’s a Reduced Risk of Water Damage

 

Compared to their cheaper counterparts, first-rate cleaning machines will do a much better job of minimizing water damage. Nevertheless, they can’t outperform the equipment that licensed cleaners use. This is the case because the professional equipment doesn’t just saturate carpets. It also absorbs the excess water to facilitate the drying process. The faster your carpets dry, the less likely mold will grow.

 

4. Licensed Cleaners Have the Expertise and the Determination to Work Past the Difficulties in the Job

 

There’s more to getting rid of spots than meets the eye. Although it’s not an exact science, you need a certain amount of know-how to steer clear of common issues. That’s why the job is best left to licensed cleaners. They have a sufficient degree of expertise, so they are more proficient at cleaning carpets. Proficiency is essential when the goal is to produce the best possible results.

 

5. You Save More Money in the End by Working With Experts

 

For laymen, mistakes are common and almost impossible to avoid. One setback, like discoloring a section of carpet, can be costly because you might have to replace the entire floor. Therefore, hiring professional carpet cleaning services will prove to be a money-saving decision. Licensed cleaners can do high-quality work that will restore your carpets to mint condition.

 

For those of us who love the idea of doing it ourselves, it feels good to expand our horizons and learn something new. We get a sense of accomplishment from acquiring a new skill. In the case of the wiring in your house, however, it is best to leave that to the professionals. Here are five reasons why.

 

1. Live Wires and Inexperience Don’t Mix

 

First and foremost, when you are undertaking any project, safety is the most important factor, always. That said, because of the nature of electricity, a simple mistake can have reasonably dire consequences.

 

Whether you’ve forgotten to make sure a wire wasn’t live (meaning it wasn’t running a current) or if you’ve made a mistake with the soldering and something accidentally catches light…inside of your wall. Better safe than sorry.

 

2. Materials Expense

 

A lot of the appeal in DIY is getting things done for less. It’s like bargain shopping, but it comes with a tangible and useful result, like a properly functioning toilet or a lovely custom coffee table. But in the case of electrical work, there is no equivalent for getting palette wood to craft your awesome coffee table.

 

All material must be up to code, which means that you are going to need to invest in quality materials. And because you haven’t received training, you may find you need to repurchase these materials several times as you will inevitably make mistakes. In the end, it may be more expensive and more frustrating than hiring a professional.

 

3. Quality

 

You can read up on currents and circuitry and tackle that codebook if you want to; however, when it comes to learning new things, mistakes are just part of the game. That’s fine if you are experimenting with things like new composting methods or a different way to apply paint, not great when dealing with electrical work.

 

You may be shocked about how much can go wrong in your novice hands, and since you lack the training, the quality of the repair is going to be subpar at best.

 

4. Following Code

 

As mentioned above, all material must be up to code, and they also must be installed to code. This means that you are going to need to invest a good chunk of time studying the regulations. To properly do a residential electrical job, you need to know a good bit about your state and county laws concerning code and install rules.

 

Considering that electricians study for five years to acquire this knowledge, it is not a weekend job.

 

5. Efficiency

 

Taking your time to puzzle things out is fine when you are making your custom bird feeders, spending that much time on the electrical issue in your house isn’t typically an option.

 

If you add it all up – factoring in acquiring materials, reading up on circuitry, attempting to digest code and then however long it takes you to make heads or tails of the project, typically won’t be saving you anything, money or time.

 

It is much more prudent to have a professional come in and do a same-day fix, rather than try and tinker with an issue over a couple of weeks and possibly accidentally make it worse in the process.

Check out  https://mcaelectric.com/ for a great example!

               How To Correctly & Easily Find A Professional Roof Repair Company

Putting in a new roof is among one of the many essential and costly home improvement ventures that you will be facing as a homeowner. Your roof and your side are your house’s front line of defense against the elements. Either you need a quick fix or a total replacement, a reliable roofing professional will need to be hired. Here are a few ways to assist you to locate your contractor— and work with him.

The cost of repairing a roof runs from $450 to $1,300. If it leaks, cracks, and shows other signs of wear and tear, you might need a professional to repair it. This job will be performed by many roofing professionals they have installed before. If you have to consider hiring a professional other than the initial installer, be sure to keep an eye on repair companies.

 

Employing a roof inspection professional or providing routine maintenance may increase the roof’s lifespan. The average cost of hiring a roof inspector is around $175. Based on the material you might want to schedule service every 9 to 18 months. When you install a new roof, some companies are offering repair plans, but many are not performing this service.

 

To begin the research, find a reputable website such as Home Advisor or others that can help you determine eligible roofing specialists with the following services: Link homeowners with local home improvement contractors and assist with future conflicts. Place contractors through a thorough ten-step screening process before considering them for the job.

 

 

Look for quality-controlled client ratings and reviews so that you can view what homeowners feel of specific contractors and roof construction companies. These reviews can create a strong opportunity for contractors to meet your standards and surpass them. You’re likely to find all this knowledge on your own. By surfing a list of reliable professionals that can help you create the best outcome, you will save yourself some time save time.

 

In order to measure a truthful and acceptable price range, you should speak with many roofing companies. Before making a hire choice, interview at least three experts. Compare the offers, but understand that only one part of the operation is the cost. Be careful about any bids that are exceptionally low or too high. For an initiative that can end up costing several thousand dollars, you definitely don’t want to make the choice of a couple of hundred dollars. Putting a new roof on average costs about $7,500, but before you get an overall price, you will have to choose a material and design.

 

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