Invest in your home
September 21, 2009
The recession has many homeowners nervous about the value of their real estate. Housing values appreciate and depreciate regularly, but one thing remains constant – improving your property will always result in your real estate increasing in value. No matter what the market is saying your home is worth, you can make it worth more by upgrading the windows, bathroom, kitchen, etc. Simply put, it’s never a bad time to improve your property.
The cost of building materials will be a factor in how many improvements you make, but the wise homeowner can pick and choose projects based on the current sales of some of the larger retailers. If Lowes is having a sale on windows, be sure to snap up as many cheap windows as possible and get someone in there to install them right away. When they offer sales on flooring the following week, start on that project next.
No matter what is going on with the recession, it’s always a good idea to invest in your home.
Time to complete the outdoor projects
September 20, 2009
We’re starting a roofing job next week if the weather cooperates. Now is the time to get the outdoor projects complete, with winter being just around the corner.
Window replacements, driveways, siding, roofing, etc., all theses projects are easier, safer and cheaper to do without snow covering everything. If you’ve been putting off completing any outdoor project, now is the time to get them done.
Look for Lowes and Home Depot for some end of the season sales too, if you need another nudge to get them done.
Look for licensed contractors
September 19, 2009
Great article about the importance of hiring a licensed contractor for your home improvement projects:
http://www.examiner.com/x-18262-Columbia-Home-Improvement-Examiner~y2009m8d26-Look-for-licensed-contractors
Now that summer is almost over you may want to make a few repairs around the house.
The Columbia area is loaded with handymen and small contractors. Most of these are hard working honest people just trying to make a living.
It is a good thing to use people you would like to help out, but you also have to think about yourself and your family.
The first question you should ask a prospective contractor is “are you licensed and insured?”
You may be surprised at how many are not.
Why do people work without a license? It cost a fee to be licensed, but they are usually within the one hundred dollar range.
The catch is in order to get a license you have to have insurance. This cost more and is what holds a lot of handymen back. Jack of all trades and handymen can usually underbid licensed workers because they do not have the overhead of paying for licenses and insurance.
In a lot of cases they charge the same or more as licensed contractors in spite of being unlicensed and uninsured.
What can happen if you use these unlicensed and uninsured workers? First of all if they get injured working on your house they are going to go to your insurance company to pay their medical costs.
If their mistakes damage your home, once again they have no insurance or capitol to correct the mistakes. They have no license to loose so they just continue advertising and doing other jobs. The problems with your job are often left for you to resolve.
A lot of times when you call them back to correct a problem , they created, they are not even in the business anymore.
Unfortunately the reputation of these types of workers has been passed on to all contractors, including those who are licensed and insured and will do a good job.
To obtain a state license as a skilled contractor you have to pass a test and be skilled in the trade. This is the kind of license you want your contractor to have.
Some municipalities only require you to pay a fee to obtain a license to work in their area. While this shows initiative it does not show the contractor is skilled in the trade he is charging you for.
Licensed contractors will stand behind their work and are answerable to their license holder and insurer. They have proven they are skilled in their trade.
It only makes sense to use workers who are trained in their trade, and are licensed and insured.
PFD Estimates Hover at just over $1,300
September 19, 2009
Many new agencies are estimating that this year’s PFD will be slight over $1,300 bucks.
http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=11130831