If you are in the process of working with home builders, you are likely familiar with the process of getting bids, selecting a contractor, and paying for these services. Even first time home buyers need to know that a home purchase is just the beginning of the home buying process. The best home owners also make sure that they make repairs as soon as they are needed. Consider this A to Z list of possible repairs and remodeling needs that might require a team of home builders.
Home Builders Offer a Variety of Ways to Update Your Home?s Exterior
- All homes need maintenance. The wise homeowners make it a priority to invest in these maintenance needs as they occur. Waiting until it is an emergency and needing to replace the roof and the siding at once can be more expensive than most people can afford.
- Be careful that you work with reputable contractors. A contractor who asks you to make a 20% deposit when you schedule an appointment six months in advance may be indicating that they are scrambling for cash.
- Concrete driveways that are not prepared can cause many problems. From street creep that is caused by a shifting that pushes into the foundation of a home to a sinking area, problems should be addressed and fixed as soon as they are discovered.
- Deciding to get at least two bids on a major project is always a good idea. The lowest price, however, is not always the best indicator. Contract proposals require close attention and examination.
- Extras like cleaning up a job site every day after a work shift is an indicator that a contractor is thorough and respectful of their clients.
- Full house siding replacements can be very expensive. A 3,100 square foot two story home with a walkout basement, for instance, can cost nearly $20,000.
- Garage door problems need to be addressed sooner rather than later. Waiting until a garage door will not open on the morning of your biggest sales meeting of the year is never a good plan.
- How old is the roof on your house. Many new roofing products are virtually maintenance free. These products often come with extended warranties that make them a worthwhile investment.
- Inspections are an important part of any bidding process. While some contractors may indicate that they can give you a bid based on a drive by examination, the more trusted contractors will meet with you on site and get a close up look at the potential work.
- Jobs that require several days can serve as a major disruption. Make sure that you schedule accordingly.
- Keep good records of all of the bids that you receive and the bills of sale for any jobs that you have completed.
- Letting maintenance problems build up can decrease the value of your home should you need to sell your home on short notice.
- Most contractors will ask for some money up front. You should not, however, have to pay months in advance for a job that will not be scheduled later.
- Never pay for a job in full until the work is completed. Typically, you would not pay more than 50% down at the beginning of a job, but the rest would not be paid until the work is completed.
- Owning a house means that you need to pay constant attention to repairs that need to be addressed as soon as they occur.
- Painting a home exterior is something that needs to be done every five to ten years, unless you install permanent siding.
- Quiet streets in a quaint subdivision often come with some home association rules that must be followed.
- Roofs should be inspected once a year by roofing contractors.
- Siding decisions are often determined by location. In some parts of the Southwest, for example, it is fairly common to have a stucco contractor install their products.
- The decision to add a deck onto a house can add value to a property.
- Understanding the need for gutter cleaning can help you maintain the investment you made in a roof.
- Very few home builders will have immediate openings, so planning ahead for remodeling is essential.
- Whole house remodels can be both expensive and extensive.
- X-amine all contractor bills closely before paying them.
- You need to keep all warranties for newly installed appliances.
- Zip ties are only short fixes, but real home repairs often require contracts.
