Home Improvement Contractors | Yakima Furniture

Keep Your Home Remodeling Costs Within Budget

September 10, 2022 Comments Off

Home remodeling costs need not be an encumbrance. Recently, almost all homeowners are opting to remodel their homes. In some way they do it as an investment, to add worth to their assets and at the same time such improvement adds luxury and comfort for all the members of their family.
Possibly you are considering expanding the kitchen, fixing a home theater, modernizing the bathroom fixtures, or merely refurbishing your child’s room. Cost is a concern for most home owners, so you need to choose a remodeling project that will attract potential buyers when you decide to sell later on. After deciding what to remodel, secure budget assessment whether your project meets your financial capacity.
When renovating, the cost of your home or office or whatever is it you’re renovating is not fixed. With the rising costs of labor, materials, gas to operate the tools, and the whole thing, it’s difficult to maintain a constant rate on the work to be accomplished. Each person has a distinct prerequisite that needs distinct scopes of labor, materials, and energy rates, and every contractor has diverse estimates, however nearly all are quite feasible. For every homeowner, cost is the main concern and it is expected that concessions will have to be achieve at some point so that your renovation plan may stay within a feasible budget.
Renovation costs differ all over the U.S. depending on both labor and construction demand. However you need to consider also whether the renovation is worth the wait or purchasing a new home is a much better option. The renovation is based on several factors such as the cost of the particular renovation, the market value of your home, the neighborhood analysis, and such other issues. If the cost is less than 30% of the home’s value, then go ahead with the renovation. Beyond 30% is unacceptable, such renovation cost is much better spent in acquiring a new home.
The most common method to augment the worth of your home is expending several home renovation costs for your current rooms or added floor designs. You have the option whether to add new home appliances, cabinets or new fixtures; or you can go all the way by altering the whole outlook of your home. What’s essential is for you to attain the most pleasing guise for your homes with the budget at hand.
Home renovation costs are shown to be more worthy if used on innovative adds-on in structures like kitchens and bathrooms. There are numerous reasons why homeowners desire to remodel their homes. Whatever the reasons are, you must secure an exact assessment of the extent of the renovation before starting the project.

Laneway Housing in Vancouver

August 19, 2022 Comments Off

A new pilot housing project has just received the green light in Vancouver. Over the next three years, Vancouver homeowners will be allowed to convert their garages into small living spaces. Once the three years are over, or 100 of these small residential units have been built, City Council will review the success of the project, and determine what (if any) changes should be made before letting everyone living in single family zones build these suites.
These living spaces are known as laneway houses, and have become part of the landscape in several cities, including Toronto and Montreal. Approved laneway units must be less than 750 sq. ft, and can be up to 1 1/2 stories tall. There must also be 16 feet of space between the back of the house and the front of the laneway suite.
Proponents of laneway houses argue that as Vancouver real estate prices continue to rise beyond most people’s means, innovative housing strategies like laneway suites will soon be necessary. This is particularly true in the current economic climate, with people losing their jobs and struggling to pay their bills.
Retirees and students are in particular need of affordable housing options, and laneway housing could offer one solution. Aging parents for instance, could move into their converted garage and rent out the main house to family members or tenants. This would not only help them out financially, but would also reduce the amount of upkeep they have to perform around the property. In addition, there’d be the comfort of knowing that if anything happens, there’s someone close by to help.
Parents of college-aged kids could build a small home on their property and offer it to their children. This would greatly reduce their living costs, while still offering privacy to both parties.
Not only does Vancouver sorely need affordable housing options, but there also needs to be an increase in the available inventory. Particularly in the downtown core, where there’s nowhere left to build, there are very limited rental accommodations available. Laneway housing could be one answer to the vacancy problem.
Opponents of the proposal argue that laneway housing would have a negative impact on the neighborhood landscape, and would result in areas that are too densely populated. Many neighborhoods consist primarily of single family homes, and many residents want to keep it that way. They also believe that there’ll be much greater demand put on resources such as water and electricity if every house has a suite attached to it.
The next three years will be an interesting experiment to see how effective laneway housing is at tackling Vancouver’s residential woes.

Home Remodeling Projects to Consider

July 28, 2022 Comments Off

If you’re thinking about home remodeling, there are many possibilities to consider. You can look at everything from your roof to your floors and think about what might need some work. Choosing whether to do your own remodeling or to find professional help is another factor you have to consider. We’ll now explore a few home remodeling options in more detail.
Remodeling your kitchen can be one of the most satisfying projects you can undertake. You might wonder if your budget can handle the expense of remodeling your kitchen, as this can be one of the costlier areas of your home to work on. Sometimes you can make real improvements to your kitchen in creative ways that won’t stretch your budget. When it comes to your cabinets, you may want to consider resurfacing and painting them and maybe replacing the doors and hardware rather than having a whole new set installed. Take a look at your sink and note if there are any leaks that need repairing or if it’s time to invest in a new one. If your counter tops are the worse for wear, you have the choice of replacing them or perhaps just refinishing them.
The proper tools are crucial in order to get the desired results from any type of home renovations. The best time to purchase any tools is before starting any home remodeling, as it can really break up your momentum to have to run to the store for every little thing. Your tools should not be lying around in random places, but contained in a proper toolbox. Without a toolbox, you’ll be constantly misplacing your tools or maybe even tripping over them. Then make sure you have some quality basic tools, including a complete set of screwdrivers, needle-nose pliers, a pry bar, a tape measure and a utility knife. You should also consider goggles, face mask, gloves and other things to ensure your safety.
Don’t hire someone to do repairs or remodeling without verifying their credentials. It’s best to avoid people who come to you first, and offer to make improvements at suspiciously reasonable rates.
With this type of operation, they will either use shoddy materials or even collect an initial payment and do nothing. Some scammers are especially active in areas that have been hit by disasters, offering to help you repair your home at a low price. The best rule to follow when hiring any kind of repair person or contractor is to do the searching yourself rather than trusting anyone who makes contact with you.
Depending on what you need and how much time and money you have at your disposal, you can figure out the home remodeling project that’s ideal for you. You always want to leave some extra room in your schedule and budget when doing any kind of renovations, as you have to be prepared for delays and unanticipated expenses. Home remodeling can be a great way to improve your home’s look and ambiance, so consider where the best place to start might be.

Home Improvements – Making Up Your Mind to Begin Your Project

June 13, 2021 Comments Off

Getting up the nerve to begin your home improvement project can be exasperating to say the least. One moment you’re gung-ho and ready to tackle the next minute you’re almost suffering from anxiety attacks.
But you shouldn’t allow these roller coaster feelings to continue to prevent you from doing what you really want to do. And besides, after almost a quarter of a century as a home improvement contractor, I sometimes still get these same feelings.
It remind me of the butterflies I would get just before kick-off, when I was playing football back in the day. So, if you are having uneasy feelings and doubting yourself, just put your foot down and make a commitment to start the job immediately and do it. Don’t get caught up worrying about making mistakes because mistakes are really nothing more than growing pains. That’s right. We all are human and we all make mistakes, but you can profit from your mistakes and turn those bloopers into building blocks.
Never give up on yourself before you even give it a try. First, take the necessary time to get all the information you can from as many reputable sources available and immerse yourself in it. Try to obtain all the knowledge you can about whatever task you will be performing and prepare to follow those instructions completely.
Remember, even if the outcome is less than perfect you still are to be commended for overcoming your fears and going forward with your project. And you are the better for it too. Let this be a spring board for future references. No matter the outcome you really have succeeded and deserves to be congratulated for it.
One note of caution in closing, always use common sense and do not jeopardize your safety and the safety of others by attempting to do a dangerous job that should only be done by licensed professionals. And always call a reputable contractor if in doubt about anything at all. And be sure to check with your local officials concerning codes, regulations and licensing permits. Thank you and good luck.

Attn: Contractors: Create a Stress-Free Experience For Homeowners Using These Five Simple Tips

March 11, 2021 Comments Off

Building or renovating a home can be stressful for your customers. That’s because having a contractor in is just another activity happening in an already busy household. Your customer may be juggling a stressful job, nightly little league practices, a sick pet, or a score of other issues. And now that they’ve decided to have work done to their home, they’ll have to add “inaccessible home” to their itinerary of things to deal with. It all can get very overwhelming for your customer.
Whether you’re a plumber, electrician, home builder or remodeler, it’s important to keep in mind that you do this kind of stuff everyday; for your customer, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime event. And they’re going to stress out about it. Here are five ways to show your customer a little TLC during a home renovation to keep them-and you-stress-free.
1. Educate them from the start
As a contractor, you’re used to the steps involved in a home renovation. They might include things like inspecting the home, pulling a permit, contacting the local code department, and ordering supplies from vendors. You have a system in place that allows you to get jobs done on time and within budget. Your homeowner customer, however, only knows that they want their bathroom remodeled. They may not know all the steps involved or how you get from A to B, so it’s important to educate them from the start. Advice? The minute they sign on the dotted line, hand them a checklist of all the steps you’ll be taking to renovate their home with a brief description of each step. Not only will it avoid confusion later, but allowing your customer to follow along and cross completed steps off the list will let them know that progress is being made. And of course, answer any and all questions they have.
2. Avoid industry lingo
As a contractor you’re used to throwing around words like “below grade,” “back nailing,” and “blind stop.” It’s easy to forget that the homeowner may have no idea what those terms mean. The best way to confuse them and make them stress out even more is to use industry lingo when describing their project without an explanation. Try to avoid slang around your customer, unless he is educated about your line of work. Describing each step and the parts needed for each step in a way they understand (without belittling their intelligence) goes a long way in maintaining a healthy working relationship with your customer.
3. Slow down and spend the time
When it comes to remodeling a home, things can move pretty quickly. You may have to wait for a permit to be accepted, for example, but once it is, it’s off to the races! As a contractor you’ll be ready to pick up the pace and get the project on its way. But slow down a minute. Now that you’re ready to move full-steam ahead, have you informed the homeowner? If not, take a step back and remember the checklist advice we gave in Tip #1. Before moving ahead, take the time to alert the homeowner about the next couple of steps, explain what’s going to be happening, and answer any questions they may have as you prepare to move forward. This will give the homeowners time to process what will be happening and allow them to prepare for the next phase of work. Continue to do this as the project progresses through the various stages. Which leads to the next piece of advice…
4. Keep in regular contact with your customer during the project
A lot of contractors make the mistake of communicating only twice with the customer during a home remodel: in the beginning when they start the work, and at the end when they expect payment. It’s understandable why this happens: contractors get busy, they have other customers and other jobs. But it’s a habit that can-and should-be broken if you want to offer your customer a stress-free experience. If not, your customer will be left holding a checklist of steps that you provided with no idea what step you’re on. The number of times you reach out to the customer will ultimately be determined by the length of the project, and is best determined by you. If it’s a weeks-long project, for example, stay in touch with your customer, say, at least once a week. The last thing you want is the homeowner calling you, saying he was wondering what was going on because he hasn’t heard from you in awhile.
5. Stay in touch after the project is complete
Another mistake contractors make once a home remodel is done is to cash the check and move on. Again, this is understandable because contractors have other contracts and other customers. But by failing to follow up with a customer or keep in contact with them once their project is done, you’re potentially missing out on a key thing that’ll keep you in business-more work. That’s because a contractor who asks to stay in touch with a customer-and then does-will be remembered by that customer, who in turn may have another project down the road, or will refer you to a friend of neighbor. So remember to always stay in front of your customers-past and present. That might mean a monthly newsletter full of home remodeling tips, requests for referrals, friendly emails, follow up phone calls to gauge their happiness with the project, an e-zine, holiday cards, mailers with current offers, etc. It doesn’t always matter how you stay in touch, just that you do.
These are only five ways to show a little TLC to your customers and ensure that they have a stress-free experience with you. They’re simple and easy to implement. Putting them into place will mean you’ll have a long list of happy customers who’ll be happy they signed on the dotted line-and who’ll refer more and spend more on your services in the future.