What a Great Deal

Johnny's Remodeling, ValuePro Remodeling and Remodels-R-Us all came out and gave you a quote on your new kitchen project.  The later two where within $1,500 on a $40,000 project but Johnny's Remodeling came in over $10,000 below.  "What a Great Deal".  You would be foolish not to save $10k on your remodeling project because that is what it is all about "SAVING MONEY" today right?

Well let's take a look at this.  What could go bad with saving money?  Let's say that Johnny forgot to include a few things.  Perhaps he left out plumbing or electric.  Or maybe he didn't understand you wanted wood cabinets and granite counter tops.  Maybe Johnny didn't include any overhead and profit for his company which means he will soon be out of business and then when it comes time to take care of a warranty issue no one is there to answer the phone.  There could be a lot of things that makes this not such a great deal.

When you have major discrepancies in quoted prices your first thought should be not "What a Great Deal", it should be "What did that contractor forget".  Most contractors today are going to be very closely competitive.   Here are two questions you should ask:

Number one, "Do I feel comfortable with this contractor and the management team?"  Feeling comfortable is very important.  This project is going to be intrusive into your life.  You will probably have many conversations with these people for the next 6 to 10 weeks.  If your personalities clash it may become a frustrating with the whole process and it won't be a good experience.

Number two, "Has this contractor successfully completed other projects similar to mine?" A contractor that specializes in replacing siding or windows might not be the best to remodel your kitchen or bath.   Look for pictures of other projects and product knowledge.  Ask questions.  It will help you not make a big mistake.  I hope this helps.

Respectfully Submitted

Tim Davis

How Did That Happen?

Lakeland Florida has been my stomping ground for 30 plus years.  I grew up here and have been in business here seems like forever.  I have seen a lot of things come and go but what I hate most is to see someone take advantage of one of my neighbors.

I remember the hurricanes of 2004 that came right through Polk County.  It was a mess.  Many people had a lot of damage and there was a lot of work to do.  My company at the time kicked into high gear and began helping as many customers as we possibly could.  We first made sure that our employees and subcontractors were safe and secure.  We then started working on helping our current and past clients secure their property.  And next we worked on the barrage of phone calls we got from new clients that were in need of our help.

Through that time I saw a lot of people that were ripped off by people posing as contractors.  I also saw a lot of bad craftsmanship from licensed contractors that were posing as Remodeling Contractors.  If you don't want to find yourself in this situation make sure you do these 3 things.

Number 1; check the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulations (DBPR).  Make sure the contractor is licensed.  Number 2 look to see if there are any complaints against the contractor.  Number 3 ask around.  Find out if anyone you know has had a bad experience with this contractor.  Those 3 things will help you stay out of trouble.

Should I Remodel or Build New?

Build new homes has almost come to a halt in our area and many areas around the country.  So the question might come up..."Do I want to remodel my existing home or build a new one?"  It makes sense that with building being so slow you should be able to get some really great deals.  Some cities and counties are offering incentives of no impact fees to encourage some building but is it really the thing to do right now?

Let's take a look at the existing housing market.  If you bought your home between 2005 - 2006 then you have probably experienced a loss of about 50% of value.  That really hurts!  If you paid $230,000 for your house you may see homes like yours selling for $115,000 or even less.  OUCH!! The bad thing about this is prices have gone so low that you cannot even think about building the same house for the price it is selling for in today's market.

Not so for new homes.  I don't know how but I see some new homes being built and sold for 15% to 20% more than everything else on the market.  So should you build or remodel?  Well remodeling costs have come down just like building cost.  In fact many tradesman are willing to work for a lot less than they would a few years ago just so they can feed their families.  Most Remodeling Contractors have scaled way back on their overhead and are passing the savings on to their customers.

My choice would be to stay where I am and do the remodeling.  Of course that is what I do but I think that if you read this blog you may be curious.  Send me an email and ask me how I can help you with your next project. valueproremodeling@gmail.com

Tim Davis

Granite or Man Made Solid Surface?

Granite or Man Made Solid Surface that is the question.  Which do I want to put in my new kitchen?  This is one of those questions that can cause much debate between a husband and wife when they are trying to figure out what is the best.  There are so many options out there and seems to be no end to colors and designs.

What makes each material unique and how do you determine what is best?  Well it all boils down to personal preference.  Let's take a look at each material and then you can decide what is best for you.

Granite is REAL ROCK.  It was once molten and it formed as it cooled deep in the earth.  It has kind of a mystique to it to think that your kitchen counter top was once hot and mushy and part of a mountain somewhere in Brazil.  Granite is one of the hardest substances in the world.  In fact the only thing that is harder is diamonds (anyone up for a diamond counter top?).  There are a lot of colors and designs in granite.  Because it is naturally formed no piece is identical and there could be character flaws that end up in your counter top (could be a great conversation starter).

The cost of Granite has come down quite a bit from where it was.  For quite some time there was an oversupply of Granite because a lot was harvested during the building boom and then when the bubble popped there was a lot of supply and not so much demand.  A couple of last thing about granite...It has been known to have traceable amounts of radiation in it and it does need to be sealed and maintained on a regular basis.

Man Made Solid Surface on the other hand is typically very predictable and is usually free of character flaws. The material is a combination of rock, quartz and resins that are all put together.  This makes it a very strong product and some manufacturers even claim to kill bacteria.  This type material is manufactured all over the world.  Some of the most popular brands are Cambria, Silestone and Corian.  The cost could run anywhere from $40 to $120 per square foot.

Your Remodeling Contractor should know these things and should be able to give you good information when he is helping you through your decision process.  In the Central Florida area if you need advice or a recommendation for a great counter top company, call me or just click HERE.  Hope this is helpful.  Until next time.

Respectfully Submitted

Tim Davis

What Should You Look For in A Remodeling Contractor

Remodeling is a very fragmented part of the "Construction Industry".  Many people attempt to do it.  If you can swing a hammer and have a pick-up truck you can be a Remodeling Contractor.  Not so fast.  I have seen many disastrous projects in my career because someone was trying to use a friend, found someone that would do it $10,000.00 cheaper than anyone else, or didn't check to see if the contractor was properly licensed to do what they said they could do.

Is Remodeling really that easy?  No!! It is actually a very difficult process that needs to have a competent professional manage or it could be a huge failure.  I have seen many do-it-yourself handymen get themselves way in over their head because they thought the they could get-er-done.  I have also seen professional home builders attempt to remodel a home and find themselves way over budget because Remodeling is not as easy and cost effective as building a new home.  Here are 3 things to look for in a Remodeling Contractor.

Number one is experience.  Find out how long someone has been Remodeling homes before you invest hard earned money with them.  Experience is the best teacher, and someone with a lot of it is usually going to have the education necessary to do a successful project.  Like I stated earlier, just because someone is an experienced home builder doesn't mean that they can successfully manage your remodeling project.

The second thing you should look for is product knowledge.  If your Remodeling Contractor doesn't keep up with the latest building material technological advances then you may have someone that doesn't really take their business seriously.  There are a lot of products that make projects go smother, look better and last longer.

The last but most important is integrity.  If your Remodeling Contractor has a bad reputation, if he is not involved in his local building association and is someone that is known in the community as someone of integrity, stay away.  I have seen many projects go bad because of this very thing.  Fortunately most of these contractors don't stay in business long but there always seems to be another one that comes along to fill in where the last one left off.

Hopefully this little article is helpful for you.  If you have comments or questions you can contact me at valueproremodeling@gmail.com.

Respectfully Submitted

Tim Davis