Tag: home remodeling Wellington

HOME REMODELING: I MADE A HOMEOWNER CRY

Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional, Home Builder, Home Improvement, Home Maintenance/Repairs

TRUE CONFESSIONS OF A REMODELING CONTRACTOR:  MAKING A HOMEOWNER CRY

Nothing is worse than having to tell a homeowner they have been scammed.

Nothing is worse than having to tell a homeowner they have been scammed.

 

MAKING A HOMEOWNER CRY

This has been one of the toughest month’s for me as a home remodeling contractor.

Two of the potential clients that I visited with were brought to tears and another one was strong enough to hold back the tears but realized they threw away money.

WHAT WENT WRONG

The first of my heart breaking experiences happened in Palm Beach Gardens.  A woman, had a leak, which unfortunately led to mold.

But… the people she hired to “fix it” removed anything and everything that they could, down to the metal studs that were part of her exterior walls.

There is no easy fix to put her home back together, especially because it is part of a quadruplex. The homeowners association won’t let her rip down what is remaining from the exterior walls and now they are in danger of collapsing, her insurance company is denying the claim, and the “friends” that helped her weren’t licensed.

WARNING:  ALWAYS VERIFY THAT THE PEOPLE YOU HIRE TO WORK ON YOUR HOME ARE PROPERLY LICENSED – read more – 

The only remedy she has is to hire a public adjuster to help her navigate the insurance company process and to hire a construction attorney to help her recoup her costs from the work that was done improperly.  Until she gets the homeowners association to grant her permission to fix the exterior walls, she is in limbo.

The next of my heart breaking experiences happened in Wellington where work was done without a permit and the second contractor is no where to be found.

A homeowner needed work done on his home. The “contractor” who only could work weekends was caught doing work on the home without a permit. The Village of Wellington issued a stop work order, fined the homeowner, and had the electric meter pulled from the house as a safety precaution.

The homeowner, after paying fines, hired another contractor. But, this contractor is now missing in action. I advised the homeowner that I could not do any work on the home unless the permit was closed. Like the previous homeowner, this job will remain in limbo until the legal ramifications are solved.

WARNING: FAILURE TO GET A PERMIT CAN CAUSE YOUR JOB TO BE SHUT DOWN! – read more 

The last my heart breaking experiences this week also happened in Wellington.

A homeowner wanted to remodel their kitchen and have an addition put on their home. They hired a draftsman to draw up the plans. The plans did not reflect what the homeowner wanted! The plans were what the designer wanted to draw.

As a design-build contractor I have seen this time and time again. Some draftsmen or architects don’t understand the big picture and don’t understand how things are tied together. The homeowner, throughout our meeting, kept saying “but that is what I wanted.”

It is very frustrating to me that homeowners waste money on plans that won’t work. It is not that every designer/draftsman does a poor job… but I have seen it way too many times that plans are not usable because they are incomplete, don’t meet the homeowner requirements, or they are drawn incorrectly.

I’D LIKE TO SCREAM FROM THE ROOF TOPS – HIRE A DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTOR! IT GIVES YOU A CONTRACTOR THAT CAN NOT ONLY DRAW YOUR PLANS BUT ALSO BUILD THEM TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONS! – read more

 BEFORE YOU CHOOSE TO DO A REMODEL

Think about how your change will effect the look of your home. Realize that the newer things may alter how the rest of your home looks. That doesn’t mean you don’t make changes.  But… think about how your changes can affect your vision of your home.

If you are changing the floors, do you want to change the doors, their thresholds, the moldings? If you are adding additional cabinets, how are you going to tie the cabinets together?  Will you need to resurface the old cabinets, change out all of the hardware, or replace everything?

Making all the cabinet pulls the same may not be so easy. How the new handles get installed may not cover old holes. The old hardware may not easily be removed.

When you do choose to remodel, look for someone with good listening skills who shares your vision for what your home should look like. Feel free to ask for references. Then, before you sign on the dotted line, check with your state to ensure your architect or custom builder is licensed in his or her field.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

If you have questions about the design process or a project you are considering, contact your local design-build contractor, Leading Edge Homes. Inc. Want to see some of our work? Visit our website or view our online book.

For all of your new home, home remodeling and inspection needs, contact your local certified “roomologist”, Leading Edge Homes. Inc. at 561-795-2551.

Want to see some of our work? Visit our website or view our online book.

Todd Perry, a State of Florida Certified Building Contractor and president of Leading Edge Homes, Inc., provided this information.

If you have questions about a home improvement project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email Todd at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and he’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you.

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HOME REMODELING: HELP – MY NAME IS TODD AND I’M A REMODEL-IT-AHOLIC

Bathroom Renovations, Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional, Home Improvement, Room Additions

HELP – MY NAME IS TODD AND I’M A REMODEL-IT-AHOLIC

Home remodeling is addictive... sometimes the more you change to more you want to change.

Home remodeling is addictive!

HOME REMODELING – THE HIDDEN DISEASE

I have had many clients that have been afflicted by remodel-it-ism and have become remodel-it-aholics.

By definition, a remodel-it-aholic is

a homeowner with an overwhelming desire to further remodel their home after recently completing a home improvement project when the new work makes other parts of their home look bad by comparison.

SIGNS YOU ARE A REMODEL-IT-AHOLIC

As soon as you or your home remodeling professional complete a project you realize that the rest of the home needs a facelift too.

For example, you build an addition to your home with new flooring, freshly painted walls, and a bathroom with brand new fixtures.  Although from the outside the addition looks like it has always been there, from the inside the rest of your home looks old and tired.  What are you going to do?

If you are a remodel-it-aholic

  • you will begin the process of updating the rest of your home
  • you will change the flooring or repaint
  • you will upgrade your kitchen (this is true– one of our client’s hired us three times because with each remodel they found something else they wanted updated)
  • you will remodel your bathroom

MY PERSONAL DILEMMA

Several weeks ago I told you that I was updating my appliances… including the cooktop, oven, and microwave. As a result, I am now a remodel-it-aholic. Although my refrigerator is in perfect working condition, it just does not fit in with the new appliances.

I can look at it and say, but it holds food, keeps it cold, and functions just fine. But… there is something to be said for how it looks. I will keep you posted if/when we make that change.

BEFORE YOU CHOOSE TO DO A REMODEL

Think about how your change will effect the look of your home. Realize that the newer things may alter how the rest of your home looks. That doesn’t mean you don’t make changes.  But… think about how your changes can affect your vision of your home.

If you are changing the floors, do you want to change the doors, their thresholds, the moldings? If you are adding additional cabinets, how are you going to tie the cabinets together?  Will you need to resurface the old cabinets, change out all of the hardware, or replace everything?

Making all the cabinet pulls the same may not be so easy. How the new handles get installed may not cover old holes. The old hardware may not easily be removed.

When you do choose to remodel, look for someone with good listening skills who shares your vision for what your home should look like. Feel free to ask for references. Then, before you sign on the dotted line, check with your state to ensure your architect or custom builder is licensed in his or her field.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN PLANNING YOUR PROJECT

If you have questions about the design process or a project you are considering, contact your local design-build contractor, Leading Edge Homes. Inc. Want to see some of our work? Visit our website or view our online book.

For all of your new home, home remodeling and inspection needs, contact your local certified “roomologist”, Leading Edge Homes. Inc. at 561-795-2551.

Want to see some of our work? Visit our website or view our online book.

Todd Perry, a State of Florida Certified Building Contractor and president of Leading Edge Homes, Inc., provided this information.

If you have questions about a home improvement project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email Todd at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and he’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you.

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Home Improvement: BUYING A HOME – HIDDEN SAFETY DANGERS

Buying a Home, Home Improvement, Home Safety

JUST BECAUSE IT WORKS – DOESN’T MEAN IT IS SAFE

Leading Edge Homes - Just Because It Works Doesn't Mean It is Safe

When buying a house – make sure it is inspected to meet all building codes.

BUT IT WORKS…

Last week I did a home inspection for a couple who have signed a contract to purchase a home in Palm Beach County.

The seller did not appreciate my thorough work, and called me over the weekend to say “but it works.”  Just because something works, doesn’t mean it is safe and complies with the building, electric, plumbing or mechanical codes.

ELECTRICAL SHOCKS ARE NOT A LAUGHING MATTER

If your electric outlets are not properly grounded, you can be in for the shock of your life. Electricity can pass through your appliances, or anything you plug into your outlet, directly into you. One clue that an outlet may not be properly grounded is that computers and / or appliances may not work when plugged in.

Other times, you may just get shocked when using something that was plugged into an ungrounded outlet.  Unfortunately, I know first hand.  It happened to me at a job site.  Lucky for me, I wasn’t injured.

But the violations I found for the buyer could be a shocking experience for him or someone at his new home.

SOME OF THE VIOLATIONS

It May Be A Shocking Experience

Many of the violations we found, although they may not inhibit the function of the electric can cause electrical shock.

Problem 1 – Missing Breaker Slot Covers

Missing breaker slot covers are an electric shock risk.

Missing breaker slot covers are an electric shock risk.

Problem 2 – Water Heater “Whip” Requires a Strain Relief Strap

Leading Edge Homes - Missing Strain Relief Strap

Missing strain relief strap can cause “accidental” damage to the water heater wiring.

Problem 3 – Pool Pump is Missing Ground Wire

Leading Edge Homes - Missing Ground Wire

This is extremely dangerous and an accident waiting to happen. Don’t swim in a pool where the pump is not grounded.

This shocking experience can happen to you…

Look what happened to these young children (this video is graphic) when a pool was not properly grounded.

Problem 4 – There is a Hole in the Wall and It is For the Electric

Leading Edge Homes - A Wire Through the Wall

The hole in the wall to get electric power is not only a violation of the electric code, it is an invitation to insects and water to get inside your home!

If you want to run power to something that is outside of your house, drilling a hole in the exterior wall to run a plug through it is not the way to do it!

Neither is painting the wire to match the exterior color a good way to hide it from the trained eyes of a home inspector.

IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX IT – NOT!!!

After more than 25 years of serving South Florida, I have seen many things.  Even when my daughter bought her first home, I found many electrical code violations and told her she would need to have the items repaired.

The seller would not negotiate on the price and I explained to her she had to consider the repairs as part of the cost of the home.

My recommendation to the buyer who asked me to do the home inspection is to negotiate with the seller. Only the buyer can determine if they want the home as-is, if they want to do the repairs themselves, or if they will allow the owner of the home to do any of the repairs.

Although the seller and his real estate agent want to argue that the electric works, the buyer must remember – safety first.  The main purpose of codes is to define the minimum, SAFE way of doing things.  Can anyone really argue against life safety?

If you want a professional remodeling experience or a home inspection with a home remodeling expert view, contact your local design-build contractor, Leading Edge Homes. Inc.

Want to see some of our work? Visit our website or view our online book.

Todd Perry, a State of Florida Certified Building Contractor and president of Leading Edge Homes, Inc., provided this information.

If you have questions about a home improvetment project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email Todd at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and he’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you.

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Home Remodeling: It Shouldn’t Be Scary And Neither Should Buying a Home

Home Improvement

HOME REMODELING SHOULDN’T BE SCARY – AND NEITHER SHOULD BUYING A HOME

Don't get tricked when remodeling or buying a new home.

Don’t get tricked when starting a home improvement project or buying a new home.

Yesterday I told you about the client who called Leading Edge Homes, Inc. to install a tub and we discovered that other work had been done in the bathroom without a permit. The good news is – the problems can be corrected.  The bad news is – it will be costly.

This reminds me of a home inspection I did last weekend.  Yes, Leading Edge Homes, Inc. also does home inspections – and we do more than check to see if appliances work.

Signs That Work Was Done Without a Permit

Illegal Addition:

The floor in a room is not at the same level as the main house.

A sliding glass door leads to an interior room.

Illegal Bathroom Remodel:

There isn’t a minimum of 15 inches from the center of the toilet to the wall, tub, or cabinet.

Illegal Kitchen Remodel:

If it’s obvious that new cabinets were installed, but the electric was not brought up to date.

How do you know? The receptacles need to be GFI protected, on a 20 amp circuit, and spaced no more than 4 feet on center.

If there is a counter top with more than six inches of overhang, there must be an electric receptacle underneath it.

If you want a professional remodeling experience or a home inspection with a home remodeling expert view, contact your local design-build contractor, Leading Edge Homes. Inc.

Want to see some of our work? Visit our website or view our online book.

Todd Perry, a State of Florida Certified Building Contractor and president of Leading Edge Homes, Inc., provided this information.

If you have questions about a home improvetment project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email Todd at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and he’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. specializes in improving your lifestyle through room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, hurricane-resistant screen enclosures, and more!  In business since 1991, they demolish your stress by building your trust.
Visit the Leading Edge Home’s website or call 561-795-2551 to discover how they can help you with your next home remodeling project in Palm Beach County.
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Home Improvement: REALITY SHOWS ARE NOT REAL

Home Improvement, Home Improvement Pricing

Remodeling Reality Shows – the ABC’s

abc

The ABC’s of home improvement reality shows may be a shock to you!

A – Always Believe What You See (NOT!)

Since 2000, when Trading Spaces hit the airways, networks have been creating more and more remodeling/home improvement shows to capture viewers. The theme is always the same: quick, easy, and cheap.

Of course, when I watch these shows I know that quick, easy, and cheap are not three words I would ever use when quoting a remodeling project – but many people who call me about jobs believe what they see on TV.

What you don’t see is that the shows are really taped over weeks if not months. Don’t let home renovation shows trick you into thinking you’ll be able to tear out all the walls and completely change the layout of the kitchen during a 3-day weekend. Besides, inspectors don’t work weekends!

B – Biggest Myth (How Long Will it Take?)

The programs show homeowners quickly demolishing a kitchen. What you don’t see is the large crew really doing it! The shows have an entire team working quickly behind the scenes, but they are not on camera. What you see is typically staged and edited to make a nice television show and not the real process.

Cost – It Only Costs $2,500 to Update the Kitchen (Another Reality Show Myth)

Cost is another thing that surprises most first-time renovators. Shows claim an entire kitchen or bathroom remodel was done for a couple thousand dollars but don’t tell you about labor that was supplied by local contractors to have their name listed in the credit or deals that were pre-arranged for materials. They also don’t tell you about any costs that were absorbed by the show.

You might be surprised by what the real costs are for updating a bathroom or kitchen, especially when walls or appliance locations need to be relocated. When floors may have to be cut to re-route plumbing or electrical wiring has to be brought up-to-date and compliant with current codes costs add up quickly.

The $5,000 television “phantom” cost could be more like $25,000 in real life! Small budgets may be great for a new coat of paint and surface changes but not for a major, professionally completed remodeling project.

Talk to a remodeling professional to discover the real cost to complete the work.

Do It Yourself

Don’t let your ego make you think you are better than the clueless homeowner you saw on television. It’s so easy to think “I can do that just like I saw on TV.”

Remember, behind every clueless homeowner filming on television is a remodeling professional guiding them, if not actually doing the work for them. You don’t want to burst a pipe, cut into electric wiring, or leave your house in worse shape than before you started. Reality television is NOT reality – it’s entertainment.

Installing cabinets, laying tile, moving and building walls are not necessarily for weekend-warriors.

Reality home remodeling shows should be used for inspiration only.

If you have been inspired by something you have seen on television and want to determine if it can be duplicated in your home, contact Leading Edge Homes, Inc. at 561-795-2551.  We will give you a real, guaranteed price.

Todd Perry, a State of Florida Certified Building Contractor and president of Leading Edge Homes, Inc., provided this information.

If you have questions about a home improvement project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email Todd at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and he’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. specializes in improving your lifestyle through room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, hurricane-resistant screen enclosures, and more!  In business since 1991, they demolish your stress by building your trust.
Visit the Leading Edge Home’s website or call 561-795-2551 to discover how they can help you with your next home remodeling project in Palm Beach County.
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Home Improvement: FINDING YOUR CONTRACTOR THROUGH AN ONLINE SERVICE – SCAM OR NOT?

Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional, Home Improvement

Online Contractor Referrals: The Hidden Truth

Online contractor referral services are really pay to play... Just you may not pay directly.

Online contractor referral services are really pay to play… Just you may not pay directly.

An article was published in the Seattle Times online last week.   As background, Seattle is the home of Amazon, Porch, and Pro.com, three of the big players in the lead-generation industry.  (Hmmm… this is suspiciously convenient!)

BIG RED FLAG – No reputable contractor gives a price for a project without first seeing the house, site conditions, asking the homeowners detailed questions, etc.

 

The article’s goal was to let homeowners know they should be going online and using lead-generating companies to find a contractor.  One of the things the article says is: “The technology enables customers to find contractors, price jobs and even schedule appointments – without leaving the couch.”
Although the article doesn’t directly say it, it comes pretty darned close to saying contractors can’t be trusted without the oversight of lead-generation companies:
“It’s an industry that totally lacks transparency and trust,” said Pro.com CEO Matt Williams.

Lead Generation Companies Don’t Vet Contractors

So, lead-generating companies are marketing themselves to homeowners as the only way to find a trustworthy contractor.  But what’s in it for these companies?  They want to sell each lead to as many as four contractors, who then have to either raise their prices or cut corners to cover the lead costs. In reality, homeowners will be the ones paying for the use of these middlemen even though their service is touted as “free”.

 

These companies do no better of a job vetting a contractor than you can, and they don’t want to.  They just want to sell leads.  So long as a contractor keeps buying leads, they’re happy and have no reason to ban them.

Best Way to Find A Trustworthy Contractor

In reality, the best way for a consumer to find a trustworthy contractor online is to visit contractors’ websites and watch videos from, and talk to, their clients. Consumers can and should vet a contractor (such as checking for licenses, insurance, references, etc.), but testimonials from past clients are priceless.
These lead generation companies don’t understand how the industry works; they just want to make money off it.  They don’t realize that remodeling and specialty contractors don’t provide a commodity, they provide a service.  Having repairs done, or a bookcase built, isn’t like buying a book or a dress or a pair of shoes that can be returned.

Home Remodeling Done One House At A Time

Contrary to the theme of the article, the home remodeling industry hasn’t moved online.  It’s still done one home at a time, one project at a time, using the hands of craftsmen who know their trade and do it well.

 

Besides, you already know a trustworthy contractor – Leading Edge Homes.  Whenever a project comes up, please call us at 561-795-2551 and we will be happy to complete it for you.

Todd Perry, a State of Florida Certified Building Contractor and president of Leading Edge Homes, Inc., provided this information.

If you have questions about a home improvement project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email Todd at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and he’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. specializes in improving your lifestyle through room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, hurricane-resistant screen enclosures, and more!  In business since 1991, they demolish your stress by building your trust.
Visit the Leading Edge Home’s website or call 561-795-2551 to discover how they can help you with your next home remodeling project in Palm Beach County.
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HOME REMODELING: YOUR CONTRACTOR IS MORE THAN A BUILDER

Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional, Home Improvement

Ten Hats (or titles)Your Remodeling Contractor Wears  

Home remodeling contractors are more than a builder...

Home remodeling contractors are more than a builder…

It may be hard to believe… but your home remodeling specialist does more than construction.  He also is a…

Therapist.

Remodeling is stressful –  there are delays, dust, etc.  Sometimes clients just want to vent about something that happened at work.  If we think we can somehow segue into getting them to finally deciding what calming color they would like us to paint their new bedroom, we’ll probably hang in there.

Mediator.

There are many parties involved in a project – homeowner, sub-contractors, inspectors, materialmen.  When disagreements or issues occur, someone has to keep the peace or straighten things out.  Since the contractor has the most at stake, he usually must take on this role.

Marriage Counselor.

Often husbands and wives can not agree on design, window placement, colors, and the many other decisions that must be made on the typical project.  Often times they don’t communicate clearly with each other.  A good contractor never takes sides, but coaxes a decision without ruffling any feathers.

Financial Advisor.

Contractors are used to dealing with banks, insurance agents, and the mortgage process.  Use their expertise, especially when they recommend having 10 – 20% of the contract price available in a contingency fund to take care of any unforeseen problems that may arise or upgrades you may add along the way.

Secretary.

There are many notes that contractors take before and during a project, not to mention texts and emails that must be acted upon.  A contractor must keep an accurate record of all communications to successfully complete a project with happy homeowners.

Realist.

Clients sometimes get carried away with their wishes before and once a project has started.  It’s the contractors job to explain the financial and time implications for each requested change.

Real Estate Advisor.

Contractors sometimes see as many houses in a neighborhood as Realtors do.  They can often tell you if you are overimproving your house, not to mention how much the project you are considering will cost.  Honest ones will tell you if it would be more cost effective to move than improve.

Your Home’s Best Friend.

Contractors are very observant people.  If we see a clogged up HVAC filter, we will tell you.  If we hear grinding bearings in a pool or irrigation pump, we will tell you.  If we smell a burning electrical component, we will tell you.  We are “house whisperers”!

Translator.

Engineers, carpenters, block masons, plumbers, electricians, cabinet makers – they all use terms that are foreign to most homeowners.  Contractors speak many “languages” and know exactly when to explain when that look on a homeowners face says “Huh?”

Builder.

When not wearing one or more of the hats explained above, contractors get to put on a toolbelt and actually construct something.  Although a cell phone might seem to be our most used tool, we really do know how to use a hammer and circular saw.

Todd Perry, a State of Florida Certified Building Contractor and president of Leading Edge Homes, Inc., provided this information.

If you have questions about a home improvement project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email Todd at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and he’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. specializes in improving your lifestyle through room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, hurricane-resistant screen enclosures, and more!  In business since 1991, they demolish your stress by building your trust.
Visit the Leading Edge Home’s website or call 561-795-2551 to discover how they can help you with your next home remodeling project in Palm Beach County.
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