Tag: home remodeling

A Room Addition May Mean Changes to Your Electric

Home Improvement

Safety standards when you do a home remodeling project can protect you from an arcing wire.  It may cost more, but your life is worth it!

For safety reasons, a special kind of circuit breaker is now required for most circuits in your home.  Arcing wiring is a leading cause of electrical fires in homes, and many of them happen in bedrooms.

What Is An AFCI Receptacle?

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs) have been required for circuits in bedrooms under the National Electrical Code since 2002, but they are now required on most other circuits as well. The AFCI is designed to trip if it senses an arc. The updated code calls for AFCIs on most circuits, including some that also must be protected by a GFCI.

What Is A GFCI Receptacle?

Most people are familiar with the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI), which is now widely installed in kitchens, baths and other areas with running water and is recognizable by the reset button on the face of the outlet.  The GFCI breaker trips when current flows unimpeded – the idea is to prevent people from being shocked.

Cost Implications

The increase in cost is potentially large.  Standard 15- and 20-amp breakers sell for under $10.  The AFCI breakers in those amperages start at $30 and up.  For a full 42-slot 200-amp panel, that can mean a cost increase of $1000 or more.  While the largest impact will be on new construction or complete rewires where panels are being assembled from scratch, the added costs can significantly boost the cost of remodels as well.

Summary

AFCIs can be temperamental. Check with your electrician if you’re having trouble with a tripping AFCI.  They may have suggestions about how to use your devices differently or may even try trading out the breaker for a new one.

The upside of the AFCI code is that it should reduce the risk of electrical fires in homes where the breakers are installed.  The downside is that it is likely to take many years before they become as ubiquitous as the GFIs we all know so well.

 

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida certified building contractor specializing in improving your lifestyle through room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, and hurricane-resistant screen enclosures. In business since 1991, the most important thing they demolish is your stress and build is your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website to discover how they can help you with your next home remodeling project in Palm Beach County.

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Ideas For The Ultimate Laundry Room

Home Improvement, Laundry Room Updates
laundry room

Adding cabinets to a small laundry room provides extra storage.

Laundry rooms are not an afterthought in today’s home.  They are multi-functional rooms used to keep households running smoothly, efficiently, and in an organized manner.  Here are some tips from your favorite, Palm Beach County , home improvement contractor.

How Laundry Rooms Are Used

Many tasks are performed in today’s laundry room:  clothing sorting, cleaning, drying, folding and ironing are the main ones.  However, if your laundry room is near an entrance, it can also be used to eliminate clutter by providing a locker (or lockers) for shoes, jackets, and bags and a bench to sit on.  It’s also handy for it to have a closet for mops, vacuums, and storage of laundry soap and dryer sheets.

Laundry Rooms Best Practices

Three welcomed elements of an ideal laundry room are a sink for washing delicate and soaking in, ample counter space for folding laundry, and a bar to hang clothing on that wrinkle if not hung immediately.  Other nice items to have are pull-out hampers for clothes sorting and in-wall ironing boards.

Don’t Forget Fido!

If you have a dog, some laundry rooms even have a dedicated pet-washing station.  They include hand-held shower heads with low-rise curbs for large dogs and elevated stations for small dogs to save your back.

An ultimate laundry room is only limited to your imagination, the amount of space you have with which to work, and your budget.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida state certified general contracting company specializing in room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, and hurricane-resistant screen enclosures. In business since 1991, the most important thing they build is your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website for more information about how they can help you with your next Palm Beach County home remodeling project.

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Price Of A Steel Replacement Exterior Door VS A Fiberglass One

Doors, Home Improvement

question copyThe post about the top three home improvement projects explained that replacing your front door gives you one of the biggest returns on your investment when you sell your home.

After replacing existing, and installing new, hundreds of exterior doors over the last 24 years as a Florida licensed Building Contractor, I understand the trouble homeowners are faced with when making the decision of which type of door to install.  While steel and fiberglass doors have their own unique pros and cons, this article will explain enough of the good, bad, and ugly of each type so you can decide for yourself which is best for your situation.

The Difference Between Price and Cost

Before getting into each type of door, it would be helpful to review the difference between price and cost.  Price is the amount of money you need to take out of your pocket to initially buy a product.  Cost is the amount of money you need to take out of your pocket over the lifetime of owning a product.  If you are replacing a door in preparation for selling your house, the low price option probably makes the most sense.  If you have no intention of moving for over 5 years, the low cost option makes the most sense.

Steel Doors

The upside of a steel door is that it is significantly less expensive in price than fiberglass ones – $200 versus $400 ($600 if hurricane large missile impact rated with no-rot jamb and weatherproof hinges).  The downside to a metal door is that it easily dents and dings, it rusts, and the wood jambs it is typically mounted in rots and provides food for termites.

Fiberglass Doors

The upside of fiberglass doors is that they do not rust of rot, they absorb minor impacts without denting, they are available with a smooth or wood-grained  finish, and they are typically mounted on composite (no rot) jambs with stainless steel hinges.  They are also available with a steel core which makes them hurricane large missile impact approved with no shutters.  Their only downside is the extra initial price.

Since labor costs are the same for both door types, the cost of a fiberglass door is less than steel over the long run if you have to replace the steel door even once.

 

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida state certified general contracting company specializing in room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, and hurricane-resistant screen enclosures. In business since 1991, the most important thing they build is your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website for more information about how they can help you with your next Palm Beach County home remodeling project.

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2015’s Top 3 Home Improvement Projects With The Highest Return on Investment

Home Improvement

According to the 2015 Remodeling Magazine Cost VS Value Report for the entire South Atlantic region of the United States, replacing your front door, adding manufactured stone veneer to your house exterior, and replacing your garage door will give you the highest return on your investment in your home.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. Kitchen Remodel

A kitchen renovations may help you sell your home quicker.

Although these home improvement investments give you the most return when you sell your home, other interior remodeling projects may be more beneficial. There are two projects that may stand between selling your house quickly and at a higher price, and having the house sit on the market unsold.  Those two projects are a kitchen remodel and a master bathroom remodel.

The kitchen is the heart of the home and the master bathroom is especially important to women as a sanctuary.  If either, or both, are tired looking, old, and unappealing, you have a problem on your hands.  Even though a major kitchen remodel will provide only a 67.4% and a bath remodel will provide only a 72.7% return on investment, they may need to be performed for a relatively prompt and profitable sale.  Seek the advice of a professional Realtor.

 A Look at the Top 3 Home Improvement Investments

1.  Replace Your Front Door

This might seem like a fairly minor home improvement, but, replacing your front door has been shown time and time again to bring an amazing return. A new steel door averaged a 112% return. When looking at cost versus value, a new door is the top of the list.

Why?

Put yourself in the shoes of a potential buyer. You pull up to a house you are interested in and you see the landscape, the trees, and the shrubs are not in the best of condition, but they’re fixable. Then you walk up to the front door and it is old looking, worn, and has splintered wood. You are about to literally walk through the door to your future… do you want it to look old and decrepit?

Now, picture a new, steel door with a fresh coat of paint. It looks strong and safe. This puts the buyer in a positive state of mind before they even step foot in your home.

A replacement steel door averages a 112% return on investment – by far the highest return.

2. Manufactured Stone Veneer

This is the first year projects involving manufactured stone veneer have been included in the report. The cost and value estimates are based on a project that calls for installing 300 square feet of manufactured stone veneer on the bottom third of a house.

The appeal of this project is in making a good first impression and giving the house an upscale look.  That’s why this project averaged a 93% return on investment.

3. Garage Door Replacement

Just like with the front door, replacement of the garage overhead door with an embossed, steel one offers a good return on investment at an average 91.6%.  This is for all the same reasons as the front door but on a larger scale due to its larger impact on curb appeal.  This is especially true for a front loading garage.

 

 

 

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida state certified general contracting company specializing in room additions, bathroom renovation, kitchen updates, and hurricane-resistant screen enclosures. In business, since 1991, the most important thing they build is your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website for more information about how they can help you with your next Palm Beach County home remodeling project.

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A Reminder: Do your Due Diligence BEFORE HIRING A HOME REMODELING CONTRACTOR

Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional, Home Improvement

 

house POSTCARD

 

In our last post, Questions to Ask before Selecting a Home Remodeling Contractor, I suggested key information to ask from you home improvement specialist before you hire one.

There is still more that you need to do, before you sign a contract for your bathroom remodel, room addition, kitchen renovation, building your hurricane-resistant screen enclosure, or any other home improvement project.

Verify A Contractor’s License

For a Florida state-licensed general contractor, visit the Florida Department of Regulation website. In Palm Beach County you can verify a contractor’s license here.  Make sure the contractor is licensed to do the type of work you want.

Check for Complaints

Use the internet wisely and search to see if there are any complaints about the contractor. There are many sites, including the Florida Department of Regulation and the Better Business Bureau that lists complaints against a company.

You don’t want to lose money on your investment into your home.

Don’t just take our word for it. View this newscast about Florida Screen Builders – http://www.wptv.com/money/consumer/florida-screen-builders-closes-doors-after-second-chance-to-fix-problem-permits

It will show you why it is important to do your due diligence before you hire a contractor.

 

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida state certified general contracting company specializing in room additions, bathroom renovation, kitchen updates, and hurricane-resistant screen enclosures. The most important thing they build is your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website for more information about how they can help you with your next Palm Beach County home remodeling project.

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Questions to Ask Before – SELECTING A PROFESSIONAL HOME REMODELING CONTRACTOR

Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional 


BEFORE You Select a Home Remodeling Contractor


question copy


 


Whether you plan to hire a professional remodeling contractor to build an addition, remodel your kitchen, update your bathroom, or any other home renovation project, it is important to do a “background check” on your home improvement specialist. Here are some of the questions that you should ask, before you choose a contractor.


 


COMPANY REPUTATION


1. Show me a copy of your up-to-date contracting license in Florida showing proper classification for the type of job I am considering.

2. Give me a list of all the businesses in which you have been an owner, shareholder, or partner that have been in the home improvement or home remodeling business within the last ten years.

3. Have you or any of the owners of your company ever filed for bankruptcy for this or any other company that you or they owned or were a shareholder or partner in?

4. Provide me with a certificate of insurance for your company.

5. What is your payment policy for your subcontractors and what type of proof will I have that they have been paid?


 


SERVICE, FOLLOW-UP AND WARRANTIES


1. What is your warranty and what does it cover?

2. Have you ever repaired a project after the warranty expired without charging for it?


EXPERIENCE


1. Who will be supervising my project on a day-to-day basis?

2. How many projects that are similar to mine have you completed?

3. What do you provide to help me understand what to expect during the remodeling process?

4. Do you have a written policy regarding tobacco, drug and alcohol use by your crews?


 


Review all the contractor’s answers. The quality contractor will stand out.


Whether your dream is to add a master bedroom suite, to complete a multi-room renovation project, or to makeover your bathroom or kitchen, Leading Edge Homes, Inc. has  the experience to construct your project in a professional manner that exceeds your expectations.


Call them at 561-795-2551 and discover how their expertise as a design-build contractor can help you remodel your home.

			

		

		
		
				
				
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Home Remodeling and New Construction Are NOT The Same

		
		
		
			
						
		
				
		
			
						
		
				
		
			
				Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional, Home Improvement			
		
		

	
		

			
		
					

			
When planning to do a home remodel, bathroom renovation, kitchen update, a home room addition, it is important that your home improvement contractor is experienced at home remodeling – not just building new homes.


Home Remodeling and Addition
Home remodeling and room additions require experienced home improvement specialists like Leading Edge Homes, Inc.


Different Skill Set Required for Remodeling


Changing an existing space requires a different skill set, and sometimes different tools, than creating a new space where none has existed before.  A home remodeling expert is typically not surprised by less than perfect existing conditions, mistakes made by previous owners or contractors, or other obstacles.  They expect it and know how to deal with it.  This is a talent a builder does not have to acquire.


Builders do not work with homeowners in their home on a daily basis.  Home remodeling specialists are used to performing their work while homeowners go about their life around them.  When homeowners become anxious about seeing a portion of their home get destroyed, remodelers know how to counsel them through the process and confirm to them that the end result will be worth the temporary stress.  More importantly, remodelers know how to handle the inevitable surprises that occur once demolition begins and assure the homeowner that they will be handled properly.


Protecting the Home


Builders do not need to be concerned about dust and protecting existing surfaces that are not planned on being replaced.  Remodelers know how to erect temporary plastic walls and are familiar with the use of various specialty products used to protect floors, tubs, trim, countertops, etc.  A good remodeler will also keep the work and exterior staging areas clean and neat.


Home remodeling is a totally different world than new home construction.  Choose the leader of your project wisely to avoid costly mistakes.


Remodeling Has A Different Cost Structure


A builder’s price may not be his final price.  Builders are typically not familiar with the extra costs involved in remodeling, like sub-contractors’ minimum charges, price per item for small quantities, or premiums charged for using a crew for a partial day to name a few.  You may find yourself being presented with numerous change orders and additional work authorizations due to the builder’s inexperience.

Many builders have gotten into remodeling work because new home construction is slow. After they lose money on a couple of remodeling jobs due to their being unfamiliar with the cost differences inherent in remodeling work, they may not be in business to honor warranties.  If they do survive, they will go back to new home construction when business picks up and you will be a very low priority if they even respond to your warranty work request.


Remember….


Selecting a remodeling company isn’t like buying a dining room set. You can’t simply compare prices and choose the one that requires the lowest investment. Due to varying skill levels and range of professionalism within the remodeling industry, there is no way to compare apples to apples. Home remodeling is probably as far from commodity buying as you can get.


Remodeling your home is more like buying an unfinished piece of art. Your home is the sculpture or painting where the work has already begun. Your remodeling contractor is the artist who uses his skills and creativity to finish the work to make your home into a masterpiece that transforms your home and builds comfort into your life.


For more information about Leading Edge Homes, Inc., your home improvement and home remodeling specialist, please visit their website.


 


 


 


 

			

		

		
		
				
				
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Renovate Your Bathroom – Your Lighting May Make Your Makeup Look Wrong

		
		
		
			
						
		
				
		
			
						
		
				
		
			
				Bathroom Renovations			
		
		

	
		

			
		
					

			
While kitchen and family room lighting is given plenty of forethought, bathroom lighting, in general, is not given nearly enough. I can’t begin to count how many bathrooms I have been in, pre-remodeling, that were illuminated by one surface-mounted light fixture in the middle of the room.


While having recessed light fixtures mounted directly over each sink, the toilet, the shower, and the tub is a big improvement, it is not optimal for applying makeup. Recessed lights over a mirror cast shadows over your face which not only makes it difficult to see, it also makes you look older. It’s also the reason why makeup can look differently when outside of the house than it did when applied. So what’s the solution?


Makeup lighting needs to come from the sides – think sconces. When lighting is at roughly eye level and at the sides it casts even lighting across the face. If this is not possible due to space, an alternate mounting location is directly on the mirror. Remember to use cool white light bulbs which render skin tone the most accurately.


If you are thinking of updating your bathroom, call us at 561-795-2551 or visit or website at www.leadingedgehomes.com.


For additional ideas and great pictures go to http://www.youbeauty.com/beauty/the-best-lighting-for-makeup/

			

		

		
		
				
				
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