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Home Improvement

Nine Tips for Renovating Rental Property

March 22, 2022

It is hard to manage and renovate rental properties with limited time and resources. Even though staying in rental houses comes with both pros and cons, you can move to new places and rent out a new home depending on your needs without worrying about the maintenance of your place.

Similarly, it gives you the freedom to do whatever you want with your place. For example, you can make major changes like new flooring to minor changes such as a change in the color of walls. However, when you stay in a rental house, you hesitate to invest your money in the renovation as you can’t stay in it forever. Renting a house is a common practice in the United States. According to statistics, 37% of households rent their homes in the United States, the highest level in the last 50 years.

Sometimes, it is easier to rent a new property rather than spend time and energy on renovation. Consider the environment and government policies if you plan to move to a different state and don’t know where to get started. For instance, Florida is one of the states that offers a thriving economy with a tax-free regime. If you’re living or moving to the city, you can consider looking into Orlando homes for rent to start your journey without any hassle. With that said, here are nine useful tips for renovating your rental property.

Identify the Areas for Renovation

Before starting your home renovation project, focus on those areas where repair and maintenance are most needed. Don’t look all over the place for improvement as it would cost you high. Invest your time and money in renovating those things you cannot neglect while staying in rental property. Some people are very particular about their home interior, no matter rental or owned property, they prefer to make their place vibe along with them. Still, you need to identify your priorities and renovation goals first.

Paint the Interior

Painting your place, especially the interior, can always give your house a fresh look and new perspective. By investing less time and money, you can completely change the look of your house by painting it with new shades and colors. One of the benefits of painting your rental property is doing this job as a DIY project. While painting your rental property, prefer neutral colors as it gives a more refreshing and soothing aura to your place. People who want to give their place a vibrant and high-energy look can opt for bright colors. However, it is easier to manage neutral shades like Off-white. Moreover, it is best to paint your rental property all over with the same shade so that you won’t face difficulty in fixing the patches and touch-ups later on.

Improve the Lighting

The proper lighting can brighten the beauty of every place. On the contrary, shady living areas and inadequately lit homes give a dull ambiance. Make small investments towards fixing the lighting of your rental place. Starting from the natural light, try to use the sunlight. For instance, remove obstacles coming in the way of natural light. You can chop down tree branches that stop sunlight from reaching your living area. For artificial lighting, pick brighter bulbs with dimmer switches to adjust the illumination of an area. You can also choose to install lamps in dark locations to enhance the place’s lighting.

Replace Handles and Knobs

If you have a low budget and still want to upgrade your rental place, start with the small but highly noticeable things such as handles and doorknobs. You can replace cabinet handles and doorknobs with the latest chic designs. It would make a big difference and give your rental property a modern look.

Work on the Yard

Your front yard or backyard can change the first impression of visitors if properly managed. A well-organized lawn area with proper landscaping is a source of refreshment. Spend some time chopping down the grass and trimming the bushes, branches, and shrubs to give your lawn a clean look. Place the plantation in order; it would enhance the beauty of the walking trails and won’t mess up your space overall. You can do this lawn project independently or count on professional services to make it low-budget. Choose all-season and low-maintenance plants that you don’t need to give extra care and attention to more often.

Replace Faucets

If you have old faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms, replace them with new and stylish faucets. Similarly, you can also replace the shower and sink to make your bathroom and kitchen look more modern.

Fix Exterior Lightning

It’s good to start with small amendments, but to change the overall look of your rental property, you should also focus on exterior lighting. Fix the lighting of your backyard or front lawn area so that your family can use it every time, even without daylight. You can consider a switch light or a motion-sensor light to brighten your outdoor space.

Work on Storage

Everyone needs storage space to put extra and unneeded stuff. You can make a storage area in an attic or the backyard by doing the needful. For example, use shade to cover the things from environmental effects if you place them in the backyard. Basement is also a good alternative for storage.

Go for DIY Projects When It’s Necessary

The do-it-yourself (DIY) approach is effective when you know how to do things right and properly. If you are a handyman and like to fix things, by all means, go DIY. But in some cases, when you try to save money and renovate a household on your own, it can become tricky, complicated, and troublesome. DIY is not always the best available option. Sometimes, you spend more money and time doing things on your own. Always consider alternatives such as affordable professional services to renovate your property.

Conclusion

Home renovation is an essential component to upgrade the look of your house. However, in the case of rental properties, it is a good idea to look out for homes according to your taste and preference. As you don’t have to spend extra money on renovation and upgrades.

Home Improvement

10 Tips for Hiring a Bathroom Remodeling Contractor

February 18, 2022

Chloe Taylor

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“Wash away your troubles with some bubbles.”

Have you recently purchased a new living space for yourself and are setting it up? Do you love taking long hot showers in the winters while you ponder over how your day went? Bathroom space is one of those places where you can escape from your family members for a few minutes so you can have some peace.

Bathroom remodeling might sound like a difficult or hectic task at first if you don’t have prior experience. You should know that a lot of effort and energy goes behind the bathroom remodeling process, and you have to take care of the tiny details as well.

So, when you are looking forward to a bathroom remodeling, it is natural to wonder if you will be opting for a DIY solution or hiring a professional contractor. If you don’t have the time or energy to work on the bathroom remodel yourself, then hiring a bathroom remodeling contractor is the best shot you have.

Why Should You Get a Bathroom Remodeling?

If you are looking for bathroom remodel contractors near me, you should know that bathroom remodels impacts quality of life and provides you with good home value. Also, once you get a remodel done, it will save you money in the long run, and you won’t have to invest in unwanted or expensive repairs later on. This way, you will also be able to curb electricity bills and water usage.

Make a clear plan of your own

Did you know that in 2021, 33 percent of homeowners renovated their master bathroom because they could no longer stand their bathroom? This study shows that many people are concerned about their bathroom space and pay proper attention to it.

Before reaching out to a bathroom remodeling contractor, make sure that you make a clear plan of your own. Spend time gathering your ideas write down any goals that you might want to achieve with your bathroom or any specific changes that you would like to see. Also, look for some ideas and inspiration on Google or Pinterest, so you know would you want the final result to be like.

Research on remodeling contractors

If you don’t have prior experience with remodeling contractors, it is important that you do your research on them. Look for remodeling contractors around you, such as in your local area, so you know what kind of work they do.

Once you research remodeling contractors, you will know about the rates they charge as well as the kind of services they offer. Moreover, during your research, you can also ask close friends and family members about their experience with remodeling contractors. If they have a good experience with someone, you can also approach the same contractor.

Conduct your interviews

Conducting interviews of different bathroom contractors will help you compare the contractors and choose the best one among them. It is advised that you interview at least two or three contractors and choose the one who best meets your needs.

When conducting interviews, you may also ask them fundamental questions such as their level of expertise, the number of individuals on the team, and if they are appropriately licenced and insured. Moreover, you can also ask for a list of references, so you are sure about their authenticity and know whether they have worked on some good projects or not.

Review their previous work

When you have a look at the previous work that they did for their clients, you will know if they are efficient and productive with their work. Ideally, your remodeling contractor should come with a few photos of their best work for you to view. If they don’t have pictures with them, then you might also be able to view them on their website or social media pages.

While all bathroom remodeling contractors do a good job, you should see which contractor suits your requirements and works in a similar style. Also, if you don’t find good images or feel that something isn’t right with their work, then don’t ignore that thought. Simply leave that contractor and move on towards the next option that you have.

Ask for reliable references

After you have reviewed their previous work and all seems fine, ask them to provide reliable references to confirm and re-check everything yourself. Contact the authorities in your state to confirm and verify their license. Also, reach out to their references provided and go and see the work yourself.

Furthermore, make sure that the references that they have provided are honest with you and tell you all the right details about the bathroom remodeling contractor. If the references hesitate to provide you with the truth, you should know that something is fishy. Look out for certain red flags such as inconsistent work, multiple bad reviews, and high costs.

Get the estimates for the job

Do you want your interiors to be the best and will not compromise on anything? If that is what you are after, you will easily get the best work done at the most reasonable prices. Once you have finalized a remodeling contractor, then you should ask them to provide you with estimates.

Confirm what kind of work you need to get done, and then ask them to give you a written estimate. At times people might mishear or misunderstand the quotes, so it is better if you have them in writing for the future. Also, getting a verbal estimate isn’t a good idea because you or the contractor might forget later on. When you get a written estimate, all parties will stick to it, and it will be binding for everyone.

Work on the schedule

If you have a job or a busy work schedule, it might be a little difficult for you to deal with a bathroom remodel contractor. Depending on your requirements, a contractor who works at your place might take a few days to complete the project.

Most homeowners don’t realize the importance of working on time which is why delays occur. If you create a schedule for yourself, then it will be easy to deal with the contractors. Discuss any timing issues that you might have so the contractor can see if it will be easy for them to take up the job or not.

Clarify the contractor’s job

Many times different contractors deal with different matters, or some contractors even refuse to do some things. Before you draw up the contract, speak with the bathroom contractor about the details as to what you want to be accomplished during the project.

For example, you could prepare a list of the important things that need to be done. These could include changing the tiles getting new taps or drainage pipes installed. Also, have a chat with them about the materials that should be used and if they charge separately for the materials or they will be included in the final charges.

Discuss options in details

Once you have clarified what work you are looking forward to, discuss your options. Suppose you have one bathroom in your house and 2 or 3 people living together. Think about how you will manage this situation. Talk to the contractor about figuring out alternate options for using the bathroom. The contractor might also give you some advice or else come up with a plan that includes the arrival and exit time of the contractor. This way, it will be easier for you to use the bathroom at your convenience.

Verify the licensing

Despite the fact that everything might be going well, it is important that you verify the license and credentials of the bathroom contractor for peace of mind. Bathroom contractors are licensed and registered most of the time, so there is nothing to worry about. If you are still concerned, you may visit their website or contact appropriate authorities for the most up-to-date information.

Parting Note

Your final choice of selecting a bathroom remodeling contractor will not depend on one but several different things. Most of the time, people tend to fixate on only one factor, which causes trouble for them. When you meet the contractor, see if your vibe matches with them or if you will be able to work with them in a civilized manner. Also, see if their ongoing projects leave them with enough time so that they can easily work with you as well. If all the factors go well, then you should have your ideal bathroom remodeling contractor in less than no time.

Home Improvement

4 Benefits of Hiring a Contractor to Fix a Hurricane-Damaged House

October 13, 2021

Mike Johnston

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With extensive knowledge of the ins and outs of renovation, hiring a contractor comes with many perks. Not only are they the point of contact for the owner of the project but for the other teams on site. One of their main functions is increasing communication while decreasing confusion in the process. However, those are not the only benefits to trusting a contractor with your project.

Contractors are experts at fixing issues with properties. If you find yourself trying to sell a hurricane-damaged house, there’s most likely a ton of work to be done. Not every renovation is possible to complete by doing it yourself. Here, we outline several benefits that come along with hiring a contractor to fix a house damaged by a hurricane.

1) Material Cost

In most cases, anyone will tell you that it is the labor and not the materials that will cost the most. However, in a large project with water damage from a hurricane, the cost of materials can add up fast. For instance, running a gas line can start at $12 per linear foot. Unfortunately, it fails to take into account a few things key points:

Type of gas line (and how much)
Additional appliances being installed
Splitting the meter if necessary

This is a small sample of what projects containing gas lines can entail. Your contractor will review the details of the project and can negotiate better pricing on your behalf.

2) Sub-Contracting

This will be a large part of what your contractor will perform. After all, they can not do the entire job by themselves. For instance, if the roof is caved in from water damage, you may need to bring in a roofer to handle that part of the renovation. Your contractor will allocate work to the proper people.

By subcontracting, you are assured that the different aspects of the project are being managed, and in turn, someone is managing them. The general contractor should review any safety tips required to know before starting the job. Moreover, you can trust that someone will be available to give a breakdown of the current progress.

3) Money Management

As previously mentioned costs can quickly escalate if those watching the process are not paying attention. Watching the money is another important part of what your contractor will deal with. A project will grind to a halt if materials and labor are not paid for.

However, when needed supplies and people do not arrive, it is also their job to find out why. Consistent delays can cause a large renovation to come in over budget and keeping the project on track is part of the job as well.

4) Project Management

The world of a contractor in any industry is a tiny one. The longer they have been in the field the stronger their connections to necessary people and materials will be. Contractors work with only the most reliable of teams and will steer clear of any who tend to over promise and under deliver.

Large renovations due to hurricane damage require a ton of coordination between different technicians. Various portions will need to pass county inspection and delays will slow projects down. Your contractor will help coordinate the inspection with the sub-contractor to minimize project time.

County inspectors do not work for contractors. They work for their respective counties. Hiring a contractor on a large renovation project will be one of the best decisions anyone can make. Properties that suffer from hurricane damage or flood damage are no joke. With so many moving parts, it is important the person overseeing the project understands who should be taking care of what.

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