The modern home is a place where a family lives and grows, and of course, a house should be in good repair and comfortable to live in. Some minor landscaping or repair jobs can be done DIY, based on a homeowner’s tools and skills, but larger jobs call for general contractors who will visit the home and either repair damage or launch a renovation project of a room or the entire home, based on what the homeowner wants. General contractors may take care of a leaking roof, drafty windows, or install new floorboards, or they may replace a kitchen’s tiles, install new cabinets, replace the carpet, or even knock down a wall to remake a home according to the homeowner’s personal vision. Water damage from a leaking roof can be serious, and water proofing the roof or backyard deck can go a long way to preventing expensive repairs in the future. What should a homeowner call general contractors for, and how can home remodeling be done right?
Repairs for the Home
A house is a complicated and surprisingly delicate thing, and any number of problems may arise during a homeowner’s stay there. The roof may get leaks or holes in it as a result of heavy hail, squirrel invasions or simple age, and this allows rainwater and melting snow to leak right into the home. This can damage drywall very badly, and mold may grow within 24 to 48 hours in an untreated, moist environment. Water will also rot and expand the wood in the attic, calling for more expensive repairs, and water may short out electrical components, meaning even more repairs. Meanwhile, drafty windows leak hot or cool air, and this disrupts the heating and cooling system and forces it to waste energy to compensate over and over. Worst of all, unprotected homes can get flooded when flash floods occur, and standing water in the basement is a common issue for American homes. Finally, homes may have leaking pipes that waste a lot of water every year, and this can add up on the water bill fast. Old toilets or faucets may be water-inefficient models and waste water with every use.
Repairs from general contractors may mean replacing or patching up pipes, as well as replacing water-damaged sections of drywall. Contractors may also replace drafty windows or doors, and they can also work on the roof to replace missing tiles and patch up any holes where water may leak. These general contractors may also remove squirrels and their nests, and apply paint that prevents squirrels from chewing their way through an attic’s wooden walls.
Renovation
General contractors can also be brought in for home remodeling, for jobs that are too difficult or expensive for a homeowner to attempt themselves. Especially if the entire home is being remodeled; about 35% of home remodeling jobs involve the entire home and not just a certain room, and this calls for an entire crew of workers who will have the tools and materials to get the job done at a fair price. Often, the bathroom is a popular site for remodeling, where a new bathtub may be put in, and a new toilet may be more attractive and water efficient, and the same can be said about the sink. New tiles for the floor or walls can freshen up the room, as can new lighting fixtures. The kitchen, meanwhile, may have new tiles put down or the cabinets may get new paint jobs or new doors to make them look fresh after years of use. The countertops may also be replaced by general contractors, and some popular surface options include granite and marble, which can be durable and very attractive in the kitchen.
Home remodeling may also involve tearing up warped or scratched floorboards and replacing them with newer ones, which may be made of traditional hardwood or even bamboo planks for added style. Renovation may also involve new carpets, repainting the walls, or putting up wallpaper. For some jobs, the homeowner may want to schedule the work for a time when they will be away from home, so that they are not blocked from going into certain parts of the home. Timing a home renovation job around a vacation or business trip may be a good idea.
