Remodeling Archives - Windham Construction

4 Questions to Ask Your Remodeling Contractor

August 15, 2018 by Alison Windham ·

No matter what venture you’re about to enter into, it’s best to be prepared. If you’ve never has a remodeling project done in your home before, you can do your own research about companies, products, and processes. However, there’s no better resource than going straight to the expert. Here are a few of the most important questions to ask your remodeling contractor in order to be more informed about your project and your choices.

Do You Have a License and Certificate of Insurance?

This is one of the most basic questions to ask, and something you need to know before hiring. Licenses are a requirement to work as a contractor in Brazos Valley, and while insurance is technically optional, it’s ideal. A contractor’s insurance protects you from being held liable in the event of property damage or injury on the job.You may also check for the contractor’s license online.

What’s the Timeline to Complete This Project?

Chances are, this question is already on your mind. Remodeling projects are much like moving: people enjoy the finished project but usually not the process. The timeline is also important to keep in mind because it will need to coincide with your schedule. For instance, maybe you need the project to be finished before summer break starts for your kids, or before your move-in date. Maybe you’re preparing to sell and the sooner the project is finished, the sooner you can list your home. Make sure to ask, too, what their protocol is in the event of adverse weather and whether they have other projects that could delay the timeline for your project.

Do You Have Your Own Crew or Work With Subcontractors?

Remodeling contractors don’t always have their own crew; in fact, very often, it will actually be subcontractors who do the physical work on your home. That’s not always a bad thing. Often these contractors have been working with the contractor for so long they might as well be their own team. Ask your contractor how long they’ve worked with their subcontractors, and if the subcontractors are also insured. You should also ask how often the contractor will be there to check on the work.

How Does Payment Work?

Very rarely will you pay the entire cost of your project upfront, and if a contractor insists upon it, you should probably avoid them. Instead, you’ll pay on a payment schedule, and that schedule varies from company to company. If the payment schedule seems overwhelming for you, ask about financing options. Many contractors have financing plans to help fit into your budget. Just ask how to apply for a plan that fits within your budget so that your payment plan suits you as well as the contractor.

If you have an upcoming remodeling project in Brazos Valley, Windham Construction can help. With over 20 years of remodeling experience in the area, we’re qualified to answer any questions you might have about your project or the way we do business. Contact us today for more information or a free estimate.

Filed Under: Remodeling, Renovation, Tips ·

3 Hardwood Flooring Trends of 2018

August 1, 2018 by Alison Windham ·

Hardwood floors have been the favorite of homeowners for decades, and 2018 is no exception. They’re smooth, beautiful, easier to clean than carpet, and you can always embrace your inner child by sliding around hardwood floors in your socks. Whether you prefer a rustic design for your home, a classic colonial style, or something sleek and modern, hardwood floors provide an attractive solution.

So it seems almost redundant to talk about hardwood floors as a trend of 2018. Instead, let’s talk about the trends within hardwood flooring.

Hardwood All Over

What we have noticed this year is an uptick in how much hardwood flooring homes contain. For some time, hardwood has been a popular choice for living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and the like. However, this year it seems as though you can find hardwood in just about every room. Many homeowners are redoing their kitchens and entryways in order to make the switch to hardwood floors. True hardwood remains a risky choice for bathrooms, because of the propensity for water spillage and humidity. However, with advances in engineered wood or faux hardwood, you may even start to notice hardwood bathrooms soon.

Faux Hardwood

Sometimes you want the look of hardwood, but you don’t want the maintenance or cost of hardwood flooring. In that case, you might be interested in faux hardwood flooring. You can find laminate flooring for your kitchen that has the authentic look and texture of wood with an overlay of plastic that keeps it waterproof. Vinyl, however, can be made to mimic the look and texture of wood, and it’s much more affordable. Cork flooring is becoming a popular alternative to true wood flooring, partly because it’s a green choice. It can be made with recycled cork, and if you decide to take it out, it can be recycled itself.

Reclaimed Wood

Another green option when it comes to hardwood flooring is to use reclaimed wood, and with our society becoming more and more environmentally conscious, this option has really taken off in 2018. Reclaimed wood requires no additional trees to be cut and there’s much less production effort. It also often comes with rich character and texture that homeowners prefer stylistically. If you prefer a rustic style for your home, reclaimed hardwood flooring is a perfect choice. The grooves in the wood are a little deeper, and the discoloration can be seen throughout. Some even prefer to use reclaimed wood that’s mismatched, using some boards that have been painted and others that haven’t, for an added touch of character.

What do you think about the recent hardwood floor trends? Are there any that could be right for your home, using either traditional hardwood floor, reclaimed wood, or wood alternatives? If you’re interested in making a switch to hardwood flooring, you can trust Windham Construction with our 20+ years of experience in Brazos Valley as your remodeling contractor. Contact us today for more information or a free quote for your next remodeling project.

Filed Under: Home Remodel College Station TX, Remodeling, Tips ·

What to Expect from a Kitchen Remodel

July 15, 2018 by Alison Windham ·

Summer is a great time for a kitchen remodel. The longer days offer more lighting as the contractors work on your new kitchen, and while your stove and oven are off limits, you have an excuse to use the grill and have dinner outside. However, if you’ve never had a kitchen remodeled before, you may be daunted by the idea of chaos reigning over a significant portion of your home. You also may be worried about how the finished project will turn out.

Fortunately, when you hire a professional remodeling contractor to redo your kitchen, much of the stress is taken out of your hands. These experts know exactly what to do and how to do it most efficiently. While your kitchen might look like a mess for a short time, the finished product will make it all worth it. That said, there will be some disruptions it helps to know what you can expect so you can be prepared.

Noise

Noise is an inevitable part of any kitchen remodeling. Sadly, they just haven’t invented a way to make nail guns, compressors and the like quiet. This can be distressing if you have pets or small children in your home, but even if you live alone all the noise will certainly be distracting. This might be a good time to take advantage of that beautiful sunny weather and spend the day outside or visit a friend. Go see a movie or go to the park for the day. As long as your contractor has your phone number and can reach you if needed, it’s perfectly fine — and possibly recommended — to spend a day out.

Mess

We all know logically that in order to remodel a room, especially a kitchen, it has to be messy first. Walls might come down. Flooring could be taken out. Appliances will be changed. It’s one thing to know that, however, and another to see it in your own home. The sight of dust and ruins of your old kitchen can be discouraging, but know that this isn’t the finished project. No contractor is going to tear your kitchen apart and then walk away. If you did your research on your remodeling professionals, you know that they have a reputation for quality and by the time the job is finished, you’ll have the kitchen you wanted and they’ll clean up the mess.

The Unexpected

No matter what the project, the one thing you can count on is the unexpected. It may be that a wall you planned to remove is a load bearing wall. You may find water damage, a pest problem, or mold. There could be delay from material suppliers or any number of scenarios that you haven’t imagined. That’s not to say that these things will ruin your project. Usually, they just present a hurdle that might change your plans or finish date. But you should expect that the project won’t go 100% according to plan, and that the contractor will be able to find a way around the hurdle.

A Finished Project that Wows

All remodeling projects have bumps and hiccups, but if you have the right contractor, the look of the finished project will make you forget every disruption and delay. There’s nothing quite like walking into a finished, fresh looking kitchen after living through a remodel. You’ll want to have friends over right away to show off.

At Windham Construction, we have over 20 years of experience providing all kinds of remodeling services, including kitchen remodeling, to Brazos Valley. If you’re interested in your own kitchen remodel or have more questions about living through a kitchen remodel, contact us.

Filed Under: Blog, Kitchen Remodeling, Remodeling ·

Remodeling Lingo Decoded

July 1, 2018 by Alison Windham ·

When you’re reading over a construction company’s qualifications or getting a quote for your remodeling project, sometimes it seems as though they’re speaking in a different language. If you’re not an expert, it’s easy to feel lost and confused by the conversation. However, you want to be sure you know what you’re signing up for, both in the company and the project itself. So let’s break down some of that remodeling lingo today.

Certified

If a construction crew or contractor is “certified,” it means that they’ve been approved by a registered organization in their industry. One of the main organizations in the remodeling industry is the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (“NARI”), who certified Windham Construction. There’s also The International Code Council (ICC). The ICC shows that this contractor or construction crew complies with international industry codes, while NARI goes into more specifics. NARI certifications are given out to contractors and construction companies who show a high level of professionalism and expertise and who are specific to the remodeling industry.

Licensed, Insured, Bonded

Often, you’ll hear these three terms in conjunction with one another. Licensed means that the construction employees or contractors are licensed to work in a particular area. Texas doesn’t license contractors at the state level, but often a license shows a degree of respectability for the business. Insured means that the construction company has insurance so that in the event of an accident on the project, you won’t be held liable and won’t have to pay for it. Ideally, they should have personal liability, property damage coverage, and workers compensation. Bonded means that there’s a bond in place to protect the project, by guaranteeing that any damage or construction defects will be repaired or the client’s money will be reimbursed.

Construction Manager/General Contractor

A general contractor is a little different from a construction manager. The construction manager works for the construction company on the whole and is there from the beginning of the project. They’re a go between for the owner and the contractor. The general contractor, on the other hand, is independent and hired by the construction company through a bid process to oversee the day-to-day of the project. They most likely bring with them subcontractors and oversee their work. The construction manager will likely work with many local contractors to find the right person for your job.

Allowance

Typically, there’s your budget and then there’s the allowance. The budget is what you’re willing to pay provided everything goes according to plan. However, that rarely happens in construction, so it helps to have a supplemental budget or amount of money set aside called an “allowance.” This covers any decisions made after the project begins or any unexpected obstacles that might arise over the course of the project.

Change Order

Sometimes it’s not until the project starts that you realize something you want to add, or want to remove. In that case, a change order is written out to adjust the original order — and the cost of the original order — to the new specifications. As with most things in construction, it has to be in writing.

If there’s ever a term that a construction or contracting professional throws out that you’re unsure of, don’t be afraid to ask. At Windham Construction, we have over 20 years of experience in Brazos Valley, which means we know all the terminology and we’re happy to clarify whatever you need to know. Simply contact us for more information.

Filed Under: Bathroom Remodel, Blog, Remodeling, Renovation ·

Is a Vintage Style Right For Your Home?

June 15, 2018 by Alison Windham ·

A big part of deciding to remodel is settling on a style that you want for your space at the end of project. Remodeling can be an opportunity not just to fix problem areas or update an old room, but to play with different styles. Among those is the vintage style — which is, more accurately, a wide genre of styles. In the design world, a “vintage” design can be anything that harkens back to the styles of the past.

Vintage is something many homeowners consider when remodeling their kitchen, living room, or bedroom. But is it right for your home? Here are a few reasons that homeowners choose vintage styles.

Versatility

Again, vintage has a rather wide definition. It can mean anything from art deco to mid-century modern. It can have the look of a rustic farmhouse or play on the classic features of the house by exposing a red brick wall or ceiling beams. Because of this, vintage styles can suit a wide variety of homeowners with a wide variety of tastes. Vintage styles can also work in just about any room, be it kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or even hallway. If you like a vintage style, you can incorporate it anywhere.

Nostalgia

This is the main reason so many people enjoy vintage remodeling styles. Maybe they’re attached to the style they grew up with, or the style of their grandparents’ home. Maybe they just fell in love with the look of a kitchen in their favorite old movie. Even those who don’t necessarily want past eras to return may want to bring back the best styles from those times. Fortunately, you can do that. We haven’t lost the sharp contrast of light and dark colors that made art deco rooms what they are, or the wood and carpet materials of mid-century modern rooms. When it comes to your home’s look, you can be as nostalgic as your heart desires.

Preservation

In some ways, this is tied to nostalgia, but it’s less nostalgia for a certain time and more a nostalgia for the early days of your home. Let’s say you live in a house that has a lot of history to it, something that was built 50, 60, even 100 years ago. Of course, over time that house has been updated so that it now has all the modern appliances, but you want to hold on to some of its historic charm. One way to do that without losing the contemporary conveniences is by remodeling some of the rooms to create a more vintage style. Mirror the style off of the time in which the home was first built. Infuse the best of the colors, shapes, and materials from that age.

Whatever style you’re looking for when it comes to your remodeling project, Windham Construction can help. We have over 20 years of experience with remodeling projects in Brazos Valley, both indoors and even in your outdoor space with arbors and decks. Contact us today and let us know what remodeling work you need done.