4 Reasons to Hire a Professional Painter

October 2, 2017 by ·

Paint is the easiest way to give a room new life. It’s more affordable than a full-fledged renovation, and sometimes more effective. Just adding color to the walls, or changing the existing color, can totally change the way the room looks and feels. It’s cheaper than a full-fledged renovation, simpler, and often more effective. Because of this, it is often considered a DIY project. While painting the room yourself might be cheaper, there are still a few reasons to hire a professional painting team for the job.

The Benefits of Expertise

Professional painters do this work every day, and they know it inside and out. They know what safety equipment they need, how much prep needs to be done, and how long the work will take. And because they have years of experience and hours each day to devote to the job, they can finish the work more efficiently than a homeowner who has a job and schedule of their own. A professional painter can even suggest sample swatches to help you choose the best color for your room.

Quality Work

Painting is more complicated than it might first appear. You have to prep, sometimes prime, and protect the floor and furniture from any mess. It’s easy to make a mistake, whether by missing a spot or getting paint where it shouldn’t be. With a professional painter, you can be sure that you’re getting quality work and service, from the beginning of the prep work until the room is finished. When a professional has their reputation on the line, their goal is to make sure you have no complaints, so you know you can expect excellence.

Added Security

As with any renovation, accidents happen. Hiring a professional painter isn’t just safer for the painters, who will have all the equipment to protect themselves as they work; it’s also safer for your home. Licensed, insured professional painters will cover any damage done to the home in the midst of their work. It’s important to note, however, that not all painters are insured and not all insurances work the same way. Make sure to discuss insurance with a painting professional before hiring them.

You Can Relax

Painting takes time, precaution and detailed, sometimes tedious work. Although it seems like a simple job on the outset, painting is often more stress-inducing than most homeowners anticipate. Hiring a professional to paint your room saves you time and stress because they’ll take care of everything. All you have to do is sit back and watch the results.

If you need remodeling done as well as painting in Brazos Valley, it’s an especially good idea to hire Windham Construction. Whether you need a new coat of paint on your walls, fences, trim, or a whole remodel for your kitchen, bathroom, or deck, get it all from the same source. Contact Windham Construction today for an estimate.

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

Can You Handle a Fixer Upper?

August 10, 2017 by ·

Can You Handle a Fixer Upper?

Fixer uppers are all the rage, at least on home improvement shows. There are multiple shows centered around the same premise: instead of buying an expensive, move-in ready home, save money by buying a home that needs a little love and fixing it up. And surely, renovating a fixer upper can be a great way to put your personal stamp on your new home. However, the intimidation towards buying a home that needs renovations is not without cause. It can be a daunting task that leaves many home buyers wondering, “Is it even worth it?”

The answer is…sometimes. In many cases, buying a cheap fixer upper that just needs cosmetic renovations can be much cheaper than buying a move-in ready home. In other cases, though, the home needs to be gutted to be functional or is in such bad shape that the cost to renovate is far more than the cost of a move-in ready house. Know the difference. Hire a home inspector before buying so they can give you a clear picture of everything you’ll be getting into with this house. If the cost of the house and the cost of the renovations combined is still cheaper than move-in ready houses on the market, a fixer upper could be a good opportunity for you.

The other thing to take into consideration is time. Renovating a home can be disruptive and stressful and can last for weeks or months, depending on the work that needs to be done. If you’re in no hurry to move into your new home, you won’t have to worry about living with it. If you need to move sooner rather than later, you might find yourself in a home that feels more like a disaster zone. It’s a good idea to get an estimate from a construction professional before making any major decisions so you know how much time renovations will take and whether you have that time.

Some homeowners choose to do their own renovations to save money. However, not all homeowners have the skill or the time to put into that work. In most cases, it’s best to hire a local professional. You can know that your renovations are being done by someone who knows what to look for and what best to do, and you can be relieved from the stress of having to do the work yourself. Some construction groups even include design services, so you can get a jump-start on your interior design, as well.

Renovating a fixer upper is never easy. If you decide to take on the task, you have to be prepared for a good amount of cost and chaos. A local construction group who knows Brazos Valley well and has a dedication to quality can help take some of the edge off. And sometimes, the good outweighs the stress and all of that mess of a renovation can lead to your new life in the house of your dreams.

Filed Under: DIY, Remodeling, Renovation ·

Father’s Day Gift Idea

June 13, 2017 by ·

Father’s Day is coming soon and that got me thinking about unique Father’s Day gifts. With all that dads tend to do around the house, even if they aren’t so handy, it’s nice to give them a break from time to time. Why not give your dad the gift of checking off some of the work on his “honey do” list?

You can volunteer to do some of the work for him, or you could hire a professional. Here are some services that will take some of the load off of your dad.

Painting

While your dad is probably fully capable of buying paint and using a paintbrush, painting is time consuming. Also, what if the color he buys isn’t exactly what he pictured for the room?  If you hire professional painters, they can bring samples so you see what the actual color will be.

Hiring professionals to do the painting for you is especially helpful if there are high walls or if there’s wallpaper that needs to be removed first.

Deck Building

Building a deck looks easy enough. The problem is that it’s a lot of work for one person and getting it right may be more complicated than it seems. If your dad has been wanting to build a deck, you could surprise him with a crew of professionals willing to do the work for him. Your dad can sit back and relax while they do all the work. When they’re done, you’ll have a delightful place for family barbeques.

We’re located in College Station, Texas. Out here, our summers can be a bit harsh. If you hire a professional builder, he can tell you your options for building a deck that can endure the worst weather Texas can throw at it.

Arbors/Pergolas

An arbor is another job your dad may be considering, but just hasn’t gotten around to doing yet. While an arbor may look even easier to build than a deck, it requires precision to get it right. Also, it requires some climbing on ladders and a lot of lifting. Save your dad’s back by hiring professionals to do the work for him.

Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels

If your dad is handy, he may be able to remodel a kitchen on his own. However, there’s a lot of heavy lifting involved. Also, a lot of different skill sets are needed. How much easier and faster would it be for a professional crew to handle?  Your dad’s new kitchen will be ready a lot sooner if you send in some help.

Bathroom remodels may seem easier than kitchens, but there’s still a lot of time consuming work. If you hire professionals to do the work for your dad, he’ll have a functioning and beautiful new bathroom in no time.

Sure, your dad may be able to do the work himself, but doesn’t he deserve a little time off?  Hiring a service to take some of the work load could be the perfect Father’s Day gift for your dad.

Filed Under: Kitchen Remodeling, Outdoor Living Spaces, Porches Decks Pergolas, Remodeling ·

What Not to Do When Remodeling

May 30, 2017 by ·

What Not to Do When Remodeling

When you’re spending your hard-earned money on remodeling, it’s normal to want to make sure everything is going well. You may even have second thoughts at times and want to change things around. There are things you might be tempted to do that will actually delay the process and cost you more money. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid.

Going with the lowest bid and ending up with someone you don’t trust.

If you want something done right you need to hire the right professionals not the lowest price. If you don’t trust the people doing the work on your house, there will be problems. For example, when they tell you they found a problem and there will be a delay, you might not believe them. Also, you may feel the need to look over their shoulder and question them constantly, which will slow the work down.  This can all be avoided if you start by hiring someone you trust.

If you hire someone you trust, a lot of other problems can be avoided.

Not planning for contingencies.

No home is perfect. A qualified contractor will make whatever adjustments are needed to make sure everything they work on is structurally sound and up to code. If there’s a problem, they’ll fix it. That adds to the price of the job, but it’s worth it to have it done right. Make sure you have more than enough money set aside to finish the remodel.

Changing your mind.

If you have a plan, it’s cheaper and faster to stick with it. Every time you make a change, it will cost time and money. If you hired a contractor you trust, you’re less likely to panic halfway through the job and want to change everything around. The more you can relax and let your contractor work, the faster the job will go.

Being a distraction.

You have every right to look at what’s going on in your home and to ask questions. It is your money and your home, after all. However, if you’re always standing around and talking to the workers, you will slow the work down. Ask all of the questions you need to ask, but don’t linger if you don’t need to. If you trust the professionals you hired, this won’t be as much of a problem.

Working without a design.

A qualified professional won’t start a job without a design.  Your contractor will need a detailed floor plan and sometimes even an architect depending on the kind of job. You can’t expect them to go in blind.

Fixing aesthetics without fixing the structure.

One of the benefits of a remodel is that it improves the appearance of your home. Another benefit is that when work is done well, your home will be even more structurally sound than when the work started. Don’t expect your contractor to overlook structural problems.  If they can fix it, let them. You’ll be better off in the long run.

The most important thing is to hire someone you can trust. Thankfully, in College Station you have a local builder with experience.

Filed Under: Remodeling ·

Uncovering the Hidden Problems in Your Home

May 19, 2017 by ·

Uncovering the Hidden Problems in Your Home

When you plan a kitchen remodel, you probably focus on utility and aesthetics. There is an added benefit that you may not consider. Your contractor can find hidden issues with your house that may have otherwise caused you trouble down the line. Most contractors will factor some contingencies in their bid so that you aren’t overwhelmed when problems arise.

No house is perfect. Even new houses have their flaws. An older home, however, may have more problems. In order to properly update the appearance of your home, you may have to update some of the structure. That’s why you should always have a contingency fund in case your contractor finds something that needs fixing or updating to meet the building code.

No matter how experienced the professionals you hire are, they can’t know what’s going on inside a wall without taking a look. While they may be able to give you an idea of the types of problems a home often has, they can’t know for sure until the work starts. Once a drill goes into a wall, a lot can be revealed.

If you’re having your bathroom remodeled, for example, your contractor might find water leaks. Because leaks can cause structural damage and lead to mold growth, you can be thankful they found the problem. While it may cost a little money to fix it now, it could save you the expense of more costly repairs later on.

Another issue that your contractor may run into in your walls is faulty wiring. That’s not something that can be ignored. It’s a fire hazard. So, even though it may cost you extra, it’s worth the expense. Replacing faulty wiring will help bring your house up to code and make it a safer place to live.

Walls may also have inadequate insulation. If you’ve noticed that your kitchen or bathroom is unusually cold in the winter or hot in the summer it may be because you need more insulation. Your contractor can fix the problem and that will save you money on heating and cooling in the long run.

Windows can also have their hidden problems. Dry rot around a window might not be apparent at first. Only when the work has started will your contractor find the dry rot in the wall. Fixing it will make your home more structurally sound.

Also, keep in mind that your subfloor is hidden until the flooring is removed. Your contractor has no way of knowing whether it’s in good condition until he sees it. Hopefully, only minor repairs will be needed if any. Having a good subfloor will help the rest of your remodel go more smoothly so it’s important that any issues are fixed properly.

When you have a contractor bid on your project, make sure he’s planning for contingencies.  A really low bid may not include any wiggle room for unexpected problems. Also, set aside more money than you think is needed for the project. At least 5% extra on hand could be helpful. While no one likes having to pay more than expected, it’s worth it to have your home fixed properly.

Filed Under: Remodeling ·
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