When asked, a majority of homeowners can quickly come up with a list of things that they would like to improve in their home. The best part about residential remodeling projects is that they offer a lot of flexibility—you can do as little or as much as you want, and moreover, you can choose when to accomplish your goals and who to help you in the event that you need assistance. Look no further for inspiration, tips and helpful information from those who have the experience and knowledge to assist you with getting the job done the way you want it.
In some instances a residential remodel will require knowledge of exactly where your property lines lie. It is always good to know this information as soon as possible in the initial planning stages of the project. Land Survey Inc. will walk you through every requirement and will take care of all the ground work based upon the details of your specific project. Toni Montana, owner of Land Survey Inc., advises, “Knowing where your property lines are located is really the basis of beginning to build. It is also very important to know the zoning requirements so you don’t go past what the city or county requires. It will save you a lot of money and headaches if you work with someone who knows the process, and if you have gathered all of the information you need about your property before you get started with your renovations. We take pride in providing a lot of hands-on information for property owners, as well as being able to provide them with the peace of mind that everything is on track to proceed.”
If your vision for updating your home includes beautiful tile or stone work, Silversun Industries can bring it to life. Matthew McKenna, owner of Silversun Industries, says, “We have the capability and experience to manage the entire project from design and layout to material selection. In addition, we are efficient in finding choices suitable for all budgets. Our specialty is tile, stone, mosaic, and wood flooring. These features are perfect for kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces, and can be customized for anywhere else you would like to put them. Tile floor can be chilly during our Nebraska winters, so heated floors have become a popular choice among our clients. In addition, ‘wood grain’ tile is popular because it has the appearance of a quality wood floor, but is much easier to clean and maintain. We also do a lot of work with home gyms–a professionally installed cushioned floor stays in place and is better for your knees and joints.” When deciding who to work with on your remodeling project, McKenna advises, “Choose a contractor who is insured, provides a warranty for their work, and has a portfolio of work to share with you. If they don’t look professional, their quality of work probably isn’t either. Go over the design in detail with your contractor, and trust their expert opinion—design selections can look different in your home versus the showroom. Remodels can also uncover issues and extra repair due to age or neglect, so always expect the unexpected. Along the same lines, get an estimate of the work and verify all charges are included. It is always helpful to ask hypothetical questions, such as what would cause the cost of the project to increase assuming only the work specified in the estimate was done. Furthermore, ask the contractor what QUALITY and AWESOME work looks like to them. Does this match your expectations? As prepaying for a portion of the work upfront is not uncommon, only agree to pay for the materials, not the labor, until the work is done. Set and agree upon a time frame to complete the job–if it is going to disrupt your life, you need to know and plan. As a basic guideline to remember: do your homework, go with your gut, and get references. And don’t skimp and try to save money on the cheapest price or lowest bid. Quality can cost a bit more and contractors are not ALL the same. You’re hiring someone to execute a design for your home and their work will be showcased and viewed every day. Go with quality and you will not be disappointed.”
When deciding on a contractor and the scope of your home remodeling project, Michelle Christensen, owner of Papillion Windows & Siding, also explains, “We are now seeing a lot of homeowners staying in their current homes and remodeling, compared to a few years ago when many were purchasing newer, larger homes. There are many ways to upgrade the family home and starting with a reputable contractor is a good way to begin. We can assist our customers with their projects by offering ideas on the materials that can be used, the design, whether it is an updated look a customer is trying to achieve or to maintain the original architecture, and ways to save costs without compromising quality. We take a hands-on approach with each customer to ensure every detail is considered so that the homeowner will have a stress free experience.” She adds, “Recently some of our most popular projects have included installing new windows. Customers have so many more choices today, whether it be a traditional custom wood stained window or a decorative custom designed window, with options such as stained glass or designer decorative grids, or changing from an original style of window to a beautiful bay or bow window. Not only do you gain energy efficiency by replacing your windows, but you can completely change the look of a room inside and out with simple design changes. One thing to keep in mind when selecting a contractor is to do your homework on the company and products they carry. Check the company’s BBB rating, research the product manufacturer, and even ask for references. Also find out what type of workmanship warranty the company offers to back their work. Papillion Windows & Siding offers lifetime labor warranties on most of their products. Remember that there are many reputable manufacturers that make a high quality, energy efficient window. The big names are not always the best products or the best prices. Get more than one estimate and ask lots of questions.”
Increasing energy efficiency has definitely become one of the main goals for homeowners who are considering home remodeling projects to date. Troy Spady of Complete Comfort Heating and Cooling says, “With the advances in system controls and energy efficiency the last few years, making updates to both controls and heating/cooling systems makes perfect sense when planning for a remodel. If you are looking to update just the controls, a Honeywell Prestige IAQ is what we recommend. It features the ability to connect to the internet, diagnose system performance, and automatically adjusts your home’s temperature when utility prices are at their highest to help you save on energy costs. If looking for a full controls and systems upgrade, the Evolution Connex Control in conjunction with a Bryant Evolution heating and cooling system will provide Wi-Fi remote access capability, detect dirty air filters and offer service reminders, plus provide zoning control for up to eight zones. One of the biggest factors to consider when making these decisions for your remodel is being able to trust the heating and cooling company that will be doing the work–not only at the time of installation but for the years to come in servicing the equipment that was installed. Don’t get caught trying to cut corners and find the company you chose to do the work is nowhere to be found if issues arise down the road!”
He adds, “At Complete Comfort, our approach is to take a look at what the homeowner is trying to accomplish with their remodel and then find out what is important to them in regard to their indoor comfort. We also assess what equipment they currently have and determine what will work best to accommodate maximum comfort in their current and remodeled living spaces. For a long term, energy efficient solution we suggest installation of a WaterFurnace geothermal heat pump. If someone is looking for a more traditional heating and cooling solution, the Bryant Evolution system provides customers with an advanced communicating system that is capable of delivering high-efficiency performance and total home comfort in both warm and cold conditions. This allows for more control of temperature, humidity, indoor air quality, fan speed and ventilation in your home. As a communicating system, it can even detect when your air filter needs to be replaced and when service is needed.”
Pat Killeen of Engineered Controls and Control Depot offers the following information about the benefits of upgrading or incorporating controls for your home’s systems during a remodeling project:
“Every residential remodel project starts with a dream. Homeowners may enjoy their home, but over time they would like things to be different. In order to turn those dreams into reality, detailed planning is required and you can start by considering the purpose of your project. Would you like to use the current space differently, or are you looking to add innovation and technology to your home? When looking into remodeling your home, consider that Control Depot offers a whole host of Honeywell products that will improve your home’s comfort and help you operate your home more efficiently. From the most state-of-the-art thermostats and zoning systems, to whole-house air cleaning systems, whole-house humidification and dehumidification systems, security and video systems; everything is geared to make homes more energy-efficient and secure.
Although most of today’s cutting edge technology is wireless, there are going to be times when your remodeling contractor may need to add new equipment above ceilings or in the basement and run additional wiring that requires disrupting the existing walls and ceilings. For this reason, home remodel projects present the perfect opportunity for homeowners to upgrade their home’s technology infrastructure and to add new environmentally friendly equipment.
The most important benefit to upgrading a home control system is that homeowners can now take advantage of new, cutting edge residential technology that improves their environment and living comfort, reduces energy and provides increased security. Honeywell’s Total Connect Service provides a personalized web portal with mobile apps that allow the homeowner to stay connected to their home’s heating and cooling system and home security system from their smart phone, tablet or personal computer. This allows the home owner to remotely monitor and control their home (or business) at any time and from anywhere in the world. The state-of-the-art security, lighting and HVAC controllers provides you with an affordable way to control your security system, video cameras and heating and air conditioning needs all in one simple to use system.
Homeowners can receive alerts via emails, view live video and control and access their security system, control lighting and lock and unlock doors remotely and more. Plus the simplicity and comfort that Honeywell’s new wireless Prestige IAQ HVAC system provides offers a full-suite of wireless enable accessories that help you meet home owners comfort and security needs. Items such as universal diagnostics, water sensor alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, ventilation filtration alarms are just a few of the added benefits of owning such a home automation system. The system also provides customizable reminders for replacing the humidifier pad or UV lamp replacement reminders. Homeowners can perform these functions wherever they are with Honeywell Total Connect Remote Services. A built-in web server lets your customers control their systems anywhere in their homes on smartphones, tablets, web-enabled TVs or any compatible wireless mobile device anywhere in the world.
In the beginning stages of a home remodeling project, think about how your lifestyle has changed and what you would like or need to be different. Are you simply looking to expand your existing kitchen or add new windows or maybe replace your home’s central heating and cooling system? When looking into remodeling your home, don’t overlook the importance of improving your home’s environmental control system – it will improve the air you are breathing, it will increase your HVAC equipment’s energy efficiency, increase your home’s comfort and offer peace-of-mind by increasing your home’s safety and security.
When starting a residential (or commercial) remodel project, think of Control Depot and Honeywell. In more than 100 million homes and 5 million buildings worldwide, Honeywell products, components and systems deliver temperature control, comfort, energy conservation and safety.”
During a remodel there is likely going to be some chaos in your house, and things will need to be moved around. It may be a good idea to relocate some of your items to avoid damage or clutter. Thomas Friedman of Strong Box Storage says, “We offer a variety of sizes of storage for those who need to move things around while their home is being remodeled, from 5×5 to 10×40, and we always try to find the right size that fits the customer’s needs. Our office, which is open six days a week, offers a dozen different sizes of moving boxes, packing peanuts, wrapping paper, tape, and many other items that help our customers during their transportation of their belongings. Another one of our features that offers flexibility and is popular among our clients is 24/7 access. Our facility offers lighted and paved roadways to make it easy and safe to get around, and if there are any problems we have staff on site six days a week. You can access your unit at whatever time is most convenient for you with no hassle, and we also have U-Haul trucks for rent if you need to move items to and from our facility and you don’t have access to an appropriate vehicle.”
Have you been considering sprucing things up a bit (or a lot!) around your home with a remodeling project? There really is no better time than the present, as there are so many ways in which a home can be upgraded that will not only increase its value and efficiency but also the enjoyment of the homeowner. With so many options for improvement, the key to achieving the result you want is working with knowledgeable and experienced professionals!