How to remodel house |
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How to remodel a house by yourself If you are planning on complete home remodeling and want to be your own general contractor there are many things you have to be familiar with, and be prepared for a hard work to complete remodeling project successfully. Tips on complete home remodeling Work only with a competent remodeling professionals who possess meticulous skills in "on site" house remodeling tasks. Get a comprehensive itemized knowledge how to remodel a house by self and be proficient with no doubt what to do next and how to organize a complete home remodeling on a high level. Plan your budget first If you have savings which will cover the renovation project it is the best and smartest option. But if you considering any type of a loan then make sure you will get it before starting on demolishing of your house. Consider not only your bank as a source of finance. Check local home improvement stores as well. If you plan to buy materials by self you can get good deals on purchases with a consumer credit cards. How to design a house and from what to start You have to be clear how your home interior and exterior will look like. Hire an architect and explain to him/her your ideas. Architect will make a few copies of the plan or drawings of your future home, according to what the whole remodeling or construction project will be done. How to get building permits If drawings were made by a designer, they have to be signed by a state licensed architect or engineer. With a plan and information from your state licensed electrician and plumber you have to submit application for getting permits. Every state has different requirements, time frames, and fees. It is better to contact your local city or county office to get complete information about building permits and all required inspections. How to find contractors who will perform the actual work This might be one of the hardest tasks, but the most important part of a whole home remodeling project. First of all, do not make the biggest mistake and go with a cheapest option. Do not cut corners and hire contractors for a big remodeling or construction projects without proper insurance. What to look for: While getting estimates you will have two options – cost of remodeling with materials or labor only. Compare the materials section from contractors and if you would buy it by self. Before the actual work begins make a temporary power line and disconnect electricity from your house. The same needs to be done with water. Also think about temporary toilet. List of remodeling contractors you have to work with Demolishing - you can consider hiring a demolishing company or a crew of guys and pay them by hours. Company will give you price for complete work and hauling the garbage. If you will manage some crew by self prepare to pay for dumpsters. Exterior remodeling Concrete/masonry contractor perform all the work related to foundation, brick or stone walls. They can do cement floor in the basement, and brick porches. Roofing contractor will fix or replace a roof. Some companies have a narrow specialization in flat roof others sloped roofs, some companies can do both. Windows and doors contractor will replace or install new windows and exterior doors. You can hire these tree contractors to performed exterior renovation, but there are also companies who will offer complete exterior renovation including roofing, siding, and concrete work as well as doors and windows installation. From the economical side most likely you will pay more for their services. Interior remodeling Carpentry contractor will frame a house. Usually the same company will come back after drywall work and will do finish carpentry. It will include installation of interior doors, trim and moldings work, as well as installation of kitchen cabinets. They also can build fireplaces or perform any other custom design wood work. Plumbing contractor will perform all plumbing work. After piping and testing all water pipes connections as well as drain system plumber will come back when everything ready for toilet and faucets installation. He will also connect bathtubs and sink drains and hook up garbage disposal. Electrical contractor will wire all house according to drawings and after drywall work and painting will come back to install electric outlets, switches, plates, and all light fixtures. Also you might ask about installation of temporary electric line during construction or remodeling. HVAC contractor will be responsible for installation of heating and cooling system. Insulation contractor will insulate walls and ceiling in the house. If you will use regular fiberglass insulation you can hire a few people who will perform the work in 1-2 days depends on the size of a project. For foam insulation you will need a contractor anyway. Drywall contractor will hang, mud, sand, and prime drywall. He can also put backer boards on the bathroom walls, but prepare to pay extra for that option. Flooring contractor will install flooring whether it is a hardwood floor, carpet or tile. Some companies will offer specific work like installation of wood flooring only or carpet installation only, but some contractors will do any type of flooring. Tile contractor will install and grout the tile on the walls, floor, backsplashes or any other areas. Also tile guy will be responsible for proper subfloor preparation prior to setting the tile. Painting contractor will paint all house. Painter also has to fill all holes after a finish nail gun in the trims and door frames, sand it and caulk all moldings. Painting is something that you can do by self or hire a couple of guys and pay by hours under your supervision. Countertop fabricators will make a new countertop for kitchen or bathroom vanity. For the laminate countertop it is also a good idea to check local home improvement stores. Kitchen appliances might be installed by delivery guys if you bought them from local distributor. In most cases, for the additional fee, they will offer delivery and installation. But if it was an online purchase, or at a day of delivery kitchen wasn’t ready for appliances installation than make sure you will have someone to install it. Also if you have to install a custom made shower door or not standard sizes mirrors it is a good idea to consult with a glass fabrication company about your options. Hire a cleaning company or a few people and pay them by hours to make a house crystal clean and ready to move in. What about inspections Different states have different rules and it is always better to get information about inspections at your city or county office. In most cases inspections are require for rough framing, rough electrical, rough plumbing, and rough HVAC. It needs to be done right after completion each separate work. You cannot hang the drywall and call for electrical or plumbing inspector when it is no access to see what going on with piping. There is also a final inspection after all work will be completed. It might seem easy, but in reality it is a lot of work. If you feel like you can manage the project on a high level than go for it, otherwise hire a general contractor and deal with a one person only. How long does it take to remodel a house? If you will act as a general contractor everything will depend on how competent you will act during the house remodeling and how you can contrive to manage all subcontractors, organize timely inspections and scrutinize the quality of work. If about timeframe prepare for at least a few month of hard work, but it might take even longer. How to remodel bathroom |
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