Outdoor Spring Maintenance

Divert Water
Gutters do their job best when clean. Check yours for foliage build-up, particularly if trees hover over the roof. The rainy season is a prime time to ensure all drainage areas remain unblocked by leaves and/or debris. Trapped moisture can leave a house susceptible to moss and mildew and cause major damage to your roof and walls. While you’re at it, make sure the downspout is clean and pointing 2-2-1/2 feet away from foundation walls.

Retain the Roof
It’s easy to take for granted the one thing that shields you from the elements. But doing so could cost you unnecessary repair costs. Be diligent about roof maintenance. After the next rainy day, inspect your ceiling for wet spots. Ask a licensed professional to inspect your roof for wear and tear. "If the shingles are curling, buckling or crackling, it’s time to replace the roof," according to Dan Cornwell, president of CC&L Roofing in Portland, Ore.

Check Your Paint Job
Look for chipped, cracked paint along the exterior of your home. "The worse thing you can do is leave wood exposed, because that’s when it will begin to rot," says Brian Gummel, president of The Painting Company in Edgewater, Md. Scrape off any failing paint. Sand it down so there are no rough edges, prime the bare wood surface and paint it with a high quality paint product. Don’t wait until siding accumulates too much dirt. Brighten up the house with a good power washing.

Cut Shrubs and Trees
Trim overgrown trees and hedges away from your home to discourage the growth of mildew and moisture. Branches should be at least 7 feet away from the exterior of your house to prolong the life of your siding and roof. Get rid of out-of-control vines, as they can help crack siding and allow moisture and pests entry into your home.

Love Your Lawn
Rake up the excess leaves you didn’t get around to last fall. Too many can suffocate your grass and stop it from growing. "Pull up weeds, and remove foilage from the lawn, shrubs and any plants," says Neal Julien, landscaping expert with Neal Works Landscaping in Capitol Heights, Md. Pull up dead flowers and replace them with a low-maintenance variety such as pansies, begonias or mums.

Source: HGTV.com

Custom Home Building

Building a new home begins long before the foundation is poured. To avoid costly mistakes during the construction process, start with these five important steps. As you move from dream house to real house, be sure to ask questions and share your progress.

1. Plan Your Budget
Begin now to think about how much you can afford to spend and how much building your new home is likely to cost. Chances are you will need a construction loan and a mortgage. It's not too early to find out what size loan you qualify for. Also, knowing the approximate costs will help you modify your building plans to meet your budget.

2. Choose Your Lot
Whether you are building your home in a suburban development or a site with sweeping ocean views, you will almost always need to choose the land before you select floor plans or other details. You (and any pros you hire) will need to investigate factors such as soil condition, drainage, zoning and building codes in the region.

3. Line Up Your Team
Unless you are a homesteader, you'll need a team of experts to design and construct your house. Key players will include a builder, an excavator, a surveyor and a home designer or an architect. Many homeowners begin by selecting the builder or contractor. That pro then selects other members of the team. However, you may also opt to hire an architect or designer first.

4. Pick a Plan
Many new homes are built using stock plans from a catalog. The builder or a home designer may make minor modifications in room size, window style or other details. A custom-designed home, on the other hand, is created specifically for the family which will live there. In most cases, custom-designed homes require the services of a licensed architect. Whether you opt for a stock or a custom design, you will be wise to choose a plan that will meet your needs for many years to come.

5. Negotiate a Contract
Be sure to get a written contract which has been signed and dated by both the builder or contractor and the architect or designer. A contract for new home construction will describe the project in detail and include a listing of all the parts to be included in the house. Remember to amend the contract if you or your team make any changes to the project later on.




Source: Jackie Craven, architecture.about.com

10 Home-Maintenance Tips for Spring

After a long, dark winter, spring's bright sun and warm winds are, well, a breath of fresh air. The only downside? All that sunshine spotlights your leaf-filled gutters, cracked sidewalks and the dead plants in last year's flower beds. Dwight Barnett, a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors, shared this checklist to help you target the areas that need maintenance so you can get your chores done quickly, leaving you time to go outside and play in the sunshine.

• Check for loose or leaky gutters. Improper drainage can lead to water in the basement or crawl space. Make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation and are clear and free of debris.
• Low areas in the yard or next to the foundation should be filled with compacted soil. Spring rains can cause yard flooding, which can lead to foundation flooding and damage. Also, when water pools in these low areas in summer, it creates a breeding ground for insects.
• Use a screwdriver to probe the wood trim around windows, doors, railings and decks. Make repairs now before the spring rains do more damage to the exposed wood.
• From the ground, examine roof shingles to see if any were lost or damaged during winter. If your home has an older roof covering, you may want to start a budget for replacement. The summer sun can really damage roof shingles. Shingles that are cracked, buckled or loose or are missing granules need to be replaced. Flashing around plumbing vents, skylights and chimneys need to be checked and repaired by a qualified roofer.
• Examine the exterior of the chimney for signs of damage. Have the flue cleaned and inspected by a certified chimney sweep.
• Inspect concrete slabs for signs of cracks or movement. All exterior slabs except pool decks should drain away from the home's foundation. Fill cracks with a concrete crack filler or silicone caulk. When weather permits, power-wash and then seal the concrete.
• Remove firewood stored near the home. Firewood should be stored at least 18 inches off the ground at least 2 feet from the structure.
• Check outside hose faucets for freeze damage. Turn the water on and place your thumb or finger over the opening. If you can stop the flow of water, it is likely the pipe inside the home is damaged and will need to be replaced. While you're at it, check the garden hose for dry rot.
• Have a qualified heating and cooling contractor clean and service the outside unit of the air conditioning system. Clean coils operate more efficiently, and an annual service call will keep the system working at peak performance levels. Change interior filters on a regular basis.
• Check your gas- and battery-powered lawn equipment to make sure it is ready for summer use. Clean equipment and sharp cutting blades will make yardwork easier.

Negotiating a Fair Contract

A contract spells out all the terms of the work, helping you and the contractor minimize misunderstandings and wasted effort caused by poor instructions. It should include the contractor's name and address, license number, a timetable for starting and finishing the job, a payment schedule, names of subcontractors, and the scope of work to be done.
Other basic items include a specification of materials and equipment needed, demolition and clean-up provisions, approximate start and finish dates, terms of the agreement, and room for signatures and the date. Watch out for binding arbitration provisions that limit your right to sue in the event of a dispute.

An excellent addendum to a contract is the contractor's statement of what isn't included. This will include the assumptions the contractor has made about your job, such as that the existing wiring and plumbing lines are adequate, that the homeowner will pay for all trash removal, that the subflooring is sound, that the existing baseboards and window trim will be usable, and so on.
Do your homework and specify the materials and brand names of all the products, appliances, and fixtures to be used. The contract should also give the contractor the burden of obtaining all building permits. Most municipalities have a building code; the person who obtains the permit is usually liable if the work doesn't come up to code.

It's common to pay for a project in stages over the course of the work, especially as key materials and supplies are delivered. Try to limit the down payment to 10 percent or less. Contractors who ask for a substantial amount up front may use your money to hire help to finish their previous job, leaving you to fume at delays. In some states, it's illegal to require large deposits. Some projects, however, require deposits on components that have to be made to order—kitchen cabinets, for instance. In such a case, a higher down payment may be required and justified.

Your contractor should agree to resolve problems that arise during the course of work rather than afterward. They might readily fix sloppy plastering or a leaky roof as soon as it's pointed out but be less willing to fix it later on. That's a good reason to hold back part of the final payment until after a job is completed. You can negotiate such terms and include them in the contract. Withholding the last 5 to 10 percent of the money for 30 days isn't an unreasonable stipulation.

Never make the final payment until you have obtained signed mechanic's-lien waivers or releases from all subcontractors and suppliers. These are basically receipts acknowledging payment for goods and services; they free you from third-party claims on your property in the event that you pay the contractor but he or she doesn't pay subcontractors or suppliers.

Source: Consumer Reports

Evaluating Bids

Industry groups recommend that you get a written estimate from at least three contractors. An estimate should detail the work to be done, the materials needed, the labor required, and the length of time the job will take. Obtaining multiple estimates is a good idea. An estimate can evolve into a bid—a more detailed figure based on plans with actual dimensions. Seeking more than one bid will increase your odds of paying less. Once agreed to and signed by you and the contractor, a bid becomes a contract.


The cheapest bid isn't always the best. Homeowners who accept a rock-bottom bid may wind up less satisfied overall than those willing to pay more. One bidder may be using smaller-diameter copper tubing or cheaper tile. He or she may also be bidding on exactly what you say you want, without making it clear that your pre-World War II house may also need new wiring and water lines, which will cost extra.

Make sure all bidders are bidding on the same specifications and job description. Take the time to choose materials and fixtures yourself, since you may not always like or agree with the contractor's selections. The term "comparing apples to oranges" may well have been invented during the bidding process.

Know your plans. It can be costly to change job specifications after the work has begun. Revising your plans can add substantially to cost overruns, with changes resulting in lengthy delays. A less-than-straightforward low bidder is counting on these changes to make the job profitable.

Source: Consumer Reports

Do You Need a General Contractor?

Typically, if your job requires more than three subcontractors, a general contractor may be a good idea. A general contractor can free you from such burdens as maintaining a work schedule, obtaining necessary permits, and resolving disputes with suppliers. He or she will have more leverage than you do with subcontractors, since you're only a one-time job. In a tight labor market, that could be important. A general contractor may get discounts at lumberyards and supply houses. Whether or not these savings are passed on to you or retained as part of the contractor's fee is something that should be covered in the contract.

Source: Consumer Reports

Choosing a Contractor

Don't count on newspaper advertisements or the phone book. The best contractors don't have to advertise. They get work through satisfied customers' referrals. Consult friends and neighbors who have had work done. Another source is the National Association of Home Builders (www.nahb.org). After a little pointing and clicking, you can bring up contact information for local builders' associations in your region. These in turn, usually have member directories to help you find a contractor. Kitchen-and-bath shops or other suppliers may try to steer you to contractors they use regularly, but don't feel you must use one of them.

Call the Better Business Bureau or a local consumer-affairs agency for complaint histories of the contractors you're considering. One or two gripes shouldn't necessarily induce you to look elsewhere. But be wary of a contractor with more problems than that. You'll also want to check with the appropriate agency to see if the contractor is properly licensed and insured. Some states or counties as well as many large cities or townships license contractors; other jurisdictions require them to be registered. As a rule, licensing entails passing a test to measure competency, while registering involves only payment of a fee. If a problem arises, a government agency may be able to pursue a licensed or registered contractor on your behalf.
Licensing won't guarantee success, but it indicates a degree of professionalism and suggests that the contractor is committed to his or her job. The same holds true for membership in or certification by an industry group such as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), the National Kitchen & Bath Association, or the NAHB Remodeling Council—usually a sign of someone who is in business for the long run and not the quick buck. NARI will even try to resolve disputes between member contractors and homeowners, if requested.
When checking references, ask whether the contractor is insured and, if applicable, licensed to do the work. If, for example, someone gets hurt or your neighbor's property is damaged by an unlicensed or uninsured contractor, you could wind up paying. It's wise to know what your homeowners' insurance covers before work starts.
No matter how you find potential contractors, be sure to ask for a list of previous customers; then call them or, better yet, visit their homes to look at the work. Ask some penetrating questions such as these:

• Would you hire this contractor again?
  
• Were you satisfied with the quality of the work?
  
• How did the contractor handle cleanup each day?
  
• Was the contractor easy to talk to?
  
• How did the contractor handle differences and work changes?
  
• Was the job completed on time and at the bid? If not, why not?

You might also ask the contractor for a list of his or her building-material suppliers. Call them to see if the contractor has an account or pays for items upon delivery. Most suppliers are willing to extend credit to financially reliable contractors.

Source: Consumer Reports