Category Archives: Remodeling

Popular Bathroom Design Tips

Implementing these popular bathroom design tips will improve functionality and style of your bathrooms. Bathrooms are probably the most used rooms in your home, and with rising interest rates, inflation and an unpredictable housing market, homeowners are choosing to stay in their current homes for longer periods of times, resulting in an increase of remodeling projects.

A well-designed bathroom is functional while offering a visual preference that fits with the rest of the home’s interior décor. One of the most important popular bathroom design tips is to make sure you select the right bathroom wall tiles for your bathroom design. Use a change of color to zone a particular space.

As homeowners become more interested and involved in the design process, they too know there is more to designing a bathroom than just picking a new bathtub and a few accessories.

It’s important that you first pick the view upon entrance. This is an important part of the popular bathroom design tips. What makes a good starting point for your bathroom layout is that you want to see the bath or basin first, not the toilet. Choose one key piece: Be it a freestanding bath, heart-stopping vanity unit or a beautifully tiled shower area and build the layout around it.

Popular Bathroom Design Tips

Popular Bathroom Design Tips

Popular Bathroom Design Tips

Creative Flooring Designs
Bathroom floors need to be hardworking, impervious to water, and slip resistant. They also need to be attractive. A large format floor tile is all about making the floor a focal point by introducing excellent patterns and color into your bathroom. You might want to mix tiles for an even more enhanced effect. A few suggested talking points:

Patterns: Consider pairing tiles with different geometric patterns or motifs to add visual interest.

Colors: Add a pop to your bathroom by pairing tiles in different shades or complementary colors.

Textures: Add depth by mixing smooth and rough tiles or tiles with different finishes, such as matte and gloss.

Popular Bathroom Fixture Colors
When it comes to faucet finishes, look to Arctic® Stainless or Polished Nickel. Arctic Stainless finish is the tried and true in presentation and tone décor finish. If your customer is a little more eccentric in style, go ahead and recommend a few different metal finishes to mix throughout the bathroom. A gold finish has become very popular but is not as popular as stainless, polished nickel, chrome, or matte black.

Creative Lighting
Your bathroom lighting should not be an afterthought. Lighting is vastly important in these popular bathroom design tips and is one of the important factors you should always pay attention to. These are Lights, Tiles and Mirrors. Get one of these wrong and you will not get the most from the bathroom.

You don’t have to settle for just one type of lighting in your bathroom. Other than the functional ‘spotlights’, you also need to consider more subtle mood lighting to enhance your bathroom as a place to relax in. To really impress your friends and colleagues, we recommend installing light dimmers to help control light output to create the ideal ambiance.

Frameless Glass Enclosures
It’s time to say goodbye to shower curtains. Your customers might think they’re saving money by using a shower curtain, but with mold and mildew build up, these don’t have an endless shelf life. Encourage your customer to ditch the shower curtain for a frameless glass enclosure instead. A simple replacement that will last years and give your customer’s space a modern upgrade.

Important: Remember, your customers are the lifeblood of your business. It is critical to stay on top of these popular bathroom design tips, and ahead of, design trends to deliver an exceptional customer-service experience, that in turn establishes and builds relationships to drive your business forward.

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive bathroom design software. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, rooftop solar panel designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, deck plans  green construction design plans and much more.

When you implement these popular bathroom designs tips and plans, CAD Pro allows anyone to share their ideas with clients, colleagues or professional remodeling contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders, and contractors plan and design all types of bathroom designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

Bathroom Remodel Costs

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Cordless Framing Nail Gun

Senco makes some of the best cordless framing nail gun tools. The Senco F-35XP cordless framing nailer, is one of the latest battery-operated framing nail guns to hit the market. The F-35XP is a powerful nailer capable of sinking 34-degree paper-taped nails into anything most framers will work with. Unlike the typical flywheel-style drive mechanism found in many other battery-powered nail guns, Senco employs a brushless motor to set the piston within a pressurized cylinder filled with nitrogen. Senco calls this type of brushless motor “Fusion air-power technology”. Pulling the trigger releases the piston, which drives the nail. This results in no ramp-up time and the power to shoot into engineered lumber with ease and precision.

Cordless Framing Nail Gun

Senco Cordless Framing Nail Gun

Cordless Framing Nail Gun Features

The Senco F-35XP is a powerful cordless framing nail gun that’s capable of sinking 34-degree paper-taped nails into any type of framing lumber. Unlike the flywheel-style drive mechanism found in many other battery-powered cordless framing nailer. The big advantage of the Senco F-35XP is when you have to setup up on smaller jobs.

When compared to other cordless nailers, the Senco’s 18-volt F-35XP has a 60-nail magazine that accommodates nails up to 3 1/2 inches long and 0.148 inch in diameter. The Senco kit includes two 3.0-Ah batteries, a 5-amp quick charger, and a carrying bag. The nailer also has a handy, bright-green indicator light that informs you if the tool is on and shows you what mode it’s in. One of the more convenient features is the easy, no-tool depth adjustment.

At 11.37 pounds with a battery, this nailer is hefty, when compared to other battery-operated framing nailers. If you are thinking about going mobile with your next cordless framing nail gun, you should give the Senco F-35XP a serious look. The quality, power, and features are worthy of the price tag and added weight.

When combining true pneumatic feel, speed, and power with cordless convenience, the Senco F-35XP drives up to 3-1/2” x .148” framing nails into the hardest framing materials without the expense and hassle of fuel cells of a cordless framing nailer. The robust design and durable construction makes the F-35XP an ideal framing nailer for professional framers and contractors.

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive home design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, deck plans and much more.

CAD Pro allows anyone to share their ideas and plans with clients, colleagues, and professional contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. You can also export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders, and contractors plan and design all types of blueprints. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

Green Building Construction

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Increasing Home Value Tricks

Property value fluctuates based on a number of factors, and sometimes what seem like relatively small “moves” can produce thousands of dollars in profit. You don’t always have to spend $20k on a remodel for a $35k increase in property value—though there are times when that’s the best move. In light of information like this, following, we’ll explore these increasing home value tricks.

Increasing Home Value Tricks

Increasing Home Value Tricks

Five Increasing Home Value Tricks

  1. Fix All The Little Issues
    Change lightbulbs. Troubleshoot appliances. Paint walls that need it. Replace a door or a window. Get a little roof maintenance done to fix minor issues. Mow the grass, weed the yard, clean up any junk. Essentially, do all the “honey do’s”. It can be surprising what a change this can make in the amount you’re able to sell a property for.
  2. Figure Out Renovation Or Refurbishment Options
    Sometimes a room needs to be refurbished, sometimes it needs to be renovated. These things can be done in a cost-effective way should you complete the work yourself. If you’ve got wood floors that are in decent shape, they’re just older, you might sand, re-stain, and apply polyurethane.

If you’ve got carpets falling apart in a room, ripping them up and putting down Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) can be cost-effective. LVP is relatively easy to install going the DIY route and you’ll save money.

Many different options are here for Increasing Home Value Tricks; it depends on the sort of time and budget you’re working with. Kitchens and bathrooms can bring a lot of value when properly refurbished. Finishing the basement or the attic (or both) is also a great idea. Even if you can’t do these things in a DIY way, sometimes property value enhancement is worth the contractors.

  1. Collateral Value Increase: Make Money Through Saving Costs
    It costs money to maintain a house that hasn’t been sold. Some houses have lot fees, others have HOAs. There can be insurance expenses, and tax issues could also apply. Different neighborhoods and properties have different basic maintenance costs. Also, if you’re moving, though you could be heading somewhere else locally, you might have to go out of state.

If you’re held up at work by a house sale that hasn’t gone through, it can be costly. There may be commute issues, sometimes a job may be lost; impacting you even more. Then there are idiosyncratic fees per state to consider. It’s a lot more expensive to tread water with a property that hasn’t sold in California than in North Dakota.

Sometimes there are other considerations like weather. Florida homes will be affected by weather a lot more quickly than a house in Arizona—depending on the region of either state and the time of the year, of course. If you’re in a hurry to sell your house, there are agencies which buy properties immediately at a discounted rate.

The total potential equity of the home takes a hit with home buying groups, but you can conduct such sales in a few days or weeks, and save yourself months or even years in some communities. Offset maintenance for Increasing Home Value Tricks. Costs could represent a greater collateral profit over time than getting the full value of the property.

  1. Don’t Use A Realtor: Manage The Sale Yourself
    Realtors have fees. Generally, around 5% to 6% of the total value a given property has to go to the realtor. So for a $100k house, a realtor gets $5k to $6k. For a $500k house, that’s $25k to $30k. Depending on home value and how connected you are in your community, it could be worth it to handle listing expenses and the like yourself.

A Multiple Listing Service (MLS) usually requires a flat fee, and puts your property in front of an exponentially greater selection of potential buyers. This increases the chances a property will be sold in a reasonable amount of time.

  1. Take It Off The Market And Put It Back On
    When a new house goes on a site like Zillow (either as a specific listing from a seller, or through MLS options that collaterally place it on such sites), it becomes visible to all the many individuals digitally home-hunting. Sites like Zillow also list how long house X has been on the market. Well, when you take a house off and put it back on, things “reset”.

Those looking for homes in your area will automatically get an email that house X has been added to the zip code(s) where they’re searching. This simple Increasing Home Value Tricks can allow you to increase the price of a property. In hot markets like those of 2021, the supply-and-demand issue defining the market can mean doing this could get you a better price on your house.

Selling Your Property For The Highest Possible Sum
Take your house off the market and put it back on. Perhaps sell the home yourself. Sell the house quickly through a home buying agency to reduce the costs of simple ownership. Renovate or refurbish where appropriate, and fix all the little issues. Moves like these can add thousands of dollars to property value individually, and even more when combined.

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, deck plans and much more.

CAD Pro allows anyone to share their ideas and plans with clients, colleagues or professional remodeling contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

House Building Cost Guidelines

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Virtual Bathroom Designs

As the Digital Age persists, technology is coming out almost daily that aims to make life easier and more efficient for people all over the world. An impressive and important form of technology that is increasing in popularity is virtual bathroom designs and software that will assist you. This kind of software allows homeowners and home remodeling companies to redesign a space virtually before construction begins. Virtual design software, can be used for any room in the home; however, for the purpose of this post, it can be especially beneficial for bathroom redesigns.

Virtual Bathroom Designs

Virtual Bathroom Designs and Ideas

Benefits of Virtual Bathroom Designs

An expert that sells glass showers in Philly pointed out that virtual bathroom designs and the software is becoming a widely accepted part of the bathroom remodeling industry. This type of software allows people to see what the bathroom will look like before it is completed and allows people to avoid any potential issues with the redesign. With that being said, designing a bathroom virtually is easy and can make the entire remodeling process much more straightforward.

What Are the Benefits?
Key features of virtual bathroom designs include:

  • The ability to categorize your expenses and easily track payments and invoices.
  • The ability to easily store contractor and other service provider’s information.
  • You can make mistakes and easily fix them with no real-life consequences.
  • You have access to thousands of resources; more than ever before.
  • You can save money by finding the most cost-efficient materials.
  • You have the potential to be saving time.
  • It is easy and enjoyable to learn and use whether you are a homeowner or a contractor.

Tips for Virtual Bathroom Designs
When you start your virtual bathroom designs, there are some design tips to consider that will make your bathroom efficient and gorgeous. Some tips to consider include:

  • Consider storage; where are you going to keep towels and toilet paper?
  • Think about how many people are going to use this space. This will help you determine how many sinks to install, whether you need a tub or shower installed, the amount of storage you will need, etc.
  • Make sure you have fans. Fans will not only cool the bathroom, but it will also make the bathroom less humid, thus preventing mold.
  • Be sure to note the kind of materials you are going to use. Noting these things will help you account for costs and will help you remember exactly what you are looking for.
  • Plan to install water and energy-efficient appliances such as a water-efficient toilet or showerhead, or energy-efficient lights. You will save money and the environment with these efficient appliances.

Consider a Virtual Redesign Today
You can use home design software like CAD Pro for any room redesign in your home. This easy to use modern technology can make your life easier and can give you the room or home of your dreams. Consider taking advantage of virtual bathroom designs as you plan your next bathroom.

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, deck plans and much more.

When you create virtual bathroom designs, CAD Pro allows anyone to share their ideas and plans with clients, colleagues or professional remodeling contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of bathroom designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

About the Author
Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey

Net-Zero Home Construction

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Different Types of Concrete

Different types of concrete are produced based on the constituent material, mix design, the method of construction, area of application, form of hydration reaction. Details of these various types of concrete, their properties and applications are listed below.

Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating concrete drawings, concrete plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, and much more.

CAD Pro allows anyone to share their ideas and plans with clients, colleagues or professional contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, builders, and concrete contractors plan and design all types of plans. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

Different Types of Concrete

Different Types of Concrete and Designs

Different types of concrete:

(1) Normal Strength Concrete
This type of concrete is obtained by mixing the basic ingredients cement, water and aggregate this will give you normal strength concrete. The strength of this type of concrete will vary from 10 MPa to 40MPa. The normal strength concrete has an initial setting time of 30 to 90 minutes that is dependent on the cement properties and the weather conditions of the construction site.

(MPa) A megapascal is a measure of the compressive strength of concrete. It lets inspectors know how much pressure can be applied to the concrete before it cracks or fails.

(2) Plain Concrete
Plain concrete will have no reinforcement in it. The main constituents are the cement, aggregates, and water. Most commonly used mix design is 1:2:4 which is the normal mix design.

The density of the plain concrete will vary between 2200 and 2500 Kg/meter cube. The compressive strength is 200 to 500 kg/cm2.

This type of concrete is mainly used in the construction of the pavements and the buildings, especially in areas where there is less demand of high tensile strength. The durability given by this type of concrete is satisfactory to high extent.

(3) Reinforced Concrete
When reviewing the different types of concrete reinforced cement concrete is defined as the concrete to which reinforcement is introduced to bear the tensile strength. Plain concrete is weak in tension and good in compression.

Hence the placement of reinforcement will take up the responsibility of bearing the tensile stresses. R.C.C (reinforced cement concrete) works with the combined action of the plain concrete and the reinforcement.

The steel reinforcement used in the concrete can be in the form of rods, bars or in the form of meshes. Now fibers are also developed as reinforcement.

Fiber reinforced concrete is concrete that uses fibers (steel fibers) as reinforcement for the concrete. Use of meshes in concrete will give ferrocement.

Whatever be the type of reinforcement used in concrete, it is very necessary to ensure proper bond between the concrete and the reinforcement. This bond will control the strength and the durability factors of the concrete.

(4) Prestressed Concrete
Most of the mega concrete projects are carried out through prestressed concrete units. This is a special technique in which the bars or the tendons used in the concrete is stressed before the actual service load application.

During the mixing and the placing of the concrete, these tensioned bars placed firmly and held from each end of the structural unit. Once the concrete sets and harden, the structural unit will be put in compression.

This phenomenon of prestressing will make the lower section of the concrete member to be stronger against the tension.

The process of prestressing will require heavy equipment and labor skill (jacks and equipment for tensioning). Hence the prestressing units are made at site and assembled at site. These are used in the application of bridges, heavy loaded structures, and roof with longer spans.

(5) Precast Concrete
Different types of concrete such as various structural elements can be made and cast in the factory as per the specifications and bought to the site at the time of assembly. Such concrete units are called the precast concrete.

Examples of precast concrete units are concrete blocks, staircase units, precast walls and poles, concrete lintels and many other elements. These units have the advantage of acquiring speedy construction as only assemblage is necessary. As the manufacturing is done at site, quality is assured. The only precaution taken is for their transportation.

(6) Lightweight Concrete
Concrete that has a density lesser than 1920kg/m3 will be categorized as lightweight concrete. The use of lightweight aggregates in concrete design will give us lightweight aggregates.

Aggregates are the important element that contributes to the density of the concrete. The examples of light weight aggregates are the pumice, perlites, and scoria.

Light weight concrete is applied for the protection of the steel structures and are also used for the construction of the long span bridge decks. These are also used for the construction of the building blocks.

(7) High-Density Concrete
One of the different types of concrete that the densities ranging between 3000 to 4000 kg/m3 can be called the heavyweight concrete. Here heavy weight aggregates are used.

The crushed rocks are used as the coarse aggregates. The most commonly used heavy weight aggregates is Barytes.

These types of aggregates are most commonly used in the construction of atomic power plants and for similar projects. The heavy weight aggregate will help the structure to resist all possible type of radiations.

(8) Air Entrained Concrete
These are concrete types into which air is intentionally entrained for an amount of 3% to 6% of the concrete. The air entrainment in the concrete is achieved by the addition of foams or gas foaming agents. Some examples of air entraining agents are resins, alcohols, and fatty acids.

(9) Ready Mix Concrete
Ready mix concrete is mixed and bathed in a central mixing plant therefore called ready-mix concrete. The mixed concrete is brought to the site with the help of a truck-mounted transit mixer. Once reached in the site it can be used directly without any further treatment.

The ready-mix concrete is very precise and specialty concrete can be developed based on the specification with utmost quality.

The manufacture of these different types of concrete will require a centralized mixing plant. These plants will be located at an adjustable distance from the construction site. If the transportation is too long, then it will result in setting of concrete. Such issues of time delay are cope up with the use retarding agents that delays the setting.

(10) Polymer Concrete
When compared with the conventional concrete, in polymer concrete the aggregates will be bound with the polymer instead of cement. The production of polymer concrete will help in the reduction of volume of voids in the aggregate. This will hence reduce the amount of polymer that is necessary to bind the aggregates used. Hence the aggregates are graded and mixed accordingly to achieve minimum voids hence maximum density.

This type of concrete has different categories:

  • Polymer Impregnated Concrete
  • Polymer cement concrete
  • Partially Impregnated

(11) High-Strength Concrete
These types of concretes have strength greater than 40MPa and can be termed as high strength concrete. This increased strength is achieved by decreasing the water-cement ratio even lower than 0.35.

The calcium hydroxide crystals that are the major concern product during hydration for the strength properties is reduced by the incorporation of silica fume.

In terms of performance, the high strength concrete should be less performing in terms of workability which is an issue.

(12) High-Performance Concrete
When it comes to different types of concrete these concretes conform to a particular standard but in no case, will be limited to strength. It must be noted that all the high strength concrete can be high-performance type. But not all high-performance concrete (HPC) are high strength concrete.

Standards that conform to the high-performance concrete are enlisted below:

  • Strength gain in early age
  • Easy placement of the concrete
  • Permeability and density factors
  • Heat of hydration
  • Long life and durability
  • Toughness and life term mechanical properties
  • Environmental concerns

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Home Building Permit Drawings

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Home Building Permit Drawings

If you are building a new home or remodeling an existing home, chances are you will need a building permit. Even some outdoor projects, such as building a fence or adding a deck in the yard, require a building permit and home building permit drawings. Building permit requirements vary from state to state. Some even vary from city to city and county to county. However, all these permits serve the same purpose to ensure that your structure is safe and meet current building codes.

Home Building Permit Drawings

Home Building Permit Drawings and Applications

Creating Home Building Permit Drawings

Building Permit Plans
Come up with a tentative plan. As part of the building permit application, you will have to describe, and submit home building permit drawings. It’s a very good idea to design a set of drawings/blueprints that will provide detailed information for your building project. You can choose to hand draw your plans or we recommend that you use a good drafting software for designing your blueprints. Drafting software allows you to quickly modify your designs if required. Cad Pro is an excellent inexpensive home plan design software.

Building Permit Contractors
Determine what jobs you will need a professional to complete. For example, adding an oil burning fireplace to a home or adding stairs to a building must be done by a licensed professional. You will also need a licensed professional for electrical, plumbing and roofing jobs. It’s always a good idea to contact your local building code enforcement office and discuss what jobs will require a licensed contractor before you start your project and submit your home building permit drawings.

Contact your local building office or code enforcement office. One of these two offices will be the one that issues the permits. When you contact the office, ask if you can pick up an application or have one mailed or emailed to you.

Determine how many permits are needed for your project. For example, if you are adding a bathroom, you will need three permits: a basic building permit, an electrical permit and a plumbing permit.

Complete the application packet and home building permit drawings then return them to the building permit office. When you return it, you will have to remit an application fee. Do this with a money order if possible. Some states require that your check clear the bank before the permit will be issued, which may slow down your permit and put your project on hold. Be sure to keep any payment methods and all copies of your application for future reference.

Schedule a time for an inspection. For most jobs, an inspector will come to the job site before the permit is issued. He may come out periodically while the job is in progress and again when it is completed. It’s well advised to meet with your inspector and discuss any new building materials or construction methods that would better serve your new building project.

Helpful Tip for Building Permits
If you haven’t received your permit within 30 days of submitting your application, contact the office that you filed your applications with and request an update. If you are applying for a building permit for a multifamily dwelling or a public building, you may need a temporary certificate of occupancy to allow people into the building during the renovation. This is important if you want to keep a portion of your business open or if you have tenants living in apartments in the same building in which renovations are going on.

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive software programs for designing your home building permit drawings. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, deck plans and much more.

CAD Pro allows anyone to share their ideas and plans with clients, colleagues or professional remodeling contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders, and contractors plan and design all types of home building permit drawings. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

House Building Cost Guidelines

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Home Remodeling Contractors

So, you’re ready to put in a new bathtub, or you finally picked out that new tile for your kitchen. If you don’t want to do the work yourself, or you don’t have the time or skills to tackle a DIY home improvement project, hiring home remodeling contractors is the way to go.

When you choose a contractor, you’re hiring a new employee for a job. You wouldn’t hire the first applicant for a job at your business, so don’t choose your home improvement contractor without narrowing down the best candidates. Examine portfolios of previous work, check licensing, listen to referrals and gather competitive bids before you make a final decision.

Home Remodeling Contractors

Guidelines for Home Remodeling Contractors

Hiring Home Remodeling Contractors

1: Get Recommendations
The first step in finding the right home improvement contractor is to create a list of 5–10 local contractors who have the right expertise. You’ll gradually narrow down this list to the top home remodeling contractors and ultimately use it to select your contractor.

Suggestions for Your Starter List:

  • Ask your homeowner friends for recommendations, especially those who have recently had renovations.
  • Search online for the type of service you need in your area.
  • Check out online reviews.
  • Use social media to ask friends or followers for local recommendations.

Red flags
Successful contractors will make it easy for you to get in touch with them and see examples of their work. Be cautious of home improvement contractors who lack basic information, such as a website, social media presence and reviews.

2: Compare Contractor Portfolios
Choose the home remodeling contractors who specializes in the type of remodel you need; someone who specializes in remodeling kitchens might not be ideal for your bathroom renovation. A home improvement contractor with a creative eye can also be helpful for certain projects. For instance, if you want to lay a tile entryway with a detailed mosaic or paint a room with a faux finish, you’ll need a contractor who does that type of work.

Ask each contractor on your long list for a portfolio of their projects from at least the last year. They may have a physical portfolio, or they may direct you to a website with images. A good portfolio should contain at least ten projects. It should include photos of each space before work began, during the remodel and after project completion. It helps if there are pictures of blueprints, sketches or other plans so you can get an idea of how the contractor approaches a project.

Red flags
Look out for a portfolio with too few projects, no photos before the remodel or grainy, hard-to-see images of the final product. Also keep in mind that home improvement contractors only include their best work in their portfolios. If any completed project is not up to your standards, it’s likely their average work is even worse.

3: Ask for Licensing and Certification
At this point, your list should have around six to eight names. One easy way to narrow it further is to ask for contractors’ licensing and certification. The specific licenses or certifications your home improvement contractor should carry will depend on the project. Since legal requirements vary by state, call the licensing/permit division for your community to ask for specific requirements.

In addition to making sure these home remodeling contractors have the correct licenses and certification to complete the job safely and legally, make sure anyone on your list has liability insurance in case they damage your home. The contractor and any other workers should also be covered by worker’s compensation. Ask for a copy of their insurance policies and check that they’re up to date.

Red flags
Cross any contractors off your list who don’t have the right credentials. I also recommend marking off names of anyone who is hesitant or takes too long to get this information to you.

4: Check References
Now that you’ve narrowed your long list down to five or six top contenders, it’s time to start checking references. This is a common practice, so any reputable contractor will expect you to ask for a list of references.  A typical contractor reference list includes ten or more jobs with the name, address and telephone number of each customer. It helps if there are dates for each job; if dates aren’t on the list, ask for them.

If the list is very long, select a few recent projects and a few older projects. Keep detailed notes during your phone call; you’ll need to ask some references if you can visit their home to see the project in person.

Questions to ask include:

  • Did the contractor stay on schedule?
  • Was the job site kept neat?
  • Were problems addressed promptly?
  • Was the contractor punctual for appointments and workdays?
  • How has the work held up?
  • Was the cost reasonable and clear?

Red flags
Some red flags include too few references or significant time gaps between references. Ask about these before assuming the worst. A hole in the calendar doesn’t necessarily mean trouble; maybe they were injured or taking time off. These home remodeling contractor’s openness and willingness to give you more information can help ease your mind.

5: Review Examples of Finished Projects
After you’ve called your contractors’ references, cross out any contractors who received poor reviews. Then decide which of the remaining references to visit in person to see their contractor’s completed project. Choose people who seem open and forthcoming, whose projects are like yours and, ideally, who live close to you. It’s particularly helpful if the work was completed at least a few years ago so you can see how it has held up.

Red flags

  • Bathroom Remodels: Dark stains on the walls or ceiling, slanted floors, cheap materials, insufficient lighting.
  • Kitchen Remodels: Obvious seams on countertop, cheap materials, “kitchen triangle” (stove, refrigerator and sink) not logically laid out, poor lighting, inadequate storage or counter space.
  • Paint: Overspray, paint runs, streaks, imperfect lines and edges, paint splatter on the floor.
  • Tile Work: Crooked tiles or lines, tile or grout cracking, excess grout or caulking along edges (meant to disguise poorly cut tiles), inconsistent grout lines, uneven surfaces, obvious transitions between surfaces.
  • Decks, Patios or Pergolas: Wavy or swollen boards, mismatched edges, gaps between boards or windows, cracks in the floorboards, cracks or separation between the side of the house and the deck, concrete cracks.

6: Get Bids and Hire a Contractor
By now you’ve eliminated anyone from your list who does subpar work. The next step is to price the job with all the remaining home remodeling contractors on your list.

After a thorough consultation, each contractor will present you with a brief proposal and estimated cost for the project, called a bid. Depending on the type of renovation, this might include details on the timeline for the project, the types of materials they recommend and the total cost of the project. It’s best to get bids from the top three or four contractors on your list. You will select your contractor from among these bids.

Remember, it’s not always best to go with the lowest price. Sometimes the materials or amount of work will differ from one contractor to another; for instance, a contractor who uses prefab cabinets will charge much less than a woodworker who makes them by hand, but you’ll notice a major difference in the look and feel of the finished kitchen. Think about your overall goals for your renovation when choosing which proposal is best for you.

After you’ve chosen your home improvement contractor and accepted their project bid, they will draft a contract proposal with more details about how they will complete the project, the timeline, materials, cost and more. Once you’ve reviewed and signed the proposal, your project will be underway.

Red flags
Be wary of any contractor who tries to pressure you into accepting a bid. Some contractors will try to pressure you into signing right away by saying their bids are only good for a limited time. You always have the option to think about the bid for a few days or longer. Quality contractors will let you take your time deciding which bid to choose, and they’ll act graciously if you decline their bid. The same is true of the final contract; be sure to review all the details, and don’t sign anything right away.

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive home remodeling design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, and much more.

CAD Pro allows home remodeling contractors to share their plans with clients, colleagues or professional remodeling contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, remodeling contractors, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of floor plan designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

Smart Home Security Solutions

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General Contractor Services

A general contractor is a manager and possibly also a tradesman that is employed by a client, usually upon the advice of the project’s architect. General contractor services are responsible for the overall coordination of a building project.

A general contractor must first assess the project-specific documents (referred to as a bid, proposal, or blueprint documents). In the case of renovations, a site visit is required to get a better understanding of the project. Depending on the project delivery method, the contractor will submit a fixed price proposal or bid, cost-plus price or an estimate. The general contractor considers the cost of home office overhead, general conditions, materials, and equipment, as well as the cost of labor, to provide the owner with a price for the project.

General contractor services will include contract documents such as blueprints/drawings, project manuals (including general, supplementary, or special conditions and specifications), and addendum or modifications issued prior to proposal/ bidding ad prepared by a design professional, such as an architect. The general contractor may be considered as the construction manager.

General Contractor Services

General Contractor Services and Cost

General Contractor Services and Responsibilities

A general contractor is responsible for providing all materials, labor, equipment and services necessary for the construction project. A general contractor often hires specialized subcontractors to perform all or portions of the construction work. When using subcontractors, the general contractor is responsible for the quality of all work performed.

The number one priority of general contractor services is safety on the job site. Other responsibilities may include applying for building permits, advising the person they are hired by, securing the property, providing temporary utilities on site, managing personnel on site, providing site surveying and engineering, disposing or recycling of construction waste, monitoring schedules and cash flows, and maintaining accurate records.

General Contractor Prices
Hiring a general contractor is a necessary expense for medium to large construction projects. When a project involves the necessity to hire multiple sub-contractors to work on a related project then a general contractor is the person you want to hire.

So much confusion can go on during a construction project. Establishing specific times for various workers to come in and do their part, handling any unexpected issues, and holding contractors accountable are all something that a general contractor does. It may seem like something simple to coordinate a project yourself but even something as simple as a basement refinishing project or a kitchen remodel needs organization.

Hiring general contractor services will allow you to have one contact that is responsible to make sure the project comes out the way you want it to. It eliminates the excuses and blame games that can happen when separate contractors work on the same job. It focuses the accountability onto one person.

It will cost $300 to $400 per day to hire a general contractor. Many times, a general contractor will also be a carpenter and do a lot of the work that needs to be done. That is a great help and cost savings to the project. Whether a general contractor will do work on a project depends on their skills and the outlook of the job. If your general contractor does not do any labor, he may charge 10% to 20% of the cost of the project. If he does the carpentry, he will want 45% to 65% of the money paid to contractors on the project.

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive construction design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, and much more.

CAD Pro allows general contractor services to be shared with clients, colleagues or professional remodeling contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of floor plan designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

House Building Cost Guidelines

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Seamless Guttering Cost

Seamless guttering cost will range between $3 and $25 per foot, totaling between $599 and $1,469 or a national average of $1,016. The total depends on your choice of material and the pros in your area. Vinyl or aluminum will range between $3 and $9 per foot while copper or steel cost $8 to $25 per foot.

There are two main types of gutters: seamless and non-seamless. The seamless type offers better protection and is easier to maintain. However, unlike traditional types, installing seamless gutters is not a DIY project. Because they must be cut from heavy material using a special machine, their installation requires a professional.

Seamless Guttering Cost

Seamless Guttering

Seamless Guttering Cost Per Foot

As with all home improvement projects, seamless guttering cost will vary depending on the amount needed and the home. Here are some average costs based on a basic home without unusual features (such as dormer windows):

Aluminum:  $4 – $9 per ft.
Copper:  $15 – $25 per ft.
Vinyl:  $3 – $5 per ft.
Steel:  $8 – $10 per ft.

No matter which type of gutter material you choose, seamless gutters are a good plan for the long haul. They will keep your home safer from flooding, mold, and debris build up compared to traditional gutters. They will also increase the value of your home and add curb appeal.

Seamless Gutters Installation Cost
In general, seamless guttering cost, averages about $2.50 per foot in labor and should only take one day after the materials have been purchased. Your seamless gutter installation should include the following:

Labor: $2.50 per foot. Includes planning, job equipment, material acquisition, area preparation, setup, and cleanup.

Delivery: Difficult to average as many contractors include the cost of delivery in the estimate. It is often based on mileage. Find out if there is a limit to the delivery (i.e. no more than 25 miles).

Materials/Supplies: $3.50 per foot. Fasteners, underlayment, drip edges, basic flashing should be included in the estimate.

Warranty: Should include a minimum one-year warranty on labor and at least a 20-year on materials, though many companies will offer a lifetime warranty.

Depending on the building, permit or inspection fees might be required when calculating seamless guttering cost. These fees won’t be included as part of the installation cost. Expect additional costs for relocating, repairing, modifying or enhancing existing structural, HVAC, electrical, ventilation and plumbing systems. Bringing those systems into compliance with current building codes is also not part of an estimate. Removing and/or hauling away old gutters will likely not be included in the estimate but ask ahead of time because some contractors may include this automatically.

Cost to Install a Seamless Downspout
If you only need a seamless downspout to an existing gutter, it will cost on average $870 and take about 3.5 hours of labor.

A new seamless downspout will improve the functioning of your current gutter, especially if it is old or damaged. Consider changing your downspout if you have an issue with water draining properly from your existing gutter.

Color and Painting
Expect to pay a premium if you want your gutters to match a certain color to coordinate with your home. Colored gutters can be custom-made before their installation which increases the seamless guttering cost, or painted after the fact for extra labor and cost.

Installation Season
For the lowest installation cost, have your gutters installed during the off-season when contractors aren’t swamped with work. In general, late summer and early fall are the busiest for installing seamless gutters. If you live in an area with warm winters, consider having gutters installed during the winter months. For more temperate climates, early spring is a great choice.

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, and much more.

CAD Pro allows anyone to share their seamless guttering cost and plans with clients, colleagues or professional remodeling contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of architectural designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

Roof Replacement Cost Factors

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New Heavy-Duty Adhesives

DAP’s newest adhesive line, Tank Bond, includes four new heavy-duty adhesives – Tank Bond Liquid Grip, Tank Bond Thread Stopper, Tank Bond Gel Threadlockers and Tank Bond Heavy Duty Advanced Epoxy – specialized for tool repairs, outdoor maintenance, and screw fastening and holds.

New Heavy-Duty Adhesives

DAP’s New Heavy-Duty Adhesives

Advanced New Heavy-Duty Adhesives

When applied to any size or type of screw or bolt, the Tank Bond Thread Stopper creates a gel-like coating to hold the fastener in place and absorb shock and vibrations. The non-locking formula allows the fastener to be removed and replaced up to five times with manual tools. It may be used on metal, wood, or plastic, and will not damage or crack these materials.

Tank Bond Liquid Grip provides up to seven times more grip for installation or removal when applied to screw heads, according to the manufacturer, reducing the risk of wear on the screw and on drill bits and tools. The formula for this new heavy-duty adhesive works on all fastener types and sizes, and can be wiped away with a paper towel when a job is complete.

The Tank Bond Heavy Duty Advanced Epoxy is designed to provide superior bond strength, impact resistance, and retain hold against heavy force or vibrations, according to the manufacturer. This new heavy-duty adhesive may be applied to metal, plastic, tile, ceramic, glass, stone, and woods, and cures in 30 minutes on most substrates with zero surface preparation required.

Gel Threadlockers – available in Removable or Permanent formulations – is designed to secure screws that may come loose over time due to frequent use or vibrations. The gel-like formula will not drip or run in vertical applications. It is designed to fix within ten minutes, and fully cure within 24 hours.

“Our new heavy-duty adhesive line of Tank Bond adhesives are designed to make durable and reliable repairs on all types of equipment big or small,” says Kate Piche, product director at DAP. “Whether it’s preventing stripped screws and bonding fasteners to holding screws and bolts in place and bonding metal, this ‘tough-as-a-tank’ military-grade adhesive technology provides tactical solutions for even the most demanding jobs.” dap.com

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Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating kitchen design plans, innovative smart home designs, custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, and much more.

CAD Pro allows anyone to share their ideas and plans for these new heavy-duty adhesives with clients, colleagues or professional remodeling contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of architectural designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). as well as the (NALP) National Association of Landscape Professionals.

New Construction Technology Innovations

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