Residential Home Improvement Contractors: Protect yourself With These Tips

As I say so frequently that I’m beginning to bore myself, “most remodeling contractors are honest and reliable individuals who want to do quality work at a reasonable price.” Unfortunately, there are just enough contractors out there (or people who claim to be contractors) who take advantage of their customers that some reminders and tips are helpful if you want to do everything possible to protect yourself and your property during home improvement.

1. Don’t make assumptions about referrals. Exercise the same due diligence in evaluating and checking out all contractors. You might have friends or relatives, co-workers or neighbors referring you to contractors they have used with good results. Many people are also simply trusting recommendations from home improvement stores. Even when you are referred to a contractor, check him or her out before you sign a contract. Consumer Reports recently released findings from a study of people who hired contractors to whom they were referred by the two leading home improvement stores. Their survey indicated that people who used these referrals had more problems and were less satisfied with the work than people who used other contractors.

2. Build your remodeling budget in a way that creates a 20% cushion for unexpected surprises. Although the National Association of the Remodeling Industry suggests an allowance of 10% to 20%, I think you are safer to budget for a 20% cost overrun due to surprises. There are literally hundreds of things that can happen or that can be discovered once remodeling begins that will result in a cost overrun. It is not uncommon, for example to discover termite damage, dry rot, damage from leaking pipes, outdated wiring, etc. My point is that you should not use your entire budget on the basics. You will be much more comfortable with your budget if you leave room for surprises.

3. Get a contract — don’t deal with a contractor on the basis of a proposal. If at all possible, get a contract that states a final price for the work, not an estimated cost that can go up or down. Your contract should be as specific as possible and as detailed as possible. It should also contain some kind of warranty for both the installation and the products or materials. You can also specify in the contract that all materials used will be new materials and meet the standards outlined in the contract. It should also state that any changes made during the construction period will be authorized only by written change orders that explain the difference in cost up front. If a contractor is unwilling to sign a contract stating the final price of the remodel, find another contractor.

4. Know what your insurance covers and take out a liability policy if necessary. It is usually easy to call your insurance agent and ask what is covered in terms of damage to your property, loss of property or possessions, and injury or death of a worker on your property during the construction period. You should also be certain that the contractor carries workman’s compensation insurance and liability insurance against injury or death of a worker and against damage or loss to your property or possessions. If you have any concerns about adequate coverage, discuss it with your insurance agent and consider taking out an additional policy during the construction period.

5. Monitor all liens placed against your property during construction (construction liens) by any contractor or subcontractor and ensure that they are removed when the project is finished and the contractor is paid in full. There are unscrupulous contractors who accept payment for a job and then do not remove the liens. In most of these cases, the homeowner is not aware of the lien until some time later when trying to sell the home or take out a loan for further improvements. When homeowners try to resolve the issue, the contractor claims that the bill or part of the bill was never paid and demands payment before removing the lien.

6. Never do business with someone who comes to your door offering their services.

7. Never pay a contractor the entire bill up front. Work out a payment schedule that reflects work completed, and put the payment schedule in the contract.

8. Specify the quality of workmanship and the quality of materials to be used in the remodel or addition in the contract. Not only should you specify materials quality, you should check materials to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract as they are delivered to the construction site. Insist that the costs of all building materials be specified.

9. Include all job specifications in the contract. The more specific the description of the work to be done, the more protection you have. Job specifications state exactly what work is to be done, how it is to be done, the quality of materials to be used, when it is to be complete, and that it must pass inspection.

10. Check all licenses, permits, proof of insurance, and state or local certification before you hire a contractor or subcontractor. Check to be certain the contractor has or obtains all necessary permits, licenses and certificates. Check with issuing agencies or insurance companies to confirm that insurance and licenses are current.

11. Insist that the contractor show you proof of bond coverage for the total replacement cost of the project.

12. Be sure the contract includes the appropriate information about how conflicts will be resolved, when and how the contract will be or can be terminated, and that lien releases will be provided upon payment.

13. If you give the contractor a key to your home for use during the construction period, change the locks as soon as construction is completed.

14. Take the necessary steps to protect your property and your possessions. Put away all valuables in a safe place. Define the construction area for everyone — tell your family not to enter the area during working hours; define limits of access to the rest of your home for the work crew. Protect your landscaping by covering shrubs if necessary and taking other steps to reduce accidental damage. Seal off the construction area from the rest of the house to confine dust, etc.

15. If you are remodeling an old home, make sure any work with potentially hazardous materials is done under the safest conditions and that hazardous materials are completely removed from the work site immediately and disposed of as instructed by your local government. Be sure any lead paint is properly removed; be sure any asbestos is removed and disposed of correctly; be sure old horse hair plaster (that could contain arsenic) is disposed of properly.

These tips will help you protect your family, your property and the people working on your remodeling project. Residential home improvement contractors should be very willing to cooperate on all of these points.

Copyright 2008 by ABCD Publishing

Pest Control – Do It Yourself!

There are different types of pest that usually pester our household. Some are mild pest issues and some are really serious. However, there are several things that you can always do to ease the situation. Sometimes you don’t have to spend some cash and hire pest control services located in your community because you yourself can do it. Pest control do it yourself, is a pest elimination activity that homeowner can do by themselves.

Pest control do it yourself action number 1. You can pest control by locating first the place where the pests reside. It is very helpful if you know where to find it. It will help you to eliminate it easier. Some pest resides to the places hard to reach so sometimes patience is required. Example of hard to locate pests are bed bugs and mice.

Pest control do it yourself action number 2. Make sure that you are considering your safety. Sometimes it is really dangerous for the homeowners to do certain pest controlling. However, following different safety measures will definitely be a very big help. For an instance, you are working with bees and wasps, it is advised that you wear layers of clothes to protect you from their sting. As much as possible no skin is exposed.

Pest control do it yourself action number 3. using pesticides and insecticides. This is a very good way to control pest by using different pesticides and insecticides. There are ready to use pesticides and insecticides that you can buy in the market. These are user-friendly chemicals that can be use without the supervision of an expert. However, some chemicals are dangerous to our health that is why is recommended that experts should do the controlling.

Pest controlling by yourself is an activity wherein you, yourslef can do the elimination methods of pests. Aside, hiring a paid service, you can always trust yourself in doing things like this.

Remember, that home style pest control is easy. All you have to do is to understand the nature of the pest you are trying to eliminate. Aside this, you should also need to be knowledgeable with certain safety measures about chemicals that you will be using. Lastly, wearing the right outfit is always the number protection of the homeowners when into pest control do it yourself.

For more information about how to do it your self pest control you may log on to : http://www.pestcontrolservicemelbourne.com.au/services/. 

What do Chemlawn and other lawn care companies do to your lawn that can’t be done yourself? With products from Home Depot Lowe’s etc?

If you’re a homeowner who is budget conscious, then you’re going to be looking for do it yourself termite treatments that really work at preventing termites. Masking sure that the little beasts don’t invade your home can save you thousands of dollars in repair and extermination costs.

Going to a pest professional to get rid of your termite problem can be expensive. You’re going to be looking at least a few hundred dollars, and a tenting, where the house is fumigated for several days, can easily cost in the thousands. It’s no surprise that many people are looking for ways to do their termite control themselves.

The problem is that messing up your treatment can cost you thousands of dollars. So it’s very important that you pick methods that will be effective and doable for your particular situation. There are several options available, but you need to pick one that fits your situation and your budget.

The first step is to make sure that you actually need to prevent termites. Taking some precautions is a good idea no matter what, but it becomes absolutely vital if you’re in area where termites are known to live.

You should talk to your neighbors, and see if any of them have had termite problems. Termites can range out four hundred feet from their colony for food, and swarming termites, the flying kind, can go much farther than that.

You should also inspect any areas where wood is lying around, or area that damp and moist, because these are prime areas for termite activity. What you’re going to be looking for is the termites themselves, small brownish bugs, or evidence of them, live discarded wings.

If you find that you have termites in the area, then it’s imperative that you take steps right away to make sure that termites in the area don’t become termites in your house. There are two main methods to keeping termites out; the barrier method and the baiting method.

The barrier method is to use a termicide and inject it into the ground. You do this at regular intervals around the perimeter of your home to saturate the soil and create a chemical barrier around your home that the termites can’t get past without being killed.

This isn’t recommended for a do it yourself job, because it’s difficult to get the chemicals where they need to go without special equipment. This is the sort of extermination job that really does require a professional and a professional’s equipment to do right.

On the other hand, the bait method can be used by do it yourselfers, and it’s generally much cheaper than the barrier method. The bait method involves putting bait stations into the ground that lure termites to it and then poison them.

Mostly, this involves getting the termites to inadvertently take back a substance that interrupts the growth of the subadult termites. Since it doesn’t affect the adults, they don’t stop going to the bait, but it kills the younger ones. Over time, the adult termites all die and with no young termites to replace them, the colony dies.

This method is cheap, effective and easily done by homeowners. All it takes is the system and shovel. There aren’t many do it yourself termite treatments that really work at preventing termites, but the bait method is one that really delivers.

We are increasingly becoming a world of people who like to do things ourselves. Whether it’s because we want to save money or just like the satisfaction of taking care of our own things, sometimes we like “getting our hands dirty” and learning how to do new things.

Even termite treatment is possible for the avid do-it-yourselfer. There are a variety of commercial products on the market with professional strength that you can use. They are available in many places, but we suggest you look in a home improvement store to find the best selection.

Termite Baiting

Let’s first take a look at termite baiting. Since this is probably the easiest way to approach do-it-yourself termite control, it seems like a logical place to start. You won’t be working directly with chemicals, so it is probably the safest way to start as well.

Take a quick survey of your property. Draw a rough graph of the home. On this graph…you can show locations of doors, windows, gutter down spouts, air conditioning drains, stumps, firewood, bushes, etc.

As you walk around the perimeter of your home, take note of damp conditions which are conducive to termites caused by shade, poor drainage, air conditioner condensation, etc. Mark these on your graph.

As a rule, you should position bait stations at 8-10 feet intervals. However areas that are conducive to termites such as the following conditions, it would be advisable to have bait positions placed at closer intervals. Mark these on your graph of your property:

• EW- Earthwood contact is where wooden portions of a structure touch soil or are embedded in concrete / flooring allowing undetectable termite access.

• M – Excessive moisture within 3′ of a structure provides water for termites and breaks down any termiticide treatment.

• F- Foliage (trees, shrubs, etc.) within 3 feet of a structure reduces visual access, provides food source and may breach any termitcide barrier via the root system.

• J- Blind joints are areas where two concrete slabs meet and are blocked from visual access by wood or other material. This condition allows undetectable termite entry.

• HT- Hollow tile walls allow undetectable termite access via void chambers.

• S- Stucco siding embedded in the soil or concrete allows undetectable termite access.

• C- Concrete cracks in excess of 1/16″ allow undetectable termite entry.

• W- Wood debris or other cellulose containing material should not abut the structure.

Next, you need to dig holes about 6″ deep. ..big enough for the bait stations. Always be alert for utility wires, water pipes, gas lines, etc.

Distance from the house is not critical, but installing them 1-2 feet from the foundation would be a good choice. This is to avoid placing the bait in soil that may have been previously treated with termiticides.

You certainly wouldn’t want to apply insecticides of any type directly to the ground in which bait stations have been inserted after you’ve gone to the trouble of avoiding likely termiticide-treated dirt when you installed the stations.

When backfilling the dirt after the station is placed in the ground, make sure there are no air pockets around the bait stations. Also, make sure the lip of the station is flush with the ground.

Make sure to mark the location of the bait stations on your graph or use small surveyor’s flags or some other method of determining the placements of the bait stations. Several months from now, they will be more difficult to find than you might think.

Once installed, the bait stations should be monitored every 3 months. Monitoring more frequently than this, only serves to disturb the termites.

If termite mud tubes or live termites are found in a bait station, then the wood monitor-replacement stakes (Firstline and HexPro) or the inspection cartridges (Advance) should be replaced with the active ingredient or the toxicants.

It may be impossible to tell if you have eliminated a colony, but when the termites cease feeding, that is a positive sign of control and elimination.

Once feeding has ceased you should return the untreated wooden replacement monitors to the bait stations, then monitor as before.

Each time you have finished checking your bait stations, you should also inspect your house for signs of termite activity as we mentioned before: peeling paint, mud tubes or rotting wood could be related to a termite problem.

Since termites work from the ground up, make sure that door frames, siding, or and wood close to the ground is checked thoroughly and frequently. If you have any doubts about whether you have found active termites, you really should call a licensed pest control company and have them inspect your home.

Chemical treatments aren’t as environmentally friendly, but they can be more effective than baiting systems.

Have you ever opened your cupboard doors to find bugs making their home out of your cabinet? Or had the unpleasant experience of having ants invading your kitchen? If you have had insects or bugs in your home or yard, it is time to take care of the problem. There are different ways you can go about getting that done. You can call a pest control company and have them come and do it, you can just ignore the problem and hope it does not get worse or you can do the job yourself. If you try and do it for yourself, you can save yourself time and money.

Pest control for your home or yard does not have to be a difficult thing to take care of. The pest control market has many great products that are available for purchase so that you can do the job yourself. Figuring out what kinds of bugs exactly are invading your home is the hardest part, so you can get the most effective product for them. Luckily, the internet is a great resource for figuring out which bugs are which. You can purchase the product you need and start getting rid of them as soon as you figure it out.

One of the benefits to taking care of your pest control problem on your own is that you can save yourself time. When you schedule an appointment with a pest control company you are at the mercy of their employees and their schedule. You can take care of the problem on your time and you dont have to wait for an appointment when you do it yourself. Having to wait can just make the problem worse, plus you don’t want bugs in your home for longer than they have to be.

Saving yourself money is another benefit of doing your own pest control. If you hire a pest control company to come out to your home, they charge you for the initial visit plus they usually want you to sign a monthly service contract. This can get very expensive and in many cases is not necessary. Not everyone needs service on a monthly basis and over time the monthly cost can really add up. In order to save money, look around for the products you need at the best prices you can find.

Unfortunately, pest control is a necessary part in the upkeep of a home. You want your home and yard to be clean and free of insects, and taking care of the problem yourself can save you time and money and give you pride in taking care of your home. The choice to do the job yourself or hire a company is all yours.