Gainesville Restoration and Remodeling

Archives June 2021

Five Home Improvement Projects You Shouldn’t Do on Your Own

Five Home Improvement Projects You Shouldn’t Do on Your Own – Today’s guest blog is by Bryan Electric, Inc. The opinions expressed by the author in this and all guest blogs are not necessarily those of Gainesville Restoration and Remodeling.

Home Improvement

Five Home Improvement Projects You Shouldn’t Do on Your Own

We take pride in what we can accomplish with our own two hands. Some tasks around the house can be easily handled on our own — such as changing HVAC filters or pressure washing the deck. However, there are a few projects that are best left to the professionals. Here is a list of five home improvement projects that you shouldn’t handle on your own, presented to you today by Gainesville Restoration, Roofing, and Remodeling.

 

Removing Asbestos, Lead and Mold

 

You’ve probably seen the commercials on asbestos lawsuits, where workers can sue large companies for working with the toxic material several decades ago before it became widely known how dangerous asbestos really was. For many homeowners who are looking into buying or renovating an older home, there always comes a risk that the home includes walls, flooring, or other materials that contain asbestos, lead, or hazardous mold.

 

While asbestos, lead, and mold should be immediately tended to, it’s beyond the typical handyman’s prowess to safely remove toxic materials. Masks, hazmat suits, and ventilation machines will be necessary. Even the slightest error in procedure could result in spreading the hazardous material or putting the safety of yourself or others into peril. Instead of taking a risk on your own, leave this serious undertaking in the hands of professionals. It’s a pricey project, but it’s critical to remove toxic elements from your home for the health and safety of your family.

 

Take Care of Your Home’s Exterior

 

Taking care of your home extends beyond the interior. From landscaping to tree removal, you need professionals to ensure that these tasks are handled correctly and safely. Additionally, if you have gutters that need some attention, call in a pro to handle that project as well. Not only will it prevent you from climbing a ladder and getting your hands dirty, hiring a gutter cleaning service will give you peace of mind knowing everything is handled professionally. Always read reviews and check ratings before you hire anyone.

 

Tearing Down the Walls

 

Demolition projects look fun on HGTV when watching from the comfort of your couch, but in reality, these kinds of projects are a little more involved than taking a sledgehammer to a wall. Realtor.com lists a few personal safety hazards that can come about from DIY wall removal, which includes the ceiling actually caving in. To ensure that you can handle a demolition project on your own, you will need the proper safety equipment as well as a very thorough understanding of where the pipes, vents, and wiring are located in your wall.

 

On top of that, you need to make sure that what you are tearing down doesn’t compromise the structural integrity of your home. If you tear down a load-bearing wall, it might put you and your home at risk. If you do decide to swing the ax on your own, you would be held responsible for any unwanted/unexpected damages that occur. It’s probably best to leave the demolition to the pros.

 

Fixing Your Foundation

 

Speaking of structural integrity, nothing is more essential to your home than its foundation. Cracks in your foundation may seem straightforward to fix on your own. Just fill them with spackle or something, right? While you may be able to aesthetically cover up a shifty foundation, you won’t know the extent of the damage to your home unless a trained professional takes a look. You may be seeing the signs of a larger underlying problem that needs to be taken care of. Properly fixing a foundation will require a lot of time and some very specialized tools, so you should really call in the experts for this one.

 

Installing New Lighting Fixtures

 

There’s a huge difference between plugging in a floor lamp and rewiring your living room. Electrical work may be a tempting project to handle on your own, especially if you’ve worked with wiring before in high school or college. But as many trained electricians will tell you, electricity is a lot more complicated when applied to working safely and effectively in your home, so you should always work with a licensed electrician.

 

While gathering the appropriate materials may be easy and cheap enough to pull off on your own, setting up a new fixture that is safe, efficient, and up to code is not as straightforward as you think. Additionally, when working with electricity, you put yourself at risk of seriously harming yourself for even the smallest mistake.

 

It feels good to be able to get our hands dirty from time to time and take on DIY home improvement projects. However, it’s not as easy as it looks on TV. We still need to consider what we can and cannot achieve within our reasonable capabilities. Sometimes, we have to honestly assess whether it’s time to work or hand over the gloves to highly-trained and specialized professionals.

 

Gainesville Restoration, Roofing, and Remodeling specialize in restoration and remodeling projects. 

5 Tips for Homebuyers Buying a Fixer-Upper

5 Tips for Homebuyers Buying a Fixer-Upper – The opinions expressed by the author in this and all guest blogs are not necessarily those of Gainesville Restoration and Remodeling.

Buying a Fixer-Upper

5 Tips for Homebuyers Buying a Fixer-Upper

Buying a fixer-upper is a great opportunity for you to create your dream home. With some TLC, restoration, and remodeling, your ideal home can become a reality. However, it is important to go into the process prepared, flexible, and with an open mind. If you’re considering a fixer-upper, take a look at the five tips below to help you enjoy the process.

 

Meet With Remodeling Professionals

During your house-hunting process, consider consulting a remodeling and restoration team. Professionals can give you an idea of what to look out for and estimates for the cost of projects. A remodeling team can help you pinpoint your design style, too. Once you purchase and close on your home, you will have already established a relationship and determined your style to move forward with. Then, you can get to work on the plans and details to start your remodel.

 

Think Carefully About Your Budget

When going into buying a home that you will remodel, it is crucial to be able to balance the purchase price with your reno budget. There are some factors to consider when thinking about your budget for a fixer-upper. The key is to buy a home in a good neighborhood, with good bones, that is well below your budget. This way, you will have more than enough room in the budget for your renovations and any unexpected costs. To figure out what a good baseline price would be for you to allow you room for your budget is to look into some remodeling resources and educate yourself on a mortgage preapproval. This process can help you figure out what your home’s monthly mortgage cost might be in relation to the amount you’d like to spend on the remodel. Think about how much you are willing to devote to the project to get your dream design. You want to make sure you are buying a home that is manageable to fix up, while also staying within your means.

 

Identify Your Design Must-Haves and Goals

Fixer-uppers have lots of potential, but the condition of the home directly impacts your design capabilities. In order to determine if a home is right for you, think about how much work you are willing to do and what your design goals are. If a home is a total gut job, then you will need to factor that into the equation. Will you have the funds available to upgrade that large of a project? If you are not interested in an open floor plan, but you want a gourmet kitchen or perhaps a spa-like bathroom, you can focus your design priorities there instead. However, you need to establish your general goals before looking at homes in order to stay on track and have a clear plan. Be sure to create a list of your top priorities when it comes to the renovation and start there first—you may also want to consider how much time each ‘must have’ might take and factor that into your decision as well.

 

Focus on the Home’s Potential

When looking at homes, remember to focus on their potential. At first, it may be hard to see what a home could be when you are distracted by a boxy floor plan and outdated fixtures. Yet, every home has its own unique advantages and features that can make for an excellent home once the remodeling is done. You also want to pay attention to the home’s bones—its main structure, foundation, and frame. If these are in good standing, the home is likely in good standing to become your perfect fixer-upper! Sometimes all it takes is removing some walls, configuring the layout, and bringing it up-to-date with your personal style to totally change your perspective.

 

Get a Home Inspection

A critical component of your home buying journey when buying a fixer-upper is getting a home inspection. You never know what a professional can uncover when going over your property with a fine-tooth comb, especially with an older home or fixer-upper. A home inspector can review all of the home’s major systems, and give you a detailed report back on its current standing. That way, you can even negotiate with the seller to fix these issues or score a lower price on the home. If everything checks out, you can have peace of mind in knowing you won’t have to eat away at your remodel budget due to hidden issues.

Looking for a fixer-upper can provide you with limitless opportunities. Rather than buying a home with someone else’s design aesthetic, you get to be creative and craft a home that is uniquely yours. A fixer-upper is your canvas, and you are the artist that can bring your one-of-a-kind design to life. Don’t forget to plan carefully, let your creativity flow, and have fun when looking for your fixer-upper home.