Should you DIY or hire a pro?

May was National Home Improvement Month. And in honor of that Almar Building & Remodeling CoInc offers homeowners advice before they tackle their spring projects: namely, whether to do-it-yourself (DIY) or hire a professional during the busy remodeling season.

According to a consumer poll from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Website NARI.org, the largest determining factor for deciding to DIY or hire a professional was cost, at 40 percent. Thirty percent of respondents placed project type and know-how as the second most important factor, and level of difficulty was close behind at 25 percent. Safety and length of time required to complete the project were last, with 2 and 3 percent respectively.

According to Terry Quinn “Almar frequently gets call to come in and fix or finish a project that a homeowner had thought they could DIY. But once they get in to it find that they don’t have the time or skills to get it done quickly and looking right. And unfortunately in most cases this attempt to do it yourself and save a few dollars costs you a lot more in time money and stress to your personal relations ships.”

 In reality, the home improvement process—though varied across project type—can be very costly and involved for anyone, not to mention a beginner. That’s why it’s important to weigh all considerations before you begin work to prevent a DIY disaster.

Quinn says “Homeowners need to consider if they have they the necessary skills to do the project – will doing it yourself help or hurt your home’s value? Do they have the time? When you work all day long do you want to come home and start a construction project when you could be spending quality time with your family? What’s the true cost savings to doing it myself? We find in most cases none. And if you need to call a professional in after the fact it will cost you twice what you initially thought.

The most important considerations for homeowners have to do with physical ability, skills, time and understanding of what needs to be.

Quinn says that homeowners should have basic skills when it comes to using tools or knowing which tools are necessary, measuring, installing and following product manufacturer instructions.

Quinn also says that homeowners should plan the process from beginning to end to ensure they have time to complete.

And then homeowners should consider the costs. Permits, materials, time and costs associated with correcting mistakes must be factored into the total cost.

 Most homeowners can handle routine maintenance projects and cosmetic touch-ups, but it’s recommended they consult with qualified professionals for larger remodeling jobs and major changes to the home’s structure. Visit the NARI Website to access a DIY quiz, designed to help you decide whether you are going to need to hire a professional.

If you find out that you do need to hire a professional, hiring someone who is qualified and competent to do the work is just as important as preventing a DIY disaster. Make sure you do your homework, hiring an unlicensed untrained contractor because he’s the lowest price can be worse than taking on a project yourself that you can’t handle. Get copies of licensees and insurance, choose a NARI contractor, make sure you are comfortable with the paperwork. Both the Almar (www.almarbuilding.com and NARI (www.nari.org) websites is a great place to find more tips on choosing the best professional.

As of April 22, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency passed new regulations to address a lead safety concern in homes built before 1978. The Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule is designed to train professional remodelers how to minimize lead dust in the home to reduce exposure to children under 6 years and pregnant women. Remodel-ready homeowners should make themselves aware of lead-safe practices in their homes during a remodel, either by a professional or as a do-it-yourself practitioner, to keep their families safe. Please learn more at www.nari.org/leadsafety

Bathroom Addition, Scituate Ma

Almar's 2011 Eastern Massachusetts NARI Silver COTY (Contractor of the Year) Award Project

Moen Old Word Style Bath Collection: The Weymouth

Your bathroom might be a small space but you will have lots of decisions to make once you are ready to remodel it. Aside from the tile, tubs, toilets, showers, mirrors and paint you'll have to select the plumbing fixtures.

One of Moen’s new bath collections features an Old World style, and is a great option to consider. The Weymouth bath collection has elaborate details including Porcelain in lays, wall mount or standard faucets with Cross or Lever handles.

A few of the items in this line include:

Chrome two-handle High Arc bathroom faucet
This two-handled lever design creates ease of use, and you can selection your widespread installation amoutn anywhere from 8-16". The "laminar stream allows for clear and quiet water flow, and it meets WaterSense criteria to conserve water without sacrificiing performance."*






Chrome Two-Handel High Arc wall mount bathroom faucet
"The wall mount installation allows for efficient use of space, and includes aerated flow for everyday use."* This unit also meets WaterSense criteria, which conserves water without sacrificing performance or style.






Chrome Posi-Temp Tub/Shower:
The PosiTemp pressure-balancing valve. Helps maintain water pressure and controls tempureatur at yhe same time. The rainshower head has comes in 9" diameter and with Moen's "advanced, self-pressurizing Immersion rainshower techonoligy channels water through the showerhead with three time more spray power than most rainshowers."* (ADA compliant)

In addition to the Facuets, Tub/Shower unites you can get a full line of Spa options and matching accessories in this Weymouth Line.

So when you are ready to start planning your next bath renovation give Almar a call 781-826-2577 and our team can go over all the different options to find the right look for your style.

*Information Curtosey of the Moen Website:www.moen.com

2011 EM NARI COTY AWARD WINNER

The entire Almar team is so proud to announce that we have won our very first COTY award from EM NARI (Eastern Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry). The annual awards program recognizes the best achievements in remodeling projects over the past year. Reviews were performed by an impartial judging panel for the 2011 Contractor of the Year Award winning projects.

New downstairs bath

Craig and I were pleased to be able to attend the Evening of Excellence Awards Banquet where the winners were announced on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at Showcase Live at Patriots Place, Foxborough Ma.

Our Silver Award was in the Category of Residential Additions Under $200,000 for a recent project we completed in Scituate.

Problem: 1 bathroom for 3 bedrooms. 1 bedroom had no bathroom on that floor. And the second bathroom was inside the Master suite. These clients are not from the area and have family visit for extended periods of time, so we needed to accommodate extra storage and privacy for these guests.

Before

The client needed more bathrooms to accommodate long-staying guests but was also concerned

about the extra space looking like an addition from the rear of the house, because they just put in an outdoor kitchen. After

Also concerns about blending the addition in to the ascetic of the rest of the house

especially from the rear of the house, and make all of the different roof lines work, while maximizing space in the new bathrooms.

Client recently installed drainage system to move water away from the house that needed to be taken into consideration. Drainage installer was consulted to help solve the layout challenges.

Because the addition was going to be a 2 baths, 2 stories, and both fully tiled we decided to install 11 7/8ths I-joists to help stop flexing in the floors.

Pocket doors were used to address the problem of limited space tying the exiting and new areas together.

We want to send huge thanks to our clients for entrusting Almar with their home, and entire Almar team from the design team, to the excavators

and foundation crew, our framers, and the interior crews, especially our plumber, electrician, and tile installers and all our fabulous suppliers. Our whole team makes our job and our process what it is. We would not be the same with out you.

New upstairs bath

NARI's Warning Signs During Interviews

May is Home Remodeling Month - Check out these Warning Signs homeowners should know from NARI http://www.nari.org/homeowners/warnings/

Warning Signs During Interviews
Avoid remodelers at all costs when:

•You can't verify the name, address, telephone number or credentials of the remodeler.
•The salesperson tries to pressure you into signing a contract.
•The company or salesperson says your home will be used for advertising purposes so you will be given a "special, low rate."
•The builder/remodeler tells you a special price is available only if you sign the contract "today."
•No references are furnished.
•Information you receive from the contractor is out-of-date or no longer valid.
•You are unable to verify the license or insurance information.
•You are asked to pay for the entire job in advance, or to pay in cash to a salesperson instead of by check or money order to the company itself.
•The company cannot be found in the telephone book, is not listed with the local Better Business Bureau, or with a local trade association, such as NARI.
•The contractor does not offer, inform or extend notice of your right to cancel the contract within three days. Notification in writing of your Right of Recision is required by law. This grace period allows you to change your mind and declare the contract null and void without penalty (if the agreement was solicited at some place other than the contractor's place of business or appropriate trade premises-in your home, for instance.)
In addition, be cautious when:

•You are given vague or reluctant answers.
•The contractor exhibits poor communication skills or descriptive powers.
•The contractor is not accessible.
•Your questions are not answered to your satisfaction.
•The contractor is impatient and does not listen.
•Only the work is addressed, instead of your needs as the homeowner.
•There is no way to see previous projects, either through a presentation book, an online presentation or via the company's Web presence.

Remodeling Misconception #2: Doing It Yourself Saves Money. (Hanover)

The following is an excerpt from out FREE Report: Six “Secrets” To The Perfect Custom Remodel Of Your Home (To Request your copy of the full report please visit our website http://www.almarbuilding.com/)


Misconception #2: Doing It Yourself Saves Money.

Not Always! Sometimes the "weekend warrior" can undertake small projects like painting, hanging wallpaper, routine repairs, etc. But beware of undertaking larger, more complicated projects. What starts out as an attempt to save money can turn into a costly folly. All too often the job is botched and it costs more to have a professional come in and fix what's been done.

According to an article in the Baltimore Sun, less than 20% of these do-it-yourself jobs work out, mostly due to a lack of experience on the part of the homeowner. If you want to be assured your project will turn out the way you want it, call a qualified professional.

Here are some tips one when you should call in a professional:

1. If the job had plumbing or electrical (if you aren't experienced it is risky and potentially dangerous to take this on yourself)

2. When you don't have the experience required.
Even though there are lots of books and online videos a certain amount of experience is required to do remodeling properly & safely.

3. Time Constraints - Neither you nor your spouse wants to be living in upheaval longer than necessary. And even when working with a professional it can take longer than you initially anticipate, and we aren't trying to do it nights and weekends for you.

4. You don't have the right tools.
We find people often spend too much money in tools they'll never use (or don't know how to use) to get started doing it on their own. Its safer and easier to hire a professional.

So be realistic when choosing to do a project on your own and when you are comparing Remodeling Professionals make sure you are comparing similar companies, a professional company will look and feel much different to you then a fly-by-night "guy in truck" and although a much lower price might look attractive on paper consider what you are really getting and who you are allowing into your home.

For more tips or a copy of this complete article please visit our website: http://www.almarbuilding.com/