When you want to build a new home, you have to go through quite a few things to get it just right. You have to find the property that you want the home built on, find out what the cost of running electricity and water to the property will cost, as well as telephone lines, among other costs. Figuring out just what kind of home you want to build is also a problem, particularly if you are not the only one that is going to be living in the home. After you do all that, the next step is hiring the right contractor and determining what kind of materials you want the home built out of.
Select at least a few different licensed contractors to choose from first and get three or more different bids. This will give you a few options and will give you a general idea of how much it will cost to build your home. Make sure that the contractor’s license is current and that there has not been any claims filed against it. Get a list of references from each of the contractors you are considering and call as many of them as you can. Visit their homes and ask if you can view the property and determine the quality of the work. You should not worry about this too much, since most new homeowners really enjoy showing off their new home. Ask if they have had any problems with mold or water damage due to faulty construction and factor this into your decision on whether to choose that contractor.
When asking for a bid on a building project, you should give every contractor that you are considering the exact same set of building plans and materials. Giving them different sets of plans will be pretty pointless, since you only have the money to build one home (we assume).
When you finally do choose a contractor, you need to ask when they will be able to start and about how long it will take them to complete the project. Also obtain copies of any insurance policies that they have (and they should have them, if not, do not hire them) and store them in a job folder that you will use to keep track of payments and other important project-related information, such as a copy of your contract.
The bid on the project should be broken down to each specific aspect of the building of the home, such as the framing of it, the electric system, the plumbing, installation of drywall, molding, and etcetera.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Waterproofing Your Deck
A water damaged deck tends to be an ugly one, as most people know, but waterproofing is not that difficult. Waterproofing your deck is essential if you want it to stand the test of time and seasons that it will go through even after you are gone from the house that you call home. Cracking and warping can occur to any deck, but waterproofing it can help assist you in removing the majority of this risk, since the water sealant will lock out the vast majority of any liquid spilled onto it.
The waterproofing of your deck has to start with a thorough cleaning first. The best time to waterproof your deck is after the deck is first built, but if you do not have this option, then cleaning it off is the first thing that you have to do. Begin by sweeping off all the debris from the deck and removing all furniture from it. A cleaning solution can be bought from home improvement stores. A pump sprayer can be used to apply the solution to the deck. After it starts to foam up, you need to scrub the deck with a scrub brush that has stiff bristles. This will help to remove many of the stubborn stains that might exist like grease or soot. After you are done with the scrubbing part of the project, you can rinse it off thoroughly with your garden hose. When you rinse, wear some eye protection to keep any grit on the deck from getting in your eyes.
After your deck is dry, you can do one of two things. If the wood is relatively new and you think you want a new stain put on it, this would be the time to apply it. If you do not want a new stain on the deck, then this is the time for you to apply the water sealant onto the deck to protect the wood.
Applying the sealer should generally be done with a sprayer or a roller. If there are any puddles of it on your deck, you can remove these by brushing it out evenly. The deck should dry completely in about two days and then you can walk on it safely without having to worry about damaging the sealant.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when you apply the sealant. Wearing safety glasses, long sleeves, and some gloves is also a good idea to protect your eyes and skin from it.
Drilling very small holes in areas of the deck that tend to retain water can also help stop the weathering of your deck. Holes as small as 3/16 of an inch to ¼ of an inch are sufficient to drain the water out of these areas and do not tend to affect the appearance of the deck enough to be an eyesore.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
The waterproofing of your deck has to start with a thorough cleaning first. The best time to waterproof your deck is after the deck is first built, but if you do not have this option, then cleaning it off is the first thing that you have to do. Begin by sweeping off all the debris from the deck and removing all furniture from it. A cleaning solution can be bought from home improvement stores. A pump sprayer can be used to apply the solution to the deck. After it starts to foam up, you need to scrub the deck with a scrub brush that has stiff bristles. This will help to remove many of the stubborn stains that might exist like grease or soot. After you are done with the scrubbing part of the project, you can rinse it off thoroughly with your garden hose. When you rinse, wear some eye protection to keep any grit on the deck from getting in your eyes.
After your deck is dry, you can do one of two things. If the wood is relatively new and you think you want a new stain put on it, this would be the time to apply it. If you do not want a new stain on the deck, then this is the time for you to apply the water sealant onto the deck to protect the wood.
Applying the sealer should generally be done with a sprayer or a roller. If there are any puddles of it on your deck, you can remove these by brushing it out evenly. The deck should dry completely in about two days and then you can walk on it safely without having to worry about damaging the sealant.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when you apply the sealant. Wearing safety glasses, long sleeves, and some gloves is also a good idea to protect your eyes and skin from it.
Drilling very small holes in areas of the deck that tend to retain water can also help stop the weathering of your deck. Holes as small as 3/16 of an inch to ¼ of an inch are sufficient to drain the water out of these areas and do not tend to affect the appearance of the deck enough to be an eyesore.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Waterproof Paint
Water damage to your home can come from all kinds of places, but the most likely cause of interior damage is generally just every day wear and tear from showering, washing clothes, taking hot baths, and cooking on the stove. Even moisture that seeps in the house from outside in the form of humidity can create problems by rusting or decaying building materials and peeling of the many painted surfaces in your home. This humidity can also help with the growth of mold and the growth of other fungi in your home.
You can prevent it, though, in most cases by simply following a few different steps. Using waterproof paint in your home can help tremendously and stop water from infiltrating your walls and ceilings. This will help stop the water from discoloring these items so you will not have to repaint them as often as you would if you used a normal interior paint.
Vapor barriers can be used to coat interior walls and ceilings and keep moisture from getting into these surfaces. When water gets underneath a layer of paint, it creates a pocket of moisture which eventually builds up so much that the paint starts to peel away and become discolored. Waterproof paint does not allow for this. There are both waterproof topcoat paints and primers available for purchase to use in your home.
The best areas to use waterproof paint in if you cannot afford to use it on the whole house right away are the areas that are most prone to exposure to water vapor. This includes the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and basement. These areas are the most at risk for coming into contact with large amounts of steam every day. Out of these four areas, the bathroom and kitchen are the most important, since we all have to frequent these two rooms in the home each and every day, often several times a day whether we want to or not.
Using a primer on your wall that is mold resistant is also a good idea in any humid area of your home, since mold is most likely to grow in these areas. Using one that is stain resistant is also a good idea, since water damage will usually lead to discoloration of the wall or ceiling.
High-gloss paint is easy to clean, but unfortunately if the surface you painted it with has many imperfections, each and every one will show up. Semi-gloss paint has less of a shine than high-gloss, but it is much easier to clean up. Eggshell paints and flat paints are the easiest to clean up and are starting to be more popular as higher quality paints with a high pigment content are becoming available in that style
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
You can prevent it, though, in most cases by simply following a few different steps. Using waterproof paint in your home can help tremendously and stop water from infiltrating your walls and ceilings. This will help stop the water from discoloring these items so you will not have to repaint them as often as you would if you used a normal interior paint.
Vapor barriers can be used to coat interior walls and ceilings and keep moisture from getting into these surfaces. When water gets underneath a layer of paint, it creates a pocket of moisture which eventually builds up so much that the paint starts to peel away and become discolored. Waterproof paint does not allow for this. There are both waterproof topcoat paints and primers available for purchase to use in your home.
The best areas to use waterproof paint in if you cannot afford to use it on the whole house right away are the areas that are most prone to exposure to water vapor. This includes the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and basement. These areas are the most at risk for coming into contact with large amounts of steam every day. Out of these four areas, the bathroom and kitchen are the most important, since we all have to frequent these two rooms in the home each and every day, often several times a day whether we want to or not.
Using a primer on your wall that is mold resistant is also a good idea in any humid area of your home, since mold is most likely to grow in these areas. Using one that is stain resistant is also a good idea, since water damage will usually lead to discoloration of the wall or ceiling.
High-gloss paint is easy to clean, but unfortunately if the surface you painted it with has many imperfections, each and every one will show up. Semi-gloss paint has less of a shine than high-gloss, but it is much easier to clean up. Eggshell paints and flat paints are the easiest to clean up and are starting to be more popular as higher quality paints with a high pigment content are becoming available in that style
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
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