Decks & Patios – Lakeview Home Improvements

How To Choose A Contractor To Ensure The Best Remodel

Nate Burket — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:54:00 +0000

Are you looking to choose a contractor to work on your home? There’s a few things you should know before a company before you decide to work with them.

In the video below, I’m telling you exactly what to do to ensure your remodeling experience will go as planned.

Press the play button and watch me talking about the secret to choosing the perfect contractor for you project!

But if you don’t have time for a video, here’s everything black on white.

Get Ready To Do Some Research

You’ve decided that now is the time – you are going to give that bathroom a facelift or improve the traffic in a challenging kitchen. Now you need to choose a contractor, but not any contractor.

There are dozens of general contractors in Knoxville or East Tennessee, so how do you choose the best one out there? Who best to oversee the project and deliver your finished dream?

Let’s start with 7 tips for getting the best contractor for your project.

1. Get Recommendations

One of the most important things you need to do is get recommendations. Start with family and friends.

If they’ve recently remodeled, ask them about their experiences, both good and bad. Aunt Cassie may have the perfect general contractor for you while her neighbor may have several contractors for you to avoid. Your husband’s coworker may have a story about the remodeling contractor he used, and the company he wished he had used instead.

Point is, you need to go out there and test the grounds before deciding upon someone. A reputable contractor should get recommendations and referrals from all his past customers, as long as they were happy with the work they had done.

2. Do Your Research

Before you choose a contractor, go online and investigate your candidates. For many of us, it’s our first instinct. BBB, Google, and social media are just a few places to look in:

Website. Is it professionally done? Has it been updated recently? Does it feature photos of completed kitchens and baths? Does it have written testimonials from satisfied clients?
Google Business Profile. When you Google search the company by name, look for an outlined box on the right-hand side of the results page. If it’s there, you’ll see photos, contact information, and a summary of starred reviews from customers. Professional businesses set up and maintain their Google Business Profile pages.
Reviews and Testimonials. You likely have a good start on reading the reviews. Read them all, the 5-stars and the 1-stars. Note if the comments are sounding too similar, question if they are legitimate. Pay attention to the dates of the posts as well. How valuable is an opinion from 8 years ago?
Social Media. Another good spot to read reviews. Does the company have a presence on Facebook, Instagram, Yelp, and others? Are the pages well maintained? Social media can tell you a lot about how companies operate. Modern companies embrace modern technologies.
The Better Business Bureau in Knoxville, TN. The BBB website is a great place to look for legitimate contracting businesses. You'll be able to see if they have liability insurance, licenses, and what kind of organizations they're part of (if any). I'm talking here about NARI, NKBA, etc.

3. Interview the candidates

Time to make some calls. From your list of possibilities, get answers to the following questions:

Are you taking on projects of this size? (briefly describe your entire project)
Can you provide a list of previous clients?
How many other projects would you have in progress at the same time?
How long have you worked with your subcontractors?
How do you communicate progress to your homeowner clients?
Will you take care of all the necessary permits? (many remodeling projects require applicable building permits)

The responses to these questions will show: readiness to work with you, how much attention they would give your project, experience with kitchens, baths, or others, and what their values are.

Before you choose a contractor to sign up with, get multiple bids from other contractors and look for the best deal. However, remember that the best deal is not always the best contractor. Ensure the price reflects the quality of their work, but don’t cut corners on materials or installation.

4. Meet face to face

At this point, you are narrowing your list. Pick 3 or 4 contractors to meet. You are looking for a smooth rapport: someone willing to answer your questions in a manner that puts you at ease.

Be sure to understand their process: that is, how the company works and communicates with its clients.

At Lakeview Home Improvements, we ask our clients to complete an online project brief. Homeowners sketch out the parameters of the project. The process helps the homeowner to focus their thinking. In turn, Lakeview staff can answer your questions better. Bonus: a more accurate cost estimate.

5. Check References

Call up former clients and ask how their project went. You can even request to visit and see the finished product.

You may also wish to visit a current job site, to check the contractor’s work. Is the job site neat and well maintained? Are workers observing safety protocols? Remember, these same workers would be in your home.

A good think to do is look at where are the building materials? Are they keeping everything safe in a trailer, or outside? You’ll have to store the materials if you want to keep them away from any danger.

6. Firm Up Your Plans

Conscientious contractors insist on a complete set of blueprints before starting any work. Spending time and money on the front end will yield more efficiencies as the project rolls out.

Also, understand and set up a payment plan. For large projects, the contractor may require 10-25 percent of the total upfront. Subsequent payments will be spread over the course of the project. Generally, a final 15 percent will be due at completion.

Modern contractors use technology to communicate schedule progress. Look for use of tools such as Buildertrend or JobTread. Your password provides entry to the project schedule, updated daily. You also see photos of material delivery, installations, and more. Over the weeks, your project blossoms onscreen, sparing you from regular visits to the job site.

We recommend establishing some ground rules as well. This might be an awkward discussion, but it’ll save you from a lot of stress and frustrations down the road.

7. Get It in Writing

Your contractor should provide a final contract. It will list each step of the project, such as:

Having the details clear to all parties ensures a smooth project and successful renovation.

Our staff at Lakeview Home Improvements will help you achieve your dream space. We specialize in kitchen and bath renovations and our ultimate goal is to deliver the best end product you’ve ever seen. We understand the do’s and don’ts, the best practices, the building codes, and we know how to execute a remarkable classic kitchen design.

For more information on your unique kitchen or bath project, contact us.

Conclusion

The general contractor hiring process can be a daunting task. It could be your biggest mistake, but it could also be your greatest success. One contractor will always be better than the other, but there’s no way knowing without proper research.

The right contractor will make your home improvement project go smooth. He’ll get you quality materials at the best price, accurate price estimates and timelines, and he’ll get your project done in a timely manner.

If you want to learn more about how we executed the best remodeling projects in Knoxville and East Tennessee, give us a ring at (865) 801-4545 or request your free quote!

5 Factors That Ensure You’re Getting The Best Deck

Nate Burket — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 09:39:00 +0000

The debate rages on.

Deck construction using wood, or composite materials?

Purists insist on the benefits of pressure-treated lumber. Others have discovered high-quality wood-alternative composite materials, such as Trex® or Azek®.

Following are 5 reasons we recommend composite construction for your deck or patio in Knoxville and East Tennessee.

Read on to ensure you’re getting the best deck you can possibly have.

1. maintenance

Traditional wood decks require regular attention.

That translates into hours spent cleaning, staining, and sealing your deck for it to stand up against Mother Nature.

If you’re thinking to skip a season, you’ll pay the price in wood cracks, rot, and even warping. Wood decks are also susceptible to mildew, and even black mold. These can all hurt the structural integrity of your deck, resulting in putting your life at risk.

We love the beauty of natural wood, but it pains us all to see a wooden deck degrade over just a few seasons. Ownership of a wood deck requires herculean efforts in keeping surfaces clean and well maintained

Composite requires little to no Maintenance

Composite decking is a low-maintenance option for your decking material.

This means you won’t have to stain or seal your deck ever again. In fact, composite decking can’t be refinished, which is why you need to be careful when deciding upon your composite material.

Note: no staining, sealing, or painting means you’ll save money on maintenance – money that you can invest elsewhere in your home.

2. Long-lasting asset

Even the best premium-quality and highly maintained decks see temperature variations; and they can undergo splitting, mildew, or insect damage.

The average life of a wood deck is 10-20 years with yearly maintenance and proper upkeep.

In any case, wood decks generally won’t last as long as your home does.

East Tennessee and Knoxville homeowners are finding another advantage to composite materials: a composite deck construction can add to the market value of their homes. A low-maintenance deck makes a house more attractive to a potential homebuyer.

3. Eco-friendly

Harvested trees may be accompanied by the planting of new seedlings; but mature trees can take decades to grow.

On the other hand, composite materials such as Trex and Azek are made from recycled wood and plastics. Composite materials are eco-friendly, perfect for the environmentally aware homeowner.

How does this help you? With lumber being more and more expensive, using a recycled material will financially work to your advantage.

4. Safety

As discussed, wood eventually fails under the unrelenting assault of the elements.

In Tennessee, we see extremes of hot and cold — and especially hot summers with brilliant and damaging sunshine. Deck boards and treads will break down, evidencing dangerous splinters, or worse: give way under someone’s unknowing step.

Wood decks are also more susceptible to rot, which is the most common reason that makes decks collapse.

Composite decking can offer the best slip resistance of all decking materials.

Also, composite deck manufacturers have taken the lead in using hidden fasteners in their construction. No more catching a bare foot on a nail or screw head.

5. Cost

For years, composite materials have been more expensive than their real wood counterparts.

But today, that’s changing.

With rising costs of lumber, the gap is narrowing. And remember the advantages of this low-maintenance solution. Homeowners avoid the added cost and hassle of specialty cleaners, noxious chemicals, and hours spent on wood deck maintenance and repair.

The use of composite construction materials can pay for itself in as little as 3 years when including the cost of annual maintenance

Conclusion

A composite deck is one of the best choices you can make for your outdoor space. Not only it’s a more accessible option, but it’s also a long-term solution for saving money on maintenance.

Although it has a higher upfront cost, it’ll make your life much easier:

Our staff at Lakeview Home Improvements will help you get the best deck in the neighborhood – a deck that looks great and will last for many years. We specialize in deck building and repair, and kitchen and bath remodels.

We are a leader in Knoxville and East Tennessee when it comes to getting our customers their dream upgrades.

Call us today at (865) 801-4545 to discuss your deck project, or request your free quote right now!

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