Congratulations on looking for a new, or maybe your first, home. Buying a home is exciting. It’s part of inching toward the American dream. However, it can also be unsettling. In fact, one survey found buying a new home to be more stressful than bankruptcy, divorce or even the death of a loved one. Will you be able to afford it? Will you be happy once you move in? Are there any underlying issues with the home? Will you have good neighbors? The lists of doubts can seem endless. The majority of these issues, though, can be resolved by building your own custom home.

Custom homebuilding is the sure way to get exactly what your family needs. No modifications. No compromises. No settling for something less. Consider four reasons to build custom.

Benefits to Custom Homebuilding

1. Create less stress.

The Seattle Times includes “less stress, more family time” on its list of 5 Advantages to Buying New and Custom-Built Homes. The real estate market has bounced back, and it’s competitive. Combing real estate listings, visiting homes and making offers takes time. It’s especially frustrating when you find something you like only to find out another buyer already submitted an offer or outbid you. Homebuyers waste months reliving this scenario over and over. It often creates an environment where you feel pressured to make a decision prematurely in order to avoid losing another opportunity.

Working with a custom-builder relieves the stress of house-hunting. No competing with other buyers. No rash decisions. You can take your time and focus on making every detail perfect.

2. Get greater energy efficiency.

Custom-built homes allow you to include energy-efficient features that are not available on existing homes or even newly built spec homes. Energy efficient windows and appliances, upgraded insulation, active solar systems, even landscaping and home placement techniques all add to overall efficiency and long-lasting savings. For example, passive solar gain refers to simple directional placement. Thoughtful design and placement can leverage the winter sun while preventing overheating the home in the summer. Custom homebuilding allows you to perfectly place deciduous trees to create shelter from the summer sun. When fall comes, the leaves fall and sun streams through the home, creating a natural heat source.

Selecting your ideal energy efficient appliances will also save money. It’s true that you could upgrade appliances in an existing home. In addition to the added expense, however, older homes often require electrical or plumbing upgrades to accommodate the new appliances. Creating your own custom home allows you to set yourself up for minimal maintenance and savings for years to come.

3. Meet your exact needs.

There’s always a compromise when buying an existing home. You love the home, but wish it had a bigger lot. You love the living space, but wish the kitchen were bigger. Homebuyers are always tasked with selecting the lesser of two evils.

Conversely, designing your own custom home allows you to design a unique living space that will fit your family’s needs for years. With custom homebuilding, you are in the driver’s seat. You control everything from appliances to door knobs, from flooring to light fixtures and molding. Add bigger closets. Expand your outdoor living space. Include a home gym, sauna, or game room. Create space for grandparents or older children. Accommodate any members of the family with special needs. Include custom wiring for the newest technology. The options are endless.

In addition, you get to pick the perfect location. You’re not limited by home inventory in a certain zip code. Find a property that’s the ideal commute time, close to family and the best schools, and with the level of privacy you want. Don’t limit yourself to only vacant lots. Search for a property with condemned or foreclosed homes. You might be surprised to find out demolition costs are less than preparing new land for building.

Get the perfect combination of land and home. Don’t settle for one or the other.

4. Get better quality.

Custom built homes offer superior quality. There is minimal chance you’ll encounter poor quality construction. Existing homes leave room for numerous underlying issues that are often missed by inspectors. Investopedia lists five areas most commonly missed in home inspections: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning; roof leaks; faulty appliances; damaged siding and windows; and under the carpet. Many home owners are shocked to have such big ticket repairs shortly after the expense of buying the home. Similarly, it’s not unusual for home buyers to experience poor quality construction with new spec homes. Custom builders use the most trusted tradesmen in their area, and work with the most experienced architects to make sure every detail is covered. Most of all, custom builders have a reputation to uphold and will go out of their way to ensure you get exactly what you want.

Can I really afford to custom build?

Custom homebuilding sounds ideal, but many buyers fear they can’t afford it. However, working with an established and reputable design and build team can actually save money. An experienced builder likely has long-term relationships with suppliers and laborers, bringing down costs for you. A builder that’s been in the industry for years knows how to manage costs, and minimize waste and overhead. A trusted builder likely has multiple projects going on too, allowing them to order materials in bulk and invest in efficient strategies.

You may also realize cost savings from your energy efficient choices in your custom home. Federal tax credits for some green materials can allow you to deduct as much as 30 percent of the cost of those materials.

Lastly, custom building will get you more for your money. With custom homes, you pay for only the space you actually want. With existing or spec homes, you often pay for rooms you may not need, extra space for which you’ll pay for decades. Get what you pay for, and only what you want.

Is homebuilding custom for you? We encourage you to interview custom builders in your area. Let them show you the benefits of building a custom home. Include us on your list. Call today to schedule a free consultation.

The post 4 Reasons You Should Consider Building a Custom Home appeared first on Verblio.

Many of today’s homeowners have embraced the DIY (do-it-yourself) concept for home repairs and renovations. For many residential projects, this makes perfect sense. Enthusiastic DIYers are tackling labor-intensive jobs such as new flooring, painting, paneling, drywalling, or adding decks and porches to increase the value of the house. But when it comes to electrical projects, the wisest DIYers call for a certified electrician.

The DIY projects mentioned above are certainly great ways to minimize labor costs and maximize the return on your investment in new materials. There may be building code requirements for some of these jobs, but conditions can be fulfilled lawfully by anyone with the competence to comply with the local building code and pass inspection. (We are planning on getting permits and inspections, right? More on that later.)

There are, however, specialized trades in residential construction for which the DIY method is strongly discouraged. Plumbing is one, and electrical is another. Substandard work in these fields can lead to ongoing health and safety hazards. Work in these trades may violate local building codes if it is done by an unqualified homeowner or tradesman.

No Job Is Too Small: Call A Certified Electrician

Many homeowners won’t hesitate to call for a professional plumber when the plunger fails to solve the problem, or when they’re adding a new bathroom. They lack the specialized plumbing tools and skills, and would rather avoid the unpleasantness of many plumbing projects. Better to let the pro handle it.

With electrical projects, though, this isn’t always the case. Electrical work is nice and clean after all, and many electrical jobs can appear to be deceptively simple, easily tackled with pliers and a screwdriver. This misconception can lead to unsafe repairs or overloaded circuits when outlets, wiring, or lighting fixtures are added to an existing system.

Neglecting the proper use of junction boxes can lead to overheating in overly extended wiring runs. Potential short circuits and faulty groundings are fire and shock hazards which may not be apparent until after the damage is done, perhaps months or years later.

Changing a light bulb yourself is fine. But changing a light fixture? Anytime wiring into your household power is required a certified electrician should be called.

No job is too small when it comes to household electrical safety.

Electrical Work & Building Codes

Electrical codes, permits, and inspections are in place to ensure household safety. Electrical regulations vary from state to state and even by localities within some states. Some electrical repairs are exempt from the code, and others require permits and thorough inspections. To complicate matters further, your municipality can add more stringent restrictions to the state’s electrical code.

This means that even if you’ve hired a competent handyman to handle your electrical repairs, you could still be in violation of the building code. The homeowner or handyman may have done everything right and still fail to be in compliance.

Alabama, for example, requires that electrical contractors and journeyman electricians must demonstrate a minimum of 4 years experience, the necessary qualifications, training, and technical knowledge to install electrical wiring, apparatus or equipment, light, heat, or power before they can even be considered for state certification.

Electrical Code Violations & Insurance

The biggest advantage of hiring a certified electrical contractor for any repair or renovation is that certified electricians keep up to speed with local building codes from state to state and town to town.

The Popular Mechanics article “7 Building Code Violations You Should Definitely Avoid: DIYers Beware” points out that hiring a professional contractor, obtaining the proper permits, and having the job certified by a qualified inspector is a process which ensures the utmost safety for your household. This especially applies to electrical work, which could become a costly obstacle when the house is up for sale in the future, and substandard work needs to be corrected before the sale can go through.

The homeowner who thought he could dodge the “bureaucratic red tape” and save a few bucks by working through an electrical repair or installation without a permit could be headed for disaster. In a fire, if subcode electrical work is determined to be the cause, the insurance company may refuse to cover the loss. Add to that the potential hazard of improperly safeguarded circuits and shocked homeowners could find themselves lamenting…

“I Should Have Called a Certified Electrician!”

Justin & Amanda’s Sad Story

Justin and Amanda are ecstatic. They’ve received an offer on the townhouse they just put up for sale in a booming real estate market, which is much higher than their asking price. The new interior paint job, which they accomplished themselves on the advice of their realtor, seems to have done the trick. Justin’s fondness for lime green has been covered by two fresh new coats of neutral beige. The buyer loves it, and she’s made her generous offer on the spot to secure the sale.

Unfortunately, in their enthusiasm, the energetic couple painted over all the electrical outlets, which is a violation of their local building code. The home inspector advises Justin and Amanda that all the outlets will have to be replaced. The buyer is eager to close and move in.

Amanda’s father gets wind of the situation and has good news for them. He’s got a case of electrical outlets left over from 1975 when he converted his garage to a wood shop. The helpful jack-of-all-trades shows the relieved couple how easy it is to replace the outlets, and within a weekend the problem seems to be solved. Easy-peasy, right? Wrong!

Despite all their hard work, Justin and Amanda fail inspection again. It seems they have neglected to install ground fault outlets in the bathrooms and the kitchen where they are required, and several of the replacement outlets are old two-pronged types with no receptacle for the third ground wire. Also, they can’t show that the work was done by a certified electrician as required in their state.

The buyer loses confidence in the overall integrity of the townhouse’s electrical system and withdraws her generous offer. Justin and Amanda miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the relatively minimal cost of what would be a quick and simple repair job by a certified electrical contractor.

Certified Residential Electrical Services at Home Town Electric

Today’s modern household electrical systems provide power for a growing number of devices. Computers, chargers, printers, routers, and HDTVs are often found throughout multiple rooms in the house. Add to these dishwashers, refrigerators, microwave ovens, and a host of countertop appliances. As families grow, power consumption grows with them. Electrical systems in the household may need to be upgraded to keep up with demands and optimize safety.

If you’re experiencing electrical problems in your home, such as frequent tripping of circuit breakers, outlets or lights which aren’t working reliably, or unusually high electric bills, the certified electricians at Hometown Electric Inc. can diagnose electrical problems and advise you on the best solutions.

We offer the full range of residential electrical repair and certified new installation services, so don’t hesitate to contact us to schedule a thorough electrical inspection today.

The post Why You Need a Certified Electrician for Electrical Home Repairs appeared first on Verblio.

Luckily, we can help. We put together a few tips below about rubber roofing materials.

Three Examples of Rubber Roofing Materials

1. Thermoset membranes

A thermoset membrane regains its shape after stretching. The most common type of thermoset roofing material is known as EPDM. EPDM is a single-ply roofing material made of elastomeric polymer.

Let’s see if we can break that down for easier consumption. Elastomeric means a synthetic material that has the elastic properties of natural rubber. Polymer means compounds with large molecules, made of repeated simple units that form cross-chemical links. Manufacturers create the elastomeric polymer EPDM for roofing from ethylene, propylene, and a pinch of diene polymer. As you can see, it’s a lot easier to call it EPDM for short.

EPDM is useful on all roof shapes, slopes, heights and in any climate. Architects and contractors favor this material for new construction and for replacement roofs that are low-slope and commercial. Sold by the roll, manufacturers originally designed EPDM for use in commercial areas.

EPDMs have exhibited a long service life throughout its 40 years of use in the field. EPDM can resist fatigue, hail, ozone, weathering, wind damage, abrasion, extreme temperatures, fire, and UV rays. It also shows durability in the face of thermal shock. (That means it can withstand temperature changes in varying degrees that cause different parts of the roof to expand at different rates.) Resistance to thermal shock means the product resists cracking and breaking in the face of such temperature changes.

2. Chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPM)

Another type of synthetic rubber roofing material is chlorosulfonated polyethylene, also known as Hypalon. It resists fire, oil, microorganisms, ozone, inorganic acids, light, and is impermeable to gas.

Experience over the years, however, has shown a few problems with Hypalon in shrinkage and in chalking where exposure to light causes the loss of the protective top layer. The chalking and shrinking also make it difficult to reseal. New technologies are now available to help solve the reseal issues.

CPSM is used for commercial/industrial buildings or institutions.

3. Rubber shingles

As an alternative to asphalt shingles, manufacturers make rubber shingles entirely of rubber or recycled rubber from tires. They usually add binders, UV inhibitors, and colors which sometimes create the look of wood or other materials.

Rubber shingles are relatively new to the residential market. They resist hail, wind, heat, snow, rain, cracking, mold, moisture, and discoloring. Because they are often made from recycled tires, they are also eco-friendly.

Roofers use rubber shingles exclusively on slanted roofs.

Comparing Warranties on Rubber Roofing

• EPDM has warranties ranging from 5 to 30 years. The 30-year option is available on 90 ml product. The manufacturers base this warranty period on historical data.
• Hypalon’s warranty period ranges from 20-30 years.
• The warranty period for rubber shingles is up to 50 years, in most cases.

Comparing Installation Costs on Rubber Roofing

• EPDM (synthetic rubber) has the lowest installation cost per square foot, about $.50 – $1.50 per square foot for the roofing material.
• Hypalon costs about $2.50 – $4.50 per square foot. It has a 20-30 year life, though, and is beneficial during that time in terms of reducing heating costs.
• Natural rubber and recycled rubber shingles cost about the same as EPDM.

If you would like to speak with one of our roofing experts about materials, warranties, cost, or anything else roofing, please feel free to contact us. Our experts stand ready to help you with all of your roofing questions.

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1. Large projects can lead to large mistakes.

Some homeowners might be able to create a small concrete patio successfully, but not always. A mistake on a small-scale can cost time and money to fix, but on a larger scale, it can be devastating to the entire project. For example, many novices don’t understand that footings, or a foundation, may need to be reinforced with rebar in order maintain their integrity. Failure to use a rebar can lead to significant costs and damages. Larger projects should always be left to a professional, who will already know these facts.

2. Accurate planning is important.

Even if you have a good idea of how big the concrete slab, sidewalk, or driveway will be, that good idea might not be good enough. You have to be absolutely accurate. Determining how much concrete you’ll need, how many and how large the forms should be, and how long long it will take to dry, are all part of the process. Another major part of planning is the time it takes to prepare the area and actually pour the concrete. A tight deadline or shortage of time can lead to errors. Hiring a professional will mean that the project is done on time and correctly.

3. Forms must be built properly.

This may seem like a fairly straightforward task, but nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, the area has to be prepared and leveled, then proper forms have to be built. If every inch of space is not level and consistent, you will encounter problems with cracking and sagging. Not only will a professional know how to prepare the area and build the forms, but they’ll know exactly how thick the concrete should be for the application.

4. Mixing.

Just eyeballing the water and concrete mixture until it looks right isn’t the best idea. If there’s too much water, or not enough in the mix, there can be problems with cracking once the concrete has dried. When this happens, the entire piece of concrete has to be removed and replaced. A concrete professional always measures accurately to avoid this situation.

5. Time and money savings.

Hiring a professional to do your concrete work may seem more expensive, but this isn’t the case. Your time is valuable and every minute you spend on your concrete project takes away from other things you need to do. If you make a mistake or you don’t plan well, you’re not only out all that time, but also the money you spent. And in the end, you may need to call in a pro to fix it, adding to the costs you’ve already incurred.

Before you undertake any concrete work, consider your skill level, your experience working with concrete, and the type of project that you want to accomplish. If you want to save time and money and get the best possible results, it’s advisable to call in a professional. Contact us if you have any questions about a project that needs to be completed. We’re always happy to help.

The post Five Reasons To Hire A Pro To Do Your Concrete Work appeared first on Verblio.

Window Cleaning Solvent

First of all, let’s dispel the myth that you need to buy an expensive window washing spray to get your windows really clean. The fact is, you can actually make a window cleaner better than anything you can buy. Simply follow the recipe below to prepare your own powerful and streak-free cleaner.

• Start with a clean spray bottle. You can purchase an inexpensive spray bottle at a local discount store for a couple dollars. Alternatively, recycle an empty window cleaner bottle (you can’t beat free!). As long as it’s clean, it works.

• Use isopropyl rubbing alcohol. This key ingredient helps the windows dry quickly, which helps reduce streaking.

• Use dish detergent. Just a drop or two is all that’s needed to break the surface tension of the water and get between the dirt and the window.

• Use white vinegar. Not only is vinegar good on salads, it’s also excellent on windows. This is where the true cleaning power of your window washing solution is going to come from.

• Use distilled water. You can use tap water, but using distilled water will prevent any buildup of minerals. Using distilled water will also help keep your windows cleaner for longer.

Now that you have your ingredients together:

Mix your ingredients.You’ll want to add just a drop or two of the dish detergent to your spray bottle, but no more. Next, add about a teaspoon or so of the rubbing alcohol. Be sure to do this away from any open flame and never while smoking.

Next, add about half a cup of the white vinegar, then fill the rest of your bottle with the distilled water. Replace the spray cap and shake the bottle vigorously until it’s mixed. If you like, you could even add a drop or two of blue food coloring to make it look just like store-bought window cleaner.

Clean the Windows

The best way to avoid the lint left behind from using paper towels or rags, is to use newspaper or coffee filters for a lint-free shine. Although newspaper may leave a little of the ink on your hands, it’s easy to wash off when you’re finished. Plus, as an added bonus, you’ll be recycling.

You should perform a thorough interior window cleaning at least once every season. It’s a good idea, though, to touch up your windows in-between cleanings. For that, use a clean and dry chalkboard eraser. It does an amazing job of removing lint and dust.

All in all, washing windows is not as hard as most people think. These simple tips and tricks from the pros will help you get it done so you can get back to doing the things you really enjoy.

As you’re cleaning your windows, you may notice that some may be in need of repair or replacement this season. Contact us for a free estimate. One of our professionals will be happy to help you.

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