Walls and ceilings are usually part of a Seattle remodeling project of any size.  Both walls and ceilings have the potential to have, finish trim, electrical devices and plumbing fixtures so choosing the appropriate finish materials for the room is important when planning your Seattle remodeling project.  In other words, having painted drywall walls and painted drywall ceiling with wood box beams in a shower isn’t a good idea and if your Seattle remodeling contractor suggests otherwise, it’s time to re-evaluate.  I’ll go over drywall finishes first.

Seattle Remodeling Contractors – Drywall finish levels.

There are 6 levels of drywall finish.  Out of levels 0-5, only 2-5 really get used in practice.  Level 2 is what most remodeling contractors call “fire taped”.  The drywall is basically unfinished but has been taped at all it joints and fasteners have been covered.  This level is usually used in remodeling a garage, mechanical room or where the fire rating of the wall needs the assembly but the drywall will not be the visible finished material.  Level 3 is us textured drywall.  The drywall is finished to a level where there are still imperfections that are visible.  Then the drywall is then textured which hides the imperfections.  Level 4 and 5 finishes are both for smooth wall applications.  Level 4 is a fairly flawless finish but does not treat the entire surface of the drywall where level 5 coats the entire surface of the drywall making it more appropriate for high sheen paints or other finishes.  Level 4 is the most common when looking at a smooth drywall finish in a home.   Most Seattle remodeling contractors will match the existing drywall finish unless it’s all new or will all be demolished.  So the wall or ceiling paint or coating determines the level of drywall finish and the level of drywall finish affects the cost.  Thus it is helpful to let your Seattle remodeling contractor know the finished look for each room to be able to get real pricing.  More on walls and ceilings next week.

More on Tile for Seattle Remodeling

Aside from the uses of tile in the best remodeling projects, described in my last post, the category also includes pavers.  Pavers are typically used in home remodeling projects in exterior applications ranging from a driveway or walkway to a covering on a waterproof deck.  When pavers are used in applications that will require them to stand up to being driven on the best remodeling companies will mortar set them  on a sub grade slab.  If the application is for a walkway that will only be foot traffic the pavers are typically set on a bed of crushed rock and sand.  Regardless of the application the underlying surface preparation is important to the paver system performing well over a long period of time and the best remodeling contractors will provide the appropriate base material.   Pavers for this type of applications come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors.

 Another popular way to use pavers is as a walking surface over a waterproof deck.  These systems are usually referred to as a “pedestal paver” system.  Waterproof decks have slope built into the surface to guide water to a drain, gutter or scupper.  Side note:  We’ve seen many waterproof decks built flat or with reverse slope.  In that case hiring a remodeling contractor will be a requirement to correct that condition.  The pedestal paver system has the ability to make the walking surface over the sloped surface flat and level.  Of course this needs to be planned ahead of time so there is enough depth to accommodate the minimum thickness of the pedestals and pavers.  Another important detail is making sure the waterproofing element for the deck is appropriate to implement a pedestal paver system.  The best home remodeling contractors will take all of these factors into account when putting the right system together for you.  The pavers for this type of application are typically square or rectangular and come in various colors and thicknesses. 

As I wrote in my earlier post, finishes are the aspects of your project that propel it from just a remodeling project to the best remodeling project for you and your family or business. There are a multitude of finishes from counter tops to wall coverings. Just figuring out where to start is difficult. So I’ll start with tile.
Tile includes: Ceramic tile, glass tile, cut natural stone tile and pavers. Tile can be used in many different ways and on many different surfaces. It gets used as flooring, wall covering, shower and bath surrounds, ceilings and countertops. Tile comes in many different sizes, shapes and thicknesses, from small mosaic to large format tiles. The huge variety of tile in the marketplace can make tile selection a difficult process. However the best remodeling contractors make these selections gel together seamlessly.
Tile flooring: Tile selected for a kitchen floor will likely be different than a tile selected for a shower floor. Shower floors require tile’s ability to withstand a wet environment and also require a non-slip surface. This is why smaller tiles with larger grout lines are usually used for flooring in wet areas and the best remodeling contractors will guide you in this direction. In a kitchen or dining room where tile is selected as the flooring, anything goes. However you wouldn’t want your kitchen floor to look like your shower so it’s typical to have a larger format tile with smaller grout lines. Ceramic tile is the most economical tile with the exception of hand-made ceramic tile which can be quite expensive. Glass tile and natural stone tile are more expensive tile options. Natural stone tile varies in cost with the availability or scarcity of the natural stone and how far away it is imported from. Not all tiles are appropriate for flooring and you should always check to make sure the tile you are selecting is appropriate for that use. The best remodeling contractors will be able to get the answers you need when navigating the sea of tile available. When you start looking at tiles and then get into accenting areas of the floor the choices are almost endless. I highly recommend getting some design help from a good retail tile gallery or a designer to help narrow things down.
It has become very popular to heat tile flooring and I can vouch for its benefits. We have it in our bathroom here in Seattle and love to walk onto the floor in the winter and feel the warmth radiating up into our feet. We’ve installed heated shower pans but I am not sure I would personally appreciate the benefit of that. The best remodeling contractors will be able to give you the pros and cons when discussing your tile flooring needs and wants.
More on tile next week. See you then.

Seattle Remodeling and New Home Building - Finishes

I'm not going to stick to this list exclusively because I'll be including items that are not in the CSI list  like cabinetry, counter tops, plumbing, and electrical finishes.

I've decided to start a series of weblog articles dealing with interior finishes. What are finishes in a home remodeling or addition project? Well according to CSI or the "Construction Specification Institute" finishes are as follows:

Metal Support Assemblies	Plaster and Gypsum Board
Tile	Terazzo
Ceilings	Flooring
Wall Finishes	Acoustical Treatment
Paints and Coatings

 
The reason I have decided to start this series is because these things are what you see and feel when you start to live in your new custom builder home or newly done quality remodel. There's a ton of choices within each finish item and trying to balance function, with cost and maintain a coherent design aesthetic can be overwhelming. It was one time that when a person got architectural designs for a home remodeling project most, if not all, of the finish selections were planned in advance with the help of the architect interior designer. For whatever reason, this is not the norm anymore. Increasingly people are getting bare bones "permit drawings" without any specifications and taking on the daunting task of making the most important selections with regards to the done look of your home remodeling project. Not to mention the finishes make up a large part of the general home remodeling or new custom home builder construction budget. So stay tuned for every week updates on this topic.

Quality Home Remodeling with Universal Design

I was recently contacted by a woman who was desperate to upgrade her aging parent’s home.  Her initial idea was to simply replace the flooring and gut and remodel the master bathroom.  After visiting with her and her parents it became apparent that what she really wanted was a nice place for her parents to grow old that would be comfortable and safe.  They didn’t have the money to do a quality home remodel for the entire house but wanted to start with the master bedroom and then maybe do a kitchen remodel the following year.  The Bellevue, WA rambler with a basement lended itself to an “aging in place home”, for an older couple, given some fairly minor renovations.  The entry had two concrete steps and a pair of three foot doors.  So converting the entry steps into a ramp would be easy and the existing entry door provided ample room for a wheelchair or other mobility assistance.  The first thing that the bedroom would need remodeled is to widen the door from a standard 30” door to a 36” door for greater accessibility.  The existing bathroom layout was woefully lacking.  It was 9’ across by 6’ wide with a shower on one end, a toilet on the other and a vanity in between.  There wasn’t enough room to change your mind let alone turn around in a wheelchair.  The only way to create an accessible bathroom was to borrow some space from the adjacent closets.  This extra space made it possible to layout the bathroom with proper clearances to allow for wheelchair and walker access.  Then it’s just a matter of installing accessible fixtures like a curb-less shower, accessible vanity and toilet.  The flooring selected should provide good grip like a smaller tile with wider sanded grout lines.  Grab bars should be installed in specific locations to allow greater safety and independence for the older couple.  This new bathroom might have the functionality of an institutional facility but it can still look elegant and project the sensibilities and tastes of the home owner.  Quality home remodeling with an eye on universal design isn’t just for older couples.  Everyone has grandparents or friends or relatives with special needs.  Quality home remodeling that uses universal design concepts will serve the owners for a longer time, potentially increase the resale value of the remodel due to more accessibility and ultimately provide a more comfortable living environment.

5 reason home improvement projects go bad

·       Poor planning – Weather you are hiring a home improvement contractor or a embarking on a home renovation project yourself, engaging in pre-construction planning is paramount to its success.  It’s important to understand all of the systems your remodeling project will impact so you can plan accordingly and not have the reactive strategy of “since we’re doing this now we might as well do that”.  With some careful planning you’ll save time and money in your home renovation project.

·       Bad Home Remodeling Contractor – If you are going to use a professional home remodeling company, avoiding poor planning is partially the contractor’s responsibility.  An experienced remodeling contractor will always assist you in completing the pre planning for your project.  Reputable contractors want your project to run as smoothly as possible so you will be happy and the contractor can make a profit.  If you know you don’t have a good grasp of what you want to accomplish with your home renovation project and the contractor you are talking with is willing to try and read your mind and start your project you should probably be talking to another contractor. 

·       Contracts or lack of – Contracts are an important part of getting home renovation work done.  Whether you are contracting out the entire project or portions of the project to trade contractors having a clear written contract that delineates the responsibilities of the parties involved can avoid messy disputes and costly delays.  Also changes are inevitable in home renovation projects.  Make sure the contract includes hourly rates so changes can be handled on a pre-determined cost basis.  More on contracts here http://www.keeverandassociates.com/seattle-contractors-more-than-just-nuts-and-bolts/

·       Sequencing – Home renovation and remodeling projects are if nothing else a carefully choreographed dance of craftsmen and materials.  Understanding the sequence of how homes are built is very important.  When things get done out of sequence there is a good chance you’ll either end up with a finished product you aren’t happy with or you’ll end up renovating your remodel.

·       Loose ends – Things don’t fix themselves.  It’s part and parcel with sequencing.  Complete step 1 before you move to step 2 etc.  Too often I see contractors or homeowners take the attitude that they’ll get to this or that later.  Well the reason it’s being left for later is because it’s a difficult problem that requires some time or research to resolve.  Get it figured out sooner than later because chances are it won’t get any easier down the road.

Tips for Hiring a Commercial General Contractor

How to Hire a Commercial Contractor

When hiring a Commercial Contractor it’s important to be selective. Whether you are the owner of a restaurant, an apartment complex, or a shopping mall, your building is the first thing visitors will see and it’s important to make sure that first impression is a good one.
Hiring a good Commercial Contractor is the first step in establishing your new business. Whether you are renovating an existing building or having an entirely new one built, a good Commercial Contractor will know how to approach it. But how do you find such a person?
Knowing what you want done will tell you a lot about what kind of professional you are looking for. A General Contractor is usually a safe bet because they are knowledgeable in both Residential and Commercial Contracting. Before hiring anyone though, there are certain things you should do.
Check for a website
A reputable Commercial Contractor or Contracting Company will have a website. This is important because a website will (or should) allow you to view pictures of the work they’ve done, read customer testimonials, and provide contact information. If you’re lucky, they will also have a profile page listing each team member’s specific specialties. This type of attention to detail shows that the company is professional and serious about their work.
Interview the Contractor
Your potential Commercial Contractor should be open to answering any questions you may have and should be able to supply examples of their work or direct you to their website where such examples can be seen.
Ask for references
Don’t be afraid to ask your Commercial Contractor for references. If you haven’t been able to view any customer testimonials online and have looked for online reviews but haven’t been able to find any, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask your Contractor to provide you with the names of people who can attest to their work.
Don’t settle for cheap
Finding a cheap deal is tempting but it may not be the best way to go. In the current economy Contractors across the country have lowered their prices so it really isn’t hard to find good work at fair prices. Always keep in mind that the price should match the work being done. If it sounds too good to be true, you may be dealing with a Contractor who will cut corners and you could end up with an unsafe building that doesn’t meet code. When it comes to the very foundation of your business (the building itself) your best bet is to find a Commercial Contractor with reasonable prices and happy past customers.
Keever & Associates Seattle Contractors are happy to assist clients with their Residential and Commercial Contractor needs in Seattle, WA and throughout King County.