Practical information about building, remodeling, and renovating your home.
What you need to know before you start your construction project.
How much of the contract sum should you withhold from your contractor until your project is complete?
How do you get the leverage you need to ensure your project is finished per your contract?
In the contract with your contractor, you want to include a pre-determined amount of money to withhold (retainage) from the final payment, and here are the things you need to know to do that successfully…
5 minute read time... but worth every second!
Read MoreMany homeowners believe that once they have their building permit that they are locked into exactly what is shown on the drawings, but that isn’t the case and here’s why….
Read MoreIf you don’t have a road map of ALL of the projects you hope to accomplish, you could be headed for major pitfalls. This road map is your Master Plan, and every home owner with home improvement projects on the brain should have one.
Read MoreJoin the Small Practice and Residential Committee (SPARC) for an information packed overview of the design and construction process including budget and schedule, tips for hiring the right team, and how you and your architect can work together to make the most of any project.
https://www.aiaseattle.org/askanarchitect/
Read MoreInterested in your garage doubling as a shop, rental, or man cave? MANY people have gotten really excited about DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (DADUs). However, unless you are Daddy Warbucks, you should know this before you begin.
Read MoreEveryone has heard a horror story (or seven) about some poor homeowner who got screwed over by a contractor in varying degrees of severity. First, let me say that most contractors are not bad apples. However, as a homeowner you need to step up to the plate, do your homework, and trust your gut. While I am not equipped to help you with your gut, I can give you a list of required homework assignments......
Read MoreTo some of you, this topic might sound a bit random when compared to the other broader topics in my blogs. I select the subject matter based on the number of times I’m asked a particular question. I have not only heard this one over and over, but the fact that so many people are asking if they can add a second story means they don’t understand the process in the first place. You’ll see what I mean in a minute.
4 minute read time
Read MoreHOW TO SELECT YOUR CONTRACTOR:
I’m sure you’ve found some random articles online like, “The 5 questions you need to ask contractors”, or “The 3 things you need to look out for when selecting a contractor”. If not, you should go find some, as there are millions of them, and most of them are helpful. I want to focus on something else here....
Read time: 4 minutes
Read MoreNothing Says Fun Like Building Permits! Do you even need one? Unless you are building a fence, changing out your front door, or painting your house, you will need one of these two types of permits. However, I wouldn’t let the possibility of needing a full building permit deter you from doing the remodel that you want.
read time 4 minutes
Read MoreSeriously, how do you know how much of what type of space you need if you have rooms and rooms full of crap that you don’t even like? Before I remodeled my home, I went through every single item and got rid of enough useless stuff to make the VIP list at my local Goodwill Store. You should too.
Read MorePhasing is a lot like a puzzle with the exception that there is more than one way to put the pieces together. I know what you are thinking.... great... tell me something I don't know! Here's how to do it successfully so you can break up what would normally be an unattainable goal into smaller manageable pieces.
Read MoreIt has become the social norm to poo-poo images of beautiful, skinny, perfect looking women in magazines and belabor the point that the photos are ‘Photo-shopped’ and manipulated to look amazingly perfect. Why is it then that so many people see images of perfect Living Rooms overflowing with cookie cutter pillows that match the vases, which match the rug, that match the light fixture, and believe THAT is supposed to be the perfection to strive for?
Read MoreYou don’t know what a soffit is? You aren’t expected to have all of the answers or know the ‘lingo’ before you start your project, but you have to become familiar with it as your project progresses. Like anything, the more knowledgeable you are, the more successful your project will be.
Read time: 3 minutes
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