This week Tried & True Services completed a double bathroom remodel in Naperville, IL. We were approached by our customers a few months ago wanting to remodel their master and hall bathrooms. As we discussed the details of the project it was decided that we tackle bathrooms at the same time. The customer had an additional full bath in their basement as well as a powder room on the first floor, so they would not be without during the process. It also helped that they would be on vacation for the first week.

This brings up a great topic when deciding on how to schedule your next remodeling project. How to operate my household around the space being renovated?

Some things to remember when remodeling your kitchen, bathroom or just having some rooms painted:

1) Where will you put all the furniture from the project space? Do you need a storage pod?

2) What items do you need to have access to during the project?

3) Can you live in the home during the renovation?

4) Do you or your family members have allergies? If so, it's a good idea to have an air filtration system running in the room that they will be sleeping in.

5) If you are staying in your house during the project, are you or any of your family sensitive to chemicals? Off gassing is a major concern during, however if your contractor is using Low or No VOC products then the risks are minimal.

Just remember that it is hard to plan for every scenario, but taking a few moments to consider how the project will effect your everyday life will dramatically decrease the stress of the project. It will also prepare you and your family for what is to come and how life might be during your next home improvement project.

The Most BANG for your BUCK$

Today I had a surprise invite to a potential clients home to look over a few projects. One project was a Master Bath Remodeling project. They have a very nice size master bedroom and as well as master bath. The house is 20 years old and the bath has never been updated. Their kitchen was remodeled a few years ago and most recently a nice facelift on the second floor guest bath.

As we discussed options and I learned more about their plans for the future, which included selling in a year or two, I realized they needed to keep a few things in mind when choosing how to progress with this remodel. One would be that they may not get everything that they want, because they need to consider what would appeal to a broad spectrum of prospective buyers. Second they would need to consider the best return on their investment. Why spend $15-$30K on a bathroom they only be able to enjoy for less than two years.

They were okay with the thought of sacrificing their wish list for what would appeal to a prospective buyer, however they were very surprised that the ROI (Return On Investment), was so low on bathroom remodels, which is on average around 65%. But with careful planning and deliberate choices we could help increase that number closer to 80-90%. We will discuss great ways to save time and money on your remodel and ones that will help get you the largest ROI.

1) What can you save and what needs to go? It is important to identify what will work with your new look and what needs to go. Do you need to replace the tile or will re-grouting do the trick? New cabinets or refacing. Ceramic versus Natural stone? There are so many nice looking ceramic tiles that look and feel similar to natural stone. Upon a close inspection it is easy to spot, but for an over all feel, they are a great way to add an updated look with out the price tag!

2) Will your contractor allow you to purchase the tile, cabinets and other fixtures direct? Contractors are hungry for work, and some will allow you to purchase your own materials. But make sure you understand that: a) They will not warranty the product and may have a limited warranty on their labor. b) You are responsible for making sure the items are on site when the contractor needs them. Any delays could cost you extra. c) The contractor is not making any money off of the materials you purchase so any unforeseen obstacles and or changes to the project rest solely on your shoulders.

3) Is there anything that you can do to help reduce the cost? There are a few areas in which you could do the work. One of those areas is the initial demo. I would not suggest that you do this unsupervised, but tearing out tile and drywall, pulling the sinks and cabinets could save you hundreds to thousands of dollars. You could also rent the dumpster and or haul the debris to the dump yourself. Most standards pickup trucks will hold 1000lbs of debris, which will cost any where from $50-$100 to dispose of.


4) Discounts, overstock and going out of business sales. Keep your eyes open for great deals. Planning is key to taking advantage of huge savings. If you know what you want, you will know what to look for when sales cross your path.


 

“What You Should Know Before Hiring Any Contractor!!!”

Roofing is Not Brain Surgery. There are many Wrong ways to roof a house. But…There is only…One “Right Way”, By Following All of the Manufacturers Specifications.

Over 90 % of All Roofs Done - DO NOT Qualify for the Manufacturers Long Term Warranty!!!

( According to studies by GAF Roofing Corp., Air Vent Inc., & Alcoa, etc… )

10 Tips On “What You Should Know Before Hiring Any Contractor!!!”

By: Ed the Roofer

1) RELIABILITY: Verify that the contractor you call has been in business in your area for At Least 10 Years. Over 85 % of all roofing contractors are out of business in less than 5 years, way before the warranty expires and before many roofing problems begin to show up and cause problems. 85 % of those remaining do not last till the 10th year. (Department of Labor Statistics)

2) INTERVIEW: Make time to meet with any contractor you call, in person, at your home to review the proposal and detailed specifications. Try to select a Knowledgeable, Organized, Experienced, and Locally Established contractor who will take a personal interest in your roofing project. Choose one who has an established track record of many similar roofing projects done in your local area. If they will farm out your roofing job to an unknown subcontractor, you should interview them as well.

3) REFERENCES: Insist on a minimum of at least 20 - 50 recent job references & also several from each year they say they were in business. Ask for customer testimonials. Drive past several of the jobs to check for proper venting, flashing details, and general appearance. Ask previous customers if they were satisfied and if they would use them again. Contact your local building inspector for verification. Be wary if all of the references are very recent. Check out their work from several years previous.

4) BUYER BEWARE: Be suspicious if any contractor requires you to get the roofing permit. The party who applies for the permit is responsible for building code compliance. What happens when the roofing specs do not conform to the local codes? Why won’t they be responsible for it? Also, Do Not Ever pay more than 50 % when paying a deposit.

5) ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER: Make sure that the contractor actually has a physical location that you can find if you need to locate them in the future, not just a mailbox etc., drop box. Do they have an actual office and material storage shop or just work out of the back of their pickup truck. Make sure they have an actual local telephone # and not just a cell phone. When problems occur, it is much easier to find someone if you already know how to, in advance. Check out his driver's license address.

6) LICENSE, INSURANCE AND BONDS: Insist on receiving a copy of the Contractors State of Illinois Roofing License, General Liability Insurance, Workers Compensation Insurance and their Roofing Bond. Don’t just assume they have it because they tell you so. They should have enough pride in themselves to include a copy for each customer.

7) PROPOSAL AND/OR CONTRACT: Insist on a very thorough and detailed written proposal and examine it for complete descriptions of the work and specifications, including approximate length of the job and payment procedures. Verbal agreements should be added to the written agreement. You MUST, by law, be advised in writing of your 3-Day “Right To Rescind” if you change your mind and receive all of your deposit money refunded to you.

8) EMPLOYEES OR SUB-CONTRACTORS: If your contractor farms out the job to a sub-contracting crew, they too must supply you with their Roofing License, General Liability and Workers Compensation Insurance and Roofing Bond. If they don’t and someone gets hurt, you may be liable. The sub-contractor should be interviewed as well. Dedicated trained experienced Employees are more desirable due to continuing training and experience rather than the lowest paid new start-up subcontractor.

9) CONTRACTOR TRADE ASSOCIATIONS: Quality control begins with dedication, the amount of proper knowledge and previous training from past projects and from advanced learning through many contractor trade associations. Memberships in any related trade association and certificates of completion from manufacturer’s product training classes authenticate the more dedicated professional.

10) USE YOUR NOGGIN: 85 % of all construction lawsuits involve roofing related problems. You only have one chance to make the “Right 1st Choice”. If one contractor tells you something extremely different than another contractor, then, either do your own research, or have the contractor provide documentation to justify and support his analysis, especially about Intake & Exhaust Ventilation, Plywood vs. OSB Particle Board, Ice & Water Shield & Flashings.

You need to be concerned with the initial price only once… But you are going to be  concerned about Quality…for many years to come!!!

Ed is the owner of:

Right Way Roofing Company

The Impact a tool can have!

It seems like there are new tools coming out every day. How are we to know what is a good buy and what is going to sit on the shelf laughing at us as it collects dust and rusts away. Tasks & Tools is here to help.

The question is what tool is the next to invest in? Let's first list a few tools that are must haves for home maintenance and repair.

Hand Tools:

• Set of screwdrivers (Philips, Flat and Torx)
• Set of Allen Keys (Great for putting together furniture and toys)
• Framing Hammer
• Tack Hammer
• Socket Set (Metric and Standard)
• Wrenches (Metric and Standard)
• 12' Tape Measure
• 25' Tape Measure
• Torpedo Level, 2' and 4' Level
• Pliers, Needle Nose Pliers and Channel Locks
• Diagonal Cutters, Tin Snips, Wire Strippers and Scissors
• Hand Saw, Coping Saw, Drywall Saw (Key Hole Saw) and Hack Saw

Power Tools:

• Circular Saw
• Jig Saw
• Corded 1/2" Drill
• Cordless Drill (Min 12v)
• Palm Sander
• Disc Sander
• Belt Sander

What next? How about a cordless impact drill? I know what you are thinking, they are too expensive, and I already have a cordless drill. Why do I need an impact drill?

The impact driver is one of the most valuable tools made today. A drill /driver is made to do two things, drill and drive. One of which does it well, and the other it gets the job done. An impact driver does one thing and it does it well, driving fasteners.

There are three factors that make it such a great additional to the home tool box, power, diversity and size.

The power, also known as torque, is double or even tripled in some impacts versus there drill counterparts. What does this mean to you? There is something called camming out. It simply refers to that annoying skip that our bits make when it falls out of the screw head and can strip the screw head. Camming out can happen when the bit is not in line with the fastener, not enough pressure is applied to the tool, or the screw has torqued out in the material it is being driven into. Impact drills use a cam system to create a hammer like action to assist in driving fasteners. This action reduces the amount of force needed by the operator to drive the fastener. This  also reduces the speed of the driver, thus reducing the amount of cam out that can occur.

Diversity is also a great benefit. Impact drivers allow you to drive anything from a #8 drywall screw to a 1/2" lag bolt in a variety of materials. Most drills do not have the power to drive this range of fasteners.

Impacts are also much smaller than drills. This allows you to drive fasteners in areas that drills just cannot go. How often have you only been able to get one hand in a confined space, but just couldn't get the drill in the space to get the fastener driven all of the way in. Impacts are small and easy to use with one hand in most applications.

You can pick up a good impact from any home improvement warehouse starting at $150. An impact driver and drill combo kit can save you several hundred dollars. You also will have two tools that run off of the same batteries. Choose one of the top brands such as DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Rigid or Bosch. These companies make their products to last. Most design them to be used by contractors, so they are built job site tough.

Also look for the new all in one impact/drill combo tool. There is a selector switch that allows one to choose drill or impact. It's the best of both worlds. The only issues that I see with this design is if your impact driver breaks, the drill goes along with it.

If you have more questions concerning impact drivers, visit your local tool dealer or home improvement warehouse.

Storage Space?

Well January is over, and before we know it, Spring will be here. With all the stuff that we got at Christmas and with the way things pile up throughout winter, it is time to think Spring Cleaning and Organization. Why do you want to spend the first warm days of Spring cleaning and organizing? Start today. Here are a few tips on getting started.

Inventory

What do you have? Begin by splitting your list up into three categories: "REGULAR USE"; "SEASONAL USE" and "I didn't know that I had that?"

• "REGULAR USE" is anything that you use on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. These items need to be readily available. So you will want to organize these items last.

• "SEASONAL USE" are items that you bring out for the holidays, seasonal sports, and other annual activities. These items need to be stored out of the way, but organized and accessible. You don't want to have to move a thousands boxes to get at the Christmas decorations every year, but you also don't want to look at them in July.

• "I didn't know that I had that?": And the last category are the items that you forgot you had but you are not sure what to do with them.

Organize

Once everything is separated into categories its time to organize. This is the most difficult part of the process.

• First: Go through the "I didn't know that I had that?" pile and begin to remove your clutter. Separate these into two categories: "KEEP" and "DON'T KEEP".
• Second: Take the "DON'T KEEP" items and determine if each items is in good enough shape to donate to a local charity or needs to head to the dump or recycling center.
• Third: Take your "KEEP" items and sort them out into "REGULAR USE" and "SEASONAL USE"
• Lastly: Organize your "REGULAR USE" and "SEASONAL USE" items into categories such as:

• Outdoor
• Fun
• Work

• Indoor
• Fun
• Work

And in each category further separate as needed. You may want to separate your seasonal items into the four seasons. (If you are lucky enough to have four seasons.)

Storage

This is my favorite part of the process. It is where you will begin to see the most progress and finally see the end.

You now need to ask yourself where am I going to store all of these items. My advice is to first exam your home and property for storage areas.

1. Attic
2. Basement
3. Closets
4. Garage
5. Shed or other Out Buildings
6. Public Storage
   

Each area will have unique storage characteristics which need to be considered when choosing a storage location. Here are a few tips and hazards to keep in mind;

1. Do not store items that are sensitive to high or low temperatures in areas that are not climate controlled. If you have a lot of Christmas candles, you do not want to store them in: the garage, attic, shed or non climate controlled public storage. Chemicals should be stored in the garage and or shed where there is a lot of ventilation.
2. Make sure that your attic is set up for storage. You do not want to disturb insulation or air flow in your attic. This can cause severe damage to your roof. Do not install boards or sheets of plywood that will compress your insulation.
3. Consider a shed to store out of season items as well as your lawn maintenance equipment. This will free your garage from unnecessary clutter throughout the year and restore it to it's designed purpose.
4. Basements are a great storage location. You will want to make sure that you run a dehumidifier in humid climates in order to reduce the chance of mold and mildew on your storage items. 
5. Rubber and plastic storage bins are your friend. They are easy to stack and maneuver when trying to organize and utilize your storage space. Labeling is as easy as masking tape and a permanent marker. These containers will also help keep your items protected in case of a small flood or water damage.

I hope that this article has helped you in your quest to stay organized and clutter free.

Rob Estoll

Task and Tools Blog

Baby It's Cold Outside!

The temps are dropping fast! If you didn't feel it a few weeks ago, you are well aware of the drafts in your home.

Energy loss is greatest at any opening in your exterior. This is why it is so important to hire a pro to install your doors and windows. They may make it look easy on TV, but believe me this is one DIY project that needs to stay in the DIY project book pages. One mistake, one single seem missed or left exposed, will completely negate all of the efforts to stop energy loss.

*If properly installed, you should never have to put plastic over your windows for the winter.

Air leaks generally come from the seal between the rough framing of the wall and the window or door frame. To check where the air leak is at, take a feather and slowly trace the window or door. Watch for the feather to blow in towards you. If the areas are anywhere in the window itself, contact a window  and door installation contractor and have them complete a thorough inspection of your windows and doors. If it is at the trim, there is DIY project that can stop the leaks by insulating with spray foam.

You will need a hammer, razor knife, 4-6" drywall mud knife, flat bar, and a pair of end nippers (pliers will do).

You first want to score the wall around the trim. This will cut any paint or caulk that is holding the trim to the wall and help prevent damage to the wall.

Now slide your 4-6" drywall knife under the trim at the corner. Line the center of the knife with the first nail and slide under until you hit the nail. Lift the handle prying the trim away from the wall. You will not remove the trim at this point. The purpose is to make enough space between the wall and trim to get the flat bar under the trim doing as little damage to the wall and trim as possible. Work your way around the trim until there is sufficient space to insert the flat bar.

Insert the flat bar at each nail using the 90 degree end of the flat bar. Use your drywall knife to protect the wall from damage by placing it between the wall and flat bar. Pry the trim evenly away from the wall, at each nail location, only lifting the trim about 1/2" at a time. Once you have gone around the trim 2-3 times, the trim should break loose from the wall fairly easy.

Now that the trim is down, pull the nails through the back of the trim. This may tear it up a bit, but the majority of the damage will be on the wall side.

Now that you have exposed the area around the door or window inspect for any signs of water penetration. If you see any mold stop and call a window and door contractor and have them complete a full inspection. 

In the case that all looks good, remove  any fiber insulation from the space between the rough framing of the wall and window frame. It is usually compacted into these spaces, loosing most of it's insulating value.

Now grab a can of DOOR & WINDOW spray foam and fill all gaps and cracks according to the instructions on the can. DO NOT USE ANYTHING BUT PRODUCTS MADE FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS. Using other products can cause damage to the door or window.

Once these areas have been sealed, wait for the foam to dry, cut off any excess with the drywall knife and nail the trim back into place. You will now need to caulk around the trim on all sides and paint. (Make sure that you use PAINTABLE caulk).

Chrismas Lighting Hassles

It is here! Halloween is behind us and will begin to make our behinds big. And now off to the next two major holidays. So where to start? First we need to remove the Halloween decorations and begin to plan our Christmas Lighting. The faster we can get them up, the better chance we can beat the nasty weather.


Where to begin? You really need to ask yourself how much do I want to tackle on my own. You have to ask yourself, "Do you want to light the house and greenery?"

Lighting the house takes a lot of time, planning and a little daredevil. Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your lighting display.

"Hon, I think we need new lights!"

1) Solid Color, Muli-Color, White, or a mix?

2) How many lights are you going to need?

3) Do you have enough power and are the outlets equipped to handle the load?

4) Do you have enough extension cords, surge protectors and timers?

5) Do you have ladders to get to the house?

6) Do you have clips to hang from the gutters and shingles?

Start off by determining how many lights you will need to complete your design. A couple of factor will come into play.

First, how many strings of lights can you put on each run? It is important to not mix and match different brands of lights. Some can connect 3, some 5 and others 8 strands end to end. This is why it is not recommended to blend different brands of lights in one run.

Second is where are my outlets in relation to my runs. You don't want to end up at the end of the house with no where to plug into. It is best to run your lights toward your power source. This doesn't mean that you have to run to the outlet, but if you do end up at the end of the house make sure you have planned to have an extension cord for that area of lights.

That brings up the third item, the longer the run, the more heat you will create in the wire. This will cause fuses to blow on the strands, more burned out bulbs and more heat at the outlet which can cause a fire.

Fourth, determine how many lights for each tree and shrub that you plan to cover. I am not a big fan of the nets, they look a little too manufactured. Small shrubs will take anywhere from 3-5 25' strands to cover. Medium Shrubs and small trees (saplings) will take 5-10 25' strands and larger to mature trees can take from 15-50 strands depending on how large the canopy has grown.

As far as power goes, every package has the amp rating. You need to add these up and make sure that the circuit you are using can handle the load. It is more than frustrating to setup your lights and have them work as long as someone doesn't run the vacuum or turn on the living room lights.

And last, but not least timers....hmmm...these can be a bit tricky. I found a great product this year. It is a 15 amp 3 outlet digital surge protector. You can run multiple runs from this one device.

In the end, if you have done enough planning, your Holiday lighting experience will be a lot less of a headache and you will have fewer issues through out the season. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!