Residential-Commercial Remodel-Miami,Florida

In the beginning

This remodeling project in southwest Miami Florida, consisted a changing an open air car port into an enclosed garage. The project seemed simple enough being small by comparison to some of the others we had undertaken. In actuality it should have been a fast-moving project. However our electrician encountered labor shortage which took more than a week to correct. This and a few other problems put us behind in our anticipated project completion date. There were one or two other little hiccups that happened.

New concrete beams and columns

It turned out that there was still an open permit left over from the Hurricane Andrew event that the director of building and zoning wanted corrected. Since we were at the time the contractor of record for this little project it left to us to comply. The other aspect of this project was that the roof was to remain in place while all of the existing supports for roof were to be removed. This slowed the progress somewhat. 

The next few photos I have included in illustration of the difficulties of erecting forms, placing steel, pouring and finishing concrete with an existing roof remaining in place. Very tight quarters here and very difficult to achieve the desired finished product. As you can easily see all or most of the processes one would normally expect to encounter in conventional construction will also be required in any project large or small. The issues with smaller projects become available working room and the efficient flow of tasks one to the other. Any interruption of flow combined with confined working space will result in a poor time of completion. But we did it.

Form work for the new concrete columns and soffit beam

In this photo you can see the the difficulty of forming and then pouring and finishing the concrete. Remember the all the existing supports for the existing roof have been removed and the roof is being supported by “kip scaffolding”. What you are looking at here are the new columns and the twenty foot long soffit beam. 

Soffit (from French soffite, formed as a ceiling; directly from suffictus for suffixus, Latin suffigere, to fix underneath), in architecture, describes the underside of any construction element. Examples of soffits include: the underside of an arch or architrave (whether supported by piers or columns),

• the underside of a flight of stairs, under the classical entablature,
• the underside of a projecting cornice, or side of chimney
• the underside of a ceiling to fill the space above the kitchen cabinets, at the corner of the ceiling and wall,
• the exposed undersurface of any exterior overhanging section of a roof eave.
• the wall into which loudspeakers are mounted in a recording studio.(from Wikipedia)

Installing the Masonry for New Concrete Block Walls

     

Concrete block work with new window openings

Lastly a photo of the finished job ready for the stucco finishes. Granted not a big project, but it has been my experience that small projects like this one can be more difficult than large projects, mostly because all of the work you see here is done with our own in-house personnel.

Concrete Work Is Completed, Ready For Stucco Finishes

When you’re thinking of selling your home, consideration should to be given to home improvements. By carefully evaluating certain improvement costs and the time to complete them, you the owner, can boost the market value of your home. So, for the notion that residence improvement will boost value, just before you sell your house consider a few strategic improvements. 

A few improvements that you might consider are such things as pressure washing a tile roof, pressure washing and painting the outside of the residence, interior painting, upgrading electric and plumbing fixtures and trim. While performing these things won’t break the bank, they will give the property a clean new look. I have heard real estate professionals refer to these things as “curb appeal”.  Curb appeal by house improvements will increase the marketability and market value of your home or property.  The profile of the house is the very first factor that the buyers will notice.

Although the following suggestions are more expensive than the cosmetic applications I mentioned above. There is ample support to the claim that home improvements increase worth. Here are some of the samples of returns for a few of the well-known house improvement projects: kitchen remodel (minor) is 125% in Connecticut; basement remodel is 98% in California; bathroom addition is 96% in Missouri; kitchen remodel (main) is 92% in Kentucky; bathroom remodel in Oregon is 90%; exterior paint in Pennsylvania is 90%; and master bedroom in Florida is 86%. These statistics to support the claim that residence improvement increase value are compiled from numerous published surveys, and these are primarily based on key cities within states. Read the rest of this entry »

In all remodeling projects one of the last and most important tasks is painting. Before the first brush stroke is applied, one should carefully consider what colors will be applied. The colors one uses will add the final touch to your remodeling project. Yet selecting the best color for the interior of your home or office is not an easy decision to make. The colors we choose can demonstrate our typical personality. For example, it seems that many have a tendency to love red, but, is the color red that corresponds to our personal preferences a fitting color for the interior of your home or office? Read the rest of this entry »

Are mortgage rates poised to rise high or remain at the same record low-level? This is the most common question that is asked by the prospective homeowners who are thinking of purchasing a new home in 2012. As the mortgage rates have inched up after hitting record low levels in 2012, a fresh credit crunch is in the making that will make the consumers and the prospective homeowners run for help. The main moves are in the form of tracker mortgages as the fixed rate mortgage rates are still low enough. Here are some mortgage moves that can ensure the best home loan in the year 2012. Check out some such tips to follow before applying for a home mortgage loan this New Year.

Study your credit report: The most important step that you have to take before you take the plunge into the mortgage bandwagon is to pull out a copy of your credit report. Good credit is the key to grabbing the best mortgage loan in the tight lending environment. As you’re entitled to get a free copy of your credit report from any of the credit reporting agencies, you should get one and check to see whether or not there are any negative listings that are dropping down your score. Study the reports, file a dispute and improve your score so that you can prove yourself to be creditworthy enough in front of your mortgage lender.

Check whether you’re prepared: There are some basic documents that you need to gather before you take out a loan from the mortgage servicers. You have to assemble your income tax statements, your monthly income stubs and all the bank statements. While you’re thinking of buying a new house and arranging your finances, you should start off with the assembling of the important documents so that you don’t delay the entire process due to your ignorance.

Determine your affordability: Before you take out a home loan, you should determine your home affordability so that you don’t end up taking out a loan that is beyond your means. As there are lots of other debt obligations that you have to pay in a month, you should make sure that the mortgage loan installments don’t make you default on all the other payments.

Time is the most important factor: Unless you’re aware of the big picture and know the current mortgage rates in the market, you’ll not be able to take the best steps that can help you save money on the loan. Wait for the right time to arrive and then you should lock in rates so as to be able to take out the most appropriate loan according to your needs and budget.

Comprehensive market research: Before settling on a particular loan, you should make a comprehensive market research so that you don’t choose a loan that is not in accordance with your needs. Get multiple quotes from multiple mortgage companies and select the one that offers you low-interest rates, low monthly payments and closing costs that are also affordable.

Therefore, when you want to grab a new home in 2012, prepare yourself to grab the best one by following the above mentioned points. Don’t forget to manage your personal finances while repaying the loan so that you don’t default on the loan and risk losing your dream home to a forced foreclosure.

With today’s tough economic climate, more people are in need of a helping hand to see them through. Unemployment has reached its highest level in recent years, and more companies are downsizing all the time. Yet, some are reluctant to apply for public benefits even when they’re truly in need, due to the stigma which is associated with such action. On the contrary, there is nothing shameful about asking for assistance during times of trouble. After all, helping out our fellow citizen is a foundational principle which has helped to make this country great. Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to battling black mold in the home, the best method of keeping it out of your home is to prevent it from occurring at all. In contrast to most molds, that happen naturally and are relatively harmless, black mold contains elements that are really harmful and sometimes even fatal toward pets and humans alike. The reader should understand that while black mold can be harmful to some people especially those with a respiratory condition, it has not been proven that it is harmful to everyone. Regardless, harmful or not, none of us want to allow it to propagate in our home.

Here are several techniques to treat and stop mold from occurring.

Black mold typically flourishes in areas we forget to check. These include basements, attics, storage rooms, laundry rooms, and other areas. It tends to flourish in wet, warm, dark areas and can grow on anything from carpet to furniture to drywall. It also lurks in ventilation systems as well as in perfectly obvious places, like bathroom tiles or refrigerators. It’s a good idea to have air conditioning duct systems in your home cleaned periodically. 

With numerous areas to consider, you might feel that being free of black mold in your home is impossible. By taking several preventive measures, you can lessen your chances of black mold flourishing in your home. Do you live in a climate that is naturally humid? Try adding some dehumidifiers to numerous rooms in your home to lower the level a bit. Not only will this make your home more comfortable, it will help to prevent mold from forming.

Make sure to clean up all stagnant water as soon as you see it. The obvious areas, to monitor are puddles on kitchen counters and on bathroom floors as well as the not so obvious areas, such as basements, attics, and other neglected spots. Because not all sources of stagnant water are messes we develop ourselves, you might consider devising a check list of possible areas where any mold black or other can grow. Check these areas periodically and when in doubt, have your home checked by a certified mold inspector. In the state of Florida you can find one by accessing the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation website (DPR).

Get water and mold removal services from Clifton mold removal.

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As one grows older the ability to do the everyday things in the home like cooking, bathing, the laundry and others become more difficult. This means that certain things in the home previously used to perform these daily necessities may need home renovations to allow for one’s reduced mobility. As a retired senior citizen the money required to make the modifications may be in short supply. There are a number of solutions to the problem one of which might be a “reverse mortgage”  because…

One of the greatest challenges you have to face when you retire is replacing the steady income you’ve become used to throughout your working life: namely, your paycheck. Most of us will have some kind of pension income, or can generate monies our 401(k) or any other investments; and, eventually, we are able to depend on at least some income from Social Security. But these various reasons for income might not be sufficient to fulfill our day-to-day needs.

In the event you’re cash-poor but house-rich, you might take benefit of a somewhat new program which has been approved through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), termed as a reverse mortgage. This can be a kind of loan that is available to seniors, which releases the equity in the borrower’s home in the lump sum or perhaps a group of payments. The lender can pay you, up front, for that equity you’ve accrued at home. You’ll not have to repay the credit until you move out of your home, or sell your house, or expire. Read the rest of this entry »