Why Spring is the Best Time of Year for Remodeling

May 15, 2018 by ·

With the right construction company to help with your remodeling project, any time of year can be a good time of year for remodeling. However, remodeling professionals often find spring to be the start of their peak season and homeowners often see spring and early summer as the best time of year to start their remodeling projects.

It’s the season of spring cleaning, of refreshing and making improvements. Here are a few reasons why so many people find spring to be the best time of year for remodeling.

You’ve Lived With Your Home’s Flaws All Winter

Because of cooler temperatures, winter is the time of year that people tend to spend most indoors. Because you’re at home more often during the winter, you become more acquainted with all of the quirks of your home, both good or bad. It’s in winter that you’ll be most aware of that draft in the living room or how tired you are of the wallpaper in your home office. The holiday season may also make you painfully aware of a need for a larger kitchen or dining room.

Often throughout the winter, homeowners find themselves creating a checklist in their minds of ways that they can improve their homes. So when the snow melts and the sun comes out again, what better time than now to get started on those renovations?

The Weather is Warmer, But The Kids Are Still in School

While summer is still a popular season for home remodeling projects, homeowners may have to juggle with kids running around the house during the time of a remodeling project. This is another advantage that spring has when it comes to remodeling projects. The longer days and warmer weather are here, but the kids are still in school, which makes the remodeling go more smoothly overall. It will also make a nice surprise for the kids on the last day of remodeling to come home from school and see the finished project.

The Tax Returns Are In

It’s no secret: remodeling projects are no cheap. But if you’ve been in need of a remodel for some time, it might be worth the money spent to hire a professional contractor to remodel your kitchen, bathroom, deck, and so on and so forth. One way that the timing of spring is perfect is that it’s tax season, which means it’s time to get your tax return. People often prefer to use their tax returns on one big project or venture that they wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise — why not take care of your remodeling with this year’s tax return?

This spring, or any other time of year, Windham Construction can help you with any of your remodeling needs. We are a family owned company with over 20 years of experience in Brazos Valley. We handle anything from deck and sunroom installations to kitchen and bathroom remodeling to window installation and painting. Whatever your project might be, contact us today. Tell us what you’re looking to do in your home, and how we can help.

Filed Under: Home Remodel College Station TX, Remodeling, Tips ·

Tips for Finding the Right Remodeling Contractor

April 15, 2018 by ·

You don’t want to trust just anyone with a remodeling project. After all, this is going to be someone who tears apart at least one room in your house before putting it back together in a new, improved way. Misplace your trust and you could have a disaster on your hands. You need someone with experience, not just experience doing the job but experience providing customer satisfaction. But with so many contractors available how do you choose the right one?

Ask Your Friends and Family

Before you start perusing the yellow pages or prowling online directories, ask your friends and family for referrals. Did your sister recently have her kitchen remodeled? Do you have any friends in the real estate business who might know someone? Put a blanket request for recommendations out to your social media and see what responses you get. Not only will this save you time in searching for contractors and narrowing them down, but this way, you already have at least one trusted source vouching for them.

Do Your Research

Once you have a list of recommendations, look them up. Check out their website and go through their list of services as well as their story and their experience. You should also check review sites to make sure that everything they say about themselves on their website holds up. Some will be general review sites like Yelp, Better Business Bureau, or Google reviews, while others might be home improvement specific sites like Porch or Houzz. You want to find contractors with an A or A+ rating on BBB, and preferably a few awards that show they have a commitment to quality.

Do a Few Interviews

Have you narrowed down your list at all? Now it’s time to pick up the phone and conduct a few interviews. Have your questions in mind before you call. Your questions are up to you, but you should be able to describe the work you need done. Ask if your work is something they can do, if they have any references (whether from suppliers and financial institutions or past clients…or preferably both), how many projects they handle at once, if they work with subcontractors and how long they’ve worked with those subcontractors. Once you’ve talked to them on the phone and checked references, meet them in person to get a better idea of how they do business and what they can do for you.

Get a Quote

If you think you’ve decided, it’s time to get a quote. For your quote, the contractor will come out and visit the site, get a full idea of the work you need done, and present an estimated quote for materials and labor. Even if you still have a few options, this is the best time to get a quote, as the quote might be the deciding factor in who you want to go with. Keep in mind that the cheapest option is not always the best option. You don’t want to be overcharged but high quality work is worth paying for.

Sign the Contract

Once you’ve decided, it’s time for a contract to be drawn up and signed. By now, you’ve researched this company thoroughly and should be confident that you can trust them with your home for your remodeling. Congratulations!

If you’re looking for a remodeling contractor in Bryan-College Station, look no further than Windham Construction. With over 20 years of experience in the area, we take on a number of remodeling projects, both outside and in, and we’re committed to your satisfaction. Check out our reviews and contact us to set up a meeting or a quote.

Filed Under: Remodeling, Renovation, Tips ·

4 Reasons to Remodel

April 1, 2018 by ·

As we move further into spring, many homeowners are considering remodeling. Are you one of them? There are multiple reasons to remodel: it’s not always to fix an obvious problem. Sometimes remodeling simply reflects your new tastes or makes room for new changes in your life. Sometimes it’s just a way to be more comfortable in your home. Whatever your reason, a quality contractor can make the process comfortable and the finished work exactly what you dreamed of.

Here are a few of the most common reasons for remodeling:

The Old Room Doesn’t Work Anymore

If it is broke, fix it. This is the most obvious reason for remodeling. It could be that the room was damaged due to a flood, leak, fire, or other catastrophe. It could be that the setup or appliances in the room all desperately need updating. Or it could simply be that your tastes have changed over the years. Maybe blue used to be your favorite color, but now you’d love to have a yellow kitchen. Remember that you don’t need a “big reason” to remodel. If you feel it’s time for a change and the old room isn’t doing anything for you, change it.

Changes to the Family

In many cases when homeowners find they’re expecting a new addition to the family, it’s time for a room addition. However, it’s possible that you already have a room in your house that can be converted into a nursery. Maybe that home office or workout room never got used, or maybe a roommate moved out some time ago. Sometimes the change is just a matter of changing the furniture around, but to make the nursery really feel homey, a full remodel or at least paint job is a good idea. On the other hand, maybe your baby’s all grown up and ready to move out, and now you’re considering a number of options for their old room. Maybe now you need a workout room, or you’re thinking of installing a sunroom. There are a number of options which could call for a remodel.

Add Value to Your Home

Is it time to move? Maybe it’s not time yet but you know it will be before long. In that case, you may want to do some remodeling to make sure that your home is ready for the next family who lives there. Maybe the way it is now works for you and your family, but all new updates and current design trends will draw the eye of potential buyers and help you raise your home value.

Eco-Friendly Updates

Trying to go green? Remodeling with low maintenance materials that have low toxicology impacts can help. You can have energy efficient windows installed or switch to something like recycled glass tiles in your kitchen or bathroom. Eco-friendly updates not only help you reduce your carbon footprint but boost value to your home. Just remember to recycle old appliances like toilets, sinks, and light fixtures. This way they won’t end up in a landfill, and organizations like Habitat for Humanity will always be willing to make use of them.

Whatever your reason for a remodel, trust Windham Construction in Brazos Valley and our 20 years of experience. We can help you with energy efficient updates and quality finishes for remodels both inside and out. Contact us today for more information.

Filed Under: Remodeling, Renovation ·

3 Ways to Prepare for Your Remodeling Consultation

March 15, 2018 by ·

When you’re in need of general remodeling, you’ll first have to schedule a consultation with the construction company. Most contractors offer this consultation for free in order to get an idea of what you need and what they can offer before making any commitments. In this consultation, you’ll discuss cost, the work, and the contractor’s certifications that enable them to take on the project. But between the time the consultation is scheduled and the time it takes place, you’ll need to do some preparation yourself. Here are a few tips to prepare for your remodeling consultation.

Plot out an Informed Budget

Before the consultant arrives, have an idea of what you can afford. You may research costs of similar remodeling projects in your area so as to be better informed. It may be wise to set a budget for slightly lower than you can comfortably afford, so that if throughout the course of the project you have to go a little over budget, you won’t break the bank in doing so. Even with a skilled professional, often in remodeling projects it’s best to expect the unexpected.

Brainstorm Design Ideas

Knowing that you need remodeling work done is not the same as knowing exactly what you want for your remodeling work. Of course, your remodeling contractors are the professionals, but they’re not mind readers. You should still be able to present an idea to them during the consultation of what you’d like. Many homeowners will cut out excerpts from design magazines or even create a Pinterest board to give the consultant an idea of the look they want. These design ideas should tie into your budget so make sure you have an idea of what they cost. If you have a tight budget, you may not be able to afford marble countertops or high tech kitchen sinks. Be imaginative, but be practical, too.

Research the Construction Company

And of course, you want to do your homework on the construction company before you make a final decision to hire them for your remodeling project. Most of this research, such as looking up customer reviews and perusing their website, should be done before you schedule a consultation, but you can continue to research the company after that point as well. How much experience do they have in your area? What’s their BBB rating? Are they insured and bonded? Think of a list of questions to ask the consultant on the day of the consultation. Write them down so you won’t forget anything.

Windham Construction has been providing construction work, including general remodeling, to Brazos Valley and the surrounding areas for over 20 years. We’d love to set up a free consultation to discuss your next remodeling project and what we can do to help. Contact us today for more information.

Filed Under: Remodeling, Renovation, Tips ·

Tips for Surviving a Winter Interior Paint Job

February 16, 2018 by ·

No one likes living with paint fumes at any time of year, but when you have interior painting done in winter, they can be especially challenging. During winter, we go out less, and open the windows far less. That means the air can become stale and strong scents from paint fumes hang in the air for longer. During winter, you may also have less excuse to go out, which means you could be home for most of the work.

But if you can stand it, there are advantages to having painting jobs done in winter. You may be able to take advantage of sales and discounts offered during winter because demand is lower. You’ll have more freedom when it comes to scheduling and your pick of the right painting professionals. Even the challenges can be avoided or lessened with these tips.

Get Rid of Wall Condensation

If you have a problem with wall condensation, or damp forming on the interior walls during winter, you need to take care of that before painters arrive. Walls need to be dry before paint is applied or you may have issues getting it to stick or dry. Wall condensation is difficult to avoid without adding insulation to your home or ventilating (which is typically less than ideal in cold weather), but you can keep it to a minimum by turning on vent fans in the kitchen or bathroom and leaving space between the furniture and the wall so air can circulate along the wall. If it’s a persistent problem, you may want to have your HVAC or insulation problems sorted out before you schedule the painters to come in.

The Earlier, the Better

When you schedule a time to start the job, aim as early as possible. Of course, when you hire professionals to do the job, they typically prefer to work during the day, but when it comes to painting in winter, the earlier you start the better. Days tend to be short in winter, and you need as much light as possible for painting. If the bulk of the job is done in the morning and early afternoon, too, you may have more opportunity to get away from the house and the fumes that come with the paint job.

Break out the Fans

Vent fans, standing fans, even hand fans will come in handy here. Using fans will not only help the walls to dry more quickly, but move offer relief from the paint fumes so you can breathe easily in your home while waiting for it to dry. If you can, get away from the house for a bit, or just step outside to take in some fresh air before going back to the site. Give yourself plenty of opportunity to breathe in some air that doesn’t smell like paint while the professionals do what they do best.

Having interior paint jobs done in winter can have pros and cons, but as with most things, a professional team will make the process easier. At Windham Construction, we have over 20 years of experience serving Brazos Valley with a number of home remodeling projects, including painting. We can offer tips and materials that will make breathing through your winter paint job more bearable, and even put up paint samples to help you choose the right color. Give us a call at 979-324-8596 for more information or a free quote.

Filed Under: DIY, Remodeling, Tips ·
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