When your fence is starting to look haggard and worn, when the gate stops opening smoothly, or the posts are coming loose, don’t rush to replace the entire structure. Often an aging fence only needs a few repairs rather than an expensive replacement. On the other hand, if your fence is starting to break or rot, it won’t just be aesthetically displeasing—it could become a safety concern for your family. Observe your fence for signs that it needs a couple of simple repairs, or that it’s time to get a new fence in its place.

Fence Posts

Examine the quality of your fence posts to determine the state of your fence. If they are rotting or broken, it might be time to get a new fence. If there are only a few loose posts, the fence can be repaired. As long as two-thirds of the fence posts are still standing strong, a replacement is not yet worth the time and expense. Individual posts can be easily replaced.

The Gate

Next, take a hard look at the gate of your fence. If you see some problems with the hinges, you might need to start working on a replacement. Hinges that break or rot typically cannot be repaired. If the metal hinge itself is broken but the door portion is in good shape, the hinge can be replaced and the gate can be re-hung. If your gate is free of these problems, but you still have difficulty getting it to open or shut, some minor repairs are probably in order.

Fence Rails

If a couple rails on your fence have started sagging or curving, it is time to repair. If these compromised rails take up more than one-third of your fence, a replacement might be more practical. Loose or missing nails are also easy to repair, but once the rails start falling off or breaking, it is time to get a new fence or at least replace the most damaged parts.

Slats

Ideal slats should be straight and sturdy. Once a few slats start bending or sagging, they will need to be repaired. Individual slats can even be replaced altogether. This will leave portions of your fence a different color or shade than the rest but at the same time will solve your problem. If over one-third of your slats are broken or bending, it might be time to replace the entire fence.

Sumer rains, wind and constant exposure to the sun’s rays can really take a toll on your fence. While vinyl lasts longer than wood it will still need repairs eventually. The same goes for chain link. Keeping your fence in order is important. They provide privacy, a safe place for kids to play and can secure your four-legged friend for the afternoon. It doesn’t matter if you live in the suburbs of Orlando or in South Tampa; your fence is an important aspect of your property.

Sources:

How to Tell if you Need to Replace Your Fence (On Point Installation)

How to Replace an Old Fence (Ron Hazelton’s House Calls)

How to Repair a Wood Fence (TLC: A Discovery Company)

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Getting Your Garage Back

How do I Build a Patio?

Although it may appear insignificant at first, flooring is an important factor in restaurant operation. Many factors should be considered when researching your choices. Along with providing a safe surface for waiters and cooks to work on, a restaurant’s floor should also be durable, simple to clean, and aesthetically pleasing. Finding the right material that meets all your qualifications can become a challenging dilemma.

Safety

Choosing a safe flooring option for your restaurant can keep you out of messy lawsuits, protect your staff and customers, and keep your insurance rates low. Select a slip-resistant floor, such as rubber flooring or concrete with ridges, for your kitchen. The fast pace of this work environment does not need to be impeded by poor flooring. You can also purchase slip resistant tile.

Cleanliness

Make the evening cleaning routine simpler, while also winning higher scores when the health inspector visits by choosing a floor that’s easy to scrub down. Ceramic tile and rubber flooring will both clean up without hassle and resist stains from spilled food or drinks.

Durability

A restaurant’s floor endures a lot of foot traffic, table and chair movements, spills, and dropped plates. To prevent having to replace the floor regularly, choose a material that can withstand the tough environment of a busy restaurant. Some durable flooring options include:

· Ceramic tile

· Vinyl

· Epoxy

· Hardwood

Cost

All restaurant floors need to be replaced from time to time to keep the building looking fresh and inviting. Many beginning restaurant owners will want to invest in a flooring option that is inexpensive to install, repair, and replace. Concrete is a cost-efficient material that can also provide a lot of flexibility when it comes to design and appearance; just be sure that you are open to the industrial look. Vinyl is also a flooring option that provides a high-quality appearance without a steep price tag if you are going for shabby chic. Tile and hard wood cost more up front, but once you factor in longevity they aren’t as expensive as they might seem.

Appearance

Even the safest, strongest, and cheapest flooring option might not be right for your restaurant if it doesn’t match the decor. If you are striving to create a certain atmosphere in your restaurant, pick a floor that matches the right vibe. Tile and hard wood flooring is often used for upscale restaurants, while vinyl or concrete floors will fit well in a medium-priced restaurant with a homey vibe.

Going Green

If protecting the environment is a concern for you, choose a flooring option that reflects that. Ceramic tile, which does not include any petroleum, will ease your conscious and keep your restaurant eco-friendly.

Balancing price, durability and ambience is the main goal when choosing restaurant flooring. Don’t overdo it on any single category; look for the product that best meets your goals. If you need help installing or repairing commercial flooring, let us know. We can be your one-stop resource for locations throughout Central Florida. We have craftsmen ready to get the job done in Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota and beyond.

Sources:

Polished Concrete (Concrete Network)

Everlast Epoxy Flooring (Everlast Epoxy Systems)

Types of Flooring (Floor Ideas)

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How to Lay Tile

There are all kinds of investments and business ventures out there. Investing in property can be a very successful venture. If you choose to rent out the property before you sell it, you can increase your return significantly. You will certainly need to renovate a rental property at some point over its lifetime–if not directly after you buy it, then down the road as the wear and tear from tenants adds up.

When you decide to renovate a rental property, you want to focus on appealing to quality tenants. What we mean is tenants who are financially stable and will likely not put too much wear and tear on your property. For many landlords, this is a family. Appealing to families is not difficult; it just takes focus. Think about what rooms of the house are important to a reliable family.

Consider the Bathroom

The bathrooms are possibly the most used rooms in a home. Most rental properties that are sized for a family will have two bathrooms. Both should be appropriate for their intended users.

A well remodeled master bathroom will appeal to the parents (you know, the ones paying the rent). Don’t go overboard on cost, but do update the bathroom fixtures. Install a good sized tub for baths and two sinks. This will make the bathroom efficient while parents are getting ready for work and effective when mom wants to soak in a bath.

The kids need nice fixtures, but you can get away with spending less than you did on the master. You only need a single sink, a modern toilet and a shower/tub combo. Little kids like baths, so a shower stall simply will not do. Have a reputable handyman install or convert a new bathtub if needed. Otherwise ensure that the materials that you are using are nice so that you can appeal to a family with a reasonable income, but not so nice that you are throwing money away. After all, you do not live there.

As important as flooring and trim are, focusing on the areas of the house that matter to families is a good way to make a quality tenant put in a rental application with you. You can rent out houses or condos. Be aware that a condo will require a monthly fee in most cases—which raises your operating costs—but will require less maintenance down the road. Considering the current housing market, you can find deals on condos and houses in every area of Florida, whether you are looking at a foreclosure in Sarasota or a short sale in Bradenton.

Sources:

Remodeling Investment Properties? Aim for the Middle

How to Keep Tenants by Keeping Tenants Happy

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Save Some Money by Sprucing up Your Plumbing

Tired of Your Tub? Convert it

If you are sprucing up your driveway, don’t get hung up debating between pavers and concrete. Each method has many advantages and disadvantages, and depending on your lifestyle and location, the right choice should become obvious after some careful thought. While concrete will seem simpler and easier to implement, the aesthetic appeal of individual pavers might be the right look for you.

Mobility

If anyone in your family or close circle of friends has a disability, concrete will be probably be the best option. Its smooth surface will make your house more wheelchair accessible. Pavers will create a bumpy ride for anyone getting by on wheels.

Appearance

Pavers can transform even the plainest yards into a delicate picture. Before coming to a final decision, assess the importance you or your family members will place the appearance of your driveway. Aesthetic value can also help if you plan to sell your house in the future. Concrete will still look acceptable, but pavers can add an instant manicured touch to your curb appeal.

Maintenance Needs

How much time are you willing to devote to your driveway’s upkeep? If you’re looking for a low-maintenance gig, concrete is the way to go. The cracks in the pavers will attract plant life, creating a chronic need for pulling out the weeds.

Permanence

If you like to change things up on a regular basis, be wary of the permanence of a concrete driveway. Although the process is time intensive, you can easily uproot pavers and move them to wherever you want your driveway to lead. Future changes will not be out of the question.

In the end, the best driveway for you is the one that meets your budget and tastes. Both building materials will provide a great pathway from the street to your home and a suitable place to park. Both will also stand up to Florida rain, whether it is coming down in Orlando or Tampa. Having an idea of how you want your house to look and function is important before making any home renovation. You take the time to plan; we will help out with the home repair.

Sources:

Concrete Driveway Pavers vs. Poured Concrete Driveway (Do It Yourself)

All About Pavers (This Old House)

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Just as Clean With half the Elbow Grease

How Do I Build a Patio?

With the housing market offering some very favorable purchase prices around Florida, some people are considering investing in rental properties. If you have the right outlook, a solid plan and a partnership with a reliable handyman, this might be just the right way to build up your nest egg. If not, it might be a better idea to leave this form of income to those who are a little better suited.

The Right Outlook

• Know what you want- You can’t just jump into a rental property without knowing what you want to get out of it. Do you want profit every month from collecting rent, or are you willing to wait a decade while tenants pay your mortgage and then collect on resale? Knowing how you intend to make your money can make or break your landlord experience.
• Expect to do collections- Becoming a landlord will mean becoming a debt collector at some point. Not to say that every, or even most, people who rent will skip out on payments, but ask any experienced landlord and he will tell you that collecting overdue rent comes with the territory. Some will even tell you that security deposits are as much about insurance from unpaid rent, as they are about damaged drywall or stained carpet.
• Plan to address customer service- Your tenants will expect some level of service, not to mention that you will be legally obliged to provide it. If water pipes break on a holiday, the special occasion does not allow you to ignore the problem. You will also have to build lasting relationships with good tenants in order to maintain steady income. If this doesn’t sound like you, then being a landlord might not be your thing.

A Solid Plan

• Consider your finances- Do you know how much the house will actually cost you after expenses like taxes, insurance, repairs and improvements? (Note that the IRS differentiates repairs and improvements.) Are you aware that you can get a bank loan for a rental property but that the interest rate will surely be higher than the one associated with your residential mortgage? Do you have enough liquid assets—i.e. cash in the bank—to make unexpected repairs or cover your property taxes when they are due? Ask yourself these questions, then review some of the common write-offs—yes there are tax benefits to being a landlord—that the IRS details for you here.
• Length of ownership- Knowing how long you will own a property is instrumental in successful real estate investment. Planning to own a property for five years requires a different investment strategy than planning on owning the same parcel for 20 years. Length of ownership dictates how much you will spend on repairs/improvements, which ultimately influences what you will upgrade on the property. Keep in mind that the housing market is down everywhere from Tampa to Melbourne and the value of a property you buy in 2011 could drop by 2012 or 2013, as there is no assurance that the housing market has hit bottom. On the other hand, buying in a severely devalued market with a long-term plan could put your kids through college if that part of the state rebounds over the next 15 years.
• Details- You must know exactly how you intend to buy and then subsequently manage the property. Come up with a fixed spending limit for the purchase. Some landlords use basic calculation such as deciding on realistic rent for the property and then not paying more for the property plus immediate repairs than they can feasibly collect in six to eight years. Knowing what to expect monetarily will help you decide if a property that looks great on paper is really an investment lemon. You also must detail management issues such as amount of security deposits, whether and how you will do background checks (criminal and financial), a pet policy, who will represent you legally when an issue arises that goes to court, etc. If you are not a detail person, then investing in rental properties is probably not for you.

A Good Handyman

• Quality work- Unless you are a craftsman, and most people aren’t, you need someone who can make quality repairs and upgrades to the property. Getting a great deal on a property almost always means putting cash into it to make it rentable. Cheap houses have old plumbing, outdated cabinets and probably exterior issues like a need for new soffits and fascia. Building a relationship with a quality handyman is a necessary part of being a landlord.
• Reach- Many savvy landlords own properties in multiple cities because you buy property by value and not location. Maybe you own a single family home in Ft. Myers, a condo in Bradenton and a villa in Clearwater. If you know the right handyman, he will be able to make repairs and upgrades to all of your properties, saving you the hassle of tracking down three separate repair companies.
• Availability- This might be the best reason to go with a handyman and not a contractor. When a tree goes through the front windows of one of your properties, you don’t want to hear that your contractor took a bid elsewhere or that your independent fly-by-night repair guy does not want to work that week. Make sure that your service provider can have a handyman out to your property ASAP. Repairs jobs don’t follow a schedule, yet they must be addressed quickly.

Sources:

MSN Money

Investing in Rental Property

Internal Revenue Service

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Finishing Touches

Time for Floors: Laminate Verse Hardwood

Seal It Up

An old adage tells us that you only have one chance to make a first impression. When it comes to commercial properties, a first impression is often made by the entryway. The entrance to a business needs to be functional of course, but adding a design element to the mix can ensure that your customers are greeted by a storefront that both impresses and accommodates.

Think Function First

• Doors- You need to funnel traffic in and out of your doors correctly. Hopefully the builder put in large enough doors to accommodate your floor space. If not, or if you have taken over some neighboring space vacated by a closed business, you may need to remodel your entryway with larger doors. If you are in an older plaza and your customers regularly carry large items out of the building, you might want to consider automatic doors or at least ones that open and close easily. Don’t forget the aesthetics if you are switching out doors. Commercial entry doors come in a variety of styles in addition to a variety of sizes. Going for the cheapest door may save you some cash, but appearance-wise it will be just that…cheap.
• Cover- Naples thunderstorms can slow business down. Don’t hamper the customers who do come out in the rain by not providing cover for them over your entryway. Anything from a simple, yet clean looking, canvas awning to a full-on wooden covering will help keep your customers dry and dress up your storefront.
• Flooring- Even once you have added cover you will likely need to keep water in mind; after all it is Florida. Go for concrete or install slip-resistant tile. The tile will look better and help to keep customers from falling. This will free up traffic and help reduce your liability if a customer ever does become injured.

Don’t Forget Design

• Put your best foot forward- Your building probably already has at least one admirable characteristic. Don’t take this away when you remodel your commercial property. Any historical significance in the architecture should be emphasized, not covered up. Focus on replacing the “uglier” aspects for your entryway and use the aesthetically pleasing portions as a basis for your new design.
• Chic and durable- People associate commercial buildings with concrete, brick, stucco and other durable materials. If you are currently in a building that has deteriorating siding or wood, your customers might get the impression that your business is cheap at first glance. Don’t let material choice or lack of maintenance give customers the wrong idea; get someone out there to fix your building. At the very least replace siding with newer, cleaner more durable varieties. If you are in a mixed use property that is fine; siding may be a good option for the residential units upstairs, but choose something different for your entrance.
• Details- Detail work can really add to the aesthetics of your commercial property. Paint the trim of a storefront window a complementary color. It improves the look of your entry and can potentially attract peoples’ attention, i.e. they will look at the merchandise in your window. Don’t stop at window trim–paint rails and anything else that could use a little sprucing up. The only thing that you may want to avoid painting is brick or finished concrete; these building materials look good on their own. It should go without saying, but avoid loud or disorderly colors unless they somehow can be worked into the branding of your business.
• Announce yourself- Your sign is a necessary means of announcing your presence. It should also work with the theme of your entryway. Make sure it is visible (you might need more space than the landlord originally gave you. Bring this up now or wait until they want you to sign another lease) from multiple angles or at least from both ways that traffic travels on the street. Think about your logo and colors when you are choosing paint for your trim–everything should match so as to be visually appealing.

The point is to make sure that your storefront is presentable. A few commercial renovations might be the difference between an inviting storefront and one that makes customers take their business up the street.

Sources:

The Tile Doctor

Iowa Department of Transportation

City of Minneapolis

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Finishing Touches

Top Tips for Choosing a Contractor or Repair Man

We have made mention recently that the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University is predicting 2011 to be a big year for home renovations. The economy is on a slow but steady uptick, and the post-recession mentality has sobered us all up a bit. Instead of moving to another house we have decided that improving the one that we are in is a more feasible option. It is a logical move, especially in areas like Naples where housing prices tend to be a bit high.

This new state of mind is a good thing; it means we have a better grip on our finances and a more realistic view of how to use them. Taking into account that we are making better financial decisions, perhaps we should be considering home remodeling projects that can not only make us happier in our houses, but will have an economic impact as well.

Go Green

Energy in general is a big issue for everyone today. You can do your part to help the environment while making an investment in your home that will pay for itself in the long run. With some simple additions you can make improvements to your home that will save you money down the road.

• New thermostat- Air conditioning and heating are the biggest energy hogs in your house. A modern thermostat can help you maintain a more exact temperature. It can also be programmed to use less energy while you are not at home. Keeping the house a little cooler in the winter and warmer in summer will save you a lot over the year. You can do this by programming your thermostat to change the temperature while you are gone all day. You won’t have to remember to reset it during your morning rush; a modern thermostat will do it for you.
• Insulation- Insulation can be put in walls and in your attic. It keeps your house at a set temperature longer, by helping to block the temperature outside. Over time insulation wears thin and needs to be updated. A quick update can cut your utility bills down immediately.
• Weather stripping- Any opening in your house can let hot or cold air in. This means that doors and windows deserve special attention. The edges of these openings need to have an insulating material, called weather stripping, applied to all of their borders. Simply putting up weather stripping will have an immediate impact on your electric bill and will also be noticeable right away when you walk by a previously drafty door or window.

All of these improvements can have another financial effect. They will all take some of the workload off of your air conditioning unit, meaning that you will have to pay for fewer repairs and will experience a longer life for the unit.

Foodies’ Favorite Remodels

Kitchen remodels are increasingly popular projects. They can instantly add value to a home and will make it more desirable when you do eventually move to sell it. The National Association of Home Builders reports that a kitchen remodel adds more value to your home than any other project. For this reason, a kitchen remodel can be a good monetary move, as well as one that will make your house more functional.

• Cabinets and counters- These are arguably the biggest decision you have to make in your kitchen remodel. They will be the most expensive part and will dictate the overall look of your kitchen for years to come. Make sure to pick out cabinets that fit your budget without going too cheap. If you save a few dollars now, you will probably wish you had spent a bit more later. In the spirit of spending on these materials, make sure to choose countertops that are durable. You don’t have to go as far as marble if that is out of your budget, but remember that cheaper materials might mean having to pay to fix a countertop down the road after several years of basic use.
• Appliances- This is another area that can carry a hefty price tag. If you are happy with the look and the functionality of your current appliances you might want to keep them for a bit to get your money’s worth. If not, then do some comparison shopping. Pick out the appliances that meet your needs without going too far out of the box. If you have a three-bedroom house, you probably don’t need the largest capacity units available. Also, stainless steel looks clean–and is far easier to clean, but you can save a few bucks if you bypass it in favor of another finish. Mechanically the appliances from the same series are exactly the same; you are paying a premium for stainless steel plates to be bolted onto the front of the units.
• Flooring- Think durable, easy to clean, and neutral. Flooring should be able to stand up to the heavy traffic a kitchen endures. We suggest tile but do keep your personal tastes in mind, as they may differ from ours. (Obviously carpet is a horrible option here.) You also want something that can easily be wiped up and cleaned, so go for a darker color grout if you choose tile. When it comes to color, the floor needs to match the cabinets, but avoid going for a color that is too vibrant. Part of the value of a kitchen remodel is to appeal to future buyers, so don’t turn them off; you might love fuchsia but that doesn’t mean other people will.

Sources:

Joint Center for Housing Studies

Let’s Renovate

Remodeling My Space

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Finishing Touches

Seal It Up