Home Improvement Community

Martins Construction offers its full range of services and expertise for both major and minor home remodels.

Major Remodels:
Major remodels are considered radical structural and/or stylistic alterations. On these larger projects, Martins Construction provides comparable service to that of new home construction, including full-time supervision and daily visits by Robert Martins or one of his principals. Indeed, whether it be adding an entirely new space or reconfiguring an existing one, Martins Construction will take a hands-on approach to day-to-day construction, working closely with the decorators, architects and engineers to assure that additions and upgrades blend seamlessly into the existing structure.

Minor Remodels:
Minor remodels are considered slight to moderate structural and/or aesthetic alterations (i.e. new carpet, floors, paint, windows and doors, appliances and fixtures and minor space reconfiguration). In certain cases, the client may continue to live in his or her home during the entire construction process.

Although a minor remodel is less challenging for a builder, Martins Construction recognizes that the decisions a client must make -- in regard to decoration and utility -- are not any easier. Regardless of scope, Martins Construction is committed to helping its clients realize their unique visions. Depending on the client's need and budget, full or part-time supervision is available for minor remodels.

http://www.MartinsConstruction.org

Many people ask why use a general contractor, or why do I need a general contractor to do work on my property. If you are just doing small projects around the house, you might not need a contractor. It's when you are working on several projects at the same time that a General contractor comeuseful.

If you are just changing an air conditioning unit, or just paiting then you might not need the service of a general contractor. It's when you are removing and replacing drywall, installing an AC unit, removing and replacing flooring that the services of a genereal contractor comes in handy. a contractor bring all these services together and manages the project from start to finish. In most states contractor have to be licensed and insured.

A licensed and insured general contractor also protects your peropty and interests; let's say you hire an unlicensed worker to install tiles on your house, then slips and falls. You as the property owner is responsible and liable for his injuries, as when you have a general contractor the responsibility and liability rests on the contractor or their insurance.

Normally most real estate investors require the service of a general contractor, this is for several reason. The contractor provides insurance for the workers, and since most real estate investors make numerous repairs on their properties, the contractor provides for quicker return on their money. In many states when the property is purchased by a corporation or company, a general contractor is required to pull any permits for work.

So, why us a general contractor? You might need a general contractor if you are doing several projects on your property, own an investment property or just don't want to assume the liability or responsibilities associated with hiring workers directly.

When choosing a Contractor, it is important to know as much as you can about the contractor’s qualifications, experience and reliability. These are just a few of the questions you should ask when choosing a contractor for your Home Improvement or home repair project.

Is the contractor licensed in your state/county/city?

Depending on where your live, some states require contractors to have a license while others will accept trade organization membership, job experience and education credits in lieu of a license. If the contractor is licensed, you can verify their credentials by calling your state licensing board, or visiting the state's website. Licensing requirements for licensing also vary from state to state, so it may be helpful to know whether the contractor was required to pass a licensing exam, or simply pay a fee for the contractors license.

Is the contractor a member of any professional trade organizations?

If the contractor is a member of a professioanl trade organization, you can verify that the membership is in good standing. Membership in a professional trade organization is often a sign that the business is well established and stays informed of current trends within the industry.

Is the contractor well insured?

Most states require contractors to maintain certain insurance levels as a condition of the license, and you can often view insurance information on the state’s website (in the same place you verify the contractor’s license information). You should verify that the contractor has at least general liability coverage (property and injury), workmen’s compensation coverage, and automobile coverage. This will prevent lisability on your end (remember if a contractror is not insured, you could be risking a claim against your property insurance or yourself!)

Is the contractor familiar with current building code requirements?

Building code change by jusrisdiction. The contractor should be familiar with building code requirements for your area, and should know what permits will be required. Any contractor that doesn’t seem to know the current building codes and permit requirements should be avoided, especially if the contractor suggests shortcuts or other methods of circumventing the permit system. You might be saving money now, but it will cost you more on the long term!

Does the contractor have references and a portfolio of previous work?

Contacting previous customers is a great way to verify the reliability of the contractor and the quality of work that you can expect. Also, a portfolio of previous jobs with detailed photos can help you see the quality of work that the contractor is capable of doing. Search for your contractors profile and you can view their protfolio of previous projects, this will give you a decent idea of they work they perfrom.

How long has the contractor been in business?

A contractor that has been in business for several years will generally be more stable, with less risk of sub-standard work or leaving a job unfinished. It can also be helpful to verify the contractor’s financial standing via a bank reference, to insure the contractor will have the means to pay for supplies and materials.

The answers to these questions will be a good start towards finding a qualified contractor to help you with your home repair or home improvement project. If you take the time to find the most qualified contractor, the end result will be worth the extra effort. With so many contractors offering their services these days, homeowners can be discriminatory and demanding, and they don’t have to settle for any contractor that isn’t up to par.

So you want to design your future homes and you should designing your future home is a very exciting experience. It is also a very stressful time as you have lots of decisions to make and questions that you need to be answered. One of the most important decisions you have to make is the hiring of an architect.

Not all architectural firms are the same. Each firm has their own methods of creating design plans. As well, the services that different Architects offer will vary. When choosing an architect, you have to make sure it is the right architect that meets your design needs.

Here is a list of questions to ask the architect and suggestions for hiring an architect to design your future home:

1. What size and type of projects do you design? Most designing firms have a particual niche they work on. They will often specialize on certain size or style of properties. Some only work on residential and other only do commercial. It's best to choose someone who has your same ideas and has designed plans much like what you are looking for in your home.

2. What is the architect’s education and experience? Inquire about past clients, what school the architect attended, and if he or she won any awards. Their experience is also important, What have they worked on in the past?

3. Is the architect licensed? In order to be allowed to work in a particular state, an architect must be licensed in that state. They can also have the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards Certificate (NCARB.)

4. Does the architect have design samples? It is important to look at design samples to assess the quality of work the architect has desgnied in the past. This will also give you an idea as to his style of design. You want to make sure you like the designs and style they have created in the past.

5. Does the architect have insurance? Every professional architect will have insurance, especially liability insurance. Let's face it, no one is perfect. And in case there are some mistakes, you want to make sure the firm or designer you choose has insurance.

6. What are the architect’s services? This can include blueprints, plans, consulting with the Contractor, maintaining contact with the contractor throughout the process, creating a budget, and staying on site during the building process. I know this seems logical, but some architects will only drafts the plans and wash their hands. You also want to makes sure any future changes are included in the prices. Many times plans are drawn and later require change to meet code complaince or madification due to a variety of reasons.

7. Can you use online plans or stock plans from a book? The architect will advise that if you plan on making a number of changes throughout the process, a stock plan may not be the best choice. You will also have to consider how unique you want the design to be.

8. What are your costs? Rates will vary among architects. It can range from $50/hr to over $100/hr. You also want to make sure you ask what is included in the costs, what is being provided, if changes are covered and how involved the architect will be in the project.

9. Will the architect help you find a contractor? Many architects will often help their clients find a good and honest contractor. They will even have a list of contractors that they have worked with on other projects and showed to be worthty contractors. You might want to consider taking their recommendation as this might facilitate the process. When a contractor and architect work wel together it's like a symphony.

10. Does the Architect use 3D Software? A professional architect should create home or other projects designed in BIM or 3D. This will not just give you a three dimensional view of the project, but also make it easier to see flaws and area you might want changed prior to finalizing the project.

When designing and building a home, you want the project to run smoothly. Hiring an architect and contractor what work smoothly together will make a big difference in building the home of your dreams.

Make sure you check references, licensed, insurance and past work before making a decision. It is important to interview a number of architects before making a decision so you will know that the architect understands your design vision and has similar ideas on your future home. Whether you hire an architectural firm or a single architect, a quality architect will ensure that you have your dream home.

Have you considered creating a social network home improvement profile?Let's face it, the internet is one of the biggest marketing tools today and it will only continue to grow!

Create a profile - what do you have to loose?

By creating a home improvement social network profile you can achieve more exposure to your home improvement business or product, socialize with other professionals, and maybe even get some leads from clients!

When you create a profile, you join many others who are involved in the home improvement business, and even a acquire a place to show of some of your work in the photo albums.

To get started you will have to first create a login account, then set-up your profile.

Once you have your profile ready, with information, description of home improvement services or products you provide, then take a look at some of our other features such as Classified ads, Blogs, Groups, even photo/project galleries of work done by other home improvement professionals.

Thanks for Viewing this Post.

This is a new website and still under construction and testing.

You are welcome to create a profile and experiment around, but all features are not complete.

Once Again Thanks for your understanding and we look forward to a great venture.