Construction Blog
Making Room For the New Master Bedroom And Bathroom
This was an exciting day! There are some renovations that a homeowner can take on themselves. There are some they should definitely consult a licensed General Contractor for. Demolition with the purpose of expanding or remodeling your living space is a great time to lean on the experience of a professional. You will sleep so much better knowing that your General Contractor will make certain to protect your renovation investment by ensuring there will be no major structural or foundation problems. You will also stay warm and dry in your new space for years to come because you can be confident that the siding, windows and roof have been installed correctly.
Construction Remodel – The Ace House
The trees have been removed and the clean up is officially done! Now it’s time for demo. Let me just say, this is no easy task! Demolition is hard work and you can multiply that by 100 when you’re trying to take down walls made of lath and plaster. Not only that, but the cellulose insulation in these historic homes is a crazy mess! DO NOT attempt a job like this without the proper gear. You will definitely need to make sure the area is well ventilated. You will also need a dust mask, eye protection, gloves and a deep tissue massage when it’s done. The tools we found most useful were tools that we already had on hand. We used a hand mallet along with a pry bar for the majority of the job. You would not believe the amount of rubble and dust that accumulates with the take down of just one wall! It literally takes 10 min of smashing and 45 min of cleaning per wall. It’s obnoxious! If it’s possible to just leave the lath and plaster alone when you’re remodeling older homes, that’s the way to go. There are actually a lot of benefits to lath and plaster walls. They provide great soundproofing, fire resistance and a measure of insulation. It also increases the value of a historical home because that’s how it was originally built. Our little house had already been remodeled several times over the years and then abandoned for many years after that. The walls were in really bad shape! If only these walls could talk though, I bet they would have some amazing stories to tell.
Construction Remodel- The Ace House
We just bought a historic home in our hometown of Hot Springs, SD. We are going to do a complete home renovation. We found out that this house was built in 1891. Here’s a fun fact for you. South Dakota became a state in 1889. It’s going to be so thrilling to give this little house new life. You may be wondering why we’ve named it the Ace House. That would be because of it’s extremely close proximity to Ace Hardware. We’re so excited to get this project started! The first thing we need to do is remove some of the trees on the left side of the lot to make room for the attached two car we’re going to add. Then moving on to the inside, we have a colossal amount of clean up to do. Stay tuned for updates on this Hot Springs remodel.
Make 2019 Your Best Year Yet!
It is that time of year where we often take time to reflect over the past 365 days and take stock of our accomplishments and the places we may have fell short. New years is a great time for a prospective shift to refocus on the things you want to achieve what is important to you.
We have all inevitably created New Years resolutions int he past only to find that after a couple weeks or months we are back into the same bad habits we were trying to correct. The main reason for this is because creating or denying habits cold turkey is a very difficult task.
You may have a goal to become more fit, advance in the work place, buy your new dream home, or start a new business. Whatever your goal may be there are some things you can do to help you reach success.
Having a game plan and holding yourself accountable for the changes YOU want to make in YOUR life are very important. Check out this article from VeryWellFit to read more on how you can supercharge your new year:
https://www.verywellfit.com/goal-setting-for-the-new-year-strategies-that-work-3144928
From all of us at Averie Construction, we hope you find your very best stride in 2019 and beyond.
Happy Holidays from Averie Construction
The holiday season is in full swing. Here at Averie Construction we are grateful for this time to spend with friends and family. We are also grateful to our clients and everyone who helps make our community great. As 2018 comes to a close we wish all of you a very happy holidays.
Construction Trends:
It has been a busy year for the real estate and construction industries and the Southern Black hills have been no exception. Current market trends nationwide expect 2019 to be a more balanced year in terms of market growth. Read more about real estate and construction expectations for 2019 in the RISMedia publication Forecasting Housing in 2019:
Looking forward:
We are excited to watch and assist in the continued growth of Hot Springs and surround communities. We look forward to being your GO-TO choice for all your construction needs in the future. It is never too early to start planning your remodel or new construction project. Let the professionals at Averie Construction help you bring your vision into reality.
Choosing a General Contractor
Your next construction project is a big investment and it is important to work with a contractor who understands your goals and can help you make educated decisions along the way. Following a few simple guidelines can be the difference between sleepless nights and full confidence in your general contractor.
Referrals
Referrals are one of the best ways to find a qualified professional contractor to take on your next project. Consider asking friends, neighbors or relatives who lives in your area whom they have had good experience with. Ask them what stood out about that contractor and if they would use them again.
Online Reviews
Asking the internet has become one of the most popular ways to find anything you need these days and the same goes for finding a general contractor who can get the job done. Google reviews are one good way to discover potential candidates in your area and read whether they have performed well for others. Check out the Google Reviews at the link below to read what customers have to say about Averie Construction.
Get multiple quotes
Once you have narrowed down the list of potential general contractors set up appointments to get a quote for your project. Look for a contractor who will give you a free estimate for your project. Try to keep it to 3 contractors, this helps give you a good variety of quotes without getting too overwhelmed. Contact Averie Construction today to see how we can bring your vision into reality.
Check References
Ask to see some of the contractors’ recent work. If you good rapport, request references and contact a few of the contractors’ former customers to ask their opinion. This is a good way to get to know the contractor better and find out if previous customers were pleased with their outcome.
Remember that when hiring a general contractor, you are buying a service and not a product. Quality of service will determine the quality of the finished project. Here are some things you’ll want to explore and questions you’ll want to ask when interviewing a contractor.
Business Experience and Management
Does the contractor:
1: Maintain a permanent mailing address, e-mail address, personal phone number, fax number, cell phone and voicemail?
2: Carry insurance that protects you from liability? Ask for a copy of the remodeler’s insurance certificates to be sure. Also, ask the remodeler how much the project will add to the home’s value and attain additional insurance from your provider.
3: Have an established presence in the community? How long has the company been in business under this name? Does the contractor maintain solid relationships with contractors such as plumbers and electricians and work with them as a team?
4: Possess a trustworthy reputation among customers and peers? Is there a track record of success?
Averie Construction is locally owned serving communities around the southern Black Hills. We are dedicated to quality service and work.