Construction news and advice HOME ABOUT CONTACT US PRIVACY POLICY AUTHOR: GLENDA LYNCH BLOGGING How to Choose an HVAC & Plumbing Contractor January 14, 2020 Glenda Lynch Choosing the right HVAC & plumbing contractor is important because they determine the quality of work you get. You should not make the mistake of just choosing any because you might end up regretting it when it is too late. Many people have been forced to spend more because they had to get a new contractor to repeat the same project, or to deal with the damages as a result. This is why it is a good idea to put in time and effort when choosing an HVAC contractor. Below are some tips that will go a long way. Experience This is one of the most important things to look out for when choosing a contractor. The experience of the contractor is going to determine the quality of work you are going to get. Experienced contractors have been doing it for many years, and they know the best approaches to use when working on a project. It is common for problems to come up during installation or repairs, and this is why it helps to have an experienced contractor who is going to deal with the problem in the best way possible. Licensed This is one thing many people fail to look at when hiring an HVAC & plumbing contractor. Do not assume all contractors working on projects out there have been licensed. There are requirements that a contractor has to meet before they get a license. This is done to make sure that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to deal with HVAC and plumbing issues. Some manufacturers will void your warranty if you use a contractor who has not been licensed. Ask the contractor to show you their license, and walk away if they don’t. Working with an unlicensed contractor is not worth it. Insurance This is another thing people fail to look at. Things can go wrong during the installation or repair, making it important to have someone to step in when things go wrong. Your property can get damaged or someone can get hurt during the project, and you will be forced to take care of these costs if the contractor is not insured. With insurance, you can sit back knowing the insurance company is going to step in when things go wrong. Contractors who don’t have insurance tend to offer lower rates, don’t fall for that because you can easily end up spending more. Reviews Reviews make it easier for people to know what past clients think about the services they got. It is normal to have negative reviews here and there, but they should not be a lot when compared to the positive reviews. You also need to see what the contractor responded to the negative reviews. Hiring an HVAC & plumbing contractor is not hard when you follow the tips above. Go through different options before choosing the best option. Only work with a contractor when you feel comfortable working with them. Take your time and you will end up with the right HVAC & plumbing contractor. Learn about radon mitigation experts here. CONSTRUCTION How To Find The Best Loft Conversion Specialists On The Market May 17, 2019 Glenda Lynch How To Find The Best Loft Conversion Specialists On The Market The best thing about loft conversions is that they are much cheaper than adding an extra room or moving to a bigger house. Finding the best loft conversion specialists on the market is a matter of knowing your priorities and of doing your research the proper way. Here are a few tips to help you understand how to tackle this issue to improve your odds of finding the best company to help you with your loft conversion project. To start with, you must consider all types of loft conversions available and choose the one that suits best your needs and the specific configuration of your attic space. If you aren’t sure whether you should choose a dormer loft conversion, a mansard one, a hip-to-gable one, or a loft conversion with full back addition, you’ll probably need to ask a specialist for advice. Anyway, if you already know what you want, you must seek for loft conversion specialists with a wealth of experience in that specific type of project. If you have no idea what would best suit your space, just seek for the best specialists in your town, invite a few of them to bid on your job and then choose the one that offers you the best value for money or the most interesting conversion idea. During the market research stage, check out the websites of all contractors you come across to take a closer look at their experience, background and work portfolio. Most of them would showcase the best work on their websites, so you’ll have the opportunity to compare their style and their ability to find the right solutions for any given space. While you are at it, search for client testimonials, as they may offer you valuable insight about your chosen loft conversion company. Avoid hiring the first loft conversion specialists you find. Always seek for two or three of them to invite them to bid on your project. By comparing their quotes and their ideas, you’ll gain a better understanding of your local market for this kind of services, as well as a fairly accurate idea about the average price you can expect to pay. If you go for the first company that promises you to build your dream space, you’ll never know whether you’ve made the right decision by choosing them. A proper side by side comparison is the best way to find a great specialist at a fair price. Always check the credentials and the qualifications of all loft conversion companies before you actually send out your price quotation enquiries. All contractors must be licensed, bonded and fully insured. Working with someone who doesn’t have all these in order may result in big problems later on, should anything happen during the work. It’s better to be on the safe side, so ensure that all your candidates have their proper licenses, adequate insurance coverage, and anything else your local laws may require. Once you have all estimates on your job, take time to compare them and pick the one that best suits your needs. Tagged loft conversion specialists UK CONSTRUCTION Tips For DIY Home Improvement January 3, 2019 Glenda Lynch When it comes to managing a home improvement project, there are numerous approaches. A common strategy is to take the DIY or do-it-yourself route. Most people prefer taking this route when remodelling or improving their houses rather than hiring a specialist. The primary benefit is it allows them to save money. Hiring contractors obviously require you to pay them and so, if you want to cut down the costs, it is better to the work by yourself. However, this has a limit. There are projects that are best handled by the professionals and unless you are an expert yourself, the chances of screwing things up and wasting even more money are high. Well, there are numerous things that come to mind when it comes to home improvements. In this read, we are going to give you some tips to make your home comfortable and appealing all by yourself. Install Laminate Flooring Laminate floors are very appealing can lend your home and excellent look. These floors, compared to carpets are durable and come at a relatively cheaper cost compared to other flooring materials. You can ideally replace vinyl flooring as it’s easier to install and you simply glue it down with an adhesive. Vinyl flooring is durable and a more appealing option for high-traffic regions like bathrooms and kitchen areas. This makes it even more practical. Painting and Wallpapers Wallpapers are one of the most appealing aspects when it comes to home beautification. They add a lot of character, make the interior cosy, warm and even make the room appear bigger. They are not just ideal for bedrooms, but also for kitchens and living rooms. Adding a wallpaper is one of the easiest projects you can undertake to improve the look of your home interior. Painting is also a practical wall treatment as it’s the fastest, easiest and least expensive means of giving your house an immediate makeover. You can choose from oil-based to latex paints. Install a Carpet Carpets tend to offer unique decorative benefits over other materials that help put your room together. They are a great choice if your flooring is not in a good condition. A carpet is ideally cheaper than tiles or hardwood flooring and is easier to clean and maintain. Carpets are also excellent insulators and so, you will be able to heat or cool your home more efficiently. Windows You can choose to put curtains or install blinds in order to add style and lend a more appealing look to your windows. Blinds have become a more popular option for home decor in the past several years. They are ideal for blocking sun rays and so, they are excellent for protecting items in your house that may sustain damage from sunlight. Blinds ideally serve as shades, thus alleviating eye strain and headaches. Curtains are also excellent when it comes to home improvement. They add a touch of elegance to your home and you can pick from an array of colorful and attractive curtains, giving you the freedom to personalize your house. If you are interested in learning more about structural engineering, check out the Structural Engineering Basics Online Course. Tagged diy carpet, diy home, diy home improvement, diy laminate, diy painting, diy tips, diy windows CONSTRUCTION, SCIENCE The Importance Of Testing Your Home For Radon Gas December 8, 2018 Glenda Lynch Radon is considered a radioactive gas that is formed due to the natural decay of uranium in rock and soil. Ths gas can seep into your homes through the cracks in the walls and floors. Radon concentrations in indoor air could become dangerous to the health and well-being of your loved ones when there isn’t proper ventilation in the building. Since the gas is colorless and odorless, it is easy to ignore the condition. Regular exposure to radon can result in lung cancers among non-smokers. The gas is responsible for more than 21,000 deaths due to lung cancer in the United States each year. According to the latest statistics released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States, radon is second only to cigarettes in causing lung cancer. That is why testing your home for radon is very important. This article provides information on the importance of testing your home for radon. The good news is that it is fairly easy to reduce the indoor radon concentration in your home. A certified professional will help the homeowner understand how radon is entering the building. Mostly, the gas enters through the ventilation system and cracks in the foundation. The solution to this problem is to seal the cracks in the foundation and install specialized venting in your home. The entire process can typically cost between $500 to $3,000 depending on the severity of the issue. There are two important methods of testing indoor radon concentrations. One method is to buy a one-time test kit from the home depot in your area. The test kit will give you the necessary instructions on how to conduct the test and send the detector to a laboratory for analysis. A qualified laboratory will calculate the average radon concentration in your home. In fact, indoor radon levels can vary from hour to hour as well as seasonally. The concentrations are supposed to be high at night, during the winter months, and when the windows and doors are closed. Radon testing and mitigation is a highly specialized trade. In fact, selecting the right radon specialist in the area can possibly be a life or death decision. Selecting the right contractor for the job is serious business. That is where your extensive research becomes so important. Here are some tips to consider when choosing the right contractor to test and mitigate radon in your home. Since there isn’t a national license for the radon trade, you should consult your State’s Radon Office to find out whether there is any state-specific radon contractor license. In case your state doesn’t have such a requirement, you should always look for a professional who is certified by the National Radon Safety Board or the National Environmental Health Association. Radon is a risky business. Hence, the right contractor should be adequately insured to handle the process. The EPA recommends that the radon concentration be lowered below 4 picocuries per liter. A professional radon testing contractor should provide a wriiten guarantee to this effect. These are important things to consider when testing and mitigating your home for radon. Read our article on how social media can help grow your business here. Tagged radon, radon mitigation, radon testing, radon testing and mitigation CONSTRUCTION Construction Tips In 2018 For Using Social Media To Grow Your Business November 5, 2018 Glenda Lynch In 2018, growing the clientele for your construction company is all about social media, right? Organic traffic and SEO are certainly important, but social media definitely plays a role. That’s what we’re going to focus on for purposes of this article, helping you grow your social media presence online. It’s all about generating buzz about your construction business, and there are a number of ways that networking can help you do that. What is your ROI going to be when you focus on social media? Done correctly, social networking can make a huge difference. You see, you’re not just networking with potential clients. You can also be networking with other construction companies out there as well. The majority of construction companies are using social media, so keep that in mind. You want your piece of the pie, and you get it by diving in with the rest of them. Customers and clients are looking at which construction companies have the best online presence. It’s not so much that they are holding you to that presence as much as it is that is the way they are looking for contractors. They are vetting contractors online, and a strong social media presence gives you a particular presentation. They can ask you questions, and it opens the door to better communication. It’s just one of the major ways that people communicate these days. If the customers and clients get serious about hiring you to do a project, they will give you a call. Your social media presence and site can help them warm up to you in a big way. You’re going to want to be sure that you focus on the right social networking sites. That being said, a combination of at least a few of them is a good idea. You’re going to have to manage those accounts, so be sure you have a plan in mind. You don’t want to be out on the construction site working and trying to simultaneously tweet or answer a Facebook message. In all seriousness, you have to do what you have to do. But you might want someone in the office handling your social media accounts. Or maybe you’re going to be in the office mostly, and you can handle the accounts. How you do things is up to you, but you certainly want to work towards growing the social media presence for your construction business. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube are four good places to start for a construction company. Do you already have profiles for those four sites? If not, it’s time to get to setting up some social media accounts. You want to be consistent and authentic, and you want to be sure to interact. Engage with people, and consider adding some marketing campaigns. You might want to reach out for help when it comes to the marketing side of things. In 2018, social media marketing and networking for construction companies is a big deal as you can see from these tips. Tagged construction, construction business, construction companies, construction in calgary, contractors Search for: Categories Blogging construction Science Recent Posts How to Choose an HVAC & Plumbing Contractor How To Find The Best Loft Conversion Specialists On The Market Tips For DIY Home Improvement The Importance Of Testing Your Home For Radon Gas Construction Tips In 2018 For Using Social Media To Grow Your Business Tags construction construction business construction companies construction in calgary contractors diy carpet diy home diy home improvement diy laminate diy painting diy tips diy windows loft conversion specialists UK radon radon mitigation radon testing radon testing and mitigation PROUDLY POWERED BY WORDPRESS | THEME: DARA BY AUTOMATTIC.