A few weeks ago, we shared with you Craig Russell’s check list for spring maintenance for the interior of your home. Although his list is not exhaustive, it is a thought starter and meant as a tool to help keep you on track for those home maintenance projects that will just get away from you over time. Now that you’ve had the time to tackle your list of interior maintenance, it’s time to head to the great outdoors. Don’t let the size of this list intimidate you. Instead, your first step is to merely take a nice, leisurely walk around the outside of your home, looking at the ground around your home, the structure itself, and then important elements like driveway, decks/patios and roof. Once you get into the habit of using this checklist, you’ll be come that much more familiar with your house. This way, when something is wrong, you’ll see it right away and can either take care of it or call in the appropriate professionals.

House

Start by looking directly at your house. A great first step is getting those gutters cleaned. You might want to consider gutter guards at some point, which will add another layer of protection in keeping water away from your house. Give your home a visual inspection, paying specific attention to your roof and foundation. You’re looking for loose shingles and gutters and unusual cracks. Finding these issues early can save you a big headache later. Windows and doors need to be assessed too, since theses are potential entry points for wind and water.

Yard

Next, look for branches or any type of plant/tree growth that is too close to your house too. As we get ready for mosquito season, look for any area of standing water as well. Pooling of water any where near your house can also suggest an issue with grading. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to turn on your outside water and inspect your outdoor faucets. If they weren’t winterized correctly, leaks could emerge now.

Structures & Driveways

Finally, take a look at any outdoor structures and your driveway. Check your deck, porch, and railings for water stains, warping and loose or rusty nails. Keeping up with these small repairs can save you a big project later. After repairs have been made, consider resealing any woodwork. Walk around your driveway and patio, looking for cracks that may have emerged over the winter.

Good habits when it comes to home maintenance will pay dividends in the end. These projects are much easier to keep up with when they are a part of your regular routine and often can stop small problems from developing into large ones.

Craig Russell, founder and CEO of The English Contractor, is a custom builder and bespoke remodeler. But he’s known to dole out one piece of financial advice from time to time. He’s no E.F. Hutton, but when Craig speaks, but sure to listen. Beyond the charming accent, he has some good advice to share. Namely, your home is likely your biggest financial investment. Not only because of that mortgage payment, but also because of the continued investment you might be making in your home with remodels, renovations, and repairs. Keeping up with home maintenance helps protect both your investment and the people who live inside it.

To make it easier for our followers, Craig’s compiled a checklist of seasonal maintenance items. This week, we’ll take you through spring time maintenance tips on the inside of your home.

“You don’t need to have an official day set aside for a home inspection,” Craig says. “This list can be a good reminder, though, as you walk around your house, of items that need your attention,” he explains.

Basement

It helps to think of your home in segments so it doesn’t feel too overwhelming. Starting in the basement, you’ll want to:

• Schedule maintenance for your HVAC systems before you make the switch over to air conditioning. Now is a good time to replace or clean your filters.

• Check on your sump pump and consider adding a battery back up.

• Check for insects, mice and other pests. Schedule an exterminator if necessary.

• Look for problem areas, particularly moisture or water.

Bedrooms/Living Areas

Next, it is time to tackle the bedrooms and main living areas of your home. If you didn’t manage a good purge and deep clean during quarantine, spring is the perfect time to get that done. In addition to a more meticulous clean, now is a great time to also:

• Dust and reverse your ceiling fans.

• Schedule a deep cleaning of your carpeting and/or area rugs.

• Check under your sinks for cracks or leaks. Check your washing machine tubings, too.

• Clean out your dryer vents.

Whole Home

Other items to check on during your spring interior walk through include:

• Windows and doors. Are you noticing drafts or moisture? It’s time to add caulk or weatherstripping. Or it may be time to replace them.

• Safety precautions. Are your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in good working order? If they are not hardwired, it is time to replace batteries. Don’t forget to have a fire extinguisher on hand as well.

• The attic. Check for ventilation and, like the basement, for pests.

There’s no place like home. We’d agree. But after spending the past few months, you might start to notice all of the opportunities for improvement in your dwelling. And while you might not be ready to have an entire team come into your home to start a major renovation project, like a kitchen remodel or bathroom renovation, that doesn’t mean that it’s not the time to start a new home improvement project. In fact, now is a great time to get started on a plan for your next home remodeling project. There’s so much that you can do to get started before you call in the professional builders and home contractors, like us.

Get Inspired.

As you’ve stayed home, you might have decided that you’re ready for a refresh. There’s a world full of ideas right at your fingertips. Get on Pinterest. Start a board and start saving pictures of spaces that you like. Seeing finished spaces will help you identify your style. Do you like stained wood or painted? Traditional tile or something that makes a statement? Neutral wall color or something cheerful and bright? Once it comes time to make selections, it can be overwhelming to look at all the options that are out there for everything from lighting fixtures to cabinetry hardware. Knowing what makes you tick is going to make this entire process a lot easier. Even if you use a design professional to help guide you through the process, you’ll likely be a lot happier with the end result when you can point to specific elements that you know that you like.

Not a Pinterest fan? There are tons of other websites just full of inspiration. We like Houzz and Decor Pad as well. There are so many home design and decor bloggers as well that will help fill your head with ideas. You can check out some of our favorites like Emily Henderson, McGee & Co and even a video blog like Quintessence, which highlights the homes of interior designers all over the world. There are plenty of magazines out there, of course, but if you’re like all of us, you probably have a lot of catalogs coming through the mail each day. Leaf through those Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Ballard Designs and Grandin Road. Sure you can use these resources to furnish your home, but they also provide plenty of design tips and inspiration through their photos of staged rooms. So look at those catalogs before you recycle them!

Understand Your Priorities.

While your brain might be telling you it is time for a whole home remodel, your wallet may be telling you to pump the brakes. The cost of a home improvement project can quickly add up, so it’s a good idea to understand your motivation before starting any type of remodel. For example, you might want to prioritize a kitchen that has a non-working appliance or two or a room that may have an issue like water damage over a bathroom with outdated fixtures. The time you intend to spend in your home may also be a factor. If a move within the next five years is in your future, do you really want to manage a major kitchen renovation, when a quick refresh by changing out hardware or maybe swapping out an appliance will do? By understanding your priorities, it will also help you understand where to focus your time, energy and bank account first.

Identify Your Budget.

Do you have champagne taste and a beer budget? Join the club. Even simple projects can cost more than the average homeowner might think and when budget planning, it is important to have some set aside to cover the unexpected costs. You’ve seen those home improvement shows on HGTV where a project quickly has to be reprioritized when a family of raccoons is found nesting in attic installation or a long undiscovered leak in a bathroom has done major damage to the home. Renovation projects can be filled with surprises, so it’s important to be prepared financially. However, a limited budget doesn’t mean that a home remodel is out of the question. There are ways to scale a project to fit almost every budget. It just means that you might not be able to have it all or may have to make some compromises with materials in order to get the look you want. It may be that you can plan a project that unfolds in phase over the years, like new appliances one year and new countertops and lighting fixtures the next. Understand how much money you are willing to invest in your home first, while will help you plan both the size and scope of your project.

Line Up The Professionals.

A lot of the planning that goes into a home remodel can be done with minimal in-person contact. Almost every project can benefit from a partnership with an architect, who can make suggestions for possible layout and structural changes to your home. Brainstorming and initial budget discussions can take place over the phone. The same goes with an interior design professional, who might be able to help you with the selection of finishes. A home builder and renovation contractor, like The English Contractor, can help you put together ballpark estimates for a project. If you already have architectural plans for your project, our team can even start our more detailed estimates to help nail down the size, scope and cost of your renovation. Our estimates are very detailed and can take a few weeks to put together. If you get us started now, we’ll be ready to go once everyone is back up and running.

Although in some ways the world seemed to stop for a bit as we all managed through the COVID health crises, almost everyone we’ve spoken with has seen an uptick in what’s going inside the four walls of their home base. We’ve seen the lines at Home Depot ourselves and know that so many of you are anxious to spruce up your home. If your home project expands beyond your own DIY capabilities or interests, we’re here to help. We’re happy to help get you started with a quick phone consultation. Give us a call today.

It’s not like what you see on TV, where a glamorous host seems to magically transform a house before your eyes. It takes several weeks or even months, depending on the size of your project. And it takes blood, sweat, tears and lots of dust. Of course, with a little bit of preparation, those tears can be tears of joy once you see your newly renovated home. We manage home remodels of all different sizes, from whole home renovations to projects that stay in just one room, most commonly a kitchen or bathroom. We’ve also lived through these renovations in our own homes. A whole home remodel typically means that you’ll need to temporarily relocate. But plenty of our clients stay in their homes during a renovation. We’ve gathered our best tips of what you can do to live through a home remodel while keeping your sanity.

1.     Prepare, Prepare, Prepare.

Embarking on a home renovation project is exciting! You’ll start imagining yourself cooking in your new kitchen or putting your feet up in front of the fireplace of your new home addition. You’ll want to drop off that deposit check and have us start demo right away. But not so fast. The planning and preparation can take several weeks or months while we source your products and start placing orders. In stock tile or fixtures can be at your front door within a few weeks. But something custom made or in a specialty finish can take over 8 weeks. The last thing we want to do is to demo your kitchen and then have you live amongst the rubble for weeks with nothing to show for it. We’ll work with you to determine all we need to order for your new space. You can help keep the process moving by approving selections and costs as we give them to you. We don’t like to do demo until we have everything we need to put it all back together. This part can seem like an eternity, but trust us when we say it is worth the wait and will save time in the long run.

A renovation project can seem like hurry up and wait. You’ll have a flurry of activity at your house, only to then have weeks where nothing seems to happen. In a typical kitchen or bathroom remodel, demolition will take a few days. You’ll hear lots of noise and see lots of dust. But then, it’s going to be quiet for a while as our plumbers rough in plumbing and our electricians do their thing. This behind-the-scenes effort takes some time.  Sometimes, their work is not immediately evident either. But it is an important part of making your new space functional and safe. After plumbing and electric, your room will start to come together again, as you see tile, cabinetry, faucets, appliances and more. The space will start to look like the kitchen or bathroom that you have dreamed of. Understanding the basic timeline will help you see the progress over time.

 Of course, a schedule is not set in stone. When you’re undertaking a large renovation, you never know what is lurking behind your walls. Sometimes, we find electrical, plumbing or structural issues that need to be addressed before the project can go on. 

2.     Know the Schedule.

A renovation project can seem like hurry up and wait. You’ll have a flurry of activity at your house, only to then have weeks where nothing seems to happen. In a typical kitchen or bathroom remodel, demolition will take a few days. You’ll hear lots of noise and see lots of dust. But then, it’s going to be quiet for a while as our plumbers rough in plumbing and our electricians do their thing. This behind-the-scenes effort takes some time.  Sometimes, their work is not immediately evident either. But it is an important part of making your new space functional and safe. After plumbing and electric, your room will start to come together again, as you see tile, cabinetry, faucets, appliances and more. The space will start to look like the kitchen or bathroom that you have dreamed of. Understanding the basic timeline will help you see the progress over time.

 Of course, a schedule is not set in stone. When you’re undertaking a large renovation, you never know what is lurking behind your walls. Sometimes, we find electrical, plumbing or structural issues that need to be addressed before the project can go on. 

3.     Drop It Like Its Hot.

Drop those drop clothes all over the place. Renovation is a messy job. Or crew is meticulous, but dust and dirt is inevitable. We’ll seal up the room where we are working as much as we can. Plus, we clean up before we leave each day. Protect your belongings by packing up what you can and covering up larger furniture items in adjacent rooms. If you decide to stay in your home during renovation, pick a place where you can cook, eat and just relax that is far from the demo debris. Many of our clients do stay put during construction, but some find temporary housing elsewhere. 

4.     Channel Your Inner Marie Kondo.

If you’re clearing out a room to make space for renovation, use this time to declutter and organize. Are you surprised by the number of boxes you’re packing up as you’re clearing out your kitchen? Before you pack it away  (only to unpack it a few months later), take stock of the appliances and cooking tools that you’re holding on to. You’ll love your new space that much more if it is organized off the bat.

 5.     Don’t Demo What You Can Donate.

Talk to your contactor about what can be reused or repurposed. So many of our clients want to minimize the environmental impact of their renovation and do some good for their community. In the Cincinnati area, we work with Restore to come and pick up cabinetry, appliances, and plumbing fixtures to be sold in their second-hand store, proceeds of which benefit Habitat for Humanity. Check your own community or Habitat for Humanity website to see what is available in your area. Many of our clients find the process of donating their old appliances and cabinetry therapeutic. 

6.     Keep Talking.

Start with a preconstruction meeting before anyone starts swinging a hammer. Make sure you are on the same page as your contractor.  Our clients receive a weekly email, so that they have the big picture week by week of what is next in the construction process. Before a major milestone, we’ll schedule face to face meetings as well. And we’re always just a text or phone call away. 

Above all, before you start the process, make sure you have a contractor you like and trust. After all, for a major home renovation, a contractor could be in your home for weeks or months—or longer. Our goal is to have you miss us when we’re gone!

Are you ready to get started?

Give us a call and we’ll work with you to put together a plan.

We’ve discussed that the role that each partner plays in a home renovation or custom build. But what if you have a smaller project, like updating a bathroom or renovating a kitchen? How do you know who to call to help with your project? There are many projects that only require a builder or a contractor, like The English Contractor. There are plenty of times, though, when it makes sense to call in the additional professionals, like an architect or an interior designer. Here in the Cincinnati area, there are so many talented professionals. We are here to help you navigate your home renovation projects and are happy to make recommendations when additional partners are needed to manage your new build, addition or renovation.

Do you. . . 

• Know what you want to accomplish?

• Want to update your existing finishes and maybe replace some cabinetry and appliances? 

• Feel confident in selecting finishes, hardware, appliances and more? 

• Generally, want to keep the structure and function of the room the same? 

• Have a general idea of budget and timing? 

• Just want to add bespoke detail to an existing room or structure?

• Have a home problem that you’re trying to solve? 

Then give us a call! We’re a perfect first call to make when you start thinking about a home renovation project. We have a keen eye for design and detail, yet we know when to call in additional professionals.

Do you. . . 

• Want to make a major layout change, like moving the location of a kitchen? 

• Have an idea for a project that may involve moving gas and plumbing lines?

• Want to make major structural changes to your home, like changing the footprint, height of ceilings or grade of the property?

• Own a landmark or historic home?

Then it may be time to call in an architect. An architect can help you identify your approach, solidify an initial budget and create thorough drawings to help your contractor both price out, manage build your project. Do you need a recommendation for an Cincinnati-based architect? Give us a call!

Do you. . . 

• Need help selecting finishes? 

• Want help in planning the functionality and layout of a room? 

• Want to make small tweaks to your layout? 

• Want a professional to help you with interior design? 

You may want to add a designer to the mix. They can help guide you, along with your contractor, in the final finishing touches for your project. We’re happy to help you find a great interior designer to work along side us as we begin your remodel.

Depending on the size, scope and scale of your project, the perfect mix may very well be an architect, contractor and designer. But there’s more to the process than a simple check list. Let us understand your project more and we’ll point you in the right direction. Give us a call and lets get started!