Select a good remodeling contractor
Q: I am going to have a major remodeling job done at my home. I need a competent remodeling contractor. — Jean W.
A: Everyone who watches the evening news hears stories about how remodeling contractors start a job, collect a large down payment and then take off to the next town. This does happen, but most contractors are reputable. The quality of their work varies more than their ethics.
First, do research on the type of remodeling job you are considering. Builder magazines, such as Fine Homebuilding, Remodeling, Kitchen and Bath Business, Builder and Custom Builder are excellent sources for both design ideas and general background knowledge.
When you begin discussing your project with contractors, this knowledge will be helpful. You not only will know the building terms and understand each other, but the contractor will realize you know something about the project and methods. This often leads to better workmanship.
People often check with the Better Business Bureau to make comparisons among companies from their complaint records data.
When evaluating a smaller remodeling contractor, asking for many references can be helpful. They may do just a few major projects each year, so these references could represent a good portion of their business. Large contractors have so many customers that, even if they do poor quality work, they can find a few satisfied customers as references.
Visit several local lumberyards and commercial building supply outlets. Ask the store managers which contractors they would consider if they were remodeling their own homes. They often chat with contractors and hear stories no one else does.
Once you have narrowed down the potential contractors to just a few, plan to have a meeting or two with each to discuss details of the project. This will give you an idea of how thorough they are and also a feel for how you will get along. It is important to have a good rapport with your contractor. No matter how well a project is planned, issues and conflicts will arise, and it is helpful to be able to communicate well.
During your meetings, be sure to cover some of the following items: When can they start your project, and what is the estimated time to complete it? A quality contractor should be busy and not have time to start a remodeling job project immediately. If they can start it immediately, ask when they finished their last job.
Have them describe their best and worst experiences they have had on projects similar to yours. This indicates how open and honest they are about previous problems. The best experiences tell you what the contractors feel are most important about a job.
Also ask which staff member will be at your home each day and in charge. You need to be sure someone will be there supervising the workers and subcontractors, and that it is an employee of the company.
Q: We are designing a new house. We have two children and think a mudroom between the garage and the kitchen would be nice. What is the best size to build, and what features should we consider for it? — Colin G.
A: A mudroom is becoming a common addition to many newer home plans. In the past, the mudroom was located at the back door. Today, with our families so much more dependent on automobiles, mudrooms are more often located at the door from the garage, as you suggested.
Depending upon your budget and the size of your home, the mudroom can range from just an expanded hallway to a huge room.
Some mudrooms are as large as 400 square feet, with all the amenities of other living areas in a house. These are termed “mudrooms” because of their location more than their function.
The key to an effective and reasonably priced mudroom is planning. Make a list of what activities you plan to perform in the mudroom, how many people will be in there at one time and what you plan to store. For example, if you have a dog who needs periodic baths or you work in your garden often and need to literally rinse off mud, adding a small shower area may be wise.
If your family does many outdoor activities together, so people several will be in the mudroom at the same time, plan on enough area for benches for them to sit and remove their dirty clothes and shoes. If you are skiers, you will need tall storage for the skis and a place to dry out boots, gloves and ski pants.
Plan your storage area in the mudroom so each person has a specific location for his things. This makes it much easier to locate items when they are needed, especially when the children are rushing to catch the school bus. Hooks on the walls for school bags are ideal.
Installing cabinets can keep the mudroom looking neat and clean. Benches whose seats lift up are also excellent storage. Be sure to select cabinets and benches with ventilation holes or louvers. More often than not, the items thrown into them are damp. Without proper ventilation, they will stay damp and mildew.
You have many options for flooring, such as ceramic tile, decorative stone and concrete. Even though it looks great, avoid hardwood. The dampness will eventually harm it, as will the grit from dirty shoes and boots. Concrete is one the least expensive flooring materials, and it can be tinted to make it more attractive. Whatever type of flooring you select, it should be sealed.
The mudroom will be framed like any other interior wall, but finishing it with drywall is not generally recommended. Drywall feels hard to the touch, but it can be easily dented and scratched from flying clothes, sports gear and shoes. If you really like painted drywall, apply it over a layer of plywood.
This will make it stronger and provide a better base for hanging hooks, cabinets, etc.
The best wall material for a mudroom is stained or natural wood. Stained tongue-and-groove pine paneling is particularly effective and durable. Beadboard is also effective and inexpensive.