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Choosing a Contractor: 4 red flags
As a contractor for quite a few years, and constantly meeting with customers ,giving bids, proposals, and contracting various home improvement projects, I am amazed at how many people have gotten themselves involved with unscrupulous individuals operating with a truck and a business card. To a legitimate contractor, these people are very irritating. They give our profession a reputation that is undeserved and they leave customers with unneeded frustration and expenses. There are some very simple steps a homeowner can take to protect themselves. A little caution and questioning can, in most cases, assure you of a hassle free , professionally completed project.
1)Make sure your contractor is Licensed: Most states require the person doing the work to pull permits. They are also required to carry proper Workers compensation insurance, general liability, and in some cases to carry a bond. Reputable contractors will probably volunteer this information , if the customer fails to ask ! It is in your best interest to make sure your contractor has up to date insurance, otherwise an injury or accident that occurs on your property, may fall on you.
2)Make sure your contractor uses a Contract to outline work to be preformed: Contracts are not only to protect the Contractor but also to protect the customer. My preference is to detail as much information as possible in the contract. The more information in the contract on the front end, the less likely any misunderstandings will happen on the back end. Demand some kind of written detail , something in writing is your only documentation in the event legal action is required. Most reputable contractors will prefer to do business this way.
3)Make sure your Contractor is financially stable. Agree on a fair payment schedule and stick to it .Payment schedules should be one of the things that is outlined in the contract. If your contractor needs a 50% draw so he can order materials ,RUN RUN RUN.! This is where I have seen homeowners left holding the bag ,more than once. Most contractors work with many different suppliers and have accounts with their suppliers, and if in good standing ,will have no problem supplying materials until a portion of the work has been completed. On small jobs, $3000.00 or less, we require a 10% deposit. On larger jobs, we do as many as 4 draws based on pre-determined, in writing, amounts.
4)Make sure your Contractor has a good reputation. Ask for references ,a couple of phone calls to past customers will tell you if their experience was a good one or not .Check with the state licensing board to see if they have a clean record. The BBB is a fast and reputable source for information on companies. If a contractor has had problems in the past you should proceed with caution.
The responsibility of the homeowner is to protect himself. The points discussed above are a good place to start. A good contractor, while not always the cheapest, may be in the long run, rather than dealing with un- licensed, un-insured, and un- funded builders. Reputable contractors cannot compete with Billy Bob and his other brother Bob that a friend of a friend told you about .Our company pays approximately $15,000.00 per year in licenses, insurance, and other costs of doing business ,before we ever break ground on the first job. Framers alone, according to insurance cost per profession classification, cost us about $38.00/$100.00 of payroll .for workers compensation and general liability. You can see that the cost of doing business RIGHT, is expensive. Do not gamble with your home. Search out and hire reputable contractors.
Mike Mathis
Owner Affordable Building Concepts
Pros and Cons of Aluminum carport and patio covers
Aluminum carports and patio covers have become a popular and attractive home improvement. The product itself has been in use for years. As a light weight and durable material, aluminum can be a great alternative to stick built or steel structures. Features, ,colors, and styles have evolved over the years to give homeowners many choices. Today we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these popular aluminum structures.
Advantages:
1) Durability –My parents have been living in the same house for over 30 years. Their patio cover was installed in the late 1960s,and is still standing and functional. This product will stand the test of time with little more than a cleaning once a year. Most companies engineer their units to withstand wind and snow loads. As a result ,baring natural weather disasters, your patio cover or carport should give you years of use.
2) Attractive-:As stated above with a little maintainence your carport or patio cover will stay looking good for years. The aluminum pans will never rust. There are a variety of colors to choose from and several styles of framework that should satisfy any homeowner.
3) Structural simplicity-Because of the light weight nature of aluminum , a patio cover can be attached directly to your patio slab, and carports can be attached directly to your driveway. Also attachment to the house requires minimal anchoring. Note: some areas may require posts to be set in concrete, check with the codes department in your area. One of the best advantages of Aluminum structures is the minimum fall required for installation. Aluminum carports and patio covers require only ¼” of fall /ft. spanned. A shingled roof requires a minimum of 4” of fall /ft spanned ,which often creates problems with head room on the outside.
4) Functionality- Very few home improvement projects can provide the quality usefulness that an aluminum patio cover or carport can. Patio covers over decks and patios offer escape from direct sun and weather, and can make them much more useful and enjoyable. Aluminum carports (free standing or attached ) can provide great shelter for your vehicles when a garage is not available .
Disadvantages
1)Bird Nests-The W-pan aluminum is notorious for attracting birds. There are several plugs that manufacturers offer and it is highly recommended you insist on these at the time of installation. They do add cost but will save you from the endless hassle of cleaning out the pans.
2)Trees- All Aluminum carports and patio covers come with built in gutters and downspouts , in the fall if you live in a wooded area leaves are a constant problem. Since
Aluminum structures do not require as much slope on the roof ,leaves and debris is much more likely to accumulate. The most common problem I see is where this accumulation of leaves is left unattended, stopping up gutters, backing up water and ultimately causing the panels to bow and leak.
3)Rust on framework- Most aluminum patio covers and carports are installed with steel bar joists, and posts ,and while painted before installation ,the natural exposure to the elements will eventually cause the parts to show rust (especially at ground contact)
4)Hail – The single most ,problem with aluminum carports and patio covers is hail. We replace several of these each year. Because of the light weight nature of aluminum a hail storm can leave small unattractive dings in the panels. Most homeowners insurance cover this and in most cases if hail is hard enough you will have other damage to your home
As a contractor for many years ,I have learned to appreciate the functional beauty of aluminum carports and patio covers .The advantages of these products far out weigh the disadvantages Almost all the disadvantages can be prevented with simple maintenance.
For ideas for your carport or patio cover project visit our web site
www.affordable-buildings.com/carports.html
www.affordable-buildings.com/patio.html
Michael W. Mathis owner Affordable Building Concepts/ ABC Backyard Basics
ARTICLES
:TECHSHIELD ROOF DECKING:A smart choice
We recently built a garage for a customer who requested Techshield roof deck be used in his construction. After doing a little research on this product and actually using it on this project I felt the need to offering my customers this as a option on every job.
Techshield is made by LP and is a thin but durable layer of aluminum applied to oriented strand board sheeting .It is designed to not only keep heat out of attic spaces ,but also help keep conditioned spaces more efficient .The foil side is installed down towards the attic ,the radiant barrier is a highly reflective and low emitting material that helps reduce the solar heat gain in the attic space. According to LP Techshield will prevent 97% radiant heat from penetrating the panel into the attic Techshield is installed like any other roof sheeting, It should be noted that this does not eliminate the need for attic insulation. Techshield will not create any problems with roofing shingles and most shingle manufactures back their warranties ,as long they are installed properly
I was surprised by the relative minimum cost difference over regular OSB roof sheeting ,on this particular job it was only about $4.00/ sheet ,adding only about $100.00 of additional cost to the homeowner. The potential energy cost saving to a homeowner ,using this product in home construction would be immediate and over the years substantial. The initial up front cost would probably be recovered in the first year in utility savings. But the advantages of this product cannot be measured in dollars alone. Most garages and storage sheds are not heated and cooled ,thus anything that can be done to lower interior temperatures inside these buildings is a positive. During the construction of this job the temperatures were well into the 90”s and just walking inside the structure you could tell a substantial difference. The manufacture claims up to a 30 degree reduction in a homes attic space temperatures with use of this product if you only get ½ of that Techshield will be well worth the investment and in garages and storage sheds even a small temperature reduction can make a big difference. We will now offer this option to all of our garage and storage shed customers.
Michael W. Mathis owner Afforadabel Building Concepts/ABC Backyard Basics
Anatomy of a well built storage shed
So you have decided to purchase a storage shed and finally use the garage to park cars? Choosing a storage shed can get quite confusing. The market seems to have been flooded with barn builders and retail outlets that claim to have the best quality and price around. So who do you believe? We will attempt to give you some tips to look for in your search.
Construction of storage buildings vary from place to place. Any building can be made pretty with a good paint job and cheap options. The actual test of a well made storage building is in the construction and quality of materials used. Here are a few hints to be looking for when you are out shopping.
Floor systems: Since most storage sheds are designed to be in direct contact with the ground ,be sure all floor construction is made of treated materials. Do not accept that the runners are treated only ,all floor joists and floor decking should also be treated materials. Building codes in most areas require that any wood within 24” of the ground be treated. Many companies build their sheds without treated joists and decking. Regular plywood or even OSB floors are unacceptable.
Framing: Ask what floor joists are centered on. Any spacing of floor joist over 16”on center is a problem. Make sure all walls are framed with full 2x4 studs. I have seen barns framed with 2x3s and while it may look fine on the showroom floor ,it will be a problem some day. Does your barn have a ridge beam? A ridge beam is a structural member at the peak of the building that the rafters frame off of. Most big box store and roadside lots offer buildings with a metal truss plate attached to both sides of the rafter, without a structural ridge beam. Also pay attention to the spacing of the rafters. Framing on 2ft centers is acceptable as long as ply clips are installed. This is a code requirement in most areas. Ply clips are small metal inserts that are to be installed at the butt joints of roof decking, between each rafter, They are used to prevent the sagging of the decking between rafters.
Roofing: Make sure your barn has felt over the top of the roof sheeting. Many barns are sold without this protective underlayment. In many cases it is sold as an option or an up charge,
Drip edge is another essential item many storage shed companies offer as an option. We consider this to be a very important feature. .Drip edge is a small metal strip that fits over the edge of the roof decking ,and is made to prevent water from running under the shingles.
Ventilation: Almost all storage sheds come standard with metal gable vents, and they should! But many do not include a ridge vent. The purpose of vents is to allow air flow thru the roof system and prevent premature shingle deterioration. Most storage sheds are not built with much if any overhang ,which in your home allows air flow through the attic space , A ridge vent becomes the only way ,working with gable vents, to create this positive air flow through a storage sheds roof system
Siding: The most common siding is wood sheet siding. This is fine ,and offers you the option of painting to your liking. In my opinion the best storage shed siding is Louisiana Pacific’s Smart panel siding. It is a structural rated composite sheet siding that has a 30 yr. manufacturers warranty. Plywood backed sidings are another option ,but this lacks the long term durability of the Smart panel siding. In my area we have seen an influx of the pressure treated T11 siding, and while the thinking is pressure treated siding should last longer ,the product carries virtually no warranties. My experience with the treated T11 is that within 2 years it will turn a very ugly gray color and require painting. This will be difficult to paint. Another reason to avoid these plywood backed sidings is that since storage sheds are built relatively close to the ground ,they tend to wick moisture around the bottom edges and prematurely rot
Doors: The first thing to give you problems on a sheds are the doors. Look for double framed doors. Doors framed inside and outside are much less likely to warp. Also look hard at the hinges. Often times the life of the doors is related to the strength of the hinges.
Storage buildings are very useful and practical solutions and serve a variety of needs, but are also an investment in your home and landscape. Don’t accept low quality products. If you look around and do a little comparison shopping, you will find a quality building. Built with quality materials , and properly maintained, your building will last a lifetime.
Mike Mathis
Owner Affordable Building Concepts
