Neals Design & Remodel » Ask The Expert

Selling your Parent’s Homestead

leanne.matthews — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:43:50 +0000

A few weeks back, I met a past client at his childhood home. Due to the recent passing of his parents, it was time to clean up the homestead for its sale.

The Mt. Airy ranch from the 1950′s had not seen any remodeling since the roof had been replaced 15 years ago. The furnace and kitchen cabinetry were updated in the early 1980′s. My baby boomer client knew that there would be a serious reorganization effort of all of the parent’s stuff before the sale, but he had not realized the extent of the reorganization. The original full bath and half master bath had 55 year old ceramic tile and plumbing fixtures, complete with the 55 year old color scheme. The original single pane aluminum windows remained, even though other homes on the street had their windows replaced long ago.

One of the best reasons for bringing an industry expert to the site, is the wealth of knowledge and experience that he can share with the client to save money and time. When I realized that the roof was only 15 years old, yet needed to be replaced, and that the same roof had 25 year warranted shingles, I knew there was a need to get the homeowner’s insurance carrier involved. As a result, the insurance adjuster agreed that the roof had been severely damaged by September’s hurricane Ike’s winds. This insurance claim saved my client approximately 40% towards the cost of a new roof. A major value added that we provided to our client.

Neal’s provided this client with a general budget menu of items that needed to be done right away. This method saved time and possible problems with a sale, had a standard home inspector done this inspection after the home was on the market.

This allowed the client to prioritize what must be done versus what he believed should be done. I also did some research for the client to help him find real estate agents in the area to interview before listing the home.

Spring’s Soggy Ground

leanne.matthews — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:48:42 +0000

Now that Spring is here, your yard will have lots of soggy spots. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clear to handle all the rain which will hit soon. We recommend a simple gutter guard be installed and that your downspouts be extended underground away from the house. Water damage can be latent and very expensive to repair. Also be sure that your yard’s grade works away from the house and consider surface drains if needed to keep the water under control.

You can always call us to get more information, we are glad to help.

Neals.com

Gutter Icedams – Advice from our Pros

leanne.matthews — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:25:20 +0000

We all see that this winter has created gutters and downspouts completely filled with ice and snow. It can look like Mammoth Cave with the large ice cicles that have formed! People often ask what they can do when ice dams occur and water has no place to go. We recommend first that you be very careful working anywhere outside with so much ice. We use Ice Guard and recommend it for all roof shingle installations. Please Google “Owens-Corning Waterlock” (see great link below) to learn more about Ice Dams and why they occur and to learn about IceGuard which prevents this problem. If you choose to remove the ice and not wait for warmer weather, use a bit of salt to loosen the downspout and gutter ice and carefully remove the ice. Be very careful not to damage any gutters, gutter guards, or valleys.

Please call if you have questions.

Paul Wittrock and Kevin Dunn

Neal’s Production Managers

owenscorning.com

Spring Tips From Neal’s

admin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:23:04 +0000

Here�s a list of potential items to address before the heat of Summer arrives:

Tackle deck and porch upgrades.
Replace windows and appliances with energy-saving versions.
Take care of exterior siding/trim repair and painting.
Replace old entry doors and locks.
Handle driveway/sidewalk maintenance and repair.
Replace caulk and weather-stripping.
Add and/or replace storage shelving in the garage or lower level of your home.
When your chores are complete, relax and enjoy the natural beauty of spring.

Fall Tips From Neal’s

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:26:12 +0000

Here’s a list of potential items to address before the cold weather arrives:

Plan interior remodeling projects: Add interior moldings, weather-stripping, countertop upgrade.
Change or clean furnace filter and have system inspected by a professional.
Add sufficient insulation.
Get organized in the garage and storage areas throughout the home.
Prune trees away from roof.
Turn off exterior water spouts and store away hoses.
Clean debris from roof, gutters and downspouts after leaves have fallen.