There’s no doubt; garage conversions are one of the most attractive options for homeowners looking for more space in their home. If you have an attached garage and a need for more living space, you are fortunate since a garage conversion is one of the most affordable ways to add square footage to your house. 

Here are some quick pluses about turning your garage into a living space:

Before You Start a Garage Conversion

As you’re eyeing that garage, planning what to do with it, there are several basic facts to keep in mind. Many of these won’t be deal-breakers. However, it’s good to keep in mind what your complications will be.

Parking & Storage

What will you do with your cars, bikes, gardening tools, and storage items?

The great part of an attached garage is its proximity to the warm house in the winter months. It eliminates the need to clean the snow off your car before work, and it gives you more storage space.

All of that would be gone, and how will you plan for it? This question is often foremost on homeowners’ minds. Good options include: 

If your garage has become the catch-all for storage that you no longer need, now might be the perfect time to go through and eliminate some unwanted stuff. A garage sale is an ideal kick-off for your new building venture.

Blending Your Garage Conversion

Another top-most concern is how to blend the new garage conversion to the rest of the house. The question often becomes what to do with the large openings for the garage doors.

You might consider large sliding doors or French doors. A conversion is an excellent opportunity to frame a beautiful, large picture window or bay window as well.

Matching siding and trim are important for making the exterior blend with the rest of the house.

Flooring

Most likely, your garage sits on an uninsulated concrete slab. It’s also a few feet or inches below the floor level of the inside house – which is often the telltale sign of a garage conversion. Often, the concrete slab is slightly sloping toward the door or a drain. 

One option is to build a new floor on top of the slab, making it blend even more seamlessly with the rest of the house and masking the fact that it was a garage.

You will have to build a curb in front of where the garage door used to be to make sure there is no leaking into the new room. Sometimes, a contractor will level the floor and add radiant heat before installing the new flooring. 

Heating & Cooling

While it is sometimes possible to tie a garage conversion into the ductwork with the rest of the house, it often has to be heated and cooled independently of the house with electric baseboards, wood stoves, gas space heaters window air conditioning units.

Electrical & Plumbing

The wiring to the garage is often sufficient for the new purpose after the renovation. However, depending on how you use the space, you may need to add another 20-amp circuit for the room. A single lighting circuit for a garage doesn’t cut it for the needs of a living space.

Plumbing may be the single biggest issue for a garage conversion. If your laundry room sits next to the garage, you could be in luck. Running a water supply to the new room is easy, but supplying drainage for that water can get complicated, which is why so many garage conversions don’t have bathrooms. Plumbing lines often become the most expensive problem for a garage conversion. 

Garage Conversion Costs

How much does a garage conversion cost? Depending on your location and the job specifications, costs can range between $10,000 and $15,000.

Bring it Home

If you are considering converting your attached garage to living space, these considerations will hopefully help you visualize how best to use your space.

If you live in Southeast Michigan and have any questions, please call. We would love to help! 

Call Today!

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We’ve spent a fair amount of time talking about finding more livable space inside your house with a basement or attic renovation. Now, let’s talk about how to add space by building home additions. 

Do you love your neighborhood, your house, your kids’ school but need more room to stretch out? When your kids get older and bigger, it can be challenging to fit everyone in a small space, especially if your attic and basement don’t work as living spaces. 

You might be starting to think about building an addition to your home instead of leaving your beloved neighborhood.

What kind of home additions are possible? How expensive are they? Read on to find out.

Garage Conversions

Some people look at their attached garages and think that it seems like prime real estate for a bed or a couch instead of a car. What are a few early mornings scraping snow off your car when you could get a whole new living area or bedroom for a fraction of the cost? 

Garage conversions are attractive because the structure is already there: walls, roof, and flooring. All you have to do is add plumbing, electrical, flooring, and finishing work to make it a cozy new room. Oh, and replace the doors with walls. 

While garage conversions can be less money, they may make your house more difficult to sell down the road. People love garages – especially in Michigan during the winter.

Sunrooms

Three season rooms are a popular, less invasive, and less expensive way to get another living space. You can build a sunroom in several ways – sometimes with traditional lumber framing and sometimes with pre-fabricated structural pieces. 

The great thing about a sunroom is that you could make one with almost all windows and let the sun heat it. The drawback is that sunrooms generally aren’t heated or connected to electricity and are therefore much colder in winter months, bordering on unusable. 

One Room Additions

The solution to the problem both these first options present is to build a one-room addition or bump-out on your existing house. 

Technically, a small 3-foot bump out from your kitchen or dining room is an addition. I’m sure you’ve seen these types of additions hanging in mid-air. They can be handy if all you want is a little more space around the dining table or room to fit an island in your kitchen.

If you need a full-sized room with heat and electricity, you can build a one-room structure that is permanently open to the rest of your house. Many homeowners do this to get more bedrooms or living space. 

One room additions are usually for a single purpose, and they can be expensive. You have all the cost of building a new house, just scaled down to a single room: framing, permits, HVAC, and electrical work, plus tying a new roofline into your existing roofing system. 

House Additions

The most significant kind of house addition project is like building a whole new mini house onto your existing home and then opening it permanently to the new addition. The best additions blend seamlessly into the old house.

Home additions typically involve a significant change, like two stories of bedrooms and bathrooms. Unless you plan to rent the other side, home additions don’t generally add second kitchens. 

New home additions are tricky, and the process can be very long and challenging. Proper permits and planning are required to pull it off. You may have to move out of your house entirely for several days or weeks during parts of the process. Additionally, putting up with months of construction can wear on anyone. 

In terms of cost, you might as well be building a whole new house, as a home addition can equal or surpass the price of the original house. However, home additions generally achieve a large return on investment when you go to sell. 

Bringing it Home

A home addition is worth considering at almost any level, from a bump-out in your kitchen to a two-story addition. You may have to put up with some noise and mess, but what you get in return is a more functional house. 

If you live in Southeast Michigan and have any questions, please give us a call. We’re here whenever you need us!

Let’s Get Started

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If you are thinking about adding a bedroom to your attic level, and you have determined your attic can be built to accommodate a living space, you are probably thinking about adding a bathroom up there as well. 

As with adding a bathroom to any basement living spaces, having a bathroom in the attic is essential for the house’s function and its resale value. It’s something you want to seriously think about if you plan to house members of your family up there or sell your house someday.

Adding an Attic Bathroom is Relatively Inexpensive

An attic renovation benefits from the fact that the structure of your room is already built. In many cases, plumbing and electricity can be run relatively smoothly to the third floor, as well as heating and cooling ducts.

What’s left is to change the insulation, shore up the floor joists, and finish with walls and fixtures.

To add a small, basic bathroom to this plan can still be relatively inexpensive. Additionally, it leaves you with a considerable value-add. 

Building Codes & Permits

If you are wondering if attic bathroom renovations are a good idea to DIY, remember they are under the same building code restrictions as any other room.

When you hire professionals, not only do you get expert plumbing and framing, you know that your attic conversion is up to code, and all permits are pulled.

Structural Support

Most attics aren’t designed to hold more than what’s called “dead weight load.”

Dead weight means homeowners can only use the space for light storage and limited traffic.

In contrast, live weight load means the total weight:

• Furniture
• fixtures, and
• temporary objects, including people.

The joists – or structural “beams” create the floor’s support. They will be spaced closer together to accommodate a live load or further apart for a dead load. The joists can be supplemented with more wood to make them stronger if designed for a dead weight load. 

Full or Half Attic Bathroom?

A full bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower or tub will add the most value for your money. Moreover, this is especially true if you live in a house without a proper master suite.

However, they are more costly and labor-intensive than a small half-bath. A bathtub or shower can add significant weight to the floor – meaning you may have to shore up your floor joists even more.

Bathing facilities can become more complicated as you have to consider water supply to the attic and drainage lines back down.

If you decide a full bath isn’t in the cards for your attic renovation, a half bath with just a toilet and sink still means guests don’t have to stumble downstairs in the middle of the night. 

Making Plans

One of the first decisions you will be making is where to place the attic bathroom.

You will need headroom for a shower, adequate supports for a heavy tub and additional traffic, and access to water supply, the sewer line, and vent stack.

Ideally, an attic bathroom could be situated over a downstairs bathroom or kitchen, and it would still sit under the highest peak of the roof. If that’s not possible, sometimes a simple dormer can create the necessary space. 

Not every attic bathroom plumbing can be tied straight into the plumbing of the bathroom below. Sometimes, it will need to be vented to the basement. This type of plumbing job isn’t one you want to get wrong. It’s always best to have an expert plumber for a new bathroom. In addition, an expert contractor will  know how to finish your space perfectly.

Bringing it Home

In conclusion, are you thinking about converting your attic space to a living area? Would you like to include a half or full bathroom to your attic? Do you live in Southeast Michigan? Give us a call! We are happy to answer your questions. 

Call Now

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Home renovations are stressful. Everything is dirty, there are people in and out of your house, and things are rearranged. Do you know what makes it more stressful? Having to deal with a dispute with a hostile contractor.

What do you do if your contractor wants more money than what was agreed-upon or acts put out when told of a problem? Or worse, what if he’s threatening to abandon the project, sue you or file a lien on your house?

How to Keep the Situation From Escalating

If you are dealing with a bullying contractor, there are two ways you can make it worse with your response:

Did you do your homework, and do you have an agreement in writing? The best way forward is to respond calmly and logically with what was in your written agreement.

You can try being upfront with him, and ask him why he’s hostile. It could be that it has nothing to do with the job.

However, if the bullying and dispute are over the work on your property, it is best to point him to the agreement you made when neither of you was under stress. Don’t have a detailed, written agreement? You might be in for a bumpy ride! 

Reasons a Contractor Turns Into a Bully

There are plenty of contractors out there who take cash deposits and who will keep them if you change your mind and reschedule. They will be upfront about this policy, often in the form of a written agreement.

It’s in case you change your mind and want to reschedule at the last minute. It’s also because many contractors have been burned by “customers” who want to get work done for free and demand up-front work without paying. Bullying can go both ways. 

Some contractors commit fraud, and they can slip through the cracks even if you feel you have done ample research. That is why we’re always trying to warn our customers about door-to-door salesmen promising to get a job done for half the price, or taking your insurance money and running.

Unfortunately, that does happen. If you have paid a deposit and the contractor didn’t show up and didn’t have anything delivered, you might be able to have criminal charges filed against him and get your money back. 

Handling the Dispute: What to Try First

Try everything in your power to contact him and have a conversation first.

Sometimes, contractors take a long time to get started on a project. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s skipping town with your deposit.

Generally, a reputable company that is simply swamped will do everything they can to keep you informed once you’ve paid that deposit. Also, as we all know, there are legitimate reasons a job can suddenly become more expensive.

Unexpected expenses do crop up in construction, often because an unforeseen problem is uncovered. These problems should be documented, and your contractor should be able to show you exactly where they are, and how he’s going to fix them. 

Subcontractors

More often, however, a contractor isn’t trying to take your money and run; he’s just having trouble making ends meet. He might not have enough right now to pay his subcontractors, so he asks you for more money.

This isn’t your problem, but at least you know he’s motivated to complete the job. 

Contractor disputes can get drawn out and ugly. Some bad actors feel they can treat customers poorly because they know they are holding people hostage with unfinished work.

It might be worth paying in advance of the schedule, as long as he is not asking for more money, so you can get the job done. Otherwise, you are looking at starting the process over again with another company while also getting embroiled in a legal dispute. 

Takeaway: The Best Way to Protect Yourself

The obvious conclusion here is that you should always go with a highly rated, properly licensed, and insured company that will enter into a detailed written agreement.

Reputable contractors can’t offer you the lowest price, precisely because their priority is to maintain a good reputation by delivering quality craft on time.

At Renovations Roofing & Remodeling, Inc., we pride ourselves on our customer service and our excellent reputation. Do you live in Southeast Michigan? Please call our office today if you have any questions.

Call today!

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We live in a world of upselling. From credit card offers at almost every checkout counter, to upgraded products and services at the oil change to “would you like to try our new sandwich,” when you go to grab a cup of coffee.

Most of us are used to saying no to those small things (unless we want to try to the sandwich). However, it can be more confusing and awkward to encounter upselling from a professional entering your home to do a specific job.

Does your contractor have your best interest at heart, or is he trying to make an extra dollar? 

How to Spot an Upsell

Because you can’t always be sure which services or products are needed, try getting a second or third opinion – especially if it’s a big thing they’re trying to sell you.

As an example, consider what happened to one Michigan couple. The couple hired a septic company to inspect the system in the house they were going to buy. When the original inspector failed the system and recommended a $20,000 fix, the sellers asked for a second opinion.

The couple got a second opinion from an uncle with a septic business in another state. The uncle found inconsistencies in the written form. The homeowners got a clean report from a new contractor.

Additionally, the realtor found out that the septic inspector had inherited the business from his father and wasn’t running things the way his father had. 

That contractor was banking on the fact that no one else in the situation had septic expertise.

However, the contractor will probably lose business that way. Most reputable contractors know they can’t do that kind of thing and get away with it for long. 

Another good way to spot an upsell is to be present when the work or the inspection is being done. In this case, the buyers and sellers weren’t present for the septic inspection. Have your contractor explain things to you in detail. If he can’t explain to you in detail what’s wrong and how he’s going to fix it, that should raise some red flags.

Later, after the couple bought the house, the uncle with the septic business was able to walk them through a thorough inspection. He was able to tell them every weak point in their system and how to maintain it to keep it running efficiently for many more years. 

What’s Not an Upsell

Not every recommendation – even if it’s going to cost you more money – is an upsell.

For instance, make sure you know what the base price you are quoted includes. For things like carpet cleaning, the base price doesn’t include stairs, which are more expensive. Failure to ask questions and get a cost breakdown can lead to frustrations and a surprise bill. However, it’s not upselling on the service provider’s part. 

Another reason to be present when someone comes to fix your house and get a detailed explanation about what needs to be corrected: you might see that the problem is more significant than you had thought.

Sometimes homeowners believe they have a good idea of the problem, but they don’t. It’s okay to be educated by a professional. If he’s recommending a bigger fix or a nicer replacement part than you were expecting, he will have good reasons.

The real test will be if you are getting pressure to buy something more expensive right now. A true professional will give his recommendation and leave the rest to the homeowner. 

Also, it’s not always an upsell when a contractor recommends a particular brand or a higher-end appliance. There’s a reason we like the products we use: they work well, they’re high quality, and the manufacturer is reputable.

We want to pass on that value to you. If you are worried it’s an upsell, you can always ask, “How does this compare to some of the other brands you’ve worked with?” 

Pro Tips to Avoid Upselling

Bringing it Home

Upselling is a stressful part of everyday life for many people. You can avoid the pressure tactics by doing your own research, asking many questions, and saying no when you feel uncomfortable.

Is your house located in Southeast Michigan? If you have any questions, we are always happy to help. 

Call today!

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Have you worked with a contractor before? Are you aware of the dynamics involved in that relationship – however short-term?

Americans spend a lot of time and effort working on their homes. Every year, something needs to be fixed or replaced, and we have to plan how to do it, hire the right people or gather the right supplies and set aside the time and get it done.

Now, more than ever, when we are spending so much more time at home, people want to renovate and improve to make their homes an inviting oasis. The best thing you can do for yourself during a remodeling project is to hire a professional contractor.

Both the contractor you choose and how you communicate with that person and live up to your end of the bargain will significantly impact this experience.

Here’s how to get the most out of it.

Guide on How to Get the Most From Your Contractor

1. Be Bold and Speak Clearly

Take it from a contractor who has seen many projects come to completion: the people who are most satisfied with their work are the ones who have realistic goals and defined parameters for the job.

While you are discussing the scope of the project, be very clear with what you expect. That way, when you sit in front of the contract going through the details once again, you can both be crystal clear about every aspect.

The last thing you want is to waste your money when the work is begun but has to be changed because it’s not what you want. Your contractor will not be happy about it, and neither will you. 

2. Contact Contractors You Did Not Hire

Simply because you didn’t hire someone for one project doesn’t mean you won’t hire them in the future.

Contractors can go through busy seasons when everyone wants something. You may not get the one you have worked with before.

Professional courtesy works both ways. Estimates may not cost anything for you as a customer. However, they aren’t free for contractors – it’s just a cost of doing the business that they must absorb.

Don’t be ashamed to admit you have gotten other estimates and have decided to hire someone else.

Contractors know this. It’s also part of the business. What they don’t like is wasting their time on a potential client. Just answer the call and tell them the truth. Down the road, you may use them for another project. With honesty and courtesy, you’ve just won good rapport. 

3. Be Available

In the relationship you are about to form with your contractor, availability is a two-way street. When you are quick to answer their calls or return phone messages, it helps set the tone.

If you want prompt answers to your questions about the job, so does your contractor. Not only that, but it helps your project to move smoothly and on time.

4. Trust Your Choice

You should research your contractor and ask for references. You should try to find a contractor by word of mouth, and look for someone who comes well recommended by someone you trust.

Make every effort to have clearly defined expectations, budget, and scope of work, so there are no big surprises. After all of that effort, if you don’t trust your contractor while they’re on the job, it’s going to make life difficult for you both.

Maybe you do trust him, but you are not acting like it. Are you showing up unannounced all the time? Hovering at the job site? Obsessively asking questions he’s already answered? These are things that will communicate distrust even if you don’t mean to.

5. Pay on Time

Just as you don’t want to get your paychecks late, neither does your contractor. That’s why you have set up a plan with them – for your protection and yours!

Nothing will frustrate him and diminish the quality and timeliness of your project faster than consistently delayed payments. Make an extra effort to keep track of payments and make them on time. 

Bringing it Home

Many home remodeling projects can be a disruption to your life. They are ultimately worth the work and extra effort. However, the process can be either frustrating or smooth, depending on your choice of contractor and how you show up to the process. Making that extra effort and communicating clearly can make a huge difference. 

If you live in Southeast Michigan and are looking for an experienced contractor, please give us a call. We are here whenever you need us.

Call today!

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Do you have popcorn ceilings you want to kiss goodbye? You know – those rough-textured ceilings that don’t resemble popcorn so much as upchuck slapped on the surface and then spray-painted white? Why did anyone ever think that was appealing?

All I can say is that it was the 70s. Shag carpet and disco were also all-the-rage. The texture hides imperfections and helps with sound deadening. Plus, everyone else was doing it, so why not?

Now, as a homeowner, you are stuck living with the dated look or trying to fit smooth ceilings into a budget, so you have a better chance of selling your house down the road!

What’s Bad About Popcorn Ceilings?

If you don’t mind the look of a popcorn ceiling, or you are going for a retro vibe, there is nothing wrong about leaving your ceiling as-is. Two things to beware of:

Asbestos Removal

You can get a popcorn ceiling tested by wetting one part, removing some of the compound, and sending it into a lab. If you find asbestos, you have one of several options, depending on what’s legal:

Contractor Or DIY?

Some contractors charge more to remove popcorn ceilings because they dislike doing it so much. That should indicate to you how quick and easy the job should be to do yourself! (Hint: not quick or easy)

In either case, the ease of replacing the popcorn texture will depend upon several factors:

To hire a contractor to remove the popcorn texture and recoat can cost up to $3.50 per square foot, depending upon factors above.

Asbestos removal into the bargain ends up not being a bargain at all. Figure about three times that price!

The materials required to remove the popcorn texture yourself aren’t expensive. You need a scraper, joint compound, sandpaper, and lots and lots of tarps, and head coverings.

It is not the tools that make this job “expensive,” it’s how tedious, time-consuming and back-breaking it can be.

It’s also colossally messy. You will have to move all of your furniture, tarp off the rooms you’re working on, and prepare to be cleaning joint compound out of your hair for days on end.

Bringing it Home

As with any house project you can reasonably do yourself, you have to ask yourself if you really have the time to spend.

If there’s asbestos on your popcorn ceilings, you have no choice but to let the professionals take care of it for you.

If you have any questions about popcorn ceiling removal, please don’t hesitate to ask us! We’re always happy to help.

Call Now

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Are you an HGTV addict? It’s hard not to like home remodeling shows. You get to see the results in fast-forward, with just enough of the work thrown in to make it fun. There’s one particular show – you might know which one I’m talking about – where in almost every episode they are removing a load-bearing wall.

When the work is all done, and the room is decorated, the idea of tearing down a wall to make more space or bring in more light seems appealing and easy.

Thousands of people are getting the idea that tearing down a wall will change their whole house. But, is it as easy as it looks? Once you know everything that goes into tearing down that wall, will it still seem as appealing?

Pros of Tearing Down the Load-Bearing Wall

As you might expect, the pros of removing a wall are mostly convenience, function, and aesthetics.

No one is going to remove a load-bearing wall because it’s practical. However, sometimes removing that one wall can make such a massive improvement over the home’s original layout that it’s worth the expense.

While you’re looking at between $3,000 and $10,000 to remove the wall, this price takes into account all the surrounding things you will have to change – such as flooring.

You already know why you want to move the wall. The expense is something you are willing to pay for a drastically different house.

However, do you know what goes into this renovation, and are you ready to encounter problems along the way?

Cons of Tearing Down a Load-Bearing Wall

Not everything about this process is a con, but make no mistake; it is a process. Let’s go over the steps, and what could go wrong or delay the process.

Consult a structural engineer

Involving a structural engineer is a good first step. However, it does make the process take longer and potentially become more complicated than a regular renovation.

Whenever you remove a load-bearing wall, you have to add a beam to support the weight, especially if your house has two stories.

A structural engineer will help your contractor come up with a plan, which will keep your home safe when that prominent wall comes down.

Some local governments require the approval of a structural engineer when any wall comes down, regardless of whether it’s load-bearing or not.

Demolition could get expensive

If your house is old and has plaster and lath walls, prepare for a more time-consuming and costly demolition. Regular drywall or paneling isn’t so difficult.

Snags you could hit with what’s inside the wall

The same principle applies if the wall in question contains plumbing, wiring, ductwork, or all three!

Not only does it take more time to knock down a wall containing mechanicals, but it’s much more costly as well.

Now, you will need a new plan for wiring, plumbing, and ductwork. If your house has two stories, it’s much more likely that your wall contains some or all of these.

Flooring and texture matching

If your walls and ceiling are textured and if your flooring is different on each side of the wall, prepare to pay for expensive patching or simply re-doing the entire floor and ceiling surface.

Beams are expensive

The more weight your wall was designed to hold, and the longer the span, the more expensive the beam. In some cases, you will need to use a steel I-beam, which can be very expensive.

Expect the unexpected

Before your contractor ever swings a hammer at that wall, he will be almost 100% sure of what’s behind it.

However, that doesn’t mean there might not be surprises. You can only be sure when the wall is open. A good contractor will reserve a bit extra from the budget for unexpected costs, but there are simply no guarantees.

You could also run into problems with lead-based paint or asbestos, which need remediation if your house was built before 1978, which can cause delays and higher costs.

Takeaway

While knocking down walls isn’t nearly as easy or fun as certain television shows make it look, it can be rewarding and worth the investment to change the interior of your house.

Is your house located in Southeast Michigan? If you have any questions about the viability of removing a load-bearing wall in your home, we are happy to help!

Call Now

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What are the long-term consequences of unpermitted home renovations?

Are you thinking about a home renovation? Maybe you are doing it yourself or are hiring a contractor who is just starting or willing to work for beans?

It’s more common than you think. People want to make improvements to their homes, and they often want to start work right away. Others want the cheapest deal possible.

Here’s another scenario: The man down the street admits to smuggling lumber through his back door under cover of darkness to avoid having to pull a permit. He ends up never finishing the project. Then, has to sell his house to buyers who are okay with resuming the unfinished work themselves.

This brings up a good question: can you end up hurting your interests if you do unpermitted home renovations?

It might be what you are looking for right now, but in the long run, how could it affect you negatively?

You may or may not be surprised by how little anyone thinks about the long-term effects of unpermitted home renovations.

Long-term Effects of Unpermitted Home Renovations

Codes Are There for a Reason

Work not up to code may be dangerous.

Maybe your contractor is a licensed electrician and plumber, but more often someone not pulling permits isn’t experienced or licensed. It may not matter quite as much for something like drywall. However, electrical or plumbing work that isn’t properly integrated with the rest of your house is a disaster waiting to happen.

Yes, permits mean inspections, and they mean the work has to be done to code. That means the work at the end will be safe for you and your family.

Instead of thinking about permits and building codes as a necessary bureaucratic evil, think about those things as a stop-gap measure to protect the public.

Voiding Your Insurance Policy

You won’t be able to insure the unpermitted part of your home.

You may not think this is a big deal – surely nothing terrible is going to happen in that one basement room.

There’s where you’re wrong.

First of all, if something bad does happen in that one room due to faulty wiring or plumbing, you won’t be able to collect any insurance money to cover your losses.

We know that home damage doesn’t usually limit itself to just one room, either. If something happens to the rest of your house because of the unpermitted work, that can jeopardize the entirety of your coverage.

The insurance company may decide to drop your coverage altogether if it finds out you have unpermitted renovations, due to the risk.

Selling Down the Road is a Nightmare

As you might expect, selling your house could be a disaster. All of that liability you just incurred is something you will have to sell to the new owners because you have to disclose the unpermitted work you have done.

Once you disclose it, here’s what can happen:

Takeaway

Here at Renovations Roofing & Remodeling, Inc., we’ve built our business through excellent work, done the right way, and through the recommendations of satisfied customers.

We want our clients to get the best outcome, which means we don’t want to put them in this position in the future. We make sure we pull permits on our jobs and do all of our work to, or exceeding, industry standards.

Is your home located in Southeast Michigan? If you have any questions about fixing unpermitted work or remodeling your home, please give us a call today! We’re honored to help.

Call Now

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When most people think about a whole house renovation, they are most likely thinking only of the last few steps of the process – the beautiful finishings that you and other people will see from day to day.

Even when you are thinking about a significant structural change – like opening up walls or vaulting a ceiling, you may not realize everything that goes into a large-scale renovation.

Of course, it doesn’t help that most home renovation shows only depict about 30 minutes of the actual renovation.

Gutting and remodeling a whole house may take months to complete. It’s also a big project.

Even if you’re not acting as your own contractor, it’s good to know what this process will involve from start to finish.

Whole House Renovation Initial Stages

Designs & Plans

We are going to start by assuming you have the funds to complete the project. If you don’t, this is where you need to find that out and decide what to do with your knowledge.

Meticulous plans won’t save you from every unknown, however, they can make a big difference.

This stage should include some type of drawings, a list of projects you want to do yourself versus what you would like your contractor to do, and applying for permits.

Shore Up Your Home’s Envelope

The envelope of a home includes your roof, foundation, siding and windows.

If your house has leaks anywhere, this is when you discover and fix those leaks first to protect your renovation. An experienced competent contractor will put these fixes into the estimate.

The last thing you want is to find out you’re not getting a new kitchen because you have to have a new roof!

You want to know beforehand with a detailed inspection whether it’s time to replace the roof before you renovate the inside.

Laying the Foundation

Demolition

A contractor will have waste containers as part of your quote, as well as demolition costs.

Structural Changes

Most whole house renovations include structural changes like removing walls, adding rooms, or opening up the ceiling.

One reason to do such a big job is to get all the work done at once while your house is already being “opened up.”

This stage includes foundational carpentry, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing changes. All of these systems will have to pass inspection before insulation can be added, and drywall, mudding, and taping can commence.

Finishing Touches

Windows

Once the drywall has gone up, it is time to start finishing the interior. If you plan to replace your windows, now is when these go in.

Fine Carpentry

Any carpentry that isn’t wall and ceiling studs and joists is considered fine woodworking.

From custom kitchen cabinets and built-in bookshelves to crown molding, fine carpentry is one of the best ways to make your house look like it was custom-built.

Flooring

Different contractors prefer different orders. Some like to put the flooring down before painting and some after.

If you plan to replace your floors, know that you run the risk of getting paint on it if you do it before you paint – especially if you are going to paint the walls yourself.

If you paint before installing, there’s a good chance the walls will be scuffed by the installation process of the flooring.

Surface finishes

Paint, wallpaper, tile backsplash, and small wall and ceiling fixtures fall in this category. Now your house is genuinely almost finished.

Siding & Gutters

Believe it or not, we wait until the very end to refinish the exterior of your house.

Siding can be damaged by replacing doors and windows. Therefore, you want to wait until everything else is done. The good news is the siding and gutters can each be replaced in a day or two.

Bringing it Home

It is exciting to think about a whole house renovation. Hopefully, this list gets your wheels turning as you think about what the future holds for your house.

If you live in Southeast Michigan, please give us a call. We would be happy to help!

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