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Archive for the ‘Helpful Articles’ Category

this was a duplicate of one shawn already posted…needs to be linked to ask shawn

We sometimes get questions that have short answers.  I’ve decided to place them here under one section.  Hopefully if you don’t find what you’re looking for elsewhere in the site, you’ll find it here.

How do I plan for my remodel?

Items to consider:

1.    Determine what you really want in advance. What are your basic priorities and the goals for what you want your remodel to achieve? Write these items down on paper for future reference.
2.    Cut pictures from magazines and articles on remodeling. Make any notes or questions you have and about the various products and designs that you are potentially interested in.
3.    Determine a budget. Your budget will ultimately decide what you can do and how you will go about doing it. How much do you want to spend? Are you familiar with current remodeling costs and the value of home improvements?
4.    Consider how you will finance the project. Determine if you will pay cash, home improvement loan, home equity line of credit, re-finance, or take out a second mortgage.
5.    Call Reliable Contractors Inc. to set up an appointment at (800) 989-1354.

Do you charge for an estimate?

The initial consultation is free. We do charge for our designs. Typical design fees range from $500 to $2,500. We do complete proposals after the design is agreed upon. We prefer to work with our clients through a design/ build process that allows us to deliver the best project to our clients.

Who will be running my project?

Each and every project will be run by Shawn, he is the Remodeling Advisor and Project manager. As the Remodeling Advisor he is responsible for the project and meets with the homeowner once a week during the construction process; he is also responsible for customer satisfaction and financial management of the project. As the Project Manager he is responsible for handling all suppliers, subcontractors, customer satisfaction and completing the project according to the schedule and plan. At Reliable Contractors, the president is involved with your project and will always be able to answer any questions on your project.

Do you use sub-contractors?

Yes. We believe that you will get a project with the highest level of quality and craftsmanship by using the best companies in each field of your project. To handle specific mechanicals such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing, and other skilled trades such as drywall, roofing, siding, cabinetry, we do rely on reputable subcontractors to help complete our projects. All of our subcontractors must meet our guidelines and expectations, and must sign an agreement with RCI before doing any work.

How do we make fixture selections?

We have an extensive network of suppliers and vendors to give you every possible option on the products that are used in your project.

Do you have an interior designer we can work with?

Yes. we feel that you will get the best finished product by using an interior designer on your project. We do have a relationship with an outstanding interior design firm.

If you have ever thought about Remodeling your home, now is the time to make it happen. Just as the cost of homes is dropping, the cost of remodeling is dropping as well including building materials and contractor’s fees. And while it may be difficult to think about spending money on your home when the values are falling, taking advantage of lower remodeling costs could be a great investment if you are not planning on selling your home anytime soon. From low interest loans to highly discounted building products there are several reasons that make now the time to start remodeling.  Let’s look at each of these factors:

1. LOW INTEREST LOANS: If you need to finance your remodeling project interest rates are at an all time low. Lower interest rates mean that consumers spend less on interest costs, leaving them with more of their income to spend on that remodeling project they have waited years to do.

2. GET MUCH MORE FOR MUCH LESS: The economy has had a severe impact on the building and remodeling industry which resulted in many contractors going out of business.  Labor costs for all skill levels in the construction industry have also dropped dramatically. With that being said contractors are able to do much more for a lot less to stay busy and competitive.  They are willing to go that extra mile to give their customer ultimate satisfaction. This is the single most important reason why NOW is the time to complete that Remodeling Project.

3. REDUCED PRICE BUILDING PRODUCTS: Given the laws of supply and demand, the drop-off in work has driven down prices on most building products.  From lumber to fixtures you are able to get incredible deals on almost every building product, which allows Contractors to pass down the discounts!

4. TOP NOTCH BUILDERS: The best builders, contractors and trades have much greater scheduling availability right now, which gives you access to professionals you might not otherwise be able to get. During the boom years, Good contractors were as hard to get as celebrated doctors.

5. TAX INCENTIVES FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY: The government has rolled out several programs that can put up to 30% of the cost of energy efficient building products back in your pocket. These rebates are not limited to hot water heaters and refrigerators they are also geared towards high efficiency windows and insulation. So not only are you able to have a greener home you can put some green back in your bank!

Q. Shawn, I own a real estate company and am looking to have some renovations completed in my office. What can be done to minimize the disruption of my business during construction?

A. Jerry, we have a few solutions to alleviate that problem.  Reliable Contractors of San Diego has the capability to schedule work after regular business hours. We have crews available that can also work 24 hour shifts on weekends in the case you are in an office building with other businesses who work late during week days.

However if we do need to work during business hours there are several building products out there that make this process seamless. We utilize the most advance dust control systems available such as ZipWall, HEPA filtering and negative air technologies throughout site preparation and construction to minimize collateral impact. We are also quite proficient at scheduling deliveries and loud work when the site is empty and employee free.

Hope this helps!

Keep on building,
Shawn Bonneau

Q. Shawn, how do I know if a general contractor is needed for my project?

A. Stephanie that is a very popular question.  While do-it-yourself centers like Lowes and Home Depot make it seem easier to perform small projects around your home or business, there are many times when a professional should be called in. This is particularly true for larger, more complicated projects. Simply put, if something is beyond your skill level, you should avoid trying to save money by doing it yourself. Chances are you will end up hiring a professional not only to finish the task, but to clean up the mess!

If your project is specific and limited enough to allow for a specialty contractor, e.g. hiring a tile contractor to install new stone or tiles, then choosing a specialty contractor makes sense. However, if you have doubts about the details of the work that will be performed or are unsure about what specialty to choose, going with a general contractor–someone qualified to handle ALL types of work–is the smarter choice. At a minimum you should take advantage of getting a free consultation that Reliable Contractors offer. This will allow you to make an educated decision on exactly who to hire for the project you need to complete.

Hope this helps!

Keep on building,
Shawn Bonneau

What should I know before hiring a contractor? – Bill, WI

Bill, Thank you for your question!  There are several elements to that question so let me break it down to the ones we at Reliable Contractors hold most important.

- Licensing and Insurance: The phrases “Licensed and Insured” are common, if all too often misused. Many companies utilize a qualifier such as “acting as a contractor,” when they are in fact not licensed and may be unfamiliar with local ordinances or building codes. Verify with WWW.CSLB.CA.GOV to insure your contractor’s license is valid and the actual license holder works in the company.

Many companies advertise they are “Insured,” when in actuality they are not fully insured. Both general contractor’s liability and worker’s compensation insurance are required to insulate a home or business owner from workman’s injury claims. Protect yourself by requesting proof of adequate insurance from your contractor.

- Warranty: The state requires all licensed contractors to provide a minimum of one year warranty on workmanship. Only if your contractor is properly licensed is this protection available.

- Payment: If you are working with a reputable contractor, they should never do the following: (1) Request that you to pay in cash; (2) Request that you to pay based on anything other than work completion milestones; or (3) Request that you provide more than a $1000.00 or 10% deposit whichever is less on a materials and labor contract. If a contractor makes these requests, beware.

Lastly, be educated on mechanics liens. California law provides that anyone performing labor or providing materials to improve or repair a property may obtain a mechanics lien against that property. Suppliers of materials and subcontractors, which your general contractor employs, can hold you liable for any bills your contractor fails to pay. Therefore, make sure your contract specifies that you will be furnished a signed mechanic’s lien waiver or releases from material suppliers and subcontractors.

- Timeline: Ask when they are available to start your project and how long they estimate it will take. These are basic yet critical questions a prospective contractor should be able to answer.

- Bids: If you request bids from several contractors, make sure to request a formal bid based on exactly the same plans and specifications. This is important in order to compare “apples to apples”; otherwise the low bid may turn out to be low quality as well.

- Communication: Home or business owners should have the reasonable expectation of communicating with the contractor regarding questions or concerns about their project. A reputable contractor will have a representative of the company available to speak with the home or business owner about the projectís cost, schedule or implications.

- Overall: Bottom line, look for a contractor who is experienced and has a reputation for delivering Reliable and quality work.  Reliable Contractors of San Diego is committed to doing just that.  Whether you’re looking for a Handyman in San Diego to a full commercial construction or home remodeling project, we’re here to serve your every construction need.

You have an idea of how to fix-up your home. You know what the counters look like, you can feel the new floor underneath your feet, and you can see the vivid colors of each room. Well if you can design your home, you can leave the building to us.

We have a team of experienced contractors who specialize in taking the renovations and designs in your mind and building them in your actual home. No matter how complicated or simple the design, we can build it.

Pick a room you’d like to improve. Any design you choose. Go ahead. Bathroom? You imagine a special mirror big enough to fit two people, attached to a custom built wooden cabinet with soft lighting hanging from the ceiling. Now shake it all up and start again. Maybe switch the room and start at the kitchen, or take a trip outside and imagine a custom patio or a wrap around wooden deck. We make your designs come to life, and our professional contractors will build whatever designs you can dream up.

It all starts with you dialing our number and speaking to one of our specialists. We’ll listen to your ideas and schedule a time for us to meet. Then we’ll let you walk us through your design, step by step, and create a few sketches before we start building.

Once you give us the go-ahead, our team of contractors gets right to work to bring your design to life. From day one until clean up, you’ll see the progress of your renovations that you could only imagine before. Your satisfaction is guaranteed with every project, and no job is too big or too small.

Have you always wanted a pool in your backyard to help you beat the summer heat? We can help you build it. What does your design look like? Does it have both a shallow and deep end? Is there a hot tub attached, or a waterfall off the to the side with ornaments? However you want it, that’s how we’ll build it. No design is too far-fetched for our creative team of engineers to create for you and your dream.

Maybe you already have the room you love, but you need the accessories and decoration to fit your design. Our team will work closely with you to find out exactly what you need to get the room perfect for you.

Our rates are affordable, and we will work with any budget. Your dream designs can come to life today, but it all starts with the first phone call and our estimate. Call today!

Mold is a serious problem. Luckily, there is a solution.

When mold starts to grow in your home, the time to act is now. Pick up your phone and call the mold remediation experts. We have been San Diego’s trusted specialists for years, and have saved countless homes millions in damage by acting quickly and professionally.

Mold can do more than just damage your house, which is why it’s important to have the remediation specialists you can trust. Many times, when families have unexplained health issues, it’s because mold has begun growing within the walls or ceilings. As mold grows and spreads, breathing can become more difficult, even when outside the home. Asthmatic tendencies and allergic reactions can also increase after exposure to mold, even when not in direct contact. It’s important to turn to the contractors who specialize in mold detection and removal as soon as possible.

Mold is a fungus that grows in damp conditions. In many homes, mold will spread after a pipe has burst, or in the bathroom and other areas constantly exposed to water. Undetected mold can cause structural damage as well as the health issues already mentioned.

That’s why we are San Diego’s trusted source for mold remediation. We use state of the art equipment and procedures to detect and eliminate all mold from your home. We pride ourselves on our thorough work, and we will follow up at your house even after our work is complete to ensure we’ve eliminated all traces of mold, as even dead mold can cause health issues.

Our process makes us number one in the San Diego area. Before we act, we work to learn exactly how damaged your home is. We use an array of equipment to provide detailed assessments to you. Our contractors are equipped with thermographic cameras to help detect points of mold infiltration, as well as humidity gauges and moisture meters for early detection.

We also use special vacuums designed to remove all water and dampness from carpets, floors, and other places where mold may spawn. Rest assured we will provide the most complete services available while disturbing your home as little as possible. Thought in some cases, more severe measures need to be taken, we will never act without full consent and disclosure regarding your mold situation.

No other mold remediation contractors provide the complete services we do, which makes us San Diego’s most trusted and most referred. Your safety is of utmost importance to us.

We’ll provide you with an early estimate and give you all of the facts you need to best make your decision. If you think you may have a mold problem in your home, call us now.

It always seems to happen all at once. All of the sudden, your home requires more work than ever just to keep up, and the do-it-yourself projects become more tedious and time consuming. Maybe it’s time to give the home remodeling specialists a call? We have been San Diego’s most trusted name in home renovations for years, and we can fix and remodel your home.

Does your home lack the modern touch? Our team of expert contractors will help get your home remodeling underway. We specialize in a wide array of services to give your home the updates it so badly needs.

The kitchen and bathroom are the two rooms that can’t just be fixed with a new coat of paint and a thorough cleaning. When you need professional, quality services, you need us.

Your kitchen seems more cramped than usual, and you struggle with counter and cabinet space. Let’s start here! Our team of creative engineers and home remodeling contractors will work closely with you to create the aesthetics and functions you’ve been missing out on. Cooking will be more fun than daunting once your kitchen is updated and can handle your schedule. We can install custom cabinets and counters, dishwashers and garbage disposals; all designed to make your time in the kitchen that much easier.

Is your bathroom also in need of major renovations? Hundreds of San Diego families count on our professional services for home and bathroom remodeling. Sinks, showers, cabinets, mirrors, and floors can all be updated to add a beautiful new feel to your home.

We can give any room in your house a fresh new feel, many times changing the mood and lighting in certain rooms. Our remodeling contractors can paint, fix drywall, powerwash, and so much more to any room in your home. You may not even know you need it, but you will see a major difference once our team presents you with a newly remodeled room.

Do you have any rooms in your house that aren’t being used to their full potential? Think about an attic that only stores out-of-sight objects or a musty cellar? These can be rooms you are proud of, and we can show you how. If you can dream of using a stale cellar for a den or an attic for an extra room, we will make these rooms work for you, adding value to your home. Many houses in San Diego and beyond have seen the benefit from our professional services. Give your house the makeover it needs.

Your home can be the first impression people have of you, even before they set one foot inside. That’s why it’s very important to pay attention to the outside of your house as well. Our contractors can wash and paint your house, as well as make improvements to your landscape.

Call us today for an estimate, and see why hundreds of San Diego homeowners count on us for their home remodeling projects.

Could you use more counter space? Have you lived long enough without a garbage disposal? Do you want a whole new modern look for your kitchen? If you answered yes to any of these questions or still have some questions of your own; you’ve come to the right place. We are the most trusted kitchen remodeling contractors in San Diego. Our experienced contractors have improved hundreds of kitchens.

We offer a wide range of services for your kitchen. From custom countertops, to modern sink and appliance installation, to floor renovations; no job is too big or too small for our team of experienced kitchen remodeling contractors.

For years now, San Diego residents have called us for accurate estimates and services when they want to take the first steps toward remodeling their outdated kitchen. In most cases, the project starts with something small like remodeling the floors or installing custom countertops of marble or granite. After seeing some of our work, many homeowners put our contractors and creative engineers to the test to give them the brand new kitchen they have only seen in their dreams.

Our contractors will work closely with you from the first estimate to make sure you get the kitchen to fit your home’s aesthetic. From select tiles to wood floors and more, we’ll start at the ground up for your custom remodeling.

When it comes to cabinets, no contractors work harder to give you the space and style you’ve been waiting for. Using quality products like wood, glass, steel, and ceramics; we can really custom design your ideal kitchen. If storage space is your main concern, we have the solutions you need. Our modern designs are built to give you the space you need. We will work with your space to give you more space than you have ever dreamed of.

Speaking of space, even small kitchens can be improved with our remodeling solutions. By adding select drawers, lazy susans, cabinets, kitchen islands, and shelves; we give you the storage options you need for food, dishes, glasses and more. If you have an idea in mind, odds are our team of experienced contractors has built it before. We can make your ideas work for you.

Have questions about your kitchen remodeling project? Don’t hesitate to ask San Diego’s most trusted company. We know the appliances that will help your kitchen run at its smoothest. Hundreds of families and businesses have relied on us to develop a brand new kitchen that will last. Let us develop your new kitchen today for you!
You’re just one call away from the kitchen you’ve been waiting for. Call today for your estimate.