Homeownership is the Foundation of the American Dream
Homeownership is the Foundation of the American Dream
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For many people, owning a home is part of their American Dream. Homeownership builds stronger communities, provides a solid foundation for family and personal achievement and improves the quality of life for millions of people. It is truly the cornerstone of the American way of life.
- Most Americans consider homeownership to be the single best long-term investment and a primary source of wealth and financial security. Countless generations of Americans have counted on their homes for their children’s education, their own retirement and a personal sense of well-being.
- Yet, a home is so much more than an investment. In good times and in bad, the opportunity to own a home has been a cherished ideal and a source of pride, accomplishment, social stability and peace of mind.
- Changing housing policy now to make owning a home more expensive is unfair and would hurt those that have played by the rules and made the sacrifices to get where they are now. It would harm millions of Americans who are struggling to make their monthly mortgage payments and those who aspire to one day own a home of their own.
Homeownership is a Major Driver of the U.S. Economy
- The nation’s housing and homeownership policies over the last century have contributed to the growth of the middle class and helped the United States become the most dynamic economy the world has ever seen.
- Fully 15 percent of the U.S. economy relies on housing and nothing packs a bigger local economic impact than home building.
- Constructing 100 new homes creates more than 300 full-time jobs, $23.1 million in wage and business income and $8.9 million in federal, state and local tax revenue.
- A healthy housing industry means more jobs and a stronger economy. Home building increases the property tax base that supports local schools and communities.
- Housing, like no other sector, is "Made in America." Most of the products used in home construction and remodeling are manufactured here in the United States.
More reasons why you shouldn't get a "free estimate"!
Statistically if you select the lowest bid, you will most likely end up paying an amount closer to the middle, if not the highest bid. There is almost a 100% guarantee that you will not pay the amount on a “free estimate”.
Rapport should always be number one on the priority list and while it’s okay for your project to be budget-driven, price should never be higher than #2.
To learn more about a better way, call or click!
Kelly Anderson
Ironwood Custom Builders, Inc
Office 801-416-3131 Ext 101
Fax 801-386-5548
Stringham Residence Kitchen & Bath
Kelly Anderson
www.IronwoodCustomBuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway, Suite 500
Salt Lake City, Utah 84121
801-416-3131 ext 101
Remodeling Through Color
Did you know that the colors you select for your home have meaning and can set mood? Studies show that color can complement architecture, enhance or diminish the sense of space, create a particular ambience, and impact your daily moods. Color experts have studied how color is likely to affect you. Here is what they have found:
- Blue, universally a favorite, is recognized for its tranquil effects. However, if too dark or used too expansively, it can have a depressing effect.
- Red evokes excitement, and is an excellent accent. Often used in kitchens, it’s felt that red enhances one’s appetite.
- Green is either loved or heartily disliked, so take care when making this selection.
- Brown and orange are viewed as friendly and informal colors.
- Yellow, generally perceived as a cheery color, may make children feel depressed, so use it sparingly.
- Neutral colors can serve as dramatic backdrops for furnishings, collections, and accessories. Neutrals also add the flexibility to introduce new colors seasonally with throw pillows, artwork, and other decorative items.
When selecting your colors:
- Select exterior shades that harmonize with the home’s surroundings—steer towards the earthier shades (i.e. a grey-blue vs. a bright royal blue).
- Consider the style and era of your home—there might be some traditional colors associated with them—especially with Victorian and traditional Colonials.
- When viewing paint samples, look at chip sizes proportionate to how they will ultimately be used (e.g., if a wall will be painted taupe with a red accent, view a larger sample of the taupe paint against a smaller sample of the red).
- Less is more. Don’t overuse a color, especially in a small room.
- Even though a color may be too strong for an entire wall, consider it for an accent color.
- Most importantly, select colors that work for you and your lifestyle, not what’s considered “in” or “out” at the time. But don’t be afraid to color your world—you’ll find it will make a world of difference!
Kelly Anderson
www.IronwoodCustomBuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway Suite 500
Salt Lake City, Utah 84121
801-416-3131
Don't select the contractor with the lowest bid
Construction Contracts
Air Conditioner Maintenance
Kelly Anderson
www.IronwoodCustomBuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway
Suite 500
SLC, Utah 84121
New EPA Lead Based Paint Regulations
Lead based paint was used in paints and finishes as a color enhancer and hardener. It was discovered in the early 1900's however that lead is toxic. Lead based paint is attributed to causing ADHD and mental retardation in children who either eat the lead chips (from flaking paint) or from inhaling dust caused by renovation activities.
In adults lead poisoning causes severe joint pain, headaches, and loss of sexual desire just to mention a few.
The new EPA regulations provide that non-certified contractors caught remodeling homes that contain lead can be fined up to $37,500 per day until they either pull off the project or get certified. If they are caught and continue to work after they have been cited, the $37,500 per day fine will continue each and every day until they comply.
In Utah, only 1 in 293 contractors are EPA Certified Renovators. If you live in a home built prior to 1978 and intend to remodel or renovate, for the sake of the health of you and your family, please be sure to hire a Certified Renovator.
Ironwood Custom Builders has been certified by the EPA to perform renovations in homes that contain lead paint and also to perform lead testing. If you have questions about lead based paint, remodeling an older home, or about having lead testing done, please contact me and I'll be happy to help.
Kelly Anderson
Ironwood Custom Builders, Inc
kelly@ironwoodcustombuilders.com
www.IronwoodCustomBuilders.com
801-205-2817
Things to Consider When Hiring a Contractor
Things to Consider When Hiring a Contractor
Hiring a contractor can be an intimidating, nerve wracking process. But there are a few things that when taken into consideration, can make the process of selecting a contractor, and the actual build process itself go much smoother. The general guideline is that you should get 3 bids for your project. The general guideline continues that you should throw out the highest and lowest bids and accept the middle. While these are good guidelines, they are just that “guidelines”. There are many other things that need to be taken into consideration, such as;
- License and Insurance
Make sure that your contractor is properly licensed by the State of Utah and that they carry the mandated (by law) liability and workers compensation insurance. If they are not properly licensed and insured, they are operating illegally and if any damage or injuries occur on your project, you are personally liable. So called “contractors” that offer unusually low bids are usually doing so because they don’t have the overhead of licensing fees and insurance premiums. While it may be tempting to accept the lowest bid of an illegal contractor in order for you to get what you want for your prescribed budget, be assured if this is the route you choose, you will probably get much more than you bargained for!
- Comparing “Apples to Apples”
It will be up to you to do the proper due diligence to make sure all of the bids you receive are actually for the same thing. But if you provided the same plans to all of the contractors, wouldn’t they all be bidding the same thing? Yes they should, but they’ll probably not. Generally there should not be a spread of more than 10% from the highest to lowest bid. If the lowest bid is more than 10% away from the highest, then the two contractors are most likely not bidding the same thing. The profit margins in construction are generally only a few percent so don’t be fooled by thinking that the $10,000 remodel bid has a $5000 markup compared to the $5,000 bid. Contractors usually provide what are known as allowances for things like plumbing fixtures, light fixtures and any other “finish” items because at the bidding stage, you usually have not selected those items just yet. Even specifying something like stainless steel appliances doesn’t narrow it down. The contractor could provide a $2,000 allowance for a stainless steel refrigerator or $10,000. So one bid for a kitchen remodel could literally be $8,000 higher than another based on just the refrigerator! If you haven’t told the contractors which particular fridge you want, they will either give you an allowance or include one that they’ve chosen, so it is up to you to make sure you are comparing the items included or the allowances provided in each bid.
- How is The Contractor to Work With During the Bid Process?
- Does he answer his phone promptly and if not, does he return your calls within a reasonable time frame?
- Did he present his bid to you on the day he said he would and do so in a professional manner?
- Is he on time to your meetings?
- Does he seem knowledgeable about the things that you want to do and in construction in general?
If the answer to any of these questions is “no” this will most likely not change for the better once you tart the project. An unresponsive, unorganized contractors don't provide results that leave happy customers.
- Do You Click?
If there seems to be any sort of personality conflict or if you are not comfortable with a particular contractor during the bid process, for whatever the reason, you should probably go with your gut. First impressions are often the right ones. You will become “best friends” as soon as you sign the contract and the last thing you want is to have to deal with someone daily for 6, 8, 10 weeks or even as many months, if you don’t have a good rapport. While the lowest bid isn’t always the one you should throw out, if you seem to have a good relationship with a contractor who is organized, shows up when he promises and generally does everything else as promised, when promised, then the high bid may very well be worth the extra expense.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Ask!
If you have questions about a bid, or in particular about anything that the contractor is including, make sure you ask. Remember, the only stupid questions are the ones that you don’t ask! If you feel most comfortable with the contractor that has submitted the highest bid but he is over your budget, make sure to ask about what can be done to get his bid to within your budget. He may very well have included things that you either don’t want, don’t need, or can live without. Sometimes, very simple adjustments can be made to a bid proposal to get it in line with whatever your budget may be. But always remember that the old adage “you get what you pay for” is probably truer in construction than in any other business. So spending a few extra percent than what you may have budgeted for in order to get exactly what you want will be well worth it in the long run.
- Check References!
This one is real simple. Your contractor needs to be able to provide some references. Online customer reviews are big right now, so check your contractor’s web site to see if he has an independent 3rd party doing customer reviews for him. If he does, he is most likely proudly displaying them on his home page. If not, just ask to be able to speak to a few past clients and don’t be afraid to ask questions like “what would you do differently?” or “would you refer the contractor or hire him again?” A few simple questions should give you enough information to determine if that contractor is right for you.
Remodeling a home or building a new one can be a very rewarding experience; you just need to start off on the right foot by hiring the right contractor. To hire the right contractor, just take a little extra time to do some research and ask a few questions. A little extra time spent in the beginning will usually prove to be time be well spent in the end.
and always remember...
The bad aftertaste of shoddy work lasts much longer than the sweet smell of a good deal
Kelly Anderson
www.IronwoodCustomBuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway
Suite 500
SLC, Utah 84121
How to Avoid Costly Plumber Visits
With that in mind, I wanted to talk about some easy things you can do to avoid expensive plumber visits. From my experience as a builder, I have found that there are three main reasons why people clog their drains: 1) putting things down the disposal that they shouldn't, 2) not running the water long enough after they've turned the disposal off, and 3) flushing things down the toilet other than what was meant to be flushed down the toilet!
The toilet one seems kind of obvious, but maybe the disposal one isn't as obvious. The rules for your disposal are simple: do not put stringy, starchy vegetables like celery or potatoes down the drain, or things like egg shells or meat. Your meat needs to go in the trash and the others can easily be composted if you don't want to throw them out. When you hear that the disposal has finished grinding up your food, simply continue to let the water run for about 15-20 seconds in order to completely flush the waste down the drain.
With regards to the toilet, nothing more than the obvious 2 things and toilet paper should ever be put in the toilet. Avoid flushing feminine hygene products, paper, or anything else for that matter down the toilet. And though it might seem obvious to you, educate your kids about flushing toys!
By simply following these guidlines you will minimize your chances of ever needing to pay a plumber $85 an hour!
Kelly Anderson
www.IronwoodCustomBuilders.com
2825 East Cottonwood Parkway
Suite 500
SLC, Utah 84121
