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Wondering if it’s time to hire a landscape contractor? These pros are experts at managing all aspects of an outdoor project, including hiring subcontractors and overseeing work, keeping the work site safe and applying for building permits. If you have plans from a landscape architect or designer and are ready to bring them to life in your garden, or if you need help executing your own vision for your outdoor space, a landscape contractor could be the right pro for your project. Here are 10 times it makes sense to work with a landscape contractor to help your outdoor spaces flourish.
(If you want to learn about other home pros, go to the bottom of this story for links to earlier stories in our “10 Times to Hire” series.)
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2. You’re Moving
Hiring a professional organizer to help before, during or after a move can be a lifesaver. Leading up to a move, an organizing pro can help declutter and organize your home, making it easier to stage — which can in turn help attract potential buyers, and perhaps even help your home fetch a higher price. Paring back before moving also means less weight and less space in the moving truck, which equates to a less costly move, something that can have a significant financial impact, especially if you’re moving long-distance. Finally, an organizer can help you unpack your belongings in your new home and set up systems so you’re organized from the get-go.
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Wondering if it’s time to hire a landscape architect? These are licensed and trained professionals who design and plan outdoor spaces that are made for living. If you’re thinking about designing your outdoor dream space, want to add value to your home with landscaping or need help working with challenging terrain, a landscape architect might be the pro you need in your corner. Here are 10 times it makes sense to work with a landscape architect to help your outdoor space flourish.
(If you want to learn about other home pros, go to the bottom of this story for links to other stories in our 10 Times to Hire series.)
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Wondering if it’s time to hire a homebuilder? Some builders work on custom homes with individual clients in collaboration with the homeowner’s architect, while others are also developers, purchasing land and creating communities of customizable homes. If you’re thinking of building a home or undertaking a large-scale remodel, a builder could be a key member of your team. Here are 10 times it makes sense to work with a homebuilder to bring your dream project to life.
(If you want to learn about other home pros, go to the bottom of this story for links to other stories in our 10 Times to Hire series.)
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2. There’s One Room You Really Want to Feel Pulled-Together
It could be the living room, kitchen or your master bedroom — whatever the space, if there’s one room you’d love to have feeling finished, an interior designer can help make that a reality. Instead of waffling over the hundreds of tiny details that go into decorating a space, an interior designer can guide you with confidence, editing your options so the entire process feels more streamlined. And (perhaps most important) when you opt to work with an interior designer, you’re committing to actually finishing the project once and for all.
The owners of the home shown here hired designer Ashleigh Weatherill to decorate their family room. Using several of the clients’ existing pieces and bringing in a few custom-made items, Weatherill was able to create a polished space that the homeowners will be reveling in on holidays and other special occasions.
See more of this updated traditional family room
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General Contractor vs. Specialized Contractor
A specialized contractor is a pro with a single specialty area of practice, like electricians and plumbers. A general contractor (GC), on the other hand, oversees all on-site aspects of a construction project, including the work of any specialized contractors. The GC is your point person — the one with a bird’s-eye view of the entire project and the person you call about everything related to the project.
1. You’re Ready to Implement an Architect’s Plans
If you’ve been working with an architect to design a custom home, once the plans have been finalized it’s time to find a contractor who can bring the design to life. It’s important that these pros work well together, so if your architect suggests contractors he or she has worked with before, it’s a good idea to consider getting bids from them. But even if you do go with one of the contractors your designer suggests, don’t neglect to do your own due diligence — check references, ask to see past work and double-check that he or she is insured.
Find a general contractor near you
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Wondering if it’s time to hire a design-build firm? Unlike the more traditional path (known as “design, bid, build”), which involves hiring a designer and a builder separately, hiring a design-build firm gives you design and construction services under the same umbrella. Whether led by an architect or a builder, all true design-build firms include both designers and builders at their core.
If you are thinking of remodeling, adding on or building from scratch and want the ease of working with a single firm from start to finish, a design-build firm may be the right choice for you. (If you want to learn about other home pros, go to the bottom of this story for links to other stories in our “10 Times to Hire” series.) Here are 10 times it makes sense to work with a design-build firm to bring your project to life.
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7. You Want to Honor Your Home’s Roots
Whether you’re looking to expand your home’s footprint or completely rebuild, an architect can help ensure that the new structure marries seamlessly with the old. And if you’re building an entirely new structure, a trained architect can design a home that sits well with the character of the neighborhood and region.
In the space shown here, Jimmy Crisp of Crisp Architects worked with the homeowners to fully remodel and add onto their original farmhouse, while respecting the original architecture. The additions, done in the Greek revival style, are consistent with the age of the home and the style of the region.
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4. You’re Renovating an Old House
From outdated building codes to unusual historic design elements, updating an older house is a challenge that requires a special touch. An experienced kitchen designer can help you navigate this tricky process smoothly.
When kitchen designer Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn remodeled this historic Scarsdale, New York, Colonial kitchen, she had to balance design elements from the earliest portion of the home — dating back to the early 19th century — with an addition completed in the 1920s. The finished space nods to the home’s rich history while incorporating fresh, modern touches.
The Hidden Problems in Old Houses
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1. You’ll Save Time
You may not know how structural choices can impact the installation of the mechanical system. Or about options for new materials or technologies that might be cheaper, better or more appropriate than what you are familiar with. Figuring those things out takes time, and lots of it. A skilled professional will have this information at the ready for you.
Plus, with advances in technology, new building envelope techniques are coming on the market with increasing frequency, and new, tougher energy-efficiency requirements are transforming how walls are constructed and bringing an end to many traditional building practices. So it’s more crucial than ever to have someone on your team who understands how your building assembly meets current building code requirements.
These codes are typically complex texts that are difficult for those outside the building industry to understand. When designers submit drawings to the building authority, a plans examiner reviews them and issues a revision notice to address any variances from the current codes and construction standards.
A well-informed designer with up-to-date knowledge of building science can get building projects through with the minimum number of revisions. Since each revision takes time to be completed, having fewer revisions will allow you to get your permit faster. Low-quality or incomplete documents can delay your construction. Hiring a designer will help ensure that your project meets relevant codes so it can progress smoothly through your municipality’s process.
This could save you many sleepless nights and potentially weeks on your project trying to determine what is needed to satisfy the code requirements.
Find an architect near you