How to estimate your home building cost

There are many factors that go into home building costs and it can be huge task to even come out with an estimate.

The quickest way to estimate home building costs is to find similar houses in the area that has the same overall look and size of one that you want to build. Then take the selling price, minus the cost of the land and you will have a rough and quick estimate of the construction cost. This is, of course not an exact science, but by following this basic rule you will be able to get a rough estimate.

If the house that you are comparing with was built a few years ago, then you should factor in the depreciation cost due to increase in the cost of labor and materials at between 2 to 5% per annum.

Home building costs can be further influenced by the interior feature of the home. Let’s say you want a completely furnished basement and the house than you are using as a reference does not. You should factor this into the cost estimate. A little here and there can add up to thousands of dollars.

Another way is to seek the help of a construction company. If you show them the type of house that you are interested in they should be able to respond to you with a quick estimate. Usually, due to expertise and experience, their estimate can be quite close to the actual building cost.

What if the house that you plan to build is different from what is available in your vicinity? Here is a tip. Go online and type in the terms ‘home plans’ or ‘house plans’. You will find many sites that offer thousands of house plans. You can search by type, size, number of rooms etc and for a small price you can download the blueprint. Then ask your friendly construction company to give you an estimate.

Yet another way is to use home building kits. Again go online and type in ‘home building kits’. There are many companies offering home building kits than contains everything (except labor) that you need to build a house. Then ask your construction company to quote for labor charges. Labor charges constitute a significant portion of the cost of building your own home and if you have the expertise, using a home building kit and building it yourself can reduce your estimate significantly.

No matter how precise or detail oriented you are in the planning stages, you must keep in that there may be an unexpected cost overrun. It is a safe practice to put away about 10 or even 15 % for contingency to ensure that you have the money to cover any overrun.

Home building costs can often be very difficult to pinpoint. But if you use some of the methods described above, and by being precise and detail oriented, you will be able to come up with a very close estimate on your home building costs.

Need to refinish you hardwood floor?

Refinishing hardwood floors is something that you can do yourself without paying professionals high amounts of money to do it for you. However, you do need to have time to spend on your refinishing project to make sure that you end up with the effect you want to achieve. Many places that rent equipment have the heavy-duty sander that you need for the refinishing job. To start to refinish hardwood floors, you first have to move all the furniture and take up any rugs or mats that you have on the wood floors. You also need to wear a dust mask so that you won’t breathe in the dust when refinishing hardwood floors.

Older wood floors can be restored to their former glory when you find out how to refinish hardwood floors. There are many books you can buy on the subject of refinishing hardwood floors and you can also get valuable information when you search online. You do need to have a heavy- duty sander that you move gently back and forth over the wood floors. It is best to move in a straight line with the pattern of the hardwood boards instead of going across, especially if the hardwood has a bevelled edge with small grooves. You also have to be mindful not to apply more pressure in one place that in another because you could take gouges out of the floor.

Once you have the initial finish sanded off, you have to sweep or vacuum up the dust and give the floor a light washing. This is an important part of refinishing hardwood floors because the least little bit of dust and dirt will show up when you apply the stain and finish. In the information you have about how to refinish wood floors, you will find out that you should only use a damp mop to wash up the floor. Excess water, especially on the sanded hardwood, will cause stains in the floor.

When you dry the floor, then you are ready for the next stage of refinishing hardwood floors. You can choose to stain the wood floor in different colors suited to the type of wood. You may want to leave the wood in its natural color, but when you read about how to refinish hardwood floors, you will also learn about the need for a protective coating. The polyurethane coating adds protection to the floor. You can choose a coating that will give you a gleaming floor or one that has a low lustre. When refinishing wood floors, it is essential that the first coat is dry before you apply another coat. The more coats you put on, the shinier your floors will be.

Refinishing wood floors is a time-consuming project. However, it does not mean that you have to move out of the home until you complete the refinishing. The coatings for refinishing hardwood floors do not have any strong fumes that may be dangerous for anyone with respiratory problems. The only thing you have to remember is not to walk on the floor until the finish is dry. If you do, your refinishing project will have your footprints all over it – in more ways than one.

Are you planning a kitchen remodeling or renovation project?

Deciding to remodel your kitchen is one of the best investments you can make. The kitchen is where people spend most of their waking hours while at home. It is where they cook, eat, and gather with the family. It is also where they talk and share ideas about the latest trends and fashions. Consequently, it is not surprising that the kitchen would be on the top of the list of home improvement projects. Having an up to date, modern kitchen, allows people not only to function better with new cabinets and appliances, but also enables them to feel that they are indeed living in modern society.

Kitchen remodeling however can be a very messy and disruptive home improvement project. And the length of the disruption can take as long as a month or more, even when well planned out.

To mitigate the disruption of a kitchen renovation project, planning is absolutely essential. The first item to consider is whether you will do it yourself, or hire a general contractor. Regardless of what route, a homeowner needs to first sketch out some kitchen remodeling ideas to ensure the kitchen design and costs will meet their targeted functional requirements and budget. If a general contractor is to be hired these initial sketches will be helpful in communicating your kitchen remodeling plans and ideas.

During the planning phase, the homeowner should identify the main objectives of the future kitchen. They should research the latest products on the market including: cabinets, countertops, appliances, and flooring. If the kitchen is more than 5 years old, there are a lot of new products to choose from. For example, Silestone is quickly surpassing Granite and Corian, as the premier countertop surface as it is extremely hard, elegant in appearance, and comes in many colors. For cabinets, the trend appears to be towards lighter colors as they help the appearance of lightening and enlarging a room. In regards to appliances, the Stainless Steel look appears to be in. And for flooring, vinyl or wood is the trend. Tile looks nice, however, it can be unforgiving in a room where things tend to get dropped. In addition, if there is no radiant heating planned for the floor, tile has the tendency to feel cold on the feet.

It is also important to consider any structural changes to the existing kitchen area. Is a new kitchen island desired, or will walls or doorways need to be moved or installed?

When developing your kitchen remodeling plan, it is important to note that professional kitchen designers like to think of a triangle when starting a new kitchen design. The three points of the triangle include the Sink, Refrigerator, and Stove. Make sure your sketches consider this, as it will ensure a good functional kitchen. Also, consider adequate walking areas and space for an eating area, such as a table or center island, with applicable space included for chairs. I would suggest that the walking areas be wide enough for two people to walk through at the same time.

The sketches should also include dimensions, as these will be needed when meeting with the general contractor or kitchen designer. Finally, consider where the existing outlets and power for the stove are, and assess if additional outlets will be needed or old outlets relocated.

How to prevent water damage in the bathroom

The frequent use of water in the bathroom makes it extremely vulnerable for moist accumulation and potential water damage. By inspecting it regularly, you can reduce water related damages.

The following set of inspections is easy to perform and should be done once in every three months in order to keep your bathroom in good shape and to prevent potential water damages caused by the bathtub, the shower, pipe joints and plumbing, sinks, cabinets, and the toilet

Do not neglect performing these inspections and be thorough while performing them. Keep in mind that these simple inspections can save you a lot of money by providing early indications for water damage

Bathtub and Shower

The shower and bathtub require special attention and maintenance. Check the tiles and replace if cracked. Make sure that there is no missing grout between the tiles. Inspect and replace cracked caulking at joints where the walls meet the floor or the bathtub. Clogged drains and pipes problems will prevent the bathtub from drying and may indicate serious problems beneath the bathtub. Consult with a professional immediately to prevent structural damage. Pay attention to discolorations or soft areas around the bathtub walls as they may indicate an internal leak.

Plumbing

Signs for water damage are hard to detect since most pipes are installed inside the walls.

Pay special attention to flooring and walls moisture and stains as they may indicate an invisible plumbing problem. Check moisture levels in adjoining rooms as well.

Sinks and Cabinets

Sinks and cabinets are exposed to moisture and humidity daily and are often overlooked. Inspect regularly under the sink and on the countertop above it. Repair any drip in the trap as it may suggest drain problems. Look around the sink, slow draining pipes may indicate a blocked drain. Replace sink seals if they are cracked or loose.

The Toilet

The toilet is a vulnerable water junction. Check the water lines and search for leaks around the toilet seat, in the hose, and under the water tank. If you detect any signs of moisture on the floor around the toilet, check for leaks in the toilet rim and tank seals.

Be aware that hanging toilet bowl deodorants increases the chances for clogs.

The purpose of roofing underlay

 Undertile membrane, or underlay, is thick, waterproof plastic that is placed under the exterior roof.  The roofing underlay essentially works as a secondary roof.

We install underlay to:

• prevent dust accumulation, especially from wind
• reduce attic pressure (suction on the tiles caused by strong winds)

The regulations specify that it is mandatory to install underlay on:

• cement tile roofs with pitches between 17.5 and 26 degrees
• cement tile roofs with pitches greater than 45 degrees
• cement tile roofs with all tile pitches in coastal areas (within 30 km of the sea)

This is usually a critical upgrade when assessing most roof repairs.

Need a reliable contractor for your end of year renovations?

 We provide a cost-effective residential renovations and alterations service in all areas in Cape Town. We will also assist with remodelling your kitchen, bathroom, indoor or outdoor space. You may provide a few images or a short video in order to provide a preliminary quote.

Need a maintenance contractor?

 Landlords are reluctant to make the investment in a property maintenance company. They don’t see why they should pay someone else to do the work when they can just do it themselves.

Even though that makes sense sometimes, it usually makes more sense to call in the experts.

You may provide a few images or a short video in order to provide a preliminary quote.