Some of the most costly home repairs can be avoided by developing a list of items to check and putting them on a calendar to remind you to inspect them before damage occurs. Some items need to be checked on a more frequent basis such as gutters and down spouts where as your roof might only need to be checked once a year. Most home maintenance can be done with a ladder, some basic tools and a caulk gun, but there are items better left to a professional. Identifying them and taking care of them before they become a costly repair is the goal of Home Maintenance.

A roof inspection to check the condition of the structure or shingles might be better left to a professional but checking step flashing around a chimney or pipe collars for your plumbing vents are items that can be on your list to inspect once a year. A visual inspection for cracks in the caulk can be an easy repair to avoid water damage to your ceiling and walls from a heavy rain. Gutters and down spouts should be checked on a more regular basis especially in the spring and fall. A clogged gutter can over flow causing erosion or flooding your basement. A gutter that has been installed incorrectly or has sagged over time can cause it to drain poorly and overflow quickly. Installation of a gutter guard might be a better solution to minimize the need to clean out your gutters.

Painting trim around your soffits, windows and doors will keep them from rotting and needing to be replaced. Inspecting the caulking around the doors and windows and repairing problem areas will avoid water getting into your home and causing expensive repairs to drywall. Water can cause some of the most costly repairs to your home. Maintaining caulk in bathrooms is also an important item. If the caulk around your vanity, toilet, shower or tub is cracked or discolored remove it and replace it before water damages the wall and floor underneath. Wall tile and floor tile will not keep water where it is supposed to be without caulk and can result in the most expensive items in a bathroom repair or remodel.

These are just a few examples of common areas of your home that need to be maintained. The purpose of home maintenance is to avoid the higher cost to repair neglected items. Foster Remodeling can help you identify potential problem areas, perform simple maintenance, make the necessary repairs and put a plan together to help protect the comfort and value of your home.

Written by: Rich Caswell – Home Maintenance Consultant

The initial hurdles were determining the right design and putting something on paper that could be affordable to build. My initial estimates were very close to what I was hearing from prospective contractors who I had scoped out for the work. The next hurdle was selecting the contractor to do the work.

I met with some very talented and experienced patio and wall installers who had been referred to me by other people or who I had sought out myself from doing some general searching on websites and through trade associations. I ran through my own mind all the things that were important to me in who would be doing this work- fair price; ability to meet my schedule; quality of work and overall professionalism. Then it struck me that all these companies had these qualities. Stuck in the back of my mind after all the reviewing of estimates, designs, referrals and insurance paperwork was the fact that I was going to require the work be done by the person I felt I could trust the most.

So, after conducting my research – including checking references; seeing examples of their work and following up with consumer advocacy groups like the Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce and Angie’s List – I narrowed my pool of choices down to two. I had one last meeting with each contractor and asked them why I should trust them to do this project.

Contractor “A” replied with statements about their experience, the great price they were giving me and the fact they were a large company with plenty of manpower to get the job done. This all made me feel very good but not necessarily any more trusting in this company.

When I met with Contractor “B” and asked the same question, the response was straight forward- “I’ve been in business for almost ten years and, in that time, I’ve built my reputation with lots of very satisfied clients. I will not tell you that every project went off without a hitch or that there has never been a minor delay but I always kept the client abreast of what was going on and, in the end, I always made it right. I will not tarnish my reputation that I’ve worked so hard to build by doing one client wrong.” My search had ended. This contractor realized the importance a little personal reassurance and communication would have in keeping me happy as a client.

That is why I enjoy working for a company like Foster Remodeling Solutions. There is no project worth sacrificing 28 years of satisfied clients and stellar reputation to cut corners or do less than what we said we would do. Every happy client is a referral to the next prospect and no matter what experience, manpower or cost a company can provide nothing can replace the feeling of trust in the contractor you choose- Trust to do the right thing and do it well every time.

Do you dream of cooking in a modern kitchen or watching the Redskins in your new sunroom?  Does your bathroom do little to make you feel refreshed?  If so, you may be thinking about remodeling your home, but where do you start?  Finding the right designer or contractor can be daunting, and it is a big investment to make, so how do you know if you are making the right decision?  Here are a few pointers in helping you select the right remodeler for you and your family.

The number one thing we always tell our clients is to check references.  This is the best way to find out about the company you may be working with.

There are two main questions to ask:

1)     Did your remodeling project end up costing what the contractor told you it would cost?

• Foster Remodeling Solutions gives you a fixed price contract so you know what you are paying before entering into contract.  The only changes that affect the end price during construction should be client driven.  For example, a contractor should never come to you during construction to ask for more money unless you have made a change added something after the contract has been signed or a hidden condition is found.

2)     Did the contractor finish your remodeling project when they said they would?

• No one wants to be without their kitchen or master bathroom for longer than they have to.  No one should have to wait longer than promised.  At Foster Remodeling Solutions we give you a start and end date on your contract that we always stick to.  When we assign a lead carpenter to your project they are not assigned to any other project during that time.  This way they are not trying to juggle more than one project and can stick to a schedule.  Plus, Foster Remodeling Solutions makes sure all materials have arrived to our warehouse undamaged before we start a job.  Making sure there are no surprises during construction is a sure way to stay on schedule.

These are the two biggest complaints we hear about other companies.  So do your homework and call references!

Always ask for a copy of the contractor’s license and make sure the date is current.  If someone is not pulling the permits for you, that probably means they do not have or have lost their contractor’s license.  Doing work without a current license is illegal and should make you wonder why they do not have one.  Without permits, the work being done on your home will not be inspected by a third party.  This means the work being done may not be up to code and you will be probably be very disappointed.  Stay away from contractors without an up to date license!

Liability Insurance and Workers Compensation are two things any upstanding company should have, especially when you are talking about remodeling.  A good remodeler will want to protect themselves, their employees, and their clients.  Make sure to ask and see a copy of their up-to-date insurance papers.  This could save you an arm and a leg!

Be aware of quotes that are too low.  It would be wonderful if you could get all you wanted for a price you were happy to pay, however if a company is quoting you something that is too good to be true, it probably is.  They could be leaving a lot of the work out of the quote in order to get you to sign with them, or they may be skipping out on getting the correct permits and inspections.  Whatever their reason is for quoting something half of another’s, beware!  Something is just not adding up.

How do you know you can trust someone in your home, with your family, and all of your possessions?  Well, I am not trying to scare you, but these are real concerns to have.  Foster Remodeling Solutions does a thorough background check of all their employees.  We also do random drug tests on our employees.  This protects the company and will make sure your remodeling job is being done safe and efficiently.

There are some websites, like Angie’s List, that will also help you in your search.  Make sure to do your due diligence and you will be sure to have a nice remodeling experience.

author: Carin Demmon, Design Consultant

Take a walk around your home’s exterior and look for things that have moved, floated or blown to new locations in your yard or on your home’s structure. Some things may be easy to remedy yourself, such as raking up scattered leaves and pine straw, turning over tipped planters or pushing deck furniture and lawn decorations back into place. You might find more serious problems, however, like loose siding, bent or hanging gutters and downspouts, damaged soffits, deck and wooden railing or fence damage. These are things that should be taken care of right away before they morph into even bigger problems. If you don’t have the time, the skill or the interest in being your own Northern Virginia handyman, make a list and give Foster Remodeling a call. We can give you an estimate and help you get the little things taken care of before they become big things.

Our Northern Virginia handyman services cover a variety of home repair areas, including storm damage to fascia and soffit repair; gutter cleaning and repair; deck sealing, cleaning, installation and repair; and wood rot. We also cover interior honey-do projects that might need attention, like drywall and plaster repairs, window replacement and installation, flooring projects and caulking and grout work.

4" backsplash

Very broadly you can decide to have a 4” backsplash of whatever countertop or other material you are using, or you can install a full height backsplash, from the counter to the underside of the upper cabinets, of your countertop material or other, or lastly you can install a tile backsplash.  Each of these has costs and benefits so let’s look at them individually with a little bit more detail.

The most cost efficient of all three choices would be installing a 4” backsplash of your counter material.  This is fairly standard with plastic laminate countertops, but can also be seen in solid surface installations and also with granite or any other stone surface.  This is easy and quick to install and if you want the same material as your countertop easy to order with your countertop order.  The most simple of the choices most clients choose this option if budget is of a concern (tile backsplash can later be installed if the client so wishes) or if they prefer a more simplified look.  Size of the kitchen can affect this choice as well as many small kitchens may look “overdone” or “unbalanced” with a heavily detailed tile splash in such a small space.

The next backsplash option would be a full height backsplash, this can either be of the same material as the countertop, or a different material entirely.  Clients that like full height backsplashes tend to want easy clean ability with maximum wall protection and a more monolithic look.  By covering the entire

Full height granite

wall surface you can assure that spills and stains will not be an issue.  If you were using a granite or quartz surface this would be very easy to wipe clean and since it’s a solid piece there would be no need to worry about grout lines to keep clean.  Another option would be going with a completely different material; I’ve had clients that have chosen to use stainless steel panels or glass which can be gorgeous options but will need a little more care when cleaning.  This look tends to be a little more contemporary depending on the material given the clean seamless look that if provides.

Tile backsplash

The final backsplash choice would be a tile backsplash.  Tiles can obviously come in many shapes and sizes, ceramic to natural stones, glass to metals and a variety of patterns and combinations of the different materials.  Tile splashes provide endless stylistic options and a lot of design potential while protecting the wall at the same time.  Keep in mind though, the smaller the tile the more grout lines you will have and certain spills like red wine or marinara sauce will not be a white grout’s friend,  So cleaning spills right away with the appropriate grout cleaner will be important.  Pricing on these splashes will vary widely depending on material choices, but the labor on tile splashes will be much higher and can be very time consuming depending on how detailed the pattern is.  Given that many of these pieces can get quick expensive (think hand painted tile from Italy or recycled beach glass) most clients we work with will balance their budget by using a ceramic as the base and popping in more expensive glass, stone, or metal pieces as accents.  Stylistically they can go from contemporary to very traditional depending on tile material, size and pattern, but this choice is definitely the most dynamic of all the backsplash options.

Keep in mind, any of these options can be combined to make the perfect backsplash for your household.  I’ve had clients install a simple 4” splash around the kitchen and a full height piece behind the stove or cooktop or combine tile and monolithic pieces; it all depends on what works for your household.  When deciding which option is the best for your family there are a few things to ask yourself, do we want the backsplash to be simple or to make a statement?  How durable/stain resistant do we want the backsplash?  And what is our price range that we want to stay in for the backsplash itself?  I hope this will help guide you to making your backsplash the best fit for your kitchen remodel.

1.)   Electrical outlets and switches in poor locations: The code requires a minimum spacing of outlets in rooms but, many times, the minimum is not enough. This is especially true in rooms that need power to lamps, appliances or other items in specific locations. Instead of forcing a client to drag a cord across a floor to reach an end table lamp, a floor plug could be installed at the location where the lamp will be. Another pet peeve of mine is banks of switches that are not ordered properly based on the use of the room. For example, when you walk into your Kitchen the first switch in a bank of switches should provide general lighting to get into the room. The next switch down should operate secondary lighting like under-cabinet or spot lighting. You do not want the first switch you reach for in a bedroom to turn on the ceiling fan. Likewise, the first switch in the bank of switches in a bathroom should not operate the exhaust fan. These types of flaws can be eliminated by the designer simply “walking through” the plan on paper and understanding the day-to-day use of a room along with the desires communicated by the client about how they plan to furnish or use a specific room.

2.)   Locations and sizes of windows: While it may let in a lot of light and create a feeling of drama in a bathroom, designing an 8’ wide by 5’ tall window in front of a garden tub may create a little too “intimate” relationship with the neighbors. Most clients will tell you they love “lots of windows” but there can be a bit too much “view” in some cases. Also, designing windows that are difficult to operate is a common flaw that is seen in many homes. A bay window at a Kitchen sink can create a nice, panoramic view of the back yard but, if the window crank is several feet away from the front of the sink, it can be very cumbersome to open the window when the client wants a little fresh air or to ventilate the Kitchen. The bottom line is that a balance has to be struck in the design between natural light/ventilation and the need for drama.

3.)   Powder Rooms (i.e. half baths): Many clients complain about the ridiculously small size of their Powder Room but one more common complaint is the fact that, often times, the toilet is visible from an entertaining or food preparation space. Another problem with centrally located Powder Rooms is privacy and noise once inside the bath. When guests come to visit, it can be a poor first impression when they ask to use the restroom and are directed to a tight, poorly functioning half bath with little or no privacy from the adjacent rooms. In modern designs, the rule of thumb should be that a toilet is never visible from a hallway or common space in the home. Sometimes, simply considering the swing of the door into the Powder Room is enough to hide the toilet and help with maneuverability once inside. In many cases, the door swing alone is not enough. Another solution is to incorporate a half wall to tuck the toilet behind. The issue of privacy is another matter. In many older homes, doors have been cut down or flooring has been changed so many times that there is a large gap at the bottom of the bathroom door. In addition to the installation of a properly sized door, the use of sound-deadening insulation can help create a much more private half bath.

4.)   Centering design elements on walls: It’s seems very easy to consider that everyone has a symmetrical brain and wants to see things centered in rooms. It also can be a bit self-serving for a designer to think that the only element a client will ever want as a focal point in a room is an element the designer placed there (i.e. a fireplace, a window, a niche). The client has to be able to understand how they will use a room and be able to convey that to the designer so that, for example, the beautiful fireplace they wanted isn’t right where the TV will eventually need to be. I’ve walked into hundreds of bedrooms where the designer placed the window on the outside wall right where the bed should go. Simple communication is the key- if the client is one of the very few people who will use the fireplace more than their TV, it might be worth considering centering it rather an alternative like a corner fireplace design.

While it’s easy to pick designs apart after the fact it is difficult to know all the parameters and decisions that went into a particular design element that we may look at with our head slightly askew today. In many older homes, things like laundry facilities in the Kitchen; “popcorn” ceilings; narrow doorways and 7’ high ceilings were accepted norms that were phased out as modern homebuyers demanded more. But, design flaws are typically the result of poor communication between the designer and the client. At Foster Remodeling Solutions, we strive to understand how a client desires to use a space and the things the client will be putting in those spaces. Through our multi-step design phase, options are discussed and presented to help eliminate a client ever asking “what were they thinking?”.

Our handymen are gifted with skills in multiple areas, such as plumbing, carpentry and electrical work. This means you don’t have to call three different companies for three different repairs, just call Foster Remodeling. We do all handyman jobs on a time and materials basis. When you need a service call, just let our friendly staff know exactly what has to be done. We will send out a professional who is well-versed in making the repairs and installations needed for all of the projects you request.

Does your kitchen need new countertops? We can do that. We also install interior trim and hardwood flooring. Broken doors, windows and shutters are routine tasks for our handyman staff. We also replace plumbing fixtures, such as sinks and toilets. These are tasks that require both sound physical shape and the tricks of the trade required to make them fit as they should with existing plumbing and décor. The next time you have a nagging project that needs attention and you can’t do it yourself, give us a call.

Foster Remodeling knows cost is an important factor in any renovation project. That’s why we offer discount home improvement with our do-it-yourself design program. Choose from a variety of project packages that are 15 to 30% off regular pricing. Our carpentry team will do the installation. The Express Solution package offers materials that have already been delivered to our warehouse, so we have it in stock. This saves time, with an estimated 4 to 6 weeks on project completion. We have also contacted our regular suppliers to receive special discounts on particular products, and then pass on the savings to our discount home improvement clients.

You design the project by using our DIY Estimator on your home computer. First, take the dimensions of the project room. Choose from one of our pre-designed layouts, which will save money on the cost of an architect’s plan. Next, plug in the preferred services package. The third step is the fun part. Choose different fixtures, cabinets, tile and paint color from the assorted selections in the estimator. This is where you can keep track of expenses.

One of the highest costs associated with Northern Virginia home renovations are the materials. Some are more expensive than others. For example, choosing one type of wood over another may have a dramatic effect on the price. Sinks can range in prices depending on fixture and faucet materials. For the most part, the more ornate the design, the more they cost. Different manufacturers’ models offered will change the price as well. You can still build a quality remodel with out spending a fortune. It’s a matter of personal preference. If you like two choices the same amount and one is considerably less, be practical.

Another way to reduce construction costs is to determine what features are must-haves and which are nice-to-haves. If cost is the difference between going with something new or keeping what you have that is falling apart, opt for the new pieces at an affordable price and make additions later, when it’s in your budget.

After choosing all features and options, submit the discount remodeling package to us. We will review the details and start processing. Someone from our staff will review your project and give you a call to discuss the details.

Another way to save money on a remodeling project is by having a reputable company do the installation. At Foster Remodeling, we have the experience and know-how to do the job right the first time with quality workmanship. This saves time and, as a result, money.