Business News Network

Foundation contractor tips

May
16

Foundation professionals of Denver? We design world class Solutions for our customers. However, these Solutions still need to be looked at and verified by an engineer. We hire third-party engineers who are independent from our firm. Their professional confirmation helps to put your mind at ease and insures that our foundation repair solutions are appropriate for your home’s unique circumstances, whether it’s situated in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, or Denver.

Be careful with landscaping. Did you know that you can actually compromise your home’s foundation by planting trees too close to your home? Trees that develop deep roots in close proximity to the home’s foundation can actually cause a number of issues in the years to come. Make sure you know how far roots stretch before planting.

After the foundation of a house is built, the loose soil is back-filled around the foundation and can sometimes allow water seepage into your basement. As years pass by, this soil can also expand, placing pressure on the foundation and causing problems for the home. Foundation repair companies like the one we will present below, have developed several methods for solving these issues, thereby restoring both price and safety to your home.

Our in-home appointments begin with an initial inspection. Our foundation inspectors will use a variety of instruments to help determine any foundation problems or structural issues. Once we understand your unique issue we take you around the house and help you understand what is happening in your home.

At first, a minuscule crack in the wall or the slight buckling of the foundation might not seem like an immediate problem for your home. Minor issues are often overlooked and neglected-until the problem becomes much larger and compromises the overall stability of your home. The best defense against escalating expenses is to scan for potential signs of foundation damage and address these issues as soon as they appear. Many of these signs often manifest in other parts of the home, usually several levels above the underlying foundation.

We are foundation repair and basement waterproofing innovators in the Colorado Springs, Denver and Pueblo areas. We are led by partners who each have multiple years of experience either designing foundation repair solutions or installing those solutions. We are fully licensed and insured. The founding partners of Foundation Professionals of Colorado recognized a need for a foundation repair contractor in our community that provides straight and honest answers and leaves the buying decision in the hands of the customer where it belongs. As a foundation repair company, we seek to educate and consult our customers on all repair methods and let you decide how to proceed with your repairs. See more details at Foundation contractor Colorado.

The repair costs for my foundation came in right around $500 and required about a weekend of my time. My costs include the French drain materials and the waterproofing paint for the inside wall. I already owned the shovel. However, I was lucky because the problems weren’t more serious. Other repairs are going to be much more intensive and expensive than installing simple drainage options. For some basement homes with foundation cracks the only option is excavating the soil surrounding the entire foundation, waterproofing, shoring up and installing a more substantial drainage system. Costs for this type of foundation repair are going to add up very quickly due to the amount of labor, materials and equipment needed to complete it. Extra needs could compound on top of that $7000 average. However, sometimes it is necessary to hire a professional regardless of your home improvement skills or the cost to complete the foundation repair.

Looking for a foundation contractor in Colorado? Spend some time on the company’s website to learn more about the company. Pay attention to what type of products they use. If you are in need of piers, learn as much about their foundation piers as possible. Also, look for testimonials and reviews about the company. Always ask for referrals. Any company who provides reputable work will have no problem giving you some referrals. Call a few of their referrals to get a better understanding of their experience. Ask about the quality of work, professionalism, timeliness and price. Most homeowners are more than happy to help another fellow homeowner.

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Basement waterproofing Utah

May
07

Searching for a basement waterproofing company in Utah? You have been putting off calling the foundation repair company even though you’re pretty sure something is wrong with your the structure of your home. Maybe you see cracks in the walls that are getting bigger, or the doors are sticking, or maybe the floors are un-level. But who do you call? If you’re like most homeowners, you really don’t know too much about foundation repair, but you want an honest company.

At first, a minuscule crack in the wall or the slight buckling of the foundation might not seem like an immediate problem for your home. Minor issues are often overlooked and neglected—until the problem becomes much larger and compromises the overall stability of your home. The best defense against escalating expenses is to scan for potential signs of foundation damage and address these issues as soon as they appear. Many of these signs often manifest in other parts of the home, usually several levels above the underlying foundation.

Chad is a 3rd Generation contractor. He was raised in West Texas with strong family values. Being a third-generation graduate of Texas Tech University, Chad put himself through college just as his mother and grandmother did before him. After graduation Chad became a property adjuster specializing in foundation claims for State Farm because it not only required his new degree but also allowed him to use the contracting experience he gained while running his business during college. Upon the arrival of his third child with his wife Deena, Chad knew his income would have to increase. When Chad left State Farm, he went back into general contracting in Houston Texas. Discover more details on Salt Lake City Foundation Repair.

Has your foundation faced an increase or decrease of water? First, let’s look at water building up around the outside of your foundation. Flooding and pressure from water can absolutely wreak havoc. When water builds up in the soil it pushes that earth outward. The push will eventually put pressure on your foundation. Over time that can move your foundation inward. Water build up could impact a crawl space or full basement regardless if it is constructed from stones, blocks or a full wall of reinforced concrete. Look to see if your wall has bowed inward, if there’s evidence of water on the inside wall surface and / or if there are any cracks. Keep in mind also that a lack of water can cause just as much damage to a foundation as a flood. If there’s been a severe drought in your area it could mean the soil has pulled back from your foundation and that could also cause the structure to shift because the perimeter is no longer supported and has less protection from the elements. This is a particular issue in areas on slab foundations because the foundation is underground. A loss of underground moisture isn’t visible with the naked eye so a homeowner should keep their attention on the ground level.

How do you uncover foundation issues? Carefully inspect the home, paying particular attention to the foundation. Though not required, buyers are highly encouraged to hire a home inspector to root out any problems. Even if the damage to a foundation is difficult to overtly see, there will be symptoms. The entire house rests on the foundation. If it is faulty, problems will show up somewhere.

There are several causes for the foundation movement that occurs in and around your home. These problems in the Salt Lake City and surrounding areas are most commonly poor compaction, soil erosion and soil shrinking and expansion due to clay content. All of these causes are a direct result of the soil under your home and its temperature and water content. All of the solutions that we offer deal with eliminating or by-passing these causes. See additional information at https://www.foundationprosofutah.com/.

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Granite kitchen remodeling Colorado Springs

Jan
08

Office remodeling marble products in Colorado Springs, CO? Countertop Maintenance: Most experts agree that granite requires moderate maintenance when compared with solid surface, quartz, laminate, glass or ceramic tile. Marble is moderate to high maintenance. The care involved is keeping it sealed, avoiding acidic materials and wiping up spills quickly. Granite countertop prices are slightly lower than marble countertop costs. Granite begins at about $75 per square foot installed. Marble starts at closer to $100 per square foot installed. The best granite countertops can cost $175 per square foot installed while marble can top $200.

Marble has long been used in European kitchens, even though this gorgeous stone can stain and discolor with use. And despite its reputation as high-maintenance, its classic, luxurious look has arrived in many American kitchens. “People like marble for its natural beauty, even though it can show wear and tear over the years,” says expert Michael Bruno, a salesperson with the tile and stone company Ann Sacks. “Every house in Europe has a stone countertop—it’s only in this country that people think everything has to look brand-new.”

Appearance: Both granite and marble are natural stones. In the case of slabs sold for countertops, there are many different minerals and stones sold as either granite or marble because they contain similar composition and characteristics. Commercial granite is an igneous or metamorphic stone that is mainly comprised of silica, feldspar, mica, and quartz. Stones labeled as granite usually have a tightly packed, granular appearance to their surface. They may have veins, flecks of color, or be solid. Granite comes in a wide range of colors from very light to very dark, and each slab has some degree of variation in color over its surface.

Originally a room in the home used for storing and preserving foods (think: the refrigerator before the refrigerator was invented), the kitchen larder has transformed into a stand-alone cupboard or pantry. They can be large enough to house the majority of your dry goods but small enough to keep things organized while taking up a minimal amount of valuable space. Forget a walk-in and sub in counter-top cabinet or add doors to enclose pre-existing shelving. Bring texture and nuance to your kitchen walls with handmade tiles. The possibilities are vast—try terra-cotta or cement in colors that range the rainbow—although we lean toward more neutral hues. Discover extra info on https://coloradomarbleandgranite.com/.

Reactivity to Acidic substance: Both natural stones have a porous structure but the metamorphic attributes of marble makes it more porous and therefore marble is easily stained from spills especially from liquids that are acidic in nature like fruit juices and wines. On the other hand, granite is much more resilient towards stains as long as an effective sealant is maintained on the surface liquid spills will not permeate into the surface.

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Cobblestone retaining wall construction firm in Colorado

Jan
02

Stone retaining wall construction recommendations: Retaining wall drainage is an incredibly important part of building a stone wall. Once a few rows have been stacked, backfill the wall with rock so it matches the grade height in front of the wall, and then lay down perforated drain tile on top of the rock. Install drain tee fittings and a drain grate every 25 feet to 50 feet, depending on how much rainwater is expected to run down to the wall. Cut one block down to accommodate the drain grate. Screw the drain tile parts together so they won’t come apart when they get covered with more rock. Also, drain the tile to daylight at the ends of the walls whenever possible.

Ensure you order everything you need at once and set aside an allowance for breakages and cutting. Contrary to popular belief, building a fence on top or behind a Block Retaining wall is rather easy. In some cases where only a small amount of retaining is required as in 200-400mm, the fence can be built directly on top of the wall with the fence posts passing through the walling blocks and concreted into the ground as normal. This method would be ok to use with all forms of fencing such as post and rail, colour bond post and rail, good neighbour fencing, tubular panel and even pool fencing.

We also repair existing retaining walls. Many railroad tie walls or older concrete retaining walls which may or may not include rocks or boulders are beginning to show signs of failure. Often times a homeowner will build a DIY retaining wall that needs help after years of service. We serve all of Colorado out of our home office in Colorado Springs. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. Estimates are always free and everything we touch comes with a warranty. Discover even more info at Colorado Retaining Wall Builder.

After mixing your concrete, pour the wall in horizontal layers of not more than 20 inches, beginning at the ends and moving toward the center. Use a ramp to wheel the concrete into position and a splashboard to direct the pour and control spillage. Remove the spacers as you go, and work the concrete against the sides of the form and around the reinforcement as each layer is poured. Pour layers as soon after the previous one as possible to avoid cold (non-bonded) joints, which cause leaks. Strike off the concrete flush with the top of the form, and then trowel it to the desired finish. Insert anchor bolts for mud sills and wooden caps once the concrete has set sufficiently to hold them. Because of the pressure created by the slope of the lawn, cure the concrete for at least seven days before removing the forms.

DO start with a good foundation. Your retaining wall will only be as strong its support system. For a stacked-block retaining wall that’s no higher than four feet, a trench filled with three inches of crushed rock will help keep the wall from shifting and settling. The exact depth of the trench depends on the proposed height of the wall, but follow this rule of thumb: Dig a trench to be an eighth of the wall plus three inches. For example, if you want the finished height of your retaining wall to be three feet (36 inches) tall, you’d need to dig the trench eight inches deep to accommodate three inches of crushed rock and about five inches (or an eighth of the visible retaining wall) to start the wall below grade.

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A small guide about party wall surveyor fees in Whitstable UK

Jan
02

Having done everything correctly yourself and your neighbour having done nothing you would think that you could appoint your surveyor as ‘Agreed’ and save yourself a few pounds but unfortunately the Act states that the adjoining owner has a right to their own surveyor unless they agree otherwise. Surveyor’s fees are also an issue that can cause friction. Under the Act it is the surveyors that decide who pays their fees although in all normal circumstances, that will be the party planning the work which is only fair as your neighbour was quite happy with the way things were. The exception will be if the actions of your neighbour cause unnecessary expense. An example would be if they called out the surveyors to inspect some damage that was shown to pre-date the works.

Party wall issues? Here are some advices: Party walls usually separate buildings belonging to different owners but could include garden walls built astride a boundary – known as party fence walls. Where a wall separates two different size buildings often only the part that is used by both properties is a party wall, the rest belongs to the person or persons on whose land it stands. The “etc” within The Party Wall etc Act 1996 is so included because the provisions of the Act are not limited to party walls, they also include party structures and party fence walls. Section 20 of the Act defines each: “party fence wall” means a wall (not being part of a building) which stands on lands of different owners and is used or constructed to be used for separating such adjoining lands, but does not include a wall constructed on the land of one owner the artificially formed support of which projects into the land of another owner; “party structure” means a party wall and also a floor partition or other structure separating buildings or parts of buildings approached solely by separate staircases or separate entrances;

Plants and any other large object present on windowsills should be removed, as these will also be assessed by the surveyor. This saves the surveyor from having to move things around themselves. Mould is one of the most obvious signs of damp in a home and must always be dealt with as it can thrive if left alone. Make sure you scrub away any mould that is present in your kitchen or bathroom, fix dripping taps by replacing the washers.

Likewise your property may be scouted by buy-to-let investors who are looking for a quick sale without too much trouble, or who are looking for a ‘ready’ home that they can move tenants into straight away. Try to put yourself in the shoes of your next potential buyer. Ask yourself these questions; can I move in here straight away? Will it cost me to make immediate repairs? Are these issues easily fixed? Am I willing to conduct any DIY or have repairs made by a technician?

The most comprehensive report currently available from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) suite of building surveys, based around what was formally known as a Full Structural Survey and is now known as a Level 3 survey. A RICS Building Survey is a through internal and external investigations of all the assessable areas of a building. This is then reviewed with information about the construction of the building and any information about extensions, modifications that need to be addressed. This is all then assessed in the RICS Home Surveys Suites traffic light system with each item given a rating based on its current condition and a detailed description will be given as well as advice from your surveyor on how and when to address them appropriately. Discover more info on Building Surveyor Canterbury.

The Party wall act, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 act to give its full name is a piece of legislation that was mainly transferred from Part VI of London Building Acts (amendment) Act 1939, it applies in England and Wales. The main purpose of the act is to provide a framework for amicably preventing and resolving disputes between neighbours in relation to Party Walls, boundary Walls and Excavations near neighbouring buildings. Building owners are given statutory rights that did not exist in existing common law, when undertaking certain types of construction as defined by the Act. As well as these rights it obliges Building owners to give appropriate notice and for the relevant notice period if they intend on carrying out the defined work.

The Party Wall Process: This process is all based around the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. The main purpose of the Act is to provide a framework for amicably preventing and resolving disputes between neighbours in relation to Party Walls, boundary Walls and Excavations near neighbouring buildings. Building owners are given statutory rights that did not exist in existing common law when undertaking certain types of construction as defined by the Act. A property survey is a key stage during the the conveyancing process for any buyer. The results help you decide whether you should proceed with the purchase at the current asking price, negotiate with the seller due to defects or even pull out from the whole deal all together. As one of the most comprehensive surveys available, more often than not a building survey will be requested by potential buyers of your property. It is a wide range inspection of the entirety of a property done in more specific depth than a Homebuyers Report or a Mortgage Valuation. A Building Survey’s purpose is to give a detailed report of the condition of the property in question.

Home and building survey tips and tricks : Check the Roof First! It might seem an odd pastime, but next time it rains, don’t stay indoors, put your waterproof coat on, take the kids to help you if you can, and play ‘spot the hole in the roof!’ Check for things like missing tiles, cracks near chimneys etc. Check the Guttering! While you are out and about checking the roof, also check the guttering for leaks which will either be from the joints or because there is a blockage, in which case get the joints sealed and/or the blockage cleared. Electrical and Gas Safety, I don’t know why, but every home I’ve ever bought has had a really useless boiler! As a result I’ve had to fork out between 1,000 to 2,000 to get a new one fitted. So, after having this happen twice, I now make sure I ask the surveyor to have a quick look and then I get a Gas Safety Registered plumber to check it out – albeit at an extra cost of up to 75. However, this has saved me over 10,000 due to the number of properties I’ve bought over the years! Read additional info on www.home-heroes.co.uk.

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Bar remodeling marble services Colorado Springs, CO

Oct
27

Granite products and services Colorado Springs? While we’re still seeing stained and painted woods, we’re also seeing it in its natural state. Try adding a kitchen island—or just the topper—in a pretty, grainy wood. Brown wooden shelves that feel original to the house are another way to test the waters with wood. It will bring a warmth to any kitchen space, especially those trending bright white ones! Open shelves allow you to showcase your beautiful kitchenwares among other heirlooms and antiques. The ability to see through your storage also means everything is easy to find. Just don’t forget to clean your items often since they will be open to the elements that might be floating through your kitchen. It’s also helpful to keep every day items on the lowest, most accessible shelf.

On the other hand, granite is an igneous rock composed of grains of compressed quartz, feldspar, mica and similar materials. This means that granite is slightly harder than marble, but both offer reasonably good durability. Comparing marble and granite head to head in important categories will assist you in deciding which stone to use in your building or renovation project. Appearance: These are both beautiful options for countertops. Granite shows the grains we mentioned. They appear as specks that are varied in color, so a granite slab might contain a variety of hues – blue, green, orange, pink, red, etc., typically in medium to dark shades.

Both granite and marble are heat-resistant. Both types of stones were formed through heat, either through volcanic activity or enormous amounts of heat and pressure. Typically, hot pots will not bother either stone, and neither will discolor when used near heat. Always use caution with hot pots in the kitchen, regardless of how well your stone handles the heat. Decomposing granite, which is found in soil, has been known to give off radon 2 gas. So naturally, some people are concerned about using granite counters in their home. There is no evidence, however, that either granite or marble slabs give off radon 2 gas in the home. If you are concerned, radon 2 test kits are available, which can detect the gas.

Marble and Granite both have their own unique properties and qualities. In the end, it all depends on the aesthetics and where you are going to use this stone. If you are willing to devote some of your time in maintenance of tiles for a more beautiful and elegant design then go for marble. However, if you want a natural stone with more durability, scratch resistant properties and less wear and tear ability then granite is the best option for you.

We offer a wide variety of marble, granite, and quartz slabs imported from Brazil and custom fitted to any project such as fireplaces, bar tops, bathtubs, jacuzzis, marble stairs, table tops, and of course kitchen and bathroom countertops. Our installation crews are highly trained professionals who specialize in stone. We are committed to craftsmanship of the highest quality; we do not skimp on any stage of our work. Discover extra details at Marble counter tops Colorado Springs.

Sealant is needed for whatever finish you have on your countertop. The most common marble finishes are either polished, for a high-gloss surface, or honed, which produces a softer matte surface. “These days, ninety percent of marble kitchen countertops are honed,” says Bruno. “That doesn’t show scratches as much as a polished surface, but it does leave the stone more susceptible to stains.” Applying a penetrating sealant is simple. “Make sure the surface is clean and dry, and just wipe the sealant on with a soft cloth,” Bruno says. Ann Sacks uses Miracle Sealants Porous Plus, but Michael says other products are just as good.

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