The Blog

The nightmare house remodel. You probably have heard of the horror stories where a homeowner faces an onslaught of maintenance and home improvement problems while remodeling. There are plenty of articles that warn of new build ‘nightmare house’ projects that went from bad to worse. Yes, it could happen to you. However, what most people do not realize is that a majority of these items did not instantly appear once a builder stepped on the property. In fact, most times these are pre-existing problems where an older home or already built home was just sitting undisturbed. Uncovering problems in a home is commonplace but there are things you as a homeowner can look out for to make sure you are protected.

Identify the “real” problems of your home

Taking on water
If there is one thing that can literally flood a home remodel with issues, it would be water. Any type of water leak could result in lasting damage that can spread inconvenient ways. Not only that, but the process to add any new construction would also require a homeowner to remediate all damaged areas.

Hire a design build for your remodel! Denver design-build companies like Sustainable Design Build are a great option for homeowners. These companies specialize in managing, coordinating, and scheduling every aspect of a construction project. Whether it is new construction or a remodel, these Denver construction companies act as a one-stop-shop.

A design-build offers more services than a single specialized contractor
A design build company is a great option for homeowners looking to complete a home improvement project. If you started planning a new basement, you will have realized there many trades involved with finishing a space. There can be new plumbing, HVAC, Electrical, insulation, drywall install, flooring – just to name a few. Contacting a single subcontractor at a time is an unrealistic way to make progress on your project. Furthermore, if you plan to keep a project on schedule you will have to coordinate subcontractors of varying trades. All of that is a daunting task. A design-build firm does it all for you. Every trade, and then even more.

A Design-Build can help you with larger projects like Basement Remodeling, home renovations, and additions.
This is where a design-build firm would be advantageous to you, the homeowner. Firms such as Sustainable Design Build can operate as a single source of contact to fulfill your vision. Homeowners working with design-build firms will not have to worry about every detail and process. Plan drafting, city approval, permits, materials and order, and hiring subcontractors: a design-build firm will manage all your project from start to finish.

What changes under Colorado’s “safer at home” Phase?
Colorado’s new “safe at home” phase, to begin this Monday, April 27, will allow some retailers to reopen, first for curbside pickup that week, then, beginning Friday, May 1, they can open to limited numbers of in-store customers if they have social-distancing policies in place.

Small businesses can conduct services one-on-one
Real estate agents also will be able to begin conducting one-on-one showings, but not open houses, on April 27.
Salons, tattoo shops, personal trainers, dog groomers and other one-on-one personal services, as well as elective medical services such as dental offices, will be able to reopen May 1. But they will have to follow strict safety guidelines.
Offices can bring back up to 50% of their employees to work in-person starting Monday, May 4, if they can follow social-distancing guidelines. They’re also urged to put symptom-monitoring protocols, including employee temperature checks, in place.

Remote Work and Telecommuting is strongly encouraged
But if offices can keep operations running remotely, they should do that instead, the governor has stressed. And if they’re breaking the rules? They could face state enforcement measures.

In response to the recent pandemic Sustain able Design Build (SDB) has updated their operations to make their clients and workers safety their highest priority. Sustainable Design Build is taking the necessary steps in accordance with Denver and Colorado’s state orders along with government agencies such as OSHA. Sustainable Design Build has always taken pride in safely delivering all home remodeling services to its clients and community. Continually learning and gaining specialization in our field of expertise is a core fundamental belief of all owners and employees of SDB. So, when CHC Training offered their Epidemic / Pandemic Response Contractor Certification, SDB jumped at the opportunity to elevate its practices in safety during this pandemic and beyond. On April 15th, 2020, Sustainable Design Build’s General Contractor and Project Management staff completed the training and certification course with CHC. SDB’s clients can confidently be assured that it will conduct business to the highest quality and expectations so they can achieve their goals unhindered during this pandemic.

We are well underway with Colorado’s Stay-at-Home order and with the recent address from the Governor we can expect this to extend past the original targeted date. For homebuyers and sellers, this may seem like a wrench in the works. But no one should despair as there are plenty of responsible proactive actions we all can take to make sure this pandemic does not stifle our projects. Social distancing offers homeowners and buyers a chance to act proactively towards their next remodel or building with these rules.
The point behind this rule is that you are not idle during the lockdown. You may find yourself with a little extra time on your hands since many services are closed. This is the perfect opportunity for you to exercise all your mental faculties to devise, plan and imagine all the things you would like to do for your home! There are few things as uplifting and encouraging as planning for your future. Take this time to envision your home goals and then start researching on how to achieve them once we all resume.
Were about to make the first steps into homeownership? Or maybe you were looking at remodeling your home? That sounds like you were about to get yourself pre-approved or pre-qualified for a new loan! Getting pre-approved is the one thing that can really set expectations and realistic goals for prospective homeowners. The amazing thing about this step, is that you do not need to meet with anyone in person. You can reach out to lenders over the phone and email to set some time aside. They can gather all the necessary information and you will finally have that budget for a construction loan or that new home. Pre-qualifications are great options.