Remodeling FAQs

There are many factors that go into choosing the right company to handle your remodeling project. We believe that a few of the most important are:

Finding an individual/company that works closely with you and understands what you are trying to accomplish. Whoever you choose to work with should be willing to come to your home and recognize the scope of the  project as it relates to your home.

The right person should be professional and knowledgeable in the industry. They should be abreast of all current trends in the market in order to pass this education to you the client. Customer service should be a top priority.

The right company should be willing to work within your budget and have competitive pricing. The contract they present to you should be transparent so that you don’t have any surprises later. If you work with someone who appears to give you a great price but then keeps adding on later, you will have exceeded your budget and be unhappy.

In today’s virtual world and with our sophisticated kitchen and bath program, we are able to show you a tour of design that includes floor plans, perspective,elevation and your cabinet and color finish. You are basically taking a walk through your new bath remodel or kitchen renovation.

No you do not need to hire us to handle your project management. We are able to sell you just the finished product for your remodeling.

We work very closely with licensed trade people and because of our working relationship with them, we are able to coordinate all aspects of the job. We specialize in project management. We have gone through extensive training on all aspects of design, construction, installation, etc., so that we understand the stages that your project will go through and can alleviate the headaches that would go along with you trying to handle it all on your own.

Remodeling jobs are specific to the conditions of the building, your tastes and your geographical location, no square footage price is ever realistic. Like anything else in this world a remodel is going to cost more than you thought it would. The sky is the limit on what it can cost. There are numerous factors that go into determining a remodeling budget. Which room you are remodeling can affect your budget greatly. For example, adding a bathroom is usually more expensive than any other room because of the requirement of specific plumbing, heating, electricity and ventilation.

Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report is released by region and major city each year. This report gives a description of the “average” project so that you can determine if your remodeling project is going to fall above or below the benchmark.

Home Value – Consider not only what you think your home is worth, but also the value of similar homes in your neighborhood that already have updates.

The Wow Factor! – What are your goals for this remodel and what motivates you. Make a list of each factor important to you in your remodel project.

Here are some examples:

Kitchen is falling apart. You love to cook and the layout doesn’t suit you. You love to entertain and want to open up the kitchen as a place to gather. You want a kitchen that wows your guests. You are getting ready to sell your home and the kitchen is completely outdated. Your master bath is behind the times. You love to lounge in a whirlpool tub and you only have a shower. You need more cabinet/storage space. Once you have your list, put them in order of what is most important to you. Decide which items might move the budget up or down…i.e. wanting to remodel to encourage a sale might move the budget down, remodeling for the wow factor might max it out…etc.

Gotta Have It – List all the “things you can’t live without” for your remodeling project to be worth it to you. Possible examples: granite counters, an island with an extra sink, a second dishwasher, a commercial quality gas range, a whirlpool tub, a steam unit, a larger closet, upgraded fixtures, spa experience, a separate office space, etc.

Longevity – Determine to the best of your ability the length of time you plan on owning the home after the completion of the project.

Layout/Room Floor Plan – If you already know you’re going to want the sink moved, an island sink added, an interior wall moved and an exterior door added, then you need to increase your budget.

Funding – Determine the maximum amount of money you can afford to spend. Once you have decided the maximum budget use your list of “gotta have it” to prioritize how you want to spread the budget.

Summing up all the factors – The key to determining your budget is finding the percentage of your home’s value you should use as a budget guideline. For a kitchen remodel of any substance which would includes new flooring, new appliances, new cabinets, new fixtures and bringing the electric up to code any estimate less than 15% would be a very unreliable number. However, if you are looking to just refresh your cabinets by refacing them, changing cabinets but keeping your current appliances, updating your countertops and making very minimal floor plan changes, 10-12% of your homes value could be a very realistic number.

If resale value is important to you and you are considering selling your home but need to do some remodeling prior to listing it on the market, it is wise to keep the cost of your kitchen renovation project within 20% of the current value of your home. Staying within this range will mean that a majority of the new kitchen’s cost (generally 70% to 80%) is recouped in your homes increased value immediately, and the remaining cost is generally recouped within 5 years as your home appreciates.

Make sure your contractor carries general liability insurance. This type of insurance protects your property in case of damage by the contractor and/or his employees. Ask for a certificate of insurance.

Make sure your contractor pulls all required permits. This is very important. When a contractor pulls the required building permits, you know things will be done to “code.” Also, many homeowners insurance policies require pulling a permit on any major remodeling to keep your home properly covered. Not all contractors will do this. Many prefer not to pull permits because of the time involved and the “hassle” with the inspectors.

Some contractors may ask you to get the permits. This could be a warning sign that they are not able to pull the permit because they are either unlicensed or the work is outside of their license. A reputable contractor will permit every job where a permit is required. In addition, if you choose to do a remodel without a permit and then you later choose to sell your home, if the work was not done to code or if the city determines that a violation exists you could cause a much bigger problem for yourself then pulling the required permit at the time of the work.

No you do not. Our in home consultation helps us to get to know you and what you want. We will work with you to help you create a vision based on all the information we gather and implement all the details into a remodeling project beyond your expectations.

Our gallery of photos on this website is a great place to start. You can also look at magazines, watch remodeling shows or visit model homes in your area. Keep photos or notes on things that really stuck out for you so that you start to form the beginning of the creative process and know what styles speak to you.

Southern Exposure Building Corp. is committed to offering our customers several payment options when they undertake a roofing or construction project. Our customers can use the following payment methods for many of our services (terms and conditions may apply, may be subject to credit approval).

Customers wishing to pay by cash or check may do so and will be invoiced at intervals set forth by the contract they sign. Please ask your sales associate about draw schedules and payment dates. We also accept PayPal.
No matter what form of payment you choose, please evaluate the benefits and risks carefully.