Are you starting a home restoration project soon? It often happens for houses to sustain storm damage, flooding, fire, and other disastrous incidents.
In such situations, homeowners are left with no other alternative but to rebuild their homes. After assessing the damage, the most urgent repairs must be tackled first to prevent additional deterioration. Disaster restoration service providers are proficient in inspecting properties, prioritizing the most urgent projects, and working in accordance with the budgets of their clients.
Nowadays, there are numerous companies, such as Superior Home Restoration, addressing the restoration and remodeling needs of homeowners.
Follow the tips below if you are planning to restore your home.
Assess the damage
The onset of your home restoration journey should be assessing the damage. There’s no other way to start such a project than assessing the extent of the damage and determining the actions for home revitalization. Although your home insurance company will inspect the damage, you should conduct an inspection yourself.
Moreover, you could schedule a professional property inspection to ensure nothing is missed. Keep in mind that experts have a trained eye for detecting even the least obvious signs of damage owing to their long-term experience. After performing a home inspection, the inspector will provide you with a list of all damaged areas and the actions you need to take next.
Prioritize the projects of the utmost urgency
After surveying the premises, the next tip to follow is prioritizing the projects that should be started urgently. Some repair projects can wait, while others cannot be delayed any longer. For instance, severe roof repairs or reroofing jobs require immediate attention. The same goes for homeowners facing a rodent infestation, a serious plumbing issue, a faulty HVAC system in the middle of summer, or black mold.
When it comes to mold removal, homeowners are strongly advised against taking action on their own, as improper handling of this fungus releases the spores into the area and makes the problem even worse. The health of household residents is unquestionably put at risk. Hence, homeowners are advised to contact the pros when suspecting mold in their HVAC systems, seeing mold infestation, or being a victim of a flooding incident.
After arriving at mold-infested properties, technicians isolate the contamination area to reduce the spread of spores to other property areas. They are protected by wearing gloves, suits, eye protection, and respirators. The air from the contaminated areas is removed with the help of special air machines with HEPA filters, which run consistently during the project. Read here about the benefits of HEPA filters for allergy relief.
Following the removal process, contaminated materials are placed in sealed plastic bags for proper disposal in accordance with mold remediation standards. The source of moisture has to be eliminated for remediation efforts to be successful. Mold growth can be prevented by establishing humidity control with a dehumidifier.
Pay special attention to water damage
Water damage is a common cause of home restoration projects, as it’s the enemy of numerous households. It’s of crucial importance for this problem to be addressed quickly to prevent it from causing long-term effects, such as dry rot. Both pests and mold adore wet environments. Homeowners should keep an eye out for water damage signs around the floors, windows, and ceilings.
Additionally, water damage in these areas represents a warning of severe structural issues. The sill plate is an important component to be considered in home restoration projects. It refers to the horizontal structural component found at the very bottom, which supports the entire foundation. This element is the most vulnerable to water, given its location close to the wet ground. In case your floors are crooked, the reason might be a warped sill plate. Contact the experts to check the condition of this structural element.
Not everything should be done at once
Before starting a home restoration project, most homeowners are worried that they won’t be able to finish all tasks at once due to budget limitations. There’s no reason to feel desperate, as you might receive financing or get most of your expenses covered by the insurance company. Even if some project aspects might not be completed for several years, they’ll still get finished in the end.
As previously mentioned, prioritizing the most serious repairs is a must to prevent further damage. Some of the other tasks can wait until you have gathered enough money to finance the project. Flexibility is essential when it comes to home restoration projects, not only regarding the budget but with your living arrangements as well.
For example, some homeowners cannot afford to relocate to another place until the demolition phase is over. In such scenarios, you should be creative the living arrangements. You’ll probably have to move your bedroom to different rooms in the house and try to function with the bare essentials.
Work on the exterior before the interior
Another valuable piece of advice is restoring the exterior of your property prior to working on the interior. The reasons for such a decision are more than obvious. The exterior protects the interior, meaning if the former isn’t restored first, the latter might sustain damage once again.
For instance, the role of your roof is to provide protection to all property elements below it. The siding is also helpful in protecting the interior. These materials provide protection against weather exposure and eliminate heat loss. Once the exterior of your house is restored, the interior follows.
Install new doors and windows
Last but not least, when undergoing a home restoration project, homeowners are advised to install new windows and doors. These elements will increase the value of your property. New windows and doors provide a significant boost of energy efficiency in homes, which reduces the monthly energy costs of homeowners. Your beloved house will also be better protected against the elements.
A final note
Professional assistance is always a must when dealing with a home restoration.
Do not settle for anything less than exquisite services!
