8 Benefits of Hiring a General Contractor

Posted by Kiran on June 22, 2020

Construction projects are complex irrespective of their type. Any construction project will involve a considerable amount of workforce each of who might have to complete some unique tasks. The race against deadlines, the availability of resources, and the resource allocation often contributes to the complexity.

This is where a general contractor can turn out to be a godsend.

What is a general contractor?

A general contractor can be the main or prime contractor who is in charge of the routine supervision of the construction site. The general contractor brings all the vendors, trades, and other stakeholders under one umbrella to ensure clear-cut communication and the deadlines are met.

If the above explanations are not sufficient, read on for some points that will answer your question “Why should I hire a general contractor?”

Saves time

Construction projects can span from a few months to years. Unforeseen circumstances like bad weather or lockdowns could slow down or even bring the project progress to a standstill. This is where the expertise of a general contractor can come in handy.

An experienced general contractor always has most of these unforeseen barriers on the cards and can schedule his subcontractors efficiently. He would also have the expertise to handle issues that may arise promptly and his negotiation skills can help manage most setbacks.

Saves money

Store A sells the construction material that you need for $$ and is of high quality and Store B sells the same material that you need for $ but is of moderate quality.

An inexperienced contractor would go for Store B. However, an experienced contractor, with his connections and negotiating skills can get material from Store A at a discounted rate thereby ensuring quality and affordability.

Moreover, subcontractors are known to charge more when working under the building owner. To subcontractors, general contractors are a major source of continuous projects, which makes them charge less.

Moreover, general contractors are in the position to place projects on bids, which creates competition and thereby reduces the project budget further.

Adds versatility to project planning

With his network of subcontractors and vendors, you could pull off any construction project type with the assistance of an experienced general contractor. This gives you an option to be flexible even if you need some minor improvisations during the project.

Moreover, you also have the option to share your ideas and requirements with a general contractor and he can come up with some custom options to choose from.

Covers licensing and insurance

Hiring a licensed general contractor contributes to the smooth functioning of the project. This ensures that the project is progressing as per the rules and regulations put forward by the state or county. With liability insurance, you won’t be responsible for any construction site accidents that may occur.

Single communication point

Dealing with a plethora of subcontractors and vendors can be a hassle. Imagine getting the overall project status from a single experienced contractor who can answer all your questions and seems to have things under control. This is exactly what you’ll get if you hire an experienced and licensed subcontractor.

Constant updates and feedbacks

Constant progress updates are vital to ensure that the project meets the deadline. Your general contractor can offer constant updates and even offer some suggestions to improvise as per the market conditions.

Experience

Your general contractor is your eyes and ears in the market. His experience will allow him to foresee scenarios and act smart to ensure that everything is under control. For example, news related to a ban on certain construction material could reach his ears before the ban is in place.

Even if the material is not banned straight away, working with an alternative material will help you prevent chaos in the long run.

Better budget control

With the proper management of vendors, subcontractors, and other stakeholders, you could expect the project to be completed in budget or even less than the budget on some occasions. This is where the excess money can flow back to you.

Hiring a licensed general contractor could be the ultimate means of having total control of your construction project, especially if you work around the clock.

Wooden Floor Damage in house west palm beach

Wooden Floor Damage Causes & Solutions

Posted by Kiran on May 27, 2020

Hardwood flooring is an influential element when considering the aesthetics of any residential property. Being a preferable choice among the modern-day homeowners or builders, its maintenance can be a bit challenging. Unfortunately, this flooring type if vulnerable to water damage, time decay, or even humidity changes.

This post highlights the different causes and solutions to hardwood flooring damage.

Causes

Mold: mold growth can be a prime trigger for your hardwood floor damage. Mold growth beneath the wood surface, subflooring, or framing and sheathing can catalyze the time decay process and make your floor non-usable in no time.

If your wooden floor is mold-infested, you would come across symptoms like the musty smell, which may get stronger with high humidity levels.

Finding, identifying, and testing the mold requires professional testing and handling. If you find mold within the wooden structures after performing a cut test, it would be ideal to hand the situation over to a mold/environmental testing specialist.

Water damage: Water damage to wooden flooring is often hard to prevent. However, smart thinking and quick responses can help you to keep the concern under check on most occasions. Keep an eye out for the following risks related to water damage to wooden flooring.

Leaky ceiling
Plumbing leaks or a drippy faucet
Indoor tracking in of rain or snow
Dog water bowl splashes and drool

Using a water-absorbent material or mats on areas vulnerable to water splashes or spills is an ideal means to control the situation.

Using a silicone mat on the area just beneath the kitchen sink and the front door of your house can be a good start. If you have toddlers at home, it is ideal not to feed them near wooden flooring.

Pet stains: pets can contribute in their own way to catalyze wooden floor damage. Pet urine can be strong enough to infiltrate through the wooden layers and reach depths where no amount of sanding will help to remove it.

Additionally, pets with untrimmed nails can be a walking indoor disaster. Drooling can also retain stains on the wooden flooring. When managing pets indoors, prepare a spot for them away from the wooden floor. Consider getting them pet beds and also groom them on a regular basis.

Heavy furniture: heavy bookshelves, sofas, and the dining tables can dent or scratch your wooden flooring. Place them away from wooden floors if possible. Another smart alternative is to use gliders for your furniture.

Work with a professional

Identifying wooden floor damage early can make the fix easier. However, if you overlook the condition and leave it unsupervised for too long, you might end up paying a hefty bill in terms of finance, time and comfort. Consulting a certified wooden floor damage specialist as early as possible can be the key to save money and time on most of the occasions.

Damage to wooden floors from issues like mold infestation can be hard to diagnose. This issue if left to prevail can be equally harmful to your health and the building structure. Foresee these factors and take the necessary steps for long term protection.

Mold-inside-the-drywall-in-a-house-in-Jupiter

What to Expect from a Professional Mold Removal Service

Posted by Kiran on April 21, 2020

If not handled properly, mold growth in houses and offices can be a recurring problem. Incidents of mold growth disrupting the lives of people have increased in the past two years.

With the rise in indoor fungal and bacterial contaminations, the task of finding a professional mold removal services has become a challenge.

Once you observe those obvious signs of mold growth in your house or office and feel that things are getting out of hand, you need to hire a mold remediation specialist.

The checklist below will provide you a snapshot of how a professional mold removal service operates.

Assessment Checklist

Since mold growth is usually visible, your remediator will start with a visual assessment to understand the extent of mold contamination.

The specialist can also use high powered light sources coupled with fiber-optic borescopes to survey hidden areas like cavities.

Additional industry-level tools/equipment will be used for the assessment; which will be discussed later in this post.

A mold removal specialist can also interview the occupants of the building to understand the following:

The extent of mold contamination
Events of water incursion in the past, if any and the pertinent details like how, where, type and how long
Whether infected areas have been covered in the past with paints, sealants or other coatings
The history of the building (this information will come in handy for the documentation process, which will be discussed later.)

Mold equipment

Mold assessment and removal equipment used by mold cleanup services. Following factors will influence usage of equipment in this list.

Geo location
Structure type, age, materials involved
Mold contamination level

Assessment/inspection equipment: Your mold remediation specialist should use some or all the below listed equipment to analyze and document the status of the structure, infected area and systems during remediation.
A professional mold removal company uses the same assessment tools and equipment at the same geo-location to ensure the following:

Consistent data collection
Accurate project forecasting
Accurate budgeting and post-cleanup evaluations

Moisture sensors: Moisture sensors are used to determine the moisture levels in multiple materials. The device has multiple pins that penetrate the material to provide moisture level readings audibly or visually. These sensors help remediators to identify things that are beyond repair.

Moisture meters: Mold specialist uses moisture meters to review the moisture levels of materials with known or acceptable moisture content.

The result from the moisture meters are compared with the acceptable moisture content in materials and used to set target drying goals.

Thermo-hygrometer: professional mold specialists will use the same thermo-hygrometer to read determine the temperature and relative humidity in the contaminated area.

Environmental conditions are documented before, during and after remediation. If fluctuations in readings indicate conditions that support microbial growth, remediators take preventive measures.

IR Thermometers & Thermal imaging devices: IR Thermometer and imaging devices are used to detect moisture level fluctuations on material surfaces.

IR and thermal devices cannot provide moisture readings within the material. These tools list the materials eligible for a moisture meter check.

Supplemental systems: heating systems, air conditioning equipment and power generators can fall under supplemental systems.

Remediators use these systems when gas, fuel oil and electrical systems need to be disconnected as part of remediation efforts.

Any supplemental mechanical system used should adhere to the local laws and regulations set by the federal, country or the state.

Removal materials/equipment: a professional mold remediation service will strategize the remediation process using the following removal equipment.

6-mil polyethylene sheets/ bags: uncontaminated or occupied areas in the building are separated from the contaminated area using 6-mil polyethylene sheets.

Materials beyond repair are securely sealed using 6-mil polyethylene bags and discarded in composing landfill rather than recycling landfill.

Antimicrobial coatings and sealants: Water-based coatings and sealants with a standard permeability rating of minimum 1.0 perms as per ASTM D-1653 should be used.

Low odor, low volatile organic compound-driven and the ones that don’t create a vapor barrier are usually preferred.

Chemicals: A mold removal specialist will only use chemicals or antimicrobials in conjunction with proper cleaning standards.

The source removal of mold contamination is always the priority. Indiscriminate use of antimicrobials, coatings, and sealants can trigger health concerns like asthma, headache, and itchy eyes.

Safety work practice checklist

A professional mold remediation service adopts the best workplace safety precautions. Some of these restrictions or precautions are:

Enforce wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and a daily inspection before use
Electrical safety practices like using Lock Out, Tag Out (LOTO)
No edible consumables or smoking in contaminated area
Proper containment of PPE before moving from one area to another
Enforcing the use of multiple gloves to address the concern of personal injury
Adhering to buddy system while working in isolated or high heat workspaces
Daily standup meetings to track progress, layout deadlines and review safety concerns

Project documentation & record keeping

How many of you have thought about checking whether your mold removal specialist keeps a record of the recent remediation work? If yes, do you know how detailed their documentation is? Are the same person involved in the future remediation work if mold reoccurs?

A perfect mold project document and recordkeeping are critical for successful execution and completion of the remediation project. This documentation becomes inevitable in cases of mold reoccurrence.

Perfect project documentation will have the following:

The complete list of readings and observation for all materials and areas involved
Documentation of important communication
Pictures of previous conditions
Strategies used to decontaminate for e.g. use of specific chemicals, sealants etc.
A detailed work/activity log that lists the technicians involved in specific activities, how long, the outcome and any potential risk identified but not resolved during the project

Identifying a professional mold removal specialist is a tricky task. Review this checklist and ensure that the specialist that you hire has experience with all the pointers listed above. This can be your starting point.

New Construction of Jupiter Homes

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on March 13, 2019

Are you considering new construction here in Jupiter? With Florida’s economy growing faster than much of the rest of the country, it is an excellent time to invest in property as part of your financial planning.

New construction in Jupiter can be almost anything. At Titan Restoration & Construction, we can help you create, design, and then build a new residence. In our last decade of operation, we quickly discovered that while building codes and HOA rules may hamper a few choices in terms of height or width, the only real restriction is what you decide to build.

As a certified general contractor (License #1522221), we have the skills, material, and equipment to help draw up blueprints and turn them into reality. Our experience includes not just pouring concrete and hanging interior walls, but to also get those blueprints through the various city and county agencies as quickly as possible.

With everything signed and approved, members of our team start digging; literally. Our builders excavate the site and carefully lay in the forms required for the foundation. After the concrete cures, Titan Restoration & Construction plumbers and electricians lay in pipe and conduits. From there, the house goes up as our builders construct the support structure for the interior and exterior walls and, eventually, the roof.

As team members begin sealing off the residence from the outside, others turn the interior into a home. Our specialists can lay tile, stretch carpets, and install every type of wood flooring available on the market today.

Homeowners do not always need a new residence, however. Our company can also quickly build additions to existing homes for the newest members of the family, or when it is time to bring a parent, grandparent, or another relative home to help with care as they age.

At Titan Restoration & Construction, we can build a new place to serve as your “forever” home, or construct an addition to match changes to your family. No matter what the requirement might be, call us at 561-345-3751 today to get started.

Click here for more about Jupiter.

Fire Damage Repairs and Construction in Delray Homes

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on December 17, 2018

When Delray homes need repair from fire damage, the owners need a company that can handle everything from minor tasks like hanging new drywall to major efforts such as protecting the entire structure with a new roof.

Titan Restoration builders can perform these tasks and, as a certified general contractor in Delray, everything else needed to put a home back together after a fire. Some companies say they can return the home to what it was before the disaster. At Titan, we try to make it better.

Once a cleaning company removes the debris, one of our inspectors examines everything a final time. They make certain the remaining support structures have enough integrity to handle the new construction and weight of the walls, roof, and more placed on them. In some cases, the inspection reveals that parts of the home thought lost to the fire only need a thorough cleaning and are usable in the rebuilding and restoration process.

After the inspection, our restoration teams work to secure the home while also rebuilding the interior. As team members begin replacing the wall frames to build out the bedrooms and living areas, others install new doors and windows to protect the interior from the weather, insect infestations, and small animal intrusions.

If the roof is damaged, the best way to protect the interior is to enclose it with a new one as quickly as possible. Titan’s construction experts have the experience and equipment to rebuild the entire structure from the attic floor up if that is what it takes, and then cap it with roofing tiles that meet the state building codes and last for decades barring any future disaster. If the owner wants it, we can also use tiles made from 100% recycled material.

Depending on the structural requirements and the desires of the homeowner, we try to use the most eco-friendly building materials possible. If the quality and cost of items like paint, floor and ceiling trim, and wall framing is the same for recycled material as with new product, our teams use the recycled option.

If you require repairs to your fire damaged Delray home, contact Titan Restoration today at 561-345-3751 to schedule an inspection.

Click here for more about Delray.

How Can Titan Restoration Construction Recover Your Home After A Disaster?

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on August 30, 2018

There are often many steps in between the time that disaster strikes your home and when it gets successfully restored and returned to you the way that it used to be. More to the point, most companies specialize in just one piece of this process, leaving other portions for those with specific expertise. For example, a restoration company could have the tools and equipment needed for water extraction and drying flood damages to your residence, while Titan focuses our area of expertise on rebuilding, repairing and remodeling damaged building materials affected by the disaster.

With all of the severe weather that typically affects the residents of West Palm Beach throughout the year, it is safe to say that there are several instances where homes in the area are at significant risk for instances of flooding, storm damages and more. These destructive forces can take a heavy toll on both the exterior building materials and interior construction of your house, often requiring removal and replacement.

Our technicians work in conjunction with the efforts of the restoration company that you or your insurance company have selected. Our areas of expertise ensure that removed and discarded construction materials or areas of excessive damage get prepared for reconstruction and rebuilding to complete the overall restoration process and return your home to you in its pre-loss conditions.

Our goals stretch far beyond the rudimentary elements of residential or commercial construction in West Palm Beach, however. It is our goal to strive to provide a high-caliber result for the remodeling efforts we undertake, carefully matching materials to existing structures to provide a seamless look. We work with you, the homeowner, in creating the same look and feel of the affected areas of your home to return them to their familiar and comfortable look and feel before the disaster occurred.

After an instance like a flood occurs, widespread damages can feel overwhelming to a homeowner. While there might be several steps to returning your home to pre-loss conditions, our focus at Titan Restoration Construction is to make the process as efficient and straightforward as we can. Give us a call anytime you need our experienced technicians at (561) 345-3751.

Click here for more information on the city of West Palm Beach.

plumber repairing kitchen sink pipe in florida house

Finding General Contracting for Home Repairs in Florida

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on June 30, 2018

Any general contracting service you hire in Florida should be able to perform certain tasks quickly and precisely. You need to demand this level of professionalism for repairs, improvements, and additions to your home.

Repairs in Florida are a regular occurrence for any homeowner. Some are minor like replacing broken fence slats or rehanging a door, so it fits properly. Others require special tools or knowledge to accomplish them correctly.

Plumbing issues often fall into the category of major repairs. If not quickly dealt with, water can cause massive structural and personal property damage and while replacing a broken dishwasher is simple, removing a kitchen sink to get to the broken pipe in the wall behind it is more complicated. It takes knowledge and experience to remove the sink without causing secondary damage to it or the tile behind it.

With our state economy continuing to grow, more homeowners are taking the opportunity to make improvements to their residences. A licensed general contracting service must be able to perform any task inside your home up to moving major support structures like load-bearing walls.

A licensed, general contractor in Florida can move entire walls if the new floorplan calls for it. The same agency should be able to run new wiring and plumbing when a homeowner decides to turn their half-bath in the master bedroom into a full bath complete with sunken bathtub.

Florida is a perfect state for young and older family members. Many households combined in the recent economic downturn, only to discover the benefits of having three generations under the same roof. Now that incomes are growing, these families are adding to their homes.

Any reputable general contractor should be able to add a bedroom and expand a kitchen. The service you hire should be able to increase the size of your foundation, raise new walls, and switch out old appliances like ovens and refrigerators to accommodate the now larger family. When it comes to new roof supports, or changing gas lines, you should check to see if your general contractor has successfully done either task before.

If you are considering repairs, improvements, or additions, you must use a professional, general contracting service like Titan Restoration Construction, 561-345-3751. Before hiring one, make certain the agency is licensed and bonded with the state of Florida.

Click here for more information on the state of Florida.

Storm damage in Mold damaged ceiling Ft. Myers, Port Charlotte, Naples, and Your Southwest Florida Neighborhood

Titan Provides Storm Recovery Services in Ft. Myers, Port Charlotte, Naples, and Your Southwest Florida Neighborhood

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on March 28, 2018

Repairing the damage from storms and natural disasters is often no easy feat. Renovations, remodeling, and repairs in southwest Florida should be entrusted to Titan Restoration, a certified and insured construction team with a decade of satisfied clients under our belts. Not only does this ensure that your home or business is repaired quickly, but you have the peace of mind working with our experienced team members.

Many troubling situations can affect your home, such as storm damages, mold damage, fire damage and water damages. Each of these presents their own unique set of challenges regarding both restoration and reconstruction when the effects warrant new materials to get installed.

Storm damage recovery throughout Southwest Florida is a large part of our business, as this region is often at ground zero for severe weather systems that hammer the coast and inland properties. Often rebuilding and remodeling is necessary for many homes following instances like hurricanes and significant tropical storms, as these systems can quickly upset trees, damage siding, and roofs, or even collapse portions of your home.

Fire damage restoration is another service that our Titan specialists offer, as many structure fires leave behind significant damage that requires demolition and reconstruction. Our team can assess the structural integrity of all affected areas, deciding which components need to get replaced and rebuilt and what can get mended with repairs.

Water damage does not always necessitate reconstruction and remodeling, but when your home or business falls victim to a significant water emergency, structural components can get weakened or irreparably damaged. We can remove portions of walls, flooring, ceilings, and more and reconstruct these areas with stronger new materials. These projects range from simple drywall replacement to more complex stucco work, block and bricklaying, replacement flooring solutions, and more.

Mold damage can affect many houses, especially in the humid conditions common to areas like Port Charlotte, Cape Coral, and Punta Gorda. Mold remediation is the recommended course of action, as mold exposure can cause health effects. Our Titan team can help you to overcome the damage that mold has caused to areas of your home by removing structural components where colonies grew (such as drywall and wood framing) and replacing them.

You can trust in the Titan Restoration Construction professionals to help you through any reconstruction, remodel or renovation that follows a damaging disaster to your residence or business. Our customers in Charlotte (Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda areas), Lee (Fort Myers and Cape Coral areas) and Collier (Marco Island and Naples) counties can count on our dedicated and professional services to be available when you need it in your neighborhood. Give us a call today at (239) 963-7574.

Click here for more information about the city of Southwest Florida.

General Contracting in West Palm Beach

Posted by Travis Bumgarner on February 23, 2018

It is important to have a licensed and insured general contractor accomplish any work you want done in your home. There are dozens of so-called handyman services out there, and some of them may even do fair work, but homeowners have no guarantee of the results or quality.

A company like Titan Restoration has the experience and reputation of taking care of our customers regardless if the job is building an addition to a West Palm Beach home or even just repairing the garage. Accidents happen to everyone. One of our more frequently requested tasks is to fix the results of a newly licensed driver in the home. Clipping the side of a garage or not stopping quite soon enough are pretty common errors, but we can fix them.

Repairing brickwork can be time-consuming, but it is worth it. We can source the same brick as originally used in the home, and our experienced bricklayer can also match the appearance of the mortar, so it does not stand out as brand new against the undamaged part of the wall. Once our bricklayer finishes, most of our customers cannot tell exactly where the damage occurred.

That is very important for homeowners since any work done to the outside of the home directly affects the curb appeal of a home and can bring down the value of the home if the completed job stands out to anyone who might drive by with only a glance.

Replacing or patching drywall is even simpler. For small dents and tears into a panel, we clean out any loose debris; taking care not to cause more damage. Then, we apply a patching compound that fills in and quickly adheres to the surface. Technicians carefully smooth out this patch to prevent streaks or other marks that can appear even after we paint over the damaged section. Since drywall is fairly cheap to replace, we usually recommend replacing a panel if the hole is large or if there are several of them.

If you need quick repairs, extensive remodeling, or want to add to your home, call Titan Restoration today at 561-345-3751 to schedule an appointment and receive a free estimate. With over a decade supporting our neighbors in West Palm Beach, we are here for you.

For more information regarding West Palm Beach, click here.

Category: General Contracting