Ways to Tell When You Need a New Roof

Stormy sunset on construction siteRoofs are one of those things that are always there and are very important, but most of us don’t pay attention to them until something goes wrong.

Yet identifying roofing problems before they become more serious can save you a fortune in roof repairs. Replacing shingles or making minor repairs is a lot less expensive than having to put an entirely new roof on your home or business.

New Construction Broward – Take a Look at Your Roof

So how can you tell if your roof needs a little tender loving care? There are obvious signs, of course, such as leaks or gaping holes. Generally, if you can see the sky from indoors and you don’t have a skylight, it’s probably time to call the professionals.

But you also can tell by setting up a ladder and climbing up to take a look at your roof at close range. Specifically, you should be looking for shingle edges that are curled or shingle tabs that are cupped.

Other things to look for include cracked shingles, bald spots where granules are missing, or dark streaks caused by airborne algae that can erode roofing shingles from the inside out.

New Construction Broward – The Age of Your Roof

Another way to tell if you may need a new roof is its age. If your existing roof is more than 20 years old, it probably is going to start failing soon, if it hasn’t started already.

Shingles aren’t designed to last forever. While today’s shingles are produced for durability, that wasn’t always the case. Like it or not, the shingles on your roof probably have an expiration date.

If you aren’t sure or don’t remember when your roof was put on your home, take a look at your home files. There could still be a receipt from the builder who put your roof on.

Homeowners who bought the house with the existing roof on it can ask the previous owner when it was installed.

Remodeling in Condos More Complicated, but Not Impossible

Blue business buildingsSay you want to remodel your kitchen, bathroom, or another area of your home. The problem is that you live in a high-rise condominium in the middle of a densely populated urban area.

Can you still hire a private contractor like TGS Construction to make the updates you want? Of course, you can! It just gets a little more complicated, but it’s really not that big of a deal.

Florida Kitchen and Bath — Condo Construction Projects

The biggest difference between working in a freestanding home and working in a high-rise condominium or apartment is access. When you own a house, it’s much easier for contractors to gain access to the kitchen, bathroom, or other areas you want updated.

With condos, however, there are other people to consider. Specifically, your neighbors and the condo association. Typically, any updates to condo or apartment need to have the approval of the building owner or — if it is a resident-owned building — the condo association.

Florida Kitchen and Bath — If You Can Dream It, We Can Build It

What the building management wants to ensure is that the construction isn’t going to be disruptive to other residents. That may mean construction workers can only access your unit during specific times of day, such as midday on work days.

Building management also usually wants guarantees that construction workers are going to use only service elevators, aren’t going to block or disrupt public areas of the building, and are going to clean up after themselves.

At TGS Construction, we are experienced in working with apartment building owners, management companies, and condominium associations. We can provide all the assurances they need that the work will be done professionally, expeditiously, and with minimal disruption to the peace and quiet of the building.

If you live in a condominium or apartment, you can still get the renovations you want. It just takes a little extra TLC.

Early Starts Help Contractors Do Better Work

Stormy sunset on construction siteIf you’ve ever had work done in your home — such as having a new bathroom put in or having a kitchen remodeled — you probably noticed that the contractors arrive to work very early. They may even have shown up at your home before you’re awake in some cases.

There are a couple of important reasons why contractors tend to report to work so early. Once you understand these reasons, you won’t be surprised when they show up to your house before most of your family is even out of bed.

Rise and Shine

The first reason has to do with the weather. Many contractors have to deal with very hot weather conditions. This is especially true in South Florida, where by noon the combination of high temperature, humidity, and bright sun can be unbearable.

Starting work such as roofing, framing or other outdoor tasks when the sun is still low and the temperatures are at their coolest for the day makes sense for most contractors. Even those working indoors often have to deal with conditions with no air conditioning, especially if they are working on new construction.

Commute Times

Another reason contractors show up so early is traffic. Unlike most workers, people in the construction trade rarely work at the same location more than a few days in a row. So many contractors may live far from their job site for the day.

The last thing you want is for contractors to arrive late due to heavy rush hour traffic. So construction workers tend to get up very early to beat the traffic so they can be assured of arriving at job sites on time — even if that time is 7 a.m.

That’s the same reason contractors will often be out of your house by mid-afternoon. They don’t want to have to sit in heavy traffic at the end of their work day.

A Refreshing Difference

Fresh water splashWhy is dealing with plumbers always so frustrating? Why can’t plumbers show up when they are supposed to — if they show up at all? And when you are presented with the plumber’s bill, why is it always so high?

Part of the problem is urgency. When you need a plumber’s services, you usually are desperate to get your problem repaired. Whether it is a clogged toilet, a backed up sink, or a more serious issue like a clogged sewer line, resolving your plumbing issue is a top priority.

Another is that there is actually a shortage of qualified plumbers. So those who are working in your area usually have more work than they can handle.

 There’s Another Way

At TGS Construction, we believe that just because you are experiencing an urgent problem, you shouldn’t be taken advantage of by skilled tradesmen like plumbers. Instead, we treat our clients with the respect and courtesy they deserve.

When you call TGS Construction, we will give you a realistic time frame for your plumber’s arrival so you don’t have to sit around all day wasting time when you could be doing something more important. We also will diagnose your problem quickly and accurately so you know exactly what’s going on.

 Fixing Small and Large Plumbing Problems Professionally

Many plumbers will assign minor plumbing problems — such as a leaky faucet or a toilet that won’t stop running — a very low priority. Even if you can convince a plumber to come out to your house to make a minor repair, it could be days, or even weeks, before you get resolution. That’s too long to wait!

But at TGS Construction, our philosophy is that if it is important to you, it’s important to us. Every plumbing repair call we get is important.

Selecting Appliances

modern living 18Many of our clients ask us how to get the best value from their kitchen remodeling.

While some people renovate or update their kitchen because they want a more modern and functional place to cook meals and enjoy family time, others are seeking to increase the value of their home because they plan to sell it soon or in at some point in the near future.

Remodeling your kitchen will always boost the value of your home. But you can make it even more valuable by investing in top-quality kitchen appliances.

Kitchen Remodeling Fort Lauderdale — Choosing Top Brands

Realtors know that kitchens and bathrooms are what truly “sell” a home. If those rooms look impressive, odds are the prospective buyers are going to be more open to buying the home.

Choosing top-quality stoves, ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers and other appliances gives realtors something to point to when showing your home to prospective buyers. If they can drop the name of a well-known, high-quality name brand appliance to visitors, it usually will get your home noticed.

Kitchen Remodeling Fort Lauderdale — Benefitting from the Best

Even if you aren’t planning on selling your home anytime soon, it’s usually a good idea to spend the money on top-quality appliances when remodeling your kitchen.

The refrigerator, stove, and other appliances are among the most-used things in your house. You are likely to touch each of these things at least once per day. By choosing the best, you can benefit from your decision every time you use them.

If you are spending the money on a kitchen remodeling, choosing cheap but functional appliances is not where you want to save money. Inexpensive appliances can bring down the look of the entire project and leave you unsatisfied.

Choosing top-quality appliances may cost a little more upfront, but offers long-term value down the line.

3 Steps to Hiring a Contractor in Broward

TGS-home-03You have a dream of what your new home, a renovated space, a new commercial property, or some other project should look like. Now you want to turn your vision into reality. It’s time to hire a contractor.

Hiring a contractor is the first and arguably the most important step in any construction project. That’s because the decision you make about which contactor to hire can affect not only how the final project will turn out, but also whether it will be within your budget, whether it will be completed on time, and whether your not your sanity and stomach lining will survive the project.

New Construction Broward — 3 Simple Steps

Hiring a contractor is an important decision, but it’s not an impossible one. There are essentially three steps to finding the best contractor for your particular construction project.

The first is to find several contractors who specialize in the type of project you have. You don’t want to hire a contractor who builds skyscrapers to build your new home. Similarly, you may not want a contractor who has never done a kitchen renovation before to tackle your home improvement project.

The second step is to collect bids or estimates from at least two or three different contractors, if not more. Getting multiple estimates will help you to understand whether your cost estimates were accurate. It also can help you find a better price so you don’t get overcharged the way you could if you rely on only a single estimate for your construction job.

New Construction Howard — Getting to Know You

Before hiring any contractor, it’s important that you get a list of previous clients so you can personally check on the company’s reputation. A contractor may have built a hundred houses in your neighborhood, but if every project was over budget, behind schedule, or the clients weren’t satisfied, odds are you won’t be, either.

TGS Construction specializes in construction projects of every size, cost, and type. When you need an estimate for your next construction project, make sure to include TGS Construction on your list of prospective contractors. We’ll treat you right!

Storage Options

 As one of South Florida’s leading home contractors, TGS Construction has helped hundreds of your friends and neighbors renovate their homes, including their baths and kitchens.

One of the most common questions we get from our clients is what to do with all of their belongings while their homes are being upgraded, updated or repaired. The answer depends on two things: 1.) How much stuff you have, and 2.) The complexity and duration of the home improvement project.

 Minimal Disruption

At TGS construction, our goal is to minimize the extent to which your normal everyday routine is disrupted during your home improvement project. If it is something as simple as updating your kitchen cabinets,

If the project is something as simple as updating your kitchen cabinets, repainting the interior of your home, or even installing new bathroom floors, walls, and ceilings, generally you can simply move your things somewhere else in your home until the project is completed.

If you have a garage or basement, for example, these can be the perfect places for temporarily storing the items that otherwise would be in the room that is being renovated or updated.

Bigger Jobs

In some cases, the job is much bigger and more disruptive. For example, if your home needs to be gutted and rebuilt after a fire, or if you are putting on an addition to your home, or tearing down your existing home and building an entirely new one, you probably are going to need someplace to store all or most of your belongings during the length of the construction project.

One option is to rent a storage “pod” that can remain on your property during the project. Another is to rent a storage locker at a nearby storage facility and keep your stuff there until you are ready to move back in.

Big Ponds and Little Fish

Modern house with terracotta roof tiles

There’s a school of thought that says it’s better for the resale value of your home if you have a smaller house on a street with a lot of bigger houses. Presumably, this is because the value of the larger, more elaborate houses will pull up the value of your home with it’s time to sell.

But another theory says that it’s better to have the biggest house on your block because by being a “big fish in a little pond”, you can offer potential buyers a special status that can add to the perceived value of your home.

Construction Broward — Big or Little?

At TGS Construction Corp. we believe you should have exactly the house that you want, regardless of the size or status of the other houses in your neighborhood. Most homeowners aren’t buying new homes based on their potential resale value –at least not as their primary consideration.

First-time buyers and older homeowners alike are looking for homes that provide their families with enough room to be comfortable, in areas where they can feel safe and secure, and that offer amenities such as good schools and nearby quality shopping that will make their lives better.

 

At TGS Construction Corp., we pride ourselves in providing our clients with the types of homes they want, rather than houses that compare favorably or unfavorably with other houses on the same block. We want the families who move into our houses to love the places where they live.

That’s why we work to ensure that every home meets the highest quality standards and exceeds the expectations of the homeowner who will eventually raise their families in it.

When we build homes, we understand that we are building more than future value or resale potential. We are building places where real people will create lasting memories and where lifetimes will be spent in love and comfort.

Simplifying Complicated Tasks

Whether you are building something as simple as a single family home or a more elaborate project like a shopping center or office building, every construction project is complicated.

There are endless details to worry about, hundreds of decisions that have to be made, and timetables and deadlines that need to be made.

TGS Construction is among the leading South Florida contractors for a reason: We care about keeping our clients happy, regardless of the complexity of the new construction project.

New Construction Broward — A Tradition of Reliability

AtTGS Construction, we take pride in meeting and even exceeding deadlines for new construction projects for our South Florida clients. So we will work with you to achieve your time objections regardless of how ambitious they are.

The last thing any client wants is for a project be delayed. While some delays are unavoidable — due to weather or getting the proper permits, for example –at TGS Construction we have the experience to anticipate these types of delays so that they can be built into the schedule for your new construction project.

We will always work with you to give you a realistic understanding of where your project stands. Unlike many other South Florida contractors, we won’t hide any bad news from you. Instead, we consider ourselves to be your partners in achieving the project together.

New Construction Broward — A Commitment to Customer Service

Another thing that sets TGS Construction apart from other South Florida contractors is that we care about our customer service reputation.

It’s well known that construction contractors have a reputation for being hard to reach — especially once you sign a contract with them.

But at TGS Construction, we pride ourselves on maintaining continual contact with our clients. We know that getting answers when you need them is a top priority for you.

Perfect Kitchen Remodeling Ideas!

Miami Kitchen Remodeling ideas that will work wonders for your home

Female hands framing custom kitchen design. Combination drawing and photo.
Female hands framing custom kitchen design. Combination drawing and photo.

Have you considered a kitchen island in your home? It’s a multipurpose kitchen device that has several uses. You can use it as a study table, or for eating meals, or entertaining guests over a cup of tea. Your children can also use it as study table or you can install a washing sink for washing your cooking utensils, your plates and silvers, and your hands. You can also install cabinets and put whatever things you want to put in them. Aside from all the things that I have discussed already, a kitchen island can help improve your kitchen’s appearance.

Miami Kitchen Remodeling


TGS has more Miami Kitchen Remodeling ideas which you can use to improve your kitchen’s efficiency and at the same time endow it with an artistic vista worthy of a 5 star hotel.
If you don’t have a granite countertop yet, you might want to consider having one to adorn what might be your most favorite part of your house. We can provide you with something unique for your kitchen! Granite stones are never the same. Even if they’re from the same stone boulder, they’ll manage to look different every few millimeters. They’ll make great additions! They’re very useful, easy to maintain, highly durable, and are jewels to your kitchen like a diamond to a ring.

Wives and cooks, they understand kitchens better than anybody, even expert interior designers. They use it more often than anybody else. They have for sure their own Miami Kitchen Remodeling ideas which may include things that renovation companies may somehow overlook. We always ask clients what they want in their kitchens. This is one sure way of avoiding any misunderstandings and dissatisfaction. It’s not surprising that what they suggest makes a lot sense and is practically useful in any kitchen renovation projects. The kitchen is hers and it should reflect her personality and cater to her needs and wants.

Another Miami Kitchen Remodeling idea is about the decorative and utility cabinets. They function both if constructed with artistic and engineering ideas cross matched to come up with what is not only impressive looking but highly utilitarian in nature. The choice of materials, design, style, size and color can really contribute a lot to your kitchen’s ambiance. You’re going to love what you see and how you use it.

TGS has been in the business of creating hundreds of kitchen renovation projects and always manages to make it a perfect occasion every time. No, they don’t use magic spells, only down to earth approaches with results that seem like they were made in heaven.

TGS Construction’s Miami Kitchen Remodeling Service does not build, but creates; that’s what separates them from the others.

Being creative means you use only original ideas and adapt them to what they are meant to do with the place where they are meant to be.