Lot selection should include consideration of many features. Lots, whether new or existing, are unequal in features of importance, such as utilities, zoning and potential for floods or drainage disasters. Lot and home assets addressed in this column may not even occur to many people. Lots for sale should be thoroughly reviewed with these tips in mind before you choose where you will make your home.
Drainage of lots you are considering is critically important to review. Yard drainage disaster can be avoided if you study the landscape and slope of residential lots before you buy land to build the home of your dreams. Too late? Live in Soggy City now? Trench drains are one of the most dynamic landscape drainage solutions.
Topographic maps will help you understand the elevation and slope of the land you are interested in buying. A topographic map of the lots you are considering will help you to avoid major drainage disaster, flooding and damage to your home down the road.
Rubber roofing often needs an underlayment when it's installed. But roofers need to make sure they can get the new membrane roofing underlayment installed before they leave the jobsite for the day. Covering the unfinished work with a tarp is dangerous as the tarp can blow off in an overnight rainstorm. When that happens, water can seep into the house.
The deck post railing and the way it connects to the deck and adjacent stairs is very critical. If it is not done properly, it can be dangerous. Over time the deck posts can wobble and become very unsafe. There are several ways to install railing posts that will be secure for many years.
Vinyl siding is a great material to dress up a concrete block structure. Vinyl siding colors are not restricted to the limited five or ten pastel colors that were the choice for so many years. There are hundreds of colors to choose from when you decide on installing vinyl siding.
If you want to make sure your blacktop driveway lasts for 20 or more years, then you might want to get some great information from the many blacktop product associations that exist. Often these are state level and many states have one.
Blacktop is a great material to use if you want a blacktop driveway. But not all contractors are equal. Some do great work at installing blacktop, while others do a poor job. To get a great job done on your blacktop driveway, you better know the right questions to ask.
Skylights are a great addition to a home. A skylight allows natural light to enter a home. But these skylight windows can create confusion from time to time. Water that appears in and around the skylight might be condensation or it might be a skylight leak. The challenge is to discover the source of the water.
Concrete slabs will crack. Most concrete will crack. Concrete reinforcement by your contractor can help minimize or stop cracking. The use of steel rebar, synthetic fiber or wire mesh will help control the cracking.
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