5 WARNING SIGNS OF A BAD CONTRACTOR

Every home improvement project carries with it a bit of stress. However, the right contractor should behave as a guiding hand and sooth you get through the process. Employing the wrong one could mean plenty of headaches and also a waste of your hard earned cash. Here we will look at some common signs of an unprofessional or dishonest contractor.

1. Shows up extremely late or no show without a telephone call

Fashionably late is best reserved for home parties and is the very first attack when meeting a possible client. Nearly all home improvement contractors start by coming to your house for a quote to observe the work website. Most contractors have busy schedules and a few might be trying to juggle numerous jobs while taking on new customers. It is understandable to be held up by visitors or finishing up at a different job site. The least they could do is reschedule using a telephone call. This might seem like something modest but it should make you wonder if a house will be a priority after you employ them.

2. Not Able to answer technical questions

This part takes you to do some homework prior to the initial consultation. When speaking with the builder, inquire some technical concerns concerning the system of installation or ask about possible unforeseen expenses. If they stumble and fumble with the most basic questions, do you really want them learning on the job? Naturally there'll be queries which even the most experienced builders will fight with.

3. Sends the Whole estimate with just one number, without breaking individual parts

An estimate is an intricate part of each project. This breaks down the price of individual line items and should include a detailed list of what you could anticipate. Without a professional quote a dishonest installer could come back to you for more money half way during job. At that point there would be no way to hold them responsible for their original bid. This also functions as a way to protect the installer from unforeseen conditions which could amount to additional labor or material prices.

4. Just willing to accept money and needs to get a commitment immediately

The older"I've got some leftover material from a different job and may give it to you for half price in the event that you just pay me cash." Remember it is extremely tricky to demonstrate money exchanges and gives you the least protection against the contractor running away with your money. Credit card companies access a % fee so it is typical for many contractors to be unwilling to take plastic. In cases like this, offer to write a check to keep record of the payment. Of course, if the contractor is the friend out of high school you may have the ability to pay him money but be sure you know them or by referral.

5. Contractor does not have insurance or license

Different nations and different transactions have their own licensing legislation. Certain trades may not take a permit, however if your project does it could get you in trouble for coping with an unlicensed contractor. Licensing serves as a kind of regulation standard and continued education. Another thing you need to require is for the contractor to be insured. Home improvement jobs carry many unforeseeable dangers. For example the home owner could be responsible for deaths or accidents occurred at their residence. Mishaps such as unintentionally causing a pipe to burst or opening an electrical fire are extremely real problems which could happen on the job.

At All of our installers are all respectful, professional, and fully insured at each job. Hopefully for the next home improvement project this guide can help you pick the ideal candidate.

How To Remove The Smell Of Freshly Treated Wood Floors

 All wood flooring have to be handled from time to time to maintain their great looks and charm. Finishes on timber floors vary from seals, waxes, oils, polishes and varnishes, all which will make your wood floor more resistant to wear and tear as well as helping make them easier to wash. That said, every one of these processes tend to leave a lingering smell. Many men and women find these smells inoffensive, but others are bothered tremendously by them.

Many people that are bothered by the smell of freshly treated hardwood flooring attempt to mask the odor with airborne perfumes, but ultimately wind up frustrated because this technique doesn't eliminate the cause of the odor. There are two effective ways of treating your floor without chemical scents, which you are most likely to have in your kitchen cupboard.

For many years, tea has been used to take care of wood floors. It's suggested it is the tannic acid in tea that brings a great shine to wooden floors. The secret to this way of cleaning your hardwood flooring is to make sure the tea is nice and strong. You'll need anything between 5 and 10 teabags per bucket of water. What to do would be make the tea as you would normally and let it brew. Once it has brewed, let it cool and dilute it with lukewarm water to make up a bucket-load. If you are doing this for the very first time or are concerned that the colour of your flooring may be negatively influenced, try the tea solution in an inconspicuous area of your flooring before tackling the whole floor. To be able to prevent soaking the floor, you can try pouring the solution into a spray bottle and spraying a mist of the remedy to a mop.

Cider vinegar is also an extremely effective wood flooring cleaner. Used for many years by housewives who favored the organic choice to the chemical alternative, apple cider vinegar will cut through the grime and dirt on the own floor very quickly. All you have to do is place half a cup of apple vinegar in a bucket of lukewarm water and wash your floor. Again, if you would like to maintain the soaking into a minimum, then a spray bottle and a microfiber mop are ideal for this particular job. What's more, if you are not fond of the odor of vinegar, then you may try adding a couple drops of lemon, lavender or orange essential oil into the water to take out the vinegar's sharp odour.

Kitchen Flooring: What to Look For

There are just a few interior design projects more exciting than re-doing an older kitchen planning a new kitchen from scratch. Floor Sanding Gym team at work here, the kitchen really is the heart of our homes. Everything from socializing with friends, active breakfasts, huddled assignments, carbonated beverages, good times and bad, our kitchens view it all.

Therefore, if you are in the process of either re-looking or renovating an old kitchen or are planning a new one from scratch, then we want to assist you with a few of your most important decisions. Your kitchen floor. Within this article we'll share with you everything you should be searching for if you make your decisions.

Some of the most popular options for kitchen flooring are: tiles, rubber, terracotta, marble and wood. Each have their own plus points and minus points. Tiles and marble might be somewhat cold and clinical; rubberized is a bit too trendy for some; terracotta may be challenging call to keep and wood is sometimes ignored by some as improper for kitchens -- however this is so NOT the situation.

In reality, wood is a perfect kitchen flooring option since it provides you all the dull advantages you need in your new kitchen flooring, AND it provides you great looks to boot. Here are the things we we think you should look for when you are picking your kitchen floor, along with most of the fantastic reasons why we believe timber is a great alternative for your job.

The boring stuff:

Durability

It goes without saying that whatever substance you select for your kitchen flooring should resist the rough and tumble your own life throws at it. The ideal choice when it comes to creating your choice is to plump for a really hardwearing alternative such as marble or tiles and absorb the fact they have a propensity to feel a little cold and clinical or elect for the right wood alternative. If you'd like a hardwood flooring in your kitchen, you'll have a single, without needing to compromise durability.

Engineered wood flooring is far and away the best wood flooring solution for kitchens and baths due to its clever construction. The layers of ply that make up the core board of engineered wood flooring until it is topped off with strong, real wood, means that this option won't expand and contract like wood. What is more, if you decide on an alternative with a lacquered finish like these alternatives , and a wonderful thick top layer, not only will it be shielded in the thrills and spills of kitchen life, it will also provide you the luxury of being able to re-sand and re-finish it a few times in its lifetime, so this really is a win, win scenario for your kitchen. Great looks, durability and the ability to bring it back to life when it starts to look tired.

Price

If it comes to choosing your kitchen flooring, regrettably price plays a major role for most people. And once again, this is where quality hardwood floors comes into its own. With prices from as little as just over #20 per square meter, you truly can't go wrong.

Waterproofing

An excellent lacquered finish will leave your timber kitchen flooring pretty much waterproof, which means that as long as you're vigilant about severe water and liquid spills, you should not have any problem. Even though the likes of tiles and marble will endure to pretty considerable water challenges, should you need a wood floor, there is no reason whatsoever that you can not have one. In reality, if you are concerned about the risk of water on your kitchen floor, you need to consider a click system wood floor that has a superb seal between each board, so would provide more security.

The exciting things:

How it looks

If you'd like a natural looking kitchen flooring, that oozes style and will stand up to the test of time, there is not any getting away from the fact that engineered wood flooring will tick all of your boxes and a whole lot more. Listed below are our two best suggestions for a good looking kitchen floor:

If you'd like light and bright, you can't fail with this Natural Engineered Oak Click Sahara Grey Brushed UV lacquered floor remedy. It's click system means that it will be particularly resistant to water problems and its UV filter will provide your flooring all the security it needs from the unwanted effects of sunlight.

If you want dark and intriguing, then this Natural Engineered Oak Click Jet Black Brushed, UV lacquered option will be for you. An actual jet black, this floor option will add the perfect finishing touch to any kitchen.

If you'd like help to select a great wood flooring option for your kitchen job, why don't you get in contact? This way we will be able to help you make certain you opt for the best possible solution for the look you need to accomplish and your budget.

KAHRS FLOORING-WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOUR HOME

Keeping up with home decor trends can be exceedingly unkind to your own bank balance- that is why it's almost always a good idea to make investments that you know will stand the test of time, and that you know won't fall out of fashion a few months down the line.

With the flooring in your home making up such a large part of decor, you need to be certain that it looks good at all times- and Kahrs flooring can offer you with this reassurance.

Kahrs wooden flooring is the epitome of stylish beauty, and there are lots of stunning styles of this flooring for you to choose from.

There are several different wood options with Kahrs floors, so in addition to being able to choose flooring constructed from a timber that looks great, you have the opportunity to choose flooring that provides you which matches your durability requirements.

Kahrs flooring can enhance the appearance of your home no end- without the need to create any other changes- and you are also likely to discover that this flooring is just as straightforward to care for as rugs - if not more so.

Kahrs flooring offers beauty, style and functionality to your house - the perfect package.

CAN UNDERFLOOR HEATING BE USED WITH HARDWOOD FLOORING?

Hardwood flooring is a naturally warm material, and a great insulator, so that it does not necessarily need to be heated. But some people with hardwood floors choose to install systems such as Underfloor heating for a means of heating their entire houses, but not every one of these folks properly research how well the two work together and which species of hardwood floors to utilize.

There are arguments both for and against using Underfloor heating systems with hardwood flooring. Some people would say that it may help to keep an even temperature over the entire surface of the floor. This decreases the'hotspots' you sometimes get with radiators which is a true benefit.

 On the flip side, SOLID hardwood floors is known to be unstable on Underfloor heatingsystem, and it could therefore be at risk from warping / swelling or shrinking when subjected to resources of subfloor heat, thus we strongly recommend against its use with Underfloor heating. To prevent this, you can buy Hardwood flooring that is engineered and made up of layers of wood and works beautifully with under floor heating, together with the 21mm range using the exact same life span as the good edition, hence the flooring will be around for generations to come along and look as good if not better than the good hardwood floors as we can lay it in widths up to some stunning 300mm wide on Underfloor heating. I've had the 260mm engineered oak planks at my house since 2008, laid above a water Underfloor heating system & I have to say I am over the moon with the way the floor feels and reacts.

If you are still unsure whether to put in Underfloor heating by means of your hardwood flooring, even after doing a little research, it's encouraged that you seek help from a hardwood flooring expert before proceeding with your plans. Contact or email Gym Floor Sanding for no obligation professional guidance.

Hardwood Flooring for the Office

Once upon a time rug dominated the workplace environment. Offices everywhere remain covered with oddly patterned, dust stuffed, worn out carpets from the 1970s. The world is changing the way it looks at office layout as firms seek to improve the office environment because of their employees to make work much like work and more like another home.

More and more companies, especially the tech sector, appearing to modernize are shifting out in the older dark blue and dark gray carpets of the Mad Men era and turning to hardwood floors.

The reasons many businesses are seeking to remodel their offices together with hardwood flooring proceed past the obvious aesthetics that hardwood floors can bring to a distance but in addition the the effect on the productivity and wellbeing of the staff.

Hardwood floors are not only pleasing to look at but the fact that they don't absorb dust and water will create cleaner air at the office. I can remember an old carpeted office I worked in where the cleaning team vacuumed maybe once a year. Anything that fell on this carpet instantly was coated in a thick layer of grey dust.

If you're making the smart choice and going with hardwood flooring to your new office area, I'd

suggest going with a durable higher quality engineered hardwood floor. They are more inclined to endure the test of time provided the amount of visitors they will be viewing and the occasional high heel. Office flooring to is bound to see a few spilled cups of coffee or booze from the rowdy office Christmas party so engineered flooring is the certain way to go for the office floor.

With almost any hardwood flooring in any environment you shouldn't leave them out on their own. A little bit of security is going to continue to keep the wood looking fresh for years to come. For example, place mats at entryways to protect against wet and muddy boots and shoes, put mats or rugs in kitchen areas to safeguard against spills, and ensure everybody with a office chair on wheels gets those vinyl floor mats.

What is a lacquered finish?

What is a lacquered finish?

A lacquer is usually a polyurethane coating applied to a wooden flooring. It covers the pores of the wood floor and forms a hard, robust coating which effect like a protective shield for the wood from dirt and moisture. The difference between it and oil is that it sits on the top of the wood, it doesn’t sink in like oil. Lacquers should provide several years of protection for your floor, depending on the foot traffic.
Lacquered floors are really easy to care. You can keep them clean with just a broom, vacuum cleaner or micro-fibre mop and wipe the dust away. As with oil, lacquer also comes with a selection of finishes, such as gloss, matt, silk matt and extra matt. A lacquer finish is great for rooms where you anticipate a high foot traffic and you want a glossy finish. It’s important to remember that it’s water resistant,not a fully waterproof! Nowadays lacquer is available in every sheen level, similarly to oil, making it hard to tell the difference between the two finishes.
Lacquer from other side have the trend to show scratches easier than an oiled surface, and this is making it less ideal for pets, but this is easily fixed with a simple sanding and refinishing. Lacquer is the toughest of the finishes available, used commonly in dance studios, gyms and village halls. It can take a lot more punishment than oil, but due to sitting on the surface rather than seeping in, the floor underneath can become vulnerable to damage again once this has worn away.One of the top benefits about lacquer finished wood flooring is spills, if they’re cleared up reasonably quickly they won’t cause damage to your floor by seeping in!

Lacquer floor is an investment that will bring a new life of your home or office! Contact us 24/7!