Q- What should I expect when I remodel my home?
A- Remodeling projects seem to have some common high and low points for many homeowners. If you are a seasoned remodeling veteran, you may already know what to expect. If you have not lived through a remodeling project before, however, you are probably approaching your project with some degree of both anxiety and excitement. We don't want to create apprehension before your project starts, but rather simply point out some of the high and low points that naturally occur in the course of most remodeling projects. This way, you will have a realistic idea of what to expect.
Major things to be prepared for:
Your normal routine will be disrupted. The Marrokal team does our utmost to make the experience as pleasant as possible, but it's pretty hard to have workmen in or around your home and still function in your daily patterns.
Dust... No matter how well we seal off the work area, dust is going to get through . This is one of the more unpleasant but unavoidable aspects of remodeling.
Budget some extra money for rest and relaxation . Take a few day trips to get away. Go to dinner or visit a friend in the evening. And, at least once a day, think about how great everything will look when it's done.
Roofing:
The roof should prevent rain/condensation from entering the building.
Concrete:
Concrete continues to cure/dry forever. As this process continues, concrete will crack. Control joints are placed in the concrete in an attempt to "direct" the cracking in a visually pleasing way.
Plumbing:
The water supply and the waste piping should not leak. Faucets will require maintenance to provide drip-free operation. It is reasonable to need to replace a faucet washer every once in a while. Porcelain surfaces on plumbing fixtures will chip when hard objects are dropped on them. Grout around tubs/showers will eventually shrink and crack and will need to be replaced periodically.
Electrical:
Light bulbs will burn out and need to be replaced as a matter of course.
The ground fault circuit interrupter outlets (GFCI), located at selected code-mandated use-points throughout the building, might "fail" without notice. Such potential for failure is inherent in the design.
Walls/Ceilings:
Objects hitting or bumping these surfaces will mar the paint and the sheetrock. Hairline cracks may appear as the wood framing moisture content stabilizes.
Stucco:
Stucco continues to cure and dry forever and is a solid/rigid surface on a moveable object (your home). Stucco will crack, especially at doors and windows.
Doors and Windows:
These should close and latch with a reasonable amount of effort expended by the user. Wooden units will change size as the seasons change. Wet weather makes wood expand, dry weather makes wood shrink. This might affect the units' operation.
In General:
All finishes and fittings require regular care, cleaning and maintenance to remain in good shape. Without such care, finishes and fittings may deteriorate and/or fail. Normal wear and tear will occur regardless of any precautions to prevent it from occurring. Every attempt will be made to match existing materials when necessary (ie. roofing, stucco, stains) but there will be variations.
Follow up:
When you work with Marrokal Construction Company, your design consultant schedules a visit to your home within a week or two of when the work is completed. At that time we make sure that what we delivered is what we promised.
