"BidConstruction.com"

Home improvement requires more than the two major elements, that being the homeowner and licensed contractor. Before remodeling or completing a new construction project there’s a need for project ideas, inspiration and direction then a homeowner can gather bids for the task at hand.

To set the stage for a smooth transition of a project from point A to point B, a homeowner is best equipped when using a construction network to find a licensed contractor. Today’s foremost and reliable network is Bidconstruction.com. Bidconstruction.com brings the licensed homeowner and helps in almost every way with the remodeling.

Licensed contractors will find that completing a project often require a network that provides lists of qualified workers, additional supply houses as well as the need to display previous remodeling projects.

BidConstruction.com has built a network that will allow the licensed contractor to create a profile with history, pictures and testimonial of the licensed contractor’s professional work. Licensed contractors in the BidConstruction.com network have undergone BidConstruction.com back ground check to ensure their licensing is current and free of any discrepancies that may detect work or work ethic.

In short Licensed contractors who are part of the BidConstruction.com network are part of an elite group that is a credit to the industry they represent.

"You got a house, Now What?"

This article piece is about questions. Questions we ask ourselves and questions we should be asking others. When purchasing a home we ask ourselves many questions, like,” can we afford this?”,” How much renovation is required?”or “ How long will it take to get where we want to be?” And so on.

Owning a home is truly the American dream and should be treated as such. When we achieve that however 9 times out of 10 we are faced with the age old question, “Now What?” Or “What have we gotten ourselves into?”. I told you this was going to be about questions. The good news is that there is help. I’m not just talking about a marathon Saturday afternoon watching the HGTV Network or a subscription to House Beautiful, but real honest to goodness help.

For example, you’ve just purchased a house with a very interesting screened in porch. You might ask yourself, “Can this become a great family room?”, Or “What kind of sunroom can we create?” Either way, it adds value to the house and the homeowner’s way of life. But, where do you start? Bidconstruction.com follows a strict rule of finding excellence for our network. We’ve done the background check so that you may take the next step in your deliberation towards a finished project.

Your next step towards achieving your ideal in home improvement would be to post your listing on to Bidconstruction.com. Make sure to put an accurate description in the (you guessed it) description box so that potential contractors can decipher right off the bat whether or not your project is right for them. The idea is to partner with the correct company for the job according to criteria and locality. Once a job is properly posted, you as the homeowner member of our Bidconstruction.com network, can look through our network of contractors. It gives you the ability to see years of experience, Look through profiles and see first hand the contractors own work, always once again knowing that we at Bidconstruction.com have taken the steps necessary to check the appropriate credentials of every contracting company that applies for membership.

Now this is when we at Bidconstruction.com ask ourselves questions. We ask ourselves “How can we be of service once project is posted?”, or “Does our homeowner member feel confident about their project’s progress?” Bidconstruction.com is dedicated to being the one-stop home improvement supersite for contractors and homeowners. Many times a contractor is set to start a project for a homeowner who has never dealt with their kind before. This creates a vast miscommunication between the two parties that can end in misery. Bidconstruction.com was created by contractors and homeowners for contractors and homeowners. We are here and dedicated to keeping the lines of communication open and clear so the work gets done, period.

Bidconstruction.com has our “Project Spotlight” which has an articles forum, a project ideas page, featured projects so you can see first hand a homeowner who has experienced a project from point A to point B just like yours, Featured contractors who do exemplary work and think outside the box when it comes to renovation. There is also a feature that provides guidance for the homeowners. Once you’ve become a member, email us with your feedback and ideas , that Bidconstruction.com will answer, Bringing solutions to problems, and ideas that help to take the next giant leap forward.

"The Lead Law Scoop!"

This is a great question for anyone with a house built before 1978. To put it in a very simple terms,as of April 22, 2010 the EPA enacted the “Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting” rule that requires lead-safe certification of contractors and renovation firms that disturb a specified amount of paint in pre-1978 homes. Contractors must also provide homeowners and tenants with an EPA lead hazard safety pamphlet. When beginning a project contractors must post signs that clearly define the area, and warn occupants and other persons involved in the renovation to remain outside the area. The contractor must isolate the work area so that no dust and debris leaves the area while work is being performed. The work that is being done must be in compliance with applicable work practice standards. The waste and debris must also be contained and disposed of according to the new “Lead Law” standard. After the renovation is complete the contractor must clean the workspace according to the same standards.

This is not just a practice it’s the law. Some contractors may try to sneak around the regulation which makes it your job as a homeowner to check their certification. This law is in effect to protect you and your family from lead base poisoning or other ailments. In this green friendly era its necessary for everyone to do there part. Rest assured,as part of the background checks we do on all our contractors, Bidconstruction.com will also be checking for “Lead Law” certifications as well. Bidconstruction.com is dedicated to providing useful information for your renovation as well as the safest place on the web for a homeowner to find a contractor.

"No Pink Hammers Please"

Following up what we had discussed earlier, safety within construction projects is the number one concern right along with cost and schedule. Let’s face it we all need to trust those who enter our homes especially for an extended period of time such in the case of a home improvement project. Safety and security is the absolute first priority when it comes to a woman hiring a contractor. These modern times have shown that it’s women doing the hiring. I read some amazing statistics that should make the men in the contracting industry pay attention. 1 out of every 5 homes in the U.S. is owned by a single woman, that’s double the amount of single men. Gentlemen 31 million households are owned by single women. They have money and statistically spend 50% of their income on their homes. As opposed to men who tend to so called, “wander around” until they get married. The question now is, how fair are male contractors when dealing exclusively with women as opposed to a married unit or a man?

There’s an unfortunate and archaic tenor that still prevails to this day when it comes to the process of women hiring contractors. As recently as 1974 Congress amended the fair housing act to stop sex discrimination. In that time, it was hard for a woman to get a credit card in her name let alone a mortgage. A married women’s income was discounted due to the idea that it wouldn’t matter as soon as she had children. Remodeling professionals were taught never to spend too much time with a women unless both spouses. Sounds ridiculous but it’s true and very recent. Norma Tempel the president of the Professional Women in Construction was telling me about how, not to long ago, she was at a home improvement supplier with an employee of hers and the male salesperson would only direct answers to the questions she posed to him to the male employee. This continued on much to her chagrin until she firmly stated that she was the one doing the purchasing, not the employee who accompanied her. There are elements such as this that makes it evident of how much of a mistake it is not realizing the buying power of women.

Not all within the building industry follow this post war mentality. Owens Corning, a building materials manufacturer realized women’s influence with the dollar and reallocated their advertising budget from male dominated sporting events to cable TV shows and magazines dedicated to women. Home Builders have also taken heed to this notion and have been creating homes more specifically geared towards women’s needs. Homes with larger closets, homes that create a personal haven for women with bedroom suites that include whirlpool tubs and steam showers. Most importantly to women security features like open courtyards, and windows that ventilate but remain locked are just some of the examples of how women’s desires for a perfect home for them are met. Women are also more likely to purchase a system where as men are unit purchasers. That means they won’t just purchase some shingles but rather an entire roof and gutter system.

Statistically women purchase smaller homes than men an average of 1580 sq. feet as opposed to 2050 sq feet from married couples or single men. A smaller home doesn’t specifically mean smaller renovation. Women are more apt to renovate everything top to bottom. They know what they want and they get it. They want that special wood floors, stone work in the bathroom or kitchen etc.

 Now assuming that women are naïve when it comes to renovation is just plain backward thinking, you know what’s said about assuming.  . A woman may not feel at home marching up to a counter at a lumber yard but is extremely comfortable asking questions or researching on then internet. The internet is the library of today and contains up to the minute advice on every subject. Women take full advantage of this tool and are not only more likely to ask for directions but are far better suited to follow them. That’s why resources like Bidconstruction.com are a mainstay for women taking charge of their home improvement. We recognize this first hand professionally. At our trade shows 70% of the crowd engaged in conversation at our booth are women with questions and concerns about the reliability and reputation of contractors. At Bidconstruction.com we understand the concerns women have and will continue always to represent only the best and most experienced within the construction industry, by allowing homeowner s to review contractors first through our contractor profiles and posting jobs to only the most qualified of candidates for free.

Women do their homework. It’s just like the old idea of hunter/gatherer; well they’re gathering information from Bidconstruction.com. It’s also important to remember that women talk, so guys and gals, let’s not just get the job done but also get it. 

"Green Thumb, Green Home"

The question about green building is a good one, no a great one because the idea of” green” needs and should be listened to. We all hear it no less than 50 times a day, but what does it mean? What does it mean to you? And for the sake of staying on a subject what does it mean to construction?

The concept of green building is certainly catching on more widely practiced day by day. It would appear there are many different facets that incorporate green building as a whole. First is the home itself. Many homeowners who are building new are opting for green conscience features for their home that are marvels at conserving energy. Things like faucets, solar powered water heaters, and solar energy panels that harness even the minutest of sunlight and creates the most optimal amount of energy and cost savings from a renewable energy source, bringing savings to the homeowner and the planet.                         

Another basic “green” idea is something as simple as windows. By creating much larger panels that bring the outside in, windows add an element of beauty and connection with the environment. This I find most interesting, equipping the house with a rain catching system that will absorb the rain water (If you’re from the East coast like I am, you know rain) stores it, treats it and converts it into water for sewage purposes.

There’s also the materials used that matters. Most important on the eco-friendly homebuilders mind is engineered wood coming from sustainable forestry. Engineered wood is the fastest growing category in lumber products today. It takes the wood from specifically grown in vast acreages.  There are claims that the “green” wood is less eco-friendly, because they use more of the tree and the green method for treating wood severely impacts the wood’s durability. Truth be told, these are engineered trees not some pristine patch of undiscovered forest that’s being destroyed for profit. As far as treatment, “green” wood is treated with a new generation 100% acrylic protective primer and finished with a high build acrylic undercoat. This gives the wood state of the art protection, resistance to tannins and resin bleed, better adhesion, and flexibility, while being safer and more environmentally friendly than traditional oil or solvent coatings.

Probably the most important aspect to the environment itself in regards to green building is the removal of waste and debris. Like we discussed here at Bidconstruction.com about the lead law it is possible to go completely eco-friendly when removing debris. Special dumpsters and services are available today can keep up to 93% of our products out of the already aggravated situation with landfills. We’ve seen time and time again pictures of floating water bottles and debris in our waters and littering our lands. It’s especially obvious with the recent heinous tragedy in the gulf that the world around us is delicate and we must do our part. It is ultimately up to you to make sure your contractors understand and comply with “green” waste removal.

Going green is happily not restricted to new home builds. Homeowners can do their part and retrofit a house with “green” features like solar energy systems. It is said the value of a home goes up somewhere in the neighborhood of 20.73 for every dollar saved through solar energy. The government may also assist with incredible tax breaks for those who choose to install a solar energy system.

Going Green ultimately adds to the value of your home. Even Fannie Mae the nations largest lender has established “green lending “for those who with to purchase or upgrade a home with the concept of “GREEN” in mind.

There is so much we all can do, but like most things, going “green” starts at home!

"A to B and Safe in Between"

Safety, it’s something we’re taught from a very early age. We’re all taught to look both ways, don’t take candy from strangers, and who hasn’t heard about running with scissors. We’re now entering a time of year where safety and home improvement comes to issue. I’ve recently seen an alarming report that showed the horrifying reality that can be easily avoided just by following certain steps. This report highlighted people posing as contractors or service men for the intention of gaining access into a family’s house for robbery and worse. One such incident occurred when two people posed as workers for a water company explaining there was an emergency to be tended to that turned out to be fatal. At first glance one would instantly think that this would only happen to the weak minded or infirmed or elderly. The fact of the matter is the people or persons who violate homes in such a way are professional and devious. They want in your home and will go to great lengths to do so. For instance, the summer months can bring a lot of damage to your home requiring repair from contractors . Desperation on a homeowner’s part can easily lead to hastily hiring a contractor, without taking or pursuing the proper channels. At Bid construction.com we are proud and dedicated to being one of those channels.
One of the basic ideas of the creation of Bidconstruction.com was not only to be a resource supersite, but to be a safe place to be able to review contractors who have been cleared through our very stringent policy of acceptance for representation. We examine our contractors’ businesses top to bottom because we represent them in a way no other site does. The advantages of being a part of the Bidconstruction network are something that is truly something that has been earned through a dedication to excellence and honorable policies with homeowners. Hiring a contractor no matter what the situation is daunting. This is why Bidconstruction has sped the process up for you by allowing you to look at our contractors work, see reviews from other homeowners likes yourselves, and ultimately rest in the knowledge that they have been checked with every available agency and then some.
Home improvement adds to quality of life because it is your home sweet home, inviting someone in for however long is not an easy decision. Using and relying on Bidconstruction.com is. This idea of safety and concern is and will be an on going discussion. We invite your comments and feedback.

"Project Spotlight"

 Bidconstruction.com is now taking a step further with our “Project Spotlight” and getting a fresh perspective on home renovation from our first featured interior designer Kingsley Belcher Knauss of KBK Interior design. Renovation is more than just a hammer, nails and a coat of paint. Renovation is rejuvenation, is breathes new life into your home and no one knows it better the Kingsley! It starts with a skilled vision to get not only the best result for the look and value of your home, but also for your money spent in the process. At Bidconstruction.com we want to provide our members with the tips and tools that get you from point A to point B as easily, quickly and affordably as possible. We chose Kingsley as our first feature for a few reasons. First is her experience! She has over twenty years of experience. Second is her pragmatic approach to design and renovation. In our conversations with her she has a down to earth clear vision for what her clients need and would not expect, giving her the reputation she so well fully deserves. Third is her intrinsic understanding of the importance of a proper dialogue between contractor and homeowner. We’re excited to see her insight on how to get the design process up and running for you the homeowner member of Bidconstruction.com. As “Project Spotlight” celebrates the work and expertise of Kingsley Belcher Knauss, we invite you to give us your feedback and questions on our blog. Kingsley has happily agreed to respond to your comments and questions so let us know what’s on your mind.