Calgary Companies

Does it make more sense to renovate your existing home or should you build a new custom home to get exactly what you want? While home renovations seem to be the more economical choice on the surface, they are not always the best option. Here are some of the benefits and trade-offs of both new custom homes and remodeling.

Benefits of Building a Custom Home

The biggest reason to build a custom home is that you get to choose exactly what you want. You get to choose the location, layout, finishes, appliances, everything. Of course, everything will also all be brand new. It’s nice to move into a 100% new home. While the total cost of a new custom home is likely going to be more expensive than renovating, it’s also important to factor in the resale value of your current home. Often, total renovation costs for a major upgrade to an old home won’t be recouped in the increase in value of your home. You may be able to save money by selling your current home and putting the proceeds and your home renovation budget towards building a new house.

If you are just going to paint or replace the carpet then it makes sense to renovate. If you plan on major remodeling like moving walls, ripping out the old kitchen or adding new rooms, costs can add up quickly. On older homes, opening walls and ceilings often expose many serious problems. Older homes will have old plumbing and electrical that will need to be brought up to code. There may be lead paint, asbestos or serious mold issues that need to be safely before renovation contractors can start on new construction. Problems with supporting beams or the foundation can easily add tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of the renovation. Few of these problems are detectable the before the renovation starts, so you may be in for a big surprise when the estimated quote is drastically increased.

Why Renovate?

If you love your current home and neighborhood, then you probably don’t want to uproot for a new home, regardless of how beautiful it may be. There is comfort in the old and that shouldn’t be taken for granted. If you are going to stay in your home, try to keep renovations to more cosmetic of surface improvements. Repainting, putting in hardwood floors, changing cabinets and replacing appliances are all great improvements that will keep your costs down. If you can avoid it, don’t tear down walls or ceilings because you may not like what you find.

Renovations Versus Building New?

Only you know how attached you are to your old home. If you are sick of the neighbors and ready for a change, a new custom home will not disappoint. However, if budget is the main consideration, staying put and making minor renovations makes a lot of sense.

Replacing your roof is a major investment. You want to make sure you take time to research and find the best roofing company that you can trust to do the job right. Unfortunately, roofing is also one of the most often complained about industries, so finding a good roofer is not always that easy. Here are some steps you can take to make sure you find a quality roofing company.

Check Online Reviews of Roofers

Homestars.com is one of the best places to find reviews of Calgary roofing companies. Look most closely at the negative reviews. It is possible to fake reviews so if they look too good to be true, they just might be. Roofing companies that respond to criticisms and solve customer problems online are likely take care of you well when they are working on your roof. Other sites like GuildQuality,  Yelp.ca and even Google and be good sources of reviews as well.

Personal Recommendations

First hand experience from a friend that has recently had a roof replaced will always be one of the best ways to find a reputable roofing company. Make sure you ask a lot of questions to make sure your friend is happy with the roof and the service received.

Roofing Supplier Reviews

If you know the type  of roof you’d like to have installed, getting a recommendation from the supplier is also a good bet. Roofing companies like GAF, Malarkey and Euroshield will often have certified roofing partners or can recommend a good roofing contractor.

Narrowing Down the List of Roofers

Once you’ve got about 5 or 6 promising roofing companies that you might want to hire, do some more research to make sure they look reputable.

1. Visit their websites. Do they have a professional and updated website? Having a pretty website doesn’t mean your going to get a perfect roof, but it is an indication of the quality of the company you are dealing with.
2. What’s their address? While their are plenty of reputable independent roofing contractors running businesses out of their trucks, you should probably stick to a roofer with a physical address that you can visit in case anything goes wrong.
3. How big is the company? Visit the About page of the roofer to see how many employees, vehicles, etc. they have. Bigger is not always better, but it’s good to go with someone that looks like they have the experience and people to do the job right.
4. What are they like to deal with? Was the salesperson you talked to helpful and trustworthy? Do they answer their phones promptly when you call? Were they professional and punctual? Look for all the little cues that will give you an indication of the quality of service you would get if you hired them.
5. Do they give a written quote? Don’t give any money or deposits until you’ve gotten a written quote that you are happy with. Don’t go with the first company you meet with either. Compare some prices and evaluate different roofers.

Getting a new roof on your home is a major purchase so don’t rush into anything. If you feel you are being pressured by the roofing salesperson, that is a very good indication that you should go with another company. Spend lots of time talking to the salesperson to make sure that you get the roof most suited for your situation. The cheapest roof is rarely a good purchase, you don’t want to break the bank either. With some due diligence, you can find a quality roofing company.