Tag: renovation
What Your Contractor Isn’t Telling You
When looking for a contractor to work on your home or business, it’s important to take your time, do your research and ask the right questions. Being in the industry for nearly two decades, we’re here to help you navigate the process.
Here are four things you should know that your contractor isn’t telling you:
You get what you pay for.
When it comes to construction, cheaper isn’t always best. You want the best quality for your home and business and your contractor wants to be able to provide you with just that. Contractors have relationships with vendors that will help save you money on big ticket items, so while the initial quote may seem high, you’ll see the difference in the work compared to others at lower price points.
I might not want to work with your tradesmen.
When you hire a contractor for a full-scale remodel or renovation, they will need to hire experts to tackle specific projects like plumbing and electric. Even though your Uncle Johnny, a licensed plumber, is a great guy – contractors have relationships with sub-contractors who they know the quality of their work, what to expect and how to best execute the task at hand. In the end, it works out in your favor.
I know how to get the job done.
While contractors won’t ask you to leave your home or business, please know it’s best if you stay out of the way and let them do their job. Even if you just want to take a peek and help where you can, it’s best to speak with the contractor as it can be considered a safety issue. Don’t worry, if you’re needed – they will reach out to you.
You should check my work history.
If you haven’t already checked out the contractor’s reviews you should. Keep in mind some people will complain about anything, but you’ll be able to get a feel for the type of business the contractor has and the quality of work based on the majority of reviews.
Also, it wouldn’t hurt to ask to visit other job sites to take a look around and see how things are. Is there trash everywhere? Are employees smoking on the job? These are things you’ll want to know before they get started at your home or business.
If you’re in the process of hiring a contractor to work on your home or business, keep these things in mind. At Rossi Construction, we’re honest, trustworthy and happy to answer any questions you may have – schedule a free consultation with our team to learn more.
Top Kitchen Remodeling Trends of 2019
Essential Things to Consider Before Hiring Your Contractor
If you are looking to remodel your home in Tampa Bay or St. Petersburg, finding a reliable and experienced contractor can be the difference between peace of mind and sleepless nights. Our team at Rossi Construction have put together a list of the top things to consider and look for when hiring a contractor.
Have a Solid Vision for Your Space
Spend time researching trends and timeless touches you would like to incorporate into the remodel. Explore what kinds of looks and architectural elements you might be interested in adding as well. By have a solid grasp on what you are looking for in your remodel, you can then compare the work of the contractors you will meet with later.
Compare Rates as Well as Quality
A general number is to compare at least three local contractors before deciding on one to renovate your home. Your goal with this tip is to determine how they stack up against one another. This will give you a clearer idea of the costs and budget required, as well as the caliber of work each contractor can produce. As an example, one contractor might bid a low rate that might equate to low quality work, while a higher bid usually suggests top notch quality. Use this information and your research to determine where you fall on the spectrum, and what will meet your project’s needs as well as your standards.
Do Your Research to Determine if the Contractor is a Good Fit
While contractors of all specializations use the title of contractor, there are subcategories within the industry. Some are considered specialists and some generalists. So, seek to ensure their experience and abilities align with what your goals are for your renovation. The top things to look for when reading reviews and looking over their business website are: Do you see a similarity in their past projects and what you are looking for in yours? Do they exhibit quality workmanship and use quality materials? Do their reviews reflect consistent high levels of client satisfaction?
Be Sure to Read the Fine Print
From establishing a start and completion date, detailing information about building fees and required permits, an explanation for what services are covered (demolition, labor, equipment, etc.) and the consequences of a default by their business – the fine print holds the details. Noting the fine print is especially important for the terms of default as it can include things such as the unexpected departure of a subcontractor or an array of other unforeseen challenges. Be sure you are clearly excluded from liability in these instances and look for contractors who have their terms laid out in a fair and easy to understand manner.
How We Can Help
Rossi Construction has proudly served Florida’s Tampa Bay area for almost two decades. We have helped homeowners create or re-invent their space into one they are proud to come home to. Feel free to reach out and request a consultation to discuss the topics mentioned above! If you are interested in more home remodeling inspiration, head over to our gallery to check out some of our recent work. We look forward to speaking with you and seeing how we can make your home remodeling dream a reality.
Tips to Stay Within Your Kitchen Renovation Budget
It’s no secret that your kitchen is a fantastic choice when deciding where to upgrade your home. From a mini-make over to a full-scale revamp, not only does a kitchen remodel improve you and your families lives, but your resale value will dramatically increase. But where to start when planning and designing your kitchen renovation? We are here to help. Since 2000, we at Rossi construction have been helping folks throughout the Tampa Bay area create the kitchen of their dreams – and we have learned a few things along the way. Here are the top 5 things to consider before taking on the exciting endeavor of renovating your kitchen.
What is Your Budget?
A common first consideration when taking on a large home improvement project. It is easy to start out with good intentions, but there are commonly overlooked considerations that come into play drafting your expense list. The first step to ensuring you stay within your budget begins with planning your renovation. The surest way to spend more than is necessary is to make changes after construction and remodeling gets underway. This in one reason why is it considered best practice to consult with and professional, because we can ensure all aspects of the remodel are detailed and priced out beforehand.
Secondly, another common expense is unforeseen structural or electrical damage that requires upgrades to complete the renovation. Our team of professionals can help you budget for the unexpected and help with a pre-renovation inspection to determine the likelihood of these sorts of challenges.
Finally, consider the overall value of your home. A kitchen remodel is considered the best investment when it comes to reselling your home. A recent study found that an average $15,000 renovation saw a return value of roughly 93%. Further, a kitchen generally accounts for 10-15% of a home’s value. With this information in mind, you should seek to prioritize what changes will have the largest impact on the space and maintain or even increase the value of your home.
Establish Your Splurge-Worthy Investments
Have you been eyeing that side-by-side refrigerator? Or envision marble countertops in your upgraded kitchen? Start researching the big-ticket expenses for your remodel and look into customer reviews. This will help you get a feel for not only the quality of top items on your list, but the price. Pricing out appliances is another area where having an experienced professional on hand can be helpful. From evaluating energy costs to planning out how the space will look cohesively, we can help keep with in your budget while still building out the kitchen to your specifications.
Do You Know Who You Are Hiring?
As mentioned, your contractor will play a huge role in ensuring you stay with in your budget and that your kitchen vision is realized. For this reason, is it essential that you are hiring someone who clearly understands your hopes for your remodel. From ensuring your contractor is insured to establishing a realistic and feasible budget and creating a workable timeline the right contractor can make all the difference. Finally, check out their previous work. What better way to determine if a contractor is a good fit than letting their work speak for itself? From residential, to commercial, we at Rossi construction have designed, managed and built out kitchen renovations in the Tampa Bay area of all kinds.
Let’s Get Your Kitchen Renovation Plans Underway
To learn more about how we can help you begin your kitchen or home remodel, feel free to contact us for more information about our services. If you are searching for some renovation inspiration, have a look at few of our previous projects. We look forward to working with you and turning your kitchen into one you’ll never want to leave!
Is it time to add a deck?
For people looking to upgrade their Tampa home this spring, there are a myriad of ways to improve its functionality year-round. Adding a fantastic looking outdoor deck is one of the most popular methods by which to improve things because a deck provides a great place to spend family time and host parties all year! There are a number of benefits associated with adding a deck:
Rossi Construction, Inc. Selected for Best of Brandon Award
Tampa residential remodeling specialty company, Rossi Construction, Inc. announced on Wednesday that it had been selected for the 2014 Best of Brandon Award in the Custom Home Builders category by the Brandon Award Program.
Each year, the program finds companies that they believe succeeded in achieving marketing success in the local community and their specific business category. All nominees are local companies that build the positive image tied to small business through positive service to their regular customers and local community. These companies help make the local area a better place to live, work and play.
The Brandon Award Program collected and analyzed a number of sources of information in order to find winners in each business category. The 2014 Brandon Award Program focuses specifically on the idea of quality, not quantity in the way a business accomplishes its goals. Winners are actually determined based upon internally gathered info by the Brandon Award Program and certain third parties.
About the Award Program:
The Brandon Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Brandon area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.
The Brandon Award Program was put in place to recognize the top local businesses in our community. The organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Their mission is to recognize the small business community’s contributions to the U.S. economy.
About Rossi Construction, Inc.:
Rossi Construction, Inc. is a general contractor located in the Tampa Bay area. Rossi Construction, Inc. specializes in residential and commercial construction and remodeling. Rossi Construction, Inc. has been building excellence by design in Tampa FL since 1979. Rossi Construction, Inc. can be found online by visiting http://www.jrossiconstruction.com.
Rossi Construction, Inc. and Your Tampa Remodeling Project
How Rossi Construction, Inc. does business in and around Tampa, Florida:
What to expect from Rossi Construction, Inc.
From project inception to project completion, we anticipate any and all situations that may arise during your Tampa remodeling project. Some include logistics, noise concerns and your continued quality of life at home during the remodel. We also work with the neighborhood before construction begins, to ensure that possible concerns are brought directly to us and addressed with speed. Our skilled and professional contractors are all trained to minimize safety concerns and hazards that you and your family may be exposed to. All of our Rossi Construction, Inc. professionals will offer advice about safety precautions to take at home, to ensure that your family and pets are protected during the Tampa remodeling project.
The Rossi Construction, Inc. construction process:
From the beginning, we identify your needs, wants and vision for the Tampa remodeling project. Whether your project is big or small, requires a design, or requires an assessment regarding how easily you will be able to use your home as you age, our process is systemized and addresses each project individually.
Communication:
For your Tampa remodeling project, we begin by creating a detailed plan of action, developed by using valuable information gathered at the consultation appointment and pre-construction conference.
Your dreams, your budget:
Rossi Construction, Inc. incorporates your needs and visions into the process every step of the way. By having our team involved in the design, we can ensure the project is built as designed and within budgetary guidelines.
Our resources:
Rossi Construction, Inc. is a full service Tampa remodeling contractor who works with a dependable and talented network of contractors, designers and suppliers.
If it is time for a Tampa remodeling project, the professionals from Rossi Construction, Inc. are prepared to get a meeting for a consultation set. Call us at 813.436.0177 to get a date on the calendar!
Developing a Plan for a Tampa Remodeling Project
Are you looking to breathe new life into an old or poorly functioning kitchen? Wait a minute! Before contacting a Tampa remodeling professional, you will need to do a little researching and soul-searching first.
Planning is the first phase of any remodeling, and sometimes it is the phase that is ignored. The more pre-planning you can do, the more chance there is for your Tampa remodeling project to be a success.
Start to plan by creating a stylebook.
If you are even thinking about a Tampa remodeling project, odds are good that you have been perusing multiple design magazines and watching home improvement shows. Both are great ways to jumpstart the creative spark, but to get the most out of the casual surfing, you will need to do more than turn the pages of a design magazine.
While looking through the magazines, find photos of room remodeling projects that appeal to you and write what you like about the project on the back of the photo or in the margin. Then place the image into a clear protector and insert it into a three-ring binder to create your Tampa remodeling stylebook.
The internet is another great source to remodeling inspiration. If you see room design that interests you, try to find if the photos of the room are available for download. Simply print the pictures and add them to your Tampa remodeling project stylebook. As the book grows, a clear image of your desired style will begin to merge, a fact that is helpful to you and a Tampa remodeling professional.
Define the goals for your Tampa remodeling project.
There is obviously a reason you want to remodel your Tampa home. What is that reason? Perhaps you want a family room that will help with resale in a few years. Maybe you need a kitchen that is built for entertaining or a kitchen that allows several family members to cook at one time. This is the time to make notes, assessing your needs and wants for the remodeling space, then distill the notes into a one or two sentence goal that applies just to your family.
Have realistic expectations for your Tampa remodeling project.
Above all else, make sure that you have reasonable expectations when it comes to your remodeling project. Talk to people who have been through the process before. The project is going to take a certain amount of time, there will be mess and there will definitely be stress. Understanding this from the beginning allows you to smash rose colored glasses, keeping some fun in the project.
If you have had time to develop your vision for your Tampa remodeling project, and feel prepared to speak with a remodeling professional, call the team from Rossi Construction, Inc. to set an appointment for a free consultation. Our office can be reached by calling 813.436.0177.
When To Hire a Tampa General Contractor
PRLog (Press Release) – Oct. 9, 2013 – TAMPA, Fla. —
In many places around the country, temperate weather is the right time for a home remodeling project. The specialists from Rossi Construction, Inc. agree in principle that sunny days are best for a project, but contend additional concepts must be considered.
In an effort to get the word out across Tampa, Florida they issued an informational blast covering topics associated with the timing of general construction projects around a house. Rossi Construction, Inc. owner Jason Rossi stated, “Spring and summer are popular times for remodeling, but the best time to remodel will always be when your own hassle and the total expense are at a minimum.”
Specialists from Rossi Construction, Inc. explained that the key to any home remodeling project is understanding the idea of supply and demand. The battle between the two is a constant, and it is one of the main factors that determine how much is paid for materials like cement; paint and lumber. The best practice is to not simply to plan the project for when all materials are at their lowest price, but to carefully plan the remodeling project to allow for stockpiling of materials. A homeowner will also want to consider the busy time for Tampa general contractors in the equation of supply and demand, because it may be better to approach the project at a time when a contractor has an open schedule.
Rossi Construction, Inc. specialists explained that it is always a good idea to work with a Tampa general contractor when he or she has fewer projects as a focus.
Rossi Construction, Inc. is a general contractor located in Tampa Florida. Rossi Construction, Inc. specializes in residential and commercial construction. Rossi Construction, Inc. has been building excellence by design since 1979. Rossi Construction, Inc. can be found online by visiting http://www.jrossiconstruction.com.
Is It Time For A Media Room?
If you are thinking about adding a media room, check these tips and ideas from Rossi Construction, Inc. meant to optimize your home cinema fun.
In an ideal world, all of us would have a big screen and a fantastic surround sound system for their media room. If a big screen television is not in the cards, try to make the screen the central focus of the room.
Try to create classic cinema drama!
As you develop the ambiance of your home theater, you will want to aim for a feel that re-creates a different time. Heavy curtains that you can tie-back are a wonderful way to give the feel of an actual theater, while not detracting from the design of your home.
Reduce extraneous sources of light.
In addition to using curtains to create the feel of an old theater, similar heavy curtains can be used to block light from outdoors and to frame the large screen. Painting the ceiling a dark blue can also help mute light which may detract from image quality.
Make it nighttime all the time, but do not skimp on the comfy seats.
To aid the overall viewing experience, aim for a “nighttime all the time” feel by adding dark colored seats and by painting the walls an equally dark color. In your search for warm chocolate paint and matching loungers, do not forget to go after functionality in all of the seating you purchase.
I love these ideas, but I am really not sure where I can add a home theater!
If the concept of a home theater appeals to you, but you are worried that you lack the space, you can always consider converting a garage to create the media room of your dreams.
If it is time to either convert a room or add a room to house your home theater, Rossi Construction, Inc. is ready to schedule a consultation. You can reach us at 813.436.0177.
