Here is your home maintenance checklist for the month of July!  Keep your Twin Cities home in top shape by performing these simple tasks this month.

• Take care of insect problems–call an exterminator if needed
• Clean and repair decks and patios as needed
• Take time to relax and enjoy the MN summer on above mentioned deck or patio!
• Clear window wells of debris
• Inspect HVAC filters, replace if necessary
• Inspect fire extinguishers, replace if necessary
• Clean your kitchen food disposer
• Clean your range hood filters

Allrounder Remodeling Inc. provides residential home design and remodeling services in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including the cities of Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Oakdale, and Maplewood.

For more information, please call 651-497-7715 or 651-497-7714; or visit http://www.AllrounderRemodeling.com

Here is your home maintenance checklist for the month of June!  Keep your Twin Cities home in top shape by performing these simple tasks this month.

• Give your home a deep cleaning
• vacuum refrigerator coils
• check tile grout in the bathroom/kitchen; repair or replace if needed
• inspect plumbing systems for leaks
• clear debris from faucet aerators
• Inspect HVAC filters, replace if necessary
• Inspect fire extinguishers, replace if necessary
• Clean your kitchen food disposer
• Clean your range hood filters

Do you have a suggestion for other tips or maintenance items that should be included here?  Please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

Allrounder Remodeling Inc. provides residential home design and remodeling services in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including the cities of Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Oakdale, and Maplewood.

For more information, please call 651-497-7715 or 651-497-7714; or visit http://www.AllrounderRemodeling.com

Many home improvement and remodeling companies use questionable tactics to convince you that you are getting a great deal on your project.  Don’t be FOOLED by the false promises, slick sales pitches, and pretend promotions offered by other contractors. Let’s take a look at some of these claims and see how they pass the truth test

–“60% OFF LABOR” Seriously, would YOU work for 60% less?  Of course not, and neither will the workers of this company. The company is either starting off with an inflated price just to apply a pretend discount, or charging extra for materials to make up the difference.

Free installation isn’t really free!

–“FREE INSTALLATION or $29 installation for your entire home” This one is very common with floorcoverings and kitchen countertops.  Really, a 3-man crew will work for 2 days for $29? They must be extremely skilled!  It’s important here to look at the overall bottom line cost for the project.  It’s very common for these sellers to inflate the material cost significantly in order to hide the installation cost, or to charge exorbitant amounts for tearout and disposal to cover the installation cost.

-A “$500 discount for placing an advertising sign in your yard”.  Most contractors are going to put a sign in your yard anyway, and not charge you for the privilege.  A company who employs this tactic is falsely inflating the cost just to apply the discount.

Is your discount really a discount, or just mind games?

-A discount for paying the entire contract up front.  Read your contract very carefully, and then have your attorney read it very carefully.  You’ve probably heard horror stories of contractors taking a down payment and then you never hear from them again.  While this tactic isn’t automatically a red flag, do proceed with caution.

-A discount for allowing before and after photos to be taken of the project.  Again, every contractor is going to take photos.  This tactic again means that they are inflating the initial cost just to provide the pretend discount.

If the price is too good to be true, then it probably is!

-A ridiculously low price with very few details of what is and what is not included. This usually results in a lot of change orders for the items that were not included.  Read your contract carefully and have your attorney read it too.  How specific is the scope of work?  Does it just say “finish basement $20,000” or does it include a line-by-line scope of work specifying exactly what will be done and what materials will be used?  Sadly we hear many stories of clients accepting vague terms, only to be slammed with change orders after the job begins for items that were not included, resulting in significant additional costs.

The list can go on forever, but you get the idea. At Allrounder Remodeling, we promise to be upfront and honest at all times. No high-pressure sales people work here. Instead, you meet with our company owners who listen to what YOU want and provide a proposal that is fair for the level of service that we provide.  The gentleman in this photo was pretty excited to find a low price on his tattoo, and it seems that he’s getting his money’s worth!  As we like to say, “the bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a low price has been forgotten!”

There is always somebody who will do the job for less money!

Here is your home maintenance checklist for April!  Keep your Twin Cities home in top shape by performing these simple tasks this month.

• Test your garage door opener auto-reverse feature and sensor eyes
• Clean your rain gutters and downspouts
• Inspect your home exterior for damaged siding, trim, and roofing
• Check your exterior grading and drainage to ensure that water isn’t diverted toward your home
• Inspect HVAC filters, replace if necessary
• Inspect fire extinguishers, replace if necessary
• Clean your kitchen food disposer
• Clean your range hood filters

Do you have a suggestion for other tips or maintenance items that should be included here?  Please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

Allrounder Remodeling Inc. provides residential home design and remodeling services in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including the cities of Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Oakdale, and Maplewood.

For more information, please call 651-497-7715 or 651-497-7714; or visit http://www.AllrounderRemodeling.com

Here is your home maintenance checklist for March!  Keep your Twin Cities home in top shape by performing these simple tasks this month.

• Test smoke/carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if necessary.  Replace units if they are over 10 years old.
• Check water softener for proper operation, add salt if needed.
• Test water heater pressure relief valve
• Drain sediment from water heater
• Inspect HVAC filters, replace if necessary
• Inspect fire extinguishers, replace if necessary
• Clean your kitchen food disposer
• Clean your range hood filters

Do you have a suggestion for other tips or maintenance items that should be included here?  Please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

Allrounder Remodeling Inc. provides residential home design and remodeling services in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including the cities of Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Oakdale, and Maplewood.

For more information, please call 651-497-7715 or 651-497-7714; or visit http://www.AllrounderRemodeling.com

A contractor is like…..

A wedding planner!

When you hire a wedding planner, do you hire them to perform the ceremony, make the food, tend the bar, play the music, arrange the flowers, print the invitations, hem the dresses, etc?  Of course not!  Most people can’t do a great job at a few of these things, let alone all of these things.  Instead, you are hiring the wedding planner to find the perfect florist, the perfect seamstress, and the perfect band.

WARNING: This film contains terrible acting! The Allrounder Remodeling movie review board does not recommend this film!

A contractor is like….

A travel agent!

You don’t expect your travel agent to pack your bags, drive you to the airport, fly the plane, and take you on various adventures.  Instead, you are hiring the travel agent to line up the very best arrangements for your trip and schedule everything perfectly, so all you need to do is relax and let the fun happen!

Somehow, I don’t think that a travel agent really sits at his desk with shades on…

Likewise, a contractor works in much the same way.  Your project may involve design work, planning, foundation work, framing, roofing, siding, sheetrock, plumbing, electrical, painting, carpet, tile, cabinets, countertops….the list goes on.  While many people have some level of skill at many of these tasks, how many can they truly perform at a high level?

Trying to perform every single aspect of your project by ourselves results in a few negative things happening.  First, the job takes forever!  A skilled tradesperson who performs the same job repeatedly can get the job done much faster than somebody who only does it on occasion.

Second, the quality of the job may not be up to par.  As mentioned earlier, most people can only do so many things well.  The more often you do a task, the more refined your technique becomes, which results in a better job.

In addition, many projects involve many different things happening at the same time.  Do you want your project manager to focus on making sure that your job is planned and executed perfectly? Or do you want them measuring the next stud, running to the truck for a roll of wire, and running to the store for more supplies while also trying to plan the next step?  Wearing too many “hats” causes us to lose track of what we are doing and what needs to be done next.  Trust me, this used to be me!!

For a wedding/vacation/remodeling project that runs smoothly, finishes on time, and looks beautiful, it makes sense to hire a professional.  Here’s a picture of our favorites!

Project Managers Ruth & Eric Bader of Allrounder Remodeling Inc.

Allrounder Remodeling Inc. provides residential home design and remodeling services in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including the cities of Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Oakdale, and Maplewood.

For more information, please call 651-497-7715 or 651-497-7714; or visit http://www.AllrounderRemodeling.com

Here is your home maintenance checklist for February!  Keep your Twin Cities home in top shape by performing these simple tasks this month.

• After snowfalls, Regularly check for roof ice dams and icicles and take steps to eliminate them
• Donate unneeded items and give your home a deep cleaning
• Inspect washing machine supply hoses; replace with braided stainless hoses if necessary
• Inspect and operate all water shutoff valves.  Replace if they are not functioning properly.
• Clean and seal tile grout
• Clean and seal granite or other porous countertops
• Inspect HVAC filters, replace if necessary
• Inspect fire extinguishers, replace if necessary
• Clean your kitchen food disposer
• Clean your range hood filters

Do you have a suggestion for other tips or maintenance items that should be included here?  Please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

Allrounder Remodeling Inc. provides residential home design and remodeling services in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including the cities of Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Oakdale, and Maplewood.

For more information, please call 651-497-7715 or 651-497-7714; or visit http://www.AllrounderRemodeling.com

Here is your home maintenance checklist for January!  Keep your Twin Cities home in top shape by performing these simple tasks this month.

• After snowfalls, Regularly check for roof ice dams and icicles and take steps to eliminate them
• Inspect the grout and caulking around bathtubs and showers, repair/replace as needed
• Clear sediment buildup from shower heads and faucet aerators
• Deep clean and inspect your basement
• Clean/Vacuum your refrigerator coils
• Inspect HVAC filters, replace if necessary
• Inspect fire extinguishers, replace if necessary
• Clean your kitchen food disposer
• Clean your range hood filters

Do you have a suggestion for other tips or maintenance items that should be included here?  Please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

Allrounder Remodeling Inc. provides residential home design and remodeling services in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including the cities of Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Oakdale, and Maplewood.

For more information, please call 651-497-7715 or 651-497-7714; or visit http://www.AllrounderRemodeling.com

Here is your home maintenance checklist for December!  Keep your Twin Cities home in top shape by performing these simple tasks this month.

• After snowfalls, Regularly check for roof ice dams and icicles and take steps to eliminate them
• Test your GFCI receptacles and replace them if necessary
• Inspect and Tighten loose handles, knobs, and hinges
• Inspect locks and deadbolts on your doors and windows, replace if necessary
• Inspect HVAC filters, replace if necessary
• Inspect fire extinguishers, replace if necessary
• Clean your kitchen food disposer
• Clean your range hood filters

Do you have a suggestion for other tips or maintenance items that should be included here?  Please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

Allrounder Remodeling Inc. provides residential home design and remodeling services in the southeast Twin Cities metro area, including the cities of Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, Woodbury, Oakdale, and Maplewood.

For more information, please call 651-497-7715 or 651-497-7714; or visit http://www.AllrounderRemodeling.com