Things to consider before undertaking a bathroom remodeling project.

A renovated bathroom is no small undertaking. It could be a large investment for you and it makes sense to get it right the first time. So, before you start tearing up your tiles and ripping out your vanity, here is a list of some things to consider:

• Tile Flooring - If you want an easy to clean tile, go with porcelain or glazed and avoid porous stone such as limestone. Porous tile will absorb water and stain over time. If you are looking for a more slip resistant surface, think about going with smaller tiles with lots of grout lines, textured surfaces, or matte finishes.
• Caulking - Make sure your contractor uses a good quality caulk that contains mildewcide as this will help prevent mildew in those hard to reach areas.
• Half-Bath Considerations - If you are thinking about putting in a half-bath, consider this: Theoretically you can fit a toilet and vanity in an 11 square foot spot and still meet national building codes. Many homes built in the late 1960's and early 1970's around the Tampa Bay Area have half-baths located generally in the garage area and they are extremely small. For comforts sake, look to build a space that is at least 3-4 feet wide by 6-8 feet long. 
• Wiring - If you have a home that was built in the mid part of the last century or earlier or doesn't have dedicated circuits, you are going to have to consider the fact that you are more than likely going to have to upgrade that tired 15 amp line to a more powerful and dedicated 20 amp circuit.
• The Right Height - Your contractor will generally mount items on walls such as medicine cabinets at standard heights.  If you are thinking about adding items to your bathroom after you are done with a remodel, there is nothing wrong in asking your contractor to install extra blocking in the walls before they are sealed.
• Whats the Niche - It might be a good idea, if not a necessity, to add some niches in your walls for various toiletries. If a niche is not necessarily in your budget, consider a small marble shelf.
• Toilet - Don't go cheap here. If you are going through the trouble of remodeling your bathroom, make sure you purchase a low consumption, high-efficiency model. Look for models with a MaP score of over 500.
• Sinks and Storage - A traditional vanity will offer you as much storage as the size of it will hold, but if you want a clean look, you might want to consider a stand-alone pedestal sink.  The trade-off is obviously the loss of storage.
• Vessel Sinks - Though this new trend looks really neat and might suit you needs just fine, the bowl on the counter has its drawbacks. Though you will pick up storage space with an extra possible drawer, you will loose functional counter space.
• The Right Countertop - While natural stone like marble look fantastic, they really are for the homeowner that is diligent with cleaning. Marble must be sealed regularly and even with this will show stains if certain hygiene products aren't cleaned up immediately. New composite counters are great if you are dealing with an odd shaped room and they come in all sorts of colors, they just might not give you that top-notch feel. Laminate is a good entry level countertop that is good for the budget, easy to work with, and is somewhat scratch resistant. Cons with a laminate is they can de-laminate over time.
• Lighting is Key - The look today is for side mounted lights on either side of your mirror or vanity. If you don't have room for side sconces, make sure your lighting fully spans the distance of the width of the mirror.
• The Right Grout - This is an area we suggest leaving to your contractor to decide. There are the obvious two different type of grout, sanded and non-sanded, which are used in different areas depending on the traction needed. There are various colors available in both. Choose a color that will work for you but let your contractor use what he knows.
• Getting in Hot Water - If you are upgrading your bath to a soaker tub or something larger than what you are used to, you might want to consider a larger water heater or tankless.
• A Room for Two - If you and your significant other are planning on using the same bathroom at the same time, take these options into consideration. A water closet to close off the toilet from the rest of the room. A separate shower stall from the bathtub so they can be used at the same time. A dual-sink vanity so you can both do your daily hygiene at the same time; this might include dual mirrors or vanities. And the last thing would be wide passages, if you have a room that is going to have traffic from two individuals, you will want to consider hallways at least 36" wide.
• Skip the Wallpaper - Besides being outdated, wallpaper in the bathroom isn't always the best idea. Think about a smooth painted finish with wainscoting instead.
• Proper Ventilation - We understand that a lot of homes in this area were built without proper ventilation.  Now its time to upgrade. Splurge on this. Consider a quiet running unit that won't make a lot of noise in the middle of the night.

Now that you have these crucial things in mind, it is time to start planning your renovation. We at DCI Home Improvements are dedicated to giving you the right job at the right price. We help our clients during the entire process suggesting things as we have outlined above.  Don't let this be a scary process, enjoy it.

How much is that room addition going to cost?

Sometimes its hard as a homeowner to truly understand what goes into adding extra living space to your home.  We are finding that the average price for a room addition in the greater Tampa Bay Area is running around $200-$250 per square foot depending upon the type of room and how it is going to be finished off.  What does this mean? Well, that 12' x 12' addition that you have been contemplating could cost you up toward $36,000.00.  Why so much you might ask? There is a lot that goes into the planning and construction of room additions.  I want to give you a little run-down of the items that need to be taken into consideration when estimating a job:

• Architectural design services to ensure that new addition is housed in a structure in a style appropriate to the existing house, and up to code for the neighborhood or area in which the home is located. This could require as much as 10 - 17% of the total building budget;
• Arrange any required demolition, excavation, or site preparation - Average costs are going to vary according to the level of work necessary;
• Pour concrete footings and slab if no crawlspace foundation exists - Average price of concrete could run $75 per cubic yard.
• Build roof trusses and support beam system and tie into existing structure - lumber prices will vary as will the design used in the new space. 
• Asphalt shingles with galvanized metal flashing - A separate roofing contractor is hired that will provide their own warranty.
• Install siding and trim - Whether you go with vinyl siding or a Hardie Board, this is a time consuming process.
• Finish ceilings and walls - Generally today we use drywall to finish walls and ceilings. 
• Fiberglass wall and attic insulation - Depending on the type of construction of the home, whether it be traditional framing or concrete block, you might need values as low as R-4 or as high as R-30.
• 1 - six-panel primed hardboard door - Average of $200 each plus four hours of installation;
• Three new windows - Average price of $300-$1000 per window, plus installation time of two to five hours per window. The good thing is that most new impact windows will get you a tax deduction.
• Carpeting, Laminate, or Tile Flooring- General rule of thumb is just this, Carpet is usually the cheapest, then Laminate, & Tile is generally the most expensive.
• New moldings - Don't forget all of the new floor, door, and crown molding you will need.
• Tie into existing HVAC or New AC System- Average cost will vary according to pre-existing system or new units.
• Provide electrical wiring and lighting to code - This is going to depend upon the amount of work required. This project might be priced on a per item basis, or the we might simply base it on the square footage.
• Provide carpentry to code - If you are investing this kind of money in a project, you want the job to be completed by someone that is an expert in their field.  Leave this part to the professionals.
• Painting - Painting is one of those things that can be left up to the client to finish on their own to save money.  On a room of this size, you could see a savings of a few thousand dollars.

Now that you have a better understanding into everything that goes into a room addition, you will not be shocked at the price of the estimate when you receive it.  

What is that? Trellis, Arbor, or Pergola?

It always seems like we procrastinate with our home projects. Never quite getting around to getting things done. One thing to consider going into fall and colder months is adding a fire pit to your back yard. This can be easily achieved by purchasing many of the shelf products available on the market. But is adding that fire pit the completion of your outdoor space, or could it just be the finishing touch? We highly recommend finishing your patio or outdoor lanai area with a trellis, arbor, or pergola. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, trellises, arbors, and pergolas are actually quite different structurally. A trellis is typically lattice work that is intended to support climbing plants or vines. It can be a simple structure attached to the side of a home or on its own in a planter or garden.  An arbor generally incorporates a trellis into its design creating  a tunnel-like passage for climbing plants.  Arbors tend to have a continuous run of lattice work running from one side to the other creating an arched shape.  Pergolas, too, are designed to support climbing plants and vines, but instead of creating a tunnel-like walkthrough or path, they are traditional roof-like structures supported by posts generally covering a deck, patio, or garden area.  No matter which form of structure you choose, all will add a unique look to your outdoor space.

Column Repair & Siding Makeover - Lutz, FL

We received a message from a client that their home was in need of some much needed repairs to their existing structural support columns on their stilt home.  They also wanted new siding to replace older T1-11 that had started to show its age.  DCI Home Improvements assessed the situation and gave the client suggestions as how to proceed with the repair.  We came to the solution that we should replace the rotten wood columns with cement block.  There were struggles with this job as one of the rotten columns had all of the electrical services attached.  With the help of our electrical contractor, we were able to replace the column without having to remove any electrical.  For the siding, the customer chose cement Hardie Board with a 7" reveal.  It gave much needed life to the side of the home.  As a finishing touch, we installed a new 30" side entry door to replace the one that was rotten.  Our electrical contractor also installed two new motion sensing lights to the outside of the home.

Bathroom Remodel in Weeki Wachee

We received a request from a customer to update their existing master bathroom.  They had purchased the home a few years back and it had sat vacant in foreclosure for a few years.  The shower area had some rot where the water had found its way behind the walls because of improper installation of materials years before.  We listened to the customers request and remodeled their bathroom to their specifications. We feel the finished product turned out absolutely amazing.

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Custom Ramp in Brooksville

In August, we received a request from one of our customers located in Brooksville. Their mother had just taken a rough fall and was in the hospital for a short stay. They wanted to add an accessibility ramp to the side of the residence.  Space was an issue being that it was a pre-manufactured home. We designed a ramp that would be able to ramp downward from the side door through the lanai door with minimal changes to the existing structure.  This is the finished project.

Lets talk about project costs.

We all have dreams of having a grand home.  A place that we can look forward to coming home to everyday.  A place where we can raise a family.  A place where we can entertain guests.  A place where we can go to sleep at night and know it is secure.  There is nothing wrong with dreaming and having ideas, we all do it.  But, with dreams of a perfect world scenario, we the homeowner must also understand that these dreams come with a price tag.  When you sit down with your contractor, make sure that both of you are on the same page in regards to your budget.  In your mind, you might think that the re-tile and new vanity in your bathroom might only cost $2,000.00 when in reality the work that needs to be done might end up costing $7,000.00.  Knowing your budget will allow all parties involved to come up with a proposal that will work for everyone involved.  To get you the best job in the least costly way possible.  You might just see a new cabinet that you saw at the hardware store and tile at the flooring store and figure in your head that these items only cost around $500 and the installation of said items can't be that much; can it?  What a lot of home owners don't understand is the amount of labor that goes into all of the other aspects of the job. There is tear out, hauling away of materials, roughing in, cement board, sheet rock, spackle, cement, grout, and hours upon hours of install time needed to do a great job.  If you embark on a project, just be aware of the costs involved initially before setting down and you will avoid the possibility of disappointment.

French Doors, Laundry Cabinets, & Tankless Electric Water Heater - Largo

DCI Home Improvements just completed a job for one of our fabulous customers located in Largo.  We installed a new set of French doors to replace the dated ones that were in the home.  The installation went flawlessly and really added to the look of the home.  We also installed some utility cabinets in the laundry area for storage.  The final piece was a brand new ECO Smart electric tankless water heater that as installed in the garage.  The installation turned out great and looks nice and neat.

Fascia Replacement - Palm Harbor

DCI Home Improvements yet again proves why we are the go-to company in the Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Hernando County. This facia replacement shows that no matter the size of the job, we can handle it.  This customer had a 15 year old home that had started to show some rotting around the perimeter of the facia.  DCI Home Improvements handled the project with ease and have earned another life-long customer.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

6.4.2015

DCI Home Improvements

New Port Richey, FL

info@dcipasco.com

DCI Home Improvements (formerly DeCillis Construction) is proud to announce the expansion of their business to include a dedicated marketing and customer service department. In recent years they have seen growth across the board thanks to the recovering economy. They have partnered with other top notch companies in the Tampa Bay Area to bring you the best home improvement quality that is available.

"We are excited to unveil our new website and social media updates to better serve and connect with our clients in the Tampa region. We are hoping that current customers will keep up-to-date with us as well as we are looking to give prospective clients a look into our quality of work." -Jeff Akins, Marketing Director, DCI Home Improvements

Serving customers in the Tampa area will still be our foremost concern as we move forward and continue to expand. We have been praised time and time again for our commitment to excellence. Customers that come to DCI Home Improvements will continue to be customers for life.  We are hoping with our new social community, we will open communications for the DCI family of companies and their clients.

For comments, please contact Jeff Akins