We often neglect to look for potential problems in our homes. Many older homes go without repairs for so long they often get abandoned and remain that way until someone decides to gut it and transform it. As a homeowner, it’s essential to look out for any signs it’s time to renovate your home.

Your Floors Are Deteriorating

You’ve likely seen enough of it on TV to be able to tell when floors are caving in and need to get replaced. Once your floorboards start to detach and carve a hole into the ground, it’s time to pick up the phone and call a contractor.

Floor wear can happen for many reasons, and without proper inspection, they’ll continue to fall apart. So, when fixing up your flooring, consider swapping it out for wood paneling—it lasts longer than tiles, is easier to clean, and it’s a great return on investment.

If you have carpeting, make sure to change it out every ten years, or else you’re going to be walking through a landfill of harmful germs and grime.

Your Roof Is Leaking

If your roof is leaking and making everything miserable, hire someone to take a look so you can live in peace without worrying about leaks. When the inspector looks at your roof, ask them to give you an estimate of how much it would cost to get it fixed or replaced.

You’re looking to spend around $4,500 to $10,000 on a new roof. However, the price depends on the shingle type and the roof’s square footage. Keep in mind that the bigger the roof’s foot area is, the higher the replacement cost.

Your House Feels Too Small or Big

You have likely lots of things cluttered around your house—and if you have a family, the amount of clutter has likely grown. If your home feels overcrowded with things—whether it’s too large or too small—then it’s time to either downgrade or upgrade.

For those living in homes that feel too tight, consider upgrading your space. For instance, you can use home improvement services to help you develop a new floor plan for your home.

For people living in big homes, downgrade by moving into one that’s smaller. This can help reduce clutter.

You Have an Outdated Kitchen and Bathroom

Your home’s main areas are the bathroom and kitchen, so if they aren’t updated, they won’t function properly. So, as you move through the renovation plan, consider replacing countertops with something modern and repaint your cabinets to give them a new look.

Additionally, do the same with your bathroom by installing new appliances. You can’t go wrong with fitting in a bigger bathtub or getting a new vanity. These projects aren’t cheap, so while you’re planning, formulate a budget for things you need right away and put some money away to prepare for things you want later.

The Entire House is Outdated

You don’t need to bulldoze your entire house to start from scratch. If your entire house is old and outdated, view it as an unfinished canvas that simply needs improvements. As you work through your rooms, consider adding new windows and doors to help save on energy and improve insulation.

Additionally, hire extra help to remove health hazards such as asbestos. Your home may have it, so call an inspector to come in and test for asbestos so it can get removed.

Since old homes are drafty, consider installing a new HVAC system to control its air, heat, and ventilation.

If you’re considering redoing the basement or attic, go to city hall and ask about specific building codes and regulations to know what you can and can’t do during your remodel. When considering other projects—such as altering the basement—hold off until you have enough money to fix any issues.

There Are Unwanted Visitors

If you’ve seen pests around your home, they’re likely burrowing in your gutters or attic space. Infestations are one of the major signs it’s time to renovate your home. It would help if you remodeled after an infestation to prevent pests from returning. Many rodents and insects are attracted to the dirty areas in old houses.

If there’s a sign of rodents or any other infestation in your home, get it removed as soon as you can. By doing this, you deter other rodents and insects from coming into your house.

The Paint is Chipping

It’s a bad sign if your home’s paint is chipping away and the exterior’s wood is warping and declining. When paint chips, it’s a sign that the house isn’t doing well. The best course of action is to paint over the unsightly areas and apply a finish to help it set.

Don’t forget to check your siding; if it’s bad, then your home is starting to deteriorate, which can negatively affect its foundation. So, to prevent it from worsening, get the right tools or contact a professional who can help inspect and resolve the problem before it gets out of hand.

After you’ve painted everything and your home looks newer and better, and it’ll become easier to spot future signs that it’s time to repaint your home’s siding.

When you rely on a home contractor, you’re looking for the best ways to improve your home’s quality and extend its life more. For example, when redoing your house, look out for areas that need improvement to see which room should get tackled first.

Bear Mountain Custom Painting can help you achieve your goals in many different ways. You can improve your home and even increase its value. We can provide the exemplary service you’re looking for, from home renovation services to fixing the gutters on your house.

Your home is an unfinished canvas. You can improve its layout by contacting Bear Mountain Custom Painting for an estimate on your next home remodel. With our services, you can turn your home from old and outdated to something new and fantastic.

There are few things more frustrating to a homeowner than a bad paint job. When inquiring about getting your home painted, you need to know that the business you hire is authentic and that they can provide answers to your questions. Here are the things to look for before hiring a painting contractor.

Aim for Quality over Cost

Quality is the most important aspect when it comes to home improvement services. For example, one company or worker has a lower cost to cut corners, reflecting the work’s quality.

To avoid potential problems, ask the company about their work process and why their prices are low. For example, at times the prices are low because they cut certain things out—find out what those cut areas are before hiring a painting company or contractor.

Research and Ask Questions

Be wary of contractors or companies that don’t have a significant amount of information on their website So, while you’re researching a company, contact them and ask about their services. If they don’t provide enough information, they likely won’t give you the right job.

Typically, companies will have a section on their website that lists positive reviews. If there isn’t a section like that, go through review websites and find customers that talk about their services. Additionally, a company that offers house painting services in Cumming, GA will have a list of frequently asked questions and a customer service form to request additional information.

Review All Guidelines in Your Contract

When you encounter any form of bound contract, sit down and read every detail. Otherwise, you and the contractor will have difficulties not seeing eye to eye on certain aspects of the project, and there’s likely to be tension.

Ask the contractor about their procedures and the preparation process to remove worries and concerns. Also ask them about the guidelines and payment plans. Give suggestions if it’s possible.

As you hire a painting company or independent worker, keep our list of things to look for before hiring a painting contractor in mind. That way, there are no miscommunications or errors as you go through the process.

Bear Mountain Custom Painting provides the needed services and guidance to help achieve the paint job you want for high-quality home improvement jobs such as home interior and exterior painting. Contact us for more information on our home painting services.

Prepping the home for winter is a task that’s hard to accomplish, especially since winter appears out of nowhere. From the kids taking off for winter break and the holidays creeping up on us, we forget to administer checks to ensure that the house is ready for the first snowfall of the year. So here’s our guide on the four must-know tips for winterizing your home.

Inspect the Gutters

Inspecting the gutters is a task that should be done at least three times a year, especially for cleaning. As you clean them out, you’re preventing debris from clogging your drains and long icicles from hanging from your roof.

While you’re maintaining the gutters, install a gutter guard to prevent water from spilling over and freezing.

Test the Detectors

The most dangerous part of winter is that house fires can break out. At times it’s due to cluttered and overcrowded spaces, creating a fire hazard. Other times, someone left the fireplace going, or didn’t blow out a candle. Either way, checking your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors can help save you and your family from a disaster.

Inspect and Change Your Doors and Windows

If you’re considering changing your doors and windows before winter, now’s the perfect time to hire a company for a quick window and door replacement in Cumming, GA. Bear Mountain Custom Painting can easily replace all of your doors and windows for better insulation and improved curb appeal.

Most importantly, having the ability to save on energy and keep your home insulated are the main reasons to get new doors and windows for your home.

Check Your Thermostat

To help keep your home warm, you need a thermostat. If yours is old and undependable, it’s time to go out and purchase a new one. Having a thermostat can help keep the home at a stable temperature.

Additionally, go with a digital thermostat; that way, you can control it with a smartphone or tablet. Most thermostats also have weekend and vacation settings.

After reading our must-know tips for winterizing your home, start making changes and checking areas that can cause flooding and ruin your home’s foundation. After confirming that all is well, your home’s ready to take on winter.

For more information on door and window replacement services, contact Bear Mountain Custom Painting. Our services range from replacing doors and windows for energy savings to placing shiplap on your walls; we can provide your project with exemplary service and guarantee that with every service completed, your home’s ready for the first snowfall down to the last.

Dark colors aren’t a poor choice for your home’s walls, and they can fit any personality or home décor theme. However, if dark colors get you down or you want something to bring more natural light in, you should learn how to cover dark paint with a lighter color.

Choose Your Paint Color Wisely

When covering up any portion of dark paint, the color you pick makes a huge difference in how the paint job turns out. We recommend going with a shade at least two to three tones lighter than the current wall. If you choose something too light, such as a yellow, your contrasting won’t look sharp. Consider your choice of paint before you start covering the original color.

Prep the Surface Area Thoroughly

Don’t leave any space untouched. If one area has even a speck of dust, it can throw off your entire effect. Also, as you transition from dark to light, the light paint makes it apparent that your walls are dirty, and you’ll need to chip the paint to get any remaining dirt or mildew out.

If you want to prep properly, first clean your surface area with a lathered soapy washcloth and wash away any stains, grease, dust, and mildew. Next, use a scraper or sandpaper to strip away peeling or bubbling paint. Also, cover holes and cracks with spackle.

Prime the Area

Priming your wall is an important step, as it helps cover old paint and prevent stains from bleeding through to the new coat of paint. Also, without a primer, the paint won’t stick well. So, use a primer to keep the surface area smooth.

Once you’ve applied the primer, allow the area to dry. Then, place a coat of white stain-blocking primer on the wall before you get started. If you want to block more stains out, put a little bit of primer into some paint. If you’re at the store, ask one of the workers to tint the color for you.

Use High-Quality Paint

If you’re looking for another way to paint your walls, such as DIYing, then you’re doing more work than you need to. Instead of going in the DIY route, spend a little more on a higher quality color compared to other paints. By using high-quality paint, you won’t have to go to the store five times throughout the day to purchase more paint.

Painting walls is hard enough but painting light colors over a dark color is another task entirely. Aside from doing the job yourself, you can reach out to Bear Mountain Custom Painting, where we have many of the best interior home painters in Cumming, GA.

After reading how to cover dark paint with a lighter color, make sure to contact us for more information on our services—ranging from interior painting to help planning out a skylight. Our serious painters don’t leave a single wall unmarked.