Various parts of the house need specialized care, such as the roof needing a roofer and the walls needing a painter. Home improvement specialists, such as contractors and carpenters, can fulfill certain tasks. However, these two professionals are often confused for doing the same job. So, what’s the difference between a carpenter and a contractor?

Defining Carpenter and Contractor

Carpentry and contracting professions seem to have some correlation, but they are two different jobs entirely. While both are hands-on, you should first know that carpenters are traditionally woodworkers. A contractor is a general servicer who does a little bit of everything.

Carpenter

A carpenter typically works with wood but also hones skills in cutting, shaping, and installing all sorts of materials in buildings. Whether it’s residential or commercial work, a carpenter must ensure the building’s materials are stable enough to withstand the climate and the structure.

Contractor

Typically, the contractor runs the entire construction operation. Many of the hands-on tasks you’d expect a contractor to do fall onto other more specified workers, such as painting and roofing.

What Are the Qualifications of a Contractor?

A contractor needs to know what each trade does before they call themself a contractor. Aside from that, contractors also need experience, so hiring someone with at least ten years of experience is ideal rather than finding an amateur who just graduated high school.

From their experience, you can tell how well contractors manage their team, ensure good performance, and follow the proper rules and regulations. Additionally, a competent, trustworthy contractor should know building codes and have the right licensure.

Do Carpenters Only Work With Wood?

Everyone knows carpenters as woodworkers, but they do so much more. Carpenters work with several types of materials and collaborate with contractors to ensure their workers install things correctly, cut the proper dimensions, and use the right equipment.

A carpenter does more difficult tasks than a general contractor who knows the trades, such as installing a roof, flooring, and siding. Hiring a carpenter is ideal if you need a specific home improvement task done.

Should I Hire a Carpenter or a Contractor?

Should you hire a carpenter or a contractor? That’s up to what your project entails. If you have a new build, you will want a contractor to help you out. For specific needs, you’ll need a carpenter. Every project requires either a carpenter or a contractor, and it’s important to know the difference before hiring someone.

If your home needs a new roof, siding, or flooring, contact Bear Mountain Custom Painting. Our carpenters in Cumming, GA are focused on the specific needs of your residence. We’re happy to replace anything in your home, from the roof to the floors. Call or email us for more information.

So, you no longer desire a 9-5 job. You want a job that’s not time-consuming and offers lots of flexibility. When starting a new career, you’ll need dedication, especially in a field such as real estate. Take this as a sign to start learning about flipping houses for a living.

What is House Flipping?

House flipping is a term used to describe real estate professionals who buy homes and buildings and renovate them before placing them back on the market to sell.

What Does a House Flipper Do?

The usual duties of a house flipper consist of independent work focused on researching the current real estate market and finding buildings or homes that have flipping potential. During the typical workday, you’ll collaborate with a contractor who acts as the supervisor.

This job is perfect for those who enjoy direct work and want to be their own boss. However, being self-employed requires you to work full-time, just like a regular 9-5, but you create your schedule. As a prospective house flipper, ready yourself by reaching out to a project manager or a renovation specialist. These two experts can help you plan out your renovation by detailing your needs, such as:

• Material outsourcing
• Budgeting
• Hiring workers
• Creating timelines
• Estimating repair costs

Is House Flipping a Safe Investment Strategy?

Yes, it’s safe, but only if you understand the market. In general, real estate’s predictable. Given that most predictions are based on the time of year, you might find that it’s easiest to predict based on location. Compared to other investment strategies, real estate’s the safest choice, since there are many avenues to capitalize on, including house flipping. In the meantime, find the best time to put the flipped house on the market.

What You Need To Get Started Flipping Houses

Flipping houses is a rewarding career, but it does require steps before getting involved, including researching your market, setting a budget, and finding funds for house flips. Each step’s essential to a successful real estate flipping career.

Research Your Market

The best place to research the market isn’t a faraway place, it’s right where you are right now. Many amateur home flippers can get started in their town. They don’t need to go a city or two over to invest, since that costs more money and energy.

Instead, research locally. Look up the homes in your community and see what the average home sells for, which homes get offers and which don’t. Additionally, think about the community. Is there something about it that pulls a prospective buyer in, such as being close to entertainment, amenities, or a popular destination? If so, focus on that as a reason to invest.

Work With a Real Estate Agent

Once you’ve found a property, make sure it fits your budget. It’s never good to go over budget, especially starting out as a house flipper. The smartest move is to work with a real estate agent. Realtors have access to the MLS system, which is a system that lists all real estate properties that are currently available, as well as all future listings. Use this system to find properties that fit your budget.

Set a Budget

Budgeting is essential, so it’s best to determine this before buying a house. You can create a budget based on the 70% rule—this rule calculates the after-repair value of a home and is easiest to learn. This rule estimates the final repair costs, encompassing how much needs to be done before selling. The repair cost becomes your budget.

Assemble Your Team

Your official renovation team should include professional contractors, carpenters, painters, and roofers. Your team should be trustworthy, know how to use power tools, and communicate well. You don’t need to have your team do every task; you can complete tasks on your own if you have the skill. If not, consider hiring additional team members.

Find Funding for House Flips

You can request funding from anywhere, including hosting a fundraising event for future home flips. However, as a beginner, you should rely on personal loans instead, or a hard money loan. When taking on house flip debt, you’re also paying interest. Once interest gains, your home sale price increases as well, but this is to help break even.

Do You Need a Real Estate License To Flip a House?

No, you don’t need a real estate license, but it does help in some ways. For one, being more knowledgeable about the real estate market and knowing how to pick the best investment breaks allows you take on better opportunities.

How To Find a Contractor for Your House Flip

Finding a contractor is a good idea before starting a house flip. Contractors are jacks of all trades, and that includes project management. Since you want a substantive way to get a good ROI, you’re going to want a partner who helps you get there. Here’s how to find a contractor for your house flip.

Compare All Contractors

Always do your research and compare your options. Just as you would carefully choose a paint color for your home, carefully select a contractor that helps keep the house flip on schedule.

After selecting your choices—pick no less than three potential workers—interview them and conduct background checks on each worker. Doing a background check is important because it shows if they have the experience they tell you they have, and if they’re licensed and insured to do house flips.

Interview Each Bid

A bid appointment is your time to get to know the contractor. Every contractor you meet with, you’re going to get to know them and their work, and how long they’ve been flipping houses. There are a few ways to tell how well you’d collaborate with each contractor. You shouldn’t collaborate with a contractor if they:

• Exhibit rude behavior in person and over the phone.
• Beat around the bush when answering questions.
• Take a while to respond to inquiries.
• Don’t communicate issues beforehand.
• Don’t have a clear payment schedule.

Ensure They Have the Right Building Permits

Some places require specific building permits before constructing or remodeling a house or building. If your contractor doesn’t have the right permits, they should know who to contact to get them. If they continue to beat around the bush, hire someone else.

After learning how to start a career in house flipping, consider building your team right away. Save more money by teaming up with Bear Mountain Custom Painting, one of the best home improvement companies in Atlanta. Our experienced workers are prepared to help with your house flip.

A home’s siding makes it unique and protects the interior from the elements. If you want to know the signs your siding needs replacements or are curious how often you should replace your house’s siding, you’ll find all you need to know below.

When Should You Replace Your Siding?

Finding the best time to replace your home’s siding differs from how often to change it. The best time for replacements is between early winter and early summer. How often should you replace your house’s siding? Once every 20 to 40 years is sufficient, but that doesn’t matter if the siding is damaged.

Does the Siding Type Matter?

The siding type does matter! Every type affects when you should replace your siding and how often. The time to replace your siding varies on the material, such as aluminum, wood, and vinyl. Here’s a rundown of each siding type and how often to change the material.

Vinyl

Many modern homeowners prefer vinyl over wood and aluminum because it is affordable and eco-friendly. Additionally, vinyl shares a strong resemblance to wood, so it has an aesthetic advantage. For vinyl siding, you won’t need to do much maintenance, but it’s still good to replace it whenever a problem appears. Additionally, when it gets dirty, you should clean vinyl siding promptly to maintain the material.

Wood

Wood is a traditional siding material, and it’s still popular among homeowners. It’s versatile and affordable, but it’s also high maintenance. To ensure wood paneling lasts a long time, extensive upkeep is required, such as applying a sealant every five years to protect it from moisture buildup that causes warping, rot, and mold growth.

Aluminum

Aluminum siding lasts a long time, making it one of many best options to use, especially in warmer climates. However, after 15 years, the material begins to decline. Over time, it develops a chalky surface that, while temporary until rainfall washes it away, returns and leaves the house looking outdated.

Once you notice the material fading, or more scratches, dents, or cracks, you need to replace it. It’s possible to replace one section, but you need to do it sooner rather than later to avoid replacing all the siding.

Signs Your Siding Needs Replacements

It’s sometimes difficult to detect siding problems. Take the time to look around for signs of damaged siding and replace it as soon as possible. These are the signs you should look for:

• Too many repairs
• Cracks and gaps appearing
• Rot on any section of the cladding

It’s important to stick to the normal timeframe of 20 to 40 years for replacements, but if problems persist, inspect your home’s siding frequently to increase its longevity. Bear Mountain Custom Painting offers help from professional home siding contractors in Cumming, GA for siding problems homeowners face every day. Contact us to learn more about our siding contracting services. We’re happy to help in any way!

You might not see it now, but your front door color is likely why buyers have not requested a tour of your home. The color of your home’s front door can be the thing that makes or breaks a sale. Here’s why your home’s door color is important to potential buyers and how you could make a better first impression.

Why Does Paint Color Matter?

Although it may feel like a minor thing, homebuyers (and sellers) notice a potential home’s curb appeal, and if the door doesn’t entice them, they’ll move on to the next listing.

A door stands as more than just an extra layer of protection from intruders and severe weather; it’s what represents you and your home’s personality. If the door’s color doesn’t exemplify either, it won’t help you sell the house. The paint color also prepares buyers for what to expect when they enter the home.

What Paint Colors Do Buyers Prefer?

Paint colors can say more about who lives inside the home than a door sign, and they can also be a welcoming beacon for many buyers. If you want to make a statement that entices potential homebuyers, then you’ll need to choose one of these colors:

• Black
• Blue
• Red
• Yellow

What Entryway Paint Colors Should You Avoid?

Some door paint colors are terrible and don’t mesh well with the interior of the home. Consider complementary colors if you’re not striving for personality in your front door. Avoid using these colors on your door:

• Orange
• Brown
• Pale green

How To Pick the Right Paint Color for Your Door

Paint colors can say a lot about your home. Don’t jump right in without first visiting a paint store and exploring your options. The best way to select a good color is to look at their color wheel. Then, consider your color scheme. Some homeowners stick with monochromatic colors, but if you want a striking contrast, pick something that’s a shade above or below your interior wall’s paint color.

Make Sure the Door’s Worth the Hassle

Not all doors are worth painting. If your door has issues and looks awful, it’s better to look into getting a replacement. Attempting to repaint a broken or otherwise unattractive door that’ll only depreciate your home’s value will just cause you suffering.

We want your home to sell well, whether you live in the Atlanta area or beyond, and if the look of your door isn’t helping, contact our team at Bear Mountain Custom Painting for a quick door installation in Cumming GA. We’ll help you with all your door and window painting and replacement needs.

You’ve considered many avenues for your home improvement project, but nothing seems to fit. If you’ve felt stressed over home repairs, consider hiring a professional to aid the processes along. Here’s how a professional carpenter can actually save you money.

They Thoroughly Clean Vents and Air Ducts

Cleaning out your air ducts and vents is essential, but you can sometimes miss pivotal spots when doing it yourself that will cost you down the line. Don’t keep doing this task yourself—a carpenter can quickly clean out everything from dust to dead leaves and dirt. If you want to avoid making your HVAC unit work harder than it needs to, let a professional handle the job.

The Home Becomes More Energy Efficient

Thin walls aren’t very energy efficient. If you’ve looked everywhere for a better way to insulate your home and have come up short, get advice from a carpenter. They can guide you through inspections and recommend the best solutions. A carpenter can enhance your home’s current energy consumption, no matter what climate you live in.

They’re Creative in Reusing Old Materials

If there’s a lingering pile of remodeling debris you can’t figure out how to reuse, leave it to a carpenter. A carpenter can work to reuse these materials in new ways when revamping a different area of your home. For instance, you might have removed wooden furniture from your home, and it may still be sitting around months later. A skilled professional could change these items into something new for you to use.

If you need new cabinets, the builder can remake the wooden furniture into cupboards for the kitchen so that you don’t need to go out and buy new ones. They can even repaint your windowpanes if you need to increase curb appeal.

They Possess Incredible Expertise in Everything Home-Related

If you don’t know how to fix your gutter system, hire a carpenter! Are you having trouble restoring your deck? That sounds like a job a carpenter can do! Carpenters have the skills to handle any renovation or construction projects thrown their way.

Carpenters handle everything throughout the process, from conducting an inspection, planning the project, picking materials, and doing the heavy lifting. Professional carpenters can help you save more money thanks to their vast knowledge of home renovations and construction methods.

Fixing Structural Issues Is Second Nature

Don’t worry about fixing structural issues—this is second nature to a carpenter. They know what areas to focus on first and what to handle last. They know how to examine the brittle bones of older homes and find suitable solutions to build new structures. In general, carpenters are the people you want around to fix up the house and help with building new additions.

At Bear Mountain Custom Painting, you get to team up with knowledgeable carpenters that can fix old homes, clean out gutters, and repaint the walls of your home. By relying on professional Cumming, GA carpenters, you will waste less time stressing over the best paint method to use and more time focusing on other tasks. Contact us when you’re ready to hire a carpenter.