"Your home is your castle." "There's no place like home." "Home is where the heart is." "Make a house into a home." We have all heard these and countless other adages about the bond between an individual and their dwelling. It doesn't matter if we are describing a mobile home or a mansion, a quaint cottage or sprawling estate. For most people, their home is among their largest investments. Even in a tough economy with rampant foreclosures, a house is also one of the best ways to build wealth over time. Equity comes from paying down debt, as well as increasing the value of the property. And just as a high tide raises all boats (that are in the water), an improving market elevates the vast majority of housing values. Of course, a poorly maintained, leaking boat will struggle to stay above the tides and the same can be said of a poorly maintained house.

This blog will delve into some off the many systems that comprise a house (roofing, ventilation, HVAC, insulation, windows, entry systems, flooring, kitchen and bath). We will discuss what it takes to keep these systems functioning properly, how to maintain them, and what to look for when replacing or upgrading them.

Home improvement is a scary business. Cutting corners to save a few bucks may end up costing you dearly in aggravation, legal entanglements, premature system failure and subsequent replacement. Unpaid subcontractors can place a lien on your home, even if you paid the entire amount of the contract. Does the contractor carry insurance? The Yellow Pages ad may say so, but those claims are never verified. A worker getting injured on the job potentially places the home-owner at risk of liability. "Lifetime" warranties are only as strong as the company that backs them up. With nearly 70% of contractors going under within 7 years, who do you go after if/when something goes wrong? Buried deep in the fine print, it is all-too common to find clauses nullifying warranty protection if installation is not in accordance with manufacturer specifications. How does an unsuspecting homeowner know if the installation is done properly and in accordance with those specifications?

This blog will help to expose the issues that can turn a home improvement project into a nightmare. Knowing how to protect yourself should provide some much needed peace of mind.






Monday, February 16, 2015

Beware of storm chasing contractors.

  From Fox6Now.com

“He had a lot of business:” Victims of All Around Contracting come out of the woodwork

Posted 10:13 pm, February 15, 2015, by and , Updated at 10:31pm, February 15, 2015
MILWAUKEE (WITI) — If you’re a homeowner, you know the overtime you’ll eventually need to make repairs — especially if there’s storm damage. But, beware of storm chasing contractors. Several Milwaukee families hired the wrong company.
All Around Contracting out of Appleton had been all around Wisconsin chasing storms and telling homeowners, like LaDonna and Alford Brown, it could help.
“The guy came up and said, ‘Yeah, we do siding and I was looking at your house. We are in the neighborhood — canvassing the neighborhood,'” LaDonna Brown said.
Back in November, FOX6’s Contact 6 reporter, Katrina Cravy, went looking for “that guy” LaDonna was talking about — owner Nick Davis. Katrina showed up at the All Around Contracting office in Appleton in November, but couldn’t find Nick.
After the original story about All Around Contracting aired, Contact 6 received five more complaints about the company. In the complaints, all the stories were the same.
EricandWendyKing
Eric and Wendy King came to Contact 6 after losing money to Nick Davis and All Around Contracting.
“In June, we had this big hail storm. I mean, it was rocking the house. I got out and look and I saw more damage. And, while I was looking, here comes Nick,” explained Eric King.
Eric and his wife, Wendy King, say Nick was a smooth talker and they trusted him. They signed a contract for more $15,000 and paid him $4,500 upfront. But, when the crew came — the work was horrible.
“I called him and said we got water damage. He brought some guy out here with a glue gun — went up there and started gluing it,” Eric said when describing the work done on his roof.
Then, just like the Browns, All Around Contracting, Nick Davis and his crews couldn’t be reached.
The place has closed.
Five customers have filed complaints with the state’s Consumer Protection Department and while it can’t comment on possible open investigations — it does have some advice.
“Ask for references. Call Consumer Protection to see if there are any complaints on file against a contractor. Go see other job sites from those references. Look online for circuit court access see if there’s been any small claims actions against  a contractor and weigh all that information,” suggested Michelle Reinen, Director of the Wisconsin Consumer Protection Bureau.
Eric and Wendy King are using some friends to fix their home and, luckily, didn’t pay All Around Contracting the full amount. It’s been a costly, but valuable lesson.
“We will be alright, but …some folks out there that aren’t going to be alright because he had a lot of business,” Eric said.
NARIContractors
Contractors and volunteers work on LaDonna and Alford Brown’s home after the couple got a helping hand from the NARI Foundation.
At LaDonna and Alford Brown’s home, work is being done, but this time by contractors like Allrite Home & Remodeling.
“I’ve got a few of my guys that are helping out plus MATC is supporting in this project as well. Callen Construction is helping out. There’s also a few other companies that have also been involved with this,” said Randy Miller of Allrite Home & Remodeling.
After the last story aired, Katrina Cravy called NARI – the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s Milwaukee Chapter – to see if they could help and they came through.
Besides getting out the team of volunteers, the NARI Foundation also voted to give LaDonna and Alford up to $6,000 for the materials to complete the job.
LaDonnaAlford
Alford and LaDonna Brown
“Overall, I am kind of overwhelmed, of not just the professionalism of the men that came out here, but the work.  Their talent just shows off. They just come in and do their work. They’re very conscientious, very kind and that was something we had not experienced,” Alford said.
“I’m very appreciative and just writing that one paragraph and you opening up your heart and your camera crew and your team,” LaDonna said about Contact 6.
Remember to do your homework before hiring contractor because it’s not often you get such a happy ending like the Browns.



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