Acclaim Renovations does major remodeling projects in both The Woodlands market and The Houston market, with a general focus on The West University Place, Bellaire and Memorial areas. You’d think these two markets would be similar, but they are actually different in many ways, some obvious and some perhaps a bit more subtle.
Difference 1 - The obvious one, Property Values. Sometimes how you remodel your home has less to do with design, desire or finances, and more to do with what your future intentions are for the house and what the property can take in remodeling without being “over” remodeled. You have to think about your remodeling project as an investment into your house. If you have a home that is worth $750,000, you could spend $100,000 on the kitchen of your dreams and you might actually make money in terms of the value of the home. This is more common in the Houston markets. The Woodlands has some gorgeous homes, but because of the distance to downtown, the property values are naturally lower. If your home in The Woodlands is worth $400,ooo, you have to be a little bit more aware of how much you spend on that Kitchen Remodel. That same kitchen may be pushing the envelope of property values.
Difference 2 - The number of contractors. Because of the property values, the number of contractors trying to earn your business is much higher. You’d think this would be a good thing and would help drive prices down because of competition, especially in this recovering economy. While this might be true, you have so many different styles of operation to compare that the decision process can almost be overwhelming. This contractor is a Design - Build Contractor, this one is just a contractor and doesn’t offer design, I love this price, but is this price too good? In Houston, you need to make sure you know who you are doing business with, check references, check their affiliations, and if possible try and see some of their work. The Woodlands doesn’t have nearly as many contractors, especially if you are looking for true high end remodeling. Sometimes the stuggle is just getting a contractor you can trust, and getting a contractor with the quality you are hoping for in mind.
Difference 3 - PERMITS! While The Woodlands will typically require some kind of HOA approval for exterior work, believe it or not, there is very little regulating your project in terms of inspections and quality control outside of the self imposed standards imposed by the contractor you hire. If you live in The Woodlands, here is sample of the inspections the city of Houston does for all contractors: Framing, Polyseal, Electrical, Plumbing, Heating and Cooling, Insulation, (sometimes even drywall). There are other inspections that can be required depending on the project. If you live in The Woodlands you might want to consider using a contractor who is familiar with all of these inspections because they will likely be using the same trade partners for their work in Houston as they do in The Woodlands. While it is not fool proof, at least the contractors “habits” would be to meet inspectors requirements.
Just a little food for thought!
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