Your go-to blogs if you want to learn more about Parasol Properties' way of constructing homes, plus tips and helpful information about Construction!  

The primary reason we put up fences is to keep our property secured. Whether the property is livable or not, we want to ensure that no one can freely access it whenever they wish. By protecting our property from intruders, we cover not just the property but everything else inside it–our family members, cars, pets, and farm animals. But how sure are we that they are protected? What if storms and strong winds started to pass over it? Will they still be secured? 

The answer may depend on the quality of fence materials we will use. Two of the most popular fence materials that you could use are wood and vinyl. These materials vary in different ways but provide the protection you need. The only question, however, is, which one is better in terms of security and durability? Let us help you find out as we share the strength and weaknesses of wooden and vinyl fences over the next section. 

Wood fences are probably one of the most popular among the four. As a matter of fact, it is the first thing that comes to our mind when we talk about fences. Remember, when we draw homes during our younger days, we often draw white wooden fences (a.k.a. Picket fences) surrounding them. If I had to imagine the finished version of it, there would be rows of lavender, blue hydrangeas, or climbing roses right at the back of it. 

Photo: Artinsur Blogspot.com/Pinterest; Stocksy United/Pinterest

It looks lovely. But for sure, the fences in my imagination are just for aesthetics. If we consider the security it could provide, it will surely fail. Trespassers may find their way in and do whatever they want. And not only them. Wild animals like bears may also get in and find themselves comfortable while eating their favorite honey dip. 

Those are some possibilities if one has decided to put up those white wooden fences and live nearby forests where wild animals live. Well, if that’s the case, there are still many forms of wooden fences that you can put up over your backyard.

Lattice - features diagonal slats that cross one another and are mainly used for gardening. This type of fence is perfect for training climbing plants. 

Louve - consists of horizontal BUT narrow slats that are slanted like the old look of curtain blinds. 

Photo: Takasho Global/IG(left); Nicolas Morel/Pinterest(right)

Post and Rail - consists of horizontal posts usually placed 6 feet apart and 5 feet tall. These wooden fences are commonly seen on ranches and farms. It helps prevents livestock (except sheep and goats :D) from getting out. 

Photo: Crispin Jones on Unsplash(left); Molly/Pinterest(right)

Vertical boards - consist of vertical slats that could be as high as six feet or more. 

Photo: Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash(left); Pinterest(right)

Solid Panels - consists of vertical and horizontal slabs above and beneath them. It provides privacy and security. 

Photo: Home for the Harvest/Pinterest(left); Love Home Designs/Pinterest

Woven Panels - decorative fences that look like the usual rattan furniture. This type of panel is aesthetically pleasing, but heavy maintenance is needed, making it very pricey to sustain.  

Photo: House of Art/Pinterest(Left); The Enduring Gardener / Pinterest (right)

If you’re taking wood as fence materials, here are some reminders; Some of them especially if not constructed properly could not withstand strong winds. Wooden fences are also prone to warping and cracking, mainly the low-grade lumbers. To prolong their fence life, they need to be maintained. Staining and sealing them every 3-5 years is a must. 

Now let’s move on with the second on our list, vinyl.

Vinyl fences are new compared to woods, but they were for quite some time. While not everyone took risks in using them, those who did benefitted greatly from doing so. Those who put up vinyl fences within the past twenty years witnessed how good this material was, and it was testified by their sons, daughters, and even neighbors. 

“I am glad that after 3 years, it is still holding up great.” - Jim B. 

“They do well in UV light. My parent's neighbor had this installed 15+ years ago, and they look brand new still. We’ve had ours for a few years and no issues” - Millenial Living/YT.

Aside from being durable, vinyl fences require low maintenance as well. It doesn’t get dirty quickly, and homeowners who have them under pine trees don’t find any problem with sap. If ever it does, simply use a power wash to clear stains. 

In terms of its capacity to withstand a strong storm, the damage could occur only if the vinyl fences are too rigid and probably if they weren’t built correctly. 

Which among the two popular fence options do you think will be the most promising for your home? 

Each of these fence materials has its own strengths and weaknesses. To mitigate the chance of encountering its flaws, build a strong foundation for your fences, install them properly (do not force them to fit if they don’t), and maintain them regularly.   

And before putting up your fences, don’t forget to consult with a licensed land surveyor first to be sure of your property boundaries and be knowledgeable about the location of your underground utilities to avoid deadly explosions like the one below. 

According to the news source, the man said that the edge of the property is his, but the field where a gas main was situated belongs to a farmer and probably, the gas main probably overlaps with the man’s property below the ground. 

The same thing may happen in areas where gas main are very common. In one of our sister company’s projects, the construction team discovered a gas main in the site. The previous owner of the property probably didn’t know about it, so he didn’t tell them but the thankfully, it was discovered, and no one was hurt when their construction project started. We were able to avoid it by simply following the rules and regulations set by the local government and performing procedures that ensure everyone’s safety. 

The answer may depend on the quality of fence materials we will use. Two of the most popular fence materials that you could use are wood and vinyl. 

Fences are meant to protect whatever they wrap around, but what if they can’t protect themselves from strong winds and possible damage?

The open floor plan concept has been trending for some time. If you’re one of those homeowners who have this type of style with ample kitchen and dining space, you may want to consider adding an oversized kitchen island. Doing so can help you contain the kitchen space a bit and create a very distinct atmosphere from the rest of your custom home’s section. Aside from helping you with your open floor plan, obtaining an oversized kitchen island can provide more benefits. These benefits will help you determine how having an oversized kitchen island is really worth it. If you’re interested, let’s proceed with the benefits. Here they are 

Your oversized kitchen island can help express your personality. Simply choose the design that emphasizes the particular style you prefer. Do you want your kitchen to be stylish and colorful? An oversized kitchen island is definitely a great way to complement it–especially now that vibrant kitchen cabinets are trending. 

Those who live in beachfront custom homes, particularly those who live near beautiful beaches, can also leverage their oversized kitchen island to create an illusion of eating in a floating restaurant. They can achieve this by installing the oversized kitchen island near the window walls. 

If you want to be minimalist with your kitchen design, an oversized kitchen island will definitely be a great addition too. You’ll discover why in a bit. 

2. Great tool to keep the kitchen organized

An oversized kitchen island is a great tool to minimize kitchen furnishings. Aside from being a cooktop, an oversized kitchen could serve as a dining table and kitchen sink at the same time. Oversized kitchen islands can be an all-in-one kitchen furnishing that minimalists want. Simply customize it by integrating the functional features you need. List all the features you could think of--more expansive space for preparing the ingredients, cooking or baking space, dishwashing space, or even more cabinetries for your food stocks. An oversized kitchen island can even include a large kitchen hood, stacked warming drawers, and refrigerator. 

Once an oversized kitchen island is customized, it can allow every skilled household to help and move around the kitchen freely. They can help in cutting meat, vegetables, and food seasonings, washing dishes, and preparing other necessary tasks. With this oversized kitchen island, any cooking task will be lighter and more efficient, saving more time for the host to rest or socialize. 

3. Provides more seating spaces for family and friends

The last thing that an oversized kitchen island can provide is, of course, the chance to entertain more people since there are more seating spaces. A regular kitchen island can provide seating space but fewer. An oversized kitchen island is different because it can provide enough seats for your friends and family. Well, the type of kitchen island that has this kind of feature is quite different than the previous style we’ve discussed since this time, the focus is more on entertaining rather than food preparation. Nonetheless, both types have more reasons for you to get an oversized kitchen island for your custom home. 

An oversized kitchen island can be very much helpful when the right style is chosen. Therefore, custom homeowners should ensure that the functions of their kitchen island are tailored to how they envisioned their goals and home living. If you’re one of those who consider purchasing or customizing an oversized kitchen island for your custom home, please don’t forget to review why you want to incorporate it. Do you want an oversized kitchen island to personalize your kitchen? Use it as a tool to keep your kitchen organized? Provide more seating spaces for your friends and family? or, all of them? By reviewing these benefits, you will be able to incorporate the oversized kitchen island for your custom home, which will help you know that obtaining one is definitely worth it. 

If you’re one of those homeowners who have this type of style with ample kitchen and dining space, you may want to consider adding an oversized kitchen island. Doing so can help you contain the kitchen space a bit and create a very distinct atmosphere from the rest of your custom home’s section. 

An ample kitchen space is best paired with furnishing that provides custom homeowners with the most benefit. 

Is obtaining an oversized kitchen island worth it? 

Some minutes have passed since midnight. I was scrolling through my Facebook feed when I saw a post that hit me hard–the video of a man’s encounter with his younger self who used to dream about his college graduation four years ago. The man in his black toga smiled at his 2018 self while One Direction’s “just how fast the night changes” was played in the background. 

Things happened so fast, not just to the young man but to all of us. 

Adulting hits us really hard. Instead of celebrating simple successes, we celebrate significant milestones–a friend’s wedding, pregnancy, business or promotion, and many more. These celebrations often draw us to come together in one place where we hold parties and surprises. That “one place” could sometimes refer to a newly built condominium or nearby private resort that looks modern and clean. While decorated differently, these places seem to have some similarities; one of them is their blonde wood flooring. "Blonde wood floors" simply refers to light-colored wood floors. Nowadays, the usage of these type of wood floors are not only limited to condominiums and room resorts; a lot of custom homes constructed in the previous years were also built with blonde wood floorings too. This type of flooring is a popular pick among homeowners and interior designers because it has many advantages–which you may find suitable for your custom home too. To find out if it does, read on to know the 4 reasons why blonde wood flooring is good for your single family home. 

1. It makes custom home spaces appear bigger. 

The lighter end of the color spectrum helps create an illusion of a larger space. Since blonde is part of it, opting for wood flooring with this color can instantly make your custom home space appear bigger. Its impact will even be effective when you opt for larger planks.

Photo:  Through the Woods Fine Wood Floors, Inc. (Tampa, FL)/IG

Whether you want your home to be embellished with a rustic style, chic, contemporary, Scandinavian, or farmhouse style, blonde wood flooring can match all of them effortlessly. It also fits well with custom homes with open floor plans too. The light and airy feeling that homeowners with open floor plans enjoy are heavily influenced by their blonde wood flooring. 

Blonde wood flooring also looks good with any paint color and different types of decoration because it works like a blank canvas. Depending on what you want to achieve for your custom home, a blonde wood flooring may bring a cooler vibe, especially when paired with blues and grays. Meanwhile, if you want your flooring to provide a warm and inviting atmosphere matched it with cream or earth-tone palettes.  

Photo: Paradise Flooring Solutions (Clearwater)/IG

We always want to ensure our homes are always clean to make them look presentable and keep all our households safe and healthy. However, there will be times when you will get so busy preventing you from cleaning your house. This could be frustrating, especially when you see dust and dirt everywhere. To lower the chance of this problem from occurring, use blonde wood flooring in case you’re planning to build or renovate your custom home. Its light tone keeps dust and dirt from being seen by our naked eye. With blonde wood flooring, you won’t have to spend as much time mopping, dusting, and vacuuming your floors.

4. It can increase your home’s value. 

Blonde wood flooring can help increase a home’s value. Based on reports, hardwood floors can increase a home value by 3-5%. Others even say that hardwood yields as high as 75% as a return on investment. If you’re someone who plans to sell your house in the future or renovate it for selling purposes, installing hardwood floors, particularly blonde wood, can make your goal easier to achieve, especially now that they have been in demand. What’s more interesting is that some experts even believed that blonde wood flooring would thrive in the years to come.  

Now that we have shared some good points about blonde wood flooring, do you think they are worth having in your custom home?

Blonde wood floorings do a lot. It makes your custom home spaces appear bigger, complements whatever home style you have in mind, keeps you from cleaning from time to time, and contributes a lot to increase your home’s value. Aside from these reasons, you can probably discover more. 

Enjoy all these benefits by replacing your current flooring with blonde wood if you don’t have one. It is cost-effective, especially when you want a brighter look for your custom home. It can also be done quickly and efficiently, depending on your home's size and the team you will be working with. Here are samples from Capella

Notice how every area, particularly the most complicated spaces, was done–evenly distributed, gap-free and smooth. When the client saw the finished work, they were delighted and commended our construction manager for doing the job fast and efficiently. 

The lighter end of the color spectrum helps create an illusion of a 

Blonde woods are back and they are probably back for good. 

4 reasons why a blonde wood flooring is good for your custom home

In Spring 2022, Redfin found out that “new kitchen” is part of the valuable home features and designs with the highest sale-to-list ratio in the United States. Getting a “new kitchen” may sometimes be too costly, especially for those who still have well-functioning kitchen cabinets, and for this reason, some may simply drop the idea of getting a new one. However, the easiest way for those who still want to get a new look for their kitchen would be to bring a game-changing dose of color to the kitchen, starting with the cabinets.

If your kitchen currently lacks personality or you want to shift to a stylish modern kitchen, painting a kitchen cabinet is one of the best and cheapest ways for your vision to materialize. Just note that painting kitchen cabinets may incur a higher cost if it is not done correctly. To prevent this from happening, Parasol properties have prepared a step-by-step process on how to paint kitchen cabinets. It is always good to be prepared and knowledgeable by learning how professionals do it, so without further ado, here are the steps you need to know how to paint kitchen cabinets properly. 

Step 1: Inspect your kitchen cabinet’s condition

Can your kitchen cabinet accommodate a makeover? The answer to this question will be known once you have taken out everything inside it and inspected each part of it. 

How’s its condition? Is it warped, chipped, or damaged? If so, painting it might not be the best choice for your kitchen revamp plan.

Avoid failing to recognize the condition of your kitchen cabinet and save money. Have your kitchen cabinet painted only if it can accommodate the makeover you have in mind.  

Step 2: Prepare your surrounding, materials, and the cabinet 

If the cabinet is in good shape, the next step is to prepare everything that you will use–the place, materials, and of course, the kitchen cabinet. 

Place
Protect your kitchen floor and everything else in your kitchen. Tape a drop cloth, or use a newspaper or another protector over the countertops and the surrounding work area before painting. 

Materials
Use the best materials available. Select the equipment that you are most comfortable with. For most non-professional painters, using a spray gun is highly recommended because utilizing a paintbrush on a cabinet usually leaves unwanted brush marks behind. If you still prefer a paintbrush, get a premium Benjamin Moore nylon or polyester brush. 
In terms of paints and primer, we recommend purchasing directly from any Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore store if you’re from Clearwater, Dunedin, Lutz, Safety Harbor, Tampa, and Tarpon Springs. These brands also have partnered with many more stores, making them more accessible and available for everyone. 

Cabinet
Pull out the cabinets carefully and remove the doors off the hinges. Don’t forget to label each kitchen cabinet that has been taken out, so you know where to return them.
Once the cabinets are taken out, clean them gently with a grease remover. Use a damp sponge to wipe the cabinets and let them dry for a while. 

Before fully starting the painting process, ensure that the cabinets are not too smooth or glossy by sanding them with a 100-220 grit sandpaper. Making the cabinet a little rough can help the primer application easier. 

Before priming, vacuum the cabinet and the whole workspace to ensure no dust settling in the paint or primer. 

The first step to priming your kitchen cabinets is knowing what type of primer will you apply. If you have wooden cabinets, Benjamin Moore recommends ADVANCE Primer (K790) because this has excellent adhesion that provides the proper foundation for any ADVANCE finish. For laminate cabinets, the store recommends Fresh Start® High-Hiding All Purpose Primer (K046).

Once the primer was applied, let it dry for at least 24 hours before sanding it again. 

As we stated a while ago, sanding is vital in ensuring the smoothness of the final coating. That is the reason why sanding will be done until the final coating. 

To start the second round of sanding, ensure that the primer is completely dry. Sand all surfaces using 220-grit paper or sanding block. Focus on areas that may have drips or pools until the surface is as even as possible so you can smoothly paint your kitchen cabinets. Once done, don’t forget the last step in sanding–ensuring that no dust will settle in the paint by using a vacuum cleaner or a damp cloth. 

Once the cabinet is cleaned and dried after sanding. prepare the materials you’ve gotten and apply the first coat of paint using your preferred equipment carefully. Upon painting cabinet doors or other similar large surfaces, you may opt to use a foam or microfiber paint roller instead of a brush or spray gun to save time. Let the paint dry completely before proceeding to the next step. 

The way this is done is just the same as steps 3 and 5. 

The way this is done is also the same as step 6. Just like how you did every step with complete care and excellence, do this step with an equal goal–complete and smooth coverage for all surfaces. 

Step 9: Drying and reinstalling the kitchen cabinets back 

Dry your paint for at least 24 hours or longer. The longer, the better. Doing this will ensure durability and easier reinstallation. Once your kitchen cabinets are fully dry, don’t forget to put back the hardware you initially took out. Make sure you clean the area where you will reinstall your kitchen cabinets. Install the kitchen cabinets carefully and test their stability to ensure everyone’s safety. Then clean the whole kitchen afterward. 

Repainting kitchen cabinets require knowledge, skill, and patience to ensure the success of your kitchen revamp plan. If you think you’re not yet ready for this but you want to spruce up your tired kitchen with freshly painted cabinets, we highly recommend seeking painting service providers. 

Getting professional help might be a little costly, but this is better if you’re not that confident yet. The service of professional painters often costs around $1,000, and this might get higher or lower depending on the size of your kitchen, the location of your home, and other factors. If you’re from Clearwater, Dunedin, Lutz, Safety Harbor, Tampa, and Tarpon Springs, asking for the help of certified single-family home constructors from the area will provide you with higher quality painted cabinets due to their connection with credible painters with proven expertise and access to professional-grade products. 

If your kitchen currently lacks personality or you want to shift to a stylish modern kitchen, painting a kitchen cabinet is one of the best and cheapest ways for your vision to materialize. Just note that painting kitchen cabinets may incur a higher cost if it is not done correctly. To prevent this from happening, 

A step-by-step guide to help your kitchen achieve a “new” look without spending too much!

When you take into account all of the materials, equipment, contractors, and preparation, it can be quite costly. However, spending more in the renovation stages will also save you money down the line.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Renovating your home can be costly if you want it done right. Although the actual renovation cost might change due to where your house is based and just how much of a fixer-upper it needs, you're still looking to shell out tens to hundreds of thousands. 

At the same time, spending money on ensuring your home is in a habitable state before renovation will save on costs down the line. The same can be said for the renovation itself. As another way of putting it, quality doesn't come cheap. In home renovation, you pay for what you get.

As we said, how much the overall cost will be, depends on a few different factors. Size, the region you live in, and how much work needs to be done should all factor in.

According to Home Advisor, renovation for a 2,500-square-foot home costs anywhere from $15,000 to $200,000. Here's a breakdown of that range: 

Low end: $15,000-$45,000 - covers inexpensive updates like trim, paint, landscaping, flooring, and counters.

Mid-range: $46,000-$70,000 - includes everything on the low-end, plus a bath or a complete kitchen remodel and possibly higher-end flooring.

High end: $71,000-$200,000 - covers low- and mid-range projects options, plus custom or high-end cabinetry, a chef's kitchen, a private dock with boat lift, double-sink, and vaulted ceiling in your bathroom, and an extravagant entertainment area.

Start by getting free estimates from local contractors

When you're planning to remodel your home, you should always ask the experts for advice. Asking questions can only broaden your mind, and any local contractors will be able to give you their estimates, which you can then take into account. Note that different contractors have different ways of showing you their estimates. So here are some tips: 

Never go with your first option. - If you have three contractors to choose from, and your first choice is the contractor who gives you the cheapest estimate, better validate your option first. The first contractor may present you with the cheapest estimate, but the 2nd or 3rd contractor offers much better work quality that justifies their higher estimates. While our guts are often correct, it is way better to verify things--after all, your home is at stake.

Interior projects: Kitchens, baths, flooring and electrics, painting, lighting, drywall, etc.

Roofing: Installation and replacement costs for various types of roofs, prices for materials (asphalt shingles, metal, cedar, slate, etc.)

Siding: Installation and replacement costs for the most popular types of siding, such as vinyl, wood, and aluminum. Also, siding repair costs.

Additional exterior renovations: Exterior painting of doors, windows, fences, decks, etc., as well as gutter repair costs.

Mechanical: plumbing, HVAC, solar panels, etc.*

*All estimates listed below are sourced from more than 40 medium-large general contractors and extensive research. 

Additions to your home can be as low-cost as buying a build-it-yourself sunroom or as expensive as full-scale house additions that scale up your house's resale value. 

Large sunroom (24 x 15 feet):  $23,000 (installation not included)

Small sunroom (9 x 15 feet): $15,000 (installation not included)

A common misconception is that remodeling the basement will be the easiest (and cheapest) job.  On the contrary, remodeling the basement also means you need to deal with plumbing and electrics. Taking this into account, as well as the sheer amount of physical work, you might be looking at similar costs to a small room addition.

As a DIY project by scratch: $15,000 - $25,000

With a proprietary finishing system: $50,000 - $75,000

With a contractor by scratch: $55,000 - $100,000

If you take plumbing out of the picture, renovating your bathroom can be a great DIY project. However, when plumbing is involved, it's going to get complicated and costly fast.

I strongly suggest calculating a quote for your bathroom based on square footage and tile installation. If you're just looking to do cosmetic updates or small remodels such as painting or tiling, you can do it yourself for less than $2,000.

Kitchen remodeling is a complex undertaking if you're planning to do it yourself. That's generally why almost every homeowner turns to expert contractors for this project. A good kitchen renovation also requires high-cost materials and appliances, so you're looking at that plus the cost for the contractors.

Full-scale remodel with contractor: $21,000 - $126,000

Full-scale DIY remodel: $20,000 - $50,000

Basic surface-level remodel: $2,000 - $20,000

Note: If you plan to do up your kitchen in 2022, find out what kind of investment return you'll get from it. It can aid you in budgeting for the actual project, so you don't lose money if you decide to sell.

If you are thinking about selling your home in the future, kitchen remodels are responsible for one of the highest investment returns. Roughly 70% of buyers pay special attention to the functionality of the kitchen as well as the aesthetics. 

A few kitchen remodeling ideas add the most value to the room, and they're not always the most expensive either.

Good floor installation has room for both worlds: DIY and professional. If you want to do the floor yourself, floor installations such as the plank, laminate, and tile vinyl are all super easy to do. However, it's always a good idea to call professionals for wall-to-wall carpeting and hardwood.

Sanding and finishing a hardwood floor: $3-$5 per square foot

Ceramic tile installation: $15-$28 per square foot

Vinyl tile installation: $4-$6 per square foot

Wall-to-wall carpet installation: $5-$12 per square foot

Handling the electrics on your own is a good way of cutting the price. While a lot of electrical work such as replacing outlets can be done by the homeowner, wiring new electrical circuits and performing a heavy-up is more of a job for a contractor. 

Heavy-up (increases electrical service): $1,000-$1,500

Running electrical circuits in open walls: $250-$400 (electrician); $25 (DIY)

Although most homeowners hire a professional plumber to help them out, there's been a rise in people doing plumbing repairs by themselves. This is due to the advent of push-fit connectors and PEX pipes, doing projects like water heater installation quickly done by homeowners.

Septic system installation: $4,000-$6,000

Sump pump installation (sans outlet): $500-$700

Copper pipe connection (with a push-fit connector): $5

Unless you're planning to oversee the entire renovation yourself, you need to budget in a contractor. Usually, they charge between 10-15% of the project's total budget. Therefore, for a renovation that costs $50,000, you're looking to pay a contractor between $20/hr and $150/hr.

Tip: See if you can negotiate costs on finish materials. Some contractors get discounts on retail prices that can save you some money.

The real key to renovating your home is to be realistic about what work you can and can't afford. If your property hasn't yet been checked to see whether or not it's in a habitable state, this should be your priority. The home should be safe and dry with working hot water and heating before you even consider beginning a remodeling job.

Sure, renovating your home can be costly - but it's also great fun. 

Are you looking for a trusted home builder who can make every cost of renovation worth it?

If you're from Tampa, Lutz, Dunedin, or Clearwater, look no further. We're here to help. 

Unless you're planning to oversee the entire renovation yourself, you need to budget in a contractor. Usually, they charge between 10-15%

When you feel like it’s time for a renovation, will the cost really matter?

How much does it cost to renovate [my house]?

A home provides comfort and safety no matter how big or small it is. But if your home is not maintained correctly, will it be able to offer the same amount of reliability when it was still new? Like humans who encounter different stages in life, homes experience different phases too--we call them seasons. 

All these seasons affect our homes differently. Thus it is only important to know how to properly maintain your home in different seasons to keep it healthy and spare you from costly repairs and other unnecessary expenses. Having said this, allow us to share some tips on maintaining your home in every season. 

Ensure that air intakes, exhausts, and meters are clear of snow

Check basement floor drain trap; replenish if needed

Inspect all faucets for signs of dripping

Clean furnace humidifier; close its damper to applicable areas where aircon is centralized.

Check fireplace and chimney; service or clean if needed

Inspect air conditioning; service as needed (usually every 2-3 years)

Check/clean HRV; wash or replace the filter

Clean windows screens and hardware; install screens

Check that air intake and exhausts are clear of debris, nests, etc. 

Check foundation walls, sump pump, eaves troughs, and downspouts

Undertake spring landscape maintenance; fertilize young trees

Test plumbing shut-off valves to ensure they are working

Check roofing and flashing for signs of wear or damage

Air out damp basements on dry days or use a dehumidifier

Check chalking and weather stripping of doors and windows

Inspect chimneys for possible end-of-season problems

Repair any areas that may compromise you and your households’ safety

Clean furnace humidifier; open its damper to applicable areas where aircon is centralized.

Have furnace/heating system serviced(every two years)

For central air conditioning, clean filter in the air handling unit

Cover the exterior of air conditioning units

Ensure that ground slopes away from the foundation wall

Inspect basement or crawl space or signs of leakage/seepage

Vacuum ducts behind warm air and return air grilles

Since every season impacts our home uniquely, different ways of home care should be done. Keep those maintenance tips in mind or have them printed on a piece of paper. Repeat checking the list twice, inspect your home thrice but never forget to perform them, even once.

Have a safe and comfy home living all year round!

How to maintain your home for every season

So I’m writing about termites because this happened to a client of ours. We were working on a renovation on their deck, and we found termites during our site inspection.

Each year termites cause billions of dollars in damage to homes across North America. Termites’ diet consists mainly of wood. Specifically, damage in your home can compromise the strength and safety of the structure. To prevent this, early detection of a termite infestation is key. So, how can you tell whether your home has fallen prey to termites?

Flying termites, which are called swarmers, are often mistaken for flying ants. While ants and termites are similar in size, there are some key characteristics that you can use to tell the difference between the two insects. For example, flying ants do not shed their wings, while termite swarmers do. If you notice wings on your windowsills, doors, and other access points to your home, you are likely dealing with an infestation.

If you believe your home may have fallen prey to termites, you should examine the wood in your home. Different termites leave different patterns of damage:

Subterranean termites consume softwood and eat along the grain to produce a distinctive honeycomb shape in wood.

Drywood termites also eat along the wood grain to excavate large sections of wood. The damage appears significant but is less severe than that of the subterranean version. Drywood colonies can reach numbers in the thousands; however, it would take years for a colony to grow to that size.

Formosan termites can number in the millions and can consume wood rapidly given their large number. They, too, eat along the grain are considered one of the most voracious kinds of insects.

Dampwood termites require regular access to water and high humidity to survive. For that reason, they do not often live inside their homes. Instead, they often build their nests in trees, damp logs, and untreated fence posts.

Dampwood termites can live entirely in the wood, they are eating and often plug openings with fecal matter, thus avoiding detection for years, but there will be droppings where there is damp wood variety. Although, these dropping might be hard to spot if you have an infestation in your yard as the pellets look like small particles of dust or sawdust.

Even if you cannot see the visible evidence of damage, there are different ways to determine if you have a termite infestation on your hands. These signs include wood that is weak and crumbles easily or wood that sounds hollow when tapped.

While you can check for signs of an infestation yourself, the most effective way to see if you have these pests is to get an inspection from a pest control company. An experienced professional will identify signs of an infestation that you would easily miss.

Most of the time, these pests are killed using fumigation. During the termite fumigation process, a trained pest management professional will place a tent (tarps) over a home before releasing a fumigant throughout the structure. The fumigant will circulate throughout the home to reach cracks and crevices between and inside wood where termites can tunnel and thrive. Termites will breathe in the fumigant, which then will deplete their oxygen, affect their nervous system, and cause their death.

If you need help with your house renovation and termites are present as well, we’ve dealt with it before, and we can assist you as well. We're a trusted home builder for your Tampa Bay property needs. Feel free to contact us and let us know about your project if you need help.

Damage in your home can compromise the ...To prevent this, early detection of a termite infestation is key. 

As much as possible, we want to secure our house from any pests infestations. If termite is one of your concerns, here's our part in helping you eliminate them. 

Expecting the unknown during the site inspection

Whenever we get called to check out a job, we never know what to expect. While a phone call can get us an idea of what work the homeowner would like, it is not until we get to the location and perform a site inspection for ourselves before we can paint the whole picture. Housing is unique, and we make a lot of discoveries on the job site. Plus, we make a lot of choices on the spot as well.

We tend to review renovation jobs by appointment with a prearranged time frame with the homeowner. During this site inspection, we try and examine every detail of the project. The review usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size, scale, and information.

In renovations, we have to carefully look over the home to identify defects and damage or potential issues to reduce the likelihood of change orders and extras. During our site visit, we take pictures of anything that needs repair and things to note. We use this to create a scope of work and an estimate for the work required.

This beautiful Tarpon Springs home sits at the end of a street and overlooks the Gulf of Mexico. As a home built in 1992, it does need a few updates. The homeowner initially called us up because there was some water damage around the deck. That’s where we came in. Parasol performed a site inspection and made some suggestions that the homeowner liked. This project has since scaled up to the complete renovation of the decking system of the house. Also, Parasol has updated safety provisions, added outdoor kitchens, and revamped the railing system.

You can tell by the homeowners' furniture that even though this is a traditional finished home, they have a flair for a more modern approach, and we have to adjust the design accordingly.

From the 3rd floor, the view is great, but you can see the tile start to degrade. It is a single platform.

Two long hallways on either side give access to the larger balcony on the second floor. This balcony is immediately below the 3rd floor.

Grout is wearing away, and tiles are chipped. There might be some decking issues or water issues as a result of this flooring.

The railing is attachment is a little off and quite dated. The homeowners have a much better vision to match current trends.

Can you relate to some of the issues we found in our site inspection? If you feel like you do and believe that your house needs some house inspection too, contact the trusted home builder near you or if you live in Tampa, Lutz, Dunedin, or  Clearwater, let us know. :)

Site inspections reveal a lot of helpful ideas before home builders start their renovators. Read the blog below to discover how Parasol Properties perform one in Tarpon Springs. 

Site Inspection – Alexis Court, Tarpon Springs, FL

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Site Inspection – Alexis Court, Tarpon Springs, FL