PRO President Offers Consumer Tips for Home Improvement Month

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RISMEDIA, May 25, 2007-(MCT)-The most important thing for a consumer to remember when considering a home improvement is getting a licensed contractor.

That is the key, said Larry Schaffert, president of the Professional Remodelors Organization (PRO) of the Frederick County Builders Association.

May is National Home Improvement Month and Schaffert offers some advice for those looking at a remodeling, addition or related project at their home.

“No matter what you do, make sure the person is licensed. Make them pull the card out of their wallet and show you,” he said. Consumers can also use the Internet to find sources such as the Maryland Home Improvement Commission.

“The best way to choose a home improvement contractor is by referral,” said Schaffert, from his office at his home on Brethren Church Road.

“But make sure it is from someone with a completed project, not just one in process. You might find problems could develop during the project or if it is not done properly,” Schaffert said.

Choosing someone with expertise in a certain area is the right way to go as well, he said. “If you are having a deck put on, choose someone who does decks. The same with a roofing or siding project,” he said. Some contractors may do all types of work, but experience and expertise in a specific area is always a plus.

“There are three types of remodeling. Repair, if something is broken or defective; replacement, if something is worn out, and new, such as an addition or finishing unfinished space.”

Repair and replacement are essentially maintaining the value of the home, Schaffert said. “From the perspective of a homeowner, anything in a home 20 years and original probably needs to be brought up to date. Doing so not only maintains the home, but makes the home better for a buyer and the seller can recoup the cost.”

Creating new space is a real trend, Schaffert said. One of the most popular is combining homes with a small kitchen and separate dining room into a larger eat-in kitchen.

“Also in basements, we can turn space used just for storage into more usable space,” he said.

One point to remember on basement remodeling, he said, is having a second egress. “You need a second way to get out if there is a fire. It could really mean saving a life.”

In any case, make sure you-or the contractor-gets a permit, Schaffert said. Check with whichever department fits your location-in the county or a municipality.

Are more people remodeling with home prices soaring and uncertain mortgage rates?

“I see a fair amount of people who choose to stay where they are because they like the neighborhood, they have kids in school and they have a fair amount of equity in the house, which allows them to do the remodeling,” he said.

The dollar value of remodeling is approaching the dollar value of new construction, not counting land costs, Schaffert said, about $228 billion last year and estimated to reach $232 billion in 2007, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

One of the pieces of advise Schaffert gives to homeowners is looking closely at a project.

“I’m also a home inspector and I see projects that people have done that are finished improperly and can detract from the home. It is more than just tools and materials,” he said. He advises homeowners to do research, do it safely and, of course, get a permit, even if they are doing the work themselves.

“If you have doubts, hire a professional,” he said.

Something people don’t consider is the time involved, Schaffert said.

Even for professionals, putting on an addition or finishing a space takes time.

“And when you are working in the kitchen or bathroom, that is a real disruption in your life. The consumer needs to think ‘how much spare time do I really have?’ I’ve known projects to take two years to complete. Getting a professional means getting it done right and in faster time.”

A major factor is whether the project involves changing existing space or expanding.

The most unusual remodeling job he ever had was unearthing an 18th century graveyard while digging the footers for an addition to a house. He wouldn’t disclose where the property was.

“We contacted the state’s attorney’s office to make sure the bodies weren’t there from foul play. We then had a state archeologist come in and do work there before we could continue the project. That is the most memorable,” he said.

Schaffert has two full-time employees, as well as himself, in Schaffert Construction and hires subcontractors in plumbing, electricity and other specialties when he needs them. He also operates Kitchen Solvers, a division of his business that focuses on kitchen planning and remodeling.

Serving his third nonconsecutive term as president of PRO, Schaffert was president of the Maryland Remodelers Association in 2000. He also has served twice as president of the Frederick County Builders Association.

He began in construction at the age of 10, he said, helping his grandfather who owned properties to do maintenance and repair work. He became a full time carpenter after high school and opened his own business 18 years ago. The management end of construction takes a lot of time, he said, scheduling and ordering materials, but can save time in the long run once a project gets started.

One of the biggest problems in the construction industry, Schaffert said, is finding qualified workers. Fewer young people are entering the field and the average age of a carpenter is 45. “It is easier to find someone for the kitchen work, but for an addition it is getting harder to find people with the right skills.”

Education has been a priority for Schaffert who has speakers each month at PRO meetings not only from the construction field, but in safety, finance, insurance and other aspects of a home improvement business.

“A lot of people look at home improvement as construction, but we are really a service,” he said.

Schaffert said he works primarily in Frederick County. “We will do work in Washington County, but when you go to Baltimore or D.C., traffic is a major hassle. Plus I think we provide better customer service when we work closer to the base of operations.”

Copyright © 2007, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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