Construction Tips When Building or Remodeling Your Home in Florida

 

Building or remodeling a home in Florida comes with some challenges unlike other areas of the country. From summer rainstorms and hurricanes to blistering hot temperatures many months out of the year, construction in the Sunshine State is not always smooth sailing. Not to mention the heavily regulated Florida construction law.

So, what do you need to know to properly navigate the ins and outs of a Tampa Bay Home Remodel?  Check out these helpful construction tips when building or remodeling your Florida home.

  • Know whether or not you’re in a flood zone – Before your project begins, you should know if you’re in a flood zone because according to FEMA, the number of improvements cannot exceed 50% of the value of the structure, or you may need to raise it above the floodplain.
  • Use Timbor, a non-toxic salt treatment, to protect the wood from termites – Timbor is an insecticide used to treat wood and wood products to prevent termites, powder post beetles, and wood decay fungus. To protect the wood from insect and water damage, Timbor is applied to indoor and outdoor wood surfaces. It won’t stain wood surfaces and poses little to no threat due to its low toxicity and being nearly odorless. Timbor has to be applied when the wood is exposed, therefore the obvious time to treat the wood is during a remodel or new construction.
  • Schedule a moisture test on concrete slabs – Before installing new flooring, it’s a good idea to moisture test the concrete slab base to detect any existing moisture which could later lead to mold and mildew issues and premature flooring damage or warping. Depending on your home’s location, moisture could pose a real threat, so take the time to safeguard your floors.
  • Add a mold treatment of all materials before drywall – Similar to the point above, niche companies that conduct mold treatments will often offer a warranty. Do your research to find a reputable one to treat your wood frames, in particular, to prevent possible mold growth later on.
  • Test for Radon – Did you know the radioactive gas Radon is emitted through the ground? Specifically, radon rises through the soil before getting trapped just below a building’s foundation. The trapped gases accumulate pressure, which forces them up into the building through the walls and floors. Before a remodel project, it’s recommended to test for radon and have a pipe system installed to deter radon from entering your home. Since radon exposure has been linked to cancer, you can never be too careful.
  • Only purchase materials for the home’s exterior that have a Florida product approval number – This is to ensure they can stand up to Category 5 hurricane winds and debris. Windows, doors, siding, and roofing with Florida product approval numbers have all been tested with low-missile impact procedures.
  •  Keep energy efficiency in mind – include proper insulation, HVAC cooling equipment, and other amenities such as “mini-splits” or air ducts that fit with the design of your home.  Mini-splits are loved for being non-invasive and easy to install. Because it alleviates running ductwork, these devices can oftentimes be found in historic homes as a substitute for a traditional central heat and air system. Contact your power company to see if you qualify for credit reimbursements for new windows, doors, insulation, AC – anything that saves on energy consumption.
  • Schedule your construction project for the cooler months – If you can somewhat control the timeline of your project, attempt to have your home remodeling project take place during the cooler months. Not only will it be more comfortable for the construction crew temperature-wise, but you’ll also avoid the inevitable rainy season delays.
  • Make sure your contractor is licensed and insured!  Florida law heavily regulates the construction industry, so you must do your research and hire a reputable, licensed and insured contractor with ample experience in Florida construction. Have your contractor provide a portfolio of projects as references and ask your family and friends for referrals.

Rossi Construction has had the pleasure of serving the Tampa Bay area for over 20 years and we take Florida construction law very seriously. Ready to get started on your Tampa Bay new home construction or remodeling project? Contact us at 813.436.0177 for your free in-home estimate or if you have any questions about any of the information above and how it relates to your home.

Continue reading Click Here : remodeling project | Remodeling Contractors Tampa

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Best Flooring For Resale Value

Image
  When it comes to home renovations, it’s always important to think long-term. First, you want to ensure you are using quality materials that will hold up over time. Second, it’s important to take into consideration the resale value that your renovations will have. One of the biggest design elements that truly gets put to the test is flooring. Here we discuss two solid choices for flooring options during your home renovation that will have the best resale value: Hardwood Flooring Hardwood floors are a classic floor design that is most sought after by buyers. In fact, hardwood can have 70-80% ROI when it comes to selling. Not only do they match almost every décor style, but hardwood floors are low maintenance and easy to clean. They don’t trap dirt and allergens and can be easily swept, steam cleaned, or vacuumed without any damage making them easy to sustain. Hardwood is strong and durable and is sure to last for many years to come. Tile Flooring Another great flooring
Read more

Tampa Kitchen Remodels and Planning Mistakes

It always feels like everyone has a tip or a trick regarding the best way to remodel your kitchen, but so few people address the errors that we encounter every day. This is a review of a few planning mistakes that you want to try to skip in your Tampa kitchen remodel. Appliances need to fit how you live. In 2013 there is always a big desire to have either the same appliances that your friends and family have, or you may even feel the need to outdo the neighbors. This result is homeowners looking for names like Wolf, while they harbor dreams of a six burner range, and the budget bumps again or quality is abandoned in some other area of the kitchen remodeling contractors tampa fl . You need to be willing to drop the idea of the fanciest stove, instead going for a stove that fits how your family lives, and put that cash into something like a better grade of cabinetry or the tile that you really want. I can’t see anything in this Tampa kitchen. One of the biggest mistakes tha
Read more

Building A Hurricane Safe Home in the Tampa Bay Area

Image
Hurricane season is upon us. The question we all face this time of year is: Is our home prepared? If you find the answer is no, you must take the steps now to ensure your home is safe in the event a hurricane does hit your area. Florida’s hurricane resistance standards are the highest in the nation and for good reason. Our state has been hit hard by hurricanes in the past with more to come in the future. Florida building code requires homes and buildings to be able to withstand wind forces. What does that mean for homeowners? Here we break down how to create a hurricane-safe home in the Tampa Bay area: Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors Protect yourself and your home with impact-resistant doors and windows. These types of features offer wind/pressure protection and are shatterproof so that no matter what the hurricane brings, you can help lessens the impacts from wind damage. If you aren’t in the market to replace your windows and doors, consider a shutter system that can
Read more