■Market property to more buyers
■Allow buyers the opportunity to renovate/upgrade/improve to suit their tastes and preferences
■No need to settle for low-ball cash offers
■Current condition of property not required to meet FHA’s property standards
■Buyer is permitted to correct any property deficiencies after close of escrow
■No more inspection concerns
■Absolutely no repairs are required prior to close of escrow
■Seller not responsible for cost of repairs/improvements
■Transaction will close with property in “AS-IS condition
■Closing occurs in 45 days

The post 203K loan Benefits to Sellers, appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

Nail-down installation

1. Remove any baseboards or shoe moldings. Baseboard is used to hide the gap that you must leave for expansion and contraction of wood. So, you will want to make sure your subfloor is clear to the walls in order to have a place to come back and install the base and shoe molding later. The standard gap between the flooring and the walls is 3/16″ to 3/4″ depending on your manufacturer and style of flooring.

2. Screw down any loose or squeaky boards and undercut any door jambs to allow for the wood to be installed underneath. A helpful tip is to use the backside of one of your boards to determine the height needed to be cut off of your door jambs.

3. Start laying out the first row. Try to run the boards perpendicular to your floor joists if possible. You will need to either pop a chalk line or stretch a line parallel to your first wall. Make sure and account at this point for any out of square issues in your room. Once you start running boards they will appear as straight as the first board. You usually would measure from one side of the wall to the other and adjust any discrepancies with this first row. Make sure and predrill your first row or two for nails and face nail them into joists if possible.

4. Dry fit the next 3 feet or so. Make sure you are pulling your strips or planks from three separate boxes randomly so that the natural graining of the wood will vary slightly. This way your installed floor will have a more uniform look. Now you can layout all your boards for 3 feet or so and make your length cuts accordingly.

5. Nail down the next rows. Use a flooring nailer to nail through the tongue of the board. These are usually available for rent at most tool rental outlets. Using a rubber mallet to shoot the nail through the tongue. Make sure you adjust the nailer so that it countersinks the boards. Keep alternating nailing and dry-fitting boards to assure a proper fit.

6. Nail around any obstacles in the floor such as cabinets or pipes/fixtures that come out of the subfloor. Make sure you leave the appropriate gap around any of these obstacles.

7. Face nail the last few rows when you come to the edge of the room.

8. Next install your transitions and base moldings. Make sure you allow for a gap inside your transition. Also, make sure that you do not nail down the transition or moldings to the wood floor. You will need to nail the base moldings into the wall and the transitions into the floor in a place where it will not come into contact with the wood. Sometimes it is helpful to add some construction adhesive to the bottom of the transitions as these are usually high traffic areas. Over time this will prevent squeaking.

Glue-down installation

1. Remove any baseboards or shoe moldings. Baseboard is used to hide the gap that you must leave for expansion and contraction of wood. So, you will want to make sure your subfloor is clear to the walls in order to have a place to come back and install the base and shoe molding later. The standard gap between the flooring and the walls is 3/16″ to 3/4″ depending on your manufacturer and style of flooring.

2. If installing over a wood subfloor, screw down any loose or squeaky boards, Undercut any door jambs to allow for the wood to be installed underneath. A helpful tip is to use the backside of one of your boards to determine the height needed to be cut off of your door jambs.

3. Start laying out the first row. Try to run the boards perpendicular to your floor joists if possible. You will need to either pop a chalk line or stretch a line parallel to your first wall. Make sure and account at this point for any out of square issues in your room. Once you start running boards they will appear as straight as the first board. You usually would measure from one side of the wall to the other and adjust any discrepancies with this first row. Glue down this first row.

4. Dry fit the next 3 feet or so. Make sure you are pulling your strips or planks from three separate boxes randomly so that the natural graining of the wood will vary slightly. This way your installed floor will have a more uniform look. Now you can layout all your boards for 3 feet or so and make your length cuts accordingly.

5. Apply glue a foot or so out from the board and glue down the next few rows. Keep in mind the larger the room the less area away from your board you will be able to glue at a time. Make sure and keep some cleanup rags to try and keep the glue off the wood. Most manufacturers sell these as accessories. You can also use Acetone on a cotton or cheesecloth rag.

6. Glue around any obstacles in the floor such as cabinets or pipes/fixtures that come out of the subfloor. Make sure you leave the appropriate gap around any of these obstacles.

7. Glue down the last few rows when you come to the edge of the room.

8. Next install your transitions and base moldings. Make sure you allow for a gap inside your transition. Also, make sure that you do not glue down the transition or moldings to the wood floor. You will need to nail the base moldings into the wall and glue the transitions into the floor in a place where it will not come into contact with the wood using some construction adhesive to the bottom of the transitions.

The post How to install hardwood floors appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

1. For efficiency, the work triangle (the space between the sink, refrigerator, and stove) should measure 26′ or less with no single side longer than 9′, or less than 4′.

2. In kitchens smaller than 150 sq. ft., opt for at least 13′ of base cabinets, 12′ of wall cabinets, and 11′ of countertop. In kitchens which are larger, go with at least 16′ of base cabinets, 15 1/2′ of wall cabinets, and 16 1/2′ of countertop.

3. For convenience, plan work aisles to be at least 42″ wide for one cook, and at least 48″ wide in multi-cook kitchens.

4. Specify a minimum of 24″ of counter space on one side of the sink and at least 18″ on the other.

5. To create the most accessible landing for unloading groceries, allow at least 15″ of counter space on the handle side of a standard refrigerator; on both sides if it’s a side-by-side model. Or include a landing area directly across from the refrigerator, but no more than 48″ away.

6. For cleanup ease, install the dishwasher within 36″ of one edge of the sink and allow for at least 21″ of standing room next to it.

7. For microwaves and ovens, provide at least 15 ” of counter space nearby, at least 16″ deep.

8. For optimum clearance, no entry, appliance, or cabinet doors should interfere with another.

9. For comfort and to help avoid repetitive-motion injury, plan for work counters of different heights; between 28 and 36″ off the floor (easier for chopping and seated-use access), and between 36 and 46″ for general tasks (higher counters accommodate taller cooks).

10. To install a cabinet unit above the cook top, make sure the clearance is at least 24″ for a fireproof surface, 30″ for an unprotected surface.

Designing a kitchen is as much a science as it is an art. Knowing the recommended measurements to use when planning the project can make all the difference in the final outcome.

Author Bio
Harvey Juric, is a veteran custom home builder in Southern Ontario. If you like this article, there is more at: www.ontario-home-builder.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content

The post 10 Important Things to Consider Before Designing a New Kitchen from Atlas Homes TX appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

This overlooked feature can really bring pizzazz to your décor and needs to complement both the window and the curtains you have chosen, as well as be appropriately functional.

Hardware for window treatments is available in a wide variety of styles. Some curtain rods are designed to be covered by the curtains, while others are best displayed prominently due to their highly decorative nature. If the rod is meant to be featured you could hang the curtains from decorative rings sewn into the top panel. Considering both the curtain and the rod at the same time will save you the disappointment of having pieces that don’t complement each other.

Today’s Lesson: Do you know what finials are? They are the decorative ends on the curtain rod. I didn’t know their official name for several years. I just called them “ends of the curtain rod.” They can be wooden, wrought-iron, glass, or plastic.

The most standard types are:

Finials can range widely in price, from the $2 plastic pieces to $100 very heavy fancy pieces. Consider your budget but also know that what you choose will make a certain statement in the room and that statement will last longer than the effects of spending a little extra money. You also have to be sure the finials will fit where you are hanging the curtain. Consider the shape of your window and the molding around it. In some cases there just isn’t room for large fancy finials, nor is it always appropriate for the style of curtain you’ve chosen.

Author Bio
Visit curtains.topicreviews.com/curtain-rods.html for more information on curtains, rods and finials.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content

The post Hanging Curtains? Don’t Forget the Rods and Finials! appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

https://atlasgreenhomes.com.com  ” https://atlashomes.us.com” 

The post ATLAS GREEN HOMES 203k contractor Houston . Austin . San Antonio . appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

The vast majority of contractors are honest, hardworking professionals. Protecting yourself against the few bad apples requires checking references, having a solid contract, and being alert to the warning signs of these top ontractor scams.

Take my word for it

When you first meet with the contractor, he’s very agreeable about doing everything exactly to your specifications and even suggests his own extra touches and upgrades. Some of the details don’t make it into the contract, but you figure it doesn’t matter because you had such a clear verbal understanding.

Pretty soon, you notice that the extras you’d discussed aren’t being built. When you confront the contractor, he tells you that he didn’t include those features in his price, so you’ll have to live without them or pony up additional money to redo the work.

How to protect yourself: Unfortunately, you have no legal recourse because you signed a contract that didn’t include all the details. Next time, make sure everything you’ve agreed on is written into the project description. Add any items that are missing, put your initials next to each addition, and have the contractor initial it, too—all before you sign.

I don’t need to pull a permit

You’re legally required to get a building permit for any significant construction project. That allows building officials to visit the site periodically to confirm that the work meets safety codes.

On small interior jobs, an unlicensed contractor may try to skirt the rule by telling you that authorities won’t notice. On large jobs that can’t be hidden, the contractor may try another strategy and ask you to apply for a homeowner’s permit, an option available to do-it-yourselfers.

But taking out your own permit for a contractor job means lying to authorities about who’s doing the work. And it makes you responsible for monitoring all the inspections—since the contractor doesn’t answer to the inspector, you do.

How to protect yourself: Always demand that the contractor get a building permit. Yes, it informs the local tax assessor about your upgrade, but it weeds out unlicensed contractors and gives you the added protection of an independent assessment of the work.

We ran into unforeseen problems

The job is already under way, perhaps even complete, when this one hits. Suddenly your contractor informs you that the agreed-upon price has skyrocketed. He blames the discovery of structural problems, like a missing beam or termite damage, or design changes that you made after the job began.

The additional fees might very well be legit, but some unscrupulous contractors bid jobs low to get the work and then find excuses to jack up the price later. If you’re unsure whether your contractor is telling the truth about structural problems, you can get an impartial opinion from a home inspector, the local branch of the National Association of Home Builders, or even your local building department.

How to protect yourself: Before signing the contract, make sure it includes a procedure for change orders–mini-contracts containing a work description and a fixed price–for anything that gets added to the job in progress. The extra work, whether it’s related to unforeseen building issues or homeowner whims, can proceed only after the change order is signed by both homeowner and contractor.

I’ve got extra materials I can sell you cheap

This hoax is usually run by driveway paving companies, whose materials—hot-top asphalt and concrete—can’t be returned to the supplier. So the crew pulls up to your house with a load of leftover product and quotes a great price to resurface your driveway on the spot.

Even if it’s really a bargain (by no means a sure thing), taking them up on the offer is risky if you have no idea who they are and haven’t checked references. And if the driveway starts cracking next year, you can bet you won’t find this bunch again.

How to protect yourself: Never hire a contractor on the spot, whether it’s a driveway paver, an emergency repairman who shows up after a major storm, or a landscaper with surplus plantings. Take your time to check contractors out to make sure they have a good reputation and do quality work.

By: Atlas Green Homes HQ

Published: January 7, 2019

The post The Top Contractor Scams and How to Avoid Them -Tips from ATLAS GREEN HOMES appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

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The post Tips for choosing a contractors to build your room addition appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

The average cost of a bathroom remodel over the last quarter was less than $10,000. Out of a pool of 3,000 homeowners, 9 out of 10 were not only pleased with their project, but would recommend it to others. When you think of the money and resources that get wasted by leaky pipes, dripping faucets, inefficient showerheads, and obsolete toilets and, add the hassle of waiting for mirrors to clear up, waiting for hot water (or running out too soon), and dealing with water pressure problems it’s easy to see why so many folks are so happy with their new bathrooms!

The post Bathroom Enhancements by Atlas Homes appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.

How to Get Floor Plans of a House – Are House Floor Plans Public Record?

The post HOW TO GET FLOOR PLANS OF A HOUSE- ARE HOUSE FLOOR PLANS PUBLIC RECORD? appeared first on Atlas Homes TX. Custom Homebuilder / Major Remodeling.