BT Martin Contractors
About BT Martin Contractors
Commercial Remodeling for corporate office buildings and warehouse offices in Georgetown DC, Chevy Chase DC, Chevy Chase MD, Bethesda MD, Potomac MD and Howard County MD.
Trim, Roofing, Kitchens, Finished Basements, Drywall, Custom Painting, Bathrooms, MHIC Licensed Contractor #83244
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Location & hours
- Mon Mon 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Tue Tue 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Wed Wed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Thu Thu 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Fri Fri 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Sat Sat Closed
- Sun Sun Closed
Updates & tips from BT Martin Contractors
Remodeling Your Kitchen In Maryland or Washington DC
Your kitchen is the center of your house-not only the place where you prepare food, but also where the family gathers and guests gravitate to be entertained.
Making it the most pleasant and convenient place you can is not only a lifestyle issue, but it also can be a financial boon. When you sell your home, a modern, attractive kitchen is one of the biggest factors in determining its value to buyers in Maryland.
According to a study done by Remodeling magazine, a cosmetic kitchen remodeling job pays back more than any other home remodeling project. The average homeowner who sells a house within one year of updating the kitchen can expect to recoup 80 percent of the investment in the job.
Next to the kitchen, the bathroom is where people spend a large part of their days. From the time you get up to the time you go to bed, you'll spend lots of time in there.
It's no wonder that remodeling a bathroom always ranks high when home owners are asked what improvements they want to make to their houses in Maryland. The National Kitchen and Bath Association says that nearly 11 million bath building or renovation projects will be completed this year, and nearly 7 percent of homes will redo their bathrooms.
Part of the incentive to redo bathrooms is the return on investment. Like kitchens, a renovated bathroom returns more than 70 percent of the cost to the home owner if the house is sold within a year. That's good news since most jobs can cost thousands of dollars. A minor renovation easily can run $10,000. That cost will double if you want something truly luxurious.
301 253-1068
Maryland General Contractors can remodel your Bethesda Maryland Kitchen Your kitchen is the center of your house-not only the place where you prepare food, but also where the family gathers and guests gravitate to be entertained. Making it the most pleasant and conve... Read More
The Hidden Costs of Remodeling a Maryland Home
Articles on Home Remodeling in Maryland
You've been living with that crummy bathroom for years and you've finally decided to take the plunge and use some savings and a home equity loan for the bathroom of your dreams. It's a $20,000 remodeling project and you have the contractor and your loan all lined up. Things are looking great until the contractor shows up the first day to tear out the bathroom tiles. Uh oh. Looks like the old pipes have been leaking for years. The framing supporting the bathroom and the adjacent bedroom is rotting. It will need to be replaced. Additional money required: $7,000.
Unpleasant? Certainly. Uncommon? Not at all.
Unexpected Repairs
With nearly any remodel undertaken on a home that is more than a few years old you're likely to uncover problems that will need to be fixed as you do the remodel. The list of expensive surprises is endless. Want to turn your attic into a guest bedroom? The insulation up there may contain asbestos, which will need to be professionally removed at significant expense. Tearing out old drywall to enlarge a room can reveal wood beams and studs severely damaged by termites and other insects.
Remodeling a kitchen usually means taking a look at pipes leading from the main water supply on the street to your home. Some of those pipes, if they're more than a few decades old, may be soldered with something containing lead or the pipes themselves may contain lead. Given the concern over lead in drinking water, you'll likely want to replace any pipes containing any amount of lead. Replacing the water main to your home will not be cheap. And how about mold? Though the direct links between mold and ill health remains controversial, especially with insurance companies, if you find mold behind a wall during a remodel chances are you'll want to get rid of it. You guessed it. That means spending more money.
However, making unexpected structural repairs is only one of the many hidden costs of remodeling. If there is exterior work involved in your remodel, landscaping may be damaged to the point where it needs to be replaced. Having a new roof put on your home can wreck havoc with landscaping close to the house no matter how careful the roofers are. Homeowners also often see their power bills soar during a remodel. Think of all the power tools that may be running at your house all day if a full crew is working there. If a home has been repainted or replastered on the inside, the crew also may turn on the heat full blast overnight to expedite the drying of the paint or plaster. These are perfectly reasonable actions on the part of the remodelers. But they'll end up costing you money.
Other Hidden Expenses
Do you have a dog or cat that usually stays home all day? The pet may have to go to the pet hotel or doggie daycare for the duration of the project. Is your kitchen being remodeled? If so you'll probably find yourself eating out a lot or buying takeout food, both of which are more expensive than cooking at home. Or perhaps you're considering moving out altogether for a couple of months while your house is ripped up. Depending on the rents for month-by-month apartments in your community, that easily adds at least another $1,000 or more per month to your remodeling costs.
Here's something to consider: Some contractors will actually give you a lower bid if you agree to move out during the remodel since it will make life easier for them and their workers if they don't also have to work around you and your family. Be sure to ask about this. You may think that it will be easy to be out of the house everyday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. while a crew remodels your kitchen and master bedroom suite. But what happens the day your child is sick and can't go to school? What happens the day your car won't start and you have to wait around at home for a tow truck? Are you really the kind of person who is perfectly punctual? While homeowners worry that contractors won't show up, contractors sometimes have to contend with homeowners who won't leave. Nothing slows down a project more than a homeowner hanging around the kitchen, even for a few minutes every day, chatting up the carpenters or cleaning the breakfast dishes.
Bottom line: Remodeling ALWAYS costs more than the sum of the labor and materials. Be prepared.
source: zillow.com
Maryland Home Remodeling by BT Martin Contractors
7130 Rock Creek Dr Frederick, MD 21702-3646 -
(301) 253-1068
Open Weekdays 9am-5pm
Articles on Home Remodeling in Maryland You've been living with that crummy bathroom for years and you've finally decided to take the plunge and use some savings and a home equity loan for the bathroom of your dreams. It's a $20,000 remodeling project and you ha... Read More
3 Questions You Should Ask Your Maryland Remodeling Contractor
If you are seriously thinking about hiring a Maryland home remodeling contractor, you should take the time to give each one of these three questions, some thought. These questions could save you a lot of money and frustration.
1. Are you going to be doing the work your self? Most of the time your contractor will sell you the job, but won't be doing any of the work himself. Get some more info about the crew that he will be sending to your job. You might get along with the contractor, but could have problems with the workers.
2. Make sure that you have emergency telephone numbers, in case one of the workers gets hurt and make sure that you know where the nearest hospital is located. You could find your self in charge of the situation, especially if there's only one worker on the job.
3. You should have direct access to your contractor, 24 hours a day, just in case something happened in the middle of the night. All sorts of things could happen, while your contractor or his crew isn't on the job site. Ask your contractors, if they turn their cell phone off or don't answer their phone, during certain hours. If this is the case, make sure that they give you an additional phone number, in case there is an emergency.
Each one of these questions might not really sound like they're that big of a deal, until something happens. I've already had problems with each one of these questions and I'm speaking from experience.
Here's a little heads up, for homeowners. There are plenty of books available on hiring contractors. If you bought one of these books for $20 and it's saved you some frustration, money or even solved some of your problems, how much would this book actually be worth.
Don't forget your local libraries, there is plenty of information on home improvement contractors and remodeling projects at larger libraries.
If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Good Home Repair Tips . Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.
If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Bonsall Home Remodeling Contractor
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.
Thanks For Reading My Articles
Chevy Chase Maryland Remodeling
If you are seriously thinking about hiring aMaryland home remodelingcontractor, you should take the time to give each one of these three questions, some thought. These questions could save you a lot of money and frustration.1. Are you going to be doing the work your ... Read More
Reviews
Efficient Overnight Remodeling
For a commercial establishment having it's remodeling jobs taken care of during non business hours is crucial. BT Martin Contractors does CRE remodeling for commercial real estate with many of the same businesses we do the IT networking for, our shared customers speak h...ighly of Dan and Ben Martin. We wouldn't hesitate to hire them ourselves for commercial remodeling work in Frederick Maryland
Property Managers Dream Contractor
CRE commercial real estate property managers need to have reliable, dependable, quality craftsman that know how to get in, get out and get it done. BT Martin Contractors does just that, they specialize in property management remodeling for commercial properties in DC, Montgomery County and Northern Virginia
Great Company To Work With
These guys do great work, they refinished a warehouse office for us. I recommend them very highly. We will use them again if we need any inside or outside remodeling work done.
Exquisitely Detailed Craftsmanship
After years of working in very nice, upper class neighborhoods like Bethesda, Chevy Chase and upper NW Washington, I have had the priviledge of seeing BT Martins craftsmanship in progress and finished works. Their finished products leave you gasping in awe, with your mo...uth open. Their attention to detail, whether woodwork, ceramic tile or custom interior painting is absolutely exquisite! From my perspective, definately a five star company.
Great Service
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the outstanding job you did renovating two bathrooms, replacing floors, and painting the exterior and interior of my deceased parents home. The job was performed on time, with quality materials, skilled labor, and at a fa...ir price. All of the work was professional and first class, as were your workers. You treated my parents home as if were your own. I would be pleased to recommend your company to anyone needing a reference for a home improvement contractor.
