Remodeling

DENVER, CO – The housing bubble that led to the worst U.S. recession in decades and shows only the slightest signs of recovery after more than two years of stagnation has a bright side for those people able to take advantage: housing costs are down considerably, mortgage and construction-loan rates are the lowest they have been in decades, and a whole host of general contractors and subcontractors are hungry for work and pricing their services accordingly.

While the conventional wisdom is that buying a home in this environment may offer the best combination of pricing and lending rates ever seen, it may be even a better time to consider building a dream home or to extensively remake an existing home into a new castle.

For new-build homes, the same positive economics that apply to the real estate market in general come into play: low acquisition costs of an older, smaller tear-down home or a building lot, and 30-year mortgage rates well below 5%. The added advantage is that builders, jam-packed with business at inflated fees just a few years ago, are in a mood to deal just to keep the business operating. Same for remodeling projects and the many subcontractors who work on both new-build and add-on projects: they take business wherever they can find it, and the market is so competitive the fees charged are some of the lowest seen in more than 20 years.

However, as always, caveat emptor: let the buyer beware. While contractors are keeping fees low in a hyper-competitive marketplace, there is also the potential of the cutting corners to maximize returns. Anyone contracting to build a new home or to substantially remake an existing one would be well advised to insist that subcontractors hire by general contractors or developers to perform critical elements of the building project be fully licensed and capable of the task at hand.

One of the key aspects of any home construction project, whether new or remodel, is the electrical contractor charged with wiring the new home or addition. Modern lifestyles call for the addition of a myriad of appliances, home theater systems, home-wide entertainment systems, security systems, extensive cabling for entertainment and work spaces, outdoor decorative and security lighting, HVAC units, and more – in other words, the modern home is a marvel for wiring and cabling, with electrical demand far exceeding what was the norm only a few years ago. Not every electrician has the experience and expertise to handle a high-demand electrical job, even though most of them will say they do. Best to check the level of experience and all references to insure a new home or extensive remodeling project is done correctly the first time. The best contractors and developers will supply all the necessary background on subcontractors before work commences and are open to make a switch to one the client prefers.

Building a new home or making a new home out of an existing one is a daunting undertaking, but the stars are all aligned and indicate this may be the best time ever to build the dream. Make sure, however, that each and every contractor and subcontractor has the expertise to fulfill that dream, or it could become a nightmare.

Allstar Electrical Services of Denver is a premier electrical contractor, serving the residential, commercial and industrial with cutting-edge, professional and fully licensed electricians with vast experience in new build and remodeling projects.

Allstar Electrical Service installs new service in older homes to boost the home’s ability to run more electrical appliances

Do you love Victorian architecture, older homes and mature landscaping? The thing that lures people to buy a home is rarely the electrical service or features, and that’s hardly ever the case when buying an older home.

And one of the first things new homeowners of older homes discover is that there aren’t enough electrical outlets to service a modern day lifestyle. Even more dismaying is learning that the wiring in your older home is outdated or made of aluminum. And if the overall power system is inadequate, it could be that you will need to add new electrical service to increase the capacity…even to run the most basic electrical appliances.

Gary Stone, founder of Allstar Electrical Service in Denver, Colorado and in Colorado Springs, Colorado, often gets calls for estimates of “what it will take to get the right electricity in our home.”

His first question is, “How old is your home?”

Older homes with only 120-volt service less than 100 amps can’t support major improvements and additions to the electrical plan.

Unique to older homes that haven’t been upgraded to new service is the problem of too few outlets. The National Electrical Code requires outlets every 12 feet or one per wall. Some older homes that have been retrofitted with electrical service don’t feature outlets on exterior walls. The lack of such outlets, says Stone, nearly guarantees inconvenience. In-room lamps can’t be positioned near enough to an outlet and using extension cords isn’t necessarily desirable especially when they’re strung across a room becoming a tripping hazard.

The first electricity was generated and sold out of a plant in Appleton, Wisconsin. It was 1882 and the Appleton plant was the first in the area, extending only as far away as a mile.

It’s not uncommon for homes in some of the older neighborhoods in both Denver and Colorado Springs to date back to 1875. Homes were heated mostly by coal until the 1930’s to 1950’s when electrical service began to be retrofitted into residences. Some types of home construction, particularly plaster exterior walls, didn’t accommodate wiring being installed underneath and it’s not unusual to find a room in one of these older homes with conduit running around the perimeter of the room, outlet to outlet.

The cost of new service in an average-size home can run from $8,000 and more, a big tab to an unsuspecting homeowner who discovers that his/her new abode needs such service.

Of course, says Stone, you can contact Allstar Electrical for a review of your property and its current electrical service before you come to the closing table. But often people fall in love with the address of a certain home and too late discover that upgrades and lighting fixtures exceed their budget so soon after making a home purchase. Still other lenders will require that a home be upgraded to full-capacity code-passing electrical service prior to closing. And as frustrating as that can be for all parties involved to have a closing stalled because of this requirement, it makes living in the residence much more comfortable right from the get-go.

Call Allstar Electrical Service today and inquire about their Premiere Customer Service Agreement, available for an annual fee of only $79, are like an insurance policy—protecting customers against the worry that they’ll ever be left literally in the dark or without other electrical service when an emergency arises.

Contact Allstar Electrical Service, Inc. today to enroll in the Premiere Customer Service Agreement and rest assured that you’ll get priority service if and when an electrical emergency arises. Call Allstar Electrical at 303.399.7420 in Denver and 719-314-9419 in Colorado Springs. Or email President Gary Stone at gstone@allstarelectrical.com.

Colorado’s foreclosure rate isn’t as bad as in previous years, according to a report by John Rebchook in the Rocky Mountain News dated Tuesday, March 11, 2008. Viewed several ways The Mortgage Bankers Association has ranked Colorado No. 24 in the nation for seriously delinquent loans in fourth quarter 2007, down from 15 in 2006. To get to that number, the Mortgage Bankers Association estimates the percentage of mortgages that are 90 days or more delinquent that have started into the foreclosure process.

Using a different method of calculation, Rebchook writes, Colorado was No. 5 in the nation for foreclosure rates in 2007 and No. 1 in 2006. These figures were reported by RealtyTrac which counts the number of foreclosures as a percentage of U.S. Census housing data.

The Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association prefers to look at the positive news in the findings from the Mortgage Bankers Association, Rebchook reports that Chris Holbert, president of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association, contends are more accurate when comparing Colorado foreclosures to other states.

The effect foreclosures has on the new construction industry is obvious. New home starts are down and some long-standing new home builders are permanently closing their doors.

But that means that homeowners who aren’t a candidate for foreclosure have choices to make if their current home doesn’t suit their immediate needs or desires. Gary Stone, president of Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. explains that homeowners weighing selling their current home in order to upgrade their residence are more cautious about making that decision these days. They don’t want to get stuck holding two mortgages, and the competition to sell their existing home can be keen.

So many of the homeowners who would sell and move up in a more certain economy are choosing to remodel their residence to bring it up to date and to provide the amenities, particularly electrical improvements, to their home that a newer-built home would likely include.

Improvements to an existing home average $80/square feet compared to $175/square feet of new construction, reports www.myonecall.com.

Tom Kraeutler, host of The Money Pit Home Improvement Show, reports that the top remodeling projects homeowners are considering for 2008 include:

• Flooring
• Plumbing
• HVAC
• Walls and ceilings
• Windows and siding
• Kitchen and bath
• Roofing
• Basements and crawl spaces
• Mold eradication
• Insulation and ventilation

Some of these improvements, like removing old wallpaper and painting walls and ceilings are jobs that homeowners can do themselves. Other improvements require a professional, Kraeutler urges.

Before starting any remodeling project, particularly projects that a homeowner takes on with the hope that the improvement will increase his/her home’s salability or value, the Real Estate Journal recommends that homeowners do the following:

Ask an experienced Realtor to help you gauge your home’s current value before you put more money into it by remodeling.

Get a home inspection so that you are aware if any repairs, particularly structural ones, are necessary

While you may be inclined to remodel the interior of your home, you would be wise to study the exterior as it will make the first impression on a possible buyer

Consider investing in the bathroom. It’s the one room that buyers say they want to be able to use right away without having to remodel it first. Small improvements can have big impact in the bathroom.

Don’t go overboard remodeling the kitchen. Even though Realtors will tell you that a kitchen can sell a house, remember that people have different tastes, and yours may not be the same as a buyer. Stay as neutral as possible with improvements intended to help you sell your home faster, urges Gary Stone, president of Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. serving all of Colorado’s Front Range from the Denver metro area south to Colorado Springs.

Allstar is an award-winning electrical contracting firm that specializes in residential and commercial electrical work.

Pricing out improvements before you wield an ax at your current room may influence your decision about what room to start with:

• For example an 800 square foot poptop runs an average of $140,000.00
• 500 square foot addition including a new kitchen averages $87,500.00

Depending on the scope of your project, you’ll want to retain an architect or a design build firm like Allstar Electrical Services Inc. that does design build electrical contracting work. Allstar Electrical’s president Gary Stone explains that money savings can be significant if a homeowner uses a professional electrician’s design-build capabilities.

“Our services include reviewing the flow and use of a household before we recommend the most effective route to pursue,” says Stone. “We can suggest improvements to a homeowner that will allow him to expand the scope of his improvement without necessarily expanding the cost of the project. That’s because we keep on top of the newest technology—alarm systems, whole home wiring packages, etc.—and we’re familiar with the brands that have superior performance versus lesser-known cheaper brands.”

Professional installation isn’t just about knowing your circuit breakers, voltage or LED lighting. Performing clean electrical work is as much about being meticulous with installation and clean-up, particularly when it comes to remodeling in residential homes.

Gary Stone, president of Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. based in Denver, Colorado with satellite services in Colorado Springs, Colorado, insists that his electricians, from master electricians to apprentices, leave an immaculate work area when they’re finished with an electrical upgrade or installation. If the job takes more than one day, it means cleaning up at the end of each day too, stresses Stone.

That organization on a surface level also filters down to demanding organization within electrical boxes. The point of that kind of detail-oriented management of electrical installation is that it ultimately makes it easier on the homeowner or building manager when they need to check the electrical box, whether that’s to trip a breaker after a power outage or if additional electrical services are added down the line.

It’s not unusual for unprofessional electricians to leave a breaker box unmarked or wiring to an outlet unfinished.

Stone won’t stand for that.

“Our clients remember us for the professional manner in which we show up on time, dressed in clean uniforms, driving fully equipped vans, and foremost how we engage with the customer as professionals,” Stone, who founded Allstar Electrical Services, Inc. based on the premise that too few electrical contracting companies were willing to go the extra mile investing time into proper job preparation and clean-up.

As part of the job done by Allstar Electrical Services’ electricians, the electrician calls to confirm timely arrival on the job site. After the electrician has reviewed the service area, he will inquire of the homeowner the best route to enter and exit the house so as not to be disruptive to the people living there or the activities ongoing in the home. Dogs and small children can be curious, and the Allstar electricians secure the work area so as not to endanger any pet or child.

Once the work is completed, Allstar electricians will vacuum or sweep the work area, taking packaging materials with them when they leave versus leaving the boxes and scrap wrapping materials on the floor for the customer to tidy up.

“It’s our belief that an overall professional electrician, one that presents professionally to the customer is also the superior choice for competent electrical installation. When the job is finished, we want our customers to remember the event as pleasant, well-managed and thorough. We bring a package offering to the client’s location and the reward is the excellent feedback we regularly get after every job is finished,” adds Stone.

Allstar Electrical Services can be reached by calling Colorado Springs office at 719-314-9419 or Denver at 303-399-7420 to schedule an estimate or a repair.

Death and injury are not imagined when it comes to in-home accidents each year. Estimates show that each year $1.6 billion in residential electrical fires take their toll each year. More than 500 deaths are attributed to residential electrical fires as well as 6,000 injuries annually. More than 140,000 home fires nationally are blamed on faulty electrical or other electrical failures.

The extent of injuries spreads to the workplace too with nearly 4,000 workplace injuries due to electrical hazards.

Many of these accidents and losses could be prevented if homeowners and business owners would use professional installers to make repairs or to check electrical services on a routine basis, says Gary Stone, President of Allstar Electrical Services in Denver, CO with services also in Colorado Springs, CO.

Outdate wiring, underground wires, outlets that may have been installed by a prior homeowner all can be blamed. But a professional, licensed electrician knows what dangers to look for when tackling a repair or remodeling project, explains Stone. Besides being equipped with voltage detectors, trained electricians know what problem areas to research prior to beginning any work on an electrical service call.

No matter how small the project you have planned for your home or business, trust it to a professional, licensed electrician. At Allstar Electrical Services, even apprentice electricians have the resource of a master electrician to answer any questions that may come up.

“Bottom line, knowing when to ask questions or thoroughly research power, service, outlets or fixtures before proceeding is the sign of a true professional,” cautions Stone.

To arrange for an inspection of your next project, contact Allstar Electrical Services at 303-399-7420.

Q: I’m thinking about doing a little remodeling myself. Is there a proper height to locate outlets and switches to conform to code?

A: There are requirements if your installation needs to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but other than that, locations are determined more by custom than by code. There may be local codes that specify heights for certain rooms like a kitchen or bathroom, so check with your local building department to be sure.

The main thing is to try to achieve consistency both within a room and throughout the building. It looks bad to have these things at different heights in the same room unless there’s an obvious reason for it.

Measure the distance from the floor or countertop to the center of your existing switches and outlets as a guide for placing others. By using the center as your measuring point, you won’t have to worry about whether the one you’re installing is the same size as the others.

Running power to outlets and switches is something that needs to be done by someone who understands wiring pretty well, so don’t undertake this sort of project unless you do. It’s safer and easier to have a licensed electrician do it unless you’re experienced at it.

Q: Winter is coming and I’d like to have my outdoor lighting come on as soon as it gets dark rather than wait until I get home. What is the best way to do that?

A: That depends on how the system is wired. If it’s powered by a standard electrical plug-in outlet inside your home or a dry area such as a garage (not recommended for best safety and performance), you may be able to use a standard indoor light timer. Just be sure that the timer is rated for the load your system will put on it. The timer should have a wattage rating stamped on it somewhere. If the wattage of your outdoor lights exceeds the timer rating, don’t use it. If you don’t know, don’t use it.

If it turns on with a normal wall switch, a timer will have to be wired in like the one you may have on your sprinkler system. This may be beyond the skills of a typical DIYer.

You may also be able to use a light sensor switch that activates when the light level outdoors goes down in the evening and switches off in the morning.

A licensed electrician can inspect your system and recommend the best solution to you.

Q: When my hair dryer tripped a breaker I went to the electrical panel, but couldn’t find anything wrong. Is there someplace else I should look, or is something wrong with the outlet?

A: You probably have a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) integrated into one of your wall outlets. This is a safety device that is now required for all outlets located in higher-risk areas like bathrooms and kitchens. It detects current leakage on that branch of the circuit and trips like a regular circuit breaker before any harm can be done. Look for an outlet that has a small button on it. It might not be on the outlet you were plugged in to, but should be near it. Next to the button you should see the word “Reset.” Once you have disconnected the device that caused the problem, push the reset button to restore service. If it trips again you may have a more serious problem and you should call a licensed electrician to find and fix the situation that’s causing the problem.

Q: I’m interested in saving electricity, but I’ve heard that compact fluorescent bulbs have mercury and other pollutants in them. Is that true and if it is, are there other bulbs I can use that do less damage to the environment?

A: Compact fluorescent (CF) lamps use considerably less energy than incandescent bulbs, but they do contain a small amount of mercury (about 5 mg) and environmentally-aware consumers should consider recycling them to keep it out of landfills where it might enter the groundwater.

An alternative you might consider is using low-energy LED lighting. It’s more expensive initially than CF, but the cost is coming down and the energy savings are considerable. They use half the electricity of standard bulbs of similar brightness, last over 20,000 hours, are cool to the touch and come in many standard sizes and shapes so they can be used in your existing fixtures. Allstar Electric is proud to be among the first companies to specify LED lighting for its residential and commercial projects.

If you choose to use CF lamps, check with your local energy company or search the Internet for recycling sources.

Q: We just recently moved to an older home that has some outlets and switches outdoors. Should I be concerned about “winterizing” them?

A: If they are approved devices for outdoor use and are in good repair, they should be fine for the winter without any special attention. Some older homes and remodels may not have been fitted with devices that meet code, though. There’s really not much you can do to weatherproof them short of replacing them with approved devices. If you suspect your outdoor switches or outlets are non-conforming or look damaged, you should have a licensed electrician inspect them and upgrade them if needed.

Q: Our child is about to take her first steps. As exciting as the prospect is, I also worry about her safety. Is there anything I can do to make our home’s electrical system safer for her?

A: Congratulations on the new addition to your family! Yes, there are several things you can do to make sure your child’s first steps don’t lead to danger when it comes to electricity.

A simple place to start is by childproofing your home’s electrical outlets. You can buy plastic outlet caps anywhere home hardware or accessories are sold and they’re a very effective way to insure that your toddler doesn’t get shocked by sticking something where it doesn’t belong.

Electrical cords not only present a tripping danger (remember, the little tyke can walk in places you wouldn’t consider), but they can also be tempting things to pull on, either to help get back up from a fall or just out of pure curiosity. Since there’s usually something at the other end of the cord you don’t want crashing down on junior’s noggin, be sure the power cords to all your lights, appliances and other devices are routed safely away from harm’s way.

There are literally dozens of potential electrical hazards to children in the home (adults, too!). A good place to get more information is the website for the Electrical Safety Foundation International at www.esfi.org. They even have a clever home safety quiz you can take.