Located in New York, WMB Construction takes great pride in building great decks for our customers. In our area here in the Hudson Valley we can easily enjoy three seasons out of our decks. Outdoor living has become extremely popular due to the fact that most of us aren't taking vacations and using the money to create a backyard oasis. With the added value and the comfort of relaxing in your own home you will easily start to see the benefits.
Five key reasons to add a composte deck to your home:
Maintanance free
Added value to home
Added entertaining area
Great closed in area for the little ones
Create great memories year after year with family and friends
Seen here is a deck WMB CONSTRUCTION built in beautiful Monroe, NY 10950. The floor is Timbertech composite twin finish Pacific Walnut flooring. The flooring has been installed using hidden fastners for a nice clean look with no exposed screw heads. Railings are a severe weather rated composite white.Staircase is a fully covered composite with no exposed lumber. Hidden behind is five custom stringers constructed of treated lumber.
Remodeling a home can be a very costly venture. Homeowners looking to add value to their homes may try to add upgrades or renovate entire sections of their homes to make them more marketable. Not all home upgrades and renovations are worth spending your hard-earned money on, though. Here is a look at five ways to make your home renovation worth the money and effort you put into it.
Your roof is the main component of your home. Without a good roof your house will remain worthless. A new roof is always a great investment because no bank ever wants to get involved in loaning money for a home that isn't protected. A poor roof can also increase your chances for mold and mildew build up due to leaking water that can cause health ailments and thousands in damage.
Signs that you need a new roof:
Algae growth on shingles
Damaged flashing
Buckling of sheathing under shingles
Curling of shingles
Blistering of shingles
Missing shingles
Ceiling spots inside of your home
Missing granules on shingles
Evidence of rotting
Your bathroom isone of the most frequented rooms in your home. It is the room where you freshen up everyday and take care of your personal hygiene. Bathroom remodels have been known to return 30-40% on your initial investment when you sell. Nobody wants to move into a home knowing that the bathroom is in need of complete renovation and will in most cases pay more for the home with a good finished bathroom remodel.
Signs that you might need a bathroom remodel:
Visual evidence of mold and mildew build up
Soft spots on floor/and or walls(may indicate rot which could be serious if not addressed)
Leaking water
Musty smell
Grout missing in many areas
Your Kitchen is the most frequented room in your home. It brings family together and is the heart of every home. The kitchen is usually the first room you see in a house, so with that being said, it is the most important. I have seen returns as high a 50% on real nice kitchen remodels. The first thing you want to do when selling is knock your buyer off their feet and you can do this with a good quality kitchen.
Signs you might need a new kitchen:
Soft spots on floors
Cabinets are delaminating
Cabinets are faded
Circuit breakers keep tripping when you plug in appliances
Mold and mildew build up
Decks are always a great benefit to any home. Outdoor living and entertaining is on a rise and each year the demand keeps rising for these projects. It creates a personal oaisis and tranquility right in your backyard. It is a guaranteed investment that you and your family can enjoy for years and still have return at the end.
Signs you might need a new deck:
Deck surface is splintering
Deck bounces or sways when walking on it
Railings are loose and wobbly
Finished basements are key to any home. Unfinished it adds no square footage or value to your home. A nice finished basement will most likely have any male interested in purchasing your home know it has beautiful hideaway known as "The Man Cave"! But besides that it creates a great area for entertaining or even just a playroom for the kids. The ideas can become endless when designing your basement. You can add a bathroom, bar, play areas, pool table, etc.!!! A definate asset to your home. Right off the bat when listing your home your square footage will increase by 600-1000 which equals big gains.
Why you might want to remodel your basement:
Added square footage
Added value
Creates entertaining/playing area
When performing any remodel it is important to pay attention to detail and quality! The sight of a poor install can have adverse affects on your return. While all these recommended projects can be costly, I advise customers to set up a five to ten year plan to save and complete these projects for your enjoyment and to increase the value of your largest investment, your home!
Egress windows are essentially fire escape windows installed in finished basements. It is a national code that enstates that all finished basements must have a window of 5.7 sq. ft., no more than 44 inches to the sill height and 22 inch clear opening to be able to escape in case of an emergency.
A recent egress window installation byWMB Constructionwhere we removed the sliding glass door, which had water/flooding issues, and installed a window.
Here we closed in the block foundation and added a footing drain to relieve water pressure. Foundation will be tarred and backfilled with lots of 3/4" gravel to keep the water moving.
All parging is complete and window looks like it has always been there. A little paint to match is all the customer needs once concrete has cured. Water issues were corrected to keep this basement dry while also conforming to building codes.
Benefits by installing an egress window:
Added ventilation to your basement
Added natural light which helps prevent growth of mold and mildew
Peace in mind that your loved ones will be protected and safe from harms way
Curtain drains are essentially trenches filled with gravel covering perforated pipe acting like a gutter system to remove unwanted water away from your home. The trench is lined with filter fabric to ensure that the perforated pipe with remain free of clogs from dirt and silt over the years.
Why you might need a curtain drain:
Areas of your property where you have unwanted water pooling
Water issues in your basement(curtain drains work great in conjunction with you homes footing drains)
Remove water away from retaining walls and driveways
With any drainage project performed byWMB Construction, we always use more gravel than necessary. Gravel is natural drainage that quickly filters water to your perforated pipe and away from your home. Most drainage contractors under due this step leaving your curtain drain system practically useless.
How we install a curtain drain:
Dig a trench 18"-24" deep in the ground
Line trench with filter fabric
Install a 4" perforated pipe in ground pitched out to daylight
Has heavy rainfall and snow melt left your basement unlivable? As the water tables rises, so does the water in your basement? Ever wonder why this is happening? Most likely your footing drains are failing. As water tables rise from the ground up it needs somewhere to be relieved and with poor drainage you will experience what is called hydrostatic pressure. Water will penetrate to the path of least resistance, usually cracks in foundation and/or floor. Signs of a failing footing drain is usually dampness in the corner of concrete floof and wall Footing drains are designed to catch unwanted water from rising water tables. When installed correctly they will quickly remove water from your footings and foundation before it can penetrate into your basement. Over the years footing drains and foundation coatings will fail resulting in a complete replacement of your drainage system.
When caught early enough damage to you home will be minimized. Water is the #1 most expensive costs every year due to the catastrophic nature that water can cause. It can range from a small leak (lots of times hidden behind walls for years) to major flooding. It creates toxic mold and mildew that can travel trough your entire home, rot wood and attract carpenter ants and termites, destroy your belongs,etc.........
How WMB Construction fixed the problem:
Excavated the old footing drains
Installed 30 feet of curtain drain
Installed approx. 40 tons of gravel
Installed filter fabric around gravel
Installed 4" PVC corrugated pipe for footing and curtain drains
Installed filter fabric sock over 4" schedule 40 corrugated pipe
Installed 4" PVC solid pipe for gutters to remove water away from foundation
Applied tar foundation coating on foundation walls
Poor footing drains will result in:
Loss of home value
Mold and mildew issues
Damage to your possessions
Constant flooding
Foundation deterioration
Allergies and respiratory ailments
Wet rotten wood that can attract carpenter ants and termites
Adding a curtain drain also helps relieve a great deal of water off of the property. The idea is to try and catch some of the water before it reaches the footing drains.
Why would you need a curtain drain:
Excessive water effecting your footing drains
Wet areas on your lawn where you need to transfer water
In ground gutter to remove water from your property
What you gain by using WMB Construction for your next footing drain project:
We supersede the competition by overdoing every project with extra material and labor that over qualifies with current codes
Work one job at a time so you can get back to your regular life
Experience in the trade
Many homes new and old all have water issues. Instead of living with it, fix it! Some water issues can be so bad that your entire foundation could lose its integrity and collapse leaving you with thousands in repairs.
Just as an example, WMB Construction had to remove this damaged section of foundation due to water pressure buildup. Do you know that water pressure can reach 33,000 lbs. per square foot on your foundation walls? This could be enough to severely damage your foundation walls, as you can see!!
Wet basements are always a concern no matter where you live. Basements are built below grade where there is always moisture. The idea is to have all your drainage components in order so that water stays outside of your home. Every year water damage ranges in the trillions and most insurance companies will not reimburse you for your losses.
Causes for wet basement:
* High Water Table: Rain, melting snow or underground springs will contribute to the water table rising around a home. This can result in a build-up of water pressure beneath the floor and against foundation walls.
* Hydrostatic Pressure: The higher the level of water around a home, the greater the pressure on the water to seek entry into the basement through cracks and crevices in walls and floors. Initially, this water may enter and rest only in the block or in the pores of the concrete. That's where damp walls and damp floors come from.
* Capillary Attraction: Whenever water contacts a porous surface like a concrete floor or wall, it's natural for the moisture to be soaked up like a sponge. The continuous pressure exerted from the outside causes the floors and walls to store water like a reservoir, ready to burst.
* Settlement: As the ground around a home settles, the foundation can shift or crack. The parging shield protecting the foundation can also crack and open, allowing water to flow into and beneath your walls and floor.
The idea is to remove water away from your homes foundation walls. The force of water build up can reach up to 33,000 pounds of pressure per square foot! Besides just having water enter your basement you are now effecting the integrity of your foundation.
Don't ignore the early signs before it's too late!!!
Dampness
Mold, mildew and fungus
Musty odors
Allergies
Respiratory ailments
Loss of lime salt(white powder from walls)
Hairline cracks on foundation walls
Spots on foundation walls
Extreme dampness
Water on the floor
Water seepage during moderate rain
Basement floods during heavy rains
Electrical shock hazard
Walls start to shift and bow
Mud or clay silt may become visual
Foundation corner begin to shift and crack
Structual damage becomes visual
Your foundation is in serious trouble
Your foundation has reached it final level of stress
Your home might risk being condemned
The cost of repair is now astronomical
Footing drains are your #1 component in relieving water from your foundation. Over the years your footing drains due to age and poor installation have lost their integrity. We see it all the time.
A damp leaky basement can cause:
Loss of property value
Damage to your personal goods
Rusting and corrosion of appliances
Peeling and cracking of paint
Warping of paneling
Electrical shock hazards
Respiratory and allergy ailments
Damage to furnace
Keeping your basement dry should be a priority. The damage it can create to both your health and home can be devastating.
The weight of water is one of natures biggest fears. It costs Americans trillions of dollars a year just in home damage. This doesn't even account for damage costs at sea. Lets face it, the force of water sank the titanic and thousands perished. What are the consequences you can face in your own home.
From a small town in Monroe, NY we have our fair share of bad weather. Surrounding us is the Tri-state region which includes NY, NJ and Connecticut. Unlike the rest of the country, we don't experience too many tornadoes, hurricanes or earthquakes. We do have the tendency to experience massive snowstorms and crippling rain in the spring. Now we have experienced a hurricane!!!
Major rains will bring your home devastating results like this without proper drainage. My own personal home experienced this last year after 3 feet of snow and a following of 4 inches of rain. I immediately came to the conclusion that my newly purchased home had inadequate footing drains. Within weeks I broke ground and started replacing the damaged drains.
This picture above shows a curtain drain being installed and tied into the footing drains already installed. The idea is to divert water away from you home before it can enter. Without installing the correct drainage components can create results you may never thought possible!!
WMB Construction excavated this property in Monroe, NY for water issues due to poor footing drains. What we found on top of digging blew my mind. The actual weight of water and ice collapsed the infrastructure of the foundation leaving the homeowners bedroom upstairs unsafe. The foundation had pushed itself in 4-5 inches.
As it may be hard to see from the photo, the foundation was almost at the point of complete failure. Even my helper looks puzzled how it happened!lol
The biggest overlooks of drainage:
What you can't see, will not hurt you!(huge misconception)
Worry about it later!(do you know mold and mildew problems will make you home worthless?)
We'll worry about those expanding foundation cracks in the future.(these issues don't go away, only become worse.)
The results of poor footing drains
WMB Construction had to re support the upper level and remove the damaged areas of the foundation. All due to the strength and power of water!
How did we correct the problem?
We started by installing new block to match the existing wall structure.
Every row of block we installed "Durawall" reinforcement to ensure future strength
When block were installed to the existing grade we installed rebar through all the block.
Block holes were filled solid with 4,000 psi gravel mix cement to ensure no possible future movement of the wall.
Installed industry standard footing drain application.
Drainage is the #1 key in keeping your home dry and free of mold and mildew! What you can't see, will hurt you and your investment!
Lots of water and no where for it to go. Water tables this time of year are at their capacity leaving water to seep into undesired areas. These areas usually consist of your homes basement. With improper drainage water cannot be diverted away from your home.
Tips for removing water away and out of your home:
Install a sump pump inside your basement. It is installed in the concrete floor to relieve aquastatic pressure before it can enter into your home.
Install french drains inside your basement. Drains are installed in the corner of the wall and floor. Usually installed due to failing footing drains.
All homes are installed with footing drains unless built on a slab. Over time, older footing drains fail due to products used years ago or poor installation. Footing drains arethe number one factor for relieving water away from your home.
Install a curtain drain. Curtain drains help relieve water before it reaches your footing drains. Also good for wet areas of your property.
Divert gutter downspouts away from home.
The key to good drainage is a good installation. Most systems fail due to poor installation and a misunderstanding of how the system works. Water is one of natures greatest forces and costs homeowners and insurance companies trillions of dollars a year.
Key factors when installing footing drains:
Make sure before you dig, call! Have a markout done so you don't hit any underground lines.
Use a minimum 4" corrugated pipe.
Use more gravel than necessary. Gravel is natural drainage.
Install filter fabric around gravel.
Install filter fabric around corrugated pipe.
Use a good quality foundation coating.
Curtain drains are a perfect way to relieve water away from your home or property. It works the same way as a footing drain and a lot of the time they are installed together. With both systems installed it cuts down your risk of water penetrating your home.
Why you might need a curtain drain:
Areas of your property are consistently wet
Water problems in your basement
Your soil has bad perculation
Sump pumps are an excellent way of keeping unwanted water out of your basement. Installed in your basement floor, sump pumps relieve water from aquastatic pressure. In some areas, water tables are always high. As the pressure builds, water will always go where there is the least resistance. This will be in the cracks of your floor or walls. A sump pump catches any unwanted water before it can penetrate into your home.
Removing water away from your home is always a good idea. Gutter downspouts drain a massive amount of water from your roof. Installing a 4" pipe in the ground to divert the water elsewhere is an excellent investment.
What you gain by diverting water from your downspouts:
Less water to worry about penetrating your foundation.
Less mold and mildew issues next to your home.
Much cleaner appearance.
Water problems are always an issue. Fixing the problem is another issue. In the picture above you can easily see the high water table before we installed the curtain drain. Contact WMB Construction today for your next water issue.
Staircase is a fully covered composite with no exposed lumber. Hidden behind is five custom stringers constructed of treated lumber.
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