Metal vs Wood Garages

When looking to showcase a vintage car collection, the style of the garage can make all the difference. However, those looking to show off their latest collection not only have to consider the practicality and cost, but also the aesthetics of the garage. There is plenty of choices available when it comes to a garage, but just because a particular garage has worked for someone else, doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for you. The use of metal garages has exceeded over the last few years, and this can be attributed to their robust and adaptable nature. However, some may be interested in other variants, such as a wooden shed, and while this serves a purpose, metal garages have the edge in several different ways. Metal Is Stronger Against Pests Many will have experienced some form of a tree that has been present for hundreds of years, and this is because wood is a strong material. As such, if you’re looking to build a home away from home in the great outdoors, it's understandable why wood is the chosen material. However, those looking to protect their fleet of cars are looking for something that can protect their vehicles against the elements, as well as any other outside threats. Although wood is strong, it doesn’t have the same staying power when weather and pests are concerned. Not only can wood absorb water but can be an open house for a series of unwanted pests. Metal doesn’t falter when adverse weather strikes, and outside pests have nothing to gain by intruding a metal garage, giving you the additional peace-of-mind, when safeguarding your vehicles. Metal Is More Affordable Some car enthusiasts like to spend a lot on classic and exotic cars and feel that the same must be true for the garage. Although you shouldn’t consider prices that are too good to be true, the facts of the matter are that metal is more affordable than wood, and is better designed to protect your vehicles, and even act as a workshop should the need arise. Although there are wooden garages that offer the same stability, these are often more expensive to purchase, and in some instances, can be difficult to maintain. Different Options for Different Needs The affordability of metal garages is often due to the way they can be tailored to a specific need. Not only does this relate to the plan of the garage, but also the opening mechanism. Some may prefer the tradition chain approach when opening their garage door, whereas others may prefer a more modern approach. Regardless of your requirements, there is no reason as to why you can’t find a solution that meets your budget and requirements. An example of the types of metal garages can be found at www.steelbuildinguk.com/sub/metal-garages/ which offers bespoke solutions and free quotations, making your next metal garage purchase one to enjoy.

These are the top traits of a good contractor

Before you engage any professional contractor for your home or office space improvement project it’s very crucial for you to do your due diligence because not all contractors are the same. It will therefore be in your best interest to be able to identify the kind of contractor who has a proven track record of quality work as this type of person will guarantee you success in your own project. In this article we are going to share with you the 4 top traits of a good professional contractor.

1 The contractor must have a good reputation

Generally speaking, a contractor’s reputation will be determined by the collective reviews of his/her past and present clients. This therefore means that any professional contractor you come across who has a good reputation is a reflection of the quality of their work. The same can be said for a contractor with a bad reputation as this is an indication that they will not give you a good job.

2 The contractor must have sufficient experience

Professionals will usually get better and better the more they get to practice their trade and this is especially true for contractors. This therefore means that a contractor with plenty of experience is more likely to produce for you a good job when compared with one with minimal experience because the former has gotten an opportunity to practice and hone their skills. It’s therefore a good idea for you to prioritize experience and ensure that it’s experience doing good work.

3 The contractor should be a very good listener

It’s common for contractors to have their own ideas and biases when it comes to how they do their work and in some cases, these biases may creep in as they are doing your work because they were not paying full attention as you were giving them instructions. As you are interviewing professional contractors, it’s always a good idea to ensure that they are good listeners as this will ensure that there’s minimal breakdown in communication between you and him/her during the course of doing your project.

4 The contractor should have integrity

It’s very important to work with a professional contractor who has the utmost respect for his/her profession and also respect for you as their client. This therefore requires the contractor to have a lot of integrity as it’s this quality that will ensure that they respect their end of the contract, they charge you fairly, and are always willing to own up to their mistakes and correct them. The best way to ensure that you end up with a contractor with these traits is focusing on your due diligence and most of this will entail getting reviews from their past and present clients.

Home Improvement – These are the 3 main cons of DIY

There is no dispute that opting for DIY when it comes to your home improvement projects has tremendous benefits. It’s however worth noting that if you do it wrong, it can end up being disastrous for you. In this article, we are going to highlight the 3 main cons of DIY when it comes to home improvement projects especially if they involve a lot of construction work.

1 It’s likely to be more expensive in the long run

The belief or rather assumption that engaging in DIY for your home improvement projects is a very good cost cutting  measure will only hold true if things go well, and in most occasions, they seldom do. The main reason professional contractors don’t come cheap is because they invested time, money and sweat in building their skills therefore they will charge you a premium for it. Assuming that you can simply go online, look at a tutorial and become a master in construction is a fallacy especially if you have no background in construction. What this means in summary is that you may opt for DIY but end up making a mess of the work and this will force you to bring in a professional to repair your errors and do the job how it was meant to be done in the first place, and this will ultimately cost you more.

2 It’s a very time consuming venture

Considering the fact that you have very little or no experience in the task you are about to engage in, you will need to set aside time to learn the skill itself as well as about the tools and material you will need for the job. This, plus the time it will take you to do the job itself factoring in all the errors before you finally get it right will take you triple or even quadruple the time it would have taken a professional to get it done. Therefore DIY is only practical if your project is not time sensitive.

3 The work will be of low standards

The reality is that as long as you haven’t had sufficient experience which has to be gained over time, the quality of work you are likely to produce will be nowhere close to the quality of work a professional will produce. In fact, you should be content with work that is of low standards during the period you are still a DIY novice. Before you make the decision on whether to engage in a DIY project, it’s a good idea to weigh the pros and cons first. A word of advice would be for you to first start with smaller construction projects around your home as you slowly hone your skills before you take up larger home improvement projects.