About Asbestos: Facts and Dangers

Although the amount of asbestos found in our communities today is becoming scarce due to laws and regulations, it still remains a hazardous material when encountered. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Most exposure today comes when old insulation or tiling is disturbed during construction projects… and proper precautions are not taken to avoid breathing in dust.”

This is why hiring a certified contractor for home remodels, projects, and emergencies is essential. Here are some facts from the California Department of Health Services that homeowners should know about asbestos:

• Asbestos is a mineral fiber with qualities that make it useful for electrical and thermal insulation.
• Because of its high-insulation characteristic, it was often added to building materials.
• California’s most commonly-reported asbestos material is “popcorn” or “cottage cheese” ceiling known as “acoustic ceiling materials.”
• Asbestos can be found in vinyl floor tiles and floor mastic used in its installation; drywall or drywall patching compound; wall or ceiling textures; insulation for furnaces, stoves, pipes and electrical; some roofing shingles and mastic, as well as siding materials. 
• Asbestos-containing materials are generally found in materials that were manufactured prior to 1985, however, some of the manufactured materials were still being sold for several years after this. 
• If your home or building was built prior to 1988, you may want to have your home tested for asbestos-containing materials prior to removal of wall, ceiling, floor or roof materials.
• Your health may be compromised when inhaling asbestos fibers.
• Most people do not develop health problems when exposed to small amounts of asbestos.
• A combination of smoking and asbestos inhalation is found to be particularly hazardous.
• Asbestos can only be identified by a trained professional with special laboratory equipment.
• If you have asbestos in your home, you can remove it, contain it or live with it.
• The only way asbestos can affect your health is if the fibers are disturbed, become airborne and are inhaled. 
• Removing and disposing of asbestos should only be done by a certified professional.

Refer to the California Department of Health Services worksheet for additional information, useful phone numbers and informative websites: Click Here.

For asbestos-related issues in your home, call Specialized Outsource Solutions immediately. We take calls 24/7 and will refer local, certified contractors to remove and properly dispose of asbestos-containing materials. Call 1.888.589.1868 or click on our “Request Services” button from our website at www.sos-crnetwork.com.

California Department of Health Services. Indoor Air Quality Info Sheet, Asbestos in the Home and Workplace. March 2000. http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/IAQ/Documents/IAQ_Asbestos_2000-03.pdf

Searcey, Dionne. The Wall Street Journal. “Q&A: What’s the Asbestos Risk Today?”. March 10, 2013.

Decorate Your Home on the Cheap

If you’re looking for a change and want to redecorate your home, try these tips to get the most bang out of your buck:

1. Look up local auctions. Many communities will have consignment companies that auction whole furniture sets and individual furniture pieces that sell for far less than retail prices. Brush up on auction rules and bid like a pro.

2. Browse consignment stores. Often times, this type of store will look like your average furniture store. The variety of pieces will range from modern to antique, and will usually all be in pretty good shape. The great thing about these stores is that the store’s buyers get to pick and choose what they display and sell, so you won’t be running across a lot of worn out items.

3. Look for estate sales. There are companies that will go to a property and host an estate sale of all the items on the property. Most of the times these events are open to the public, but for some events you need to be on a list or invited. Estate sales are another way to get quality furniture (sometimes whole sets) for great prices. Find an estate sale near you.

4. Pick through thrift stores. Some items in thrift stores can be pretty worn, but chances are you can run across something in really good condition and for a great price! If you’re a do-it-yourself person, you can reupholster a good recliner that has tears in it or paint a table with worn paint. Look up some DIY tips and learn from the internet community how to make something old into something new. To stretch your bucks at thrift stores, ask about sale days (like half-off Saturdays or senior-discount Tuesdays).

5. Find inspiration. Online resources are plentiful and so are print materials. In fact, you may find inspiration in your every-day life. Pick up a home decorating magazine when you’re in the checkout line at the grocery store and try to mimic something you like. Or browse the web with a few keywords and see what types of images pop up that you can translate into home décor or that may inspire you. The world is your muse and so is the internet. Have fun and experiment!

If you want to take your home transformation a step further and need a contractor for a bigger project, call Specialized Outsource Solutions at 1.888.589.1868. From emergency home repairs (like fire, mold, vehicle and water damage) to home remodeling projects, we refer certified professionals in the Southern California area to address your needs. Visit our website or find us on Facebook today!

Rely on a Contractor Instead of Yourself

Sometimes we want to think the best way to address a home project is to put the job into our own hands. This may be the case for certain things, from redecorating to reflooring, depending on your confidence level and skill set. However, it’s important to know when to recruit a reliable contractor to handle a home project for you, especially in the case of an emergency or time-sensitive situation.

The cost of a project is one of the biggest reasons homeowners take projects and repairs into their own hands versus hiring out the work. This tactic can often backfire and lead to more out-of-pocket expenses in the long run. Getting uncertified work done to your home, whether by your own hands or through the cheap labor of a neighborhood handyman, often results in creating additional work by a professional to fix faulty workmanship. Hiring a professional from the start is a wise choice and doing so through SOS’s Contractor Referral Network can result in significant savings.

The experience a certified contractor carries is valuable. Unless you have previous experience in the industry, it is almost a sure bet that the contractor knows more about the job at hand and how to go about it in the most efficient manner. Why? Because they’ve probably done it before for other clients. Paying someone to do the job right the first time, especially when they’re experts in their line of work, eliminates faulty work and incurring additional unnecessary costs.

Beware as a homeowner who wants to do the work yourself (or direct other subcontractors) as you may not know the right order in which work needs to be completed and the sub-contractor you hire will only focus on the job you've hired them to do. For instance -- framing, electrical, wall insulation, and installation of light fixtures or ceiling fans should be done before drywall is installed or there are additional costs incurred for furniture removal or masking, drywall, texture and paint if the light fixtures are budgeted for and installed at a later date. Rely on the expertise of reputable, licensed general contractors to save you money in the long run.

A certified contractor also comes with their own set of guarantees, unlike you doing your own fixer-upper task. If the work they conduct is for some reason unsatisfactory, they are obligated to fix it. This will greatly influence your overall satisfaction with the repair process and final product as well as your peace of mind. Beware: Uncertified contractors may not be held to the same high standards as a general contractor. Unfortunately, there are few resources available to a homeowner to recoup any financial loss for poor workmanship or a job abandoned and unfinished! You can notify a bad contractor with a breach of contract if a job goes wrong.

Hiring a contractor means hiring a well-versed professional with industry contacts. If you are going to go to a local home-repair store to purchase materials, it is likely you’ll pay more than what a licensed contractor who purchases materials regularly and on a large scale can buy the same materials for (think of the savings Costco, AAA and Contractors Warehouse gives members who frequent their store). A contractor will have more knowledge on the types of materials that best suit the job with access to better price points upon purchasing.

If time is a factor in finishing a project, doing the work yourself can also take more time than a professional contractor who has multiple experienced workers available to complete the repairs. In the case of fire damage or water damage, it is best to address the repairs quickly and efficiently and to utilize a reputable company that is certified in proper removal or cleaning of materials affected by water, fire, asbestos, lead, bacteria or mold. In the case of a long-term project like a remodel, it is best to hire a crew who can work on a strict deadline. In both cases, a certified contractor can do the job in a shorter and more efficient timeline than you’re likely capable of doing.

For referrals of reliable and certified contractors, contact Specialized Outsource Solutions for a network of professionals for all types of home repair jobs. Call us 24/7 at 1.888.589.1868 or fill out an online form from to request referral services.

Funding Your Next Home Remodel or Project

Home projects are an ongoing event for homeowners, whether a home is newly purchased and needs some remodeling or if a home has been lived in for decades and is in need of repairs. The cost of the remodel or project is always a top concern. Keep the following information in mind when brainstorming the best way to fund your next home project:

Financing

Most people who finance home projects do so because making payments over a long period of time makes more sense than paying big chunks of money up front. If you turn to a bank for the loan, apply for a home equity loan or a personal loan. It’s wise to shop around for the lowest interest rates. If opening a new credit card is a feasible option, you may be able to take advantage of promotional advantages (such as zero-percent APR for 12 –15 months). Remember that certain home improvement stores offer their own credit cards too, which sometimes come with discounts off the initial purchase, saving you even more money.

Grants

When a property needs repairs in order to maintain a safe and livable quality, government grants may be available to fund the project. The grants help cover the costs of material and labor in order to remedy a situation such as bad roofing installation or major issues with wall siding. This type of funding normally requires the homeowner to meet certain income qualifications. Usually, the grant would only have to be paid back if the homeowner sells the home within a set amount of years. This is to prevent people who flip (fix-up and sell the home on a short time period) from utilizing grants to pay for home improvements that lead to profit after selling the property.

Tax Deductions

Getting a home improvement tax deduction is a possibility for projects that are eligible and follow specific rules and regulations. The project’s eligibility depends on a variety of factors including: state requirements, size of the home, age of the home and the details of the project itself.

For all avenues of funding your project, make sure you are consulting with professionals. Leaving your money and your project in the hands of a certified, credible company is your best bet to avoid a job gone badly. To get referrals for reliable contractors in Southern California, contact Specialized Outsource Solutions any day or time. Call 1.888.589.1868 or fill out an online form.