Categories Blog, Tips

Tips to Winterize Your Home

Winter

As another New England winter rolls in, there are many ways you can protect your home from damage. Our team works closely with homeowners to ensure their home is ready for whatever Mother Nature may deliver this year. Not sure where to start on your own home?

  • Get Your Gutters in Place & Clean: Take a look at your gutters. Are they facing towards your house? If so, you need to fix them so the water flows away, not towards the structure of your home. Also, make sure your gutters are free and clear of any leaves to avoid water build-up.
  • Make Sure Doors & Windows Are Weathertight: Make sure all windows and exterior doors are weather tight so there are no drafts; This will keep the wind, snow, and wet weather out.
  • Check for Window Sill Damage: Water damage to your window sill is caused by sitting moisture. If you have a rotten or moldy sill, it is important to replace it before further damage is done to the structure of your home.
  • Use Heated Cables: Ice dams can cause big headaches for homeowners and heated cables can help protect your house from them. Without these cables, the water that backs up behind the ice dams can leak into your home, causing damage to walls, ceilings and insulation.

Thanks for reading! Let us know if you need any help protecting your home this winter!

The McDonald Contracting Team

Categories Blog, Recent Work

Arlington Home Remodel

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We recently finished home renovations for one of our clients in Arlington, MA.  Our team transformed this home by making a few substantial changes to give the homeowner more space in their own home. The results were amazing and our clients couldn’t be happier!

Here is what we did –

  • Knocked down the wall between the dining room and kitchen to increase the kitchen size
  • Renovate the kitchen to be clean and modern
  • Added a dormer to their attic which added two new bedrooms and a new full bathroom

Kitchen Remodel:

Bathroom:

 

Bedrooms:

Are you looking for ways to increase the space and/or value in your own home? Contact us today to learn more about our team can help you!

Thanks for reading!

McDonald Contracting[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Categories Blog, Tips

Renovating Your Kitchen: The secrets no one will tell you

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A kitchen is the heart of your home and due to a high ROI it’s also the most popular room to renovate in any house.  Remodeling a kitchen is new to many of our clients and so is understanding the pricing behind it. Depending on the size of the home a new kitchen can range anywhere from $30K-$70K. Since this is such a large range we’ve broken down the costs to understand what goes into a small vs. a large kitchen.

Smaller renovations:
❖ Painting walls and ceilings
❖ Upgrading your sink and faucet
❖ Upgrading your appliances
❖ Adding backsplash
❖ Re-finishing existing cabinets or installing stock cabinets
❖ Replacing countertops with materials such as vinyl or laminate

Larger renovations:
❖ Installing custom cabinets
❖ Installing hardwood floors
❖ Adding recessed lighting
❖ Installing high-end appliances
❖ Adding a kitchen island
❖ Replacing countertops with materials like stone, wood or metal

The average project cost varies depending on the size of your kitchen and the materials you choose. If you’re planning on staying in your home for years to come, larger changes are worth it since you are increasing the value of your home, while being able to reap the benefits of things like using updated appliances and granite countertops. If you’re thinking of selling in the next few years, you can still start with smaller renovations that will increase the value of your home.

McDonaldContracting Blog
View one of our latest projects

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Money Saving Tips For Remodeling:

There are some great ways to cut costs, but not cut corners when remodeling your home. Check out our three tips on how you could easily save on your next kitchen or home renovation.

Purchase Your Own Materials: Customer involvement with material choices results in more time, but less money spent. Clients can order tile and cabinetry supplies directly or have the contractor choose all of this for you. You can also check out wholesale tile stores for discounted prices on high-end flooring or check out craigslist for reduced price items. There are wholesale tile suppliers like Fitzgerald Tile in Woburn, MA and Pro Source store in Boston, MA that have an array of materials and prices.

Get Items On Sale: We all know Lowe’s and Home Depot are great for all home improvement projects, but did you know they offer discounted prices on light fixtures, paint, and more!  Their sale items can be a hit or miss, but it’s always worth exploring their sale shelves.

Shop Yard Sales, Thrift Shops & Estate Sales: Not afraid of something that is second-hand? By shopping at thrift stores, estate sales and yard sales you could save huge, but be prepared to hunt for a great deal.  If purchasing something that requires electricity, always plug it in before purchasing and check with your contractor to make sure the sizing is right.

TIP: Check out Greengoat – Greengoat is a local charity organization that specializes in salvaging materials from homes being renovated or demolished. They offer everything from flooring to toilets for a remarkably low price.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”blue” style=”dashed” el_width=”70″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We hope you found these renovation and savings tips helpful! If you have any questions about remodeling your kitchen please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thanks for reading!

McDonald Contracting[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]