Category Archives: Home Remodeling

Latest Valley Center, CA Home Remodel

Greyhound General is excited to have just completed a whole house remodel for a couple in Valley Center, CA. The entire project was completed in less than 8 weeks!

The background:

The young couple that owns the home actually resides in Florida, and they had planned on taking 4 months off from their jobs and live in a hotel in CA while a contractor did the renovation. Greyhound assured them they’d move quickly to get the job done fast.

Before the remodel

The house had nothing done to it since it was originally built, so it needed to be completely gutted down to the studs due to a severely leaking roof and plumbing issues.

The details:

This is what Greyhound did:

  1. Removed the roof tile and all the fascia board. Replaced plywood, fascia, installed new felt on the roof, and reinstalled the existing tile
  2. New plumbing fixtures, cabinets, counter tops, interior doors, and new tile flooring throughout
  3. Relocated and installed a new fireplace, lighting, new windows, aluminum trellis, and more

Finishing up the bathroom

During the remodel

The conclusion:

After only 25 days the couple was so impressed with the Greyhound team that they went back to their jobs in Florida, saving them lost wages and hotel room bills that saved them thousands of dollars!

The new kitchen

Here are some of the before and after photos:

If you’re interested in home remodeling work and you’re in the greater San Diego area give Greyhound a call today for a free estimate! You can reach us at  (800) 568.7108 or leave us your information here.

Popular Home Color Trends for 2015

If you’re looking to upgrade your home you may not need to remodel. Sometimes a fresh coat or two of paint will do the trick. This is true for kitchen cabinets, bedroom walls, exterior siding, and decks.

So you’re considering painting, but not sure on colors? According to Benjamin Moore, one of the largest paint manufacturers in the US, the color of the year for 2015 is “guilford green.” As you can see here it’s kind of a soft olive color.

Darker tones are also popular this year, particularly deep blues. According to HGTV, blue is the best color for your master bedroom. The reason is that it’s considering soothing, which can help you relax and sleep better. Furthermore, darker colors, like blue, make the room look bigger.

color trends

Due to the elements, painting your home’s exterior is an essential part of your maintenance. How often you need to paint it will depend on the siding.  For wood siding (hardboard or lapped) you’re safe with any color. However, if you go with a drastic color change you should prime with a 100% acrylic latex primer (and possibly 2 coats of paint).

For vinyl siding, avoid selecting a color that is darker than the original color. Darker colors absorb more radiant energy from the sun, which may cause the vinyl to warp.

For aluminum siding, you’ll want to avoid latex primers since they contain ammonia that has a chemical reaction with aluminum. This can the primer to expand and bubble. Instead, opt for an oil-based primer followed by 100% acrylic paint.

For stucco, the key is patching and calking appropriately. Then find a reputable acrylic latex paint. If you’re going light over a dark color you may need two coats.

If you’re considering remodeling or painting your home and you’d like to learn more about how Greyhound General can help then leave us your information here or call us at 800-568-7108. We proudly serve the entire San Diego area.

New Encinitas Home Remodel

Greyhound General’s latest project was a home remodel in Encinitas, CA. This exterior makeover consisted of several key highlights, including

  • 2 new bedrooms
  • New laundry room
  • New bathroom
  • Family room extension
  • New garage and driveway
  • New stucco and fencing

In addition to the quality work, one of the highlights of this project was the fact that it was completed in only two months!

Here are some of the transformations for this remodeling project:

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If you’d like to learn more about remodeling your home then give Greyhound a call today at 800-568-7108. You can also leave us a note here.

The Cost to Finish a Basement

Many homes sit with unfinished or partially finished basements. As homeowners, finishing your basement may seem like a daunting (and costly) task.

The inevitable question of cost will almost certainly warrant an “it depends” response. Well, it does depend, on a number of factors, including:

  • The square footage of your basement (measure to be exact)
  • Will you have a bathroom? If so, full or half bath? Any specific features, such as a certain tile? Luxury shower or tub?
  • Do you need an escape hatch or egress window? Is there a way out of the basement besides the stairs leading down to it? If not, you’ll need to invest in this.
  • What type of flooring do you want?

It’s important to keep in mind what goes into remodeling a basement, much like any other addition to your home. There’s flooring, dry wall, trim & doors, framing, and painting. This doesn’t even take into account the bathroom remodel.

You also need to factor in the cost of electrical work and audio installation (for a home theater), which is a must if you want that man cave you’ve always dreamed of.

This breakdown isn’t meant to discourage anyone from a basement remodeling project. In fact, as a home owner you can save money by completing several of the tasks on your own.

If you’d like to learn more about the cost to remodel your basement talk to Greyhound General today. Just fill out the form here or call 800-568-7108.

Remodel vs Buy a New Home

San Diego kitchen remodelingIf you’re lucky enough to live in San Diego you know how important location is. If you’re happy about where you live but not happy with your living space you might want to consider some upgrades that don’t involve moving.

Before we address some solutions to common space concerns, I’ll highlight the benefits of remodeling vs buying a new home. First of all, real estate prices are on the rise, especially in San Diego. According to real estate agent John Ranco, the previous president of the Greater Boston Association of Realtors, “remodeling away your house’s shortcomings can cost tens of thousands less than trading up to an already remodeled house, which commands a major premium now.”

Keep in mind that when you move you also have realtor fees and moving expenses. Plus, let’s be honest, no matter how “ready” your new home is, there will always be things you’ll want to modify to really make it yours.

Here are a few solutions to common spacing problems:

1) No first floor bathroom: This is a problem in many pre-war homes, and an inconvenience for guests (especially elder guests). However, if you have a large coat closet, pantry or under-stair area you might be able to add a half bathroom. You really only need about 15-16 square feet. The key here is to work with existing space, if possible, and utilize existing plumbing by building next to, above, or below the laundry room, kitchen, or another bathroom.

2) Small master “suite”: Does you master bedroom leave much to be desired. No walk-in closet of bathroom? Can you barely fit in that king size bed? Consider taking an existing bedroom. While you can certainly save money by knocking down a wall connecting the two bedroom (vs building out or up), this option can really vary in price depending on how extravagant you go with the bathroom. Also, be aware of how many bedrooms your neighbors have, as you don’t want to drop below the neighborhood average, or you could take a hit on your home’s value.

3) Too few bedrooms: So you’ve just combined two rooms into one huge master suite, or you have an unexpected new guest joining the family…what to do? Look up, as in the attic. First of all, you save by not building out, which requires adjustments to the foundation. Secondly, bedrooms do not require plumbing or other expensive appliances. That said, attic remodels can get pricey. You need to have a permanent staircase, and you typically need about 70 square feet of finished space at least 7 feet high. Talk to Greyhound about the latest code requirements.

4) Kitchen too small: This problem, combined with the kitchen simply being outdated, are two of the most common complaints. The simple solution? Knock down a wall. The first place to look is the wall between your kitchen and dining room, or any adjoining room. If you’d like to keep the dining room or living room “as is” consider a small kitchen addition.

These are just a few of the more common spacing problems we run into. Each home is unique and requires unique solutions based on your budget. If you’re considering remodeling your home talk to Greyhound General today. Check out our 5 star reviews on Yelp, or our video collection of beautiful San Diego remodeling projects. we’d be happy to provide a custom quote for you.

To learn more just fill out the form here or call 800-568-7108.

San Diego Short Sale Remodeling

short saleWhile the housing market has improved over the past few years, there are still many homeowners who are underwater on their mortgage or fighting to prevent foreclosure. This has lead to the rise of “short sales.” Often times the new homeowner is buying a house at a great price, but there may be work to do. That’s where Greyhound General comes in.

Some homeowners who don’t want to leave their property may neglect certain aspects of their home. As a buyer you’ll obviously want to have a thorough home inspection done to review everything. Short sellers have little incentive to keep up on maintenance, let alone upgrade outdated areas of their home, so there’s a lot of opportunity to make improvements.

Greyhound has been completing short sale remodels in San Diego for years, with experience in all types of residential remodeling, including kitchen, bathroom, room additions and more. Whether you’d like to add a deck and a pool to the backyard, redesign the kitchen or add a second story to your new home, we can help.

To learn more about how Greyhound General can help you with your short sale home remodeling simply leave us your information here, or call us directly at 800-568-7108.

 

Latest Work by Greyhound General in Clairemont

Greyhound General is at it again with another San Diego remodel. This project was in the Clairemont area of San Diego and it involved a an exterior home remodel as well as an interior kitchen remodel. Check out the before photo below…

The project involved moving the garage and adding on to the existing house. As you can see int he after photo below the siding, roofing and paint job were also updated.

If you’re looking to update or remodel your home, and your in the Clairemont area, or any area of San Diego, please leave Greyhound General a message here, or call us directly at 800-568-7108.

Prepping Your Home For Winter

We all know San Diego has perfect weather, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get cold in the Winter. In fact, the average low in January is a chilly 49 degrees, and the record low is a frosty 29! Still, with average highs in the mid-60s during Winter, San Diegans have it relatively easy. That being said, there are a few things you can do to prepare for the coming Winter.

1) Prepare Your Fireplace: Make sure that you have some sort of functioning cap or screen at the top of your chimney to keep rodents and birds out. You’ll also want to inspect the damper to make sure it opens & closes properly. You’ll also want to make sure that if your chimney hasn’t been swept in a while you schedule a professional to come out. This depends on how often you use your chimney, but you definitely need to inspect it thoroughly on your own at least once a year, ideally in the Fall.

2) Inspect Your Furnace: Consider hiring an HVAC professional or inspecting your furnace on your own. This includes the ducts. You’ll want to stock up on furnace filters, and move anything that’s flammable away from your furnace. Inspect your hot-water heater, as well as your hot-water radiator, if your home is heated by one.

3) Examine Your Roof, Gutters & Downspouts: Look for worn roof shingles or damaged flashing. Clean out the gutters and use a hose to wash any leftover debris down the downspouts. You may also want to install leaf guards for your gutters and downspouts, which will save you the time and hassle of cleaning the gutters in the future.

4) Examine Windows & Doors: Make sure all exterior entry points to the house around windows and doors are properly sealed. Install weatherstripping around your doors to prevent cold air from entering your home. Caulk around window sills, and replace or prime/paint any exposed or rotting wood around windows and doors. You’ll also want to investigate areas where pipes are entering your home to ensure everything is properly sealed.

5) Prepare Your Yard: This isn’t quite as involved as most Mid-Westerners or East Coasters’ Winter prepping, but still important. Trim all tree branches near your home or electrical wiring.  Frost is not a problem in San Diego, but you should still consider planting some cold temperature flowers or veggies just to be safe. Consider planting brocolli, lettuce, mustard and cabbage, which are frost-tolerant, or beets, carrots, spinach and kale, which are unaffected by frost. Finally, inspect your deck and driveway. Make sure both are properly sealed and protected.

6) Replace Batteries in Smoke Detectors & Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors: The rule of thumb is to change your smoke detector batteries every 6 months. We recommend doing so during each Daylight Savings’ switch. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work.

If you have any other tips for preparing your home for Winter in San Diego, feel free to leave us a comment below. If you’re considering a home remodel then leave Greyhound a note here or call us at 800-568-7108.

Dining Room Remodeling

The dining room’s role in the home has evolved over the past few decades. Once seen as a separate, formal room stocked with nice china that’s rarely used. This room was typically a place where you gathered with family to share a meal on special occasions and Holidays. While you can still find these formal rooms in many homes today, dining rooms have evolved to have many different roles.

Today you’ll find dining rooms that are connected to the kitchen, multi-purpose dining rooms, and even outdoor patio dining rooms. No matter the dining room you have, it’s clear that the focal point of the room is the table. However, everything around the table can make your dining room stand out: flooring, wall colors, light fixtures and china.

You’ll notice that by simply improving or replacing some of the room features around the table you’ll significantly enhance the appeal of your dining room. However, sometimes “throwing paint on the wall” just doesn’t do the trick. If you’re considering remodeling your kitchen or living room, and your dining room is connected to either room, you may want to think about upgrading this room as well.

To learn more about updating or remodeling your dining room, or any room in your home, then talk to Greyhound General today. We’ve been serving San Diego for years with the highest quality home remodeling services. To learn more simply leave us a note here or call 800-568-7108.

Options for Installing a New Roof

A while back we wrote an article that discussed different tips for examining the condition of your roof. This is typically a good thing to do in the early Fall, so that you have time to make any fixes to it before the Winter weather begins. In this article we’ll discuss some options you have if you’ve decided to replace your existing roof.

Before even making the decision to replace your roof you need to make sure that it is in need of being replaced. This depends on the existing roofing material and the weather. Asphalt shingles may need to be replaced as early as 15 years after installation. Wood and rubber tiles can usually last 30-50 years. Metal typically can last at least 50 years, and slate, one of the most durable roofing materials, typically lasts the lifetime of the house.

Like any other housing material, there is a direct relationship between price and durability/longevity of the material. In short, if you want something that’ll last longer you’ll need to pay more for it. This is why most Americans use asphalt shingles on their home. It’s cheap, easy to install and fairly resilient. They also come in a variety of colors, and asphalt shingles tens to look aesthetically appealing for many different home styles. If you’re an environmentalist though, you might want to avoid asphalt shingles because they’re not usually recyclable because of the layer of fiberglass added to the shingles.

Wood shingles and shakes allow for a variety of different wood styles (including cedar, redwood, pine and more). Wood shingles tend to be a little costlier than asphalt, but they do blend pretty well with most home styles, particularly ranch, cottages and contemporary-style homes. The big concern with wood is its low fire safety rating. This risk can be offset with a fire-resistant treatment, which usually comes with an additional cost

Slate, as mentioned above, tends to last forever (or at least as long as the house). Slate is also very environmentally friendly, since it is not only made from a sustainable mixture, but it’s also recyclable.  However, it is expensive and very heavy, and it tends to only work well with Mediterranean, Mission and European-style homes. Also, keep in mind that it is often a darker color, so it’s not ideal for high-heat locations.

There are several other popular roofing options out there, including synthetic shingles, clay & concrete, metal and fiber cement. They all come with different price points, durability and colors. When choosing the right roofing material you’ll need to factor in your budget, as well as the style of your home. Of course, when installing or repairing your roof it’s always a good time to consider adding solar panels.

Greyhound General, a San Diego home remodeling contractor will help provide you with all the different options for your home and roof. If you have any questions about remodeling your home or roof, or if you’re interested in a free estimate please fill out the form here or call 800-568-7108.