Many do-it-yourself homeowners enjoy upgrading their own home rather than hiring a licensed contractor to do so. As long as you do the work in accordance with current building standards and acquire all the necessary permits, this is perfectly fine—with one caveat. In California, if the work requires a building permit and you want to sell your home within a year of when the permit gets final approval, state law requires you hire a contractor.
Candidly, I cannot explain this (except to assume that contractors have good lobbyists). In cases where all work is up to code and has been cleared by the building inspector, homeowners should be allowed to sell their home whenever they please.
Whether you do the work yourself or hire someone, here are some summer projects that can add value to your home.
Deck
Around here, redwood decks are most common, but they are by no means the only option. Artificial boards made of recycled materials can also be a good choice because they are low-maintenance—no staining required—and they’re touted to last a long time. Based on those factors, I had a Trex deck installed at my house. Unfortunately, several boards deteriorated and had to be replaced, but I was impressed when Trex immediately replaced the faulty boards at no cost to me.
Even though Trex performed admirably, I decided to change the surface boards to ipe (pronounced e-pay). It’s a dense Brazilian hardwood, so dense that you cannot drive a nail through it. You basically have three choices: drill holes and nail through the holes, use screws, or put in a tie-down system. In my case, all 1” x 6” boards (which are as strong as 2” x 6” redwood boards) were grooved on both sides, so we put t-brackets in the joists and locked the boards down without nails or screws of any kind.
Doing extensive repairs or additions to decking requires some serious skills (and a new deck requires a building permit), so regardless of whether you use redwood, Trex, or something else, I recommend hiring a contractor.
Concrete Patio
Likewise, the crews who specialize in pouring concrete earn their money. It is not as easy as it looks. You’ll need to figure out how thick the pour should be, whether it should contain reinforcement like rebar, whether to install a drain, and how to slope it. Only then can you begin the actual work of pouring the concrete.
While concrete is a utilitarian material, it can be beautiful. Getting an attractive and functional finish doesn’t happen by accident. Concrete comes in many colors, and surfaces can go from smooth to bumpy.
I once hired concrete contractors to pour concrete around a pool. We chose white concrete, so our feet didn’t blister in the Ukiah summer, and a rock salt finish. While the concrete was still wet, they covered it with rock salt and rolled over the salt with a little contraption that pushed the salt into the concrete. After the concrete cured, they washed away the salt and little divots remained to collect water and create a cooler, safer walking surface.
If you plan to pour concrete, remember that it cracks. You’ll want to use the correct thickness and confirm the soil underneath is solid and stable. If there are trees nearby, make note of whether their roots are likely to reach the concrete. If you’re planting trees, ask your landscaper about using a sleeve around the roots to force the roots away from your patio or walkway.
Fencing
Like decking and concrete, adding a fence to your property isn’t as easy as one might hope, especially if you want it to be straight and solid. Fencing comes in many varieties, so consider your needs. Is it simply decorative? Does it need to keep in a rambunctious puppy? Are you looking for more privacy?
A short, wooden picket fence adds a homey touch, while a chain-link fence can withstand a determined-escape-artist puppy. If you want security fencing, go see Ukiah High School’s new fence. Although it’s intended to keep unauthorized people off campus, I think it probably does a better job keeping students on campus.
Before deciding on a fence, check city or county ordinances and neighborhood CC&Rs (covenant, conditions and restrictions). Some neighborhoods limit the height, placement, and style of fencing, and often, requirements for back yard fences are different than those for front yard fences. You don’t want to waste your time and money building the wrong fence.
If you have questions about property management or real estate, please contact me at rselzer@selzerrealty.com or call (707) 462-4000. If you have an idea for a future column, share it with me and if I use it, I’ll send you a $25 gift certificate to Schat’s Bakery.