Tag Archive for: building

St. Tammany Parish Homeowners & Businesses Receive Financial Relief

Good news for St. Tammany Parish homeowners and business owners is that they won’t have to “jump through hoops” in order to get their repair and renovation construction off the ground following the historic flood that hit Covington, Louisiana, inundating the city with water from 3 different river sources and shutting down roads and

businesses for several days.  The City of Covington has waived the requirement for building permit fees under an ordinance approved by the City Council.

Mayor Mike Cooper said most of the floodwaters had receded by Tuesday and residents were in clean up mode.

“Things are moving,” Cooper said. “The city is doing what it can to help.”

With 100 total structures and counting being reported with flood damage, not only would the fees and requirements be cost prohibitive to the city, but they would hold up the restoration of people’s homes and businesses which would only cause the city to suffer because of the lack of production.

In order to assist homeowners with their repairs, the city is also requiring any contractor or builder working on a flood damaged home who applies for a permit to be a state licensed contractor.  This should reduce the amount of fraud that happens when huge storms cause damage in the Greater New Orleans area.  Because state licensing

requires proof of general liability insurance, homeowners can also breathe easy while the contractor or builder is working on their home.

The main culprits of the flooding were the Bogue Falaya and Little Tchefuncte Rivers in northern Covington.  One of the storm’s casualties was the Bogue Falaya Park in downtown Covington, which will be closed until further notice until the repairs to the wooden pavilion and playground equipment can be done.  St. Tammany Parish is applying for disaster relief for the storm that brought so much damage and it is the mayor of Covington’s hope that this funding will be made available to Covington’s residents who need it.  Parish-wide, so far it has been counted that 615 structures received flood damage in St. Tammany Parish.

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Trends That Are Showing Up in Remodeled or Newly Built New Homes

Whatever type of home construction you are planning – a new, custom home or a complete remodel / renovation of your existing home – you will want to pay attention to the trends that are showing up in remodeled or newly built new homes.  Below are several trends that are popular among contractors, builders, and homeowners.

1. Luxurious garden tubs or jetted garden tubs have held steady in home construction for years, but for 2016, the trend is shower stalls or walk-around showers with shelving and seating.  There are some really unique shower designs that include multiple shower heads and even massage sprays.

2. For your backsplash, trim, or even walls and floors, ceramic tile is not as popular now among renovators and builders as glass tile.  The glass tile comes in many different colors as well as designs with multiple colors, so choose your matching design and go crazy!

3.  When stepping up to the gourmet kitchen or luxurious master bath, granite countertops used to be the ultimate material that reflected the type of construction of your new home or remodel.  There is a new material that is called engineered quartz that is not only tougher than granite and lasts longer, but it has the same timeless, classic, and upscale design for your custom counter work.

4.  Toilets naturally came in lower to the floor sizes for decades, but now there are choices of toilet heights that are available to new home buyers, and buyers are choosing height over flow.  The new, higher toilets are also more water efficient and modern, saving some homeowners on utility bills.

5.  Along with ornate, custom-built, real wood cabinetry; home buyers and remodelers now have a choice of painted, stained, and dark wood cabinetry vs. the traditional oak cabinets that 003were standard for new home construction projects.  Choose and contrast these colors as well with a two-toned look in the kitchen or bathroom.

6.  Even though, we as a custom home builder still encourage you to buy reliable appliances throughout your home, the industry has caught up with technology, so some home buyers and home renovators are now going with a mid-range level of appliance vs. a high-end appliance package.  The appliances themselves seem to have the same duration of service, and you can also purchase upper end looking fixtures, such as stainless steel to achieve the look you want without all of the cost.

7.  Back to the basics – homeowner and savvy new home buyers know to renovate and build their homes with real wood flooring such as solid oak or pine instead of engineered flooring.  While the look and cost of an engineered floor is great for the first few years, the results after many years of wear and tear don’t stand the test of time, weather, and constant use.  Homeowners and new home buyers will be looking to find affordable real wood choices for their flooring.

Click Here for the Source of the Information.