Contractor City Blog

First of all: know what you want. If you need some ideas, visit the library or your local book store and browse through landscape books, garden and pond magazines. You can also search the web and read and study as much as possible.

Layout is the most important phase of the entire project. I have heard many complaints from disappointed clients after they had a chance to get used to their new addition to the landscape. “I only wish we had made it bigger … made it deeper … added an island … made it longer and constructed a bridge … built it closer to the house … installed a larger water pump for the waterfall … or … built the waterfall higher or wider.”

Most of these wishes could have been granted for a reasonable cost before or during construction. But waiting until afterward means incurring a major expense that may be cost prohibitive. If your choice is to omit the item or feature because of its cost, then make structural preparations to allow for adding it on later. You can plan Continue reading ‘Ponds & Waterfalls: Layout & Excavation’ »

Home buyers who want to build a property for themselves or for investment purposes, can find it a challenge to compare flexible loans that will offer them the best deal as there are many variables. A loan for building a home is called a ‘self build mortgage,’ and there are several different types of self build mortgages available in the market place.

Differences between a Self Build Mortgage and a Traditional Mortgage

To compare flexible loans for a self build, the differences between a self build mortgage and a traditional mortgage first needs to be understood. The main difference is that self build mortgage money is released in stages as the building progresses, rather than as a single amount. The success of the loan application is not entirely dependent on financial circumstances, as with a traditional mortgage, but also on the quality and credibility of the presentation. Mortgage lenders will want to ensure the project is properly planned and produced by suitably qualified professionals. They will use the plans to assess the value of your plot of land and the end-value of your self build scheme. A thorough cost analysis needs to be made along with an itemized Continue reading ‘Compare Flexible Loans For Self Build Mortgages’ »

Those who are do-it-yourselfers know that the best and least expensive way to accomplish a task is to pull out the work gloves and get after it. But does that include projects that require construction equipment? There are several things to ask yourself before you decide whether to rent (or buy) construction equipment or to call in the pros.

Two of the most important things to consider are cost and size of the project. Have you always wanted a pond? There is really nothing stopping you from building one if you have enough land and there are no zoning laws restricting it. That is going to be a pretty big project and you might be surprised how much earth has to be moved to create even a small pond for watering livestock.

Think you are not qualified to operate construction equipment? You might be right. If you have never operated a bulldozer, you are going to quickly find out that those professionals only make it look easy. There is a lot to learn before you can successfully move dirt the way it is supposed to be moved. But even if you know how to run a bulldozer or Continue reading ‘Renting Construction Equipment Is Easy But Can You Use It Safely?’ »