How To Get An Accurate Wood Repair Estimate
Orange County has almost the perfect environment for termites and dryrot. We have a mild climate where it doesn’t get much over 80 degrees and drywood termites are very comfortable in that temperature range.
Another thing you’ll notice is that it’s usually damp around here. We’ve all got water dripping off our roofs almost everyday and any car left outside overnight will be soaking wet the next morning, right? High moisture like that is perfect for wood destroying fungus to cause dry rot damage to your home.
So, when you consider we’ve got termites eating 24 hours a day and we’ve got fungus causing dryrot damage all day and night, it’s no wonder that many of our homes have significant damage and are in need of major wood repair.
Unfortunately, when it is time to have their homes repaired, many homeowners have found it to be difficult to get a good wood repair estimate. Prices vary wildly, one guy says one thing and another recommends something else, contractors don’t return calls – Just name a complaint and you’ll hear many homeowners echo the same.
To make your life easier and help take the risk out of making your decision, here are “Five Tips To Help You Get Your Best Wood Repair Bid:”
- Look for someone who specializes in dryrot and termite damage repairs. It’s no different than going to a doctor – You wouldn’t go to an eye doctor if you had a pain in your foot, would you? There are a large number of contractors in Orange County and many of them do wood working. However, just because you can build furniture or even build a new house, it doesn’t mean you know how to repair termite damage or dryrot on an existing structure. You really do need to find a contractor who does this type of work everyday and really knows the best techniques to use. Hiring the wrong type of contractor could really be a disaster waiting to happen. Make sure they are licensed, bonded, insured and that everyone on their crew is covered by Workmans Compensation Insurance (NO DAY LABORERS!).
- You need a thorough inspection. If your home has been neglected and has a lot of damage, it is going to take a lot of time to do an accurate estimate. And, the only way to do an accurate estimate is to check every piece of wood that you can get your hands on and inspect it for damage. This alone, could be the best kept secret for getting an accurate bid. In other words, if your home has a fair amount of damage and a contractor spends only a short time walking around your home before giving you a quote, you know it’s probably bogus. But, if you get a guy out to your home, he spends a good amount of time and marks up everything that needs to be repaired, your odds of success will skyrocket.
- You need a detailed estimate! Anyone can write an estimate on the back of a business card. But, what good is that? All you know from that is the price! When you get a bid, you need to know exactly what you’re going to get for your money. Ask your estimator for a full list of materials so you’ll know exactly how much will be replaced and you’ll know what type of materials will be used for your repairs. For larger projects, you should also ask for a sketch or drawing of your home so you’ll know what and where all items will be repaired. This is really important when you’re comparing bids because you want to make sure that everyone has all of the same items on their bids. If you see something on one bid but not on the other, that’s an important warning sign.
- Look for huge differences in prices and don’t be afraid to ask why. You know that everyone in this state pays roughly the same for gas, materials, insurance, rent and most workers are paid within a certain range. So, if there are wild differences in prices, you know there has got to be a reason. Unfortunately, many homeowners think they got a great price, only to find out later that many things were left out of their bid, their contractors weren’t really insured or they hired people under the table so they wouldn’t have to pay taxes or insurance.
- Find a contractor that is highly recommended. Ask for referral letters and insist on looking at other homes they have repaired in your neighborhood. And, ask them to help you get in touch with their past clients so you can really find out what they think about their work. If the contractor has a good track record of satisfying clients, chances are you’ll get a good repair job, too.
Everyone is concerned about price and I can appreciate that. But, you need to remember that price is a one time thing. If you pay a little more than you planned but wind up getting what you want, you’ll soon forget about it. However, if you hire someone just so you can save a few dollars and wind up loosing everything because they did a bum job – You’ll remember that forever. That’s why we really encourage you to do your homework. Always go with someone that has a proven track record.
Need help with wood repairs, fixing termite damage or replacing dry rotted wood? Need an EPA Certified company to help you with work on a home built before 1978? Call Termite Terry Pest Control, Inc., at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form and we’ll gladly schedule an appointment at your convenience.
Rave Reviews!
I was fortunate to have Skip come to our house and do an inspection. He may have told you about my conversation with him regarding an inspection done by (another company). It would have been so easy for Skip to tell me problems existed in the house and I would have easily believed him.
As I told Skip, both he and your company have restored my faith that there are honest and fair and considerate people that still exist in business and especially in a business as yours that can take advantage of unknowing homeowners. I will be contacting you next year as he suggested and I will pass your company’s name on to as many neighbors that I know.
Once again, I cannot thank you and Skip enough for your honesty and courtesy. There would be no one else I would call regarding termite control.
-Devee Dockham, Monterey Park.
I want you to know that we are very pleased with the work done by your company to remove and repair the termite damage as well as the Vikane fumigation.
Your inspector, Ryan O’Hare, was extremely thorough in his termite inspection and he uncovered damage that was not found by two other pest control companies. I observed Ryan inspect every inch of wood on the exterior of our home and in the attic. It was his thoroughness and professionalism that convinced us to contract with Termite Terry.
Your carpenters, Saul and Israel, did an outstanding job. Their craftsmanship and attention to detail exceeded our expectations. At the end of everyday, they did a complete clean up. It was a pleasure having them work on our home. Ryan, Saul and Israel are a credit to your company.
-Ron Herzig, insurance agent, Huntington Beach.
Ants Are The Number One Pest In The U.S.
The National Pest Management Association recently conducted a study titled, “The 2010 Pest Control Attitudes and Usage Survey.” In this study they confirmed that ants are the number one pest concern, with termites, spiders, cockroaches and mosquitoes not far behind. They showed that close to 60 percent of homeowners in the U.S. currently have a pest control service or they have used a pest control service for pest problems and preventative care.
“Pests are more than nuisances in our daily lives. They can destroy property and pose health risks to children and adults alike. Our survey tells us many homeowners recognize these threats and recognize that effective pest control requires professional services,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “Regular professional pest control should be part of every homeowner’s maintenance plan.”
More than 1,000 U.S. homeowners were polled about pest problems and professional pest control. Here are some of the highlights:
- 54% named ants as their top pest concern.
- 53% believe professionals are more effective in handling household pest problems than they are. That number went up to 88% when asked of current pest control users.
- 84% of those who used a professional service said that their most recent pest problem was solved in one or two visits. Homeowners who tried to do their own pest control service had varying success rates with many failing to solve their own problems.
Need help with pest control service at your home? We offer a full line of pest control services and we’ll be glad to assist. Call us at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form.
The President’s Economic Stimulus Plan
There is a lot of talk in the news these days about bail-outs and economic stimulus plans. Some say our current programs cost too much or they aren’t doing enough.
President “Termite” Terry would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone about how well his economic stimulus plan is really working and how it is literally putting gasoline directly into people’s cars and trucks.
Michael Armstrong of Huntington Beach is living proof that this plan works. He referred our service to Dena Duthie of Long Beach and received a $50.00 tank of gas.
Ellies Watanabe of Newport Beach got her $50.00 tank of gas by referring our service to Sheila Dennis of Newport Beach.
Another $50.00 tank of gas went to Noel Tran of Orange because he referred our service to Mr. & Mrs. Minh Tran of Orange.
Sally Lu ,of Irvine, will also enjoy the feeling when she puts $50.00 worth of FREE gasoline in her tank. She referred our service to Simon Kim of Westminster.
Our President has vowed to cut spending on large advertising programs and instead, will use the money saved by these spending cuts and put it directly into the people’s gas tanks. If you would like to participate in the President’s economic stimulus program, all you have to do is to find one of your fellow citizens who is in need of a monthly pest control service or a termite control service. And, if the person you recommend hires our firm to do work on their home or business, our President will see to it that you get $50.00 worth of FREE gas.
President “Termite” Terry says, “Call our office at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form and together, we can truly make a difference in our nation’s economy”!
Celebrating The 235th Anniversary Of The United States Marines
On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and passed a resolution to raise two battalions of Marines for service as landing forces with the fleet. That date is celebrated as the date of the Marine Corps’ birthday.
After the American Revolution ended, both the Continental Navy and the Continental Marines were disbanded. The institution would not start up again until 1798, when the U.S. was preparing for the Quasi-War with France. That is when Congress created the United States Marine Corps.
The Marine Corps serves as an amphibious force in readiness and have three primary areas of responsibility:
- The seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and other land operations to support naval campaigns.
- The development of tactics, technique and equipment used by amphibious landing forces.
- Such other duties as the President may direct.
The Marines have served in every American armed conflict. They attained prominence in the 20th century when their theories and practices of amphibious warfare became such a huge part of the United States’ success in the Pacific campaign of World War 2.
More often than not, the Marines have performed actions of a non-naval nature, including famous actions in the War of 1812, at Tripoli, Chapultepec, numerous counter-insurgency and occupational duties, World War 1 and the Korean War.
Today, there are just over 203,000 active duty Marines and just under 40,000 reserve Marines.
This November 10th, let’s remember to celebrate our Marines – the most loyal, most feared, most revered and most professional fighting force the world has ever known.
Sleepless Nights In Long Beach
We got a call from a person living in Long Beach who was complaining about something, possibly insects, crawling all over his body and biting him. That “creepy-crawly” feeling he had kept him awake all night and there was no way he could get any sleep.
By the time we got there, he had already torn his home apart. The carpets were ripped out and the furniture thrown away. About the only thing he kept was his bed and believe it or not, he treated that with malathion (Malathion is a pesticide which has a gross, very strong smelling odor and professional pest control companies haven’t used that stuff for decades!). Our pest control specialist checked the home and could find no signs of any pest or insect problems. Also, this person had no obvious signs of bug bites.
Still, the “creepy-crawly” feeling wouldn’t go away and there was no way he could get any sleep. He wound up taking a leave of absence from his work and at this point, his boss and others thought he was going crazy.
Now here’s where things get interesting; During his leave of absence, he decided to take a short trip to Colorado and while he was gone, the “creepy-crawly” problem went away. However, when he returned to his home, he started itching again. Did he have delusional parasitosis (A form of psychosis whose victims believe they are being attacked by parasites.) or, was it an allergic reaction?
Fortunately, he decided to go to a dermatologist. The doctor laughed when he heard about the “creepy-crawly” stories and said it was a common allergic reaction to something. He prescribed 2.5% cortisone crème and the “creepy-crawly” problems went away.
Pest control services are important and can solve a lot of problems, but there is also a good reason “why God invented doctors”.