Additional Services
ROOM ADDITIONS / 2nd FLOOR ADDITIONS
Build up. Build out. Claim unused space. Adding a room or two to your existing home may be a lot less costly – and less stressful – than moving when you need more space.
Careful planning by JPS Construction Services will help assure you blend your addition to the existing style and structure of your home while also retaining the feel and price range in the neighborhood. Done correctly, it will look like it’s an original design feature instead of a poorly designed afterthought.
Practicality should govern the design. Unless you have an eternal attachment to the neighborhood, don’t undertake an addition only you could love. We will Implement design basics that offer more universal appeal so that future potential buyers willappreciate the new space as much as you do, guaranteeing you a positive return on your investment.
Don’t invest in an addition that won’t offer payback with increased value to your home. If you’re financing the project, the bank will want to compare current home value with future home value against the costs of the project. If the math doesn’t work then the loan may not be forthcoming.
A room addition takes time, and will cause inconvenience to your family while your daily activities are disrupted. Through proper planning JPS Construction Services can help design and carry through your project while causing the least inconvenience to your family.
GARAGE CONSTRUCTION
Building a garage is an excellent choice for a home improvement project. A garage not only serves as a place to protect your car(s) from the elements, but somewhere to store tools, sports equipment, and boxes of junk that you just can’t seem to part with. It can also provide a space to work on various projects – anything from pottery to potting plants to repairing and restoring cars. Let JPS Construction Services, assist you in designing the right garage for your home
Garages aren’t just for cars anymore!
You can also build a garage to add square footage to a house for less cost than a standard home addition – for example, as a playroom for the kids or as a home office. Just think, in 1939, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard created their first product and formed their company, Hewlett Packard, in their garage. And what about the countless bands that have started out in the garage? For anyone with a musically-inclined teenager (and even more so for the non-musically-inclined), a garage can be a godsend as a practice space.
Do it for the benefits, not the resale value
But for all the added convenience of a new garage, be aware that you probably won’t get- fully reimbursed for the addition when you sell your house. A garage addition can cost upwards of $15,000, and you can expect to get around a 40%-50% return on your investment (although these numbers may vary depending on factors such as your geographic location, your neighborhood and the real estate market at the time you’re selling your home).
Think of the remaining 60% of the cost in terms of the personal and other financial benefits you’ll enjoy. Things like improved lifestyle, recreational benefits, protection and safety for your car, a tax write-off if you use the space for a home office, and the cost savings of not having to move to another home. .Contact us today and let JPS Construction Services help make your garage addition dreams come true.
VINYL SIDING
Vinyl provides enduring beauty and design flexibility. Using a variety of siding and soffit styles, colors, accessories and trim, JPS Construction Services can update a ranch, add character to a colonial or even recreate a Victorian. Moreover, you can select siding that will be consistent with your home’s design and fit into the environment and neighboring homes.
Vinyl is now the number-one siding material available. And for good reason: Nothing beats vinyl siding, accessories and trim for sheer endurance. Unlike many other siding materials, vinyl is impervious to rain, cold, salt and snow.
And vinyl won’t rot, peel, dent or show scratches, nor will it ever need painting. A simple soap-and-water rinse once a year is all that’s required to remove dirt and maintain the look of freshly painted wood.
Vinyl siding is a great investment. Residing a home is among the top ten remodeling projects in terms of overall payback. And, if you reside with vinyl, you can often recoup 100% or more of your investment. Call JPS Construction Services today and let us help you decide which type of siding project is best for your home.
TUCK POINTING
Tuck pointing is the placement of white lines around bricks to give a more pleasing appearance. It is purely for cosmetic purposes to enhance the brickwork and is an alternative to painting or rendering. It can dramatically improve the appearance of your home. Call JPS Construction Services today for a free Tuck Pointing estimate of your home. These days there is more of a restoration process involved. Please make sure your Tuck Pointing work is performed by a qualified professional like the JPS Construction Services .
BASEMENT REMODELING
A finished basement is not only a great investment; often it’s also a center of family living, with amenities such as home theaters and family entertainment centers, wet bars, game rooms and even a guest room and spare bath. Today’s basements allow for high ceilings, good lighting and sunlight access. And of course you have a wide range of finish options to choose from, ranging from quietly utilitarian to plush opulence.
For basements in older houses, the challenges can include providing additional structural support and working with aging mechanical systems, along with ensuring that your addition fits seamlessly with the rest of the house. As you can imagine, these projects require extensive, hands-on experience.
At JPS Construction Services, we have vast experience in remodeling basements. Call us today to meet with one of our designers and begin the process of turning your old basement into the room you have always dreamed it could be.
ROOFING
For optimum durability and beauty, a complete and healthy roofing system requires hip & ridge shingles, ventilation products, shingles, and water-resistant underlayment. Selecting the right roofing materials is the first decision to be made in the reroofing process. Key points to consider when you choose the roofing products are style and color, performance requirements and warranty protection. Allow a JPS Construction Services professional assist you in this decision making process. We will come to your home, measure your roofs square footage, and discuss with, you the different options available and the pros and cons of each option. Next we will create a detailed bid which will include time estimates, materials estimates and labor estimates. After that we schedule a time to begin the project to minimize any inconvenience to you or your family during the process.
GUTTERS AND DOWN SPOUTS
Neglecting Gutters and Downspouts Could Cause Heavy Damage
It will never cease to amaze us at JPS Construction Services how- difficult it has been to get the word out about how important it is to keep water away from a home’s foundation. Take gutters and downspouts for example: There’s no better way than using these to collect roof water and prevent it from dropping onto the ground next to the foundation. Believe it or not, in some places local codes don’t require gutters or downspouts. Fortunately for some the idea of surface-water management is taken very seriously.
In many communities strict rules are in place wherein gutters and downspouts not only are required, but also must be connected to an underground drainage system that transports collected water to a public-storm drain system, as well, it gets even more complicated. But don’t worry about the local rules and regulations. The professionals at
JPS Construction Services these lawmakers require that watershed from these systems not cross OVER sidewalks. That’s right; the pipe has to go under the sidewalk. It can’t be exposed to daylight on your side of the sidewalk and run out to the street over a public walkway. We think these are good rules. Regardless, these rules are not enforced against existing homes. If you don’t have a gutter and downspout system, chances are you will never have to install one. You’ll do so only if you decide to on your own. As far as your rights are concerned, the latter is probably sweet music to your ears. On the other hand, as a homeowner it might cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix your home someday. Water can take its toll. If you have downspouts, at least you are properly collecting damaging roof water and tunneling it into a management system that will possibly save you big-time headache down the road. However, if you do have gutters and downspouts, and the water isn’t being collected into a drainage system, you might be in for it anyway. Collecting all of that water and letting it out NEAR the foundation can be even worse than not having gutters and downspouts at all. Collecting all that water and letting it fall next to the foundation in massive quantities can destroy your home over time.
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars developing a fancy underground aqueduct. But you do need to pay special attention to what is happening to the water that your roof collects. Think about it. If you have an average-size American home, your roof collects water from an area over 2,000 square feet in size. That’s a lot of collection area. Suddenly, all of that water ends up coming down through six or eight downspouts… altogether less than 2 square feet. Talk about a buildup of water.
One thing you can do if you don’t have an underground water-delivery system is to extend the downspouts so that they don’t discharge water near your home. The experts tell us 3 feet is sufficient. We think that is a minimum distance. Twenty feet is probably better. A lot depends on the soil around your house. Besides an extension you will also want something that will prevent the rushing water from eroding your landscape. Rivers move mountains and downspout discharge can literally move your landscape. The experts usually recommend that gravel or rocks be placed at the end of a discharge pipe to reduce the chance of erosion. With homes, a common practice is to use something called a splash block. Discharge water beats on the block not the ground. Splash blocks are OK most of the time, but might be lacking during torrential downpours. What’s the answer? We both have underground drainage systems on our properties because we want our property to be there when we get old. But, if the thought of an underground system makes you pocketbook-nervous, you should at least install extensions on all downspouts that end within a foot or two of your foundation. How far should they be extended? As far as you can afford. And it doesn’t take anything fancy. Flexible plastic drain pipe, a section of downspout, metal, plastic or concrete sewer pipe. You choose. Whatever you do, choose at least one.
To watch a video about Leaf Guard Gutters, follow this link, http://www.bobvila.eom/B’VTV/HomeAgain/Video-1521
CEMENT WORK
At JPS Construction Services, we can assist you in your cement work. Whether you are interested in a new sidewalk, or driveway, or pouring a foundation for a new basement, our general contractors have been through it all before. Call us today to help you decide what type of cement work might be right for your home or business improvement project.
BRICK AND CHIMNEY WORK
JPS Construction Services, can help you with chimney work including repairing damage done by storms or wind. We specialize in a variety of different type of masonry work. As chimneys age, they begin to deteriorate and threaten the safety of the home. Relining an existing chimney can be tricky, but a flexible steel lining system makes difficult applications easier.
INTERCOM AND ALARM SERVICES
We can install your home or business Intercom and / or Alarm Service. We contract with the top local alarm companies and can provide you with a variety of options to help you with your intercom and or alarm needs. Contact JPS Construction Services today, and sleep better tonight.
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
JPS Construction Services can help you set up video surveillance for your home or business utilizing your Local Area Network and simple to use web cams. This solution is an inexpensive and a cost effective way to monitor baby sitters, employees, or anything you want to keep an eye on while you are away. You can set up internet viewing access, so you can monitor your home or business from any computer or web enabled device like your PDA or wireless telephone. If you don’t have a local area network the job can still be done using a standalone web cam. Video is stored just like on a TWO or any standard DVR.
CARPETING
Choosing to Carpeting as a flooring option is an excellent choice for many home and business owners. At JPS Construction Services we are partnered with some of the finest carpet layers in the Chicago land area. Contact one of our designers today to assist you with your carpeting decisions. We can have samples brought right to your home or business to help match colors and styles, and will guarantee a professional installed look in just a matter of days.
PAINTING SERVICES INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR
How about making your home shine again, inside or out? At JPS Construction Services, we work with local painting contractors to make sure the job gets done right. We are experts in this area and can advise you as to what type of paint to use for which ever type of home improvement job you choose. Contact us today so we can set up a meeting with a Licensed and professional painter to assist you in making your home improvement dreams come true.
WINDOWS AND DOORS
Nothing makes your home shine new like the installation of new windows and doors. This is not air easy do it yourself job, and there are a lot of fly by night companies out there advertising these services. At JPS Construction Services, we believe this is a good job for a general contractor. We have been specializing in new and replacement window installation for over twenty years. We use a variety of manufactures products such as Pella, and Corning just to name a few. You can see a return on your invest two separate ways by installing replacement windows. First the esthetics of your home or business will improve, and if you have these windows or doors professionally installed you should see a dramatic improvement on your heating and cooling costs. Contact us today to set up a meeting with one of our General Contractors, and we will help you make your remodeling dream come true.
DORMERS
Dormers are like little houses,” observes general contractor Joe Salinas. “They have their own roofs, walls and windows, and if you don’t take care of them like you would your main house, they’ll fail.” In fact, given their exposure up on the roof, they often take even more abuse than the main house — and being so hard to reach, they are all the more likely to be neglected, their maintenance postponed. Allow JPS Construction Services to help you with your Dormer installations which will dramatically improve the look of your home.
ELECTRICAL UPGRADES AND ADDITIONS
Electrical upgrades and additions are something that the do-it yourselfer should definitely avoid. Besides the risk for fire and electrical shock, the home or business owner may need to consult local variances, and building permits, to make sure the job is done to code. At JPS Construction Services we use only License and Bonded professional electricians to do your work. Call JPS Construction Services, today to discuss your electrical needs with a general contractor. We can also bring in an electrician for the initial meeting. All work is done up to code, and is guaranteed.
PLUMBING
Plumbing like Electrical work is something that the professionals at JPS Construction Services feel is best left to the professionals, in this case a plumber. We use only Licensed and Professional plumbers. Call one of our General Contractors today about your plumbing concerns and allows us to assist you in making the correct decisions regarding all your plumbing needs. The National Homebuilders association has this advice for all homeowners considering a bathroom project Call a remodeling contractor when:
Moving a toilet, sink, tub or shower
Removing or adding walls
Installing venting that runs through the roof
All of these projects require specific skills and knowledge of your local building and plumbing codes.
FLOORING
At JPS Construction Services we offer a variety of different flooring options.
Vinyl
Pros
- Relatively inexpensive
- Soft and quiet underfoot
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Durable (higher-quality grades)
- Available in a wide range of colors, patterns, and sizes
- DIY installation an option (tiles and planks)
- Damage relatively easy to repair
Cons
- May show wear after about five years (lower-quality grades)
- Requires professional installation sheet vinyl)
Hardwood
PROS
- Hardwood is very curable, versatile. and resistant to wear
- Accepts stein readily in s rang-; of colors
- Resistant to spills, scratches, chemicals, and wear when sealed with a polyurethane or acrylic, finish
- DIY installation an option (especially for parquet tiles)
Cons
- May requite periodic refinishing
Laminate
PROS
- Virtually stain proof and fade-resistant
- Easy to clear, and maintain — never nccd3 waxing
- Affordable, priced only slightly higher than quality vinyl
- Available in wood grains and patterns that mimics tile, stone, and other materials
- More forgiving of uneven base surfaces
- DIY installation an option
Cons
- Wood portion of flooring
- susceptible to damage from excess moisture
Ceramic Tile
PROS
- Durable and easy to maintain
- Available in myriad shapes, sizes, textures, and colors
- Stylish and elegant — unlimited pattern possibilities
- Impervious to moisture and stains (glazed tiles)
- DIY installation an option
CONS
- Relatively expensive, especially if new sub flooring is needed
- Requires monthly cleaning with an oil-base detergent to resist stains (unglazed tiles)
- Relatively noisy, cold, and hard underfoot
- May show surface wear m high-traffic areas (glazed tiles)
- Unforgiving of dropped glassware
- Plan to spend at least S10 per square foot, installed.
Carpet
PROS
- Comfortable underfoot
- Adds warmth and texture; to the decor
- Least expensive of all flooring options
- Stain-fighting fibers improve practicality for kitchen use
- Elegant and durable
- Easy to clean if sealed
CONS
- Absorbs excess moisture
- Some stains may be hard to remove
Stone
PROS
- Elegant and durable
- Easy to clean if sealed
CONS
Expensive
- Generally requires professional installation
- Requires frequent resealing (marble)
- Needs regular waxing and polishing to maintain sheen
- Best installed by professionals
Non-Traditional Flooring
- Cork tiles are inexpensive, soft, and quiet underfoot, but are susceptible to water damage and come in a limited range of colors and styles.
- Concrete, long a restaurant favorite, is extremely durable and easy to clean. Designer colors are a welcome alternative to standard gray.
- Rubber tiles, durable and hard-wearing, now come in a range of patterns and colors to complement contemporary kitchen styles. They require periodic polishing to maintain their sheen.
