YCCA’s Hammer Time

How Crews are Repairing Potholes after Wet Winter

April 28, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Over time, all road surfaces made from asphalt need to be maintained. Use and weather cause the surface to wear and crack.

Welcome to “At Home With Tom and Sandy.” This month Tom and I thought we would take a road trip – but on that road trip, we will likely see lots of potholes. Settle in. This is going to be a great ride.

Sandy: Yikes Tom, potholes, potholes and more potholes. This wet, longish winter is wreaking havoc on our roads.

Tom: Sure is! Swerving to avoid them could make it look like you are a suspect for a DUI.

Sandy: Tom, I would like to invite Wyatt Orr, president of Earth Resources Corporation, to join us and provide some feedback from the guy who knows about this sort of thing – roads.

Sandy: Welcome, Wyatt. I am thrilled you can join us.

Wyatt: Glad to be here.

Tom: Wyatt, not only is it great to have you join Sandy and me, I also want to let our readers know that you are a YCCA Board member, and we are grateful for your expertise.

Sandy: We are talking about potholes, well actually everybody is talking about potholes, which seemed to appear overnight. Wyatt, what causes a pothole?

Wyatt: Potholes are a result of the subgrade under the asphalt failing, which means water got under the asphalt.

Tom: So, once the subgrade gets wet, does that impact the structural capability to support the asphalt?

Wyatt: Exactly. The wet subgrade is a base for the asphalt. When it becomes pliable from water, it no longer works.

Sandy: A squishy subbase causes the asphalt to fail?

Wyatt: Actually, the vehicles driving over the asphalt, i.e., the weight of the vehicle on the asphalt, moves the dirt subbase and displaces it.

Tom: Which, in turn, causes the asphalt to crack further, letting more water in, exacerbating the whole destruction process.

Sandy: Some potholes look as though the asphalt is gone. Does it crumble up and disappear below the surface?

Wyatt: It can, but more likely the vehicles driving over the cracked asphalt have caused the asphalt to be displaced along the road, leaving a pothole.

Sandy: So, cars and trucks make potholes.

Wyatt: Essentially, yes. If nobody drove over the area affected by water under the surface, I suppose it could dry out and not grow up to be a full-fledged pothole.

Tom: It seems road maintenance is key in preventing the water from getting under the asphalt in the first place.

Wyatt: Yes, it is.

Sandy: There are several different methods of maintaining the roads. Wyatt, could you run us through some of them?

Wyatt: Sure. There are three basic approaches to maintaining roads. They all address a different way to seal the surface of the asphalt, preventing water from getting below.

Tom: Over time, all road surfaces made from asphalt need to be maintained. Use and weather cause the surface to wear and crack.

Sandy: I suppose how a road deteriorates will determine what method to implement in maintaining it.

Wyatt: Exactly. The first step is crack seal. You have seen this being done; I am sure. A traffic lane is closed off as one team is out in front using compressed air to clean the cracks in the asphalt. This will allow the secondary team’s sealant to adhere better to the asphalt and protect the asphalt longer.

Sandy: Wyatt, sometimes I see crack seal being applied in warmer weather.

Wyatt: Well, yes, but crack fill is best done in cooler temperatures when the asphalt has contracted. The next step would be a seal treatment of some type. There are several to choose from.

Tom: Is this method chosen when the cracks are too numerous to seal individually?

Wyatt: Actually, the crack fill is done first and then some coating can be applied. When an asphalt surface has experienced a significant amount of wear but is not to the point of remove and replace, a chip seal coat or wear layer can be applied.

Sandy: That extends the life of a road quite a bit, I imagine.

Tom: It must be difficult for the governing districts to keep up with road maintenance. It must be costly and labor intensive.

Sandy: I am sure you are right, Tom. I do, however, think that they all do a fairly good job staying on top of things.

Wyatt: They do, but with the freeze and thaw of a winter, the damage can be extensive and spread out all over a road system.

Sandy: OK good, we are back to potholes! Wyatt, why do some fixes stay and some do not?

Wyatt: A lot of the repairs that do not seem to work are really intended to be temporary fixes.

Tom: Like filling a pothole that is dangerous?

Sandy: The kind that causes you to need a realignment on your vehicle or can swallow your smart car.

Wyatt: LOL, yes. If the pothole poses a danger, road crews will fill the hole with what we call a cold mix, asphalt that is in a bag, making the road a little safer until the real repair can be done.

Tom: The real repair can be put off for weather reasons, such as too cold or too wet, and scheduling.

Wyatt: Exactly. Road crews can be stretched thin during this time of year. And weather plays a huge factor in when a repair can happen.

Sandy: So, Wyatt, what is entailed with a “real repair?”

Wyatt: Typically, the existing surface that is damaged, including the surface surrounding the pothole, not just the pothole itself, and the area is saw cut with the asphalt removed. The subbase we talked about earlier is removed to solid ground. New base material is then put back and compacted to create a dense and solid substrate. Hot asphalt is then put on the base and compacted in place.

Tom: What is done to protect the joint where the new asphalt meets the old?

Wyatt: A product we call Tak oil is spread all over the cut on the existing asphalt and that seals the joint quite well.

Sandy: It is quite the process to repair a pothole properly. It makes sense to me. Wyatt, thank you for joining us this month. You are a wealth of information for our readers.

Wyatt: After one of the wettest winters that the northern part of Ariona has seen for many years, I do want to give hats off to ADOT and their teams for making initial pothole patching repairs on State Route 69 so quickly.

Sandy: I guess we could blame this on the Groundhog for the six additional weeks of winter. Those potholes sure did pop up quickly after moisture seeped into and below the pavement.

Wyatt: Potholes are acute in our area. With the higher elevations, our pavement is subjected to more freeze-thaw cycles than so many other areas.

Sandy: I say patience, as our jurisdictions and ADOT are addressing the aftermath to our road system as quickly as they can.

Thanks for stopping in and reading “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” You are in good company, and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN

Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-778-0040.

Vinny Gallegos, CYMPO, 928-442-5730.

Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928-445-8506 renovationsaz.com

Remember to tune in to YCCA’s Hammer Time every Saturday and Sunday morning 7 a.m. on KQNA 1130 AM/99.9 FM/95.5FM or the web kqna.com. Listen to Sandy and Mike talk about the construction industry and meet your local community partners. Hammer Time is a great way to start your weekend.

Planning for Transportation Needs into the Future

April 3, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

State (ADOT), and the feds use gas taxes as a principal funding source for transportation needs.

Welcome to “At Home With Tom and Sandy.” This month, Tom and I thought we would take a “road trip” as we veer away from our normal column. Settle in. This is going to be wonderful!

Sandy: Hi Tom! Happy April! For our detour topic this month, I have invited Mr. Vincent, or, as we all know him to be, Vinny Gallegos, to talk with us this month. Vinny is the executive director of the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Planning Organization, (CYMPO).

Tom: Excellent, welcome Vinny!

Vinny: Greetings to both of you. Thanks for inviting me.

Sandy: There is a lot to talk about, so diving right in, Vinny, when did CYMPO get started and who is a part of it?

Vinny: Formally, 2003. Based on the 2000 Census, the Feds declared this area a metropolitan area. As such, all the political entities in the area, including Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and this part of Yavapai County, came together to form CYMPO as a mechanism to plan for the growing transportation needs of our area.

Tom: How big of an area are you talking about?

Vinny: The planning area covers approximately 400 square miles, and currently includes Dewey-Humboldt, which was not a separate political entity back then.

Sandy: All the cities, towns and county are represented on the CYMPO boards and committees. That is very important for our readers to know. I bet that has to be kind of like herding cats!

Vinny: LOL, actually since the beginning, all the entities have come together quite well. The purpose is to plan for regional, multimodal transportation. Our system of highways, trails and bike paths touches every community. And it is with that understanding, all the representatives lean toward cooperation to plan for and collectively seek funding from state and federal resources.

Tom: Back in 2000, I recall this organization getting started. I have watched CYMPO become a very successful and effective organization responsible for many of our major road improvements over the past 20 plus years. What are some of the projects and challenges on your plate currently?

Vinny: The main challenge we always face is getting the resources we need to implement the organization’s plans. Revenue sources have not changed much in the last 30 or so years. State (ADOT), and the feds use gas taxes as a principal funding source for transportation needs. As for projects, currently, there are three primary areas we are focusing on. First, creating an active transportation plan for bike and pedestrian infrastructure. This includes bike lanes, sidewalks and trails.

Sandy: That sounds super fantastic. Biking and walking are a huge part of the communities in our area. I love hearing that CYMPO is on board.

Vinny: It is all part of the integrated transportation system in our area.

Vinny: Another project is the State Route 69 Master Corridor Plan. This addresses both safety and capacity issues along this corridor from Prescott through Dewey-Humboldt. The third major focus is the Sundog Design Concept report and Environmental Overview.

Sandy: This isn’t the first time that a potential route has been discussed. I have been hearing about it for many years.

Tom: It actually started way back in the early ‘90s with the Prescott Strategic plan where we said we did not want L.A.-style superhighways in our area. While on the Prescott City Council at that time, we approved a preliminary plat for Yavapai Hills unit 9 that included a piece of the Sundog Connector in the plat. That was for 1,814 units, a mix of multifamily and single-family living.

Vinny: All your fault, Tom.

Sandy: LOL. I have got something else to blame him for now!

Tom: Yeah yeah, well, it did happen then, but it of course wasn’t all me. The city included a commitment to a portion of the connector as part of the development agreement if I remember correctly.

Vinny: I understand that as well. The General Plan update in 1997-98 precipitated by the Growing Smarter legislation, set the stage for Prescott to develop the Prescott East Area plan. That referenced the need for what was then called the 69 to 89 connector. That is now Prescott Lakes Parkway. It also referenced the Sundog connector.

Tom: That plan was developed including participation by council representatives, Planning and Zoning, and a healthy component of citizens mostly from Yavapai Hills and the Ranch. It was quite inclusive. If I remember correctly, that plan reiterated the desire to have smaller roads rather than making 69 a superhighway.

Sandy: Prescott Valley actually constructed the east end of the route in 2000.

Vinny: In 2007, the City of Prescott approved the preliminary plat for the Storm Ranch subdivision. That was for 227 single family lots. That plat also includes a segment of the Sundog connector.

Sandy: The City of Prescott built the roundabout on Prescott Lakes Parkway as the west end of the connector in 2010.

Tom: Didn’t Prescott do its own Sundog Corridor Study?

Vinny: Yes, that was done in 2013.

Sandy: Having all these plans in place is great. Vinny, tell us a little about how these plans get implemented and the time it takes to realize them.

Vinny: Our job is to take the direction given to us by elected officials over the years. We use that direction to generate the plans for our transportation systems. Many plans, like the ones mentioned, can take decades to see their implementation.

Sandy: Can you give us an example?

Vinny: Sure. There has been a plan to add a single lane in both directions on Highway 69 from Lowes to the mall, about a mile of road. Planning, engineering and funding for that project has taken 10 years.

Tom: There is no instant gratification in the planning business, is there?

Sandy: I suppose not. Sheesh!

Tom: The Sundog connector has just recently been the target of a few area residents who don’t want this road. I for one, think it somewhat weird that our leaders are often targeted with admonitions of uncontrolled growth. That insinuates a lack of planning. Here we have an example of a plan that has been vetted through the last 25 years and even that gets attacked.

Sandy: In making these plans, our elected officials take so many different issues into account. With another 2,000-plus households coming on line in the future, public safety plays a large part. Response times are critical and our road designs play a large part in how quickly our first responders get to your house or business.

Vinny: Leadership sets plans in motion, plans for the future. CYMPO was given the charge by elected officials to take the steps necessary to implement them. That is what the Sundog Design Concept Report is all about.

Sandy: Vinny, I applaud CYMPO in educating the community and citizens. You have a terrific website,

https://www.cympo.org/sundog-connector/ which has so much information on the Sundog Connector – so readers, take a look at the website, this is a great way to stay informed.

Tom: I recall Town of Prescott Valley Mayor Palguta talking about the importance of the Sundog Connector as the connector will drastically reduce police and fire response times to the residents on the back side of Yavapai Hills.

Vinny: Another positive to the many positives for the connector is with the anticipated purchase of Glassford Hill by Prescott Valley, Prescott and Yavapai County. This would prevent any future residential development by any developers along the Sundog route.

Sandy: And let’s not forget the Sundog Connector has been voted on by both Prescott and Prescott Valley’s General Plan for more than 20 years.

In closing – we three give a thumbs-up to the Sundog Connector.

Thanks for stopping in and reading “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” You’re in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN

Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-778-0040.

Vinny Gallegos, CYMPO, 928-442-5730.

Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928-445-8506 renovationsaz.com

Understanding the Extraordinary Rising Costs of Construction Materials

January 27, 2023 By quadcities Leave a Comment

YIKES, YIKES, and more YIKES!!! What is going on with the cost of construction materials?

Welcome to “At Home With Tom & Sandy.” We are here to give you the inside scoop and tips on everything A to Z for your home and we love talking about the construction industry. Settle in, enjoy and have fun reading our column. We sure do enjoy sharing our words with you. hanks for being such loyal and great readers.

Sandy: Well hello, Tom, and happy June to you.

YIKES, YIKES, and more YIKES!!! What is going on with the cost of construction materials? I have never seen industry prices like this before.

Tom: Oh, boy. You said it! In preparation for this conversation, I talked with several contractors and some suppliers. And they are all shaking their collective heads.

Sandy: I have heard everything from COVID to the Suez Canal blockage to tariffs causing material supply issues and rising prices.

Tom: Me, too. It is amazing at how intertwined our economic systems are.

Sandy: The labor supply is no real big news to me. That is why the YCCA started the “Boot Camp” process a few years back. It was created to get younger people interested in a career in the construction industry.

Tom: And wow, were you were successful at that. How many souls got jobs from that effort?

Sandy: Thirteen, and I am proud to say they are still working in the industry for the original companies that hired them – all local.

Tom: But the labor problem has many facets to it. From young folks being drilled for years that college is the only route to happiness and success and eschewing the blue-collar jobs.

Sandy: COVID contributes to the shortage as well. With the stimulus package paying higher unemployment, the motivation to work is lessened for some. Not necessary the skilled trades, but the manual labor force as well.

Tom: True. Our readers need to know that construction costs are skyrocketing though. The labor shortage is only part of it.

Sandy: I agree. The price of a piece of OSB plywood ½” thick has almost tripled since this time last year. Can you imagine – $64 for a 4’x8’ sheet!

Tom: That is only the tip of the iceberg. Dang near everything is up 50% to 250%.

Sandy: People are still building like crazy, though. There is a lot of pent-up demand. Talking with contractors, the funnel is not slowing down.

Tom: It is almost the perfect storm of craziness. I do not think the average consumer has a clear picture of the depth of negative impact COVID has had on our economy.

Sandy: The industry is grateful that construction was considered an essential service in Arizona; that was not the same elsewhere.

Tom: Exactly. Let us look at something as simple as granite countertops. Quarry workers in other countries could not work because of the quarantine. Therefore, the granite is not mined, and the supply dries up. The demand is still there, just not the product. If the quarantine is lessened and some mining is done, the next cog in the wheel is shipping. Cargo ships are sitting in Long Beach harbor waiting to be unloaded.

Add to that a trucking shortage. I think I heard it takes more than 800 trucks for a ship to be unloaded. And stacking container space has swallowed up the docks.

Sandy: That same scenario touches almost every aspect of the supply chain, including mining for aluminum windows and manufacturing – everything from a 2 x 4 to sinks, mechanical equipment – you name it.

Tom: In the last year, many facilities were either shut down completely, or partially opened then shut down multiple times, adding to the low supply.

Sandy: And the high demand all leads to the classic economic theory of supply and demand affecting the price of a service or commodity.

Tom: What our readers need to know is how the construction industry is handling this craziness. Estimating a project normally takes a few weeks – depending, of course, on the project’s complexity. Before the pracademic, a supplier or subcontractor would hold their numbers for 30 to 45 to 60 days. I am told that currently, seven days is the max.

Sandy: I have heard that also. How can anyone sign a contract at a fixed price when the project might take three, four, six or 12 months to complete?

Tom: Therein lies the dilemma. Some of the tools being used are pre-orders with price guarantees. This works for some products but usually not the most volatile.

Sandy: One could delay construction until things settle, but we are not really seeing a lot of that.

Tom: Some savvy contractors and smart owners are agreeing to a shared price clause in the contract. That allows a project to move forward with both parties agreeing to something akin to a floating cost. This allows the project to move forward without delays because of price increases.

Sandy: Contractors are also going to cost-plus contracts.

Tom: Prices are rising. Construction materials are surging amid higher demand and as we talked about earlier in our column, supply constraints are big.

Sandy: I have seen construction costs rising since last June and we know the increase is having a big effect on the residential construction industry. Everything from lumber to asphalt to cement to insulation has soared in price as the home-building industry has heated up.

Tom: When this thing called the pandemic happened, many suppliers cut their output, expecting that the subsequent economic disruption would cause severe reduction in demand.

Sandy: Tom, that drop in demand never occurred and because the industry was deemed essential, we avoided a shutdown. In fact, home building and renovation have been leaders in the post-pandemic economy.

In one year, from March 2020 to March 2021, lumber has increased 83%.

Tom: From everything I have read, prices show no signs of abating amid the surge in home building driven by the receipt of stimulus money and higher consumer saving because of stay-at-home restrictions. Remote work is also supporting the trend, with many people forced to live, work and play at home.

Sandy: Adding to the squeeze on supplies, wildfires struck the Pacific Northwest last fall, burning through forests slated for market. Many construction companies and suppliers have turned to central Europe to fulfill lumber orders. Forest Economic Advisors has stated that it expects lumber imports in the United States to rise 14% to 15% for 2021.

Tom: The takeaway of this is: For construction companies, higher material and shipping costs are adding to margin pressures. Through the past year, final demand pricing for construction services has grown only 2% year over year through March. This means that contractors are absorbing these cost increases without passing them on to their customers.

Sandy: Tom, our region is growing and there is no doubt about it – the housing market and the construction industry are two strong sectors keeping our economy going.

Thanks for stopping in to read At Home With Tom and Sandy. You are in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN

Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928-445-8506 renovationsaz.com

Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-778-0040

Adding a Window into Problems and Solutions with a Life Coach

July 30, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

We can’t see through a door, but Deborah can help by adding a window.

Welcome to “At Home With Tom and Sandy.” This month, in light of everything going on from COVID-19 to unemployment, to everyday stress, to controlled expenses and the cost of living, Tom and I thought we would take a pause and have a lunchbreak, or a “breakfunch,” for those of us who eat small meals between breakfast and lunch and do not take an actual lunch break, and veer away from our normal column. Settle in, this is going to be wonderful!

Sandy: Hi Tom! It’s August! For our detour topic this month, I have invited Deborah Peterson to join us. Deborah is a life coach, ordained counselor/clergy member, and has a business called “Coaching Clarity by Definition.”

Tom: I like taking a break from the usual, however I can’t promise I won’t weave some reference to remodeling in here. Hello, Deborah and welcome to At Home.

Deborah: Hello, Sandy and Tom. It’s great to be a part of your column and thanks for asking me to participate.

Sandy: Deborah, you do all these fascinating things, so let’s start by you telling us and our readers what a life coach is!

Deborah: In a condensed version, I help people develop strategies that allow them to focus on making positive internal shifts in thinking and behaving that changes who we are and what we do.

Tom: That actually sounds like a tall order and not easy to do.

Deborah: It is pleasantly demanding, of course, and so many people today are really hurting, feeling stuck and exhausted with the status quo template of life. With what is happening in our world now, many are anxious and scared.

Sandy: Deborah, it sounds as if even though many people tend to be motivated and possess an entrepreneurial spirit, are you saying there isn’t one of us who couldn’t benefit from some help from time to time, especially now with all of this anxiousness and fear taking place?

Tom: What a great question, Sandy. It’s akin to us asking questions to a client to see if we are a fit to help with their remodeling goals.

Sandy: Tom, I knew you would find a way to sneak in remodeling!

Deborah: LOL! And actually Sandy/Tom, you’re right on. I help people remodel (there, I snuck in your word, Tom) their thinking and hence their responses/behaviors; after all, we are what we believe or internally calculate.

Sandy: To me, that sounds a lot like helping people figure out new ways of dealing with the stress, pressure, strain and anxiety of dealing with life.

Deborah: Exactly, Sandy, and teaching individuals that when we allow bitterness and anger from past, unresolved issues to eat away at us, it spills out into our everyday life. So, I focus and strategize on removing these self-sabotaging resentments and unresolved issues.

Tom: Do you mean we are often our own worst enemy?

Deborah: Absolutely, Tom! The self-principle that gets neglected is being aware of the negative internal dialogue we believe more than any other words or actions of other well-meaning or harmful people.

Tom: Boy, oh boy, isn’t that the truth.

Sandy: Can you share with us some of the steps you take to sort out the behaviors that are getting in the way?

Deborah: Yes. It’s more about defining and clarifying the root cause of the symptomatic feelings of self-loss and emotional clutter. Emotional clutter will manifest in various ways with each individual. The way we internalize and perceive our past clutter must be exposed; however, the one constant is that all alike suffer an inner exhaustion, an energy drain that causes people to feel angry, intolerant and frustrated, unable to conduct themselves in a constructive manner in personal and extended relationships.

Sandy: Deborah, once you determine what some of the clutter is, what can you help people to get rid of it?

Deborah: I educate them on coming up with better ways of thinking and hence, the way they will respond to trouble and problems, and to slow down.

Tom: Interesting that you seem to make a distinction between trouble and problems. What do you see as the difference between the two?

Deborah: Simply put: Trouble stems from an inward hostility or varying degrees of resentment that I spoke of earlier; problems are the external symptoms and often the result of a negative cyclical lifestyle nourished by unresolved trouble. To further answer Sandy’s question about how I can help, together with the client, I reveal the root to their trouble. We gain insight into their deeply held values and beliefs that most often are limiting in nourishing and providing positive behaviors. By identifying them, we can begin to teach how to replace bad habits with good or positive habits of thinking and responding.

Sandy: That sounds so fascinating. And, Deborah, you are also ordained and use the title “Reverend.” How does that play into your process?

Deborah: Spirituality plays a large role in how we formulate our responses to trouble and problems. I work within the client’s theology as this is a very powerful means to help unlock new perspectives.

Tom: Once those new perspectives are recognized, what happens next?

Deborah: To use your remodeling metaphor, together we begin the design and construction of principle-based thinking so the clients’ outcomes better fit their values. I also show my clients how to be self-actualizing individuals, which really helps initiate some intrinsic motivation to move forward.

Sandy: What an exciting process. And, Tom, now you have Deborah using remodeling metaphors. You are incorrigible.

Deborah, what a delight to have you join us. You have helped our readers and me better understand the positive role a life coach can make in ourselves and our lives.

Deborah: It’s an honor to be a part of yours’ and Tom’s column. I love the opportunity to relate all the positive things we can accomplish in our lives to as many people as I can. Thanks for the invite and fun!

Sandy: Tom, here is my takeaway. Life coaching is an asset to get the job done and you, as a contractor, life-coach your clients. It is a form of communication that builds client awareness and trust. A life coach helps people make conscious choices.

Tom: Sandy, you are right. Deborah is indeed a valuable resource, talent and blessing to people. She helps others increase their clarity and move forward in their lives.

Sandy: How do you know if life coaching works and if someone is ready for the process?

Deborah: I offer a free 30-minute consultation to determine the person’s readiness in making this significant life transition.

Sandy: OK, Tom, back to construction and life coaching. It sounds to me like Deborah works with a door. A door closes off a room. A door provides a barrier. We can’t see through a door, but Deborah can help by adding a window. A door can lock us out, a door can let us in, a door protects us, keep us safe and even more exciting, Deborah can provide access to a beautiful space where anything is possible by opening the door.

Tom: This was indeed fun – taking a detour from our normal column. Deborah, thanks so much for offering your insight and value to the foundation of problems, the tools available and knowledge that doors can be opened.

Thanks for stopping in and reading “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” You’re in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN

Tom Reilly, Architect, 928-925-5692

Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association. 928-778-0040.

Deborah Peterson, Coaching Clarity By Definition coachingclarity15@gmail.com

Should You Remodel Before Selling Your Home?

April 30, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Should you remodel your home to sell for a higher price?

Welcome to another edition of “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” We are here to give you the inside scoop on real estate, the construction industry, what is up, what is down, what is hot and what is not. We will share real estate stats, home prices, building permit numbers, construction pointers and give you hints on renovations that will give you a return on your investment. We will talk about products, how to take care of your home and so much more.

Tom: Well, Sandy, I am back from gallivanting about the Caribbean, as you told everyone last month.

Sandy: I hope you had a good time, Tom, and the major question in the column is: Did you drink lots of rum and smoke Cuban cigars?

Tom: Yes, I did; most definitely, I did.
With the increased costs in construction materials and the remodeling taking place, I thought we could talk about the insured value of your home vs. the cost to replace.

Sandy: Tom, I totally agree. The discrepancy in cost to replace vs. insured value is huge and as you said, with the rising construction costs, people need to be aware of the necessity to up their insured values.

Tom: I agree. I know we have chit-chatted in the past about this, and I recently took a look at our insurance and reached out to our carrier and discussed coverage. I made a few modifications and I feel much better about our coverage.

Sandy: That is a relevant topic given today’s volatile markets. Housing costs are skyrocketing and selling your home has become so much easier.

Tom: Remodeling Magazine publishes a “Cost vs. Value” report each year. The study includes about 150 U.S. markets to obtain information for different remodeling projects that folks undertake.

Sandy: I am familiar with this report. They divide the U.S. into nine different regions that are geographically and economically connected. There is always a lot of great information there.

Tom: We use that study to approximate the cost of various projects from deck additions to master bath remodels. There are 22 typical projects in the report.

Sandy: I have read the report and remodeling just to increase your home’s investment does not seem to be the smartest route in our region. That region spans from Idaho through Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

Tom: Yes, it covers a lot of territory and the markets in this area are consistent with each other. Our material and labor costs are similar, and the availability of products is equal as well.

Sandy: The data collected suggests that as well. Also, you can click on any of the listed cities to get a drill down on that specific market. How cool is that for all the data nerds! You will have to register though to get it.

Tom: Yes, and they will send you emails on occasion. You can always opt out of them though. I have found the data between cities in a region are remarkably close.

Sandy: The cost of jobs that are depicted can also fluctuate, depending upon the design and finishes chosen by the homeowner.

Tom: Very true. The real question this report answers is not so much what a project costs, it really addresses whether a project will add value to your home and, if so, how much.

Sandy: That is important to a lot of people. Most people think it is a dollar-for-dollar add to their home’s value and it is not.

Tom: I have talked us out of work on many an occasion. We will get a call from someone wanting to sell their home and think they will get a better price if they remodel the kitchen or bathroom.

Sandy: I understand that. This report, however, tells a much different story. By way of example, a modest bath remodel costing about $25,000 will only increase the home’s value by $15,000. That is only a 60% recoup of the cost.

Tom: That is the case for most projects. According to this report, the most value comes from replacing the garage doors. That comes in at almost a 94% return.

Sandy: That does not surprise me. I have heard realtor after realtor talk about curb appeal when staging an existing home for sale. It is the simple things that count the most.

Tom: So true. I usually advise people to fix that which is broken, but not to replace the flooring unless the carpet is in terrible condition.

Sandy: So, you really do talk yourself out of work!

Tom: Yup, I do. Trying to second guess what a potential buyer would want to see is a bad gamble. I have said it before, we have torn out new countertops and whole kitchens that are less than a year old because the sellers thought they needed to do that to sell.

Sandy: Both of us have always talked about the reasons to remodel. A remodel project should be one that people want to do to enhance their lives and improve their comfort level.
So, Tom, we will end our column with this question: Should you remodel your home to sell for a higher price?

Tom: If you are remodeling to sell your property for a higher price, you must think about the return on your investment. Again, according to Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value report, most ROIs are not actually all that great. I will say to ask our readers: will the renovation help your house sell faster?

Sandy: And I want to chime in, make sure to spend your money on remodels that will help it sell, not just things you like. Spend money on remodels that offer unique and popular home features, because many people move when their physical needs change or when they are looking for newer technology. For example, if you are redoing the bathroom, add features like a walk-in shower with a bench and handrails to appeal to buyers concerned with limited mobility. Or, you could add home automation features for buyers who want to control their thermostat or lights when they are away.

Tom: That is a great point, Sandy. And, the bottom line when asking: “Should I remodel my house?” Before shelling out big bucks on a home renovation project, consider what is standard in your community. Talk to a real estate professional or contractor if you are primarily concerned with whether a home renovation will add value to your house and help it sell more quickly. After all, different trends are popular in different places; a pool might be a valuable addition in Arizona but a poor investment in Minnesota.

Thanks for stopping in to read At Home with Tom and Sandy. You’re in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN

Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928-445-8506 renovationsaz.com

Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-778-0040

Experiencing the Extraordinary Rising Costs of Construction Materials

March 31, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

YIKES, YIKES, and more YIKES!!! What is going on with the cost of construction materials?

Tom is on vacation, floating in the beautiful blue seas and kayaking somewhe re in the San Juan Islands, drinking beer, eating great food and having a super time. He is not here for me to yak with, so consequently I am recycling a column, so I do not have to talk to myself. This is a column from June 2021, and I hope you will find it interesting and together we can miss my sidekick. Next month we can hear about his vacation travels.

Sandy: YIKES, YIKES, and more YIKES!!! What is going on with the cost of construction materials? I have never seen industry prices like this before.

Tom: Oh, boy. You said it! In preparation for this conversation, I talked with several contractors and some suppliers. And they are all shaking their collective heads.

Sandy: I have heard everything from COVID to the Suez Canal blockage to tariffs causing material supply issues and rising prices.

Tom: Me, too. It is amazing at how intertwined our economic systems are.

Tom: And wow, were you were successful at that. How many souls got jobs from that effort?

Sandy: Thirteen, and I am proud to say they are still working in the industry for the original companies that hired them – all local.

Tom: But the labor problem has many facets to it. From young folks being drilled for years that college is the only route to happiness and success and eschewing blue-collar jobs.