Of course! For steeper grades, Ayars can construct a beautiful raised deck; for gradual slopes, you might invest in a multi-level deck that follows the lay of your land. Check our blog post on deck design for a fuller picture of what’s possible.
Pressure-treated wood decks are typically less expensive by $10-15 per square foot. The look of the deck is not as refined as composite decks with vinyl or metal railings, but if utility is your primary concern, this is still a viable option.
Our preferred method of framing for basements is always steel studs. We believe minimizing the presence of wood can be beneficial in the event there are ever any water issues, as well as to limit the attraction of insects.
Drywall is installed in basements all the time. Ensuring the basement is dry and taking precautions to make sure it stays that way is key. The ceilings can also be drywalled as long as there are no mechanical access issues. It is no different than having wiring, plumbing, and HVAC on the first or second floors. The only components to take into consideration are clean-outs, shut-offs, or other important access points since they are typically located in the basement.
In most cases, basements are used for additional living space or recreational areas. Sometimes this may include a dry bar/wet bar, which can be custom-designed to fit your needs. Finished basements are often more attractive than additions due to the benefit of not expanding the home’s footprint and are usually less expensive per square foot.
That depends on a few factors. First, you must ensure your basement does not have issues with water. Secondly, the foundation walls should be checked to ensure that there are not any structural issues. All mechanicals including HVAC, electrical, and plumbing need to be inspected to ensure that provisions can be made for access to key areas where necessary. Newly adopted New Jersey code requires an additional point of egress in addition to the stairway leading to the basement, and any bedroom in a basement requires a separate exitway. This is typically accomplished by installing an egress window with a window well.
Most kitchen remodels that do not involve moving the plumbing locations can be completed in 4 to 5 weeks. More involved kitchen renovations that include gutting the kitchen completely, possibly moving sink and appliance locations, and/or implementing more elaborate cabinetry and finish trim details can push the timeframe out several more weeks. All of this is discussed in the planning phases and a complete schedule will be finalized prior to the project start. Setting clear and honest expectations is a priority of the Ayars team and a hallmark of our reputation for exceptional service.
The kitchen triangle is the distance between the sink, stove, and refrigerator — the three most important workstations when preparing a meal. The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends that each leg of the triangle be no shorter than 10 feet and no greater than 25 feet and remain free of clutter and obstruction. By planning with the kitchen triangle in mind and positioning appliances appropriately, your kitchen remodeling contractor can greatly improve the functionality of your new kitchen.
It really depends on the complexity of the project — but the average-sized addition requires 5 to 8 weeks for construction. Certain projects can be more invasive than others and during the planning phases, we can highlight the necessary accommodations needed to complete your project. Contact us and we can have a brief chat to try and give you an estimated timeframe.
The goal with any addition is to make it feel as though it was always a part of the original home. Matching exterior finishes or complementing them in such a way that it integrates the added space is key. Sometimes it requires changing and upgrading the exterior facade, but that can add additional value in the long run.
Depending on the home’s location and property limitations, sometimes it is better to add an additional story to the home and go up versus enlarging the footprint. This is sometimes dictated by local zoning codes and necessary setbacks to adjacent properties. Additionally, the home’s mechanicals such as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems need to be looked at to see if they can handle the additional square footage that you are planning to add. In many cases, these critical home systems need to be upgraded or modified.
Homeowners have numerous reasons for building an addition, including but not limited to: living room/great rooms, added bedroom or bathroom, mother-in-law suite, or home office.
Ayars is dedicated to breaking the negative stigma that often surrounds our industry. We are dedicated to holding to a schedule and will not leave until the work is 100% complete. We provide the same courtesy to every client and sometimes have to shift the start of other work in order to see the current project through. Our goal is to ensure that every client receives the same level of care and follow-through on their project.
Yes. We will provide, in writing, a warranty on our workmanship. Our workmanship conforms to the guidelines stated in the NAHB Residential Construction Performance Guidelines.
All of our team members are appropriately licensed and insured in the state of New Jersey. We want you to be comfortable with each member of our organization that you meet, as well as our trade associates. Each craftsman that we bring into your home upholds the same values of honesty and integrity that has been part of the core of our business since 1970.
Our production team makes a conscientious effort to safeguard your home and prevent dust from spreading as much as possible. We utilize floor protection and zip-walls with plastic barriers, as well as a HEPA air filtration system. We often incorporate “negative draft” to help further reduce the migration of dust into areas of the home. Our team is focused on providing the best experience possible.
We try and stay within a 30-40 minute drive of our office in Mickleton, NJ to ensure that our team is able to provide the best service possible. You can see a detailed service area map and list of areas that we provide service on our Service Area page.
In order to keep our overhead to a minimum, we do not accept credit card payments and only accept cash or check. Financing options are available through your local financial institution or online. Ayars has no affiliations with any providers.
Ayars has an excellent team of licensed and insured subcontractors. We maintain all certificates of insurance on file and have fantastic relationships with all of our service providers. Ayars is not licensed for plumbing, electrical, or HVAC. Thus we rely on our long-standing relationships with those licensed subcontractors to ensure the work is done properly and inspected accordingly. It is not ideal to introduce another subcontractor since they may not be inclined to work to the same stringent standards, schedule, and level of oversight that we provide.
We do in-house CAD designs with 3D modeling for most projects. This assists us and our clients in space planning and provides floor plans for our lead carpenters to work from. When necessary, we have architects and engineers that we partner with for sealed drawings, which are used for permit applications and structural verification.
