Page 18 - BusinessWest March, 21, 2022

because we had materials in stock.”
Life Improvements
Sometimes a simple home improvement can change someone’s life. When the child of one of Yankee Home Improvement’s con- struction managers suffered a paralyzing accident, the old shower and tub set up at his home was no longer feasible. Before Ronan could even offer, his crews came to him with a plan to help the family.
“On their own time, our crews jumped into action and convert- ed the bathroom to make it easier for the child to shower,” he said. “I encouraged them to take whatever materials they needed, and in short order, they got rid of the tub and installed a shower setup that would accommodate a wheelchair.”
Like many contractors, Ronan admits that finding replacement windows has been tough. He will work only with vendors who can assure they have stock, and that’s what he offers to
customers.
Siervo Jimenez
says the
cost of new homes has caused many homeowners to invest in additions instead.
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“I will only market products that I can get,”
he said. “If there is a long wait list for a product, I won’t offer it because I don’t want to inflict that on the homeowner.”
Jimenez uses a similar strategy of stocking up when items are available. When prices dropped a while back on electrical outlet boxes used for plugs and light switches, he bought them in bulk.
“These are now hard to find, and when you can, they cost two or three times more than before,” he said, adding that every cost savings makes a dif- ference when bidding for new work. “If you have to keep increasing your estimates from project to project, you might lose out on jobs because your prices are too high.”
“These days. I’m definitely seeing more people who are careful about spending their money.”
Not surprisingly, hardwood floors became much more expen- sive when lumber prices everywhere increased. While the supply of the popular LVP flooring has been steady, so are price hikes, with manufacturers increasing prices 20% to 30% in the past year.
“As a result, traditional laminate flooring is making a come- back,” Levine said. “It has remained affordable as an option that hasn’t gone up 30%.” Laminate
floors are known for their dura-
bility but are prone to water dam-
age, making them a poor choice
Home
Continued on page 61
18 MARCH 21, 2022
HOME IMPROVEMENT
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