Preparing Your Home This Holiday Season

            Preparing for the holidays can be quite stressful with all the trimmings. Plus, some relatives and friends may also want to spend a night or two at your place during the holidays. There is probably a lot in your mind to make their stay as comfortable as possible. Keep in mind that with proper planning and a checklist to guide you, it will all be a breeze. 

Here are the 4 things you can put on your list to prepare your home for this holiday season.

Decluttering is the key.

Decorating the house is such an exciting task to look forward to. But a house with too much clutter does not look as pretty as when it is free of rubbish. Get rid of all the things that you do not need or are rarely used that keeps adding up on a pile. Wade through your stacks of paper and see if you can throw away old bills and old magazines that occupy a space you can use for decorations. Clear the tabletop of all the clutter for it to be ready for your holiday spread.

Interior and exterior home maintenance

Your home will be the temporary abode of your guests for the holidays, and you would not want anything but a stellar experience for them during the holidays. Make sure that every area in your home looks good as new. If your walls look bleak, maybe this is the best time for painting. Smith Plastering is a Naples painting contractor that provides excellent drywall, stucco, painting, and metal framing services. Make your indoor and outdoor beautiful by repainting your walls, and you are sure ready for the holidays.

Prepare your kitchen

No room in the house is quite nearly crucial as the kitchen. Get your kitchen ready by cleaning it from top to bottom, end to end. Before stuffing your fridge, pantry, and cupboards, declutter them of things you can’t use anymore, such as old and expired items. Make way for new items that you need to stock up on. Clearing your kitchen of extra stuff also creates a bigger working space, which can work to your advantage, knowing that there will be more cooking and baking to do in preparation for the holidays.

Decorate your home

Nothing adds more to the holiday feels than the decors and trimmings you add to your clean and shiny home. Better make your house look festive as early as you can before everything gets busy. You will have more time to create the concept that you want, at the same time, you enjoy your holiday home decor as long as you can.

If you need help in beautifying your home for the holidays, Smith Plastering is your trusted company for your home improvement needs. We provide excellent drywall, stucco, painting, and metal framing services in Naples, Florida, and its surrounding areas. Contact us for your home improvement needs! 239-594-7537.

Preparing your home for the holidays is not as daunting as you think it is. If you are prepared and organized, you will enjoy doing the tasks leading to the holiday season. It is never too early to have Smith Plastering get your home ready for the holidays so you can enjoy the holiday season.

Why You Should Consider Metal Framing For Your Home Construction and Remodeling?

When making your decisions for your home construction and remodeling, you naturally 
want to make the best choice. You want the building materials that will be used to be the 
most ideal for your project. Your building materials should fulfill your construction needs 
and other considerations, such as your budget and your design sensibilities. As a 
building material of choice for construction and remodeling of different structures such 
as homes or even skyscrapers, structural steel has evolved over the years.  
Metal framing has many benefits compared to other building materials like wood 
and studs, thus emerging as the standard of commercial construction in the USA 
since the early 1950s. It has become an alternative to traditional wood framing. Metal 
framing became a common choice for single-frame home construction and 
remodeling within the past two decades.

There are a few benefits to using metal framing in Naples for your interior wall 
system. The dominant use of steel framing in home construction and remodeling 
is due to the numerous advantages that metal framing has compared to other 
building materials. The use of metal framing will provide you with freedom of design, 
durability, and ease of maintenance, making it a smart choice. The advantages of 
using metal framing are worth considering for your interior wall system for your 
home construction and remodeling. 

It is corrosion-resistant. Metal framing is made of light-gauge, galvanized steel. 
Compared to untreated steel, the galvanization process reduces the risk of 
corrosion to a bare minimum. Steel does not retain moisture nor warp over time. 

It is durable. Steel is superior in strength. It will not change its shape, shrink, mold, 
or split. Wood-related issues such as insect damage or potential rot are non-
existent. Metal framing is long-lasting. It does not age as quickly as the other 
construction materials. 

It is fire-resistant. Steel is not flammable. It will not combust or contribute energy to 
fire, nor will it ignite when heated. Buildings with metal framing may benefit from 
lower insurance premiums because of this significant factor. 

It can be cost-effective. Steel's constructability is versatile. It can be fabricated 
into a variety of shapes and can be assembled by bolting or welding the pieces 
together on site. It allows for more freedom with design and alterations can easily 
be made even at the last minute, thereby shortening construction periods which 
saves time and money. As technology evolves, metal framing has gotten stronger 
even while it gets lighter in weight. 

It is a greener alternative. Steel, which is used in metal framing, is at least 25% 
recycled and is 100% recyclable. Unlike wood, it does not emit Volatile Organic 
Compounds (VOCs), which makes it the more environment-friendly choice.

How to frame your home is a significant consideration. For professional opinion 
and expertise, it is best to get in touch with Naples metal framing contractor 
services. Smith Plastering provides excellent drywall, stucco, painting, and metal 
framing services in Naples, Florida, and its surrounding areas. Contact us for your 
home improvement needs at 239-594-7537.

There are many benefits to using metal framing for your home construction and 
remodeling, making it a smart choice. Light-gauge, galvanized steel is the standard 
of commercial construction for its constructability, durability, and ease of maintenance.

Why Interior and Exterior Painting is a Good Property Investment?

An appealing property is a good investment in itself. A freshly painted house is
indeed more valuable than an old and unappealing one. Painting the exterior
and interior of the home is not only attractive to the senses, but it is also
interesting to the investing mind. 

Painting your house properly will surely increase your home value. When
evaluators assess your house, they will check both the outside and inside
appearance of your home. Is it a thing of beauty? Will it be appealing to
prospective buyers? Evaluators, customers, buyers, will judge only what their
naked eyes can see. Properly painting your house inside and out will upgrade
the real estate worth of your home. Your assets will increase with the simple
investment of properly painting your home.

Properly painted exterior and interior will definitely get you the “love at first sight”
appeal from any prospective buyer. Aim for the “wow” impression when intending
to paint your home to attract buyers. Such a superb painting job will set the right
mood and tone when they see your home for the first time. 

Moreover, clean, painted walls and other house surfaces can help control dust and
dirt to a minimum. Painted interior walls, trim and other surfaces with high quality
and low volatile organic compounds (VOC) can keep your plaster walls also in
check. Low or zero-VOC paints can protect your family’s health by reducing fumes,
odors, and improve air quality indoors. Cleaning can also be quickly done.

Paint is also weather protection. Nature can be your enemy when it comes to home
maintenance. Painting the interior and exterior surfaces of a house will help you
fight against ordinary wear and tear, especially against nature’s water or other
unforgiving elements. Your property is your investment, and you need to protect it
at a reasonable cost also.

Talking about practicality, remodeling, or renovating your house is undoubtedly a
costly move. Properly painting a house can liven up your home environment at a
fraction of the cost. You can refresh your home by painting it properly at a realistic
price compared to a remodel. A gallon of paint will approximately run $20 to $55.
High-quality paints may cost more. Go for premium-quality paint products and an
experienced contractor like Smith Plastering. In the end, you maximize the value
of your hard-earned money.

Before we forget, paint colors undoubtedly play significant roles in making your
home look relaxing, larger, and more appealing in appearance. Pastel color
combinations can make rooms comfortable and calm. Smaller spaces look big
when painted with light colors. Also, bright colors exude fun and vibrant mood.
It may be confusing for some when and where to select and apply these color
choices. Worry not. Look for Painting contractor Naples, Florida if you are living
near Collier County in Florida. Smith Plastering Naples Painting contractor
services are experts at these kinds of painting jobs.

Smith Plastering provides excellent drywall, stucco, painting, and metal framing
services in Naples, Florida, and its surrounding areas. Contact us for your home
improvement needs! Call us at 239-594-7537. 

Remember, painting your property correctly can increase your home value, can
enhance its curb appeal, is easier to maintain and protect its surfaces against the
harsh nature. In the end, painting your home is a practical decision to make. Get a
Smith Plastering Naples painting job quote today.

How to Identify a Professional and Well Experienced Drywall Contractor?

Home is where the heart is. This is a common saying that we all heard. Home is
truly made and designed to provide shelter and love for the family and visitors
coming in and out. One of the ways to design the wall or ceiling of a building is
the installation of drywall which is usually difficult and laborious work. Installation
of drywall must involve a good knowledge of the techniques to ensure and
guarantee a good outcome. This is likely to happen if you in a Naples drywall
company. The cutting, shaping and putting the panel into place and fastening
the parts does not give room for unprofessional practices. 

Installing the drywall requires a professional installer and you can find one in
Naples drywall company. If you want a quality and reputable service, then we
have one that we can offer. Hire a drywall contractor in Naples if you want
your home renovation done with professionalism. 

Below are some very useful tips that can help you find a professional and reliable
drywall installation contractor easily. 

·         Find a list of contractors-finding the perfect drywall installer starts with
finding a list of professional drywall installers within your location. You may search
online or ask help from your friends who know someone as drywall installers. Once
you have a good list of commercial drywall contractors, you then need to vet them.

·         Interview contractors-now that you have the list of drywall contractors, it’s
time that you make a decision of hiring the best one by interviewing them. Call each
drywall installers and ask them very good questions. If you find hard to ask questions,
you can ask them these: ask about the company and years of service, all the services
they offer and about how the company will finish the job eventually if they get hired 

·         Get references and reviews-references and reviews always help to prevent
scams from happening and stay secure when hiring a professional drywall installer.
You can ask those reviews from neighbors and, friends and colleagues or reviews
from their websites. 

Looking for a professional drywall installer to be hired? Smith Plastering, Naples
drywall contractor services, is the key to all of your problems. Our company
provides excellent drywall, stucco, painting, and metal framing services in Naples,
Florida, and its surrounding areas. Contact us for your home improvement needs!
Call us at 239-594-7537.

SUMMARY

Drywall is the kind of job that people believe they are capable of doing their own but
if they mess up, they can spend big expensive for the damage. That is why a lot of
people nowadays hire professional drywall installers when they are remodeling their
houses. Hiring a professional drywall installer requires specialized tools, it will look
better, you'll save money, time and space and no worry to clean up. 

How to Check the Structural Integrity of Your Home

The term commonly known to identify shelter, which is often used to define housing, has a strong
relationship with the primary purpose of housing throughout the world. The mental image of
shelter is of a safe, secure place that provides both privacy and protection from the elements and
the extreme temperatures of the outside world.

Basically, houses are being valued to keep the people safe from harsh weather as well as to be
able to provide comfort for those occupying them.  Thus, the structural integrity of your home is of
much importance. Routine and regular checking of your house for possible signs of structural
problems will help detect and prevent severe damage that may seriously cost more to repair and
incur additional costs in the future. 

Moreover, Smith Plastering, Inc., for more than two decades, has been the most trusted and
respected company of contractors for providing the best quality of service when it comes to stucco
services, drywall finishes and also metal framing and painting services along Naples, Florida, and
its surrounding locations.

Furthermore, homeowners and even proprietors of business establishments ought to know the
various signs that the structure of their respective homes are at serious risk of impairment or
destruction.  

Here are some signs to guide you:

Bowed Walls. 

Bulging in external walls is a result of decreasing wall stability thus, connotes a possible threat
to the structural integrity of the house. 

Gaps Where Your Walls and Floors Meet.  

Cracks can be very stressful if not being treated earlier.  These holes can further be the port of
entry that will allow for some substances (such as water during the heavy flood) to go inside and
cause damage to your houses. 

Drywall Cracks(Around Door Frames).  

This is a major consideration because they may lead to a more serious issue if not properly
addressed, however small they may seem.  Also, many of these cracks start to occur near
doors or windows.

Nail Pops.  

When you notice a small metal spike with a broadened flat head suddenly pops, you will know
that there is a sure structural concern in your house thus, needs immediate attention in order to
avoid further harm.

Cracked Basement Walls.

-horizontal, stair-step or vertical.

Uneven or Bouncy Floors. 

When floors are not even, this could be a very strong indication of structural problems.  It is
suggested to inspect the floors more often which relate to structural integrity because it is
sometimes hard to spot the slope that is just minimal.

Sticking Windows or Doors.  

This is also a strong indication that there is an existing structural problem in the house when
you observe that some of the windows and/or doors do not open freely.  This may cause
windows to eventually crack.

Sagging Roof Ridge.  

The ridgeline of the roof must and always remain upright and stiff when there are no problems. 
Any possible indication of sagging shows that the roof may be damaged or some sort of stress
on the roof itself.

Structures are not always doomed to fail but, they do usually have a limited useful life.  This is
the reason why we all need to treat our own homes just like any other valued treasures we have. 
Routine inspection is encouraged to enable you to feel secure and safe.   

Summary:

Preventing severe house damage by regular checkups for structural problems like bowed walls,
gaps  (walls and floors meet), drywall cracks, nail pops, cracked basement walls, uneven floors,
sticking windows /doors, and sagging roof ridge, is a must.  

As your professional contractor in Naples, Smith Plastering, Inc. is highly experienced and
skilled in providing top of the line service as your Naples stucco company, Naples stucco services,
drywall contractor Naples, and metal framing Naples services. We also provide excellent drywall,
stucco, and painting services in Southwest Florida.

For other detail information and inquiries, please do not hesitate to call us at 239-594-7537. 
Contact Smith Plastering, Inc. if you need help with all your home improvement needs. You
may also visit our website: https://www.smithplastering.com.

Benefits of Stucco Installation Against Hurricanes

With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) prediction that in the “near-normal” hurricane season in 2019, between two and four major hurricanes are expected, will your home be ready by then? Have you upgraded your house defenses, or simply retrofitted to protect your investment against natural disasters? 

 

Smith Plastering, Florida’s trusted and certified expert in exterior and interior finishes of homes, offers why there is a need for installing stucco and its benefits for your house against any storm or hurricane disasters.         

 

What is Stucco?

Stucco is a type of plaster and commonly used on the exterior and interior of a building. Traditional stucco is made using lime, sand, and water, which is extremely strong and durable. However, in today’s modern construction, the most commonly used is made using Portland Cement, sand and water. Stucco is applied to a building using a wire framework or directly on cement surfaces  to adhere more easily and is usually applied in several layers.

 

What are the benefits of Stucco?   

Benefit No. 1: Weather Resistant and Longer Lasting

Stucco is one of the most durable siding alternatives available when it comes to exterior finishes, as it can withstand different weathering conditions and both hot and cold temperatures. With the right applications, it may last for over 50 years, as it can expand, contract, and resist temperature changes from snow, rains, and winds.   

 

Benefit No. 2: Free of Maintenance

When it comes to home improvement costs and expenses, stucco is perfectly a cost-saver compared to other materials like sidings. Stucco does not need repainting or re-installation, and the best part is that there is no need to worry about the upkeep of its finish.

 

Benefit No. 3: Fire-Proof / Decay-Resistant

Besides being durable, stucco is also fire-resistant. By adding only on any surface, whether it be brick, wood or any other material, a one-inch layer of stucco could effectively add a one-hour fire rating to a wall.

Also, stucco is resistant to mold and mildew. Over time, it does not crumble or flake and is highly suitable to different types of climates.

 

Benefit No. 4: Adds More House Value and Aesthetic Style

Stucco’s popularity and classic style will surely increase your house value. It is ideally best for future investments when you plan to put your home up for sale. Stucco has several designs available, with different textured options to choose from, like coarse, pebbled, raked, smooth and swirled, where options of creative styles are unlimited.     

 

Benefit No. 5: Energy-Efficient

Stucco finishing can save you money from monthly energy bills, by acting as a thermal insulator that maintains the desired temperature for your home or business. It is ideally best during winter where it can reduce your heating bills by acting as a double-layered insulator.       

  

Hurricane season is here, so hurry up and call Smith Plastering, Inc., for your home improvement and protection against natural disasters. You can contact us at 239-594-7537; we can provide stucco services in Naples, stucco upgrades and be your Naples stucco company and also as a Stucco contractor Naples for your Stucco services in Naples, Florida.      

 

We also specialize in exterior and interior finishes of homes such as stucco, drywall, painting, and metal framing. For other details, please visit our website at https://www.smithplastering.com/.