Invasion of the Home Eaters

No,not some cheesy movie, these winged stealth biters attack your homes without you even knowing they are there...until you step through the floor or a picture falls off the wall. As I was leaving my house the other day, I saw them "Swarming" from this log as they head for some unsuspecting home. Your home is at its greatest risk form March to June.

"If you took all the termite damage nationwide, you're probably looking at more damage from termites than you would say from floods and fires combined." Terminex Technical Specialist Michael Paul.

Even more important than termite treatments and inspections, is to eliminate any source of moisture near the framing of your home.
NO Water, NO Termites!
Direct rainwater away from the foundation. install flashings over windows and doors. Keep mulch and earth at least 6" below your siding, and if you have dripping plumbing pipes, fix them immediately. The wood piranhas cannot survive without moisture.

 — in Maryland.

Looks like Eggshell to me.

Keep the Water Out.

Keep the Water Out.
Sounds simple...but unfortunately many "carpenters" are more worried about speed than proper techniques. Is this case, flashings were not installed over the window trims and allowed water to get into the framing. First it rotted the trim, and eventually damaged the hardwood floors in this very nice sunroom. We are happy to cry out "Bring on the Rains" after replacing almost all the trim with rot proof PVC and of course, installing the proper flashings and sealants.

Carpenter Quote

“A jackass can kick a barn down, but it takes a carpenter to build one”
Sam Rayburn

Why not to make your basement bedroom to nice.

Because they may never leave! Work performed was a nice basement bedroom, a walk-in closet, a very large storage area and an art room closet for the kids.

Bad Tenants, Bad Cleanup and Bad Weather...

...make for very BAD damage when combined together at this clients townhouse.  Back in middle of one of the coldest winters on record, their renter failed to keep the heat on, resulting in a frozen  water line that burst in a wall of the upstairs hall bath.  Hesitating to immediately shut off the water added to the damage, and to make matters worse, the Disaster Cleanup company hired to open the walls and “Dry out” the house, used practically no protection and/or care during the demolition and handling of the personal properties.

 Their carelessness damaged cabinets, hardwood flooring, countertops, fixtures and appliances to name a few. I was appalled when first assessing the damage and requested  a meeting with the owners insurance adjuster.  The damage was undeniable, and in a short while, the adjuster agreed that almost all of the items were not salvageable and agreed to cover their full replacement.  On behalf of the owner, we negotiated with the adjuster to come to a fair cost for the rebuilding, as well as pointed out some errors to the adjusters estimate that saved the insurance company as well.

K Squared took on the task of rebuilding the home and with great satisfaction turned the home back over to the owner in less than 6 weeks.  Inspired by the restoration, the owners decided to add some upgrades and personal touches and recently put the home on the market. The Realtor feels it will sell very fast, and we hope so as well!

If you are unfortunate enough to have our home damaged by hail, rain, wind, or “burst pipes”, keep in mind that you have rights as the owner to select a contractor of your choosing. If it is K Squared, we will gladly work with you and your insurance company, to come to a fair settlement for all.