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Insurance restoration services in Terrell, TX restore homes after storm and water damage with 12 years of trusted, veteran-owned craftsmanship and full project management.

If you’re a homeowner you need a good general contractor on your side. A General Contractor is someone who not just coordinates but supervises every aspect of your project. That includes securing the proper permits and materials for the project, as well as, hiring, scheduling and overseeing the work of other subcontractors like your carpenters, plumbers and electricians. Some home projects are easy for any DIY-er to tackle, but not everyone is a DIY-er. Here at DC&H Construction we have a handyman to tackle the less complex projects. When it’s time to remodel the kitchen or upgrade your master bath we have the right relationships with the right giftings to ensure your project is completed with excellence. Our pros have different areas of expertise. Our handyman, for example, can switch up your bathroom cabinets or replace the fixtures to give your master bath a facelift. When you need a master plumber we can make sure the right guy is on the job to install the infrastructure for a new shower or tub. Is your backslash in need of an upgrade or would you like to lay new tile down in the kitchen? Then you want an expert tile installer vs a handyman. In Construction various talents are a true work of art. Your GC will make sure the right person is on the job. The work of your GC goes well beyond managing the hands-on tasks. At DC&H we take responsibility for the entire worksite. We ensure our team works safely as well as taking the proper precautions to protect your property. Your general contractor is to make sure all work is done in a way that doesn’t void any product warranties or guarantees. Qualified professionals must install siding, roofing, windows and major appliances in a particular way or the manufacturer may refuse to honor their guarantee. When a general contractor supervises the project, you know everyone will follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Remember, when you tackle home renovation projects not everything can be thrown out with the daily trash. When you partner with a GC they will have access to a large dump trailer or have a dumpster dropped on site so all trash and debris is safely disposed of. Whether you need a handyman to help tackle the honey-dos or you’re in need of a full overhaul, we have the right talent to serve you.

One question commonly asked by homeowners is: “What type of paint should I use for my ceiling?” Ceilings should almost always be painted in a flat, matte acrylic paint. The reason for this is that: Flat paint will not reflect light or draw attention away from the wall and room furnishings. Ceilings don’t receive much wear and tear, so a glossy, durable paint is not necessary. If you live in an older home, and if there are architectural blemishes in the ceiling, flat paint hides imperfections well. Flat paint also dries more evenly than most other types of paint. Painters once encouraged using semi-gloss paint for a bathroom or kitchen ceiling (or a room with higher humidity) since semi-gloss paint has higher moisture resistance and sometimes holds up better, however, flat paint today works just as well, and tends to look better. As far as ceiling color, it is entirely up to you which color you use for your ceilings. Most homeowners prefer using white or ivory paint for their ceilings, but using a color for the ceiling can make a nice statement if done correctly.

To save energy and make your home warmer at the same time, turn your ceiling fans to the winter setting ( turn it off and find the switch somewhere near the pull chain and slide the switch to the right. Before you turn the fan on be sure and wipe the tops of your blades off to make sure you don’t sling dust bunnies everywhere ) I run mine on high. It sucks the cold air off the floor and circulates the warm air back down. Remember cold air settles and warm air rises. If you don’t circulate the air, all the warm air from your furnace stays at the ceiling and all the cold air stays down near you and near the thermostat which makes your furnace run more often with no results. ( because the warm air is piling up at the ceiling ) Keep your family toasty and enjoy your Sunday together!

If you lived in the area February 2021 chances are you or someone you knew went without power for quite some time. Frigid conditions left us with the realization that the majority of us Texans are not prepared for such conditions. Neither is our home. If Mother Nature throws another polar blast our way and we lose, here are a few tips to keep you warm and safe. Keep extra towels and blankets in a easy to access location. Roll them tightly and place along the bottom of all your doors and windows to keep cold air from coming into your home. They will also soak up any condensation or moisture as the temperature in the house changes. Keep every door that opens to an exterior wall or room with a window closed. The goal is to stop cold air from free flowing around the house. Encourage everyone in the home to stay in one room as much as possible. When you have multiple people in one room your body will naturally start to radiate heat. It may not be much but every little step will help keep you warm. Be sure to pick the smallest room with the least exterior walls, windows and doors. Keeping the door closed will help trap in the heat. If you are not familiar with camping, tents are created to help hold the body heat inside the tent. Pop up a tent in the bedroom, living room or game room. If you have a two story pick a room upstairs. Remember, heat rises. You can also use extra quilts and sleeping bags to make a tent or fort. Another way to stay warm is dressing in layers. Be sure your first layer is not cotton. Cotton will soak up your sweat and make you colder. Use a moisture wicking material. Somewhere between 3-5 layers will suffice. Base layers, middle layer and an outer layer. Then have a heavy coat, beanie, gloves and a scarf to top it all off. Wool socks will help keep your feet warmer than your athletic style socks. Remember, cotton will keep you cool as you sweat. If you’re cold, cotton is not what you want as a base layer. Now for the Debbie downer, stay away from alcohol. Sounds mean but alcohol actually lowers your body temperature. Yes, it may make you feel flush which tricks your body into thinking your warm. Plus Alcohol is dehydrating. You need to stay hydrated if you see facing harsh temperatures. If you are lucky enough to have a gas stove, put a large stock pot of water on to boil, once hot, turn on to low. This way you can have hot water for tea and coffee. The steam will also add some humidity in the air. If your concerned about the food in your fridge and freezer, throw the perishables in a cooler then place in the garage or back patio. Remember, the more you open the fridge and freezer the warmer it will get on the inside. Hopefully we will never have to experience another Ice Megaddon and chaotic power outage anytime soon. If we do, I hope these suggestions are useful and make you a bit more comfortable.

I think it is safe to say, we all agree the housing market is completely ridiculous right now. Outrageous bidding wars, supply chain issues for new home builds or flip homes, able to sell but unable to purchase…the list goes on. Many families have succumbed to room conversations to add space for various reasons: home offices, homeschooling space or extra bedrooms. The cost of a garage conversion vs being able to purchase a larger home makes a bit more sense. For one, the majority of garages no longer fit the typical size SUV, or Truck. So, if we are not parking in the garage, let’s declutter and use it as living space. How to prepare for your conversion Preparation is essential! As you begin a garage-to-room conversion, there are a few factors to keep in front of you during the planning process. You will want to call the city and ask about permit requirements in your area. A room conversion project won’t require as much paperwork as a home addition would, you will need to obtain the necessary permits from the city. If you live in a HOA, you need to fill out the required documents and have a list of their requirements. The building codes in your area will determine the ceiling height and necessary number of exits and entrances, outlets and windows. If you plan to rent the space keep in mind you might need to schedule time for an inspector to review the property prior to move-in. Why do I need to get this permitted? If you don’t and you choose to sell one day far down the road, you cannot legally add it to the description of the home, include pictures or even consider it in the home value. Trust me, despite the hassle it’s worth doing things the right way, the first time. Decide what to do with the garage door. You may want to replace the garage door with a wall, a wall + window, or a wall + door. To save money, you can insulate the existing garage door instead of replacing it, which will improve climate control and energy efficiency. However, you may be giving up a private entrance depending on the layout of the garage. Determine how many windows you would like. Think about where the sun rises and sun sets in your window placement. Expand ventilation, making sure your HVAC system is sufficient for the extra space. Depending on the cost of utilities, you may discover it is more efficient to purchase a space heater and window air conditioning unit. Now, a little potty talk. Do you want to add a half bath, full bathroom or standalone sink to your garage conversion? If the room is not being used for living space but more of an office space then I would suggest a simple half bath. Are you wanting walls within the garage to create different rooms or divide seating and living area? Or are you considering one large open space? What type of flooring would you like to go down? If your garage floor is sloped (as many are), budget for adding a layer of concrete to create an even surface. Also, consider raising the flooring height to match the rest of the home. Add flooring such as high-quality laminate flooring or stain/paint and seal the concrete, or a mid grade carpet. Do you want to add built-in storage, window seats with storage or a closet? What about a small kitchen or extra laundry area? There are a lot of things to consider when you build out a garage conversion. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the steps and your ready to pick your contractor, give me a call. I will be with you every step of the way. 214-908-3655 -Kels

Today I would like to discuss teamwork. I served 22 years in the Marine Corps and have worked a few different positions since retiring. While I am not independently wealthy, I have taken the time to be more selective in my decision of where to work, which has led me to DC & H and our team. I’m not at this place to collect a check, I want to be a part of a team that I believe in and can support fully. Recently when I was out of town, we had the opportunity to move a job up one week. I contacted the team and there was no hesitation to move it up. It didn’t matter who was getting paid, original person on the contract or anything else. The primary focus was getting the customer taken care of and getting it done as a team. It started with a fellow Project Manager getting the work started and finished with the owner going to the customers house personally to ensure everything was taken care of. This my friends, is what sets DC & H apart from the rest. So many other companies are concerned about who is getting what and focus on the “me” instead of the “WE”! So not only is this about the team work and mutual respect we have with each other but, a thank you to our team for helping me out and to let them know I will be there for them whenever needed. As a team we will be there for you!! Dave Flaishans  Project Manager 469-474-9555 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidflaishans

Did you make a New Years Resolution to declutter and organize your home? No? Maybe you should have but didn’t. It’s a daunting task. You can change the way your home looks and feels when you simply declutter. When you walk into your home do you feel the chaotic energy? If you want to create visual chaos in an otherwise clean home, toss those blankets over the couch or recliner, scatter the papers on your island or coffee table, add a pile of shoes and back packs or gym bags by the front door. The good news is that a quick round of decluttering is enough to make your home clean and comfortable again. Simple daily tasks will help your home feel fresh for the New Year and give off a positive vibe each and every day. Start in one room and stay there until you’re finished. Put the items you find in that room that don’t belong there in a laundry basket. Carry that laundry basket room to room, collecting everything that belongs elsewhere. This is an easy even your little ones can get involved in. It even teaches them how to start putting things back where they go. Once you’re done decluttering, return everything in the laundry basket to its proper place. Keep a damp rag to wipe up any dust bunnies (Save vacuuming for later). Reduce and recycle: Keep a hamper or basket to collect items you no longer need and put them in the recycling, trash or earmark them for donation. One rule, once it’s placed for recycle or donation you cannot take it back out of the basket. It’s time to let it go. Keep a small trash or recycling bin in each room to encourage tossing items right away. Buy a labeler! Now we are having fun!! Label your canisters, drawers, shelves, the sea is your oyster! Label it all! This way everyone in the home knows where it all goes and there is zero question as to what is where! Also, when things have a proper place, there tends to be less clutter. Make use of over-the-door storage, hooks and vertical space. Consider having a loft installed for extra storage space. Do you have papers that pile up in the kitchen? Keep one spot for mail, bills, etc. Consolidate piles. Once a week, sort through the pile and throw away, shred or file mail, bills, etc. If using the top of the refrigerator for storage, relocate those items somewhere else. The visual improvement is noticeable right away. For deep clutter removal, check expiration dates on perishable items in the fridge, pantry and cabinets. Consolidate or dispose of old cleaning products kept under the kitchen sink. And keep all cleaning products inside a cleaning bucket – no need to go through multiple cabinets looking for just the right products; just grab the whole bucket and go! Limit yourself to just three magnets on the fridge – too many papers and notes will be visually overwhelming. I know that displaying your child’s artwork and poems are important. Rotate what gets displayed then when the time is up it gets placed inside a keepsake book or thrown away! Let’s be honest, how many handprints do we need? Save the ones that mean the most and toss the rest. Organize kitchen drawers by category (baking supplies, utensils, spices-label it!) Install hooks inside cabinet doors to hang measuring cups, spoons and even pots and pans. Use a recycled cleaning wipe container to store plastic bags – keep one near the door so you’ll remember to grab a few when taking your fur baby out for a walk. The key is to start. Just start. Pick a room and go! It takes 21 days to break a habit. If you take 30 days to practice these decluttering habits you will not only have created a new habit but dissolved an old one. -Kelsey

In John Maxwells 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, there is a chapter named the Law of Connection. In it he speaks about communicating with openness and sincerity and quotes NFL coach Bill Walsh who said “Nothing is more effective than sincere, accurate praise, and nothing is more lame than a cookie-cutter compliment”. I think we have all felt or seen this at some point in our lives, either personally or in our professional lives. But what does any of this have to do with construction and DC&H? It is how you can help decide on what contractor to use. Many people will get more than one quote for a large home remodeling job, I think that is a smart move and have done it myself. While doing this you are able to get a good read on your contractor, are they there to “sell you” or are they generallyconcerned on providing the best service for YOU and YOURneeds. Are they providing you with the usual cookie cutter lines of a salesmen or do they ask questions specific to what you want done? Nearly any contractor can do the work, find one that best fits your specific project. Dave Flaishans  Project Manager 469-474-9555 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidflaishans