With so many people working from home now, homeowners are taking advantage of their space to expand, upgrade, or make a number of other improvements. Ken Moniz, owner of Moniz Home Improvement, is seeing an increased demand for both outdoor living spaces and office spaces.
“People are spending more times in their homes, and we’ve been getting a lot of requests to redo outside decking, people looking to update gazebos, build additions, and install fire pits. The outdoor living and office space are the biggest requests,” Moniz said. “People are also looking to finish their basements by making waterproof and even soundproof.”
For outdoor living, decks are big business. Many homeowners don’t want the hassle of cleaning and maintaining a wood deck every year, and are opting for composite choices that last for decades with little or no maintenance.
“We use TimberTech composite decking,” said Moniz. “The options are endless, especially with the railing systems. Replacing decking is about $20 to $25 per square foot. To replace an entire deck is closer to $30 to $40 per square foot. That’s an approximate estimate to remove an existing wood deck and replace it with a composite deck.”
Still, he added, there are those who still choose the naturalness of a wood deck. “Believe it or not, a lot of people are looking for mahogany decks. They’re really nice. They’re a little cheaper than composite.” Mahogany is also less likely to warp, shrink, swell, or twist compared to other types of building materials. It has a natural resistance to moisture.
But when it comes to composite, TimberTech is the way to go, said Moniz. “People are really happy with the options, endless supply of railings and colors. It really is an almost endless color scheme.” TimberTech deck boards are less susceptible to the erosion, bleaching, and overall degeneration that traditional wood undergoes when exposed to the outdoor elements.
“The cable railing they offer is also really nice, as well as glass panels and aluminum balusters – all of which can be ordered through our company,” Moniz said. “People are mixing colors – for example, picture-framing the deck with one color, and choosing a different color for the center, as well as the rails and balusters. The options are really unlimited.”
As a side effect of the pandemic, he said, office space is also in huge demand right now. But many homes lack the appropriate space in their current floorplan to create a proper and comfortable office area. Typically, Moniz said, people are looking to finish their unfinished basements, while others will refurbish an existing space or make it larger to accommodate their needs.
The cost of finishing a basement all depends on what the client’s needs are, Moniz said, as well as what they want to accomplish and what their budget is. The number one priority is to make sure the basement is dry and waterproofed.
“We’re in the beginning stages of enlarging an existing addition,” he said. “The client wants to add to the existing addition and have the office open onto a new deck.” The old deck will be removed and replaced, and the office will have great natural light and fresh air.
Moniz feels that working from home will become the norm going forward. So, if you have a project in mind for an outdoor living area or a home office, he said, there is no time like the present to reach out and start making a plan.
“The sooner the better,” Moniz advised. “With the amount of options available to choose from, plus the permitting process and deciding what the end result will be, it takes a while.” So, potential clients should reach out to him as soon as possible.
If you’re considering a home remodeling project, visit Moniz Home Improvement’s online portfolio at kenmoniz.com or call 774-237-0317.
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