Residential

This article originally appeared on La Jolla Light

We’ve already seen the beginning signs of the El Niño that the National Weather Service predicts will begin its three-month peak sometime in October but may last through spring 2016. According to The Weather Channel reports, the forecast is for a strong but unpredictable El Niño, as polar ice reduction over the years since the 1997-1998 event will change the storm models.

So what does this mean for you?

If you’re a homeowner, you need to be prepared for above-average and sustained rain falls. In Southern California, we’re used to storms that blow in and blow out after dropping a few inches of rain, maybe a foot over a week or so, leaving clear skies for much of the rest of the year. So are our homes.

Where should you start?

The roof. Have a close look yourself, or consult with an expert. If you see any cracks or gaps, get them sealed well before the peak rains begin. Also, apply a sealant, but make sure that you give it plenty of time to dry before the rains resume. If your roof has tiles or shingles, look for ones that might be broken, cracked, or missing, and have them replaced immediately. Also, check to see whether the metal flashing on your shingle roof is rusted or cracked. The sooner you get this done before the peak of El Niño, the better—you want any treatments to set.

Next up, the gutters. This can be an easy fix. Drains and gutters transport rainwater safely to the main drain without affecting the foundation of your house. Make sure there is no clogging due to accumulated leaves, twigs, stones or grit. These often clog the drainpipes and cause a back flow of water, which leads to major leakage problems in your ceiling. Even worse, there might be a leakage somewhere in between, causing the water to flood the foundation of your house. A cement sealant might come in handy here. Ideally, you should have your gutters checked and cleaned twice a year—certainly, El Niño adds an incentive to getting it done.

Check for cracks in the ceiling and walls. If there are any along the edges of the ceiling, you may be particularly susceptible to seepage in the walls, which could eventually lead to flooding and the growth of hazardous mold and mildew inside the structure. Fill these with plaster or wall putty (which will also require repainting the walls or ceiling). Check doors and windows for any gaps that can let in rainwater. These gaps can be filled with a variety of sealing products, including brush seals. If you have a basement, go through this space thoroughly, and consider purchasing a few sand bags, especially if you have a ground-level window.

Watch your wires. Any exposed electrical wiring needs to be checked, or there might be a risk of a short circuit. Also check for any loose wires, and make sure fixtures and outlets are covered properly. Occasionally check junction boxes during the storm to make sure they aren’t collecting water.

Other flooding considerations:

If you live in an area prone to flooding during large storms, don’t let dried leaves, fallen twigs, and any wilted blooms accumulate on your property, including your driveway, as they can block runoff drains.

Check the trees near your home, and trim any branches that might give way during heavy rains or strong winds. Falling branches are one of the surprise causes of damage during big storms such as El Niño.

If you have a pool, consider reducing the water level during El Niño’s peak, as your pool could collect an excess of rainwater and flood your yard, even your home. And also make sure you secure any yard furniture that could either be damaged or be blown into a fence or a glass window or door.

Whether it’s Godzilla El Niño or El Niño Bruce Lee, you’ll want to be completely prepared for any conditions brought about this season. At Murfey Construction, we’re happy to go over El Niño preparation with you, as well as any other needs for your home, so please visit us athttps://starnorthapartments.com.

This article originally appeared on La Jolla Light

As residential as well as commercial developers, we understand the importance of having an investment property. These properties can be security, retirement, or the primary source of income for homeowners, and each situation comes with different obligations and constraints.

Maintaining a rental property, whether it be a single home, duplex, or multiple dwelling units, requires work and a sufficient budget to cover repairs, improvements, or upgrades. For larger-scale projects, it’s wise to consult with a professional, either someone in real estate, an appraiser, or a licensed general contractor, to give you a Comparative Market Analysis, assess your project’s needs and to help keep you on task and on budget.

It is important to remember that for most rental properties, you do not have to go into a renovation with the same outline as you would for your own home. You want your rental property to be pleasant, yes, but mostly functional. It does not have to be your dream home or your renter’s, so shelve those plans for the rock waterfall and state-of-the-art design. The main goal of any remodel project on your rental is to increase your equity. Also keep in mind that a large-scale project will come with long-term construction, which cuts into the time you could be collecting rent—the return on your investment.

Determine what improvements will give you the biggest return of your investment.

For big renovations, focus on the biggest draws. Nothing will turn off potential renters quite like disgusting bathrooms and kitchens. Stained grout and chipped tile, or linoleum that brings to mind Starsky and Hutch reruns, will not give renters the confidence that you can maintain your property sufficiently. And even Realtor.com states that remodeling a kitchen or bathroom can offer close to an 85% return of investment.

Larger master bedrooms and closets are also a draw. But if you’re stuck in terms of room size and layout, maximize the space you have. Do you have dead corners or lost space that can be turned into storage? Is there a tiny storage cabinet that is not as useful and could be opened up to make more room space? Contractors are especially helpful in finding the hidden fixes to make the best use of the room you do have.

How much work can you afford to put into your rental property?

Base your remodel on a realistic or professional assessment of current or future rent. This is a good time to remind yourself that you do not have to live there, so opt for resilient over stylish. And keep in mind that, as with any renovation project, there are often hidden costs. If opening up a wall uncovers black mold or leaking pipes, most of your budget will be sucked into those repairs. Know ahead what your maximum budget is, and then plan your renovation estimates to fall well under that number.

Need to fix up a property on a budget?

Not doing any major construction on your rental? Then your first step is to make repairs before any replacements.

Sure, hardwood floors or laminates are all the rage, but if you can’t afford to replace the carpet, and it hasn’t been thrashed by a previous tenant’s twelve cats, a labradoodle, and a lemur, then opt for a deep shampooing instead. If you have hardwood floors, sand and re-stain the wood. Even if your previous tenants liked to chip ice directly onto the floor, the wood can generally be sanded and buffed enough times to come out completely revitalized. This is one of those cases where you might splurge and hire a company to do this process for you; the best will spend several days sanding and polishing and sweeping repeatedly—not generally something everyone has time (or the back strength) to do. If you opt to install laminate, buy well more than you think you’ll need, especially if your property gets frequent turnarounds in renters. All that furniture moving in and out will undoubtedly scratch the floors, and a replacement of individual panels is a quick and cheap fix. The floors will always seem in good condition, even if you only replace the most damaged or most visible pieces.

Replace fixtures. Make sure all overhead lights/fans work properly, make sure the switch plates aren’t damaged or disgusting (think of all the hands that wear away at the coating, turning it a sort of vague tan color), and make sure all drawer pulls and cabinet knobs are clean, tight, and even. And that they match.

Check the condition of the walls. If there are only minor holes or dirt marks, you may not have to invest in complete interior repainting. Sand, spackle, spot-paint. Or get one of these bad boys. A bonus? If you have kids, this is something you can get them to do.

Don’t underestimate the power of landscaping.

If you have a property with yard space, be conscious of the power of curb appeal with some light landscaping. This will be the first part of your property that welcomes tenants to the neighborhood. Also, even if the property is older and not in pristine condition (and you don’t have a budget for larger improvements such as new windows and window frames, external painting or re-stuccoing, or roof replacement), a manicured outdoor space will show the tenant that the property is cared for. This doesn’t mean you have to spend a thousand dollars laying new sod; river rocks, wood chips, ground cover or other drought-resistant plants stylishly placed is a low-cost way to spruce up the outside.

Hang on to all your receipts.

All of them. You can likely write off all your expenses as deductions on next year’s return.

In Southern California, having a rental property is a good investment, but you have to be prepared to take care of that investment. At Murfey Construction, we can help you with that process, either with a remodel or in designing and building a house or multi-dwelling unit. Visit us at https://starnorthapartments.com.

This article originally appeared in the La Jolla Light

• BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:

With projects in La Jolla, Cardiff By-the-Sea and Santee, Murfey Construction, Inc. has a fall harvest full of new construction jobs, others in mid-stream, and a townhome finale.

“We started a facelift of Cardiff’s San Elijo Center,” said co-owner, Scott Murfey. “We’re giving the 4,000-square-foot space a more contemporary look that features a new Italian restaurant with outdoor seating.”

The shops there include Subway, Lourdes Mexican Food, the Iron Cross Surf Shop and Mar Vista Liquor. The project will be completed in December 2015.

In September, Murfey Construction, Inc. also started an 8,000 square-foot Santee retail development at 9261 Mission Gorge Road. The Santee business complex will have four units, including an optometrist’s office. It’s scheduled for completion in March 2016.

“We’re also busy building our Hillcrest 36-unit apartment development on the corner of Washington Street and 8th Avenue,” he continued. “In August we framed the building to the top and it’s as high as it’s going to get.”

Murfey said they started the units in October 2014 with the goal of finishing all in early spring 2016.

“Noah, Homes” the name of Murfey’s special needs campus for 70 people living with developmental disabilities, is also moving forward. The project is a one-of-a-kind state-of-the art facility that continues a client’s care — even if he or she develops Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases during their lifetime. The goal is to avoid having a person’s life disrupted emotionally and psychologically by having to move to a Alzheimer’s facility that may not be trained in caring for those with disabilities.

“We broke ground for Noah in August 2014,” Murfey said, “It took teamwork collaboration and a lot of people donating goods and services to help make it a reality. It was actually started by nuns more than 30 years ago, but a lot of people didn’t know about it,” Murfey said. “Its CEO, Molly Nocon, had a brother with Down syndrome who lived at Noah homes and Molly took over running the campus.

“We’re doing a thorough revitalization of Noah and have the best architects, engineers and consultants in San Diego working on the project. They’ve donated their time pro bono to design two new 5,000-square-foot custom assisted living facilities.”

And finally, “Famosa,” Murfey’s nine contemporary-styled Point Loma townhomes is now completed with full occupancy. A Coffee House and Tea Leaf shop is on the street level. u

• Scott and Russ Murfey are co-owners of Murfey Construction, Inc., 1571 La Playa Ave., San Diego. (619) 857-1549 or (858) 352-6864. murfeyconstruction.com

— To make a donations to Noah Homes, send a check to: Attn: Molly Nocon, CEO, 12526 Campo Road, Spring Valley, CA 91978