General Contracting Services
Home Stewards residential services fall into two categories. For homeowners and property managers wishing to keep up with maintenance and have routine inspections and services provided; we offer the Home Stewardship Program.
For homes that have fallen in disrepair or just need tuning up beyond the Home Stewardship seasonal maintenance, we offer General Contracting Services assisting our clients in bringing their home back to good health.
General ContRacting
For Home Stewardship & Healthy Building Science Clients
Improving your home should be fun and enjoyable, but the management of even a small project is often overwhelming for homeowners. Assembling and directing the right players can become frustrating, time consuming, and risky. We can help you evaluate the feasibility of a proposed project, then screen, organize and manage a team of proven professionals, contractors, architects, and product vendors to see it through. We specialize in recognizing deferred maintenance and common items found during healthy building inspections.
Our General Contracting team is especially adept at addressing common residential deferred maintenance issues such as: Weatherizing & Winterizing, Clean Crawl Spaces, Air sealing, Clean Attic Spaces, Site Drainage, Home Ventilation, Appliance Installation and Servicing, Home Renovation and Remodeling, Home Hardening & Wildfire mitigation, Remediation, Post-remediation construction, Roofing, Pest Control and more.
While we are experts at identifying deferred maintenance it is unfortunate that by the time our inspections team gets called in to address disrepair, an odor, mold, lead or asbestos issue, the cost of deferred maintenance is far greater than just fixing the original problem. The loose door, shaky duct, small leak, or peeling paint have become much bigger issues; involving considerably more money and attention than would have been required if the home had been regularly maintained.
If there is a larger remodel or ground-up project that is needed, we would be happy to learn more about your project and provide a scope of work and estimate. We are experienced working as an Owner’s Representative, project managing all phases of construction, choosing the right design-build team and specialize in delivering superior results keeping your family and home healthy.
Weatherizing & Winterizing
Cracks and gaps in your home and around windows and doors let in more than just cold air, they also introduce outdoor air contaminants like mold spores, pollen, and smoke from wildfires into your home. Installing weather stripping, speciality air-sealing tapes, foam gaskets, and low-VOC caulking and sealants help tighten up your house.
Weatherizing & Winterizing
Cracks and gaps in your home and around windows and doors let in more than just cold air, they also introduce outdoor air contaminants like mold spores, pollen, and smoke from wildfires into your home. Installing weather stripping, speciality air-sealing tapes, foam gaskets, and low-VOC caulking and sealants help tighten up your house.
Clean Crawlspace
We routinely help our clients clean out debris, eliminate pests, improve ventilation, and professionally install vapor barriers in crawlspaces. Often times during construction or remodeling projects labor crews leave debris under a home. It is also common for unaware homeowners to store materials in this damp space and for insulation to fall from floor joists and come to rest on the crawlspace floor. These materials provide food for microbes such as mold, and harborage for larger pests such as mice and rats. A comprehensive pest inspection and abatement plan will include sealing penetrations to the crawlspace and removing any pests that are already present.
Clean Crawlspace
We routinely help our clients clean out debris, eliminate pests, improve ventilation, and professionally install vapor barriers in crawlspaces. Often times during construction or remodeling projects labor crews leave debris under a home. It is also common for unaware homeowners to store materials in this damp space and for insulation to fall from floor joists and come to rest on the crawlspace floor. These materials provide food for microbes such as mold, and harborage for larger pests such as mice and rats. A comprehensive pest inspection and abatement plan will include sealing penetrations to the crawlspace and removing any pests that are already present.
Air Sealing
We regularly air seal electrical, plumbing and HVAC penetrations in walls, ceilings and the crawlspace/floor connection. Air-sealing has the benefit of maintaining more conditioned air in the home (energy efficiency) and reducing drafts (thermal comfort), minimizing the amount of transfer of pollutants from the crawlspace and wall cavities into the occupied area of your home, and providing some level of fire risk reduction.
Air Sealing
We regularly air seal electrical, plumbing and HVAC penetrations in walls, ceilings and the crawlspace/floor connection. Air-sealing has the benefit of maintaining more conditioned air in the home (energy efficiency) and reducing drafts (thermal comfort), minimizing the amount of transfer of pollutants from the crawlspace and wall cavities into the occupied area of your home, and providing some level of fire risk reduction.
Clean Attic
Cramped and cluttered attics discourage thorough inspections and provide good hiding spots for critters. Ensuring your attic is clean and easily accessible helps ensure you find evidence of animals or leaks more quickly – which can save money in the long run. Attic ventilation and air-sealing reduce the risk of condensation and minimize heat loss (energy cost) during the winter.
Site Drainage
Many homes have insufficient site drainage. This may present itself as a damp crawlspace or a standing pool of water along the foundation, or it could lead to warping floor boards and even mold growth. Good site drainage accounts for the three primary sources surrounding your home: rooftop & downspouts, surface flow from uphill, and subterranean water such as a spring. French drains, culverts, natural berms, retention basins and sump pumps provide solutions for 90% of site water problems. If there are pools around your backyard or front yard or if your crawlspace has standing water or a bad smell, you are likely one of many in need of improved site drainage.
Site Drainage
Many homes have insufficient site drainage. This may present itself as a damp crawlspace or a standing pool of water along the foundation, or it could lead to warping floor boards and even mold growth. Good site drainage accounts for the three primary sources surrounding your home: rooftop & downspouts, surface flow from uphill, and subterranean water such as a spring. French drains, culverts, natural berms, retention basins and sump pumps provide solutions for 90% of site water problems. If there are pools around your backyard or front yard or if your crawlspace has standing water or a bad smell, you are likely one of many in need of improved site drainage.
Home Ventilation Upgrades
Most homes do not have enough ventilation. This is especially true for bedrooms during the winter months when windows and doors are kept closed. Through data monitoring studies we know that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) accumulates significantly within most homes when they are occupied. Heat Recovery Ventilation brings in filtered outside air (usually to bedrooms and offices), exhaust stale indoor air (usually from bathrooms and halls), and help preserve your heating energy through a heat exchanger. If you’re sensitive to temperature swings or have seasonal allergies and are forced to close the windows, HRV is probably right for your home.
Appliance Installation & Servicing
Every appliance in your home has recommended maintenance tasks and schedules. From kitchen appliances (fridge, garbage disposal, dishwasher, oven, range, range hood, etc.) to your mechanical closet (air conditioner, furnace, water heater, boiler, etc.) there are dozens of appliances in every home that rarely get the maintenance they deserve. Deferred maintenance can lead to strange noises, bad odors, and shortened life of any appliance. Through our proactive home maintenance program we touch all these appliances at least once a year. We also help select and install new appliances as necessary.
Appliance Installation & Servicing
Every appliance in your home has recommended maintenance tasks and schedules. From kitchen appliances (fridge, garbage disposal, dishwasher, oven, range, range hood, etc.) to your mechanical closet (air conditioner, furnace, water heater, boiler, etc.) there are dozens of appliances in every home that rarely get the maintenance they deserve. Deferred maintenance can lead to strange noises, bad odors, and shortened life of any appliance. Through our proactive home maintenance program we touch all these appliances at least once a year. We also help select and install new appliances as necessary.
Home Remodeling
In addition to many specialties we have developed because of our decade-long connection to Healthy Building Science, we do offer traditional remodeling services such as new kitchens and baths, replacing decks, landscape installations, new driveways, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), etc.
Home Hardening (Wildfire Mitigation)
Fire scientists have a learned a lot in recent years – and homeowners have learned the hard way. Investing in fire-smart solutions around the home is another low-hanging fruit. Metal gutter guards, specialty fire-safe vent screens, air-sealing larger gaps, reducing fire ladders in the landscape and creating defensible space around your home are proven ways of reducing the risk of devastating fires. We provide a home hardening assessment and share a detailed estimate for all the recommendations.
Home Hardening (Wildfire Mitigation)
Fire scientists have a learned a lot in recent years – and homeowners have learned the hard way. Investing in fire-smart solutions around the home is another low-hanging fruit. Metal gutter guards, specialty fire-safe vent screens, air-sealing larger gaps, reducing fire ladders in the landscape and creating defensible space around your home are proven ways of reducing the risk of devastating fires. We provide a home hardening assessment and share a detailed estimate for all the recommendations.
Remediation and Post-Remediation Services
After a flood or fire event your home is a mess. It’s important things are remediated as quickly as possible to minimize further damages. Our Industrial Hygiene Department can help oversee necessary remediation and abatement services, but when it comes to rebuilding we’ve got you covered. This services often includes replacing flooring, insulation, drywall and painting, but sometimes involves full remodeling services and replacing exterior walls, roofs, cabinets, etc.
We take care of your home, so you don’t have to!
Office Location
San Rafael, CA 94901
Call Us
(415) 360-8715
CA Contractor
#1046058
