Titan Tackles Every Aspect of Outdoor Living Space
By Todd Christianson
Alaska homeowners know they’re battling a short season for performing exterior construction. When planning an outdoor space, it’s important to consider the tight timeframe among several other factors. If you're looking at a project that may cost over $25,000, get a design drawn up by a professional. Putting plans on paper ensures that you and the contractor are on the same page as to the final result.
When planning projects that include multiple steps like landscaping, hardscaping (patio/fireplace), decking and fencing, find a contractor that performs all of these tasks in-house. In Anchorage, that limits you to only a few contractors, like Titan.
Hiring multiple contractors may seem cheaper, but scheduling since the pandemic has become more or less a nightmare. If you choose to do the project management yourself, be prepared to face challenges, especially with the ongoing labor shortages in the construction industry. The lack of qualified laborers has forced many contractors to take on fewer projects, which means companies book up fast.
At Titan, we can take on everything. Working with us means communicating with a single company. Our journeymen and experienced crews perform 50 different skill sets. This saves time and ensures projects flow better. Most homeowners see the value in avoiding scheduling multiple subcontractors and trying to personally coordinate project timelines. For example, if the project encounters a delay, homeowners could be forced to stop a project while waiting for the subcontractor to come back to make the change. That won’t happen when you work with us because we coordinate internally to keep the project moving on time.
Hiring a single company ensures that each step of the process is done correctly. When installing fencing and landscaping, it’s better to lay the grade first and then install the fence followed by the topsoil and hydroseeding. This is a more efficient process that assures costly items like post-hole excavation are dealt with properly. The finished result will have the perfect grade because the bottom height of the fence is the proper depth and does not touch the fence.
When comparing bids, ask about skill sets. Never shy away from questioning the contractor about the company's skills, time in business and the experience of their field crews. Ask for references. You don’t want your project to be the contractor's first project of that type. Follow up your conversation with a look at their website. A quality website with photos is a good indication of who you could be working with.
If you don’t know exactly what you want done to your property, consider having a consultation. Estimates are for customers that have a specific scope with no plans to move away from it. A consultation is for homeowners open to ideas while trying to figure out how to create an outdoor space. Landscaping consultants provide ideas on how to properly use space. They may come with a small fee.
If you’re looking to update your outdoor space this summer, consider a one-stop shop for all your outdoor needs. At Titan, we’ll take your ideas from paper to the outdoor space of your dreams. Right now is the perfect time to reach out to get that process started before schedules fill up quickly.
