WICHITA FALLS (KFDX KJTL) — Home remodeling is booming across the country with more than three-quarters of all homeowners saying they’ve done some type of home improvement project during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nationwide, an online home remodeling platform reported a 58% annual increase in project leads for home professionals in June, 2020. In Wichita Falls, city officials said they have noticed a rise in residential and commercial construction.
“Both residential and non-residential project, just seeing more and more of that is just being started without a permit so we really wanted an opportunity to reach out to the public and says hey if you have a project and its going to need a project and we can answer that question,” Development Services Director Terry Floyd said.
Floyd also said following city regulations could save you time and money in the future.
“Insurance companies, they want to know the verification of this work, so an addition to your home or major work comes up they may be a question that may come up when you go to sell your home,” Floyd said.
Remodeling professionals like Scott Autin have been staying busy during COVID19. The owner of A-plus construction said anyone looking to remodel needs to do their research when hiring a contractor.
“Check with the BBB. Check with the city to see if they are licensed and bonded. If you don’t do that, you’re going out on a limb, and there is no protection fortitude at that point,” Autin said.
Protection could also help you avoid dangers, such as digging into pipes underground or cutting into electrical wires. For those who try to save money and cut corners around a project could face city citations.
“Sometimes we may charge extra for a permit review if the job was started without a permit, really the citations are up to five hundred dollars, but that’s a last resort for us. We generally, if not almost always, work with them to get with compliance,” Floyd said
So whether you are hammering out working on outdoor spaces or building a new home, Floyd and Autin hope you will do your due diligence before starting any project.