Sensational Renovations: What Tenants Are Looking for in a Rental Property

When it comes to rental properties, I often receive questions about what kind of improvements get the most bang for the buck.  The truth is, there are many things potential tenants look for and wish their property managers would invest in. These finishing touches and remodeling projects can help attract tenants and influence their ultimate decision; to rent or not to rent. At Titus Contracting, we are often asked to help with tenant improvements in Woodbury and the surrounding areas so I would like to provide a brief rundown of some of the most common tenant improvement requests and why they seek them out.

New Windows

If you are considering any large scale tenant improvements before renting your property, new and improved windows should be at the top of your list. Older properties in particular will benefit from  upgraded windows. New windows will regulate the inside temperature, therefore increasing energy efficiency. Often, tenants have to pay for their heating and/or cooling and want to know that their money isn’t leaking out through old, faulty windows.

Storage and Closets

One of the first things potential renters look for in a new home or office space is ample sized closets for clothing, toiletries, files, and more. While you cannot increase the size of your property, there are several ways to increase the size of your storage. You can create storage space where it didn’t exist before, as well as make the most out of the storage areas you already have.

A Fresh Coat of Paint

Whether or not you have the time and budget for larger scale tenant improvements, you should never turn over a rental property without giving the entire space a fresh coat of paint. It lends an overall cleaner look and shows you put the time and effort into getting it ready for future residents.  

Kitchens & Bathrooms Renovations

If you can only focus on one or two areas during your next round of tenant improvements, make it the kitchen or the bathroom. Small but impactful projects, such as new taps, faucets, light fixtures, backsplashes, and energy efficient appliances will upgrade the look of the unit and make it more appealing to potential tenants.  

Offer More Amenities

Add a fitness center, laundry room or common area to increase your building’s appeal. With today’s emphasis on health-consciousness, having an on-site fitness center is an attractive amenity to a lot of prospective renters. Titus Contracting has constructed plenty of fitness centers throughout the years, so we can help add this great amenity, and many others, to your building!

Do you want more information about tenant improvements in Woodbury? Call Titus Contracting at 952-746-7817, or you can contact us for a Free Estimate.

MSN Real Estate Says Home Remodeling Better Value in 2013

 Good news for homeowners, contractors and everyone else involved with home remodeling: its comeback continues to strengthen. 

MSN Real Estate reports home remodeling is a “slightly better value” in 2013. From the article:

Rising home prices get the credit. Owners around the country are recouping 61% of remodeling costs when they sell. The survey finds that smaller projects and practical replacement jobs lead the list.

For Scott Rajavuori and the Titus Contracting LLC team, this news couldn’t be any more exciting. While the recovery continues to gain traction, Scott and Titus will do what they do best: remodeling projects for homes and businesses.

And while Scott and Titus have fared better in terms of work than other contractors, they still welcome this news, as they know a stronger industry means better things for them.

Scott Rajavuori & Titus Contracting LLC Keep Busy

It might be hot outside, but that’s not keeping Scott Rajavuori and the Titus Contracting LLC from getting many jobs done. The company’s commercial and residential remodeling divisions continue to grow, and they’re happy to be able to keep busy.

What has Titus Contracting been working on all over the Minneapolis and St Paul areas? Here are some recent highlights:

Kitchen Remodeling

Many homeowners have been coming to Scott and Titus Contracting to handle their kitchen remodeling needs. These jobs have included the following work:

·         New flooring

·         New fixtures

·         New cabinetry and countertops

·         HVAC

·         Plumbing

·         Replacement windows

·         Paint

The above list is only a small sampling of what Titus Contracting is capable of doing in terms of a kitchen remodel. You can visit the Titus Contracting kitchen remodeling page for all the details.

Second Floor Additions

As a family grows and more people are living in one residence, many Twin Cities-area homeowners are choosing to increase the size of their current home rather than looking for a bigger residence to buy. One of the most popular additions of this type is a second-floor addition, which adds another level of living space onto your home. To see the type of additions Titus Contracting can add to your home, you can click here.

3-Season & 4-Season Porches

For homeowners looking for a way to bring the outside in their home, a great option may be either a 3-season or a 4-season porch, depending on your budget. These porches are just like room addition, but with some important difference. You can read the Titus Contracting blog to learn all about the differences between 3-season porches and 4-season porches.

New Remodeling Projects by Titus Contracting and Scott Rajavuori

Scott Rajavuori and the Titus Contracting LLC team recently finished up several commercial and remodeling projects. Highlights of the company’s recent work have included:

North Oaks Kitchen Remodel

The scope of work for this job included wall removal, new cabinetry, new countertops, flooring, appliances and much more.

Eagan Kitchen Remodel

As part of this job, Scott and Titus Contracting installed new hardwood floors, appliances, countertops, cabinetry and much more.

Health Source Commercial Remodel

We completely overhauled the look of Health Source Fitness Center.

Scott thanks the Titus Contracting team for their continuing and amazing hard work.  

Titus Contracting Hired New Construction Manager

Please help Titus Contracting LLC in welcoming our new construction manager, Martin Wood.

       

Martin Wood attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a degree in construction management in 2002. During his time in college, he started and managed his own construction company. This left him with over 15 years of experience in the field as he joins the Titus Contracting team. His previous experience includes: concrete work, woodworking, landscaping, installing windows, and more.

In a recent press release dedicated to Wood's hire, Scott Rajavuori said, "We are sure Martin will be a great addition to our already successful team. His vast experience in construction and friendly demeanor truly matches the company's qualities, values and principles."

Wood said, "I pride myself in learning new things in the construction industry and excelling at custom work to give my clients something unique to their project." He now lives in Buffalo MN with his wife and two children.

Titus Contracting LLC is excited by this new addition to the team! Wood will help the company to continue to move forward.

Titus Contracting Remodels Its Websites

It’s been a great couple of months for Scott Rajavuori and the Titus Contracting team. We’ve stayed busy with work, and have excitedly launched new websites for TitusContracting.com and HomeRemodelers.com!

Since remodeling is what Titus Contracting is all about, we decided to apply that to our websites. We've remodeled them to make them look as good as any job we’ve done!

The new, improved TitusContracting.com has an updated navigation menu and project gallery that is easier to browse through. The new site is also more reader friendly and functional. Each page has received a new look, and the site is now responsive, meaning it is formatted to look great on a PC, tablet and smartphone.

HomeRemodelers.com is the site we use for our home remodeling division. Previously, all of the projects were available in one photo gallery, but now they are broken down into individual galleries by room. The site also features a new Before & After Gallery, to give visitors a visual insight on the work we do. Each page has a brand new look and feel.

We hope you enjoy our new sites as much as we do. Please click here to visit TitusContracting.com. And also check out HomeRemodelers.com.

Titus Contracting LLC Joins the Better Business Bureau

Titus Contracting LLC recently became an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Minnesota and North Dakota. More than 400,000 businesses belong to the BBB and it’s one of the most popular places people are likely to visit to determine whether a business is legit or not.

Being accredited, however, is the really exciting part. The BBB found we met all their accreditation standards, which include:

·         The ability to build trust.

·         Our honest advertisements.

·         Our focus on telling the truth.

·         Transparency.

·         Honored promises.

·         Responsiveness to disputes.

·         Safeguards of privacy when it comes to client information and data.

·         Embodiment of integrity.

You can find the Titus Contracting LLC BBB profile by clicking here. 

Scott Rajavuori and Titus Contracting Construct 2012 MADACS-Award Winning Project

Scott Rajavuori and the Titus Contracting team recently celebrated a huge milestone. For the second year in a row, the company built and constructed a project that won a 2012 Multi-Housing Achievement in Design, Advertising & Community Support (MADACS) from the Minnesota Multi-Housing Association (MHA).

The award was given to Bigos Management, which owns and manages The Calhoun Greenway, a large apartment complex in Minneapolis featuring 350 units. We handled the remodeling of the building’s exterior and interior, and the award was for complete/total building renovation.

The MACADS awards recognize “owners and associates who have made significant contributions to multi-housing marketing and management through exemplary achievements.”

To find out all details on the project, check out our page of The Calhoun Greenway remodel.

Recent Minneapolis jobs by Scott Rajavuori and Titus Contracting

Scott and the Titus Contracting team have been busy with a bunch many projects, including a bunch around Minneapolis. Here are a few highlights from recent work by Team Titus:

Cedar Screen Porch Construction

This was a job done for a residential client. The client will be able to enjoy the fresh air away from the bugs.

Tropical Smoothie Build-Out

The Tropical Smoothie Café in Eagan opened its doors on Oct. 5. We did the build-out work and finished it in time for the grand opening.

Apartment Remodeling

The apartment remodeling job was for a Minnetonka client, and began earlier this year. We were able to wrap it up in September.

To see all the projects we’ve done, check out the Titus Contracting blog.

Blast from The Past: Scott Rajavuori Scores a Home Run with D&A Talent

Scott Rajavuori knows that in the home and commercial remodeling industries, you sometimes have a small time frame to get things done. In 2010, Scott and Titus Contracting completed a project for D&A Talent, and put together a video highlight facets of the project. Check it out below!

Scott Rajavuori's Titus Contracting LLC Article Discusses Office Remodeling

Should you remodel your office? That's the topic Scott Rajavuori tackled in a recent article for Titus Contracting LLC. In it, Scott noted:

As times, trends and needs change, so too must the look of an office. To determine when this is necessary there are several key indicators that helps business owners decide, "It's time for a new look."

Click here to read the full article.