Spencer - Southbridge Evening News

4 SPENCER NEW LEADER • Friday, April 4, 2008
Considering Deck Design?
If you are looking for a place to grill,
socialize or just relax after a long day of
work, you may want to consider adding a
deck to your home. A deck provides a
place for a family to gather outside and
enjoy nice weather, have a good meal and
spend quality time together. It can add to
the value of a home as well. Raised decks
can even provide shelter for exits from
the home or stored equipment.
If you are going to build a deck, the
first thing to do is to check with the local
zoning office to investigate regulations
on decks. With these regulations, you will
know the minimum standards for building.
This will also give you a chance to
make sure you can build a deck. Once you
have these regulations, start thinking
about what purposes you want your deck
to serve. Would you like a cooking space?
Are you surrounding a hot tub or a pool?
Do you intend to have a patio set for
meals? With these purposes in mind, you
can begin to consider how you want to
shape your deck. Keep in mind that building
a deck without an access point from
the house can create another difficult
project-installing an access point. Using
measurements of your backyard and
graph paper, draw out a few possibilities
for your deck. Outline the potential border
of your deck on your plans and place
anything you would want on your deck in
the deck space you have created. This
will help tell you if the deck you plan to
build is going to be large enough and give
you an idea of what your deck will look
like when fully furnished.
When you have your design, begin
investigating how much you will need of
various materials. Start with the standard
regulations from your zoning commission.
You will probably want to go
above and beyond the regulations,
though, as they are a minimum standard.
For increased safety, use extra fortifications
and quality building material.
While you are in this stage, one important
factor to consider is whether or not
your deck is going to be attached to your
house. If it is, you may also have to deal
with siding issues and the actual attachment
to the house. If your deck is freestanding,
as many are, you will still have
to accommodate for nearby siding and
the structure of the house.
s you plan your deck, keep in mind that
several accessories can be added. If you
have stairs or an overhang, are you going
to install lighting? Although accent
lights can be added along stairs and
wiring can be run for overhead lighting
later, it is much easier to include that in
the original plans. Are you going to be
covering your spigot for your backyard?
If so, how do you propose to access that
spigot once the deck is constructed? Are
you installing railing around the perimeter
of the deck? Depending on the height
of the deck, this may be mandatory by
regulation. Even if it is not mandatory, it
can create an attractive border as well as
a safety feature. If there are any water
elements included, how will you access
control panels and plumbing if there are
problems? If there are trees in the area in
which you propose to build your deck, do
you intend to build around them for natural
shade, or do you plan on cutting
them down for the wood? These are just a
few questions that may come up as you
are finalizing plans for your deck.
Keep in mind that the more complex
your deck plans get, the more likely you
are going to need a contractor. Also,
remember that the building permit
requires inspections. While these inspections
can be thorough, they are not a
guarantee of any work. They are
designed to help protect you and whoever
may own the home in the future. If you
have concerns about the safety of your
plans or construction, consult a contractor
for advice or help.
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repairs and maintenance. Many
mortgage lenders recommend that firsttime
homebuyers have at least three to six
months of additional savings in their possession
in anticipation of these additional
expenses.
3. Check Your Credit--An individual's
credit score will have a significant
impact on his or her mortgage loan
approval and interest rate. A good first
step in financing a home purchase is to
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from whom you would like to obtain a
mortgage for your new home. Because
this process is new, it's easy to go with the
first lender or loan officer you meet.
Instead, take your time and shop around.
Start by asking friends, co-workers and
family members for recommendations.
When you've identified two or three loan
officers, ask for references. In addition to
pricing (interest rate and closing costs),
focus on customer service as well as other
services and tools that a mortgage lender
may be able to offer you.
5. Get Preapproved--Before you start
working with a real estate agent, consider
contacting a mortgage lender to obtain a
pre-approval credit decision. A loan officer
will review your financial status,
including your income, cash flow and
credit score, to help you determine the
maximum monthly housing payment for
which you may be able to qualify, and, if
qualified, "preapprove" your mortgage
before you've found a home. Armed with a
credit pre-approval, you can start searching
for homes with a much better idea of
your price range, and in turn save time as
you will know the right homes to focus on.
Obtaining a preapproval may offer more
confidence and certainty to home sellers
in your ability to purchase the home.
6. Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions--
Once you've found your new home, the
mortgage lender will help you through the
details of the loan
process. From application
to closing,
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process, read all
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carefully and
involve an attorney,
if necessary.
7. Inspect--
Before you commit
to purchasing a
home, don't forget to
hire a licensed home
inspector to conduct a
thorough assessment
of the property. An
inspector can alert
you to any major
problems with the
home, and/or help
you understand
potential short-term
and long-term home
maintenance issues.
For more information
about the process
for buying your first
home, contact an
experienced loan officer
at GMAC
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(800) 888-GMAC or by
v i s i t i n g
http://www.gmacmortgage.com.