We had the opportunity to sit down recently with John Beresch of John Beresch Contracting to talk about Home Improvement and Home Remodeling in the Poconos. I think it’s a topic a lot of readers think about this time of year as spring is here and we’re heading into summer it seems like
PoconoTalk: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today John, to start with, can you tell our readers a little bit about you and your company? What exactly is it that you do?
John: We’re a building contractor that offers home improvement services like decks, roofing, siding, additions and garages. We also do new construction as well. I’m the guy that from start to finish I coordinate, work with the homeowners, work with the subcontractors, building departments, basically I’m the guy in charge of it all. We’ve been in business in the Poconos for over 30 years now.
PoconoTalk: Do you think new home construction in the Poconos is a smart move in the current rebounding housing market?
John: Right now it’s more advantageous to remodel and put money into your existing home. You want to build equity in your current home, so some suggestions would be to add an addition, or remodel your existing home.
PoconoTalk: So if I live in the Poconos and want to hire someone to do some work on my home, how can I tell which contractors aren’t going to rip me off? Is there anything I should look out for, any red flags?
John: If someone shows up one of your first questions should be “Are you licensed in the state and do you have proper insurance in the state?”. Go with your gut feeling, if someone shows up in a beat up rusty old truck and beat up clothes then he’s not the guy. If you’ve had competitive bids and this guy is exceptionally low you should definitely red flag that guy. Use your common sense.
PoconoTalk: I see you have a #PA on your website – what exactly does that mean? What if a company doesn’t have that, would it be smart to hire them?
John: If they do not have a PA Contractor # do not hire them, it is the law, they HAVE to be registered with the state attorney general’s office. They’re trying to run underneath the radar – it’s at virtually no cost to the company to do that, it’s about $50 per year.
PoconoTalk: You have some great testimonials from home owners willing to vouch for your work on your website, should people be alarmed if they ask for references and the company doesn’t have any, or won’t give any?
John: I honor a homeowners privacy, so although I have some testimonials on my website, if a customer wants I am always willing to provide additional references. If a company will not provide you any references when you ask, you should probably not go with them.
PoconoTalk: So you’ve been doing home improvement and remodeling in the Poconos for over 30 years now, what are some of the most common home remodeling projects that people have done living in this area?
John: Additions are huge, and general remodeling such as roofing, siding, and especially getting windows replaced. There’s a lot of people updating the interior, primarily kitchens, even more so now with the housing market the way it is.
PoconoTalk: As a homeowner who wants to add value to their home for future resale, what are some home remodeling options you can suggest that could possibly give a return on investment in the future?
John: Curb appeal is big, you want to have a nice looking house – you want to update your siding, roofing, windows, and if it needs to be painted, then paint it. Your house is like your car, you can’t leave it alone for 10 years and expect it to run right. All of those improvements will increase resale and longevity of your home.
PoconoTalk: Well thanks again for taking the time to educate us a little bit about home improvement. It give us homeowners a better insight as to what to do and what to look for when looking to hire someone for home remodeling.
If people are interested in contacting you about having a home remodeling project done, what is the best way to contact you?
John: They can either call me at 570-629-0823 or check out my website www.JohnBeresch.com for more information and pictures of work we’ve done.
If you have a business in the Poconos and would like to be interviewed to talk about your products and/or services send an email to media@poconotalk.com
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