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What are the benefits of using an FHA 203k Loan?
The purchase of a house that needs repair is often a catch-22 situation, because the bank won’t lend the money to buy the house until the repairs are complete, and the repairs can’t be done until the house has been purchased. HUD’s FHA 203k loan program can help you with this quagmire and allow you to purchase or refinance a property plus include in the loan, the cost of making the repairs and improvements. Plus the mortgage loan interest on the FHA 203k loan qualifies for the mortgage interest tax deductions like all other mortgage loans. So, the interest that the borrower pays on this “construction” can be all tax deductible! The FHA 203k loan program improves the real estate market because it requires a property to actually be improved….not just purchased. Because of the improvement requirement with the FHA 203k loan program, real estate values are increased, which helps other homeowners in the same neighborhood, invigorates communities, creates work for contractors and commerce is conducted by the purchasing of goods and services. Simply put, the FHA 203k loan program improves everything associated with it.

Who qualifies for an FHA 203k Loan?
Any owner occupant primary residence borrower or qualified non-profit group who qualifies for an FHA loan can also qualify for an FHA 203k Loan. No investor purchases using the FHA 203k loan have been allowed since 1996.

What type of properties qualify for an FHA 203k Loan? 
An FHA 203k Loan can be used for one-to-four unit dwellings, such as Single Family Detached Homes, Duplexes, Triplexes, 4-plexes, Condominiums (certain restrictions apply) and Mixed-Use Residential (certain restrictions apply).

Information obtained from the 203k Contractor Program http://203kContractors.com.” .

If you would like to get a free consultation on any home remodeling project of any size

call us at

Cell: 717-330-8279

Office:  717-684-5629

Or…

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If you would like to get a quote on any home repairs or maintenance project of any size

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Cell: 717-330-8279

 Office:  717-684-5629

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Click through some samples of our work to see HomeWorks quality and detail.  Once an image is opened, just click on the image to advance to the next picture.

Our skills cover all phases and specialties, including design, code compliance, site work, framing, roofing and siding, electrical, HVAC, insulation, drywall, trim, cabinetry, ceramic tile design and layout.  We specialize in renovating older properties, whether your needs are to restore or to update.

Certifications include a Certified Professional in energy reduction with BPI, and RESNET.  We are an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm, and a long standing member of BIA of Lancaster County and the Better Business Bureau.  PA Contractor License #PA2814

If you would like to get a quote on any home remodeling or repairs project of any size

call us at

Cell: 717-330-8279

Office:  717-684-5629

Or…

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If you would like to get a quote on any home repairs or maintenance project of any size

call us at

Cell: 717-330-8279

Office:  717-684-5629

Or…

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]]> http://www.pahomeworks.com/site/repairs-maintenance/feed/ 0 http://www.pahomeworks.com/site/light-commercial/ http://www.pahomeworks.com/site/light-commercial/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:50:00 +0000 http://184.173.12.178/~pahomewo/site/?p=731

If you would like to get a quote on commercial remodeling or maintenance project of any size

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PA Homeworks recently completed the full renovation of the Reiber Haus in Lancaster County, Pa

Lancaster County’s Creswell landfill in Manor Township is best known for, well, trash. But not anymore, due to the restoration and renovation of the Reiber House, an 18th-century stone bank house that is one of the oldest homes in Lancaster County by the team of Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Scott Paden of Paden De La Fuente, LLC and Jeff Snader of PA HomeWorks, LLC. The energy park is the new resting place for the Reiber House which played a crucial role in the founding of Pennsylvania’s United Brethren in Christ Church. The Renovation of the hidden, crumbling Pennsylvania German Reiber House inside and out and moving it into public view was an endeavor that took 11 years. The handsome house, built partially into the side of a hill, also will serve as an anchor for a new Turkey Point Renewable Energy Park off River Road, between the landfill entrance and the 26-acre Creswell Park, which the authority donated to the community and helped build.

The pre-Revolutionary War Reiber House, likely built around 1750, was sold to the authority in 1964. The Germanic-style home, which sat in a small hollow, was in severe disrepair and was threatened by expansion of the Creswell Landfill. The Rev. Abraham Hershey, the third owner of the house, held annual conferences of the United Brethren Church of Pennsylvania there in 1807, 1809 and 1813. And it was visited by Pennsylvania Gov. Joseph Ritner. The house’s heirs, the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, Manor Township and others worked with the authority to save the house, move it a short distance from its original location and preserve much of its interior as part of an adaptive re-use project led by Jeff Snader, PA HomeWorks, LLC.

In 2004, the stone structure was painstakingly excavated, lifted and moved several hundred yards, near River Road and the entrance to the landfill. There it sat until outside renovations were made in 2006 and interior improvements in 2010 by PA HomeWorks, LLC.

Some of the unique features in the restoration & renovation by PA HomeWorks include many original beams, cutouts of original plaster with wheat stalks visible, clay insulation (to inhibit fire in case of an Indian attack), original wide-paneled floor which was brought back to life, replicas of a bible shelf and a massive floor-to-ceiling Pennsylvania German schrank, which conceals audio-visual equipment and electronics. A period storage shed also has been erected and a heritage garden with Colonial-era plants will be planted.

The Reiber House will serve as a meeting place for authority functions, school groups and others. “It really is a multiuse adaptive re-use. It’s the way to preserve buildings like that. We are proud to bring our quality restoration & renovation team to this project, and bring life into this historic site”, said Jeff Snader, of PA HomeWorks, LLC.

A wildflower meadow was planted in the fall and the new timber-frame pavilion beside the Reiber House will have picnic tables in the spring. The wind turbines are visible from the pavilion. For a close look at the turbines, hike about a half-mile on Turkey Hill Trail to the top of Turkey Point. In 2011, crews are expected to erect an observation platform on Turkey Point for sweeping views of the Susquehanna, Conejohela Flats and fertile Manor Township farmland.

To see an overview of the Reiber House restoration & renovation project, visit www.pahomeworks.com

Read more: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/340727#ixzz1DDa3dbx0

January 20, 2011
Reiber House Adaptive Re-Use

History
The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in partnership with the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) wanted to adaptively re-use the historic Reiber House in Manor Township. In 2004, the Trust partnered with the LCSWMA, the Lancaster Environmental Foundation, Manor Township and the descendants of the Reiber family to move and restore the original structure located at the entrance to the Creswell landfill.
The Reiber Haus was originally built in 1750 over a spring stream that flowed through the basement. The home was positioned as it is appears now with one half of the home set into a dirt embankment. There was a large rock in the basement where they built a fireplace and the hearth. The chimney rose through the center of the home. The foundation was stone and while there were three windows in the basement it was designed so should Indians attack, the occupants could close the shutters, bolt the door and take shelter in the basement. Should the attackers chose to light the house on fire, the roof and rafters may burn, but the clay brick insulation, floor joists and the stone walls would insulate the occupants. With food and water, the settlers could outlast their attackers and rebuild their homestead.

The Plan
Since the move, LCSWMA had been looking for a sustainable adaptive re-use opportunity for the house. With the growth and diversity of the Solid Waste Management Authority’s renewable energy initiatives and their need to hold on-site meetings near the source of these initiatives, a plan was developed to turn the Reiber Haus into a mini-conference and environmental center.
The rich history needed to be preserved and explained to generations to come. Conceptual plans included renovating the interior of the house into a cathedral-ceilinged room for small meetings and conferences with moveable, glass-topped tables showcasing the history of the house, the surrounding area and its early settlers. The walls offered space to highlight original architectural elements of the house while the grounds afforded the visitor a view of the cutting-edge work of LCSWMA to turn gases from solid waste into energy, solar energy fields and the use of wind turbine energy. Two new additional structures compliment the architecture of the Reiber House and include a storage facility and pavilion with an interactive kiosk offering an opportunity to learn more energy programs of LCSWMA.
Plans included ADA bathroom facilities in the Reiber Haus and an outdoor amphitheater for educational programs. Enhanced parking capabilities and walkways would lead the visitor through a tour of the beautiful natural setting, the expanded sustainable complex, and shares LCSWMA’s efforts and our local history with the public.

The Project
In April 2010, plans were accepted and in June a renovation contract was awarded to PA HomeWorks, LLC of Columbia, Pennsylvania to recreate and remodel the Reiber Haus. The concept required the salvage and reuse of as much of the existing building materials as possible while keeping true to the historic structure of the building.
As the project started it became clear that there was much to be uncovered and each stage unveiled more of the craftsmanship of the construction. HomeWorks began demo by removing the second level flooring and first floor ceiling plaster and lathe to expose the damaged and scarfed summer beam to determine what could be reclaimed. The two piece summer beam originally rested on either side of a chimney that was not moved with the house. The new plans created an open floor plan with the summer beam spanning 32 feet.
They removed the batten boards in the basement to expose the clay brick insulation. They preserved many clay bricks and reinstalled some back in their original location as a display in the basement foyer ceiling.
When the house was moved the joists and the flooring over the dirt bank was not salvaged. A new joist system and subfloor was installed. This new floor height was different than the original joists and flooring. As the 19th century flooring installed over the original 18th century wide plank pine flooring it became evident that time, wear and insects had taken their toll. Between the two floors, HomeWorks salvaged almost one thousand feet of the original planks with some as wide as eighteen inches.
When the original first floor joists were uncovered we realized that several were fire and insect damaged. They removed the original beams over what would become the bathroom area and began a search to locate “new” two hundred year old beams.
HomeWorks located a “new” two hundred year old summer beam that spanned forty two feet. Our new summer beam was one half of a main barn beam. Because of the extended span we confirmed the beam would provide sufficient strength and minimal deflection by placing a two thousand pound load of concrete blocks on the center of the beam. The new beam deflected only one quarter of an inch!
They framed the basement rooms, strengthened the first floor joists by reusing as many of the original beams as possible. They leveled the two floors, installed new subflooring, numbered and removed the existing joists and then removed the old summer beam.
The new beam was longer than the width of the building so HomeWorks shortened it and mortised it to fit into the pockets. A video of the beam placement can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laxLPqH_lOg. They mortised the joists in to the new summer beam and added a few new period joists and replaced several damaged collar ties with period correct beams.
To allow the cedar shake roofing to dry after a rain, they installed steel hat channel to allow airflow under the plywood “clouds” and sealed the back of the plywood with polyurethane. The design worked well to allow recirculating airflow and to brighten the building’s interior.
The new high capacity HVAC heating and air conditioning system duct work is hidden in a chase behind the Shrank. The supply ductwork runs above the soffit hidden behind a bead board knee wall.
In addition to the outbuildings footers and foundations, HomeWorks excavated for water pipes, electrical conduit and the septic holding tank system. They engineered the property wiring to meet current codes and future plans.
HomeWorks designed and installed a state of the art audio visual system providing video on a 60″ Sharp LCD flat screen TV from either digital cable, a laptop or the Pavilion’s interactive Samsung display computer system. Audio can come from any of those sources or the two wireless microphones through a mixing panel into amplifiers and through four hidden speakers. Meetings may be digitally recorded.
They provided a whole building water softening system, an outside hydrant artfully hidden in a period well pump, a faucet and sink inside the Shrank and an ADA bathroom. HomeWorks drylocked the basement block walls, insulated the basement rooms and then drywalled the basement.
They removed much of the old plaster from the first floor and the gable walls. To support the continuing chair rail and baseboard they manufactured and installed backing plates. Because there was not enough original chair rail and baseboard to complete the interior, HomeWorks made matching trim from period correct lumber. They layered plaster scratch coats, brown coats and then the finish coat of plaster before installing the new trim. They reworked the entry doors by custom making door sweeps, reworking the locksets and copper weather stripping.
HomeWorks salvaged much of the original flooring and removed many nails and some shotgun pellets. They milled the old lumber and added some to create enough random width and length flooring. They sanded and site finished the floors then painted the basement and all interior and exterior trim.

LCSWMA final graded the exterior and reseeded. In October the wind turbines were unveiled to the public and the reception was held at the Reiber Haus. In the Spring of 2011, an amphitheater will be constructed, walkways and landscaping will be added and a permanent sign will be erected in front of the solar array and additional plantings.
PA HomeWorks is proud to be part of this project and hope it will be enjoyed by many visitors both young and young at heart.

Included vendors:
Beiler’s Masonry
Best Buy
Comcast
Comfortable Design Heating and Cooling
Dan Holton
Galebach’s Flooring
Gold Tip Painting
Greenbaum Structures
Groff’s Plumbing
Hardwood Flooring
J.C. Snavely’s
Martin’s Plastering
MLB Contracting
Myer Bros.
Paden de la Fuente Architecture + Design
R.C. Hammons
Rich Jones Insulation
Snyder & Mylin Excavation
Steve’s Affordable Electric
Stoltzfus Drywall
TDS Construction
Vector Security
Yale Electric Supply

Look to PA Homeworks for your next major renovation.

If you would like to get a quote on any home remodeling project of any size

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Cell: 717-330-8279

Office:  717-684-5629

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We build garages big enough to house a yacht, and small enough for 1 vehicle.  We will custom build your garage to your size specs, and finish it with the materials of your choice

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• Simply give us a call at 717-330-8279 o rcontact us below. We’ll arrange a time to come to your project location, listen to your ideas, learn what you’d like to achieve and your timing.

• We’ll take a good look at the project area to assess the options. Then with a clear picture of what’s involved, HomeWorks will offer the best solutions to match your needs.

• The time invested in this initial consultation is well spent. We’ll come to understand you and your home remodeling project, and you’ll get to know HomeWorks. Both are key elements for a successful working relationship. It isn’t necessary to have detailed plans in place before you call HomeWorks. But doing some work of your own will certainly help, and you’ll be ready to answer our questions. The more information you can provide, the more accurate our proposal and estimate will be.

HomeWorks’ Tips on How to Get Started

Define your ideas and establish your remodeling goals.

Make a Dream Project Idea Book

• Gather notes, photos, articles, even paint swatches that illustrate the kinds of products, styles and designs you like. Organize these by room or project area, then assemble them in a file or notebook.
Consider the big picture

• Use your home remodeling project dollars to meet several goals. Can you improve energy efficiency? Create better task or mood lighting? Manage clutter? Make better use of available space? Improve traffic flow? Add living space?
Talk to friends or family members

• People who have been through a home remodeling experience often have valuable insight. And don’t forget to discuss the project with every family member who will be affected by the construction process. Include them in the idea stage of your planning, especially if they will be using the redesigned area.
Establish a realistic budget and time frame

• The best way to arrive at an accurate project cost is to get an estimate fromHomeWorks. National averages may give rough ideas on pricing for various projects, but they don’t reveal hidden costs or evaluate your specific situation.
Make a rough sketch

• Sketch the existing floor plan and project area, then create another rough sketch envisioning your new remodeled space.

Call PA Homeworks for your next Home Renovation Project.

If you would like to get a quote on a custom home building of any size

call us at

Cell: 717-330-8279

Office:  717-684-5629

Or…

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Enjoy Our Project Gallery!

Click through some samples of our work to see HomeWorks quality and detail.  Once an image is opened, just click on the image to advance to the next picture.