If you are thinking about buying property or building a structure in Lake County, the very first stop you should make before pulling your financial trigger is to the Planning and Zoning Department to see if there are any restrictions on the property, which limit its use and functionality. Unlike many rural counties throughout America, Lake County has a 2030 Comprehensive Plan, which was approved in 2010, and regulates what and where you can build on certain properties. The purpose of the Lake County Planning and Zoning Department is to protect the interest of its citizens by controlling what is built where.
There is no doubt, the current coronavirus crisis will not be the last of its kind. Unfortunately, homeowners and commercial property owners will be dealing with viruses, germs, flus, and other outbreaks continuously. Sick structures through poor construction methods and design exist. Although there are construction methods, which can help make a structure resistant, they cannot make them free from biohazards. Humans are too good at carrying viruses, germs, and disease.
Throughout Central Florida, the recent number of arrests of contractors doing business without a license has been vast. Unscrupulous contractors who disregard the law combined with homeowners who only focus on the lowest price is a bad combination, which typically ends terribly. In the state of Florida, it is illegal to operate as a contractor without a license. It is also illegal to knowingly hire an unlicensed contractor.
Daily, there are stories told of homeowners and seniors being ripped off by scam contractors, repairmen, and unlicensed builders. In most cases, the homeowners missed obvious warning signs by paying for the job up front, not verifying license and insurance information or simply believing everything told to them without verifying the facts. Don’t misunderstand, it is never the homeowner’s fault they got ripped off. However, bad people are everywhere. You can become their prey if you let your guard down. Remember President Ronald Regan’s mantra, “Trust but verify.”
Whether you’re a first-time DIYer or a home improvement expert, there are a variety of projects that can significantly change your home’s value and appearance for the better—big or small. The problem, however, is figuring out which ones should be the priority projects and which should be the ones to put off until another time.