Your home protects you from the harsh elements of nature. Over time, your home’s exterior takes a real beating – especially if you have siding. Here’s how to determine if it may be time to replace your siding. Signs of siding problems. Chances are you can tell when your siding doesn’t look as good as it … Continue reading Is It Time To Replace Your Siding?

A kitchen remodeling project is only exciting and fun until it starts to expand beyond the budgetary borders you’ve set. Going over budget occurs far too often, leaving homeowners in distress over how they’ll finish their projects while still managing to keep food on the table and pay the bills. On average, homeowners recoup only about 65% of … Continue reading Why Kitchen Remodeling Projects Go Over Budget

Home disasters such as fires or floods strike suddenly, overwhelming unfortunate homeowners. If you’ve suffered a disaster that damaged your home, the first thing to do is determine whether it’s safe to stay in your home while repairs are taking place. Here’s what to consider when making that decision, and what steps to take should … Continue reading Life After A Home Disaster: Survival Tips

Before you buy materials or start swinging a hammer, make sure you have a plan in place for your new home addition. Consider working with a home addition contractor to make sure you’ve thought of everything. The following tips can help you pull together a plan for success. Think about why you’re adding a room. … Continue reading A Quick Guide To Planning A Home Addition

If you want to feel cozy, nothing beats curling up in front of a fireplace or a wood-burning stove when temperatures outside drop. But as comforting as a warm fire makes us feel, there are some risks. Luckily, it only takes a few simple precautions to protect your family and home so that you can … Continue reading Wood Stove And Fireplace Safety Tips

The best contractors are highly sought after and it can be difficult to get on their schedules. That’s why, when you need a home restoration contractor for major repairs after a disaster, it’s tempting to just go with whomever you can get the fastest. Resist falling into that trap. Disasters and home repairs are stressful … Continue reading How To Hire A Home Restoration Contractor

After a long day, the thought of retreating to the master bath has restorative powers. Creating a master bath oasis will not only improve your quality of life, it will add to your home’s resale value. To ensure you get the results you want, consider the following tips, then hire a professional bathroom remodeling contractor. … Continue reading Ideas For Remodeling Your Master Bathroom 

As the days grow shorter, the air feels brisker, and the leaves begin to turn, residents of cold-weather climes start to think about the toll snow, ice and freezing temperatures can take on their houses. Now is the time to protect and winterize your home. Take these steps to minimize the impact of Old Man … Continue reading Be Ready For The Cold: Winterize Your Home

The word “mold” can strike fear in the heart of a homeowner. An undetected leak, water damage, lack of air circulation, high humidity – all of these things can lead to a problem with mold. Mold left untreated not only causes damage to your home; it can be a serious health hazard, so it’s important … Continue reading Get The Facts About Mold Remediation

Natural disasters can bring out the best in people, neighborhoods and communities as they work together to repair and rebuild. Unfortunately, such disasters can also bring out the worst: Unscrupulous contractors who take advantage of storm victims’ urgent need for help. With the potential for millions of homes along the East Coast to have been … Continue reading Storm Damage? Hire A Contractor You Can Trust

Heavy rains, broken pipes, or failing water heaters or sump pumps are just a few of the circumstances that can lead to a flooded basement. Regardless of the cause, act fast to avoid long-term damage. There are some steps homeowners can take to help mitigate the effects of flooding, but if standing water is an … Continue reading What To Do About A Flooded Basement

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, an estimated 36.5 percent of U.S. households include dogs, while 30.4 percent include cats. Why not include these important members of the family in your home remodeling plans? Consider your pets’ needs in relation to your own when incorporating remodeling for pets into your renovation plans. Here are … Continue reading Ideas For Pet-Friendly Remodeling

When preparing your home to go on the market, consider the four c’s for making your home look its best to potential buyers: Clutter Clean Cosmetic Curb appeal Many homeowners will be able to tackle the four c’s themselves, although there is professional help available to augment those efforts. Try these easy and inexpensive home staging … Continue reading Tips For Successful Home Staging

Water damage to your home can happen suddenly from a flash flood or burst pipe, or slowly and almost imperceptibly, as with a hidden leak. Either way, taking quick action is the key to minimizing damage. It’s imperative to seek professional help as soon as you know about the problem to prevent even more serious … Continue reading Act Fast To Minimize Water Damage

For many people, building or remodeling a home is something they have to squeeze into their busy lives. From researching online for a few hurried minutes before bed, to making quick calls during a child’s soccer game, it can be difficult to find the time to find and interview contractors. When you’re pressed for time, … Continue reading Top 5 Mistakes When Hiring A Contractor

“If only” … how many times have we prefaced our regrets with an “if only” statement? Many common home disasters fall under this category as they can easily be prevented through routine maintenance, inspection and upkeep. To keep those “if only” homeowner’s regrets to a minimum, follow this advice: If only I’d cleaned out the … Continue reading How To Prevent Common Home Disasters

If your home is looking a bit dated or if it qualifies as a “fixer-upper,” expect it to take longer to sell and perhaps not fetch as much as a turn-key property. Tackling home remodeling projects can be off-putting to many busy people while others find it difficult to envision a home’s potential. For these … Continue reading Get Ready To Sell With Home Remodeling

A good way to save money on household expenses is to improve home energy efficiency. In some cases this will mean an initial investment, but in others, a bit of time and effort will pay dividends for years to come. Try these tips for increasing your home’s energy efficiency: Start with an energy audit: Check … Continue reading Tips To Improve Home Energy Efficiency

It’s exciting to imagine the end result of a home remodeling project, envisioning a fabulous new bathroom, lovely new floors, or a gleaming, modern kitchen. Getting to the end, however, can take some patience, savvy and planning. Depending upon the project, you may have to deal with everything from workmen arriving at the break of … Continue reading How To Survive Home Remodeling

If the phrase “kitchen remodel” was the prompt given while playing a word association game, no doubt many of us would respond with “expensive” or “cost-prohibitive.” It is, however, possible to create a beautiful, functional kitchen without breaking the bank. Here are six ways to keep your kitchen remodel affordable: Plan carefully. Developing a master … Continue reading Six Tips For An Affordable Kitchen Remodel

With record droughts plaguing parts of the United States, fire is becoming an all-too-common threat for homeowners. Should your home get caught in an out-of-control wildfire or fall victim to a more common kitchen or electrical fire, you’ll want to contact a house fire restoration expert and take your own action to remediate the damage. … Continue reading House Fire Restoration: What To Know

It’s a rare property that doesn’t need any improvements made upon purchase or before it can be sold, but some require extensive work, which can make it difficult to get a traditional bank loan. Did you know that there’s a special type of home loan designed especially for fixer-uppers? Called a Section 203(k) loan, it … Continue reading 203(k) Loans: Get The Facts

Whether a Queen Anne Victorian, a Craftsman bungalow or a New England saltbox, historic homes need special care and attention. When you have a historic home, you are more than a homeowner; you are the guardian of the house. Your family will be leaving its imprint on the history of the home, so any alterations … Continue reading What To Know About Historic Home Restoration

A room addition can add value to your home, alleviate the need for an expensive move, and increase your enjoyment of your living quarters. It’s a big project, with many moving parts, so it’s not a good candidate for a DIY project. The time and work required to handle every aspect of the project can … Continue reading Why Hire A General Contractor For Your Room Addition?

Summer often means lazy days, picnics, fireworks, cool dips in the lake … and roof leaks. When summer’s downpours and thunderstorms hint at roof problems, taking action immediately can prevent most costly repairs or replacement down the road. Here’s what you can do when you have a roof leak: Finding the roof leak – The … Continue reading What To Do When You Have A Roof Leak

Spending money may actually save you money when you complete upgrades and projects that can help lower the costs of owning a home. These practical home improvements can pay for themselves over time by reducing the costs of energy and water, and even homeowners insurance. A sampling of money-saving home improvements include: Drought-resistant landscaping: With … Continue reading Money-Saving Home Improvements

Remodeling a fixer-upper looks fast and easy on the popular home improvement TV shows, but renovating a property in disrepair or in need of major updating is a significant undertaking. Buying and renovating a fixer-upper can, however, be a worthwhile project with some smart planning and preparation. Build your fixer-upper team. You may be impatient … Continue reading Tips For Remodeling A Fixer-Upper

High-density living often means going without a great deal of outdoor space. With some creativity, however, it is possible to carve out an exterior niche without major home remodeling. Adding to existing structures or making the most out of small outdoor spots you do have creates a way to connect with fresh air and sunshine. … Continue reading Short On Yard Space? You Can Still Enjoy The Outdoors At Home

“Baby Boomers,” members of the largest generation in U.S. history, who were born between 1946 and 1964, have begun to retire. As more of this generation ages, accessible design will become a key feature to consider when remodeling or building an addition or new home. Whether you are thinking ahead to reselling, plan to have … Continue reading Consider Accessible Design For Your Home Remodeling Project

Whether your home remodeling project is simple or complex, making some basic decisions in the beginning will go a long way toward ensuring you’ll be happy with the results. Use this home remodeling checklist as your starting point for your project. 1. Set the schedule Do you have a can’t-miss deadline, such as an important … Continue reading Home Remodeling Checklist: Start Your Project Right

With spring on its way, consider reinventing your outdoor space into one that encourages you to spend more time under the sun and stars. To create a comfortable, inviting area, you will need your plan to incorporate seating, a view, a shady spot for hot days, and privacy. You can decorate your exterior room much … Continue reading Ideas For Outdoor Living Spaces

In recent years, the average tax refund has been in the neighborhood of $2,600. If you’re anticipating money back or already have your refund in hand, one way to put it to good use is on home repairs or improvements. Whether you want to stay within the amount of your refund or use it to … Continue reading Spruce Up This Spring With Your Tax Refund

When the rumble of distant thunder fills you with dread and a downpour has you scurrying for buckets to catch the leaks, then it’s inevitable: time for a new roof. How long that new roof keeps you feeling cozy and snug largely depends on the roofing material you choose. Durability is a significant factor when … Continue reading Consider Durability When Choosing Roofing Materials

Small-scale or large, bathroom remodeling can pay great dividends. A small bathroom is the perfect canvas for adding a fresh look to your home. You can use the size limitations to your advantage, choosing higher-priced materials since you have less wall and floor space to cover. Powder rooms offer even greater opportunities to experiment with … Continue reading 6 Ideas For Remodeling Small Bathrooms

Painting your home’s exterior is one of the fastest, most affordable ways to make a high-impact change to its appearance. If it’s been years since you’ve done any exterior painting, you may be surprised by the new choices in modern coatings and tools. Some things haven’t changed, however, such as taking the time to do … Continue reading Tips for Exterior Painting

A qualified contractor can help protect your investment in your home. Most homeowners think about renovations sooner or later. Unless you have a good handle on home improvement, you’ll probably need to hire someone to do the work for you. Knowing where to start, however, can be a challenge. How do you find a home … Continue reading 6 Reasons to Choose a Professional Home Improvement Contractor

One of the most satisfying — and most stressful — things a homeowner can take on is a large renovation project. The difference between a job that makes you glad and one that gives you nothing but headaches is finding the right contractor. All renovations come with some problems. That’s the nature of the work. But with a good, … Continue reading How To Find A Contractor

A contractor’s skills, experience and qualifications are the most important factors in the success of your home improvement project, but the relationship you have throughout the process matters as well. What factors count in a good relationship with your home improvement contractor? Great communication, a detailed contract and reasonable expectations are some of the keys. … Continue reading Keys To A Good Home Improvement Contractor Relationship

Looking for a smart way to gain more living space in your home? Remodeling your attic can add comfort and convenience without going to the expense of adding square footage your home. Your plans for an attic conversion must take into consideration your objectives for your space and your budget, of course, but with potential … Continue reading Tips For Remodeling Your Attic Space

Laundry rooms are no longer an afterthought, having come a long way since they were tucked away in dark basement corners or unfinished spaces. From home improvement sites to remodeling forums, laundry rooms are being discussed as far more than just functional necessities. They’re becoming attractive spaces that make doing the laundry more pleasant and … Continue reading Laundry Rooms Move Up in Home Remodeling Plans

Using eco-friendly or green materials and methods in home remodeling is growing in popularity. While it may not be feasible to create a completely green home when you’re remodeling rather than building new, there are many ways to make your plans more earth-friendly. Choose environmentally friendly materials. Research products that are certified as having a … Continue reading Tips For Green Home Remodeling

Your choice of windows not only has a great impact on the look of your home — it also can affect your comfort and even your household budget. If your windows are drafty or no longer protect your home from the elements as well as they should, include new windows in your home remodeling plan: … Continue reading All About Windows

If your home remodeling wish list includes bringing more light into your home, installing skylights may be the answer. Using skylights or solar tubes to increase natural light can bring the outdoors in and improve your sense of well being, even in the long days of winter. Unlike traditional windows, skylights let in light without … Continue reading Lighten Up! The Benefits of Installing Skylights

If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of person, you may not think that a residential general contractor can add any value to your projects. For some types of projects, that’s certainly true, but for others, a good contractor is indispensable.

If you’re thinking of hiring a general contractor, knowing which questions to ask can make the difference between a job that’s well done, on time and on budget, and one that’s an ongoing source of conflict and stress. To help ensure you’re making the best choice, ask each of your potential contractors these questions:

So you’ve just used a general contractor for a home remodeling or room addition project and now the work is done. You have your furniture back in place, the dust swept away, and you’re enjoying your home’s new look or new space.