Five Tips for Choosing a Kitchen Remodeling Company

There are many considerations when considering a partial or full remodel of your kitchen.  In addition to cabinetry and appliances, it’s good to think about the space itself, and how it meets your needs for space, food storage and preparation, and energy efficiency.  If your kitchen is a primary gathering place in your home for entertaining your family and friends, an update should include a focus on making this room an inviting spot as well. 

1. What are your remodeling needs?  Even if you’re trying to replace outdated appliances, keep in mind that a new refrigerator, stove, hood, sink and microwave oven may be somewhat larger than your current appliances.  You may have to reconfigure the space of your kitchen to accommodate some, or all of these.  Also, Energy Star Appliances will add value to your home, and lower your energy costs while giving your home an EPA Environmentally Friendly upgrade.  Be sure to determine what your most basic needs for a remodel are–the “must haves” before you continue to the smaller renovations.
2.  Plan your budget to include low-end, middle, and high-end renovations.  This will give your kitchen contractor a basis from which to work, and will open your options a great deal.  While you may not be able to afford a premium remodel, there are many opportunities to move funds within your budget to allow for some high end renovations while saving money in other less-crucial areas.  Explore all your options and choose a contractor who will work within your budget without trying to “up-sell you” on costly, often unnecessary upgrades.
3. Interview two to three different companies and consider only companies that:

• Offer many choices, styles, and brands
• Provide free estimates
• Understand your budget and show you the math to prove they know how to stay within it
• Are licensed, bonded and insured, and provide numerous references from satisfied customers
• Have experience in a variety of remodeling styles and approaches, including energy saving green building practices
• Guarantee their work to completion on the projected date, and guarantee your complete satisfaction
• Have received awards for excellence in design, service and customer satisfaction

4.  Keep it simple.  In order to avoid becoming overwhelmed with all of the choices that exist, narrow your search to companies that are local, highly rated for satisfaction, affordable while promising quality work within your budget and time frame, and who listen and communicate with you throughout the process.  Choose the company that understands your style, and with whom you feel most comfortable.
5.  Be flexible with your design plans.  Many kitchens can be designed various ways to accommodate your evolving needs.  Be sure to find a kitchen design company that can offer you many different floor plans, cabinetry designs, kitchen counter options, and appliances while staying within your budget.  A creative designer will help you think outside the box, and offer you the latest in affordable design choices, hardware, tile, flooring and appliances.  Knowing your personal style, favorite colors and preferences for appliances ahead of time certainly helps your designer in the initial consultation, but avoid being rigid.  Having several preferences can open the door to options, and may just save you money.

 For your copy of Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE!

*article from http://www.greensborocabinetrydesign.com/

Four Teen Bedroom Organization Tips

Is your teenager's bedroom out of control?  Your teen’s bedroom is either a disaster or he or she has learned what it takes to manage one’s personal space. And likely with not a little prodding from you. Regardless of the current condition of your teen’s bedroom, there may be room for improvement. The following tips can help your teen organize his or her personal space and ensure that sanity prevails in your household.

1. Make use of baskets — Professional organizer Marilyn Bohn offers some excellent tips on how to organize a teenager’s bedroom. She suggests making use of baskets, including paint-able wicker baskets, that can hold an assortment of items including sporting equipment and smaller baskets that can be placed on shelves or on top of bureaus to hold personal effects or accessories. Each teen should have his or her own clothing basket or hamper and a waste basket.

2. Shoe boxes — Shoe boxes aren’t just for holding shoes — you can buy a shoe tree or a shoe rack if your teen has multiple pairs of shoes and use those for storing shoes instead. Shoe boxes are great for two reasons: they’re stackable and they can be labeled. Oh, yes, these boxes can hold an assortment of items including CD's, make up, school supplies, you name it.

3. Plastic bins — Seasonal clothing does not need to take up more room than necessary. Store winter gear in plastic bins and place these in the closet, in your attic or basement. Make sure that the containers are airtight and, if moths are a problem, place repellant inside. Clothing that is outgrown should be handed down or donated, helping to reduce your home’s overall clutter.

4. Bulletin board or peg board — Likely, you already have a peg board in your kitchen or other central room in your home with a calendar, a chart and notes tacked or pegged on. Translate this idea into your teen’s bedroom, by offering him or her a personal bulletin board or peg board. This space can help your teen keep track of his or her own appointments including due assignments, special projects and other information that needs a home.

Final Thoughts

You can help your teen be better organized by providing him with his own desk or giving her a color-coded calendar to manage school, sports and family events.  Whatever plan you put in place, enlist the help of your teen who will need to know what goes where. Finally, for a fresh look, paint your teen’s bedroom in colors that he or she likes.


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Garage Remodeling Ideas and Tips

Redefining your space according to your own needs, and sometimes ignoring what  you're presented with to do so, is the mark of the 21st century homeowner.  One aspect of your space for many a homeowner is the garage, a place traditionally reserved for cars and clutter - sometimes, just clutter.  What if you could take that space and re-purpose it, and extend your life at home in the process?  How would you go about it?  Here are some tips on transforming your garage...

Home improvement and remodels can take place in the interior parts of a home. However, indoor rooms are not the only places for improvements. Sometimes an outdoor space needs to receive an upgrade, such as when selling a home. Homeowners who plan to continue living in a home may have different reasons for remodeling their garages.

The idea of additional living space provides one reason. Some homeowners convert their garages into work rooms, play areas for children, and laundry areas. In some locations, a converted garage space may act as a selling point when the homeowner decides to move.

                                           Garage converted into an additional living space. Source: thatkindofwoman.tumblr.com via Cassandra on Pinterest

Garage remodeling and lighting

Garages require good lighting like other parts of a home. Homeowners should spend time on garage light planning to maximize better results.  A single, 4-foot shop light represents a common light in garages. These lights attach to the ceiling and offer a great amount of brightness. The light works well for homeowners who just want to park their cars and leave. However, some homeowners will spend a lot of time in the garage. For example, a work-at-home professional will need a different type of lighting for specific activities. Task lighting allows the professional to perform job duties without a hot, overhead light.

Garage floors

Homeowners should remember their garage floors. Most garage floors use a concrete foundation. The foundation feels cold, shows dullness and looks unappealing. Over time, garage floors experience spilled paint stains and natural discolorations.

Homeowners do not have to invest large sums of money into their garage flooring. If the room does not act a living space, garage paint works wonders. The floor should receive at least two coats of paint. For homeowners who will convert to a living space, garage floor tile offers a better solution.The tile gives more durability for walking across the floor and holding heavy furniture pieces.  Yet any type of flooring that you’d install over a flat concrdte surface, using a vapor barrier, is suitable.

                              A garage remodeling project that makes a garage into a home theatre. Source: homedesign.marthastewart.com via julie on Pinterest

Garage doors

Garage doors represent another remodeling area for a home. These doors range in style and budget. Most garage door styles match the main home’s architectural design. Homeowners should analyze how the garage is used before investing in a specific door.

For example, the up-and-over design swings outward, facing the driveway. Once opened, the doors remain in an up motion. This door type can be heavy. Homeowners who spend time playing the guitars or working on projects may prefer this door. They can keep the door open for long periods and allow a natural breeze to flow into the garage.

                  $26nbsp;                           Garage remodeling to create an office space with vertical folding doors. Source: guest.themls.com via Chanee on Pinterest

Garage remodeling for better use of space

Some homeowners just want extra storage space. They may not have an attic, basement or shed for storage. Another reason involves having too many items in their current storage areas. Garages offer the perfect solution. Some home have attached garages, while other homes have separate garages.
Unfortunately, without a well-planned garage remodel, the space becomes cluttered and makes it harder to locate items. The exterior wall space can have shelves to minimize clutter. The shelves can have labels, such as paint. All boxes should go against the walls, too. If stacked, the boxes need a label to identify its contents.

As you can see if you just think outside the box that is your garage, there are plenty ideas you could come up with for remodeling your garage should you choose to do so!

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*article from builddirect.com

When is the Best Time for Home Buying?

There are times in a year when it is particularly ideal to go into home buying. Aside from the actual time though, the situation of the buyer should also be considered. Timing in terms of what period of the year it is and timing in terms of the financial condition of the buyer are both important.

If you are on a fence as to whether it is the right time for you to purchase a house, you may have to consider some or all of the factors enumerated here. Below are some guidelines that may help you decide.

1. Market condition. This is quite obvious, particularly to those who are aware of what is going on in the housing market most of the time. The best time to buy, of course, is when it is a buyer's market. This is a point in time in housing when there are more sellers than buyers. As expected, this favors the buyer since the prices will be lower, more choices are available and their power to negotiate is stronger. Sellers will be forced to compete against their fellow sellers for a limited number of potential buyers, so they will be more willing to lower their prices.

2. Unusual time of the year. Most home buyers get into the market during spring. The weather is ideal for house hunting and this is the time when most sellers unveil their best offerings. However, this is also a time when competition among home buyers is tightest since almost all of them have the same goal in mind. If you have the patience for it, it may be best for you to buy during times when most of your fellow buyers prefer to stay inside their homes. Winter months and the weeks leading to Christmas season are examples of such times. If you shop during these periods, you will have fewer competitors and you may just luck out, especially since sellers who have their properties listed at these times are the most motivated to unload their houses.

3. You have resolved your debt issues. If you are at a period in your life where you have multiple debts to pay for, then you may have to reconsider your plan to purchase a residential property. Paying for a mortgage is a big responsibility, so you need to make sure that you do not have other heavy financial obligations when you decide to buy a house. Pay off 75% or all of your debts first before you go into home buying to avoid being weighed down by too many financial obligations.

4. You are ready to settle down. This does not necessarily mean that you are ready to have a family or to get married, although it could also cover these situations. What this means is that you have really decided that you can stay in one place for long. This is important because you need to live at least five years in a home for it to build a decent equity. So, before going into home buying, make sure that you have really decided that it is the right time for you.

To order your copy of Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE!  

*article from e-foreclosuresearch.com

Home Remodeling Tips for the Bedroom

A home remodeling project can change the way you see your house and the way you feel when you are inside it. Some people feel the need for a change after a few years of living in the same place. If you are one of them, a change in decoration or an altered appearance of your surroundings may help.

You can start in your bedroom since this is a place where you spend nearly half of the 24 hours of each day. Various remodeling options are discussed here to give your bedroom a new look and a new feel.

1. Mix and match. Playing with colors and designs can be a fun way to spend your days and also a great way to change the look of your bedroom. If its current look leans more towards a traditional style, like everything in their proper places and every color complementing each other, a bolder, more adventurous look may be in order. If the dominant shades are neutral or safe colors, pick out some bold furniture, like a hot pink foot stool or couch and combine it with the neutral-colored sheets. Add velvet accents instead of the traditional linen and cotton to provide a bolder look. The key is to throw in bold colors and accents amid neutral and safe materials.

2. Romantic look. If you feel that there is too much going on in your bedroom, tone it down a little and go for the romantic look. Choose just three soft shades that you will use for the sheets, curtains, cabinets, lamps and accents. A combination of white or cream, light blue or green and skin-tone color lnoks peaceful and quiet. Add romance by putting bed posts and draperies around the bed and soft light to complete the theme.

3. Modern look. This may require a higher budget since you need sleek and modern furniture to give your bedroom a more sophisticated look. Solid colors combined with pricier furniture can give it a contemporary appearance. Put in a huge headboard in solid color and add a shiny, black bedside table. Light browns and blue shades provide a modern look to any room.

4. Play with shapes. Combining rounded lamps with solid, square and rectangle furniture will produce a creative atmosphere. Accessorize with different figurines and table top decors that vary in sizes and shapes to give your room a more adventurous look. You can also use screens or shades instead of curtains to change the look of the room. Warm colors usually go well with this type of design.

5. Stripped-down design. If you have a tendency to feel crowded in when there is too much color and too much furnishings around, remove them and go for a more stripped-down look. Do without the many-colored pillows and sheets and choose a neutral color all throughout. White or cream all throughout – from sheets, to curtains to carpets – is enough to give it a simple look. Break the monotony by adding a single bold-colored lamp. Home remodeling can be as simple as changing colors or removing excess furniture and you can always start the change in your bedroom.

For your copy of Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE!  

*article from e-forclosuresearch.com