Friday, August 14, 2009
Budget and Priorities When Remodeling
Budget and Priorities When Remodeling
By John R Roberts
The most important facts involved in remodeling are creating a budget and knowing what your remodeling priorities are. Most of us parents can remember when our children were born. We could not wait or for them to sit up, or for them to crawl, or to stand up alone, or to eventually be able to walk and finally for them to be able to run. No one ever takes a baby out of the crib, stands it on the floor and expects them to walk. Yet how many people think that they can start a remodeling project on their home without any specific planning being done or even deciding what their remodeling budget will be. This is absolutely ridicules thinking.
The very first thing to consider when remodeling your house is your budget. In other words, a budget is a certain amount of money that you have purposely set aside to finance your remodeling project. This money should not be needed for the mortgage payment, food, car payment or clothing. If you prepare a specific budget, you will not be tempted to overspend. The next important itemized list that will need your undivided attention is a list of remodeling priorities. Those changes that require immediate attention should be the ones that are given top priority. Reviewing and adjusting your priority list daily will give you a more complete overview of the things that still need to be completed.
The hardest part of a remodeling project is the planning. If that is done with diligence, your remodeling project will be a roaring success.
John is the author of Flat Fee MLS articles for MLS BY Owner. You can find more information at Flat Fee MLS.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R_Roberts
http://EzineArticles.com/?Budget-and-Priorities-When-Remodeling&id=2626121
Home Improvement's 7 Deadly Sins
Home Improvement's 7 Deadly Sins
By Don Kennedy
After speaking and working with thousands of homeowners regarding home improvement projects, I've noticed a pattern of unhealthy behavior when approaching a home repair or remodeling project. Often times these homeowners have come to our company in search of rescue from a previous contractor or simply want to avoid repeating a bad experience from the past.
All good consumers and business owners want each party to act in good faith during any home improvement project. Unfortunately, however, home improvement is one of the top industries for fraud and consumer dissatisfaction. Why? While much of the blame is the fault of the home improvement industry, there are common mistakes I see homeowners commit that contribute to their own dissatisfaction. Avoiding these 7 mistakes can mean the difference between a delightful home improvement project and disastrous bad dream.
1.Falling In Love With the Salesperson: Since most homeowners aren't experts in home repair, they rely heavily on the likability and apparent credibility of the salesperson to define the competence of those performing the project. Client dissatisfaction is a certainty when the employees or subcontractors don't live up to the expectations the homeowner had of the salesperson. When you invite someone to your home for a home repair or remodeling project, make sure this individual is skilled at home improvement projects, not simply a commissioned salesperson whose interest is selling you more than you need.
2.Neglecting Your Family's Safety: Most homeowners would be appalled to learn of the felony record, drug convictions, sex offenses, domestic violence or financial irresponsibility of the common worker in the construction, trade and home services industry. While prior criminals have every right to work, they have no business in your home-where your family's safety and your property's security are at stake. Demand to see a company's employee screening and background check process to ensure your safety and comfort with those working in your home.
3.Hoping to Receive Excellence Without Paying For It: From toothpaste to gasoline, shopping for the cheapest price might not be a bad idea-for many consumer goods are truly non-differentiable commodities. In this case, quality or performance of the product isn't typically affected by price. Home improvement, however, can't be commoditized, since every home is a unique creation, every project is a custom solution, and every client holds a unique set of expectations. Instead of focusing on price, look for the greatest value. For most people I meet, value equates to uncompromising craftsmanship, timely service, backed with a solid guarantee, delivered by a company who cares about them and their home and has the integrity to operate their business with transparency. Be clear on what you value in a company and don't compromise your standards.
4.Asking the Wrong Questions: How long have you been in business? Where are you located? How many technicians do you have? These questions are all aimed at answering a homeowner's basic fear: namely, "Are you out to take advantage of me?" Unfortunately, they do not reveal the facts a homeowner needs to make an informed decision. Here is a list of better questions to ask and items to check. Any service company or contractor who doesn't welcome the "tough questions" is not worth your patronage.
5.Placing Faith in Bogus References: Would any contractor, ethical or not, intentionally provide you with references other than those who he or she thought would provide a glowing recommendation? Consequently, a homeowner will never get an objective reference on a contractor unless they know to ask for a list of trade references-parties that have no vested interest in telling you anything but the truth. Examples include commercial vendors, materials suppliers, banks, accounting and legal associates or third-party reporting agencies like the Better Business Bureau, Angie's List and Service Magic.
6.Ignoring Insurance Coverage: Companies should provide proof of both liability insurance and worker's compensation coverage to protect you from both property damage and injuries sustained by workers on the project. Homeowner's policies generally do not cover such claims and you, as the homeowner, may be held liable if the company you hire doesn't have such coverage. Legitimate companies are proud to show proof of coverage because it is extremely costly to them. Avoid any contractor who doesn't carry such coverage.
7.Allocating an Insufficient Budget: Savvy consumers never initiate a discussion about a home repair project with a price inquiry. Rather, they've researched what a project should roughly cost and remain focused on finding the company who will deliver that project within their expectations and budget. Instead of shopping for home improvement services by price, first spend some time finding a contractor who you can trust.
Then, share your budget with that trusted adviser so they can help you devise a plan to achieve your project goals within your financial constraints. In the end, if a project is done poorly or the experience in completing it was miserable, any cost savings by shopping for the cheapest price proves irrelevant.Don Kennedy is President of Handyman Matters of Cincinnati which is a locally owned and operated franchise of Handyman Matters and a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. Their mission is to be a professional, hospitality-level service company leading the restoration of integrity, service and excellence in the home and commercial repair industry. Unique to the home repair industry, they arrive at your home or business at a specific time convenient for you, not a range of time convenient for us.
Don Kennedy is President of Handyman Matters of Cincinnati which is a locally owned and operated franchise of Handyman Matters and a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. Their mission is to be a professional, hospitality-level service company leading the restoration of integrity, service and excellence in the home and commercial repair industry. Unique to the home repair industry, they arrive at your home or business at a specific time convenient for you, not a range of time convenient for us.
All the craftsmen are employees of Handyman Matters, not subcontractors. Each employee must pass a strict criminal background check and rigorous skill assessment to ensure their safety and competence. Unlike other contractors, Handyman Matters will do both the small jobs and large remodeling projects. To learn more, call (513) 724-0539 or visit them at http://www.MasterMyList.com.
Don Kennedy
President
Handyman Matters of Cincinnati
Cincinnati's On-Time & Family-Friendly Home Repair and Remodeling Professionals.
webmaster@mastermylist.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Kennedy
http://EzineArticles.com/?Home-Improvements-7-Deadly-Sins&id=2615134
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Stucco Vs Vinyl Siding is a Major Home Improvement Decision
Stucco Vs Vinyl Siding is a Major Home Improvement Decision
By Alexander Fishback
As far as eternal soul searching is concerned, this may not be something high on your list of perplexing riddles in need of solving. On the other hand, if you are a recent home buyer looking to spruce up your new purchase, it might very well be the source of many of your conversations as of late. The questioned posed is a very good one. What material should I use to envelope my home? After throwing out the more ridiculous or to put more subtly - unorthodox - of options, you are usually left with either stucco or vinyl siding to work with. There are very good reasons for choosing either of these options, it all depends on your specific situation. It could be useful to think about the following considerations before deciding. What kind of neighborhood am I in?
You may find that every single home within a mile of yours employs either stucco or siding, always to the exclusion of the other. This presents an interesting choice, to conform to the rest of the neighborhood or to stand out a bit. If you decide on stucco, it may give your home an air of sophistication that the other houses lack. The opposite can also be true. If your neighborhood is mostly stucco, you may find that adding vinyl siding may make your house look like the runt of the subdivision. This might be the only question that ultimately matters in many cases. How much will it cost?
In this area it is usually the vinyl siding that wins. The installation costs are less, the material costs are less, and the repairs are easier. The ability to replace a single piece of vinyl with another piece of identical vinyl can help put you at ease when a stray baseball hits your home. Stucco jobs can be difficult to repair if they are done poorly. Cracks and discoloration may appear, ruining the appearance of your otherwise wonderful home. What kind of maintenance does it require?
Once again it is the vinyl that wins in this category. Though it is not too substantial of a victory in any sense of the word, it is nonetheless important to point out. Stucco fades and may have to be painted on a regular basis. Vinyl need only be washed somewhat regularly - a hose will do - to keep it looking like new. Which one looks better?
As was perhaps hinted at earlier, stucco usually looks nicer, more refined some might even say. It is ultimately in the eye of the beholder, but the general trend is for bigger and better situated homes to have stucco while more modest homes have to make do with the vinyl. This is not to say that quality vinyl is not a perfectly legitimate option, only that the perception is that stucco is the nicer, more expensive, option. What will ultimately be the best choice for you may hinge on a single or perhaps several of the aforementioned factors.
If you need additional help with Window Replacements, Sears can provide useful advice. These professionals also offer special expertise when it comes to Sears vinyl siding.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexander_Fishback
http://EzineArticles.com/?Stucco-Vs-Vinyl-Siding-is-a-Major-Home-Improvement-Decision&id=2721767
How to Make Your Own Paint Tray Liners and Save the Environment
How to Make Your Own Paint Tray Liners and Save the Environment
By Greg Vandenberge
I have seen paint tray liners at my local paint supply stores and home improvement centers, but I've never seen anything like this. It's simple and easy to understand. Isn't that what most people really want out of life, something that's easy and can be done quickly and can save us money?
The idea is simple; simply use aluminum foil to cover your existing metal paint tray with. When you're done, you can remove the aluminum foil and throw it away. There won't be any cleaning if the paint tray was lined correctly and you will be saving the environment from paint waste that will be seeping through your soil or down the drains.
When you're cleaning out any paint rollers or trays, make sure that you don't use your kitchen or bathroom sinks. This paint filled water will work its way towards the ocean and eventually we could end up with environmental problems.
These aluminum paint tray liners seem to work perfectly for solving the problems of the future. Aluminum is inexpensive and works good for making custom paint tray liners. I don't know what else you can ask for, or if anything could be any simpler than this, but I hope that you can't pass this advice along to anyone who is interested in saving money and helping the environment.
There are plenty of things that you can do as a do-it-yourselfer, to save you money in the future and you should look for any other tips that can not only save you money, but save the environment and local landfills.
Click Here for More Advice and Books Full of House Painting Secrets
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.
If you're not interested in some great painting secrets, find out why paint actually peels off the walls by clicking on this link Peeling Wall Paint
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Vandenberge
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Make-Your-Own-Paint-Tray-Liners-and-Save-the-Environment&id=2685363
Painting - One of the Easiest Ways to Update a Home
Painting - One of the Easiest Ways to Update a Home
By Eugene R. Makeev
Painting, in the interior or exterior, is undoubtedly one of the easiest as well as cheapest ways to update your New York home. It serves as an ideal task to undertake whether you are sprucing your home up for a sale or just wants to add a splash of cool change and heighten the quality of everyday living for the family. Though easy, it does not come risk-free. To avoid the pitfalls, this article lays out things you need to know about home painting ideal whether you are in Manhattan, Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn or Staten Island.
A quick project with a great impact, home painting is among the most popular improvements that many homeowners do themselves. But unfortunately, not all end up with results to envy. Some might need to do a back job immediately or issues might arise some days or weeks after the project has been finished. Then they wonder, "How did that guy on the Internet make it look so easy?" The answer: he is an expert on what he is doing and he has been doing this for a living.
Looks can truly be deceiving, and this cliché goes well with home improvements. Painting is not merely applying paint to the walls. The job involves thorough preparation of the walls and putting the color on is just a small part of the project. And if you decide to be more stylish, various techniques and methods will be used. When deliberating on going DIY versus hiring a qualified painter, never underestimate what the project requires. Do you have the knowledge, right skills and experience to do the job right the first time?
As was said, painting is the one of the cheapest home improvements there is. Would stretching that budget a bit to accommodate labor costs really hurt? Think about the money you'd have to spend on quality rollers, brushes and other supplies. Add the time and effort you would have to allot to research, buy supplies, try to learn things, finish the project up and clean all the mess. These and a lot more are the real costs of the project. Now, would you rather get a high quality job done in the most timely and efficient manner courtesy of a hired painter, or would you rather pinch those dollars and do all the work all the while praying that the results would be satisfactory?
To get the most value for your hard-earned money, you also have to do your part and go through the contractor selection carefully. Hire a painter with the right set of qualifications to do the home painting for you. Check for membership standing and any unresolved issues reflected at your local Better Business Bureau. Know how long the painter has been in the business and take the time to visit references to see how well the painted walls stood the test of time and how satisfied the homeowners were. Choose a painter with a good reputation to back up the quality of painting work he delivers and the proper professional ethics that he adheres to.
Eugene Makeev uses his skills and expertise to help home owners in Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island avoid contractors NYC pitfalls by matching their needs with prescreened painting contractors New York.
Avail of our free painting project estimate.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_R._Makeev
http://EzineArticles.com/?Painting---One-of-the-Easiest-Ways-to-Update-a-Home&id=2696664
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