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.

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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

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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.

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