Holidays

How to take the pain out of remodeling

By on November 1, 2019   /   Accessible design, Aging in place, Awards, Bathroom, Blog, Cabinets, cleaning, Customer Service, Design, Finding A Remodeler, Flooring, Hiring A Remodeler, Holidays, Kitchen, Licensed Contractors, Planning, Remodel, Roofing, Secret Compartments, Shop, Universal design   /   Leave a comment

If you are like me, you are nursing a serious Halloween hangover. 

Maybe you took too many sips from the witch’s cauldron or, in my case, ate all of your kids’ candy after they went to sleep? 

While we can’t help with that, we can help take some of the pain out of remodeling your home. 

CNBC has a great article outlining four steps that will make your home renovation a little less painful.

The article reminds everyone to perform due diligence on the contractors, review your contract, ensure permits are obtained, and pay bills on time. 

It may sound straightforward, but you would be surprised how many people don’t honor each step. 

As far as what projects you should undertake, Reader’s Digest has you covered with its article on the best projects to get done before winter. 

Granted the Valley doesn’t get a true winter, but all of the projects in the article are great places to start. 

Some of the best projects mentioned in the article include master suite upgrades, HVAC replacement, new flooring, or a closet renovation. 

If kitchens are more your thing, then check out these seven kitchen remodeling ideas from AZ Big Media.

Have a good week!

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Keeping remodeling costs and headaches at a minimum

By on August 11, 2019   /   Accessible design, Aging in place, Awards, Bathroom, Blog, Cabinets, cleaning, Customer Service, Design, Finding A Remodeler, Flooring, Hiring A Remodeler, Holidays, Kitchen, Licensed Contractors, Planning, Remodel, Shop, Showers, Storage, Universal design   /   Leave a comment

We’ve all seen the home improvement TV shows that follow a project from start to finish. 

Usually, there’s a hiccup, but either the owners secure a last-minute funding boost or the contractor finds a work-around to keep things under budget. That’s the magic of TV!

Life works differently. 

All parties, homeowners and contractors alike, have a role to play in keeping costs and frustrations to a minimum, as this Daily Herald article says. 

Like the article notes, homeowners can save themselves some headaches by remembering  that remodeling the kitchen is no small endeavor. Working within the existing plumbing structure will cut down on costs, while making big changes to the kitchen’s footprint will lead you to blow the budget. 

Also, enlisting the help of a designer and sticking to the plan once construction begins will keep you on your timeline and budget. 

If fixer-uppers are more your jam, here are some lessons one interior designer learned while fixing up her house. 

Monitoring progress, checking shipments, paying attention to details, hiring and firing folks, and working around holidays turned everything into a full-time job for the writer. 

And her partner is a carpenter!

Have a great week!

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Remodeling bathrooms, kitchens, and contracts, oh my!

By on July 3, 2019   /   Accessible design, Aging in place, Bathroom, Blog, Customer Service, Design, Finding A Remodeler, Hiring A Remodeler, Holidays, Kitchen, Licensed Contractors, Planning, Remodel, Shop, Showers, Storage, Universal design   /   Leave a comment

Everyone is ramping down their workweek to get ready for the holiday, so it’s a perfect time to discuss remodeling your home.

Remember, holidays make for a great evaluation period of your living and entertaining spaces.

If you are like most people, the majority of your entertaining will take place in and around your kitchen. Lucky for you we have some general remodeling tips from The Frisky.

They recommend considering new or fresh paint colors, adding new appliances or lighting elements, and focusing on coziness.

If you notice over the holiday that your bathrooms could use some improvement, we’ve got an article for you, too. Realtor.com has a list of questions to ask before a bathroom remodel.

First, start with the budget. The average cost is around $20,000, the article says, also citing an expert who gives a range from $10,000 to $30,000.

Next, think of who is using it. A shower/tub combination is good for families and for resale, but if you are empty nesters or have more than one bathroom, a nice open shower is a popular request, the article says.

Also, think about size and location. Keeping the bathroom in the existing location and space is less expensive than expanding or moving a bathroom.

Finally, remember aging in place. Even if you plan on staying in your home forever, universal design is great for resale, as the article says.

If one (or both) of these areas have piqued your remodeling interest, it is natural to wonder about payment. There are two types of contracts, fixed-bid or time and materials, as this article in the Seattle Times says.

A fixed-bid contract means both parties agree to a price and stick to it, barring anything crazy. A time and materials or cost-plus deal means an estimate is provided, but the contractor will bill you for materials, time and labor, and their markup.

Generally speaking, cost-plus deals shift the risk of running over budget to the homeowner. Also, it doesn’t incentivize efficiency because if the project takes longer (and costs run higher) the contractor will benefit. Take a spin through the article and let us know what you think.

Have a great Fourth of July, everybody!

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