Home improvement

Many people spend months or even years planning the log home of their dreams. They tour home shows, scour magazines and review house plans with giddy anticipation.

When construction finally starts, their pride and elation can’t be denied. After all, as British postmodern novelist Angela Carter wrote, “home is where the heart is.”

Although no experience can compare with seeing a dream come to fruition, let’s face it, the actual process of building a custom home can create anxiety.

You have to wade through myriad decisions and navigate the ins and outs of dozens of construction steps.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a way to avoid the common pitfalls?

Well, there is.

Following are seven secrets that log home construction experts and home owners who have gone through the construction process recommend to keep your project on track and within budget.

1. Educate yourself.
Before you even start planning your new home, stop and consider whether you know enough about the processes to ask relevant questions and make the many decisions that are required when building a custom home.

“Be honest with yourself,” says log home project consultant, former builder-dealer and author Jim Cooper. “Ask yourself how much you really know about construction.” If your answer is “not much,” it’s time for a crash course.

If you don’t take the time to educate yourself, it could lead to costly mistakes.

For example, when working with a surveyor, one of Jim’s clients once asked, “How much for the septic field?” The surveyor told the client, he would need to spend “about $800.”

“What the surveyor was really telling the client was that to do the engineering drawing for their septic field would cost about $800,” recalls Jim. “The septic field itself cost $12,000 to $14,000.”

But the client didn’t understand the difference between engineering a septic field and actually installing one, so the surveyor’s answer was misleading.

2. Don’t go it alone.
Whether you employ a general contractor or builder or decide to build your home on your own, you’ll still need to collaborate with professionals and subcontractors. If you don’t have experience dealing with these pros, or you’re not comfortable doing it, you may want to consider hiring a project manager or facilitator. “The cost of this is generally about half the price of a general contractor,” says Jim.

For example, The Construction Process Group in Ortonville, Michigan, helps home owners in a variety of ways.

The company’s program includes about eight hours of work on a house. They review plans from a design standpoint, examine whether the log home package provides all the materials needed to build the home and review the customer’s site.

“We make sure the home owners have thought about all the different ramifications that building out in the country can bring,” says partner Guy Huenecke, a long-time expert in the log home field.

“Often they just assume things are available, like access to water. A thorough review lets us assist in developing a realistic budget.”

There is also some education about money.

“We help them understand how the cash needs to flow,” Guy says.

Even if you don’t want to spend money on experts, it pays to seek advice. When Kim and John Wary of Rogers, Arkansas, decided to act as their own builders and general contractors, they knew they were taking a leap of faith.

“There were times that I didn’t know if we could do it,” says John, “but you can’t be afraid to ask for help.” They talked to others who had built log homes in their area to learn what the entire process entailed. John even went to job sites to watch construction of other homes during various stages.

Throughout the design, delivery and construction of their home, Kim and John relied heavily on their log package supplier, Original Log Homes in British Columbia, Canada.

“They went above and beyond for us,” says John.

“There were times when I would call them every day and ask questions for 20 minutes. But they were always approachable and supportive.”

As a backup, the Warys employed the services of a log home builder in their area on a consultative basis. “He built other homes for our supplier,” says John. “I only had to call him a few times, but it was a comfort to know that I had that extra support if I needed it.”

3. Understand the scope of the work.

Sometimes, despite the best efforts of home owners to stay with their original plan, aspects of a custom-home project can get off budget. When that happens, often the cause can be traced to one of two reasons: A subcontractor low-balled a price, then wrote the contract so loosely it didn’t include everything needed to complete the work; or, the bid wasn’t accurate because no one completely defined what was expected.

A classic example of the second problem occurs when a home is being assembled.

As the crew raises the logs, they also usually drill holes to run wires for the electrical system. But who ends up routing the openings in the logs for the junction boxes?

Typically, electricians won’t do that type of, they think of it as a carpenter’s job. And the carpenters consider it part of the electrical work. If neither party has budgeted for the job, you can end up with 12 hours or more of labor costs that aren’t covered in your contracts. This can lead to a couple thousand dollars in unanticipated costs, according to Guy.

“You can’t have breaks within the scope of the work,” Guy says. “You need to be sure everything is covered.”

To avoid a problem like this, you need to make sure you understand the entire scope of the work that needs to be done, then communicate what you expect to the subcontractors. At The Construction Process Group, Guy prepares a “scope of work” document. “This clearly defines who does each task so that the bids you receive will be accurate and nothing will come back to bite you,” he explains.

4. Develop a budget (and stick to it).
It’s easy to give in to the temptation to add fancier features and upgraded appliances. After all, each change may only add a hundred dollars or so to the cost of a home. But it all adds up. “Before you know it, the budget is thousands of dollars off track,” says Guy. Letting the budget get away from you can lead to long-term problems.

“Often, when people overspend their budgets, they tend to skimp at the end of the process, when it comes time to stain or seal the logs,” says Guy.

“Coatings are one of the products where you really get what you pay for.” Skimp here and you could end up with logs that look weathered before their time, or worse, fall victim to rot and insect damage.

To stay on budget, experts suggest you try your hand at one of the financial management software programs on the market, such as QuickBooks, which even sells a specially designed contractor edition. One thing they do not recommend, however, is to purposely overbudget, or create a “fudge factor.” By doing so, you can create more problems than you’ll avoid.

“That means the budget is off track everywhere,” says Construction Process Group partner Jim Christopher, who believes in budgeting realistically. “I tell clients to be prepared to spend an additional 10 percent over that budget for owner-directed expenses,” says Jim.

“Then I ask them to show the restraint not to use it.”

5. Pitch in.
No matter who you choose to oversee your project, there are creative ways you can stay involved and keep costs down. When Steve Hissong built his own log home in Belleville, Ohio, he looked for subcontractors who were willing to let him work alongside them. “My heating guy knocked $700 off the total cost of my project because we worked together in the evenings,” says Steve.

Often referred to as sweat equity, by finishing floors, tile, trim work, sanding and staining yourself, you can save a bundle of money, while taking pride in the fact that you helped to build your own home.

6. Check out your contractors.
Don’t pick your contractors by simply looking in the phonebook. When you are spending this kind of money and working on a project of this magnitude, you’ll want to base your decision on more informed and personal recommendations. Guy suggests that home owners go to a local lumberyard to inquire about qualified subcontractors.

“That’s where the tradespeople do business, not Lowe’s,” he says.

Your local home builder’s association is another possible source for good contractors.

You can find your local chapter by logging on to the National Association of Home Builders’ web site (www.nahb.com) and clicking on “Contact Us” or by calling 800-368-5242.

Once you’ve narrowed your choices to a few contractors, ask each one for the names of past customers you can call. Then take the time to check the references and ask probing questions such as did the contractor stay on schedule? Did he accommodate change orders? Did he stay on budget?

Also, ask to visit potential contractors at a job site where they are currently working. “When a job’s not finished, you can see a lot,” says log home owner Steve Hissong.

“You’ll also get a sense for the kind of people who are doing the work, and whether they are using quality tools.”

The experts also recommend that when you’ve narrowed down your list of potential contractors, you get at least three quotes for every job you need to do and everything you need to buy.

It’s well worth the effort. “It took a lot of time to get all those bids,” says Steve, “and initially I wasn’t sure if it was really going to be worth it. But, it was. The house ended up appraising for 30 percent more than I put in it.”

7. Respect the professionals.
Although everyone wants to get the best price, you have to accept that working with a contractor is not like buying a used car. “You shouldn’t beat down a contractor until you get your bottom dollar,” says Guy.

“Your contractor has to make a reasonable amount of money so he can have the time and resources he needs to do a good job.”

Come to terms with the fact that no one is going to build your home for free.

The more involved the house is, the more the contractor’s fee will likely be.

By: Andrew Hanelly

I wanted to take the time to talk to you about where you should be putting your television in a room. I know a lot of people just stick it where ever it will best work with the furniture. I suppose that is a fair method, but if you want to get the best possible experience out of your television, than you need to pick an area that is going to give you the best possible image and sound. I’ve gone to other people’s homes and I often see the television sitting in a horrible spot, which completely destroys the experience of watching something on it. I’m going to show you the best way to determine where your television should be put.

A big thing is sunlight. Glare is a really rotten thing to deal with. It makes the images on the television look darker and if you’re watching a movie, you often miss out on little things you can’t see. It’s quite annoying. Before you choose where to put the television, pay attention the pattern of the sun. It is going to shine in your window and parts of your room will be brighter and other parts will be in the shade. You also have to take into consideration that as the seasons change, so does the position of the sun. Basically you want to choose the area that is going to get the least amount of light. This means that all you’re going to see is the light from the television.

Obviously at this point you’re going to have to orient your furniture around the position of your television. Depending on how your house flows and the type of furniture you have, you might have to play with this. You might have to move the television into another shaded area that isn’t quite as good as the one you had it in. These are the little choices you have to make.

By: John Ingleman

At this time of economic turmoil, holding on to your money and keeping them stashed somewhere safe is a good idea. But you know what? There is a better idea and this is to invest it in your New York home. What better way to enjoy every buck than by living in all the luxury home improvement can offer and eventually reaping more bucks at resale time? Whether you are in Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island or Manhattan; it pays to look into the benefits. Here are more reasons why the recession is the best time for home improvement projects.

In the current market that we are in, everybody- even the industry giants are hurting. This time, more than ever is the best time to spruce things up and boost home appeal and value as well as the quality of living of the family. Financially speaking, improving your home now would not even be as bad as you think. To enlighten you, here are the benefits of tackling projects in a recession.

More Budget Friendly Options

All businesses and even the giants in the home improvement industry are affected by the recession that struck not only New York and the United States but the entire world as well. With this, discounted sales and bargains are not uncommon when you try to shop around from one store to the next. This makes smart buyers avail of high quality materials, supplies and products at a much lower cost.

Contractors Competing More Aggressively

Being in a work field that requires to always be on the move to tough it up, contractors sure dread dormant days. And the low economy is not helping them get enough jobs. This makes contracting businesses compete more aggressively not only in terms of marketing efforts but with the whole package of what homeowners will get if they hire certain professionals. Most qualified contractors offer lower service charges plus some promotional home improvement bonuses like finishing up small jobs for free in addition to the contracted work.

Better Quality Results

The recession normally causes many homeowners to hold on tightly to their purse strings. This makes less possible clients for our qualified New York contractors. And the less busy they are, the more time they can allot to your home improvement project. Because of this, your hired contractor is able to pour in more efficiency to the job enabling him to look even into the smallest of details. This makes up for a timely completion of the job and better quality results for you and the family to enjoy.

Recession Fuels Green Remodeling and Improvements

As if the above mentioned do not make home improvement more tempting to undertake now, here comes another great benefit. The government is even willing to pay you for tackling and investing on energy-efficient home improvements. This tax credit benefit for homeowners is comprised in the economic stimulus package of President Obama. Not only will this make up for the greatest cutback on your planned remodeling budget, but you’d also be getting a considerable reduction on your future monthly energy bills.

By: Eugene R. Makeev

Not all basements are finished basements, so if is the case with your home you need to read up on basement construction. If your basement just has the four concrete walls, then you have to start from scratch. It is easier to work with the existing walls than have to pour the foundation of your house. This is the best way when you put some thought into it as you can make your basement into anything your family needs. You can start your walls by using 2×4′s to frame it out. Always make these walls a little smaller than the concrete walls because the wood needs room to shrink and expand with the different seasons. If you make it exactly to measure, then you will have to force your walls into the cement when trying to erect them.

After you have all your walls framed out, then you need a good insulation to place between the spaces of the 2×4′s. This must be placed properly and covered with a vapor barrier, which will help in keeping your basement dry. After you get this done, then you should cover the walls with drywall or whatever material that suits your needs. Then comes a bit of the harder work and you have to plaster and sand the drywall that you have installed. After this is done you are ready for painting. Always use a good primer on new drywall. This will seal it for you and also help when you put on your final coat of paint.

The floor can be finished with whatever material you feel like using, such as tile or carpet but sometimes you will need to put in a sub floor before you do this. Next is your ceiling. If you have enough room in your basement the easiest way to go is put in a drop ceiling, which will cover all your pipes and things that you don’t want showing. You can use acoustic tiles or drywall it the way you did your walls.

By: Jim Poniente

Appliances are an investment at home, especially those that really come with a price. Some of which are computers, kitchen electronics, and the most popular of media set -the television.

In buying your television, it is not enough that you only choose based on its size or on how overwhelming its appearance is. There are more technical factors you should learn in order to get the best buy on TV. Let me show you those five things you need to know beforehand about them.

Response or Reaction Time
Response time tells about how quickly one pixel on your screens changes its color, for example from active black to inactive white. The standard reaction time for the liquid crystal display or most popularly known as LCD TV is 8 milliseconds which is equivalent to an LCD refresh rate of 60 hertz. The faster your response time, the clearer your display images are even if you watch a fast-moving event onscreen.

The reason why some TVs get blurry or produce judder or sudden jerk is because they have slower refresh rate. When they air a dynamic event like a car race or a sports event, it cannot produce quality coverage of the whole show live. Rather what they generate are those “motion lags” as the screen cannot keep up with the fast movements happening.

Older televisions have usually a response time of 16 milliseconds. But as technologies grow more advanced, electronic manufacturers began creating LCD TV with a faster response rate by doubling the standard 60 hertz to 120 hertz. Logically however, televisions with higher response rate cost a little higher than most TV with only a standard response time.

Television Resolution and Picture Quality
Together with a fast reaction time, it is also good to know whether our televisions display quality pictures. Resolution determines how the details of images are being showed on TV in relation to other images on the screen. This is the reason why most people turn now to High Definition TV or HDTV as it produces quality images than the Standard Definition TV.

Television Flexibility
Some television manufacturers incorporate more functions, particularly of the video and audio inputs and outputs, for maximum viewing enjoyment. With these tools, you get to fully enjoy watching films in high-performing digital versatile disks (DVDs) or Blu-ray discs. You can also connect camcorders or your game console gadgets to add more visual enjoyment and convenience to viewing and gaming.

Manufacturer Warranty
And aside from knowing what it takes to be a good television, we should also learn what it takes to protect them as an asset.

Most TV manufacturers provide a TV warranty service for customers to provide a maximum user satisfaction. TV warranties cover damages resulting from probable technical problems of the TV itself but not on damages resulting from misuse of the owner or accidents. Most warranty covers are on a 12-month period for LCD TVs and will be longer for more sophisticated models. So if you would be buying your newest TV, it is better if you would ensure a warranty for it especially when it is the state-of-the-art where only experts know how to handle it.

Personal Maintenance
Televisions will live longer if it’s being taken cared off well by its users. You can do simple maintenance by never allowing your TV to be placed under high temperature and humidity, or else, proper display will be destroyed. Also, put your TVs away from dusty places or in locations where it is prone to being poured of liquid substances to avoid electronic malfunction inside the product. Your LCD TV is composed of sensitive electronic parts. Exposing them to accidents may lead to the demise of your newly acquired TV.

Buying your television requires a lot of careful selection and keen technical inquiries to achieve the best purchase deal. However, never stop being meticulous on the buying alone. Also take note the post-purchase events like maintenance and probable repairs. Being one of the valuable things at home, owning it definitely requires care.

By: Daryl B. Chapman

Concrete tilt up construction offers the capability to construct an extensive array of commercial buildings at much lower costs than those of distinctive masonry construction structures. Concrete Tilt-up is a method of constructing walls and panels by pouring concrete into forms on the ground, allowing them to harden, and then raising into place to form a wall.

For a tilt-up concrete building, the walls are created by assembling forms and pouring large slabs of cement called panels directly at the job site. The cement panels are then tilted up into position around the building’s slab to form the walls. Because the concrete tilt wall forms are assembled and poured directly at the job site, no transportation of panels is required.

This concept is fast becoming the most popular form of construction for manufacturing and warehouse applications. Tilt-up concrete construction is a proven method for building office buildings, retail centers, warehouses, distribution centers, call centers, manufacturing facilities and other commercial / industrial structures with speed, safety and construction cost benefits.

Some of the reasons clients opt for concrete tilt panel construction are:

• Tilt panel construction is more energy efficient and durable than its metal building counterparts.

• It is gaining quick reputation and will soon become the most sought-after form of construction for medical research facilities, distribution centers, medical research, warehousing facilities, and other such projects that involve commercial constructions and require larger square-footage.

• Concrete panels are naturally fire-resistant and therefore, are able to lead to safer designs and lower insurance premiums.

• When compared with building and other such traditional constructions, concrete tilt wall construction can help realize completion of projects within much shorter schedules.

• Besides these, tilt panel construction works best for companies having a smaller budget and a commercial contracting project. This is because it not only saves on the firm’s material costs, but also speeds up the completion of the entire project, thereby saving even more capital.

By: Benjamin Friedman

Home improvement refers to the process of making changes and modifications to the appearance and facilities in your home. It includes recreating your bedrooms, bathrooms, home office, kitchen, decks, patios, garage, etc. This is often the result of not being happy with your home’s ambience or facilities. People have a concept about the way their home should look and feel. When it isn’t so, home improvement remodeling is the answer.

Remodeling your home includes activities such as recreating your kitchen, bathroom, basement, attic, doors, roofing, decks, drywalls, and patios. It is intended to provide a complete makeover for your home. But how would you go about this activity? The following tips can help you with your project.

1. First, be clear about what is it that you want to change. How could you convert it so that it is closer to your dream home? But, above all this, you need to consider how the remodeling would impact the overall look and feel of your home.
2. Talk to family and friends who have already remodeled their homes. Understanding other’s experiences and taking a look at already finished jobs would be helpful in ensuring that you know what you are getting into.
3. Plan ahead to ensure that your home improvement project completes successfully. Now, you have an idea of what you want and how things will shape up, therefore a little planning will go a long way in ensuring that your home is remodeled successfully.
4. Understanding your budget limitations is the next important step. It is essential that you plan your finances and use it effectively so that you are not left with a broken home and an empty purse.
5. Home improvement is as crucial a project as home construction. If things are not planned well it could lead to a lot of disappointment and frustration. Therefore, ensure that you are satisfied with the work that is being performed.

What are the important steps in your home improvement remodeling project?

1. Create a design and a plan for your project. You need to ensure that your plans do not cross your budget limitations. Identify things that you can do yourself and those that require professional expertise.
2. Ensure that your foundation, sidings, roof, and windows are sturdy and stable. These are aspects that would remain even if you renovate or remodel your home in the future.
3. One of the most important aspects in remodeling is demolishing the existing structure to make way for the new. Great care needs to be given to this aspect, as it should not affect other parts of your home. It includes structural carpentry activities such as re-constructing or moving walls, modifying windows, doors, and stairways, etc and requires professional help.
4. Ensure that all remodeling and renovation work are completed before you install your flooring. This will avoid damage to your floor surface. Then, re-install or replace your windows and doors. Once all this is done, it is time for your interior decoration. You can start with installing your sidings.
5. The final touch includes aspects such as sunroom, swimming pools, etc. After all these enhancements are completed, your project comes to a successful conclusion.

By: Amanda W Jacobs

Hypnosis and hypnotherapy shows on TV, should we love them or loathe them? The hypnosis practitioner community voices vastly differing views. Many professional hypnotherapists express disdain and disgust at TV hypnotists and their shows. Such is the strength of feeling, it is a wonder that some hypnotherapists actually praise and enjoy the shows. So what is going on, you may ask; after all, this is entertainment. It is only TV. Or is it?

It really depends on the truth and how important it is to you. Some of us like to live a life of fantasy. We like to kid ourselves that we can instantly be transformed out of an undesirable state of being. And then some of us like to be realists. We like to know that we will live a good life and be happy, and that the right effort will get us there.

And please do not be surprised that some of us prefer fantasy. This preference for fantasy is there for a good reason. Sometime in the life of the fantasist, there was a very grim reality from which there was no real escape. And now, this may be a long time ago. However, stored somewhere in the mind of the fantasist is this grim reality. And one would do anything to escape this ugliness, this sadness, this fear. In other words, the fantasist dreams of an escape to fantasy land, because if we did not have dreams, life can be too much.

Really, the fantasist dreams of an impossible instant cure as a coping strategy. The fantasist may have been through years of painful counselling with no escape from their demons. They may have been through various forms of psychotherapy or psycho-analysis, with little, if any, resolution. As a matter of fact, this counselling or psychotherapy may have caused additional trauma to the trauma already experienced for which they saught help. They may have been given all sorts of medication by a doctor or psychiatrist. And unless a solution has been found, when the pills stop, the demons slowly return. Maybe this is someone you know. And sadly, too many of us have known the pain of traditional therapy.

You can then easily see why the fantasist would wish for an instant cure. On TV, the hypnotist may click their fingers, upon which the show volunteer would close their eyes and appear unconscious. Then the hypnotists commands the volunteer to carry out any number of tasks, and the volunteer happily obeys. There is no pain, no struggle; it is all very easy.

However, there is a huge difference between the hypnosis show volunteer and someone seeking help for their problem. Being a willing volunteer doing what you are told is totally different from making important personal changes. It is like the difference between going to the theatre for fun and going to the dentist for an extraction.

There are even TV shows of actual hypnotherapy for positive change. Most viewers do not hear the part where the volunteer reports feeling better rather than free from their problem. And most viewers do not realize that volunteers are carefully pre-selected, nor that the failures are usually not aired. On TV, change seems very easy.

Unlike our fantasist friend, the realist may approach hypnotherapy with a more down-to-earth expectation. The realist knows that hypnotherapy is a quick fix and does not expect it to work where a major overhaul is needed. The realist is very lucky. They get what they want, because they want what they can get.

A good hypnotherapist would refer on to a good Emotional Freedom Technician (EFT) or similar practitioner for a long-lasting solution. You may even find that your hypnotherapist carries out this excellent work themselves. If so, you may be initially surprised by the techniques used. These do not involve anything like a closed-eye passive state expected by seekers of hypnosis. And if a modern hypnotherapist uses these techniques and tells you it will be a number of sessions, maybe you have found a real gem of a practitioner. It may take longer than on TV, and it may not be as dramatic, but it is for real.

By: Suzanne Zacharia

Boredom has begun to set in after ten years. You are bored with the color of your living room wall, your furniture and collection of antiques. Everything looks old, faded and dusty. Faced with the home improvement challenge of transforming and giving a new facelift to this dreary abode you wonder just where to begin.

The challenge of first cleaning up your home begins and over the next few days, while going through all the cupboards, you will find useful items, junk, lost things, old books or magazines to give away. As you get so engrossed in sorting out your belongings the days become too short and you are no longer bored. Instead you feel energized to do more towards improving and transforming your home.

There are of course many ways you can discover and plan your next step towards transforming your favorite space. Many websites provide designs and ideas or you can purchase an interior designing kit that provides you with design and color tools to plan and preview your choices of the many changes and new outlooks.

As you discover the countless possibilities of renovating your home you will also discover the transformation of ‘boredom’ into ‘joy’. A joy bubbling from within flowing outwards as creativity in the form of colors, shapes, smell and touch. Being bored is no longer in your vocabulary. You are now in a new and exciting world of discovery and creativity.

The home improvement challenge that you have taken on will also provide an opportunity to discuss, plan and work together with your family members. A boredom now transformed into a tool of gathering your family over a meal to visualize the final outcome and to share the excitement of your first project. There will be numerous ideas and suggestions for you to make a final decision. Each day brings more joy and smiles as you engage yourself in this undertaking.

Life begins with a new passion and meaning. The mere act of saying yes to the challenge of improving your home space is already transforming your own life even before you enjoy the end result of your new renovation.

By: Chris Cornell

It starts innocently enough. Perhaps you notice the panelling is buckling a bit, and decide to take it down and paint the walls. That was three months and two rooms ago. Now your garage is filled with building materials, supplies, and borrowed tools for your home improvement projects.

You can save a bundle of money and increase the value of your home with some effort and planning. Here are some considerations to make before you or your contractors begin home improvement projects in earnest.

* Identify each component of your renovation. Determine what tasks you can accomplish on your own. List the tasks that will require a contractor or sub contractor. Decide if there are facets that can be done by an experienced handyman or with their assistance.

* You must know if you will pay as you go and do all the work yourself or hire professionals on a case by case basis. You may want to explore the pros and cons of a home equity loan. In creative cases some home owners borrow from a relative with a favorable interest rate.

* Do your own analysis; consult with a real estate professional or residential appraiser to gauge the value your actions will have on the home. Most people will sell their home rather than live in it for thirty years. Part of your planning should account for how potential buyers will view your remodeling.

* Play well with others? The moment eventually arrives when you will have to work with professionals or vendors to complement your home improvement skills. Take some time to learn what you should know when working with outside contractors.

* Plan to save. Before you pick up a hammer, nail down all the areas that will allow you to save funds. Identify ways to leverage supply store credit cards, find discounts, negotiate for free delivery, ask about free installation, and always ask if a particular item is scheduled for an upcoming sale. Find out if your contractor is eligible for a discount that you do not qualify for yourself.

* Permit me to suggest. The lack of proper permits can lead to costly delays or even require you to start over. Various permits are required for home projects and can some time to acquire. Make sure you know every requirement and timeline before you start. Ask lots of questions.

* Think safety and cleanliness. Be aware that old paint, insulation, and wiring can contain harmful materials. Know what possible contaminates might be lurking inside your home before you turn it into dust. Safety gear is not limited to masks, gloves, ear protection. Keep your area clean and tools safe.

Proper planning for every home improvement project will save time and money. Your thoughtful approach can avoid a remodeling nightmare while you create your dream home.

By: Daniel Spakman