Home improvement

There are a lot of things to consider when building a house, and the pressure to do everything the right way can sometimes be overwhelming. Choosing the right residential construction company for the job is a good way to take some of the pressure off, but knowing what to look for in your construction company can be equally challenging. In this article, we’ll go over some of the things to consider when trying to find a residential construction company, and what lets some companies stand out more than others.

One of the most important things to look for in any residential construction company is the materials they suggest you use. Some companies may have lower priced materials, or suggest you use a certain type that provides a lower level of stability for a lower cost. Unless your budget for building the house is relatively low, you should never sacrifice the quality of the materials the house is built with for another aspect, as these are largely responsible for determining how durable and aesthetically appealing your house will be. You might be able to pay less for materials that are perfectly sturdy but less attractive, and if so these can simply be painted over or decorated to increase their appeal.

A good residential construction company will not only use only the best materials, but also provide you with a high level of interaction. They will send architects, landscapers, and other planners to help you get exactly the look and feel that you want out of your home, and will not begin until you are completely happy with the layout. During construction, they will generally welcome you to take a look at how things are progressing, and make any changes or additions that might be necessary. Finding a company that is willing to work with you as much as you want is a sign that they are committed to your happiness.

While there are lots of small aspects of looking for a good residential construction company, the important thing is to try and find one whose goal is building you the house you want, not getting the job finished and getting paid. Try changing your mind about a few things and see how well your company architect or designer adapts to them, to gauge how well they are able to work with your specific tastes and desires. A good company will keep working with you no matter what.

By: Matthew McKernan

If like me you are a home owner you have the opportunity to experience the joy of home improvement. I recently redecorated my bathroom and kitchen and want to share with you the source of all my materials.

It is worth me starting by being clear that I have really specific tastes and a limited budget. So undertaking a complete overhaul of two rooms required quite a bit of effort and innovation on my part. Especially when you consider that they needed more than just a lick of paint and some wallpaper.

Fortunately as I am quite experienced I was able to do the work myself which saved on labour costs. However the real challenge I faced was finding the materials themselves.

I had created a comprehensive list of items that I needed and was looking for the absolute best deals on each one. That is where the internet came into play. By typing a description of each item into the popular search engines I was amazed and delighted to see just how much choice there was.

Furthermore as well as offering a lot of choices prices tended to be really competitive as well. The final benefit for me was also the useful information and online tools that many sites offered. For example one site had a ceramic tile finder which helped me locate the exact tiles I needed for my bath tub splash-back.

The pros to buying all your DIY materials online are very real but you do need to still be careful. Make sure that materials supplied meet with quality and health and safety standards especially when purchasing items from abroad. For maximum protection pay using your credit card as well.

By: Jessica Hannah

If you have home improvement in mind, hiring a contractor makes more sense than doing it yourself. Firstly, a contractor can work with greater expertise and put his experience to best use. Secondly, contractors work within fixed time and budget, which may otherwise exceed expectations. No wonder, many homeowners are opting for contractors to fulfill their home renovation needs!

You can either hire a general contractor or avail services of a specialized contractor such as flooring contractor, roofing contractor and plumbing contractor. While the services of general contractor are more economical and organized (if you don’t like hassles of handling too many people), services of specialized contractor hold the finesse of experienced hand. All depends on your requirements and the kind of work you are looking at.

Another aspect that you must consider while hiring a contractor for home improvement is whether or not the contractor belongs to your local area. If the contractor is located too far from the construction site, the project will suffer lack of personal attention. Moreover, the local contractor is well aware of the trends of the local market and challenges posed by the local conditions such as weather, economic, social and cultural.

By: Natasha Salve

When you turn on an electric or gas burner, a good deal of the heat does not go to the pan, but into the air. If you open the oven door, the heat rushes out of the oven and into the air and the oven has to reheat. When you turn off an electric burner, even though the the power is off, heat is still given off and is considered to be wasted. So by strict definition of “energy efficiency” one of the most used appliances in your home just doesn’t measure up.

Even though cooktops and ranges do not earn the Energy Star rating under today’s standards, there are some products that are more efficient than others.

I am in the market for a new kitchen stove and began the research to find the most energy efficient product that fit into my budget. With the tax credits available for Energy Star appliances, I asked if there were any Energy Star rated stoves (ranges if you will). The answer is, no. Why? Very simply, because energy efficiency is measured on how much energy it takes to perform a particular function compared to how much energy is lost or wasted by that same process.

Solar Powered

There are some small solar powered stoves and hybrid solar (solar with electric backup) for those days when the sun doesn’t shine on the market today. Most of the specifications indicate a minimal temperature range and have very limited capacity. The largest capacity I found measured 21.25 inches square by 7.78 inches deep. If you are looking to experiment with solar cooking, there are any number of plans on the internet to build your own solar stove using materials found around your home. However, the solar solution may not be the most practical for a busy family. For now, being somewhat of a pragmatist, I’ve focused my search and the following article on the more practical options for today’s busy family.

Induction/Electromagnetic

The new induction cooktops and ranges are the most efficient on the market tody. Induction cooking surface, when turned on and a metal pan is on the cooking element, produce an electrical current in the cooktop which creates a magnetic field that causes the pan to heat and cook your food. It’s like magic. Even if the burner is turned on, when the pan is not touching the surface, you could lay your hand on the element. It’s instant on and off. I’ve actually done this and was quite amazed. There is no heat loss when you remove the pan, which makes the induction cooktop more efficient than other cooking surfaces. The pans must have flat bottoms and be made of metal or the electromagnetic heating process won’t work.

Most major appliance manufacturers offer an induction cooktop (no oven). If you are trying to replace an all-in-one cooktop and oven, there are several manufactures: Samsung, Kenmore, Viking, GE, and Diva. The oven component is typically electric with a convection option. Like most new technologies, the induction cooking appliances are still expensive. However, over the past year, prices have dropped.

Natural Gas or Propane vs Electric

If an expensive cooktop or range is not in your plan, there are other options. Based on current natural gas prices, natural gas, is still slightly cheaper to operate than an electric cooktop.. So, if you’re investigating appliances based on cost of operation, you’ll want to investigate average prices of electricity vs natural gas in your area. (Be aware that the proposed energy legislation will affect the cost of any fossil based fuel and prices will go up for both natural gas and electricity. How much they will rise is not yet known.) Overall, the savings of gas over electric has historically been minimal and amounts to less than $50 a year in savings. If you are a cook that prefers gas, there are many options from which to choose. Many of the most popular brands are carried by Lowes, Home Depot and Sears.

Energy Efficient Ranges and Cooktops – Which to Buy – Induction, Gas, or Electric

The most energy efficient cooking solution would be an induction cook top with an electric/convection oven, followed by a gas cooktop with an electric/convection oven. Convection ovens are a little more expensive than an electric or gas only oven, but they require less cooking time, so you are using less energy and reducing your time in the kitchen. For the busy family, less time is a real plus. All in one gas or electric units are the cheapest solution, but not the most energy efficient. The differences in operating costs depend greatly on the utility prices in your area. However, the cost difference, based on the national average of gas vs electricity, is only a few cents, with natural gas being the cheaper.

Price Comparison

So, if you’re in the market for a new range or cooktop and your primary objective is saving energy, go for an induction cooktop with an electric/convection oven. For that system, budget between $1700 for a fully featured system and $9500 for a whiz bang designer, professional grade system.

If natural gas or propane is available in your area, the next best combo would be a gas cook top and an electric/convection oven. Prices vary considerably, ranging from under $1000 for a basic model to the mid-range of $1700 -$2500 for a full featured stainless steel unit. If you have even a higher budget, there are some magnificent options for the person who really enjoys cooking ranging in price between $3000 and $20,000.

If the electric option is all you have, don’t despair. Remember that the differences in energy consumption and energy cost between the gas or electric options are not that significant. By going the extra step and purchasing an electric cook top with an electric/convection oven, you will be reducing oven cooking time and, thus, energy consumption. Any reduction in energy consumption is a positive and will produce some cost savings. Prices for these units vary from $1500 to $2000 for fully featured stainless steel units. These are available from most appliance manufacturers. If your budget is less than $1500, check out prices on the internet. There are good deals to be found on this type of stove. If I’m still talking above your budget, “all electric” or “all gas” ranges vary in price from $258 to $1500. Keep in mind that the very low end products will not typically be self-cleaning, nor will they have the insulation to keep the heat inside the oven when cooking, nor will the temperature control of the oven be very precise.

While cooking units are not energy efficient according to the standards set by Energy Star. Since there are not significant differences in energy cost among the options, it boils down to budget, cooking style, and availability of natural gas/propane. I’ve given you some things to think about when purchasing that new stove and, hopefully, you found them useful.

By: Ashford Langley

There are many people out there who get frustrated when it comes to moving to a new house. Some people are ready with the money or budget to buy a new house, but some other people are just not ready with the budget to buy a new house but, at the same time, do not want to rent an apartment because they have kids and pets to stay with them. The solution to that problem is to buy one of the manufactured homes for sale. Building a new house on an empty land can cost a lot of money for the materials, architect, workers, and also buying the land itself. Meanwhile, buying a manufactured home is much lower costing because there is no need to buy the materials individually or hire the workers to build the house. Buying a manufactured home is not the same as buying a house that already stands on the ground.

Basically, manufactured homes are homes or houses that are built in the factory that specializes in building factory-made houses. Therefore, there is no need for the house buyers to hire workers. Buying one of these houses is cheaper than building a new house or can be cheaper than buying a standing house because the factory builds the houses massively instead of one by one –that is why the cost can be cut by much. These manufactured homes are also more flexible in a way that the buyer can choose a land that they want and the house will be delivered to the land to stand on it. People can also see the manufactured homes floor plans. That way they can understand the houses better. Most manufactured homes come fully furnished so it is certainly more convenient especially for people who want to move in without carrying any furniture from their old house.

A home is a huge purchase. It costs a lot of money and it can take a lot of time to get your home when it is being built for you. When you are going through home construction, there are several things to consider. You want to make sure that the home construction process with your custom home builder is quick and with as few difficulties and headaches as possible.

The first thing to consider is who is going to build your home. You want to make sure you find a home builder who can build the home to the style you want at the price that you can afford. You need a home builder who knows what they are doing and one who is not going to take the money and run. Once you have found a contractor and researched them on the internet and through the Better Business Bureau, you can move on to the next step.

The next thing to consider is your budget. You are only going to have so much money to spend on your home and the last thing you want is to find out the house is going to cost more than you thought it would. When that happens, work stops and your home sits unfinished until you come up with the cash needed. This is why you need to take your budget and find a home that costs about 80 percent of your budget. So, if you have a budget of $600,000, then your home should cost about $480,000 to build. That leaves you $120,000 extra to deal with any cost overruns or changes to the building plans. When you talk with your contractor you should ensure that they stick to the estimate they give you and will talk to you about any extra charges that come up so you are not caught off guard by cost overruns.

The next thing to consider is where you are building for two reasons. Is it where you want to live and if you are thinking of selling, will you get back more than what you paid for the home? Location is important so do your research to find out if it is where you want to live. You should also consider the location and various zoning and permit laws that may be in place in the area.

When you do your research and know what to consider with a new home construction project, you can ensure that everything goes as planned and you are in your new home as quick as possible.

By: Eric Willey

If you are taking up home improvement project for the first time, it might seem to be a tough task to accomplish. However, you would be happy to know that it is actually not as tough as it sounds! You just have to be careful about the home improvement contractor you are hiring, the budget you are keeping aside for the project and most importantly, the improvements or changes that you want in your house.

Although there are quite a number of things that you might consider while taking up such project, here are some common remodeling considerations:

* Areas which sustain moisture or water throughout the year – like bathroom, basements, and often kitchens – should be considered for mold remediation and water cleaning.

* You can consider converting the spare spaces in the attic and basement into usable rooms. You could also remodel your interiors to make it spacious and airy. This might also help in increase the value of your property too!

* Consider the quality of materials you are using for the project. Use of good quality sinks, cabinets, appliances and other materials should be preferred even if you have to pay a few dollars more. Use of cheap items apart from causing inconveniences to the homeowners might even reduce the value of your home.

While these are some common considerations for home improvement project, there are certain things that you should keep in mind. Firstly, if you are taking on the remodeling project just to improve the value of the property and is considering a resale soon. In that case, you should avoid expensive home improvement projects and ask the home improvement contractor to do just the bit which would increase the value of your house.

It is also important to research to determine the average value of houses in your neighborhood. You should only do enough improvement of the house to match the average cost of houses in your area. The improvement project should never be so high so as to gulp down your profits in selling the house.

But, remodeling projects should never be tried based on the do-it-yourself tips you might find over the Internet. Ignorance about the home remodeling task and the ways to operate the machines and equipment might cause fatal accidents and other health hazards.

By: Alice M Shown

As I say so frequently that I’m beginning to bore myself, “most remodeling contractors are honest and reliable individuals who want to do quality work at a reasonable price.” Unfortunately, there are just enough contractors out there (or people who claim to be contractors) who take advantage of their customers that some reminders and tips are helpful if you want to do everything possible to protect yourself and your property during home improvement.

1. Don’t make assumptions about referrals. Exercise the same due diligence in evaluating and checking out all contractors. You might have friends or relatives, co-workers or neighbors referring you to contractors they have used with good results. Many people are also simply trusting recommendations from home improvement stores. Even when you are referred to a contractor, check him or her out before you sign a contract. Consumer Reports recently released findings from a study of people who hired contractors to whom they were referred by the two leading home improvement stores. Their survey indicated that people who used these referrals had more problems and were less satisfied with the work than people who used other contractors.

2. Build your remodeling budget in a way that creates a 20% cushion for unexpected surprises. Although the National Association of the Remodeling Industry suggests an allowance of 10% to 20%, I think you are safer to budget for a 20% cost overrun due to surprises. There are literally hundreds of things that can happen or that can be discovered once remodeling begins that will result in a cost overrun. It is not uncommon, for example to discover termite damage, dry rot, damage from leaking pipes, outdated wiring, etc. My point is that you should not use your entire budget on the basics. You will be much more comfortable with your budget if you leave room for surprises.

3. Get a contract – don’t deal with a contractor on the basis of a proposal. If at all possible, get a contract that states a final price for the work, not an estimated cost that can go up or down. Your contract should be as specific as possible and as detailed as possible. It should also contain some kind of warranty for both the installation and the products or materials. You can also specify in the contract that all materials used will be new materials and meet the standards outlined in the contract. It should also state that any changes made during the construction period will be authorized only by written change orders that explain the difference in cost up front. If a contractor is unwilling to sign a contract stating the final price of the remodel, find another contractor.

4. Know what your insurance covers and take out a liability policy if necessary. It is usually easy to call your insurance agent and ask what is covered in terms of damage to your property, loss of property or possessions, and injury or death of a worker on your property during the construction period. You should also be certain that the contractor carries workman’s compensation insurance and liability insurance against injury or death of a worker and against damage or loss to your property or possessions. If you have any concerns about adequate coverage, discuss it with your insurance agent and consider taking out an additional policy during the construction period.

5. Monitor all liens placed against your property during construction (construction liens) by any contractor or subcontractor and ensure that they are removed when the project is finished and the contractor is paid in full. There are unscrupulous contractors who accept payment for a job and then do not remove the liens. In most of these cases, the homeowner is not aware of the lien until some time later when trying to sell the home or take out a loan for further improvements. When homeowners try to resolve the issue, the contractor claims that the bill or part of the bill was never paid and demands payment before removing the lien.

6. Never do business with someone who comes to your door offering their services.

7. Never pay a contractor the entire bill up front. Work out a payment schedule that reflects work completed, and put the payment schedule in the contract.

8. Specify the quality of workmanship and the quality of materials to be used in the remodel or addition in the contract. Not only should you specify materials quality, you should check materials to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract as they are delivered to the construction site. Insist that the costs of all building materials be specified.

9. Include all job specifications in the contract. The more specific the description of the work to be done, the more protection you have. Job specifications state exactly what work is to be done, how it is to be done, the quality of materials to be used, when it is to be complete, and that it must pass inspection.

10. Check all licenses, permits, proof of insurance, and state or local certification before you hire a contractor or subcontractor. Check to be certain the contractor has or obtains all necessary permits, licenses and certificates. Check with issuing agencies or insurance companies to confirm that insurance and licenses are current.

11. Insist that the contractor show you proof of bond coverage for the total replacement cost of the project.

12. Be sure the contract includes the appropriate information about how conflicts will be resolved, when and how the contract will be or can be terminated, and that lien releases will be provided upon payment.

13. If you give the contractor a key to your home for use during the construction period, change the locks as soon as construction is completed.

14. Take the necessary steps to protect your property and your possessions. Put away all valuables in a safe place. Define the construction area for everyone – tell your family not to enter the area during working hours; define limits of access to the rest of your home for the work crew. Protect your landscaping by covering shrubs if necessary and taking other steps to reduce accidental damage. Seal off the construction area from the rest of the house to confine dust, etc.

15. If you are remodeling an old home, make sure any work with potentially hazardous materials is done under the safest conditions and that hazardous materials are completely removed from the work site immediately and disposed of as instructed by your local government. Be sure any lead paint is properly removed; be sure any asbestos is removed and disposed of correctly; be sure old horse hair plaster (that could contain arsenic) is disposed of properly.

These tips will help you protect your family, your property and the people working on your remodeling project. Residential home improvement contractors should be very willing to cooperate on all of these points.

Copyright 2008 by ABCD Publishing

By: Dan Fritschen

Many people today are watching home improvement shows and these shows seem to be pushing Canadians to renovate their home into a dream home instead of realizing the financial realities of renovation.

Surveys show that, although 60% of the people in the survey who had a home renovation worked up a budget for it, 27% spent more than they had originally budgeted.

It is not easy to stay within budget when you are doing a renovation. Add to that pressure all of the home improvement shows on T.V. or all of the decorating magazines that make the homeowner want the latest and fanciest in appliances and decoration. Most people who renovate their homes want to stay within budget, but all of these influences can frequently tempt them to extend themselves a bit to have the features they see on T.V.

Even without this, it is difficult to predict extra costs and make sure there is enough money to cover any project overruns. Financial experts suggest that you have the financing for the project lined up ahead of time in the form of a personal loan or a home equity loan. This will give the homeowner the necessary cushion for added costs. Even if you don’t use the line of credit, it is good to have it to cover contingencies. What if you are having a room added, and then you find out there is a problem with the electrical system that has to be repaired?

The surveys show that 68% of the respondents used savings to pay for their home renovations, but they still will require planning to stave off financial problems. Of the homeowners surveyed, 34% were borrowing to cover the cost of the home improvement.

Don’t get caught up in the trap of trying to imitate the beautiful mansions you see on these home and garden T.V shows. Don’t let the beginning of a home improvement become the end of your marriage. A study by the British Gas Association and published on their website house.co.uk indicates that more than half of the do-it-yourself home improvement projects are inspired by these shows, and that 80% of the families doing the projects are having arguments over them.

Two thirds of the families have serious disagreements over the color scheme of the project! The aim of the research was to learn consumer attitude toward DIY. The site, house.co.uk is a a national registry of screened tradesmen who are promoted by HomePro Ltd. the leading on line supplier of trade professionals.

Having a professional may help a family avoid the deputes that occur in DIY projects and may save money in the long run, since so many families have to pay extra to fix their DIY mistakes.

Here are the top ten reasons for the disputes:

10. The Mars/Venus trap. Men are from Mars and women are from Venus and they cannot agree.

9. Lack of knowledge to do the job.

8. The high costs.

7. Stress.

6. The disruption in the household the renovations cause.

5. Finding time to complete the project.

4. Unfinished jobs.

3. Misconceptions about the job. The T.V. show makes it look so easy.

2. The one doing the job really doesn’t want to do it.

And the top reason (hardly seems worthwhile):

Disagreements over the color scheme.

Many people are reluctant to decide about moving because of uncertainty in the housing market, so they are following the lead of T.V. shows and renovating instead of moving.

By: Vince L. Paxton