Reliable Remodeler Blog » Kitchens

Remodeling projects in 2011 remained on a small scale

woodrow — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:10:30 +0000

Consumers are still skittish about spending on home remodeling in the economy, according to statistics from Remodeling Magazine. The magazine’s highly respected Cost vs Value Report comes out annually, ranking projects by return on investment and citing home remodeling trends. For 2011-2012, consumers earned the best values on attic bedroom conversions, minor kitchen remodeling, garage [...]

Remodeling projects in 2011 remained on a small scale is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

What does “green remodeling” really mean?

woodrow — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:43:36 +0000

You’ve heard a lot about green remodeling. Many new homes are constructed with green building materials, appliances, windows and doors. Green, in short, means that the initial builder or homeowner making a sustainable home improvement is concerned with energy efficiency, indoor air quality, the conservation of natural resources and, ultimately, home value. Let’s look at the [...]

What does “green remodeling” really mean? is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Wise budgeting for home remodeling

woodrow — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:26:31 +0000

If you’ve ever had to live in a home a while with only half of your remodeling project completed, I feel your pain. Planning ahead for overages when you’re budgeting can spare you the headache of working your life around open walls or unfinished woodwork. Sometimes it’s just a matter of neglecting to deal with [...]

Wise budgeting for home remodeling is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

How to choose the perfect light bulb

woodrow — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:22:21 +0000

Are all light bulb products interchangeable? Not so, according to Consumer Reports. The product evaluator and watchdog recommends that you match the replacement bulb to your lighting fixture. Even if you buy a bulb made for energy efficiency, using it in the wrong environment can shorten its life and negatively affect its performance. Selecting your bulb First, [...]

How to choose the perfect light bulb is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Kitchen cabinet refacing is a cost-saving option

woodrow — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:20:50 +0000

Kitchen cabinet refacing has become a popular choice during these cash-strapped times. In as little as a weekend, you can completely transform your entire kitchen’s appearance. Compared to the time and expense of ordering and installing new cabinets, refacing may just be the most cost-effective remodeling scheme out there. The Do It Yourself Network reports [...]

Kitchen cabinet refacing is a cost-saving option is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Going with the flow in kitchen remodeling

woodrow — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:23:45 +0000

If someone gave you a tip for saving water and, consequently, cutting your utility costs would you take it? I was evaluating new water taps for this blog and wandered across the Department of Energy’s regulations on the gallons per minute (GPM) rate allowed on new taps. According to Energy Savers, new faucet flow rates [...]

Going with the flow in kitchen remodeling is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Poor ROIs for these 2011 home improvements

woodrow — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:38:35 +0000

As each year draws to an end, pundits like to sermonize on the best returns on investment homeowners receive from remodeling. The latest analysis that caught my eye appeared at the personal finance pages on Yahoo last week where writer Dana Dratch identified the home improvement projects that delivered the worst ROI. Near the top of [...]

Poor ROIs for these 2011 home improvements is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Got cold? Energy efficiency and refridgerators

woodrow — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 02:34:39 +0000

Your refrigerator is toast. The compressor is on its last legs and would cost more to repair or replace than you want to spend. It’s been a long time since you felt any resistance from the door seal when popping it open. There’s a drip or, worse, a pool of water collecting. The unit runs [...]

Got cold? Energy efficiency and refridgerators is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Safe bets for remodeling: energy efficiency upgrades

woodrow — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:44:19 +0000

The housing remodeling market is poised for a rebound, according to researchers at Harvard University. In the next few years, spending on home improvements is expected to increase at a 3.5 percent annual average rate. Harvard’s researchers also predict that trends wherein “deferred maintenance” and remodeling plans over the recession years will finally get back [...]

Safe bets for remodeling: energy efficiency upgrades is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Remodeling trends: Smaller homes appeal to buyers

woodrow — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:57:58 +0000

New homes will become ever-increasingly smaller, with rooms doubling up on functionality, designers and realtors agree. If you’re thinking of adding a new room, perhaps you should give some thought to combining living spaces rather than adding square footage – that’s if you intend to sell your home in the coming decade. A survey conducted by [...]

Remodeling trends: Smaller homes appeal to buyers is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Building trends 2012-2015: expect smaller, greener homes

woodrow — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:59:31 +0000

The American trend toward buying smaller homes – currently driven by the economy – will likely extend out to the near future. A builders’ survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), found that new homes will average 2,152 square feet in size by 2015, some 10 percent smaller than single-family homes built [...]

Building trends 2012-2015: expect smaller, greener homes is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Fall is time to practice fire safety

woodrow — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:34:17 +0000

This week The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released their annual plea for homeowners to inspect their residences for fire risks, make necessary safety improvements and prepare a family escape plan in the event of a fire. If you think this is a Pollyanna warning, you’re not [...]

Fall is time to practice fire safety is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

The last straw: green building alternatives to particle boards

woodrow — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 19:14:01 +0000

I’m not a big fan of particle board construction. First and foremost, I don’t care for the off-gassing of toxic resins, binding materials and fillers. Second, I’ve seen too many shabby “budget” particle board cabinets, ceiling materials and building panels. If the home improvement materials and supply industry wants to protect homeowners while producing low-cost [...]

The last straw: green building alternatives to particle boards is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Getting the most out of your kitchen cabinet space

woodrow — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:08:00 +0000

You wouldn’t be the first to report that following your kitchen remodeling project, you still had less than workable space on your counters. Many homeowners base their space on the total number of objects they can place on the counter at one time. It gets to be an ugly affair. Fear not. You can still [...]

Getting the most out of your kitchen cabinet space is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

In the pink: Home improvement tools for women

woodrow — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:35:13 +0000

Out here in the West, it’s not uncommon to see a woman with a work belt going into the hardware store. My friend Sally thinks nothing about scaling a ladder to repair the roofs on her rentals. She’s as adept in operating a table saw as she is in handling a garden spade. Unfortunately, the [...]

In the pink: Home improvement tools for women is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.