Reliable Remodeler Blog » Landscaping

Holiday decorating that adds value all-year long

woodrow — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 01:22:12 +0000

With Christmas just around the corner, why not consider making home improvements that decorate for the holidays and last for the entire year? One of my favorite improvements is to add exterior lighting that you can deck with light strings, vines, wreaths or bows. But this year, put in doorway lamps, entry overhangs, walkway lighting, [...]

Holiday decorating that adds value all-year long 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.

Assemble a fall chore list now

woodrow — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:49:20 +0000

It’s not too early to put together a priority list for home improvements or landscaping chores you need to get done before fall and winter. The stressed housing market means many contractors are offering low bids just to get work. Assemble a menu of tasks according to what you can do yourself and by jobs [...]

Assemble a fall chore list now is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Get out your caulking gun before summer is out

woodrow — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 23:20:43 +0000

OK, gunslingers, it’s time to draw your caulking gun before the bad boys of winter settle in to ravage the homestead. Kidding aside, caulking and sealing is a home improvement project that fits the schedule between barbecues and beach trips. You’ll gain a lot of protection for your home with just a little time and [...]

Get out your caulking gun before summer is out is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Should you rent or buy a lawn aerator?

woodrow — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:49:17 +0000

The right lawn care tools simply bring your landscaping ideas to fruition. But do you need to own them all? Buying an aerator makes sense if you have a large lawn area on soil that bakes hard or is already compacted by nature. Most people, however, rent aerators from $40 – $150 a day from [...]

Should you rent or buy a lawn aerator? is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Save your basement with a French drain

woodrow — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:52:16 +0000

If your basement is wet, moldy and frequently flooded, it may not be due to a flaw in your foundation. Often the culprit is leaking basement walls that are saturated from rain run-off. It’s a sadly common occurrence when outdoor landscaping or elevations are sloped to drain toward your exteriors. The long-term damage can be [...]

Save your basement with a French drain is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Improvement projects to consider during the housing crisis

woodrow — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:20:45 +0000

It comes as no real surprise to those of us who own homes that today’s housing crisis—which began in 2006—has now officially been called the worst since the Great Depression. According to CNBC, prices have plummeted by 33 percent, some three percent deeper than the plunge in the late 1920s. Foreclosures continue to depress housing [...]

Improvement projects to consider during the housing crisis is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Red flags for buyers: poor home maintenance

woodrow — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:27:53 +0000

Do you think your home will catch the eye of a potential buyer in a challenging real estate market? Look again. Even if you’ve put money into home improvements in energy efficiency, plumbing, landscaping and fresh paint, your inattention to routine maintenance across the board can send out red flags to home shoppers. Real estate [...]

Red flags for buyers: poor home maintenance is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Living safe and protected in 2011

woodrow — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:22:07 +0000

The overall drop in 2010 home invasions and burglaries indicate that home security and alarm systems may be having a deterrent on criminal behavior. It’s too early in the year to tell whether the results reflect the impact of security tools and monitoring services. But with the deepening economic pain in the country, subsequent job layoffs [...]

Living safe and protected in 2011 is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Tighten Up Plumbing and Irrigation Against Winter

woodrow — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:36:48 +0000

I was reading the annual list of winterizing suggestions from the Portland Oregonian, reminding those of us that experience sub-freezing temperatures during the winter months. For most of us living in the cooler American climes, winterizing is a simple chore of wrapping pipes exposed to outdoor air or freezing cold in basements, garages, attics, and [...]

Tighten Up Plumbing and Irrigation Against Winter is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Remodeling Ahead of the Upturn

woodrow — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 23:08:22 +0000

Is this really the time to repair your home with an eye toward the market? During the downturn of the economy, many homeowners embarked on remodeling projects as it seemed impossible to put their home on sale. Now, at least one prognosticator seems to think the turnaround is imminent next year. Does that mean it’s [...]

Remodeling Ahead of the Upturn is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Putting Your Lawn to Bed for the Year

woodrow — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 19:24:58 +0000

If you’ve spent time and money on landscaping and, especially, on growing a lush green lawn, there’s plenty to do before winter’s freezing breath descends. Good lawn care is four-season lawn care. That means that now’s the time to take action to ensure that your lawn is healthy and attractive come springtime. In the late fall, [...]

Putting Your Lawn to Bed for the Year is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Choosing Stamped Concrete for Your Driveway

woodrow — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 22:57:03 +0000

Patterned or stamped concrete is a great way to personalize your driveway and set it apart from the lookalike entries on your block. You can spend a lot on stamped concrete, but much less than for natural stone. Some homeowners choose to use it as the top section of the drive or just for the [...]

Choosing Stamped Concrete for Your Driveway is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

8 Ways to Spiff Up Your Home for Fall

woodrow — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:48:44 +0000

Labor Day has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have time to complete the eight do-it-yourself projects that Kipplinger suggests that you get done before winter’s cold breath blows against your house. Kipplinger’s idea is that you really want to get some cost-effective improvements done before you’re wound up tight in holiday [...]

8 Ways to Spiff Up Your Home for Fall is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Looking to Kill Your Lawn?

woodrow — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:58:35 +0000

Most likely, you’re not. Typically, I prefer to write about the need for testing your soil pH, amending the chemicals, aerating your lawn, and mowing just the right height to avoid having to use pre- and post-emergent weed killers. But here in the Sacramento area where I reside, we’re in the midst of another hot [...]

Looking to Kill Your Lawn? is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.