The housing market is showing signs of a recovery this spring and contractors are listening. Prices are up from a year ago and residential building is responding to a call for a larger rental market. We’re still a long way from bursting out of the dark woods. But with a sign of thaw in the [...]
You’ll find thousands of home improvement tips on the Web for kitchen remodeling. A contractor friend always jokes that there are articles on installing new cabinets, tiles and backsplashes, but rarely advice on demolishing the existing kitchen. No, you don’t call in a few heavily muscled thugs armed with jackhammers. Back up a moment.
I was [...]
Natural earth hues, subtle shades and occasional splashes of vivid color make up the palate predicted to be the favorite selection of paint for 2012. Wood grain finishes will be darker than they’ve been, while colors on vinyl window cladding and spot features may be bold and risky.
These predictions for the home colors and finishes [...]
Another major drought is predicted for parts of California and the American Southwest this summer. Local edicts will go into effect regarding watering the lawn and landscaping or washing your car. If you had a rain barrel catchment system, you may still suffer from water shortages. Eventually, consumers may have to [...]
Eco-staging, or green staging, has captured the hearts and minds of home sellers in Europe and Canada. You’ve heard it here and elsewhere that, all things being equal, consumers will favor green or sustainable homes in a depressed market. And why shouldn’t they? You get more bang for your housing buck with energy-saving features and [...]
Setting countertop tiles with mortar is an age-tested method that works for most DIY-ers. You may spend a lot of time picking out and arranging a pattern of tiles ahead of time, especially if you’re doing a mosaic countertop out of one-inch tiles. There’s an amazing range of tiles, including glazed tiles with their options [...]
It may be hard saying goodbye to home features that are no longer sensible, change is upon us. Last year, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) predicted that homes by 2015 may be more known for what is omitted from current home designs. The move is toward green, where new home trends are for [...]
The math is simple. An old-style toilet can use up to six gallons of water to complete the flush cycle. Today’s low-flow toilets use one and a half gallons. Multiply the number of people in your family or the total number of toilet visits a year and it can add up to 4,000 wasted gallons [...]
Posting tweet...
