Reliable Remodeler Blog » home remodeling

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.

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.

Protect your health while remodeling

woodrow — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:29:39 +0000

It’s a known fact that people who work in green buildings have greater productivity and less absenteeism. The Green Building Advisor reports nearly a 50 percent increase in on-the-job time and productivity in buildings designed to cut the worker’s exposure to allergens. So, why shouldn’t home improvement enthusiasts consider taking green measures when they embark [...]

Protect your health while remodeling is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Quick update on the Bob Vila Twitter chat

woodrow — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:45:55 +0000

Those of you following the blog and the opportunity to participate in a Twitter chat with home improvement maven Bob Vila take note: The chat has been rescheduled for Thursday, June 30, at 10 AM Pacific Time. Home improvement writers at VinylSidingZone co-host and will join with other experts and participate with Vila in a round [...]

Quick update on the Bob Vila Twitter chat 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.

Not all remodeling projects add lasting home value

woodrow — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 01:45:56 +0000

Toward the middle of last year I wrote about the annual report released by Remodeling Magazine that revealed some of the best investments in home improvement projects. At that time I warned against overspending on large, pricey renovations and suggested that you focus instead on small conversions or enhanced features during the economic downturn. It [...]

Not all remodeling projects add lasting home value 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.

How We Did: Returns in Remodeling Projects for 2009-2010

woodrow — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:59:48 +0000

As the year enters the home stretch, it’s a good opportunity to look at mid-range home improvement projects from last year and which ones brought in a good return on homeowners’ investments. It’s been a rough year for many a homeowner, but it hasn’t stopped some owners from performing small-scale room additions, modifications, and other [...]

How We Did: Returns in Remodeling Projects for 2009-2010 is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

A Home Office Means Business

woodrow — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:19:36 +0000

If you work from home, or just need a refuge from the rest of your family to pay bills and write emails, a home office makes for a relatively straightforward home addition or modification. Knowing what kinds of tasks you plan on handling, the amount of time you plan on spending in the home office, [...]

A Home Office Means Business is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Avoiding the Latest Contractor Scams

woodrow — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:54:15 +0000

Every few months another national website, blog, or home improvement site comes up with suggestions for avoiding consumer scams from unlicensed or unscrupulous contractors. These days, most legitimate contractors are delighted to get work, but there are the exceptions who don’t plan on doing much, if anything, except running with your money. This week, Investopedia writer [...]

Avoiding the Latest Contractor Scams is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Home Renovation and Indoor Air Quality

woodrow — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 18:08:04 +0000

Whether you’re adding a room, installing new carpet, or painting, you’re putting yourself and family members in potential harm’s way if you don’t have a mitigation plan for off-gassing, dust, and other pollutants. Sealing up the room you’re remodeling to keep particulates from invading the rest of your home is a crucial step that too [...]

Home Renovation and Indoor Air Quality is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

The Butterfly House Spreads Its Wings

woodrow — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 16:20:21 +0000

I was delighted to read that Carmel, California’s famous Butterfly House was recently opened to the public. The photos can’t tell it all, but you can get an idea why the Butterfly House has been a destination for architects, contractors, interior designers, and plain-old rubbernecking tourists since it was completed half a century ago. So why would [...]

The Butterfly House Spreads Its Wings is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Evaluating Your Home Improvement Project Costs

woodrow — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:27:42 +0000

By the time you read this blog, the cost of materials and labor for home improvement projects will have probably changed from the day I wrote it. I continually see prices go up and down–mostly up. The better news is with contractors challenged to fill up their calendars, some labor costs have come down. With [...]

Evaluating Your Home Improvement Project Costs 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.

Take Another Look at Efficiency Remodeling

woodrow — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:37:34 +0000

With home prices in parts of the country slumping to a 15-year low, homeowners continue to look at putting money into their existing residences rather than trying to sell them. Sales dropped on resale homes by a painful 27 percent in July 2010, and with potential buyers awaiting the free fall to hit the bottom [...]

Take Another Look at Efficiency Remodeling is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.