When you plan a major remodeling project, first things first: you have to hire a contractor. Of course, you’ll want to make sure that you are hiring the best person for the job. You’ll want to consider a contractor’s past work, your rapport with the person, and perhaps most importantly, the price they quote you.

Many homeowners are baffled when it comes to looking at a quote. They see lots of numbers, and of course, the final price. No one wants to pay too much. One common cost on a quote that homeowners often grapple with is the contractor markup. This markup is the amount over cost that a contractor charges. It’s vital for contractors, since this is where they earn their profit, but what kind of markup is appropriate?

The answer? The honest truth is that there is no industry standard for pricing a remodeling project. Contractors will create margins that suit them, as well as what the industry will bear. 

This can all sound rather negative from the consumer’s point of view, but it doesn’t mean you lose out. If you don’t like the contractor’s price, your choice is simple: Don’t hire the contractor! It’s always suggested to get at least three quotes from contractors, so if you feel one is too high, maybe one of the other two will be more in your ballpark. If you are working within a certain budget, make sure to stick to that budget. Choose a contractor who quotes you within your budget, and who you think will be able to do the best job for you.

Just how much a contractor will charge is compromised of many components, but you can expect at least 20 percent. Obviously it might be more if your contractor has a great reputation for his work and is in great demand by everyone in your neighborhood. The theory of supply and demand isn’t lost on the remodeling industry. Sometimes if you want the best, you need to be prepared to pay a little bit more.

Contractors don’t use markups as a way to make an easy penny off homeowners. Instead a markup is where contractors are able to truly make a living from their work. So, when you’re looking at your quote, don’t assume you’re being cheated. Instead, take your time to look over your quote and decide if you’re truly looking at a fair price.

It seems in this country, we like our houses big.  The bigger the better.  Bigness seems almost inextricably linked to our very happiness. But what does the size of our places really mean to us?  How much of that size is complicating our lives rather than enhancing them? Is bigger really the answer we need? 

In response this question, I thought about the concept of ‘bigness’ and our attitudes towards it: what it means and weather or not we can feel trapped by the big things in our lives.

If you’re feeling like your life might be getting a little too big, there are a lot of ways to go bigger by getting smaller.  Smaller houses.  Take a look at some of the new mini-homes we found:

http://www.inhabitat.com/2006/01/20/prefab-fridays-the-clever-mini-home/

Small Makes a Comeback

The best part about mini homes is that creative design and innovations have made them just as comfortable, and in some cases even more luxurious than their much bigger counterparts.

Photo Credit: Clever Homes

The added bonus? Imagine living without the clutter, the hassle, the ‘bigness!’ Part of me can’t help but think how incredibly liberating that would be.  Maybe we need to get away from big and rediscover simple, small, happy. 

What do you really need to be happy?  Sure we all have basic, universal needs, but what do you personally need to be happy?  When was the last time you thought about it?  I know it’s been a while so I sat down and made a list to help me:

• Family
• Friends
• Food
• Shelter
• Water
• Coffee
• A new pair of Asics every 4-6 months and a trail for running
• Free time
• Tunes
• Books
• My bicycle
• A comfy bed
• A laptop with internet access
• Paper and pencils
• My cell phone
• Meaningful work
• Balance
• To go camping every once in a while
• Train tickets to Seattle every couple months
• Frozen yogurt
• A sustainable schedule

My first thought was that this list could be longer, but I’m not sure that it can.  Maybe it’s not what’s on the list that we need to think about, but what’s not.

Welcome to the inaugural blog posting for ReliableRemodeler.com - we’re excited to be here and even more excited that you’re here reading!

This new space has been a long time in the works, and with great anticipation we’re excited to venture into blogging about what we love: home remodeling.

ReliableRemodeler.com has been in the business since 2001 matching homeowners to the right contractor: over 450,000 so far! Our company has always been dedicated to providing homeowners like you an easy way to access the right contractor for all kinds of home improvement projects.

Each time you visit this site our dedicated team of bloggers will have new posts on project ideas, homeowner issues, and anything else we think might interest you. We can’t wait to share our favorite remodeling trends with you, and if we can inspire you, and provide you with some remodeling ideas to get you started, that’s fantastic too!

Though we’re new to blogging, we’re excited to see where it takes us, so write on and of course, BLOG ON!

Bookmark us! Check back soon for posts on kitchen remodeling, solar panels, and the best remodeling projects for new homeowners.