Reliable Remodeler Blog » Remodeling

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.

Federal tax credits for New Year improvements

woodrow — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:34:33 +0000

Now that 2011 has passed, many of the Federal tax credits offered by the government for new windows, insulation, doors, and other products for home energy efficiency remodeling have also drawn to an end. Even with these incentives gone, you should still consider evaluating energy efficient materials before making a purchase, or choose other green [...]

Federal tax credits for New Year improvements is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Remodeling with bamboo flooring

woodrow — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:45:54 +0000

I love the look and feel of bamboo flooring. Color tones that resemble caramelized sugar add amazing warmth to a room. Bamboo flooring is known to be durable and kind to your feet. Maintenance, as you’ll see, is relatively simple and straight-forward. If you’re committed to green building and remodeling, you can shop for manufacturers that [...]

Remodeling with bamboo flooring 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.

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.

The Home Affordable Refinance Program and Remodeling

woodrow — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:11:19 +0000

The federal government has enacted changes to The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) that may assist about one million troubled homeowners to qualify for refinancing. The jury is out whether sparing so many homeowners from losing their homes to foreclosure will positively impact the economy, but for our purposes, I wonder whether the elimination of [...]

The Home Affordable Refinance Program and Remodeling 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.

Garage door upgrades offer the best ROI in remodeling

woodrow — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:25:26 +0000

Nationwide, there is only one home improvement project that shows increased returns on your investment during the downturn of the economy: steel garage door replacements. All the projects cited in Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report, 2010-2011, showed declines in ROI. But swapping out your existing 16×7-foot garage door for a new, steel 4-section garage [...]

Garage door upgrades offer the best ROI in remodeling is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Re-organize your bathroom on the cheap

woodrow — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 23:50:14 +0000

Everyone you bump into these days needs bath remodeling but simultaneously tells you they haven’t a cent to spend. Think small and think cheap. You don’t have to knock out a bathroom wall to make more room for your family. One of the best ways to open up space or eliminate clutter is to build [...]

Re-organize your bathroom on the cheap is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Plan ahead: Remodeling spending may dive further

woodrow — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:03:52 +0000

Homeowner spending on remodeling and home improvement projects is expected to take a major dive going into 2012, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The plunge is daunting, given the small bubble of increase during the spring of this year. At the same time, a consumer slowdown on ordering projects [...]

Plan ahead: Remodeling spending may dive further is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Tool review: The Saw Stop airbag for fingers

woodrow — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 22:11:19 +0000

When remodeling, you shouldn’t have to change the structure of your hand. Perhaps by now you’ve seen the video of a whirring cabinet saw stopping just before it slices through a hot dog. I’m not kidding. Makers of the Saw Stop line of hobbyist, woodworking and industrial grade saws use a frankfurter as the crash [...]

Tool review: The Saw Stop airbag for fingers is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Getting real about right-sized home improvements

woodrow — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:06:52 +0000

As the housing market continues to limp along, and as people downsize home improvement plans to simple tinkering, it’s wise to think in terms of not letting things go to pot around the property. Even when home construction began to dive five years ago, home remodeling kept going – and even briefly picked up steam as [...]

Getting real about right-sized home improvements is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Hard news on remodeling ROI

woodrow — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:29:10 +0000

The good news last year was that several home remodeling projects still delivered solid returns in home valuation for the investment. It’s less so right now, according to Remodeling Magazine in its annual Cost vs Value Report. For 2010-2011, the magazine shows a downward trend on increased valuation when you hold last year’s improvements against [...]

Hard news on remodeling ROI is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Slate tile for your kitchen

woodrow — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:37:03 +0000

The natural stone of slate tiles for your kitchen floors, backsplashes or countertops, has retained its popularity with homeowners for its durability and warm appearance. Slate flooring is naturally resistant to slipping and DIYers appreciate the look and feel of the product. When used with a dedicated slate sealant, the tiling is easy to maintain [...]

Slate tile for your kitchen 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.