Construction Deal Update

Labels: Home Improvement, Home Repair, Saving Money

• The Homes Location: a remodeling job in one city, state or region of the country can cost more or less than in another part of the country. A roofing job in Charlotte is usually considerably less than a roofing job in San Francisco. Costs of materials and labor can be much higher in larger cities.
• The Cost of Supplies: lumber, concrete, steel, and other materials can change from one quarter or year to the next. And prices of supplies can vary by region as it may cost more to ship to one state or the other.
• The Projects Quality Level: for the sake of simplicity, there are usually 3 levels of quality (basic, mid-range, and upscale) which affect your projects price. Laminate flooring, pre-made cabinets, and tile countertops will usually cost less than hardwood floors, customized cabinets, and granite counters.

Labels: Cost Estimator, Home Improvement, Kitchen Remodeling

Labels: Snow Plowing, Snow Removal

Tired of your hardwood floors? The natural stone flooring a bit too cold and hard on your feet? And, you're thinking of bringing a nice, warm, stain-resistant carpet back in to your bedroom and living room?

You're not alone. However, I want to help make sure your carpet replacement experience goes well. There are some scams in the carpeting industry to be aware of and they've been around about as long as carpeting has. But many may not be aware of them - which is why Construction Deal is here to help!

No matter which carpet company or home improvement store you visit, and no matter how big of a company you go with, there are many unscrupulous practices being used on unsuspecting homeowners. In fact, the biggest problem with many large corporations is that they have stockholders expecting excellent returns on investment every quarter - there is a lot of pressure to perform and produce profits.

The most popular scam is a form of bait-and-switch. You are usually shown three different styles of carpet in the same color and style. But one is thin, with cheaper materials, and less stain resistance, for example. The second one is a bit thicker, a better quality fiber, and good stain-fighting abilities. The third sample you're shown is ultra-thick and perfect for repelling stains! You love it. You go with it!

But... the store writes your contract for the second carpet sample AND charges you the higher price of the third sample. Or they write you up for the correct carpeting but don't send it to you - instead they ship the cheaper one to your house. The great thing about this is that 1) you might not notice or 2) if you do notice, they can chalk it all up to being just an "accident." Simple human error...

What can you do? Get a sample of the carpet you purchase and take it home with you. On the day your carpeting is to be installed -- be there and inspect the carpet yourself. If you're not sure it's the same, ask to keep a sample of what they cut off from the installed carpeting. Take it to a 3rd party, perhaps another carpet company or carpet repair shop, and ask them to compare the two styles to make sure they match.

It's a great way to protect yourself from any potential "mistake" or outright scam. Carpeting can add warmth, color, and sound insulation to any room in your house. You demand the best and you should get what you paid for.

When you're looking for a quality carpet company, you should make sure you get multiple bids. Simply going to a major home improvement store and ordering their carpet limits your options. You can only buy the carpeting they carry and only use their installers. By having multiple companies bid on the carpeting project, you can choose from a variety of styles, fibers, and colors. And installers. This can help ensure you get the carpet you want, at the price you want, and installed how you want it to be installed. Construction Deal can help you by letting you post your carpeting request for free - you'll get as many bids as you want (you get to choose!)

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Advantages of Hardwood
Decorative Concrete Flooring

technorati tags: carpeting, carpet installers, carpet installation, carpeting scams, flooring scams,flooring installers, hardwood floors, hardwood flooring, flooring options, carpeting installation,carpeting installers, scams in carpeting business, carpeting companies, carpet companies,independent carpeters, carpeters

Labels: Carpeting, Flooring Options, Floors

• "Consider reglazing a tub instead of replacing it, especially if it is still in relatively good condition. This can save you more than half the cost of a tub replacement-and minimize the dust at the same time!
  


• Cultured marble sheets are a good choice for tub surrounds, instead of ceramic tile. You will save considerably on labor costs and the marble sheets are much easier to clean.
  


• Fiberglass surrounds are also less costly than tile.
  


• Examine how you are utilizing space. You may be able to steal some space from a neighboring room or closet. If your overall space is limited, purchase a jetted tub and shower combination or install a pedestal lavatory instead of a vanity cabinet with a sink. Understand that, while pedestal lavatories do eliminate the need for vanities and save space, some models may cost more than a separate vanity cabinet and sink. Look at all your options before making a decision.
  


• Cultured marble lavatories can be a great budget choice since it is an integrated sink bowl and countertop sold in one easily installed unit.
  


• Define what is truly needed in the bathroom. Sometimes an extra bath is planned when installing a double sink in an existing bath would meet the need.
  


• If you are going to add a large jetted tub to your project, consider adding a water heater dedicated to that tub. A large jetted tub can hold up to an average of 75 gallons or more, which can easily overextend your existing water heater and cause problems in the future.
  


• When revamping yesterday's bathroom to fit with today's homeowners' expectations for luxury, homeowners can familiarize themselves with the latest options in home spa advancements. One such indulgence is an electric warming system beneath your new stone or tile floor."

Labels: Bath Renovation, Bathroom Remodeling, Home Improvement, Improving Home Value

• Cracks in slabs, walls or footings;
• Crumbling mortar or concrete;
• Unstable or weak soils;
• Uneven settlement;
• Warped or bowed foundation walls;
• Adfreezing (frozen soil sticking to the foundation and lifting it) or frost heaving;
• Low ceiling height;
• Inadequate support of the main floor system;
• Soil gas or radon infiltration;
• Odors or generally poor indoor air quality (IAQ);
• High humidity;
• Pest infestation"

• Is there any porous, powdery or crumbling concrete or mortar?
• Are there honeycombs (voids) in the concrete?
• Is the surface layer of concrete breaking off (spalling)?
  

• Patch small areas of crumbled, honeycombed or broken concrete with a cement-based material. Consult a structural engineer for widespread problems.
  

• Small areas of crumbled, honeycombed or broken concrete will allow moisture and soil gas to enter. Deterioration may continue, affecting the structural strength of the foundation.
• Large, damaged areas may be unsafe if they don’t adequately support the existing house or proposed renovations."

Labels: Building Foundations, Home Improvement, Home Maintenance, Home Repair

Labels: Design Ideas, Home Improvement, Kitchen Remodeling

But there were some developments we never saw coming.

Upscale garages: Who knew that those smelly, greasy spaces overstuffed with junk and empty boxes would morph into showplaces for Home Improvement types?

'Today's owners want them decked out with cabinet and storage systems, matching refrigerators, air conditioning and residential looking flooring," says Nash.

Garage remodeling starts at around $7,500 and goes up, sometimes steeply, from there depending on size and just how nice you want it.

Caving: People want more personal space - for both mom and pop. Apparently, married people often like time alone. Who knew?

So, an amenity of choice these days is 'personal, dedicated space for one person in a household to go and work on projects or simply chill,' says Nash.

Rejuvenation rooms: No, This is not simply to work out in. These are one-stop sites for exercising, meditating, yoga, sauna and fancy steam showers.

'This is kind of a new age, serenity room where you do these quiet exercise things and then jump in the spa,' says Nash.

First you get your head together, then your body and then you steam off the sweat you expended doing it."

The article also lists Outdoor Kitchens, but we told you about those a while back. There's also a trend called a "Snoring Room" but I doubt something like that will be sweeping the nation anytime soon.

Spiral staircases, which were once the rage, are now death to the home seller. Aging boomers don't care to climb them and they're tough on pets and small children. Nash advises sellers to remove and replace them before putting a home on the market.

Bamboo floors are also out. The early reviews are in and owners have found them to be easily scratched and prone to warping.

Hardwood laminate flooring is also a no-go. 'They don't stand up to multiple sandings to change color or remove stains,' says Nash."

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Labels: Remodeling Trends, Trends

Concrete countertops are the fastest growing countertop option on the market today. Of course, if you've never seen a concrete counter in someone's kitchen, you might be in for a surprise. A counter made of concrete is not a dull, gray slab like you'd see out in the driveway. It actually looks a lot more like a stone surface, like granite or marble. It's a beautiful and durable counter material that can save you a lot of money.

Concrete can be custom made, poured and set directly in your kitchen, or it can be manufactured and delivered for installation. A custom job can can some time for the product to cure and set up before it can be worked on again, so plan for additonal time.

While the concrete is a very durable hard surface, there can be cracking or chipping to the surface. But most of those dangers come during the installation process. The concrete counter can be pre-cut to fit your kitchen or you can order slabs and have them cut onsite - they ususally come up to 10 feet long. Your counter installer can fill in the seams between slabs with a clear silicone caulking.

Concrete counters usually cost about $85 to $100 per square foot. This can be a substantial savings over a granite countertop, which usually runs from about $100 to $200 a square foot. You'll get the look and feel of the natural stone at a fraction of the price.

Depending on the finish sealer you have installed on your concrete countertop, you surface can be very stain, heat, and scratch resistant. These counters are considered to be very low maintenance and are easy to clean. Although, it may require regular sealing, perhaps once a year, to keep up the surface durability. Consult your countertop professional for more details.

To find a countertop installer in your area, post your project with Construction Deal. We'll help you locate a quality professional to help you update your kitchen and give you a unique and stylish look that will be the talk of your neighborhood! It's a fast, free, and easy process to let our network contact you (saving you time) and give you multiple bids on the job (which will save you money!)

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Kitchen Countertop Options
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technorati tags: concrete countertops, concrete counters, install concrete counters, kitchen remodeling, kitchen renovation, countertop companies, countertop installers, countertop installation, new kitchen counters, concrete kitchen, concrete companies

Labels: Concrete Countertops, Countertops