ConstructionDeal.com Update

One of my favorite shows is House Hunters on HGTV (Home & Garden Television.)

Yeah, I know -- it's sometimes very staged, with homeowners being shown homes that aren't on the market. But I like it. Most of the homes are in my neck of the woods, my friend is a show editor, and I worked with Suzanne on a film project a few years ago (she's a very funny stand-up comedian, by the way.)

The one thing about the show that always disturbs me is when a prospective homeowner is viewing a house. They'll walk into a loudly bright fuchsia room or one with pitiful wallpaper from the 1960's -- and they'll declare that they don't like the room. Or the whole house. I guess it was odd to discover that some people don't see the potential of a house when they're walking through it. Like everything must stay exactly the way they bought it... so it has to be "perfect" before they'll move in.

I could see if a master suite was too small. Or if the property had no garage or any room for a garage. Room additions and moving walls ain't easy. But replacing a countertop on a dated 70's bathroom-from-hell is not that hard.

Do you have problems "visualizing" the potential of a house? Does it have to be "move-in ready" or you wouldn't buy?

When considering a home purchase, it's understandable to want to move into a house that you don't have to do much to. But many want to change even a brand new house that they designed. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a perfect house.

Look for good "bones" in a home that you're viewing. Bones mean the overall basic structure. Does it have enough rooms? Are the rooms big enough? Is there a basement? An attic? You can always move into a house and make changes down the road. But adding a basement to a finished house might not be a good project to take on.

Better to find one that already has the spaces you want.

If you get a chance, bookmark the ConstructionDeal.com website. We can help you find a home improvement contractor at no cost. So... when you do want to make some of those changes, you'll save time and money when you look for a local contractor.

Labels: Home Improvement Shows, TV Shows

How can all those TV show contractors on HGTV and the other cable networks, who all claim to be experts, find time to actually get out there to build anything?

I found a great new site that claims it is the "Antidote to Home Improvement Television." It's the Remodeling Repartee blog and they ask the same question and many more. Check it out.

I love how there are numerous versions of previous blog posts titled "Why I Hate Home Improvement Television." Fun stuff written by two women who are out there doing it.

The shows can provide motivation to undertake a project but the necessity of keeping most episodes to under thirty minutes can give a bad impression. It makes it seem easy. And that gets many homeowners into trouble. A few shows will at least last for several episodes to give people an idea that it's not always something you can do in a day.

What projects have you taken on that you needed professional help to finish?

Well, if you ever get in a bind after watching Home & Garden Television, let us know. We can match you with a local general contractor or a handyman service to "come to the rescue." It's a fast and easy way to find service professionals - at no cost.

Labels: Home Improvement, Home Improvement Shows, TV Shows