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Some of our recent surveys determined that a common difficulty homeowners have is selecting a contractor for remodels or additions. In fact, most people rely on recommendations from others – a valid way to check if the contractor was reliable enough to get the job done and whether it looks good. The majority ofalot of contractorswork comes from past customers or referrals. To assist you in selecting a contractor, I recommend that you read my "Code of a Contractor", shortend version listed below. This Code represents my philosophy resulting from over 20 years of experience in the field o...
Definition: A very rough Estimate (usually showing the rough cost) made with some knowledge and confidence that the estimate is within a reasonable range of exactness or "somewhere in the ball park." This is usually within a 25% range and can go either up or down on the final estimate. In the initial meeting with the homeowner or prospected home buyer I try and understand the main objectives, customer vision of what the end product will look like, desires and their budget. In this way I can oft times give the client a rough idea of the cost on the spot. I always follow up with a fully writte...
Have a crowded home?You might not be the only one.Some recent informationfrom the U. S. Census Bureau findsa number of homeownersare making room in their home for parents and other relatives.Between the years2000 to 2007, the number of parents who moved in with their adult children grew 67 percent to some 3.6 million.To make itmore interesting, the number of parentsless than age 65 in these homes upped by 75 percent and those over 65went up by62 percent.What withthe current Recessionand higher housing costs, combining households has becomemore of asmart way to managing and cutting down on ever...
The addition of a hard outdoor surface such as a deck, will increase your living space considerably. Additionally it will vastly increase your garden‘s usefulness. Spending time outdoors during the summer season is almost a given in Southern California. A transition area between house and garden can become a part of both and can greatly extend the season when you can enjoy your garden after the hard work of gardening is done. The first thought that often pops up regarding a deck is of sitting out sunning yourself, gin & tonic in hand, while assuring yourself that you are master o...
The kitchen is often the most used place in your home and, thus, should get the most attention than other portions of your house. In looking over some recent studies, I found that more homeowners and buyers look to the kitchen as a focal point on buying and selling a home. It is something that will add quick value to your home and get you the best for your buck, so to speak. With summer coming upon us, it makes sense to remodel your kitchen to be ready for those outdoor dinners and other entertainment activities you have planned. Simple things such as resurfacing cabinets or a new paint job ca...
Two hot, trendy areas of your home that get the most attention these days are the kitchen and the bathroom. I will cover the kitchen areas in my next blog, here we’ll focus on the bathroom (or bathrooms, as the case might be) and how these fit in with your home. Some of the more modern trends lately are such things as natural stone surfaces, multi-head showers (for this you’ll need proper water pressure), tiled showers and higher vanities. Also radiant heat in the floor is quite popular as are larger windows. Always make sure you have proper ventilation and your windows are t...
People tend to get into going into the fix and flip business because they have done something and figure "how hard can it be, I’ll just learn how to do whatever it is I need to do. . ." The question to truly ask yourself is this - "Is this the best use of my time, or should I hire someone who can get it done correctly and faster… then I can spend my time with my family and/or getting other projects started." If you have some skill and the project is just a "face lift" type of project, that does not include anything complex such as Plumbing or Electrical work, you can save a lot o...
OUR MISSION STATEMENT AT NEW CASTLE REMODELING IS TO: 1. LISTEN TO EACH CUSTOMER'S WISHES AND BUDGET. 2. PROVIDE AN ECONOMICAL AND STANDARD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, ON TIME AND ON BUDGET. 3. THE RESULT OF "A THRILLED CUSTOMER". With our Mission Statement in mind, figure on how to keep your job on time and on budget. It is important to first name what you want exactly, be exact to avoid variables. This will give you a bench mark to start from. Depending on what you are going to be doing, pick a designer, architect and contractor you feel you can work with easily and whom you trust. Now, you have...
When it comes time to replace the roof, many homeowners know very little about the materials used, or what to ask for when getting an estimate. One way to better your own knowledge in this area is to become familiar with certain common roofing terms so that you and your contractor understand each other. Here are some of the more basic roofing terms that are good to familiarize yourself with before repairing or having a new roof put on your home - Underlayment or felt – A sheet of asphalt-saturated material (often called tar paper by laymen) used for moisture and additional protectio...
I not only do remodels, I do additions and can build you a new house from the ground up. I also don’t limit it to just castles but can do… abodes, accommodations, bungalows, cabins, chateaux, citadels, cribs, dwellings, establishments, flats, habitats, homes, houses, huts, lodgings, manors, mansions, nests, pads, palaces, quarters, residences, resorts, roosts, shelters, strongholds, towers and of course villas. I have been in construction for 30 years… Since I was 19 years old I have been doing construction and I have been a licensed General Contractor since 1995. I st...
Due to a bit of a slow in the construction area recently you can get the best dollar value from a project now. Here are some of the reasons… …New Castle Remodeling, Inc. is offering discounted prices… Over the last year we have been passing on the savings of this series of events, because of the slow, we can get projects done for less, because we can get discounts on most materials and labor. We are currently offering up to 5 percent off the cost of a project. This could be a savings of up to $5,000 on a $100,000 project. …We have a big choice of available quality...
An addition to any home is a gift that lasts for many years. A well-thought out and planned addition enhances any home, adds to the equity and gives you needed space, comfort and livability. Some of the many reasons for adding living space to your home are: 1) A growing family needs an additional bedroom or bathroom. 2) You’re staring a business and need a home office. 3) Surprise your spouse with a new kitchen. 4) Or go and add a new gym or recreation room (some people are even adding basketball courts and in-door shooting ranges!) In planning out your new addition project, keep in m...