30 January 2007
Building a Deck
It used to be that when people were remodeling or decorating, they made every attempt to bring the outdoors inside. Large windows, natural woods and stone, Earth-tone colors throughout. But more and more, people want to take their indoors outside. Expanding their living space is the order of the day for American homeowners.There are a number of ways to create an outdoor living space, but the most popular by far has been the addition of a wood deck on the back or the side of a home. Having a deck is like adding a completely new living area to your home - you can build a basic deck or create an elaborate outdoor kitchen and dining area.
Plan, Plan, Plan - this is the key to any deck building project. Here are some helpful tips to make sure you get the right deck for your home and to make sure it lasts a long time.
- Location, Location, Location - where your home is located is important. The amount of sun, wind, rain, snow, and humidity in your area will affect the design of the deck, the materials you use, and the accessories you put around it
- Traffic Signals - how much use will the deck receive? Are kids and large pets involved? Is the deck the only route to the backyard? Plan to be able to handle the right amount of traffic on your deck
- Material Issue - the type of treated wood or composite materials is a major decision. It needs to be a material that you're happy with aesthetically and that will withstand your weather and moisture patterns
- Visualize It - draw out some sample designs of what you'd like your deck to look like. Go outside and spray paint lines on the grass of where you'd like your deck to be. Get a visual of what it will look like so that you won't be surprised that it's "too big" or "too small" while they're building. Change orders (meaning that you want to change the size or design during production) will cost you more money. Will your pool, shed, garage, air conditioner, or other items in your yard affect your plans?
- Accessorize It - plan on what you want to be a part of your deck - a hot tub, a fire pit, bench seating, storage under the benches, a bar, a kitchen counter (with plumbing?), a built-in picnic or dining table, etc. Will you want to add awnings or overhead beams for sun protection?
- Size Matters - consider the over size of your deck. Will is be able to grow with your family or needs? Will it be too big and overtake your yard? Also, a large deck will mean a larger budget. If you visualize it first, you'll be able to see if you have enough room to walk around once your furniture is in place
- Budget - consider what you're willing to spend to add a deck. Add ten to twenty percent to that for surprises and contact your deck building company
If you're ready to add a new deck to your backyard, don't wait until Spring or Summer -- start planning now to get it ready for the season. If you need to find a deck builder in your area, post your project with ConstructionDeal.com. It's a free way to find multiple contractors who will contact you - that save you time. Multiple bids will save you money.RELATED POSTS:
Home Additions - Renovate, Don't Relocate!
Composite vs. Wood Decks
Outdoor Kitchen Designs
Labels: Deck Addition, Deck Building, Decks and Patios
26 January 2007
Top 6 Tips in Landscaping Design
Remodeling your home also includes more than just a new master bath or a second floor home addition. Remodeling your landscaping is just an integral part of your home, and your home's value, as the bricks and mortar.Here are some tips to make sure you do the right thing for your home exterior, your curb appeal, and your property value.
- Off Season Color - Sure, your plants and flowers bloom in the Spring and last through the Summer. But keep in mind that there are a host of plants available that can add color and vibrancy to your home in the Fall and Winter months, as well. Talk to your local nursery or a landscape designer about making sure you have plenty of green, and other colors, throughout the entire year!
- Protect Your Hills - if your landscaping terrain has a lot of hills and slopes, make sure you plant strong, deep-rooted plants, trees, or bushes that will help protect the hill (and your home!) from soil erosion and land or mudslides.
- Uphill Battles - speaking of hills, don't try to make your landscaping work outside of your region. You may love palm trees, but they don't do so well in New England. Some goes for a home in a harsh, warm, dry climate and trying to keep your Kentucky bluegrass as a healthy lawn.
- Don't Plan to Fail - when you fail to plan. A landscape needs a design. You can't just go to a nursery and buy a handful of plants and then just plant them wherever you think they look nice. You need to have a plan:
- Create zones around your house where you'll have landscaping
- Determine the types of plants you'll want in those areas
- Consider height, color, and seasonality of all the plants to make sure they'll work together in each zone
- Create a mockup, in your yard, of where everything will go with cardboard stand-ins and spray-painted lines around your zones so that you'll be able to visualize what it will look like when complete
- Outside the Box - you don't have to have grass in your yard, you can have rocks. You don't have to have hedges, you can have exotic plants. You don't need to have rose bushes, you can have a fountain. Mix it up and put your own personality into your landscaping. Be prepared that some elements might not work, but the trial and error could give you a truly unique look for your home.
- Water It - don't forget irrigation design for your landscaping. You might think that you'll remember to run the hose and sprinkler out every other morning, but chance are you won't. Consider adding a timed sprinkler system in with your overall design to make sure your plants and grass get the water, at levels they need to flourish.
RELATED POSTS:
Curb Appeal - Improving Your Homes Look
Fiberglass Exterior Doors
Landscape Design
Labels: Curb Appeal, Landscape Architects, Landscape Design
17 January 2007
Remodeling the Garage
For most of last, the surprising remodeling trend involved the least likely room in the house. It was the garage. And it was just an organization of the usual garage clutter. Storage was definitely involved, but many were turning their garage into a room so neat and clean... you would consider living there.
While you may not be interested in turning your garage into a museum for your priceless car collection, there is a wide variety of garage remodeling projects to consider to get more out of the space.
The first step is usually garage organization. The garage is normally a big storage space. People are hiring garage remodeling companies to help manage the clutter. Garage designers have a wide list of products that help manage, store, and organize all the items in the garage. Items and racks can be installed in ceilings and on walls to get things up off the floor. Gorgeous cabinets, with locking wheels, can be added to store tools and hardware.
The next step is usually to finish the garage. Not all garages have drywall on the walls and ceilings. Adding insulation, light fixtures, and electrical outlets is key to making the garage a livable work area. Extending heating and cooling ducts or adding portable HVAC equipment is also an option.
After the room has been finished, the floor is also high on the list. Gone are the days of the boring, old, gray concrete floor. Epoxy floors, stained concrete, decorative overlays are being added. A few are choosing interlocking mats that go from wall-to-wall or in certain areas to help alleviate the discomfort of walking and working on the hard floor. For those who are really brave, they're even adding a thin, durable, stain-resistant carpeting for extra comfort.
Finally, the garage makeover usually includes toys and accessories. Homeowners might consider installing a car lift rack - it allows the car to be lifted up for storage while another car is driven in and parked underneath. For some, just having a garage door opener is a huge step up. Some don't even want their cars back in their garage; they're using their entire room for a workshop. They're installing drills, work benches, lathes, and a host of other tools to make their ultimate workshop and getaway.
If the garage that came with your home is a one or two car garage, or there simply isn't enough room, you could consider extending or adding on to your current structure. A garage addition contractor could inspect the building and the surrounding area to see if it's a possibility for you.
To locate several garage remodeling companies in your area, post your request on Construction Deal. The site has a whole network of remodeling companies and you can find someone for free. Even if you don't go with us, you should make sure you receive as many bids as possible on the project - that way you'll make sure you won't spend too much! Good luck!
RELATED ARTICLES:
Home Additions: Renovate, Don't Relocate!
Remodeling Trends: Is Now the Time to Remodel?
Construction and Remodeling Tips
While you may not be interested in turning your garage into a museum for your priceless car collection, there is a wide variety of garage remodeling projects to consider to get more out of the space.
The first step is usually garage organization. The garage is normally a big storage space. People are hiring garage remodeling companies to help manage the clutter. Garage designers have a wide list of products that help manage, store, and organize all the items in the garage. Items and racks can be installed in ceilings and on walls to get things up off the floor. Gorgeous cabinets, with locking wheels, can be added to store tools and hardware.
The next step is usually to finish the garage. Not all garages have drywall on the walls and ceilings. Adding insulation, light fixtures, and electrical outlets is key to making the garage a livable work area. Extending heating and cooling ducts or adding portable HVAC equipment is also an option.
After the room has been finished, the floor is also high on the list. Gone are the days of the boring, old, gray concrete floor. Epoxy floors, stained concrete, decorative overlays are being added. A few are choosing interlocking mats that go from wall-to-wall or in certain areas to help alleviate the discomfort of walking and working on the hard floor. For those who are really brave, they're even adding a thin, durable, stain-resistant carpeting for extra comfort.
Finally, the garage makeover usually includes toys and accessories. Homeowners might consider installing a car lift rack - it allows the car to be lifted up for storage while another car is driven in and parked underneath. For some, just having a garage door opener is a huge step up. Some don't even want their cars back in their garage; they're using their entire room for a workshop. They're installing drills, work benches, lathes, and a host of other tools to make their ultimate workshop and getaway.
If the garage that came with your home is a one or two car garage, or there simply isn't enough room, you could consider extending or adding on to your current structure. A garage addition contractor could inspect the building and the surrounding area to see if it's a possibility for you.
To locate several garage remodeling companies in your area, post your request on Construction Deal. The site has a whole network of remodeling companies and you can find someone for free. Even if you don't go with us, you should make sure you receive as many bids as possible on the project - that way you'll make sure you won't spend too much! Good luck!
RELATED ARTICLES:
Home Additions: Renovate, Don't Relocate!
Remodeling Trends: Is Now the Time to Remodel?
Construction and Remodeling Tips
Labels: Garage Remodeling, Home Improvement, Improving Home Value
10 January 2007
Get 4 Quotes from Garage Addition Builders
Many people want to add an extra bedroom or finish their basement to create the ultimate Man Cave. But what most people without enough storage will admit they need - if they don't have one - is a garage.A lot of homes in America were built without an attached garage or a detached garage. Those without would love to park their cars out of the weather. Or have a garage workshop. Even having room for more storage would be great.
And a new garage would add tremendous value to their home.
Are you looking to add a garage? We can help.
At ConstructionDeal.com, we can match you to qualified garage addition contractors. At no cost. Absolutely free, with no obligation. All you do is submit a garage addition project and you'll get 4 estimates from garage addition companies in your area.
It's that easy. It's a fast and free way to find garage addition services. Add value to your home and improve your quality of life with a new garage.
Our contractors can build a detached garage or attach a garage on your home where you have the room.
Also, if you need to find a garage door installer or garage door repair pro, we can help, too! We have a network of local garage door companies that can install a new door, repair the door, install a garage door opener or even repair your old garage door opener. And you can find those services at absolutely no cost.
Are you ready?
Labels: Garage Addition, Garage Builder, Garage Builders
Remodeling Trends: the Home Office
Mark Nash, author of the book "1,001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home," interviewed hundreds of real estate professionals about upcoming trends in home remodeling. In this Washington Post article, Nash states that many of the results were surprising. In discussing 'The Hot and the Not', he found that many agents said that adding a Home Office was a big trend for 2007.
Today, technological advances and flexible schedules have made it easier for people to work from home. Many want more productivity by spending less time commuting or to access work-related projects at any hour of the day or night. It means having all the right tools - computer, high speed Internet capability, storage, and office furniture - to get the job done as if the person were in their regular office.
The article even suggests that some families are choosing to add two home offices - one for each household adult - to make sure there is enough room for both wage earners.
Adding a home office can not only be a great tool for you, it can be an attractive selling point when it comes time to move on.
"'More people want a home office today than anything else I've seen this year,' one agent said. 'They want to work from home.'"
The author found that many real estate professionals are suggesting that homeowners who want to sell their homes should turn their smallest bedroom into a home office for their open house. Homeowners are smart enough to know that the home office can be turned back into a bedroom but it might be a good idea to install computers, put in a desk or two, and give them a picture of how it could look as an office.
Whether you're looking to sell your house, or you have need of such a space, what will do you need to create the perfect Home Office?
Today, technological advances and flexible schedules have made it easier for people to work from home. Many want more productivity by spending less time commuting or to access work-related projects at any hour of the day or night. It means having all the right tools - computer, high speed Internet capability, storage, and office furniture - to get the job done as if the person were in their regular office.
The article even suggests that some families are choosing to add two home offices - one for each household adult - to make sure there is enough room for both wage earners.
Adding a home office can not only be a great tool for you, it can be an attractive selling point when it comes time to move on.
"'More people want a home office today than anything else I've seen this year,' one agent said. 'They want to work from home.'"
The author found that many real estate professionals are suggesting that homeowners who want to sell their homes should turn their smallest bedroom into a home office for their open house. Homeowners are smart enough to know that the home office can be turned back into a bedroom but it might be a good idea to install computers, put in a desk or two, and give them a picture of how it could look as an office.
Whether you're looking to sell your house, or you have need of such a space, what will do you need to create the perfect Home Office?
- A Desk or Workstation - high end office furniture that fits well with the size of the room and has a decent comfort factor
- High Speed Cable, Fiber Optics, or perhaps even a T1 line installed - instant connectivity is a valuable selling tool
- Storage Room - people love to have plenty of storage in nearly every room and the home office is no exception. Storage room means being able to organize files but also books and manuals
- Good Lighting - a single, harsh, overhead light is not going to cut it in a home office. Install quality task lighting for the desk or work station and accent lights around the room (either recessed lighting or lamps)
- Office Accessories - adding printers, shredders, phones and phone lines, copiers, computers, and even a small stereo system can complete the home office. Artwork is a final consideration, if you have room for it - it might be better to use any available space for a dry erase board
Labels: Home Improvement, Home Office, Home Renovation, Improving Home Value, Remodeling
02 January 2007
Remodeling a Small Bathroom
While many new homes have these massive master baths with spa tubs, double sinks, and the latest in modern showers, most of us have to deal with the fact the bathroom is a fairly small room.When knocking out walls is not an option for your bathroom remodeling project, there are a number of things you can do to add new life to a small bath.
Pedestal Sinks - if storage space isn't a huge issue, consider switching to a small pedestal sink. The lack of a large cabinet under the sink can really open up a smaller room.
Keep Plumbing in Place - if you're remodeling your small bathroom, there's probably not much room to move a toilet or tub to another spot anyway. But if you can keep from moving any of your plumbing fixtures, you'll really save money on the remodeling. It's very expensive to relocate these items, so you should be able to save money over the larger bath remodeling projects.
Smokin' Mirrors - adding a large mirror, or even two mirrors on opposite walls, can make the small bath space feel larger.
A Wall Hung Toilet - to really make space in a small area, you can install a wall-hung toilet. It does require some plumbing relocation, but if you're really trying to save space and open the room, it's a great option. And, because the pipes go into the wall and not down onto the floor, it makes it much easier to clean the bathroom floor.
Enclosed Showers - very few take baths anymore and it might be the perfect upgrade to remove the tub/shower and replace it with an enclosed glass shower. The glass on the doors will also help open up a small space.
Add Luxuries - because the room is small, it doesn't mean you have to go without. You can still add state-of-the-art technology for additional comfort. Massaging shower heads, towel warmers, radiant heat flooring, and natural stone counters and shower walls are all great options. It would even be possible to add an LCD TV into the wall or a stereo system with in-wall speakers.
Skylights - consider adding a skylight to bring in a ton of natural light and really pop the small room wide open.
There are a lot of other small tips that can help bring your small, outdated bathroom to life. Go with lighter colors or wallpaper to make the room feel bigger. Avoid excessive window treatments that will cut back on light. And make sure to keep the small bath clutter-free. Too many small things sitting around or hanging on the wall will close the room in on you. Finally, if you can't expand the bathroom out, consider expanding it up - by raising the ceiling, you can really make the small space seem much bigger.
If you need to find a bathroom remodeling expert to help with your remodeling project, consider using us. At Construction Deal, you can post your project request for free, choose how many remodeling companies will call you, and then sit back and wait for them to bid on the project. It's fast, free, and easy. And you'll certainly save lots of time and money.
Labels: Bathroom Remodeling, Home Improvement, Home Renovation, Remodeling
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