Unlike some of the messier home remodeling projects out there, kitchen cabinets come with few surprises. Any contractor or sub-contractor should be able to give you the estimate for installing a cabinet over the phone. But they won’t. It’s not their fault, really. Because homeowners often misrepresent the project, saying that it’s a simple,...
Estimating the cost of wood flooring is important due to the high costs of both the flooring and shipping/handling. Lots of flooring suppliers tack on a “restocking fee” (up to 20%) that makes it difficult to return unopened (or opened) boxes of flooring. So, take a careful estimate of your house’s space so that...
Flooring companies don’t want you to know this, but it is possible to save money on wood flooring–without taking any extreme measures, either. Remnants, opened boxes, factory seconds, and so-called flawed materials can actually give you an amazingly good product. You stand a greater chance of being able to use these kinds of materials...
Saving on remodeling costs means following a few simple guidelines. Build Up or In, Rather Than Out Additions involve costly foundation work. If your existing house will take a second story, this is cheaper than building outward (and taking up more of your yard). Also, look for ways to build within the existing house....
Ask these initial questions before signing anything with the home improvement contractor or general contractor: 1. Are you licensed or registered in my state? At the very least, the contractors should be licensed/registered in states where this is required. Also, the contractor should have a clear record. 2. Do you “sub out” or do...
Unless you’re as rich as a billionaire, you’ll be less than excited about paying those 18%-25% contractor commissions. Here are a few suggestions about ways to lower your contractor costs by doing some of the work yourself: otherwise known as sweat equity. 1. Tell; Don’t Ask Permission The contractor doesn’t want you to do...
Use this quick guide for measuring your house for fiber-cement siding (i.e., Hardieplank, etc.). To Measure Siding You Will Need: Buy or borrow a 50-foot or greater tape measure and a “wide” 25-foot tape measure such as the Stanley FatMax Painter’s telescoping aluminum pole (optional) Calculator Pencil and paper Step 1: Measure Area of...
