Remodeling
As the White House continues to try and boost the economy several plans have been presented as part of the ongoing stimulus and one of them has been coined "Cash for Caulkers".
On the surface it seemed that the "Cash for Clunkers" program was a huge success and yes it did capture America's imagination like no other government program has in years and produced a surge in new car sales while getting some pollution spewing cars and trucks off the road. But at what cost? There are some reports that the "Cash for Clunkers" program only resulted in a limited amount of new car sales and each one of those sales was subsidized by the government.
Regardless of what you think of that program the latest attempt to infuse the economy is another homegrown program. The "Cash for Caulkers" is an ingenious way to kill two birds with one stone. Provide jobs for the thousands of out of work contractors and construction workers as well as help homeowners save money and energy in their homes.
We've got mixed feelings on renovating bathrooms before resale. On one hand a sharp looking countertop, tile and fixtures can certainly give a wow impression especially if the taste level and decor sensibilities are the same for the buyer but many buyers just want to know that there is a bathroom and where it's located as they plan on renovating it themselves and don't see added value no matter what type of remodel you do.
Trolling through HomeSavvi's Community boards we found a conversation that covers a deeper issue, bathtub resale value. There are so many spectacular looking showerheads and fixtures but a good percentage of homeowners still really value a bathtub, especially those with kids.
According to some reports the housing market is beginning to rebound with some areas reporting an increase in prices. But with inventory still at record levels the recovery isn't near.
"House prices have risen in recent months after a long plunge, according to the National Association of Realtors and the S&P Case-Shiller national index. Fewer Americans owe more than their property is worth, according to a report this week from Zillow.com.
But a full-fledged housing recovery will remain elusive until the market can absorb all the houses and apartments that were built during the housing boom. And on that front, progress has been slow.
About one in seven housing units was vacant in the third quarter, according to the Census Department. This year has registered the highest reading since the government began collecting such data in 1965." - via CNNMONEY
More Home Building News:
Builders Downsize the Dream Home - WSJ
Bidding Wars Resume - NYTimes
Replacing your homes windows is no small undertaking, either in time or money. The two major players in replacement windows are Pella and Andersen Windows. Both types of brands of windows are widely available so where do you start when comparing the differences between the two window giants?
Calfinder has put together a great side-by-side comparison between Pella and Andersen Windows. They breakdown selection, features, materials, eco-friendliness and cost.
This helpful graph is easy to read and a great reference.
Pulling carpet yourself can save a few bucks and here are 7 tips to make the process go smoothly.
1. Pulling up carpet is a labor-intensive activity, so while you can do it by yourself, it's a lot easier, and a lot less heavy, if you bring in at least one other person to help out.
2. Watch for exposed nails, wear thick-soled shoes and tread carefully. Underneath the carpet, there could be old flooring, or there could just be a collection of junk, dust mites, bugs and other creepy crawly dirt covered items, so you may also want to wear a mask to prevent inhalation of dust. For the same reason, people who have asthma or breathing problems should leave the area to prevent complications.
3. Start in a corner. Using pliers, begin to lift the carpet in a corner; this will start the removal in two directions.
We've long been a fan of tool libraries but unfortunately they are lacking in many cities and most of the tool libraries we've seen are in dire need of updating. Neighborgoods is taking the idea of sharing tools to the next level by combining the idea with a social network. Their tagline "Need a ladder? Borrow it from your neighbor. Have a bike collecting dust in your closet? Rent it out for some extra cash!"
Sounds simple enough. We did an initial search and within 10 miles we found a ladder, cordless drill, wet/dry vac, orbital sander and hand-held jigsaw. These tools aren't typical for most people to have in their toolbox but are indispensable when you need them.
They have launched in beta in Los Angeles, so if you can't find what you need using our DIY City Guide for Los Angeles, then maybe you should sign up with Neighborgoods. Who knows, maybe the tool you've been looking for is right next door.
[via Inhabitat]
The demand for fixer-uppers in NYC has never been that high but as inventory has grown and the competitive prices for move-in ready apartments continues to swell, more city dwellers are considering renovating old dwellings.
If the buyer is in a comfortable living situation and doesn't mind waiting to renovate or moving in at a later date then they are in the ideal situation to take on a fixer-upper. Often times these buyers want an apartment done their way and even if they bought a place that was finished they'd invest money in tearing out a countertop and putting in what they like so they figure why not do it once the right way.
I love my finish nailer. Well, I don't really love it, but I like it, I enjoy it, I find it useful for creating the world's most perfect crown molding corner (a future blog post, for sure).
But do I bring out the pancake compressor and finish nailer to drive a single finish nail into my son's train table? Do I go through 5-10 minutes of set-up when just grabbing a finish hammer and a nail set would do the job in 2 minutes? Of course I don't. And neither would you. Why? Because even though I find my finish nailer very handy for certain jobs, it is not meant to be used every time a finish nail is encountered.
The same can be said for a professional designer, or a myriad of professionals for that matter. They are very useful and necessary, but not in every situation.
So how do you decide if you need a design professional? It really comes down to your skill and the risk level you are willing to take. The following scenarios usually require a design professional, which is a general term I use to encompass architects and engineers. Upon reading this post you will have a better idea of when you should, and possibly should not, use a the services of a design professional.
Scenario 1: Structure Will be Affected
Any time your work will affect a load-bearing wall, column, or floor, you will likely need to consult an architect or engineer. It's simply not worth the risk to save money on this element of the project. Perhaps if your affect to the structure is minimal, you can have a designer address just that issue and you can take the rest on separately.
Expect to spend a minimum of $450 for a designer to analyze your project and draw details for the building department.
Why not take advantage of the available square footage in your basement and not just leave it as a storage room. By finishing out a basement or at least insulating it, you'll be able to enjoy more of your home as well as save energy.
One Project Closer went through the process of selecting basement insulation and they considered all of the major options including fiberglass, wet cellulose and spray foam.
They chose closed cell spray foam:
While closed cell spray foam is slightly more expensive than other methods, it offers high R-value with the best mold resistance. Given that we've invested thousands of dollars in radiant floor heating, we believe that the higher cost is justified and would recommend this method.
When building or remodeling a home the interior doors are often an afterthought but they shouldn't be. Cheap doors on a quality built home suck! But investing a limited budget into solid wood doors isn't always the smart choice.
We've followed this debate on Home Construction Improvement regarding hollow-core vs. solid wood interior doors and while there are some basic advantages and disadvantages to both.
Solid Wood Doors
+ Solid wood doors are great for sound dampening, insulating properties, damage resistance and value to potential buyers.
- Solid doors certainly have benefits but they also cost approximately 50% more, they are heavy and more prone to shrinkage and expansion due to temperature and moisture changes.
