Washington, DC, January 31, 2008 — Home Direct LLC is making itself more reachable to customers by joining All Around the Home, a profile website for some of the most trusted contractors across the U.S. Focusing on window and door installation and replacement, Home Direct serves Maryland homeowners in Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard, and Frederick counties.
When having kitchen cabinets installed know that Home Depot and Lowe’s do have quality cabinets. Although there are higher quality products available, they may not be worth the money unless you have a high end property ($500,000 or more). If you do, they are almost a must. If you having a lesser-expensive property and are concerned about controlling cost, than your local home improvement store may not be a bad option.
It is easy to find a decent cabinet to fit your kitchen. The kitchen designers at Home Depot and Lowe’s are (fairly) knowledgeable and can help you.
Washington, DC, January 23, 2008 — With snow in the forecast and temperatures below freezing it’s tough for most of us to think about home improvement in the spring, but some smart Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC residents are, since setting up appointments now can assure you receive the exact dates you’re looking for.
When having hardwood flooring installed, be sure that your installer uses a vapor barrier- long black paper that comes in a roll and looks like tar paper. It must be rolled out on top of the sub-floor before the floorboards are installed. This will prevent moisture from rising through the floor and causing the hardwood to cup (warp or bow). Also, be mindful that wide planks (boards three inches or wider) are more likely to cup.
Vapor Barrier is particularly important for floors above basements or crawl spaces with dirt floors.
If the crawl space is:
Baltimore, MD, January 21, 2008 — All Around the Home, a leading home improvement contractor referral service, and Fix the Home, a website where homeowners can get tips on the work involved with various home improvement projects have announced their list of four points for homeowners to consider when remodeling their basements.
The American family is requiring more and more space to spread out. Basements fill this need and add value at the same time. If you’re lucky enough to have one, you are ahead of the game in terms of resale value.
But, what if it’s unfinished or you want to remodel it? Following are four things to consider when taking on a basement remodeling project to get the most value for your money.
Basement Remodeling: The Proper Use of the Space
One of the very first things you want to consider is what kind of basement remodeling project it’s going to be. Are you putting in a home gym, a media room, an in-law suite, a game room, etc.?
To properly answer this question, it’s important to figure out your family dynamic, eg:
Do you often have stay-over visitors who have to sleep on the pull-out couch (in-law suite); or
Do you work out a lot and wish you could give up the commute and the membership fees to your gym (home gym); or
Are you starting a new business and need a home office separate from the rest of the house (media room/office). read more »
When having tile flooring installed you must have a very strong sub-floor on which to lay them. Without 1 ¼” of plywood sub-floor, the tiles will eventually crack. If you are the unlucky type, this may happen once you are out of your contractor’s labor warranty (1 year in most states).
Your contractor should inspect the floor to determine if it is strong and not spongy:
Also, blocks (pieces of wood running perpendicular to help stabilize the joists) may need to be added because they were not always used in old construction. If the joists prove to be strong, then the sub-floor was weak. Adding a new 3/4″ sub-floor on top of the joists, then an additional 1/2″ plywood sub-floor on top of that may help. Be sure that your contractor does not line up the ‘seems’ of the two layers, lest the floor may be weak.
Be wary of:
Note: When using marble or exotic stone ask your contractor if he is familiar with ‘floating the stone.’ Exotic stones vary in thickness and he will have to sink the thicker tiles deeper into the thin set (glue). If he is not familiar with this, you should be concerned.
If you are considering remodeling your kitchen, one key decision you’ll have to make is what type of kitchen countertops to go with. The granite vs. laminate debate is oftentimes a cost/benefit debate.
Granite countertops can be expensive and many people cannot afford them when they initially renovate their home. It is very common to for a homeowner to save money by buying a stock laminate countertop with the intention of upgrading to granite at a later date. It is not as pretty as granite, but is serviceable in the interim.
Stock laminate countertops - The first challenge is finding a contractor who is willing to work with it. Many cannot accept that it will not look ‘perfect’ and will try to talk you out of it. In many cases they have a very valid point, but ultimately you as the homeowner must decide how you wish to you spend your money.
Some contractors will suggest a compromise - custom laminate. DO NOT use custom laminate countertops. Why not? Because they cost approximately 60 - 70% of what granite would. That is too expensive for something you plan to replace in a few years. Either go with the granite now, or save your money and spend it elsewhere.
Granite countertops - First off, its okay to use an inexpensive stone. Uba tuba is a very popular, commonly found stone. At around $60 per square foot, installed, it is a competitive price. But remember that when it comes to stone or granite counters, you will be charged for the waste (mitered corners, sink cut out, etc.)
Three important things to remember when choosing a contractor are: