As we head into the holiday season, many people are evaluating what they spend and when. If you’re weighing which remodeling projects to move forward on, look at those that will provide the most payback to you.

While resale is one thing, you’re comfort and enjoyment are another. Look for projects that will make your house warmer – such as replacement windows or insulation – or add style to a few areas.

Kitchen Remodeling Tips 

If your kitchen is dated, but you’re not ready to take the plunge on a full scale kitchen remodeling, consider new wall tile, a sink and faucet or new flooring. read more »

So you just moved into your new home, but the floors just aren’t your style. Hopefully you incorporated that into your budget and now have a quite a few options available to you when it comes to new flooring. These days you can make your home’s floors look absolutely beautiful at costs almost anyone can afford.

The first thing you want to do is figure out exactly what types of floors you want in each room. You’re going to want to think about factors such as foot traffic, easiness to clean, available colors, comfort and cost. read more »

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:

• Accessible- Lay plastic on top of the dirt and place bricks or something heavy around the perimeters to keep it in place. It does not have to be air tight.
• Inaccessible (a previous owner could have built a wall around the entrance) – Assume the worst and be extra-certain that the vapor barrier was laid. Avoid wide planks all together.

Many homeowners buy a house with the intention of making additions or updating it soon after they are moved in. Are you thinking your house needs some renovations, but aren’t sure what? Take a look at some of the choices homeowners today are making when it comes to their homes:

• White interior walls. Many painters find that homeowners are selecting white paint for the interior of their homes.

• Earth tones outdoors. For the exteriors of their homes, homeowners are choosing brown, gray, and other earth tones.

• Large additional rooms. Homeowners are requesting sunrooms, exercise rooms, screened porches, and larger, more detailed bathrooms.

• Tile floors. The most popular type of flooring is tile, though there is a growing, gradual selection of natural materials that can be recycled for floors.

For you forward-thinking homeowners, some hot new features already present in a few homes are starting to slowly become more popular and affordable. Dare to dream when it comes to what you would like to see in your home. Here are some features you may be seeing more and more of in the future: read more »