If you’ve always wanted a deck, spring is the perfect time to start the planning. This gives you a few months to hire a contractor and select the design before summer.

Remodeling Around the Location

The location is important, as you’ll want a deck that blends into your landscaping. Try to work around any mature plantings for a more natural look. By curving the deck around a large maple tree or group of lilacs, you add interest, fragrance and protection from the sun. Try this site for deck configuration ideas.

Planning a Deck in Tight Quarters

Space planning is important, particularly if you have a small yard. It helps to:

• Use vertical space. A multi-tier deck adds interest and bring balance to the visual weight of your back wall.
• Check with your building department about any zoning or remodeling issues, such as side or rear yard setbacks.
• Think about the best location for privacy. Is one neighbor farther away than another?

Hiring the Deck Contractor

There are many companies that specialize in decks, but don’t just grab the first one. Look at their previous work and think about their:

• Creativity–Can they work around existing shrubs and walkways or do they want to rip out the old and put in the new?
• Responsiveness–How quickly do they return calls? That will give you clues as to how they’ll be to work with when remodeling
• Willingness to explain– Even though you’re not building the deck yourself, it helps to know some details. Ask how they anchor posts and what size boards they use for support. One good place for research is Handyman Wire.

The final touch is to decide how you’ll decorate your deck. Outdoor rooms are all the rage right now and it’s easy to use furniture, rugs and throw pillows to create an impact. Here’s more from HGTV.com.

Do you ever sit in your backyard and wish you had a nice deck to entertain on?  Or perhaps you see your neighbor’s sun room and think about how nice it would be to relax in your own while having breakfast or reading a good book.  Most homeowners think about this but never go through with actually having a local contractor help them and design a great new outdoor living space.

We’ve put together a few good reasons why you should go ahead and build that great new sun room, deck or screened porch.

A Great Living Space

    Most of us love relaxing by the biggest window in our home.  A sun room allows you to do this year round and enjoy mother nature in all her states.  While a deck isn’t as protected you still get to decorate it with potted plants and flowers, tables, chairs, swings, outdoor kitchens and everything else you want to make it the perfect outdoor living space.

Easy to Maintain

    Decks and sun rooms are generally fairly low maintenance.  Once they are waterproofed and/or properly stained they will look beautiful for years.  Even if you start to see a build up of dirt or pollen a quick sweeping will return your deck to it’s original luster.

Design-ability

    Because you’ll be adding a completely new living space to your home, you have the ability to completely customize everything.  Decide on a perfect size, features and appearance of your new deck or sun room.  This ensured you are completely satisfied with your outdoor entertaining space,

Entertainment

    You’re sure to impress guests at your home with your entire outdoor experience.  Use customized lighting to accent and highlight your deck and bring life to the party.  Guests can relax on your comfortable chase lounges and dining set while enjoying a cocktail or grilling on the BBQ.

Finding a Contractor Can be Simple

    For most homeowners finding the right deck installation specialists can almost be the hardest part.  Luckily you can use online contractor referral services like All Around the Home to find pre-screened deck and sun room experts to help you with the entire design and build process.  It’s simple and easy and ensures that the entire process will be stress free.

So if you had any doubt about getting a deck, screened porch or sun room for your home now’s the time to do it.  Let your family enjoy the outdoors with you on an amazing new entertainment, relaxation and living space!

One of the most sought after home improvement projects in any home is the sunroom addition. With all of the benefits this type of project has to offer, there is little reason to wonder why you should commit finances and energy. Sunroom additions enhance every season and increase the value of your home. 

While some enterprising souls have successfully added on a sunroom by themselves, most people are better off hiring a qualified contractor to do the job for them. It’s simply too much work and involves too many specialty skills to be completed without the help of a professional. Homeowners find it much easier to continue their daily lives by hiring a qualified contractor to complete their sunroom addition for them.

Sunroom Additions

The most obvious benefit of a sunroom addition is the additional space it adds to your home. However, how you decide to use this space is entirely up to you. Some homeowners stick with read more »

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 »

Newark, NJ (PRWEB) June 5, 2007–All Around the Home, an online home improvement contractor directory, has expanded nationally, and now includes the state of New Jersey. New Jersey residents can now find contractors specializing in hvac, bathroom & kitchen remodeling, doors, windows, sunrooms, decks and more.

With more and more Americans going online every day, it’s no wonder the web has become the best way to find contractors for any home improvement job.

All Around the Home (http://www.allaroundthehome.com) is one website that offers homeowners a chance to receive estimates from contractors in their area. Visitors are able to peruse the site starting with either their region, or the job they are looking for. For example, New Jersey homeowners can find contractors at

read more »