ASID Winner: Singular Residential Space

Marrokal has another ASID winner with John Mills Davies with his design for a Singular Residential Space.
Read the full article here.

Once an unsalvageable 1906 shack that had only front and side yards, the latest design creation of John Mills Davies of Marrokal Design & Remodeling is now a modernist bungalow equipped with a multi-use patio, casual outdoor theatre, and eco-friendly features. The cast-in-place concrete slabs take space efficiency to a new level as they serve as a versatile patio, dog run, and triple-deep off-street parking. In the summer, the side yard is used to project images on the east façade of the house, creating a carefree and relaxed environment for movie watching.

ASID Winner: Specialty Design — Green

John Mills Davies recently won the ASID for Specialty Design. An excerpt from the award comments is below, but read the full report here.

Bamboo flooring, Caesar Stone and Terrazzo were brought in for solid surfaces, and all of the home’s cabinetry was custom designed and built using FSC-certified or eco-wood products. Dual pane energy efficient windows, tankless water heaters and no-VOC paint selections complete the home’s green infrastructure. Strategically placed central skylights provide the residence with stunning natural lighting while simultaneously acting as thermal chimneys to either warm or cool the home. The landscaping was designed to provide drought resistant and energy efficient outdoor living, keeping in theme with the home’s environmentally conscious roots.

Bathroom Remodeling Trends

The days of depending on a luxury resort or hotel for pampering are being replaced. Homeowners are trading this occasional extravagance for permanent innovations in their very own homes. Currently, creating sanctuaries are the new bathroom remodeling trends. Consumers can now enjoy opulence in the privacy of their own homes.

There is no question that kitchens and baths sell homes. Consumers place significant value on large open kitchens and bathrooms with modern conveniences and high-end fixtures. Currently, however, a new trend in bathrooms has been occurring which focuses on the latest and greatest technology in bathroom conveniences.

Previously marketed multiple-head showers have now evolved into elaborate multi-functioning appliances. One of the hottest trends is the steam shower which offers reclining seats, remote controlled massage, electronic temperature and steam generator, and surround sound. This trend is especially important in remodeling because it immediately updates an older bathroom, and additionally provides the homeowner with the convenience of a spa along with the privacy of home.

For added pizazz, there is another new innovation known as the tanning shower. This product allows the consumer to incorporate a tanning unit into an existing or new shower. The unit comes complete with lamps, reflectors, and a double UV filter for optimum tanning. Also included is a high-intensity infrared light marketed to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, aiding in skincare.

Bathroom Remodeling and Rock?

Bathroom remodeling provides an opportunity to go for an entirely new look. For some, bathroom remodeling is a time for an unusual look - something unique.

Bathroom remodeling with rock and other natural materials can give you that unique look. It can give you the feeling of being in a natural retreat, far from the busy city life.

Achieving the Look

Begin your bathroom remodeling project by designing, or finding a design of the finished product. How do you want the bathroom to look when you are done?

For example, suppose you want a relaxing, peaceful hideout. What elements will achieve that look? What tasks will your bathroom remodeling project include?

1. Walls: Picture grasscloth wallpaper in green and tan tones. Grasscloth wallpaper is made of natural grasses, and green shades are not bright. The woven wallpaper has a horizontal line, and will set the mood for your project of bathroom remodeling with rock and natural materials.

2. Floor: A floor of slate or marble, real or imitation will fit your theme and be easy to clean. Use natural hemp or grass mats.

3. Sink: Purchase a rock sink. These sinks are hewn from river rocks, and hollowed with a polished cavity. They have a standard drain hole. Deep or shallow: choose a rock sink to enhance your bathroom remodeling.

4. Vanity: Continue your bathroom remodeling with rock and natural materials by choosing a bamboo vanity on which to set your rock sink. These vanities come in various sizes, and will carry the outdoor theme well. Hang a bamboo mirror / cabinet above the vanity.

5. Faucets: Bamboo shaped faucets will complement your sink well. The type that have an open top at the faucets end will look as though they came right from an oriental garden into your bathroom remodeling project.

6. Bathtub: Yes, you can get a "boulder bathtub" for your natural bathroom. You could probably find a standard bathtub with a marble-like finish, but an actual boulder would be natural. This calls for a large bathroom, and will look cramped in a small space. Add bamboo faucets to match those at the sink. Caution: Please make sure your floor will hold the weight before you order a boulder bathtub.

7. Toilet: You may not be able to go this far with your project of bathroom remodeling with rock, but you can camouflage the toilet to make it fit your theme. A dark green or black toilet would blend well.

Great Designs for Bathroom Remodels

Some of the great designs named in remodeling bathrooms that will give you an improved and better space are: the tub is the star, the cantilevered double sink, the bathroom wardrobe, and antique and traditional looks.

Remodeling your bathroom brings out the best of your bathroom space. This will benefit not just the resale value of your home but also the experience of the people using the space daily. Remodeling according to how you want your bathroom to look, will give you extra credit. Make use of the following bathroom designs to help keep your bathroom remodeling project moving:

The tub is the star

The "tub is the star" design focuses more on the surroundings of the bathroom space. The bathroom is used as a utensil for sight seeing. This type of design makes use of the double-ended tub. It is a type of bath tub that enables you to lie on both sides. You can have a warm bath laying against or facing the window. It is mostly used in houses with a contemporary architectural design.

The cantilevered double sink

A "cantilevered double sink" design provides you the advantage of bigger bathroom space. It makes use of a deep-basin shaped sink. The double sink is placed on a cantilevered bathroom counter. Having two sinks in the bathroom will provide you and your partner the time to brush your teeth or wash your face together. This will also save you time. A cantilevered double sink is generally used in a modern home.

A bathroom wardrobe

The position of the tub in this design is placed in the center of the room with one end of it positioned on the wall. The bath tub will cover the pipe on the wall. However, the person will be facing the wall when he or she uses the bath tub. Place a mirror on the wall adjacent to the bath tub to fix this problem. Wardrobe storage is one of the main components in a bathroom wardrobe as well. This will save space in the other part of the house. It will also allow you to directly change or store clothes after taking a bath.

Green Bathroom Remodeling

The green bathroom remodeling advantage that is most talked about is that it saves energy and water resources. It also takes advantage of recycled or refinished materials. Bathroom remodeling makes property attractive to homeowners, hotels or motels, apartments or any other person that has bathrooms that need to be updated. This is especially important in a sluggish economy where prospective property buyers are looking for properties that have energy and water efficient fixtures already installed.

Home improvement adds value to any property. And that is why realtors who know the advantages of remodeling are educating those they are helping in selling their properties that potential home or property buyers are looking for energy efficient fixtures and appliances. Realtors who understand and embrace the this knowledge are using it to sell four times more houses than their competitors.

Bathroom remodeling in combination with refinishing involves the consideration of many factors before the home renovation starts. Whether your motivation is environmental responsibility, or saving money, bathroom remodeling would make you feel satisfied. Your bathroom, is your place of solitude, health, hygiene and relaxation.

Many building materials vendors' are selling bathroom remodeling materials that are made of recycled materials like tile; vanities and flooring for example. Recycled fixtures like refinished sinks, and countertops save money and conserve natural resources. Antique claw foot tubs are becoming popular again. Newer tubs are not as good as the originals, therefore, many home owners prefer the old fashion traditional claw foot tubs.

Environmentally sound bathroom remodeling starts with a good consideration of water resources. How is water used? That means that much consideration should be given to how much water is used while flushing the toilet and also how much water your shower heads use. For instance switching from an old standard toilet to a much smaller, dual-flush toilet, alone can reduce your water consumption by 22 percent.

Bathroom Remodeling Checklist

Careful planning is the key to a successful bathroom-remodeling project. Before you begin any work in the bathroom, create a budget, a floor plan, a list of supplies, a timetable, and important legal considerations. Let's break it down by subject.

First, create a budget. Determine how much money you can comfortably spend, and save about 20 percent for emergencies. Get estimates for the work that needs professionals, and always include electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, and drywall installation costs in your budget.

Second, design a floor plan. Ask yourself, will you be working with the existing space or will you be adding on or knocking down walls? Check to make sure you will not disturb the electrical wiring, plumbing, or zoning regulations. Next, measure the amount of space you have and draw a floor plan. In drawing the plan, first put in all the items that are fixed. For example, if the toilet must be in one place because of plumbing, it is a fixed item. Experiment with how you like your floor plan, using different arrangements, with different types of cabinetry, shelves, or even walls. You might try pocket doors to save space, and corner sinks, floating sinks, or pedestal sinks to save even more space. L-shaped vanities and alcoves also save space. In addition, corner showers conserve space, and clear glass in showers creates the illusion of even more space. You may want to add windows or mirrors to let in light.

Third, make a list of the supplies you'll need and make sure they are available when you need them. Some typical supplies include sinks, flooring, wall tile, countertops, lighting, medicine cabinets, showers, bath tubs, cabinets and cabinet handles, toilets, extra storage, faucets, toilet paper holders, paint or wallpaper, chairs, accessories (like storage containers and/or artwork), as well as tools you have or can buy.

Transform a Pation into an Outdoor Living Room

Patios these days are becoming so much more than just a place to barbeque on the weekend... They're becoming more like outdoor living rooms. Now is the perfect time to convert your tired old concrete slab patio into a place where you can truly appreciate outdoor living at its finest.

Start by putting some effort into decorating and furnishing your patio using the latest décor and furniture. Gone are the days of cookie-cutter patio furniture. Patio furniture really has morphed to fit the needs of the consumer.

Now days, you'll find plenty of styles beyond the basic table and chairs. Available in many stores are bars and bar stools, low chairs with cushions that are designed to be placed around an outdoor coffee table. Benches, luxurious loungers, and pillows made of special fabric that is made specifically to hold up to outdoor weather are popular additions to many patios.

Add to the atmosphere of your patio by applying some of the same decorating ideas you'd use inside your home. For example, you can purchase outdoor curtains made from weather friendly materials to provide privacy and create the perfect mood. Make your new outdoor living room even cozier by using a nice outdoor rug that'll allow you to kick off your shoes and relax.

Lighting makes a great impact on the overall feel of your patio. Companies are now making outdoor lamps that can be plugged in to an outdoor outlet making guests wonder if they are in your living room or on your patio. It's hard to beat the ambiance of candle light, but if you don't want to mess with the hassle of candles blowing or burning out, then these outdoor lamps might be perfect for you.

Designs for Outdoor Living Rooms

1) Be realistic.

There are many possible options: pool areas, Zen gardens, outdoor lounge areas, playground areas, outdoor hot tubs, etc. It depends not only on your space and investment, also on the needs of inhabitants of your home. For instance, if you have a dog will be difficult to maintain a Zen garden. If there are small kids, you probably will think in them providing safety areas to play

2) Choose proximity.

Locate your outdoor living room area in direct connection with your living room. In that way, it will be an extension of it, you will improve the views from indoors, and it will have an easier flow of traffic between spaces. The same if you are installing a barbecue or a picnic area, it should be close to the kitchen. Pool areas should have access to a bathroom without crossing the entire house.

3) Define the dimensions.

Being in an outdoor living room doesn't mean it have to take the entire space of your backyard or terrace. As in any other space, define "walls" and "floors", and even "ceilings". The floor should be easy to clean and low maintenance, a good choice is colored concrete or stone tiles. A teak deck outstands for its elegance, durability and low maintenance.

For the "walls", consider lower vertical elements that may be more attractive/functional, as raised beds, container gardens, or hedges. If you don't want to wait for hedges to get tall enough to afford privacy, install lattice screens, instead. To satisfy your requirement for plants and provide further privacy, train vine plants to grow up the lattice.

The "ceiling" is very important to provide shade and shelter from rain. A vine-covered arbor may be more inspiring to gaze up at than a lawn umbrella, but the latter will keep you, and the books you may be reading, dry. If you'd like something more solid than an umbrella, consider installing a pergola and covering it with fiberglass.

Modern Outdoor Rooms

Have you ever seen pictures of outdoor living rooms in magazines? They have utilized outdoor space for additional recreation, eating, and living opportunities and added a beautiful amenity to the garden. The move outside can be used to its fullest in mild to moderate climates, but taken advantage of several seasons during the year everywhere else.  Paving materials should complement the house and existing landscaping styles. Bluestone or travertine pavers are an attractive choice for outdoor living spaces, as are concrete pavers.

An outdoor fireplace or fire pit offers function and a place around which family and friends can gather as the weather turns cooler. Fireplaces can be stand alone or be built in to the kitchen island. Fire pits are often a focal point within the living space. These can be wood-burning or run on gas. There are even some that incorporate a water feature into the fire pit!

Do you want your outdoor living room to be open-air or covered? That will depend on your region and climate, but options for either are nearly limitless. Pergolas offer a more open roof. Solid roof coverings can also be created.  Depending on the layout and size of your yard, an outdoor living room may contain water features such as fountains or ponds. Think about creating shade. If it is hot and uncomfortable, there is less likeliness that you will use the space.  Outdoor living spaces can can utilize kitchen islands, outdoor gas grills, and even such things as outdoor rugs. Weather resistant outdoor furniture should be used, but there are many comfortable choices available.

Why be satisfied with that cracked patio when you can create a truly unique and enjoyable outdoor living space in the same area?

Creating Your Outdoor Living Room

Once you have decided on where to site your new outdoor living room, and those with those tiny yards may not have a choice, you can work on how to create the "walls", "floor", and even a "ceiling". Your project has now become landscape design! You may need the advice of a garden designer at this point, or some great books on the subject to understand the materials that are used in building landscapes and how to use them to create enclosure, privacy and beauty.

Once you have supplied the "floor;" normally a wooden deck or a stone, brick or even concrete patio or terrace, and some "walls;" typically a formal hedge, loose hedgerow, wall, or fence, and maybe a "ceiling"; a sloping roof or retractable awning or parasol attached to the house, you can go crazy furnishing your new outdoor living room. Consider some sort of heating element such as a wood burning or gas fireplace, fire pit, chimney, or portable patio heater to enable to use your new "room" all year round.

Furnishings like benches and tabletops can be made out of say, cast concrete for a real permanent feel, or obtained from a myriad of sources. Manufacturers are offering many new choices for furniture and lighting designed specifically for the outdoors as well as much better selections than ever for tough but nice fabrics for outdoor furniture, cushions, pillows, rugs and shades. Almost anything you can dream up as a way of making your outdoor living room more comfortable is now available for purchase online and off.

Outdoor Licing Rooms Explained

Considering a garden as an outdoor room is nothing new to garden designers. The concept is just now making its way into the public consciousness. But just what are outdoor living rooms? Are they places where you try to recreate your indoor living room outdoors? No, not exactly. Are they places like your deck, patio or terrace where you just plop down a set of furniture and hope that you'll feel like spending time out there? No, that won't do either. An outdoor living room is a space outside of your house, built with materials suitable to the outdoors, where you will actually want to spend time! It's also a state of mind, the idea of living life outdoors.

Now for your frame of mind: stop separating the outside of your house from the inside of your house, try to think of your property as all one place. Look at your outdoor space, look at your yard and take inventory of what you have naturally in that space. What has mother nature already provided for you? Hopefully you have some kind of natural elements that can be the focal point of your new outdoor living room such as a large tree, a hedgerow, a nice slope, or a beautiful view. In urban locations, your yard could be a barren rectangle, with nothing in it but some dirt and weeds, but there may be other qualities you could start with, such as a lovely angle of morning sun, maybe a nice brick wall on one side creating a microclimate, or even an interesting urban view of some kind.

Spend some time out there and identify just what are feels the best to you. Bring a chair outside and just sit in it in different spots until you get a feeling of being in the right spot. Then you must ask yourself, can this spot be turned into an outdoor living room? How will you connect it to visually to your house? Are there interior elements of your home that you can repeat outside? How will you connect your new outdoor living room physically to your house? How will get there from inside your house? There must be an easy way to go from inside to outside and back inside.  Smooth transition between inside and out is how you start feeling like your outdoor living room is really just another room of your house; an extension of your home.

Getting the Right Design for Your Home

The right design is among the prime ingredients to achieving home improvement project success. A crucial product of the planning stage, failing to realize its importance would surely bring great frustrations and a waste of resources by the time the project takes shape.

Inject Your Personality into the Design

No matter the yearly trends when it comes to remodeling project designs, one thing has strongly influenced the trends throughout the recent decades and this is tending towards personalization of space. More and more homeowners are finding comfort in going home to a place that they can truly call theirs. The ambiance, the mood and the design in general can tell so much about the personality of the homeowner.

Complement

The right design makes your remodeling project complement the overall look and boost the appeal of your home. Though every room should have an interesting personality on its own that emanates with a sense of creativity and its true purpose, the homeowner still should be able to maintain that thread of harmony to make the home improvement finish feel like a part of the home.

Match Lifestyle

The right design will result to a home remodeling project finish that is ideal for the homeowner as well as the rest of the household. Childproofing measures should be implemented if there are small children in the house. Make the rooms and your entire home handicap-friendly for easy navigation if one of the family members has a disability. Finish the basement into a recreational area or home theatre for your young teens to enjoy with you and their group of friends.

Want to Add a Wine Cellar to Your Home?

If you're running out of space to store your wine, you may have considered building a wine cellar in your home. However, wine cellar design involves many steps and you'll have to work closely with your contractor and builder to find a solution that works best for your space. Here are a few things you'll want to think about.

The wine cellar should have the right temperature and environment to house the wines that are part of your collection. This means that the cellar will be considerably colder than the rest of your home, and should be built in a basement area. You will have to figure out your wine cellar design based on the amount of space you have to work with, so do your best to plan accordingly even before you meet with your contractor. Take a look at the wine racks that will fit into your space, you can do research online for more ideas and then draw up your plans accordingly.

Your wine cellar design will also need to include seating if you plan on having guests use the cellar for a wine tasting. The right flooring, as well as door plans should also be considered since want to make the space as inviting as possible. You will also have to include certain electrical features if people will be in the cellar for more than a few minutes at a time, so your electrician and plumber will have to come out and give you an estimate based on the size of the property and complexity of the job. You may also want to talk to your contractor about cooling units that you can purchase to keep your wine at the right temperature.

Getting the Highest ROI on Your Remodeling Porject

Many a homeowner spends thousands of dollars on a home remodel only to find out that in reality it has not changed the value to their house. Unless the remodeling project is designed to fix a structural problem or flaw it is often unlikely that the homeowner will make a profit aside from the pleasure in having the house enhanced to fit their liking.

1. Location
A common mistake among homeowners is to improve their house more than that of the neighborhood it is located in. While the more improved house might possibly receive more interest than others in the area marketed it is unlikely to command a premium well above the average selling price of homes in the neighborhood. A little known fact is that market price is held in check by the lowest-priced homes in your neighborhood and not the other way around.

2. Time
While you may not be planning on moving houses immediately after a home remodel, time does impact the ability of a remodel to increase a houses value. Structural or design improvements such as an addition or completed basement will add value for a longer period of time than updates to a kitchen or bathroom or even technological improvements such as a new furnace or air conditioning system.

3. Consider the cost - and the return of your investment
Did you know that there are several sources that can give you insight into the expected payback for home improvement projects? Realtor magazine publishes an annual "Cost vs. Value" report that compares the cost of common remodeling projects and shows the payback that homeowners can expect.

Let's Add a Sunroom or Outdoor Living Room

Sunrooms have become one of the most popular home additions, popping up in all sorts of homes. A sunroom can dramatically enhance the value of your home, while providing additional living space for you and your family. If you think adding a sunroom to your home is out of your price range, you might want to think again.

Though popular among nature lovers and gardeners, sunrooms are increasingly becoming in demand for those of us who love the beauty of the outdoors without the nuisance of insects and inclement weather. Many people add sunrooms to their homes to house spas or hot tubs. Imagine relaxing in your spa in the evening after a rough day at work. To top it all off, if designed and built properly a sunroom can be used all year round, even in the nastiest of weather conditions.

A perfect sunroom addition allows you to experience all of the enjoyment of the sun and benefits of being outdoors, without any of the drawbacks. An important thing to remember when dreaming up your new sunroom is design! Windows are an obvious important design element and should be considered carefully. Window glass should be of high quality for insulation purposes, as the point is to enjoy the outdoors year-round, and through the worst of weather scenarios.

You will want to research insulation and tints for your windows to help alleviate summer heat, or the chill of cooler months. Your best bet when choosing your windows would be windows specifically made for sunrooms. They are made stronger and thicker than traditional glass and are available in both single and double paned. Sunroom windows should also reduce glare, as this will bring much enjoyment having the unrestricted view of the outside.

Surviving Your Home Remodel

The good news is that you're finally getting the house of your dreams. The bad news is that you need to live through months of remodeling to get there. Living in a house that's being remodeled is stressful, but if you're prepared, you can make it easier on the whole family.

Plan Ahead: Find out how long the home remodeling project will take. Consider how the work will disrupt your life and make contingencies for it. Also make plans in case something goes wrong. A power outage or plumbing emergency might necessitate decamping for a couple of days.

Establish Ground Rules: Talk to the contractor about what hours and which days of the week the crew will work. That will make it easier to plan your life around the renovation. Consider getting a portable toilet for the workers so yours will still be available. Tell them where they can park their trucks and establish how they will clean up the work site.

Set up a Living Area: Cover the entrances to the work area with plastic to avoid getting dust in the rest of the house; this will also establish a living area. If you're having a kitchen remodeling job, set up a temporary kitchen with a microwave and hot plate, and designate a sink for washing dishes. Stock up on bottled water and paper plates and cups. You'll need them if you lose the use of your plumbing at some point.

Store Your Belongings: Put away anything breakable and delicate. Even if your china cupboard isn't in the work area, the vibrations from the machinery can cause things to crack or fall. If you can't move some pieces of furniture, cover them with drop clothes so they won't get coated in dust.

A Sample Checklist Before Your Kitchen Remodel Begins

You are ready for a new kitchen and cannot wait for the remodelers to come in and start ripping out all those old cabinets and counter tops to replace them with something newer, more elegant and far more functional. Before they do arrive though take one last look at your kitchen design plans, as there are several factors that homeowners can often overlook, especially if they have done much of the planning work themselves.

Some points you should definitely consider in your review of your kitchen remodel include the following:-

• Is there going to be enough room to open all the drawers and cabinets in your new kitchen properly?
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• Is there going to be adequate counter top space between the sink, stove and refrigerator?
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• Is the microwave going in right place? If there are kids in the house is it low enough for them to use safely?
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• How well will your new kitchen flooring match with that in adjoining rooms?
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• Do you have enough lighting planned? Under cabinet lights are often overlooked but they are incredibly useful in most kitchens and really should not be forgotten.
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• Is the work flow between all the appliances going to be smooth? Transit between them all, including the dishwasher should be as easy and clutter free as possible.
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• Will you have enough storage space?
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• Are you really happy with the overall design plans?

If, after you have asked yourself all these questions, you are still happy with the planned design that is great, let the work commence.  However if you have any nagging doubts, even if the kitchen plans were drawn up by a kitchen remodeling expert, voice them now.  Changing something mid project can be an expensive headache and derail the project's timeline by days or even weeks. It is your kitchen, your money and ultimately it is up to you to make sure that the design is exactly what you wanted it to be.

Don't Settle for Cookie Cutters! Get Custom Home Design!

It seems like more and more developments these days are filled with look-alike homes. From identical facades to cookie-cutter floor plans, these homes are designed to suit the average family... But your family isn't average-you have particular needs, desires, and wants. So why settle for cookie cutter house plans when you can get a custom home design that suits your family's specific needs!

From architectural tastes to family size to your specific lifestyle, your family is unique. So why cram your five-person family into a three bedroom house or settle for a tiny galley kitchen when you love to cook. Custom home plans are your answer for getting the beautiful, functional house that's perfectly suited to your family. Your local home designers can integrate your personal needs into a standard house plan or create a one-of-a-kind home from scratch. They'll work with you to identify the features, flow, and format you need in a home and then create the plans for a beautiful house that incorporates all of these things. When you're going to the expense of building your own home, why settle for anything less than perfect. Get the home of your dreams with custom home design today.

Keep in mind that top-quality house plans can make a huge difference in the entire process of building your new home. Helping ensure the construction process stays on schedule and within budget, detailed, accurate blueprints and house design plans can help ensure you get the home of your dreams. On the other hand, incorrect or error-filled plans mean a chaotic, problem-filled build and a less-than-ideal house. That's why it's so important to ensure your house designers [http://par-homebuilders-nola.louisiana-biz.com/] are qualified, skilled experts. By choosing professional home designers, you can help guarantee you get the custom plans you need to take your visions of a new home from paper into reality.

Design That's In in 2011

Smaller Homes

For those families purchasing new homes, many are looking for more modestly sized properties than the McMansions of the past. Being more attracted to the space they need rather than the space their ego wants - is on today's agenda. It's all about being more value conscious and living authentically. Although some newly built homes may be shrinking in size - by only about 10-15% (reducing overall room sizes), the high-end materials and finishes are in no way compromised.

Greener, Healthier and Smarter Homes

The current scene is definitely green. Energy efficiency is fast becoming the hottest and most desirable remodel trend or "shift" in the home design and building industry.

Universal Design

Renovating your existing home and removing interior walls creates an open, spacious and more flexible floor plan. This immediately improves the layout and flow of the home and makes it more comfortable and versatile for families who love to entertain.

Work Spaces

The homeprenuer trend is not just growing - it's intensifying. With an unstable economy comes the opportunity for more people to work from home either part time or launch home-based businesses. Today's technology makes it easy to be as productive at home as in an office-based location.

Your New Fireplace Design & Remodel

Today, fireplaces are becoming more popular, most especially with the modern ideas and designs that circulate around. Although many people still prefer the conventional fireplace designs, there are also some who are opening up to new concepts and ideas.

Appearance. In any design, it is most important to identify the appearance. For fireplaces, appearance matter a lot. It is essential to plan the appearance of the fireplace before constructing it or remodeling it. For most designers, since the fireplace serves as the focal point of the house, it should appear consistent with the rest of the house.

Concept. The concept is also another important factor. Since fireplaces have revolutionized over the years, there are a number of new designs today. Deciding on the concept is actually just a choice between the traditional and the modern fireplace. Traditional fireplaces are those that literally burn wood fuel, and other similar types of fuels. Moreover, these fireplaces are usually made of brick and other refractory materials. Some of the most popular materials for these types are grates, French marble, English stone, cast iron, and bespoke marble. On the other hand, modern fireplaces include gas and electric.

Heat source. Choosing the heat source is equally important as well. Since there are already fireplaces that provide heat artificially, choosing is not a very difficult thing to do.

Remodeling a Ranch Style Home

The Ranch's exterior style is typically asymmetrical with a one-story rectangular or L-shape. The Ranch is long, narrow and low to the ground with a strong horizontal emphasis. It has strip or ribbon windows, a low but visible chimney, a very visible garage, a recessed entry door with flanking sidelight, and a low roof with projecting eaves. Hearkening back to its California indoor/outdoor roots, the Ranch often has partially enclosed courtyards and patios.

Inside you'll find an open, free-flowing floor plan. The Rambler interior typically includes wood paneling, a stone fireplace and hearth, built-in storage, and floor-to-ceiling views of the back yard for more of that indoor/outdoor living. Throughout the typical Rambler home you'll find connections of major living spaces to the outdoors. The beauty of the ranch lies in the simple details which are not ornamental but essential. When the Ranch was en vogue, applied decoration - like you would see on a Tudor, for instance - was considered old-fashioned. Rather, the details are only those required to finish the house, such as door trim, baseboards, crown molding, and cabinets.

If you have one of these American originals in need of home remodeling, we recommend capitalizing on its simple features and clean design. While the essential details are not ornamental, they do not need to be boring either. Today we have a variety of materials to choose from, like metals or woods, to add flare - not decoration - to your Rambler. We also recommend embracing the indoor/outdoor elements unique to this design. We live in an area famed for its amazing outdoors, and this home style allows you to connect to them every day.

Making Your Remodel Easier

If you have commissioned a home repair or home improvement project that is going to take several days, weeks, or even months to complete getting along with the tradesmen who come to your home every day is important, not only for everyone's personal comfort but for the sake of the success of the project as well. Having your tradesman walk out in the middle of a complete kitchen renovation? No fun.

Give the Tradesmen Room - If you went to work everyday and had your boss standing over your desk, all day, everyday, chances are it would get on your nerves more than just a little bit. The same is true for the tradesmen working in your home.

Too many homeowners fall into the habit of trailing tradesmen as they work, questioning everything they do, or offering "helpful" suggestions at every turn. The interest (and concern) is understandable up to a point. If something seems to be going very wrong by all means speak up. Otherwise, let them get on with their job.

Set House Rules - Most of us are rather picky about what goes on in our homes and have certain rules that we like obeyed. Unlike your kids though, the tradesmen coming to work in your home have no idea what those rules might be. If you want your main bathroom to be reserved for family use only, let them know that ahead of time. The same goes for any rooms you do not want disturbed.

Play Nice - While no one is saying that you have to treat your tradesmen like royalty, an occasional gesture of extra hospitality is nice. Make a cup of tea for your tradesmen in the afternoon, or lay out a plate of biscuits one morning at break time. Who wouldn't be appreciative of those kinds of small tokens of thanks? And if you take the time to join them you can all get to know each other better.

Small Bathroom Remodeling Ideas for Your Home

Small bathroom remodels are available all over the internet. Most designers jump at the chance to renovate a small bathroom because it offers a great opportunity to test their skills at utilizing space. Making a small room look bigger is a challenging prospect. But with the proper ideas and creativity, a small bathroom can turn into a giant space filled with opportunity.



The most important aspect of remodeling a small bathroom is storage and organization. Careful planning in this area can literally double the space of your bathroom, and add to its unique design in the process.



Nothing makes a bathroom look smaller than clutter. Such things as towels on the counter, a magazine rack next to the toilet, statues, and bulky pictures should be reserved for larger rooms in the home. This also includes the bathtub itself. Shampoo bottles and soaps should be kept off the showers edges and instead stored in an accessible place that's out of view.



One of the best solutions for storage is cabinets, especially recessed cabinets that are imbedded directly into the wall. This gives the bathroom extra space because it utilizes the area behind the bathroom itself. Cabinets and vanities that stick out are huge space wasters, so replacing those alone will do wonders for the perceived spacial elements of your bathroom.



Adding a small closet can also help. For example, if you can store your towels in the closet rather than hanging them on a towel rack it will make the bathroom seem more open and accessible.



This also applies to the actual amenities of your bathroom like the toilet and sink, whose sizes can vary widely depending on the home owners personal tastes. Selecting a smaller sink and toilet will do wonders for the width of a bathroom. When working in small spaces like this, little differences here and there can really add up. Remember this when selecting your amenities.



Mirrors can literally double the perceived space of a room, so a big mirror is absolutely essential for a small bathroom. This is the only case where bigger is better, so look for a mirror whose size borders on being excessive to the space allotted to it.

Say "No" to The 3 Bid Theory

If you needed heart surgery would you ever consider asking 3 surgeons to submit bids and then select the lowest one? The rhetorical answer is of course not. However many home owners think nothing of shelling out thousands of dollars and opening up their home to a remodeler they selected solely on his price.

Granted a remodeling project is not a life threatening operation, but it could have a definite effect on the families well being and financial health for years to come. Many factors other than price need to be considered before you can find the best contractor for a specific project.

A common tactic is to solicit three remodelers for bids. The homeowner will throw out the high and low bids and select the middle bid, confident he has minimized the risk by dropping the 2 extremes. Price drives the selection.

No job interview begins by negotiating salary and a home remodeling project should not be any different. Before you get to compensation you should make sure you have a qualified applicant. One of the first things you do is to check references. It is important that you talk to people who have hired this remodeler to do jobs similar to yours. A beautifully remodeled kitchen or bath sheds little light on his ability to build a second floor addition to your home. You'll want to ask the references if they had any problems with quality, payment schedule, employees or completion time.

The most telltale question you can ask is "Would you hire this remodeler again?" Some people will be hesitant to make negative comments, but the enthusiasm in which they answer this question is bound to tell you all you need to know about this remodeler.

After you have talked with the references, take a look at their work. Check out the quality of the craftsmanship and materials, overall aesthetics, creativity and how the project blends in with the rest of the house.

Also verify the remodelers licensing if required in your city/state and insurance. If you hire a remodeler who does not carry workers compensation insurance and one of his employees gets injured on the job, you could be liable for medical bills and lost wages.

Has Your Home Lost Its Way

When you have been living in a house for a long time you may find that you become a little bit tired of your surroundings. This could be just because you have been there a long time or it may be that you have been through a lot in your life and the walls just remind you of bad times you want to forget or good times that are in your past that you need to move on from. Whatever the reason, and if you have the money, why not just remodel your home?

Decorate

The simplest way of doing this is probably to decorate. You could start by repainting all the walls different colours and getting all your woodwork to match. Maybe you could replace some or all of your furniture with more modern alternatives or maybe swapping some rooms around might work. By this I mean turning a living room into a bedroom or vice versa or maybe putting your kitchen in your dining room to give yourself a lot more space.

Revamp

You could take the decorating to whole other level by knocking walls through to make two or maybe three small rooms into one massive room. This works well with kitchens as they are traditionally quite small in the and often attached to dining rooms that seldom get used.

Extend

A more dramatic way of making over your house is to build house extensions. This could come in the shape of a sun room or you might want to stretch the whole side of your house, top and bottom floors, all the way out to the end of your property line. This is a more expensive option but it will give you house a whole new feel that will make it seem like a new house. Sun Rooms are particularly good for this as they let in a great deal of light that can make any home feel bigger and brighter.

The Right Flooring for Your Bathroom

While many homeowners believe that flooring is more for aesthetics than anything else, your flooring services multiple purposes in the bathroom. When you're getting ready to do bathroom remodeling you need to put careful consideration in the type of flooring that you'll install. Very specific factors come in to play with the bathroom, from water retention and absorbency, stain resistance, safety when wet, overall durability, cost, how it fits with the design. Here's a look into the different flooring options to consider while you prep for bathroom remodeling in your home.

Carpeting: While it might not seem like the best idea in an environment that is perpetually exposed to moisture, carpet is actually a great option for the bathroom - you just have to make the right purchase decision and do your homework on the carpet you want. You need to install carpet that is stain-resistant as well as milder-resistance.

Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile for bathroom flooring is designed a little differently than the ceramic tile you would use on a countertop or backsplash. While those surfaces are smooth, ceramic flooring tiles are made with a textured surface to prevent slipping. It's a favored option for floors because of the custom designs, shapes and more that are available - lending an opportunity to create a truly unique floor in your bathroom.

Laminate: Laminate is made of layers of material that have been bonded together for strength and durability, including resin and wood fibers. The final pieces are formed together into compressed planks with an image that's imprinted on the surface. This allows a custom design in various material styles and colors, most commonly wood. It's durable and easy to clean, making it an affordable and great option for many bathroom remodeling projects.

Hardwood: It's an added expense, but it's difficult to replicate the beauty and character that comes from a hardwood floor. It lends a great deal of warmth and comfort to the bathroom environment, which is beneficial if you're the type to rely on your bathroom for relaxation after a long day. Even older wood floors can be easily refreshed and to ensure safety you can apply a no-slip finish in the bathroom.

Hiring a Green Home Contractor

Rising energy costs and a slow residential resale market throughout most of the United States make green remodeling a better option for most people than buying a new home. But simply hiring a remodeling contractor to install green building materials and energy-saving appliances does not guarantee that your new kitchen or master suite will be energy-efficient and eco-friendly.

Are your expectations realistic?

Homeowners often face sticker shock at the cost of remodeling. For example, in Hawaii, where the cost of materials is higher because of shipping and taxes, a simple kitchen remodel that includes replacing cabinets and counter tops, and installing high-end appliances can easily cost more than $40,000 just for materials.

Sustainable materials can also cost more than their standard counterparts. For example, things like concrete countertops, LED lighting, reclaimed wood flooring, heat-reflective exterior coatings and closed-cell spray foam insulation (SPF) have higher upfront costs associated with them, but represent good value when long-term savings and life-cycle analysis is taken into consideration.

Are green building options affordable?

Take a practical approach. First ask what makes sense for your particular family and the way you live. For example, lower cost options to decrease air conditioning expense could include installing energy-efficient windows, maximizing cross ventilation or replacing a dark-colored roof that absorbs heat with a cooler white roof that reflects heat.

Add the Extra Room and Avoid Moving! Hurray!

With your photos and sketch, the local zoning officials should be able to tell you the maximum sized room you can build within the current zoning laws. The process involves all of the same things that you find in new home construction: foundation, footings, framing, zoning, permitting, HVAC, flooring, plumbing, electrical, new windows, roofing, etc. You can create your own set of plans utilizing a home design software package, or enlist the services of an architect. Without plans and a checklist in place, the probability of getting the addition you envision is highly unlikely.

Room addition projects can cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars so, unless you are paying cash for your project, you will need to obtain financing. This will require a complete set of plans including structural details to obtain building permits. In many respects, adding on to an existing structure requires far greater skill. You wouldn't want your addition to look like it was tacked on to the side of your house. The goal of a quality contractor is to match the interior and exterior of your addition to products that will match or complement the existing finishes. Also, bear in mind the additional time and effort required for the workers who must work around you unless the house is vacant.

When adding a room it is important to carefully consider the size and configuration. If the new room is built too small, you will be forever kicking yourself for not spending enough time and money for making it bigger when you had the chance. If the room size is too big, you may end up with a house that looks awkward and fails to complement the existing dwelling. Getting a chance to be involved in the planning and design of your new room is exciting and challenging but perhaps the most rewarding part of adding a room to your home is the benefit of knowing you have added value, saved money in the process, and best of all you didn't have to move.

Home Remodeling Trends for 2011

Being all cooped up in the winter weather makes this the best time all year to begin a home remodeling project. Before you dive in, what are some of the top remodeling trends being seen for 2011? Here are some of the hottest home improvement and remodeling trends for 2011. Take a look and see if any of these projects would be a great idea for sprucing up your home in the new year.

If you're considering a change in the kitchen try varying cabinet and counter heights or adding cabinetry with furniture-like details. With vintage style being popular in 2011, distressed finishes on cabinets will be stylish and maintain durability because they already have a worn look. Paint colors in earth tones will also making a comeback in kitchen spaces creating a cozy and warm interior. If you aren't interested in beginning a huge project, then this may be the perfect chore. Outfit your current kitchen cabinets, shelves and drawers with inserts for cutlery, add dividers for spices and find great organizing products to maximize all kitchen space to the best of it ability.

Nothing is quite as cold as stepping out of a warm shower onto freezing cold bathroom tile. Make this the last winter you do such a thing by working heated bathroom flooring into your home floor plan. Not only is radiant flooring energy efficient, but also you will feel like you're living in complete luxury when your bathroom remains cozy even on the coldest of days. If you swap out your bathroom flooring for something that's radiant heated, then at the same time, select a new updated tile for your bathroom floor. Large sized tiles are replacing the smaller square tiles of the past while making it easier to keep clean since they will use much less grout. Bathrooms have become a popular home remodeling choice because they are also much cheaper to remodel than the kitchen.

Outdoor Living Areas for the Summer!

When you own a home there is nothing better to do on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, than spend time with your family and friends as you all hang out and enjoy some food and drinks on your deck and patio.  When your adding an outdoor kitchen to your deck and patio, there are several things about the design of the kitchen that have to be taken into consideration such as:

Custom design or basic Kitchen Grill

Probably the most important aspect of the whole outdoor kitchen is its actual design. Obviously, if you're looking to have the total outdoor kitchen cooking experience, then you're going to want to have a custom kitchen designed to your specific wants and needs, this can include the type of counter top materials used and the actual table top configuration.

Over Head Shelter or Cover

This aspect of the kitchen design will vary because of climate and location of where your home is located, but you can choose from a retractable awning to an oversized pergola.

Type of masonry for the grill

There are a few important choices that will affect the total design aspect of your outdoor grill. The type of material used to build the actual grill will help define the grills overall look and also how you cook with it. There are grills that are made of cinder block, regular masonry stone and even brick. The other decision is if you just want to use brick as an enclosure for a regular gas range with an outdoor grilling area as part of it, or if you plan to actually build a grill that you will use with such materials as wood or charcoal to do your actual cooking.

Split Level House Renovations

Split Level renovations have been growing in the last few years.  It is a fast and convenient way to add more space to the unfinished or partly-finished areas of the home.  Some ideas are opening up the main floor, updating the kitchen, adding bathrooms and formal living rooms. 

Many people want to create more openness in the main floor of a split level, which usually consists of living room, dining room, kitchen and possibly a bedroom. Openness can certainly be achieved by removing some of the walls between rooms. You will need to be sure you know which walls are load-bearing walls. For example, you might want more openness between the kitchen and the dining room. Either removing the wall or replacing the wall with a counter will open up the area and feel more spacious. Removing the wall between the living room and dining room can also open up the area and make it more conducive to entertaining.

It is not uncommon for split level homes with four levels to have an unfinished bottom level. Finishing this area is really no different from finishing any basement. It will be important, however, to check on ceiling height early in the planning stages of the project. A number of split level homes have lower ceilings on the bottom floor.

The desire to add a bathroom to any home is quite common. Split levels often offer two important opportunities for bathroom additions. First, most split level homes were not built with a bathroom on the main (formal living area) floor. Many homeowners would like to add at least a half-bath or powder room on the main floor for the comfort and convenience of guests or for elderly or disabled family members. Determining the location of the new bathroom is a challenge in most split levels. Logic and cost-consciousness would suggest locating the new bathroom near (next to, above or below) existing plumbing. This allows you to use existing supply and removal pipes. Depending on the floor plan, however, this might not be workable. Location of pipes to a new bathroom on the main floor will also require some attention to the ceiling height of the floor below (if there is one). If the lower level has typically lower ceilings, placement of plumbing might depend upon where you can run pipes without making the lower level unusable.

Kitchen Remodel Open House in Chula Vista, CA

Handicap Accessible Remodels

No one should be limited in their own home due to narrow doorways, stairs, or other obstacles. If any of these, or similar problems, sound familiar, remodeling for handicap accessibility could help your home meet all of your personal requirements.

When it comes to modifying a home to suit the owners' health needs, no two projects are ever exactly alike. That's because each individual's accessibility needs are different, so their home renovations should be, too! Some require major alterations, such as handicap ramp construction and door widening, while others simply require shower grab bars. No matter what alterations are needed, the main goal of every project remains the same: to make sure that you can enjoy a safe, comfortable home. With just a few changes, your home can, once again, be your castle.

The success of your handicap remodeling project depends on:

* Smart product choice - Just like any household feature, handicap accessibility and safety aids are not all created equal. Make sure that you are purchasing quality equipment by doing research and weighing all of your options carefully in order to confirm that you're investing in an item that will serve you reliably for years to come.

* Attention to personal needs - In addition to choosing quality materials, you may also want to think about which products will be best suited to your particular health restrictions. Perhaps your wheelchair dictates a full bathroom remodel with a handicap accessible shower or maybe you're having a hard time deciding if having your toilet raised would really be the best idea for your mobility limitations. To ensure a successful outcome for your home renovations, be sure to consult your doctor and before making your final purchase. You won't regret making an informed decision!

* Proper installation - When it comes to equipment intended to encourage a safe environment, proper installation can make all the difference in the world. Just think: a grab bar that's secured into the wall studs provides reliable support while one incorrectly attached to just the drywall will have you taking a tumble in no time. Correct installation of everything from wheelchair ramp supports to handicap bathroom adaptions can safeguard against physical injury - the very thing that your safety apparatus was meant to prevent! Regardless of the magnitude of your project, it is always better to be safe than sorry, so make sure your renovations are completed accurately.

Don't Become an "If Only"

You can usually tell that a home remodeling project - especially a larger one - went well if the homeowner does not include an "if only" in their conversations about the end result. Unfortunately, too many homeowners do end up uttering those words. It's not that anything went really wrong with their project, it just didn't turn out quite as they envisaged.

A lot of the time in this situation the problem was not with the work that was done but what the homeowner failed to speak up about. Here are a few examples that you should keep in mind as you plan your home remodeling project and maybe learn from the mistakes of those that have gone before you.

If Only I Had Asked For More Outlets

This seems like a rather insignificant detail at first - which is probably why so many homeowners forget all about it - but having the right number of electrical outlets in the right places can make a huge difference to the function of any space.

For example, the homeowner steps into their beautifully remodeled kitchen only to realize that they can't put their appliances where they wanted to because the outlets are too far away. Or they cannot use their hairdryer in front of that great new mirror because they forgot to ask the electrician to add a socket there. Your contractors are not mind readers and will only do the work you ask them too. Make sure that you discuss even the smallest of details - like an extra outlet - with your contractors before the work begins.

If Only I Had Been More Specific

The clearer you can be with your contractors during a remodel the better. He knows that you want tiling done in the bathroom, but what about the color of the grout? Do you want the handles and drawer pulls that come standard with your kitchen cabinets or do you want to pick out something different? Again, think about these little details before the project begins to avoid disappointment and/or additional expense.

If Only I'd Been Around More

Work may suffer if the "boss" is not around and without good, ongoing communication between contractor and client little problems that could have been solved with one phone call can snowball into serious issues. It should not have to be your contractor's responsibly to try to catch up with you for two days to answer a simple question that is holding up the whole project. Make a habit of checking in with your remodeling construction crew at least once a day, just to make sure that everyone is still on the same page.

Get Spring Fever!

When spring rolls around you can get Spring Fever. You start cleaning up areas around your home that you've let go during the long winter. You've also started to notice a few things that could look better - things that need improvement. There are plenty of home remodeling projects that have been discussed to death in magazines and across the internet. So here are a few much-less talked about ideas to spruce up your home - and add value, should you choose to sell:

Add a Master Suite: There is typically a "master bedroom" in most homes and apartments, but a Master Suite can be something entirely different, depending upon interpretation. There is usually room to expand most bedrooms, knocking out part of a wall in a different room to make way. Adding even five feet to a bedroom can give it a much more open appearance. Also, expanding the bathroom, adding more luxury to its décor, can give you - or potential buyers - a total feel of comfort.

Upgrade Your Bathroom: Similar to the above idea, adding a real Master Bathroom can add elegance to your home. Even if the new bathroom is not a part of the master bedroom, it can be a viable option. Guest bathrooms that have been renovated to give comfort and relaxation to visitors can keep friends content at get-togethers.

Install a Gate: While outside some budgets, installing a gate at the outside of your residence can add much to both the scenery of your home and the security of it. Large gates with an intercom system can let you know when you have visitors as well as deter potential thieves from targeting your home.

Wine Cellar: Few home additions garner as much conversation as a wine cellar. Even if you're just starting out on your collection, a few bottles properly placed can add a sense of intellectualism to your home, even if you're only a mild to average collector. They're surprisingly easy to install, and most professional remodeling companies are seasoned in the different varieties.

How Much Can Vinyl Siding Cost?

Vinyl siding is an exterior walling manufactured from polyvinyl chloride or PVC resin. It is the cheapest to install when compared to other siding options like fiber cement, wood or aluminum sidings. Labor and maintenance cost is very minimal and affordable. The material is highly durable and some vinyl sidings are energy-efficient having energy star label. These are some reasons why many homeowners are opting for this highly in demand type of siding.

If you have made up your mind that this is what you want, the next step is to know how much it will cost. This will depend on various factors and whether you want it professionally installed.

How much will your vinyl siding project cost? There are different classes of vinyl sidings. Its cost depends on whether it is low-grade, mid grade or premium grade. Low grade cost ranges from US$0.45 and up, mid grade vinyl costs about US$1.60 per square foot and premium grade costs about US$ 1.90 without the extra pieces. For a typical job, installation will cost about US$ 1.60 per square foo.

Total siding cost also depends on the thickness, from .035 to .055 inches for the average grade siding while the premium thickness is from .040 to .048 inches. Additional cost will come from any trim packages, channels, corner board details, shutters, crown moldings, soft fits and existing siding removal. The removal budget can probably amount between $1000 to $3000 depending on the size.

Don't forget also that any choice of certain special order color will be having a higher price of US$ 2-4 more than the standard colors. Insulated type of vinyl siding and those with UV protection will also mean extra costs of additional 20%. Another matter is when you want a thicker siding, it will cost you more. When it comes to installation cost, the contractor will charge between US$ 2 to US$ 7 per linear foot.

Coverting the Garage!

When the garage is no longer as important to the household as it once was, homeowners may decide to use the space for something more practical. Attached garages have a variety of uses when converted through a residential remodeling project. An extra bedroom, an entertainment center or a Florida room may all make better use of the garage. There may be fewer drivers than there once were, or there may be more people that need privacy and space. Either way, a custom remodeling company can help a homeowner decide the best way to convert the space to meet the household's needs.

Florida Room
A garage can be easily converted into a Florida room. The room already has an outdoor view with no obstruction. Since it will need enclosure on that side, a glass wall to let in sunlight will be less expensive than creating one as a home addition on the exterior of the home. Blinds or shades can be added to the walls as needed for privacy to prevent a clear view of the home's interior.

Bedroom
With a new family member on the way or two growing siblings that are no longer compatible sharing a room, another bedroom may be ideal. It could also be used for a family member that needs to be on the ground floor due to physical disabilities. When there are more younger children than drivers in the family, comfort inside is preferred over the convenience of parking near the door. Another scenario may include an older parent coming to stay at the house who would appreciate the extra space.

Entertainment Center
For empty-nesters, a room for relaxation and entertainment may be the perfect reward to putting all of the children through school and having them married off or out on their own. A large screen television may not fit in other rooms. In most cases, a suitable cable and wiring connection or wireless set-up may be easier to incorporate into a room as it is being rebuilt, rather than one that is existing.

Home Office
A two-car garage may be more suitable as a home office. Eliminating the commute from a long drive in traffic and creating a private, yet comfortable, place to conduct business is an easy choice for those who are able to do it. A separate entrance could be created during the design phase.

Questions to Find a Reputable Contractor

Your home improvement project, either large or small, is a serious matter. That is particularly true for exterior improvements (i.e., siding, windows, entry doors and additions/modifications to your home). When you find the right contractor, you will save a lot of time, money and headaches and actually make the process an enjoyable experience. The following are a few questions that you may ask prospective home remodeling contractors in your search for the right, reputable home contractor for your project:

- "How many years has your company been in business?"
- "What is your experience with the products you are offering? How many projects have you completed with these products?"
- "What is your Company's Better Business Bureau rating and your Angie's List record?"
- "Have you won competitive awards within your industry? By whom and how meaningful?"
- "Can you show me references? May I contact any of them?"
- "Can you show me projects you have completed in my local area that may be similar to ours?"
- "What is your installation warranty (in addition to the product warranty)?"
- "What differentiates you from your competition?"
- "What is your customer-care policy after the job is completed?"
- "Do you offer design services and do you take care of municipal permits?"
- "Can you handle large exterior projects, e.g., deck, gutters, gutter guards, complex accessories, architectural designs, patio rooms, room additions, designer concrete? What is you experience with these?"
- "Are your installation crews employees of your company (or do you sub-contract)?"
- "Are you lead-safe certified?"

Keeping it Practical

When it comes to a reconstruction project for your home, it is essential that you know which areas you should definitely cover and which ones you have to think twice about. This is very important especially if you know that you have a limited budget or you do not want to spend so much on it. While a home remodelingproject definitely has maximum impact in your dwelling place, you could still be very frugal about it if you know where to start.

Turning Old Things into New Things

For example, you do not necessarily have to buy everything you need to give your home a makeover. The more seasoned practitioners of home remodeling know that you can turn old things into new things by simply giving home furnishings a much-needed facelift. One good suggestion when it comes to this is to repaint, polish or upholster old furniture. In a home remodeling project, interior design plays a lot- and this involves beautifying the things inside the home. This includes cabinets, doors, living room sets and tables among others. If you are going for a mixed-classic look, you could paint that carved side table in a light color and make it a focal point of the hallway. If you think your living room set looks dilapidated you could simply reupholster it in a more contemporary fabric instead of buying a new one. Cutting corners in the budget does not necessarily mean having to cut corners in the finished result.

Raising and Allocating Funds in the Home Remodeling Project

When planning a reconstruction for your home, you obviously have to be smart about the budget. You have to make sure that the more important fixtures are replaced or fixed - which is where the majority of your budget will go. If you think you want to do more, you can probably hold a yard sale. Things that you do not want can be resold for a good price, which when added together could probably pay for replacing the windows of your home or buying the necessary light installments that you want. A home remodeling project has the aim of making your dwelling place neater, cleaner and more updated - which also means less stuff and no junk lying around like it used to.

And finally, try to pinpoint some areas which you can replace or renovate by yourself instead of letting the home reconstruction team do. It will lessen the amount of time they have to work, will translate into fewer payments for their services and will give you a satisfactory feeling of being personally involved in the project. This includes staining some furniture, quite possibly installing spotlights or target lamps inside the house and whatnot. Leave the bigger things to the experts, such as massive carpentry or all-over home painting. These are areas which you will probably not be able to do properly, so leave these to the experts. When your home remodeling is finished, you will be very happy with the results and delight that you did not have to spend so much.

Should You Go With the Lowest Bidder?

Lowest price is an alluring way to choose a home remodeling contractor. When comparing estimates, make sure that you are comparing apples-to-apples. There are many features and characteristics that can be different among the myriad of products available. The price quoted for the project should include all aspects of the job:

- The products with defined styles, products and accessories
- Any special circumstances with either the products and/or the installation
- The warranty for both the products and the installation

A good proposal will be thorough, complete and clearly written thereby minimizing possible later misunderstandings. Make sure you know the products that are being used and that they will be installed in accordance with the manufacturers installation specifications.

Review the warranty information carefully. Ask for explanations of price variations between contractors and, above all, do not automatically choose the lowest bidder. You may find after close examination, higher prices may be justified to suit your needs and the overall objectives of your home improvement project.

Maintenance Requirements and Long-Term Care for a Home Remodel

Maintenance, such as painting, cleaning, manufacturer required maintenance, routine repairs, and even future replacement can become burdensome - particularly with poor product choices.  The associated costs can exceed the original installed cost of the products, sometimes maintenance requirements (and costs) will vary based on products, the manufacturing processes and even the installations. For example, wood windows will require regular painting, typically every three to five years. Steel windows also may require regular painting, typically every five to seven years. As temperatures fluctuate vinyl window frames expand and contract very differently than glass panes which can result in stresses that can affect long term performance. Painting costs can be eliminated by the use of fiberglass, vinyl and some clad wood windows. However, the performance of fiberglass window frames over a wide range of temperature fluctuations is far superior to other materials. And lastly, the installation of the products: with almost any of the materials you choose installation in accordance with the manufacturers specifications is an important consideration - not only for long term performance but peace of mind warranty validation.

Further on the windows example, they may require some preventive and corrective maintenance to keep them in good operating condition and weather-tight. Each manufacturer has suggested or required maintenance that needs to be performed to maintain warranty validation. This should not be ignored as it can significantly add to the life cycle cost of the products you select.

Wood entry doors can warp in time and will also require regular painting (three to five year intervals). Maintenance requirements of fiberglass doors are considerably lower and have the same performance features of fiberglass windows.

Fiber-cement siding is known for long lasting beauty and minimal maintenance requirements. It is resistant to mold and, because of inherent stability, paint adheres very well over time. Its' fire resistance is legendary. Vinyl siding on the other hand requires regular power washing particularly if mold persists and it has practically no fire resistance (toxic fumes when heated).

This kind of home remodeling analysis should be performed (in greater detail) on every major component of your home remodeling project.

Marrokal Design & Remodeling in San Elijo Hills

Finding Your Remodeling Budget

5 Tips for Choosing a Remodeling Budget

1. Know your current bills. It is very important that you know what you spend each month prior to adding a remodeling bill. If you are not already certain of what amount of your income you spend each month you should come up with a budget and figure out exactly how much more money you can afford to spend each month. This amount is how much you have to put towards a home remodel.

2. Determine what you want done. If you don’t know what you want to accomplish with this remodel you will have trouble determining how much you are going to need to spend. A lot of times doing a full home remodel is not feasible all at once. It is important that you are able to break it down to exactly what you want done, and the level of importance in completing the different aspects of the project. You may want new windows before new flooring for example.

3. Hire a professional. Often times you can set a budget but still have no idea what it will cost to actually complete what you want done. This is where a professional comes into play. There are several companies in the south sound area of Seattle, Renewal Remodels & Additions is one of the best. By hiring a company such as this one you will be able to get an estimate of not only what the project will cost but also how long it will take.

4. Be honest about your budget. Once you have chosen and hired a company to help you with the remodel you need to be honest about your budget. If the contractor thinks you have $20,000 for your bathroom remodel and you can really only afford $10,000, this is going to be a problem.

5. Be realistic! Once your budget has been planned and you have looked into different companies to hire it is crucial to take a step back and say “can we really afford this right now?”. If the answer is no, put off the remodel until you can save up some money and have a larger budget to make your dream remodel possible.

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Having a Healthy Relationship With Your Contractor

This is a different relationship than most people have with a contractor. The home design contractor is a trusted member of the team. He gives his input during the design process and based on his knowledge of construction and what really happens on construction sites he contributes valuable information to tweak the design in order to maintain the budget. It is a powerful collaborative effort.

During this process you will become more educated about the impact of each decision you make and how they affect the overall cost of the project. You will be pushed to think through details and make decisions early in the process. This is one of the best ways to control the dreaded "budget creep"!

Additionally the home remodeling contractor will be able to let you know what alternatives are available and how they can affect both cost and design. As an example, suppose you are adding a deck outside your kitchen and also want French doors that will open onto the deck. The initial design idea shows a door which will have to be custom made, with transom windows above. The contractor's preliminary estimate on the deck and door work is more than your budget. However, by collaborating with the contractor it is determined that a simpler stock French door unit will significantly lower costs. As you can see, the contractor is working with you to create a project that call be built within your budget but still satisfy your desires.


Another significant point to consider is that you and the contractor will have developed a good working relationship. All too often in a competitive bid environment the potential exists for a design professional to be aligned with the owner against the contractor in an adversarial relationship. When all parties involved work together on the project from the start this is much less likely to happen.

Learning to Negotiate a Bid

The general advice people receive when they are considering a home remodeling project is to solicit bids from at least three home design contractors. This is called competitive bidding. This is a way to "comparison shop" just as you would when buying a television or appliance, the only factor you're using in making your purchase decision is price. It's a good way to shop for a product, but might not work well when buying a service, which is what general contractors provide.

Let's introduce you to an alternative to competitive bidding which you may not be aware of, a negotiated bid. This is not a situation where you haggle the price with the contractor. Rather, you and the contractor become allies in making your project a reality.

The procedure for negotiating a bid goes usually goes something like this: First, you pick a contractor you like and trust before the design process has begun or is in its early stages (there are many ways to find a good contractor; referrals from friends, NARI.org or NKBA.com). You and the contractor work together as a team to develop a project which fits your needs as well as your budget. This is a simple explanation of the negotiated bid process. You'll probably require a bit more information before being sold on the concept but before we move on let me draw your attention to a few key words which need to be understood in context: trust and team.

Remodel or Move?

There are various choices you can make when you deal with investments in the real estate industry. In the midst of the overwhelming possibilities, make sure that you are always making options that are geared towards profitability and the productiveness of your ventures. For instance, if you are torn between a salient decision of buying a new house or remodeling your old one, carefully assess the two alternatives and consider the pros and cons that you are bound to encounter in the process. This always helps as to whether your investment is truly in the right track.

A sound venture is something that is carefully and comprehensively studied and assessed based on all aspects of their prospective options. For instance, if you are going to buy a house or renovate your old residence, then you need to consider some of the basic resources you have specifically funds and budget. Do you have sufficient money to spend on your home project? If you are seriously considering purchasing a new house, you need to secure a home equity loan in order to finance your venture. Getting a mortgage is not a simple task to start with. A hefty amount is primarily needed to comply with the different payment obligations incurred in the process of closing your transaction. Closing costs include the fees for the provision of the title insurance and the credit report for your qualification and approval of the loan. You also need to pay for the home appraisal, real estate commission and that of the seller's cost.

Remodeling your house on the other hand only needs a smaller amount of money especially if you intend to do cosmetic and minimal renovations around the house. If you deem it necessary to make some major structural upgrade, then you need to exert more effort, time and money as well. Make sure that your home project is in line with the zoning requirement, have proper building permits to avoid code violations and the like. Heeding the rules and regulations of the homeowners association especially if your renovation is potentially affecting your other neighbors is also very important before your jumpstart your ventures.

Choosing the Right Paint Colors for Your Remodel

When you're planning a home remodeling project, you should have a color scheme in mind for every room, but choosing the actual paint shade usually comes at the end of the home renovation process.  Because looking at all the choices in the paint store can be overwhelming, here are some considerations to keep in mind:

1. Hold off on choosing a precise shade until you have rugs and furniture selected. That way you can be sure to create a unified look. Take samples of your carpet, upholstery, and tile to the paint store with you.

2. Glossier finishes reflect light and are easy to clean, making them a good choice for trim or kitchen and bathroom walls that need to be cleaned more frequently. A matte finish is better at hiding flaws in the walls and creates a softer look by absorbing more light.

3. What kind of mood do you want to create with your room? If you want a cozy feeling, darker colors might be the way to go since they can make the room feel smaller. If you want the room to feel larger and more expansive, lighter colors on the walls will help.

4. A very bright color on walls can feel overwhelming and frenetic. Sometimes it's best to pick the most neutral version of your desired color and use the brighter shades for accents.

5. Most people prefer white or off-white for trim around windows and doors to draw attention to them, but you don't have to follow suit. A lighter shade of your wall color can be lovely while still drawing the eye. Dark trim and light walls can be striking but sometimes hard to pull off well.

6. Don't choose a paint color right away; take those samples home with you and think about them. Although paint is relatively easy to change, repainting a room can be an annoyance. Be sure you're happy with the paint before you begin.