This is a great time of year to create an annual home improvement plan.
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[Ed: This post was updated with additional information from Redbeacon on 1/28/2013.]
Three-year-old startup Redbeacon is making bold claims in the contractor-finder market. That market, which in the past has been dominated by Angie’s List, connects consumers with home improvement contractors. (Visit BobVila.com’s own Find a Contractor portal.)
For many, the existence of such services is reason enough to celebrate the birth of the internet, as any progress towards easily and confidently hiring people to work on our homes can be easily appreciated.
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The start of each new year is a hopeful time. People vow to get to the gym more often or to finally quit smoking. But as winter turns to spring, even the most steadfast determination can begin to wane, and resolutions often get sidelined. The same is true in remodeling. There always seem to be things on our wish lists that we never get around to.
We spoke with three experts to identify the home improvement projects most of us think about but rarely tackle. And we got tips on how to finally get these projects done.
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It may seem like an exercise, but mocking up your cabinetry or furniture building project can save you a lot of wasted energy and coulda-shoulda-woulda down the line.
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Experts agree that the housing market has touched bottom in most markets. With values stabilizing, now is a good time to explore opening a home equity line of credit (HELOC).
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Remodeling projects and furniture moving can sometimes have not-so-welcome side effects. Here’s how to protect your banisters and woodwork from damage while work is going on in your house:
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It’s a home improvement project. What could go wrong?
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Better not to think about it. That’s really a job for the agent who handles your homeowners’ insurance. Before you get going on your project, review your policy to make sure coverage includes these hope-they-don’t-happen factors:
Photo courtesy: Westchester Home Building
It’s not a snap, but the Federal Housing Agency’s 203k program enables homeowners to finance home improvements as part of their FHA-insured purchase or refinance loan.
How much? It depends. How does it work? It depends.
While they’re always inconvenient, major remodeling projects can also become a real strain on your relationship if you let them. But there are ways to make sure you’re just gutting the kitchen, not your marriage.
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I got a question from Jim in Toledo, wondering what’s the best way to stay on top of home maintenance every season without forgetting something. Sounds like you need a home journal, Jim!
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