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Kitchen Remodeling Tips & Ideas

SuCasa — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:44:14 +0000

You’re finally ready to update your home after decades of neglect and now you’re thinking about improving the function and appearance of the kitchen. The kitchen is a favorite room most homeowners first think of when an upgrade is needed.

Kitchen remodeling can get quite expensive, but it is the best investment in your home because it is the room used most often and when it is time to sell the house, the upgrades done to the kitchen usually keeps its value.

Before you hire the contractor or do it yourself, you might be wondering what to do with the kitchen you have now. You can find ideas for your kitchen in a variety of ways. Here are a few suggested ways to fire up your imagination.

Visit Open Homes

Many owners put up their house for sale near your area. You can visit these homes when they are open for viewing. You can dash straight into the kitchen and take notes of the layouts or floor plans you like. This is a chance to see what other people’s kitchens look like. Be sure to look at such things as cabinetry, proximity of the stove, sink and refrigerator, countertops and flooring. You should be able to get a feel of what your neighborhood has by visiting several of these open homes. Naturally, the quality will vary in each home you visit, but you will get a firsthand look that will help you find the features or the styles most appealing to you.

Visit Showrooms

Complete kitchens can be viewed in home improvement retail showrooms. They have arranged them to include cabinets, appliances, sinks, stoves, refrigerators, tables and chairs to help you get a feel of how a new kitchen will “almost” look like in your own home. You are sure to find a few of these retailers within your neighborhood. Don’t just limit yourself to the well known chains such as Home Depot or Lowe’s. Look in your phone book to find the smaller dealers were they could give friendlier and cozier service.

Home Improvement Shows

Each year, a gathering of leading suppliers will set themselves up at booths under one roof to present their home improvement products or services. In these fairs or shows, you will see the newest kitchen remodeling products available today. They usually hold “how to clinics” or workshops that will teach you how to do certain remodeling or home improvement jobs. There may be a small entry fee, but it would be worth it, considering what you will learn by talking to the experts.

Kitchen Remodeling Magazines

Many kitchens are shown in magazines that focus on home improvement such as kitchen remodeling. You get to see the newest designs and appliances. Sometimes you might think these kitchen designs are out of your price range, or your home isn’t big enough, but it is a good source for fresh ideas and you might learn a thing or two about what’s new. Many of these periodicals can offer you how to information and reviews you can use to help you decide what to look for in a design, materials and more.

Last Thoughts

These are just a few sources to help you get some ideas for your kitchen remodeling project started. Don’t forget to talk to anyone you know about their kitchen, such as your family members or relatives, friends and co-workers. Find out if they had a remodel job done lately and ask for their experience or advice. Good luck in your kitchen remodeling.

Watch the video related to kitchen remodeling

Kitchen remodeling is a great home improvement investment and can be done on a budget. Update kitchen light fixtures, cabinets and countertops with tips from a professional home repairman in this free video on home improvement. Expert: James Drew Contact: www.jnchomerepair.com Bio: James Drew is the owner and president of JNC Home Repair in Austin, TX. Drew is also an HVAC certified tech with more than two decades experience in plumbing, masonry, and carpentry. Filmmaker: Todd Green…

Help answer the question about kitchen remodeling

Kitchen Remodeling – What is the First Step toward Remodeling my Kitchen?
I've already considered the budget and materials I want to use.

Adding Or Removing Thousands? Diy Projects And The Value Of A Home After Diy Home Improvement

SuCasa — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:33:49 +0000

Of course, nearly everyone as at some point tried DIY home improvement. But does it increase the potential selling value of a home after? According to interior designer Scot McAllister:

“Home improvements, their costs and their resultant profits are not a precise science. For this reason, it’s hard to specifically quantify what works and what doesn’t. For example, laminate flooring has undergone a popularity nosedive due to the market being flooded by so many photographic plastic options.”

McAllister continues with:

“Their cheapness has created a stigma – and even expensive options have become tarred with the same brush. When replacement costs start ticking away in buyers’ heads you don’t need to be Carol Vorderman to understand that offers will be reduced.”

DIY projects that increase the value of a home

To raise the value of a house, you need to carry out DIY home improvement projects that will definitely withstand the test of time. For example, if you do have laminate flooring you can install vintage wooden doors.

To install wooden doors, you would need a screwdriver, a pair of thick gloves, 4-inch door-frame screws and a hammer. To remove the door from the frame, simply unscrew the hinges from the door frame.

Get that old door off

Once the hinges come off, slowly ease the door from frame itself, taking care not to damage the edges. You would want to of course, preserve the old door for use later on. Home values go up when front doors are beautiful- so choose the replacement door properly.

Another interesting DIY home improvement project that can raise the value of your home is replacing worn out bathroom tiles. If the tiles are more than a decade old and you plan on selling within the next few months, now would be the opportune time to replace the tiles.

Replacing worn out tiles

The replacement of worn out bathroom tiles is a bit more difficult than the first project, Of course, the tiles in the bathroom can no longer be recovered completely intact, so make sure you can dispose of the broken tiles immediately afterward.

Designer tiles can be put in place of the old ones. Designer tiles employ a variety of new colors and textures that will naturally emphasize the dimensions of the bathroom.

For this project you would need a few sacks for tile disposal, a large chisel or a crow bar and a mallet or an equivalent. If possible, work the tiles when they are wet as this reduces friction and lessens dust clouds during working. Drive the crowbar against the underside of the tiles and slowly work around the tiles.

Ease the tiles off the floor, making sure that none are left behind. Smooth white cement may be used to install the new designer tiles after the bathroom floor has been re-leveled.

Justin Ray, an interior designer for the TV show How Not to Decorate warns people:

“A bad DIY project will always detract from the resale value. Anything that looks unprofessional, such as a badly-fitted kitchen or uneven plastering, will get buyers wondering.”

Watch the video related to DIY Home Improvement

Fixing a leaky faucet is easy to do, and it’ll save you money on your water bill. Learn tips on how to fix a leaky faucet in your bathroom or kitchen sink in this free online home improvement video. Expert: Greg Lim Bio: Greg Lim is a professional handyman and residential property manager. In the seven years hes been a contractor, he has fully renovated two houses.

Help answer the question about DIY Home Improvement

I have some DIY home improvement construction debris. How should I get rid of it?
I've got some destroyed cabinets, an old door, some pipes, some scrap lumber, and some scrap plywood. This is all the result of a few home improvement projects. It's all too big to fit in my normal trash can. My trash company won't pick up anything that isn't in their trash can. I called a dumpster service, and they will drop off a dumpster for $80. A trash hauler will come by for $120. I was hoping for something a lot cheaper. Any ideas?
Thanks for the replies so far. Some more details:

- I live in a beach town in Los Angeles county. The houses are very close to each other and yards are very small. So burning is not possible in my area.

- I looked into driving my trash to the dump myself. LA is a big place, and the only public "dump" I could find was 40 miles away. And they charge by the pound. And I don't have a pickup or trailer. So after renting a pickup or trailer, then driving 40 miles, and paying to drop it off, this would be a huge hassle and expense.

Right now, renting a dumpster is looking like the best option. Or finding a community dumpster (even if it isn't my community!) and tossing this stuff in.