It would be pretty unfair of me to throw all these bad ideas onto the table, without leaving you with a few good ones.

1.) Wood Window Replacement: A homeowner will recoup nearly 80% of an aluminum-clad wood window replacement project when they sell their home. That’s pretty darn significant. Wonder why they’re so valuable? Not only are interior wood windows extremely attractive, their aluminum-clad exteriors offer the appeal of increased energy efficiency. They add value and they reduce energy bills – outstanding combination!

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Serial Remodeling projects are all the rave.

Gone are the days of one shot, once-in-a-lifetime home remodeling projects.  More and more, today’s residential undertakings are conceived, plotted, budgeted, and carried out in a “series-like” manner that allows the homeowner to attain the ultimate end goal, through a system of achieving a series of smaller goals.

Phased remodeling projects typically start out by obtaining an overall estimate for the full price of the full project.  The contractor then sits down with the homeowner and explains what phasing options are available and conceivable to the home itself.

People don’t always look at their major renovation as a multiple-project undertaking. But in all reality, many larger renovations can be broken up into smaller ones. This approach will offer several key benefits to a homeowner:

• Budget – So money is an issue? When is money not an issue, right? Phased remodeling is an excellent option for homeowners who are attempting to majorly upgrade their house but do not massive piles of money lying around to do so. This option would allow homeowners the ability to pay for portions of their overall project in smaller chunks, as they can afford them.
• Schedule – A ‘construction tolerance’ exists within every homeowner. Most will begin a project with much enthusiasm and excitement, but a few weeks into the project, will grow tired of people showing up at their house every morning.  Serial remodeling projects allow for short-lived jobs that bring a contractor to the home in brief intervals.
• Tax Credits & Discounts – Stimulus money, tax credits, special discounts… If a homeowner is able to plan her renovations around the opportunities, she will most likely reap great benefits.  For example: This year, many homeowners are choosing to take  advantage of the Window Replacement tax credit, thereby receiving a serious discount on their replacement product.

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Over time, bathroom caulking can erode or begin to peel away.  In order to keep moisture out of your walls/drywall & flooring, you need to provide proper maintenance and give special attention to your caulk.    Once that moisture seeps ‘behind the scenes,’ it’s there for good.  And the longer this problem persists, the larger this problem becomes.  Such a problem will lead to mold & decay, and it is extremely expensive to repair (think: FULL bathroom tear-out).

If you plan to replace your caulk yourself, I’d like to provide a few tips for the process:

1. It is important to clean the area extremely well before new application.  You must remove any remnants of the old caulk.
2. Be patient.  Wait to apply your new caulk until the area is completely dry.
3. Obviously, all caulk is a little different. Just like with any other product, you will get what you pay for.  Tubes of caulk typically run anywhere from $ 1.50 a tube to $ 6.50 a tube. I suggest a silicone based caulk (choose the color that best matches your decor).
4. When applying your caulk against a wall, keep in mind that silicone caulk cannot be painted.  You will need to purchase a different product for this type of application.
5. When in doubt, call.

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