3.) Backup Generator: The potential return on these puppies is just over 50%. If you purchase this one, accept the fact that that you are doing so strictly for personal usage. Do not make the purchase with much expectancy of potential future profit.

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Economy is jacked. Bonuses have been pulled. Household budget is struggling to keep its head above water.

You’re well aware of this. The kids know all about it. Hell, the dog has even accepted the circumstances for what they are. Everybody is doing their part in making sacrifices and concessions.

But what about the house? What sort of concessions have you asked your house to make during the past year or so? Is your house all too aware of your current financial situation?

Despite it’s kindness and unsurpassed level of understanding, has your house ceased to require maintenance? Does it no longer require replacements? Has it agreed to hold off on all pressing projects until “things get better?”

If this is the assumption you’re operating under, then might I suggest you reconsider your hypothesis.

Your house is your largest investment (tired of hearing me say that, yet?) and it should be treated as such. Rocky financial times may not afford you the ability to turn your queen-size bedroom into a king-size master suite. But the necessary maintenance and replaceable items of your home should not be left to they wayside.

Windows, siding, roofing and guttering need to be considered absolutes on your home’s maintenance and replacement checklist. With the case of each of these items, failure to replace them in a timely manner will most always result in higher paid costs later on down the road.

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Seriously. How rational does that sound?

I had to have a heart to heart with a client the other day. We were wrapping her kitchen remodel project up and she told me she was ready to go ahead and replace the windows throughout the home. We talked product and pricing, but when we started to talk scheduling, she told me she figured she’d just suffer through the winter as is, and schedule installation in the spring.

“Why in the world would you want to go and do that?” I said.

A very common misconception lies within most homeowners. They believe the winter months are inconvenient times to purchase and install replacement windows due to harsh elements and bitter temperatures. They make the logical – albeit false – assumption that a window replacement project would open the house up to the winter elements, thereby turning the cozy Kansas City home into an Alaskan igloo.

Not the case.

The average time a home is open to the elements during a professional window install is 10 minutes. (I say professional because I can only speak from the standpoint to which I work from. Those other guys, however – well, I’m not sure why you’d let them into your home in the first place. But that’s an entirely different blog topic in and of itself).

Windows are the #1 source of energy loss in any home. Choosing to wait any additional amount of time before replacement is costly and unnecessary.

Questions? Request for estimate? Interested in promos and discounts? You know where to find us.

(Quite clearly, we did not conceptualize or draw the hilarious image displayed above – hence the multiple forms of credit stamped throughout).

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What do you know? The annual Remodeling Cost vs. Value report for 2009-2010 was just released and despite the track record of recent years past, a new trend is being established.

Hip, hip, hooray for Exterior Remodeling Projects!

Gone are the days of “best bang for your buck” in the form of Kitchen and Bathroom remodeling. It’s the remodeled exterior of your home that will now offer the greatest return, according to this year’s cost vs. value report. Seven out of the top ten high-yielding value projects on this acclaimed report are exterior remodeling projects.

Reason being? I’ll give you one guess.

The state of the economy has forced many homeowner to scale back on their projects in the name of frugality. Tax credits and energy efficiency incentives also aide in this outcome.

Folks are recognizing the importance of quality product vs. price of product (i.e. Most homeowners are now willing to pay more money up front for an energy efficient window that will help to lower utility bills in the long run). Projects are being recognized more and more as true investments.

Your Top Ten list is here:

1. Entry door replacement steel (128.9%)
2. Attic bedroom (83.1%)
3. Deck addition wood (80.6%)
4. Siding replacement vinyl (79.9%)
5. Minor kitchen  remodel (78.3%)
6. Window replacement wood (77.3%)
7. Window replacement vinyl (76.6%)
8. Basement remodel (75.4%)
9. Major kitchen remodel (72.1%)
10. Bathroom remodel (71%)

No, I did not illustrate this cartoon. Not a chance. I stole it from the web. Pulled it off of Google.

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I don’t know about you, but I think that Office Max is one of the greatest places on earth. I love the way it smells; I love the the layout; I love the customer service; I love the fact that they sell gummy bears by the bucket. But most importantly, I love the overall mission of the store “to help [their] customers do the best work.”

Next time you’re gearing up for a home remodeling project, hit up your neighborhood Office Max. Plan to spend twice the money you’d like to spend (it’s just more fun that way), and buy yourself a basket-full of supplies to assist you in organizing the three phases of your upcoming project: 1) The bid process 2) The project itself 3) Project completion.

These items should be on your must-have list:

Pretty, three ring binder

Colorful, three-hole tabs

Clear, plastic, three-hole sleeves

Phase 1 of your binder will house all ideas and planning resources. Collect paint samples, brochures, magazine clippings, and store them in your binder. You should also include all pre-project estimate information. Ask your potential contractors lots of questions and make lots of notes. Remember, the lowest bid is not always the best option and it may not offer the best quality materials. Don’t shop on price point.

Phase 2 of your binder will contain all contracts, receipts and change orders. Keep all receipts in some sort of orderly fashion. This will help you when dealing with returns, but it will also come in handy when you decide to sell the property.

Phase 3 of your project binder will wrap the project up. It will display before and after photos. Note: When shooting before and after photos, stand in the same spot for both sets. This will make your side-by-side comparison just that much more fun to look at.

OFFICE MAX: Elf Yourself
Our Fearless Leader, Pat Strand

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Here it comes. Holiday hassles, Christmas clutter and winter woes. All outdoor landscaping, siding, painting and roofing projects are placed on a multi-month hiatus. The dream deck remodel will be pushed back another year, and the plans for the new pool and/or pond will be tossed back into the pile of “Gee, maybe someday.”

But wait! There is still work to be done. Being the proud homeowner that you are, you are well aware that your work is never done. Even during the winter months, there are tasks to undertake. Check this list out, and feel free to check it twice (that’s my lame attempt to elude to a naughty or nice holiday joke):

*I stole Santa from these guys: http://blogs.smarter.com

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I read a recent blog that claimed one out of every three marriages end up on serious rocks before the end of a major home remodeling project. I’m not so sure that I’m willing to accept this statement as fact, but it’s a very accurate claim in the sense that home remodeling projects have the ability to take a serious toll on a relationship.

Want to remodel your home? Want to remain happily married (or, married, at the very least)? Take my advice:

Wife:

• Share. Remember, the home belongs to the both of you. It should reflect your styles collaboratively, not individually. His lack of style, might just be a style in and of itself. Accept that. Work with that. Practice give and take.

Husband:

• Bend. How important is the house to your wife? I mean really. Look at her Google search history and get back with me on that.

Both of You:

• Budget. Statistically, the top three things couples fight over are (1) Kids (2) Sex (3) Money. I can advise you on the money part – the other two are up to you. Before you even begin to consider the project, sit down and formulate a project budget. Agree on a “splurge fund” that will be set aside as a part of the budget, and will be used for any unforeseen upgrades, miscellaneous purchases, etc. Remember, statistically, your project will most likely run 10-20% over budget once all is said and done. Expect it and accept it.
• Research. Do this together. Gathering ideas on your own, and then coming together is fine. But check things out as a unit, as well. Brainstorm in various spaces like hotels, model homes, restaurants, etc. Take pictures and take notes. Remember – this is allowed to be a fun process.
• Split Up. No, not in the partnership sense. If your design styles are so bipolar that no middle ground can be met, split the spaces between the two of you. Wife, don’t think you’re allowed to just toss Husband the garage and call it good. At least let him in on the den or the deck, or something.

I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again – Your home is (most likely) your largest investment. It is also the largest outward expression of you as a couple. If you both get to be involved in the process, you’ll both be excited and your end result will be far more enjoyable.

In summation: Play nicely with one another and use your best manners.

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There is a difference.

I often hear home owners argue that they will not purchase a certain product or service because they are “on a budget.”  But the fact of the matter is, Budget does not equal Cheap.  When managed properly, the home improvement process can provide a satisfying return on investment.  This is not something that will typically be attained through frugality and penny-pinching.

• Keep yourself on track with guidelines and a spending barometer.  Keep receipts.
• Look at your house from the “Total Picture” perspective.  Purchasing granite countertops for the kitchen, when the windows throughout your house are costing you in energy efficiency dollars as you sit, may not be the the best decision for your overall investment.  THINK: Overall return on investment.
• The quality of help you hire is of the utmost importance.  Knowing where to draw the line between DIY and hire the help falls into this category, as well.  Hiring a friend to do the work for you is usually not the best idea (unless of course they are licensed).  Remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for.”  If you hire a professional that carries their own insurance and licensing, you are able to rest assured that your investment is covered – no matter what.  Can you say the same for your buddy that’s willing to “do it for a case of beer?”
• Keep the future homeowner in mind.  When choosing colors, appliances, accessories – Your investment will recoup the highest gains for you if you are able to do this.  Remember, taste is subjective.  Neutral, classic colors will do best.  Modern, trendy appliances, countertops and fixtures may backfire on you.
• Brand A costs a more than Brand B, but you know it’s a better quality product, and you feel a lot more comfortable with the contractor.  What do you do?  Remember the old axiom, “Go with your gut.”  As previously mentioned, the quality of the help you hire is of utmost importance.  Workmanship, attitude and character should all be factors of consideration, here.  Remember, you will essentially be turning over the outcome of your investment to these guys.  Paying a little more to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you need out of the process, should be considered best practice.

I found this funny sign on the web…

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I’m a dog lover.  But I know there are plenty of you cat lovers out there. According to the U.S. Humane Society, 39% of U.S. homes have at least 1 dog and 34% of homes have at least 1 cat.

For those of us who like to live with animals, we typically need to go to extra lengths in our homes to ensure that our living spaces are as inviting and appealing as possible.

We battle pet hair, fleas and odors.  According to American Pet Products 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey, 91% of cat owners say that a fresh smelling home is of utmost importance to them.  The survey also reported that multiple cat owners (which is more than 50% of households surveyed), have more problems with pet odor related accidents in the house.

So, if you’re into your cats, and you’re into your home, I’d like to offer a few tips for you to consider:

• LITTER DEODORIZER – Use between box changes
• SCRUBBING – Wash the box weekly.  Don’t use a harsh soap, for obvious reasons; and rinse well
• FILL THE BOX – Keep 3″-4″ deep at all times
• QUALITY LITTER – Will soak and clump better
• SCOOP DAILY – To control odor
• CHANGE WEEKLY – To control odor and keep cat happy
• HAVE 1 BOX PER CAT – They don’t usually like to share; could cause problems

These little tips might help you to improve your existing space just a little bit more.

Seeking more animal-related Home info? Check this posting out.

We snagged this picture from these guys.  They do some pretty cool stuff out in OKC.

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You know how you’ve always heard things like:

“Your house is an extension of you.”

“Your personality is reflected through your home.”

“Home is where the heart is.”

“My house is your house.”

Yadah, yadah, yah.

Well, a couple of authors, Dawn Ritchie and Kathryn L. Robyn, wrote a book titled the “The Emotional House: How Redesigning Your Home Can Change Your Life.” 

Now, although I think these ladies really tapped into the touchy-feely side of Home Remodeling, they present some truly excellent points.

They explain that because the majority of us spend the majority of our time in our homes, these personal spaces have very powerful influences over the way we feel about our lives.

“The Emotional House” includes exercises, similar to a workbook, that allows the reader to explore the various spaces of her home, room-by-room.

Here’s a quote from HGTV’s Candice Olson: “This book unlocks the door on home design, giving keys to creating a home that lifts your spirits and agrees with your lifestyle.”

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