Archive for February, 2008

Is remodeling a toilet worth $32,000?

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

Citizens in the City of Newburgh don’t seem to think so. City Council was set to vote on whether to remodel the antiquated and rundown bathroom in the West End Firehouse when public outcry resulted in them tabling the decision.

“Being a property owner for almost 40 years in the city of Newburgh, I know how much it costs to renovate a bathroom,” said Broadway resident Dick Peterson. “They have a guy in the mall who says that he will come in overnight and put a bathroom in. But $32,000 is probably more than many people in this room make in a year.”

Local 589 Firefighters Vice President Ed Diller, however, has a different opinion about the situation.

“For people to come up and say that there is something fishy about these quotes is outrageous. The building is over 100 years old; nothing gets replaced in a 100-year-old bathroom cheap. We have holes in walls where we have cardboard on to prevent bats from flying around in the bunkrooms where the firefighters sleep.”

Learn more about remodeling bathrooms at Remodel Tree.

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Four ideas for Kitchen, Bathroom, Flooring and Patio remodeling

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

After deciding to remodel one of the rooms in your house, the options and possibilities can be overwhelming. Which contractor should you choose? What kind of remodeling will increase the value of your home? What companies can you trust?

The American Chronicle has published four tips on these very topics. They range from asking the company for photos beforehand to get an idea of their work to considering the longterm stability of the project.

Tip 3: Consider the “resale” value of bathroom, kitchen, floor or patio projects. Long term use and mass-appeal outweigh trendy, in-the-moment design schemes. Will your kitchen update or bath remodel look move-in ready to future homebuyers? Will it look good to you in five years? Does it have classic appeal or are you putting a little too much of your own personality into it? Let your wilder side show in decorating accessories and paint that are easily changeable as your taste or circumstances change, not in more permanent design elements and furnishings. If you want your family initials in the center stone of your new patio, buy a generic stone at the same time so you can swap it out if you decide to sell the home.

Learn more about Kitchen, Bathroom, Flooring and Patio remodeling at Remodel Tree.

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Female general contractor fits right in with her fellow males

Saturday, February 23rd, 2008

The San Francisco Chronicle has a cool article about Marie De LaParra, a general contractor who has to weave her way through a male-dominated field. She’s the founder and owner of BMB Construction/Properties, a firm that rehabilitates faded Victorian beauties.

Now, De LaParra is branching out with an ambitious and far more complex project: developing a $3 million, 12-unit senior-housing complex in Oakland. The design, by the Oakland architectural firm AE3 Partners, will among the first green senior housing projects in the East Bay, she said.

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Home Improvement stores suffering from housing slump

Saturday, February 23rd, 2008

According to Reuters, home improvement retail stores are continuing to post weaker results, especially as consumer spending falls.

Home Depot Inc, Lowe’s Cos, and Sears Holdings Corp are the major companies expecting low fourth-quarter earnings.

While falling home sales and construction have been a major hit to results over the past year, these retailers have also been hurt as consumers aware of falling home prices pulled back from big-ticket projects such as kitchen remodeling.

There’s no indication in the article whether there will be any lay-offs.

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Welcome to the Remodel Tree blog

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

This is the blog for Remodel Tree, a website that connects homeowners with contractors. It’s fast, easy, and free.

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