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Most of us can't afford a "luxury" kitchen remodel but that certainly shouldn't stop us from closing our eyes and imagining one!
Replacing one element in your kitchen or bath can drastically change the character giving you an easy and inexpensive update!
Here are Remodeling Magazine's top 10 remodeling projects that pay back the most.
Familiar with a kitchen garden window? After reading this you will be and you will want one in your home!
Ok, so the family are due round, as are the neighbours and some friend from work. How can you give your bathroom the shot in the arm it so badly needs without spending vast amounts on a dramatic redecoration? As the Christmas season approaches, we all tend to glance around our houses and panic a little bit at the thought of guests and visitors, who we are convinced will notice every minor flaw in our homes. Well, the bathroom does not need to be a cause for concern. For very little outlay and just a small amount of effort, you can revitalise and update your bathroom so that when the guests arrive, it is a talking point for all the right reasons.
Firstly, let's cover the basics: A new coat of paint takes a couple of hours and can immediately refresh a room that is feeling a little worn and tired. In the bathroom, opting for white walls or a light pastel shade is usually the safest bet, for their light and space enhancing qualities. Next, check any grouting and sealant you have on display. If they are stained or housing mildew, then replacing them is a cheap job that will ensure there are no small faults to detract from your overall design and aesthetic.
On to the larger updates to your bathroom, then: We all tend to accumulate toiletries, cosmetics and cleaning supplies over time, and without sufficient storage space to house them all, even the largest bathrooms can feel cramped and cluttered. Bathroom furniture, fortunately, has recently made a triumphant return to the world of bathroom decor, so you can install some storage units to streamline and organise your bathroom safe in the knowledge that you in line with the latest in bathroom styling.
A fitted basin unit will provide you with ample storage space for all your bathroom products, will create a focal design point in your bathroom and fit over your plumbing and pipe work, resulting in a more streamlined and calm bathroom. Upgrading your bathroom mirror to a mirrored cabinet in the same finish as your vanity unit will also provide you with some handy extra storage space and complete the look of your new and improved basin area.
Exchanging your bathroom radiator for a chrome heated towel rail will instantly give your bathroom a modernising boost. Not only will you and your guests have access to warm, dry towels whenever they are needed, but it will your room and create a boutique hotel ambience will it does so. A little multi-purpose marvel.
None of these changes need to be expensive or time consuming, and implementing them will mean that your bathroom is something you definitely won't need to worry about this Christmas.
For more information on this topic, visit the source of this article at http://goarticles.com/article/Quick-Fix-Bathroom-Updates-Before-Christmas-Season/7107104/
Looking for some changes this season? Here are some ideas on how to spruce up your home for the Fall!
Thinking about remodeling your kitchen? Here are some must have appliances!
One of the most important considerations for your home remodeling project is financing. After all, the project will go nowhere if you can't pay for it.
Fortunately, there are several options that can provide the dollars you need. Four of the most common are a home improvement loan, a home equity line of credit, a home equity loan (second mortgage), and a cash-out refinancing of your current mortgage. However, the simplest method of financing is cash.
Cash
If you have cash in savings to pay for your home remodeling project, this may be the best way to finance your home improvements. But be sure to consider the fact that, by paying in cash, you tie up money that could be earning interest in other investments. In other words, you need to look at the interest rate that you would be charged by financing the project and compare this to the interest you could earn by investing these funds.
Interest payments on a home improvement loan may be tax-deductible, while the expenses of a remodeling project paid for in cash cannot be written off. Crunch the numbers and meet with a financial advisor to determine whether paying in cash is best for your financial situation in the long run.
Home Improvement Loan
Two special loans administered through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) are the Title I and Section 203(k) programs. A Title I loan allows you to borrow up to $25,000 for improvements to a single-family home. These are fixed-rate loans that FHA insures against the risk of default. Loans must be made by an approved Title I lender.
The 203(k) program is not as well known, but if you are looking to purchase a fixer-upper or foreclosed home, it is a terrific opportunity. It allows home owners to receive a single, long-term, fixed or adjustable rate loan that covers both the acquisition and rehabilitation of the property. To obtain a loan under the 203(k) program, you must use an FHA-approved lending institution. Most mortgage lenders are approved to make loans through this program.
Home Equity Line of Credit
A home equity line of credit is a form of revolving credit in which your home serves as collateral. This allows you to tap into the funds whenever you need. The credit line is usually set at 75-80% of the appraised value of your home minus the balance of the first mortgage. Your credit history and ability to pay may also be considered in determining the amount of credit available.
Home equity lines of credit usually carry a variable interest rate that is figured by adding a margin to the current Prime Rate or some other index. Other costs associated with setting up a line of credit may also apply and will vary from lender to lender.
Second Mortgage
If you are not comfortable with the open-ended nature of a line of credit (which requires discipline to ensure that you don't go way over budget), a home equity loan, or second mortgage, may be right for you. This is a fixed-rate, fixed-term loan based on the equity in your house that is paid back in equal monthly installments over a specific period of time.
Cash-Out Refinancing
If interest rates today are significantly less than when you first purchased your house, refinancing your mortgage may be a wise move. The refinancing alternative allows you to use the accumulated equity in your home to take out a new loan to pay off your existing mortgage and then use the remaining funds for your remodeling project.
Make sure you factor in the length of time you plan to live in the house and the number of years left on your current mortgage before you decide to refinance.
Keeping Your Budget in Line
Once you've decided how much you can afford to spend fulfilling your remodeling dreams, the real challenge is making sure you stick to this budget. So, how can you prevent your expenses from spiraling out of control?
Plan on spending only 80% of what you can afford. Put the additional 20% in reserve to cover changes, unforeseen problems, and miscellaneous charges.
Remember that anything not included in the original contract will cost extra. It's very easy to start tacking on hundreds and even thousands of dollars in change orders that will break both your budget and your timeline.
Stay focused on the task at hand. Stick to the project you have planned rather than deciding that now is the time to overhaul the rest of the house.
For more information on this topic, please visit the source of this article at http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=321
Your kitchen cabinets are getting outdated and tired looking, and you’re thinking seriously about a new look for your kitchen. There are two ways of approaching the problem:
Most of us want to select the faucets for our remodeled bathrooms and kitchens based on their looks, and how we think they’ll fit into our décor. That’s a good idea, since you are going to be looking at them for years to come. And, you will be the one to use them, adjust them for hot and cold and water flow, and all the other handling that comes with bathtub, shower and kitchen faucets.
Any remodel in your home will upset your routines, and change some of your living patterns while the work is going on. You're going to have some strangers in your home, and there will be noise, sawdust, paint fumes, ladders and work trucks. But, the end result will be worth the bother.
When you're ready to remodel, making sure you've selected the right contractor for you is the most important factor in the whole process. Here are some of the critical points in that decision:
As we look at what most homeowners want in their kitchens, we find that things have changed from the traditional cooking space. There are a number of aspects of the modern kitchen that are surfacing as we remodel more and more older homes.
Keeping up with a long list of being recognized over the years, CALbath has received several prestigious awards in 2010.
- 500 Qualified Remodelers 2010
- #1 Bath Remodeler in Orange County
- Big 50 Remodeling
- Kraftmaid Sales Achievement Award
- Top 500 California Bath Restoration
Read more News and Updates About CALbath & Kitchen Here
Call 877-CAL-BATH to schedule an appointment with one of our designers.
To learn more, visit a CALbath location today.
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