Saturday, July 31, 2010

Kitchen Remodel Plans Seattle

remodelseattlewa.com Your home is one of your largest investments. It's the place where you spend a significant amount of time, playing, relaxing, and creating memories. Get Your Free Video Kit @ http Call now!(888-229-2796)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdjBTbwq92Q&hl=en

Monday, July 26, 2010

3 Essentials to Successful Basement Remodeling

In New York, where the housing crunch runs decades back, extending living space can be a real luxury. One practical way that many homeowners miss to consider is basement remodeling. Undertaking such a project saves your house from the unnecessary breaking down of walls and your pocketbook from the financial burden that a home addition poses. When done right, this would surely prove beneficial by affording you and the family more living area to make everyday life simply more enjoyable as well as increasing the value of the property letting you enjoy a recoup on your remodeling investment. So whether you are in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Long Island, or Queens; ensure these 3 essentials to a successful basement remodeling.

Basement Remodeling Plan

No matter what project you decide to take on, big or small, it is the plan that lays out success from the very beginning. This comes especially important with basement remodeling. Why? It does not qualify for your average renovation work and the job presents a set of unique challenges. With this said, your best and safest way to go about the project is through hiring a qualified contractor unless you are one yourself. With one, you will be giving the most value for your money with a completion that is within budget as well as timeframe. Your specification plan should cover everything from the major steps to the littlest of details. Take note of both your needs and wants and discuss with your contractor the best possible ways to achieve them considering your budget and what your basement can accommodate.

Basement Finish Idea

When it comes to ideas, there are a good number of options that you can explore. But whichever finish you opt to pursue, it is important that the result would complement well with the family's lifestyle and that the idea will make the best use of the area. One great tip though that may come in handy is that you could take advantage of the ready access to plumbing by adding another bathroom or kitchenette in the plan. Aside from being practical, this an also add more value to your home.

Waterproofing

Originally constructed to not serve as a living area, there are factors that you should look into first to be able to maximize functionality and comfort. It would be best to let your hired contractor or other qualified professionals evaluate the area first to know the extent of problems and the appropriate solutions to implement.

When it comes to any basement, water and moisture issues can be considered a universal issue faced by homeowners. Other than the obvious signs such as flooding, here are other indications to be wary of:

damp spots
chalky white residues on your walls
rust on metal surfaces and dry rot on wood
peeling or blistering paint
mold and mildew, from obvious growth to moldy odor

Varying levels of moisture or water problems will require different methods of repair and waterproofing. But even if no signs have been spotted, preventive waterproofing should still be in place to ensure a long-lasting basement remodeling finish.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Make Your Life Simpler With Home Automation

Consider the time and thought it takes to do the simplest things in your home to manage systems like lighting, air conditioning and heating, security, and more. It may seem like no big deal to have to run around the house turning off the lights when you go to bed. Perhaps you are one who always remembers to adjust the temperature controls when you leave the house to save on energy bills and you don't mind coming home to a hot house after work in summer, happy to wait until it cools down for comfort. Maybe you never forget to set the security system when you leave and you don't worry about the house looking unoccupied when you're on vacation.

If you're like most in this busy world, you aren't infallible and simple oversights unnecessarily cost you money and worry. Wouldn't it be neat if your house was smart enough to just do all of these chores for you so you can forget about them? This isn't some futuristic dream - it's all available to you right now. Home automation has come a long way and is now affordable for most any budget. Just like automated garage door openers are now a standard home feature, lighting, HVAC, and security system automation systems are soon to be standard as well. Wireless capabilities mean you can control any of these systems from anywhere in the world.

Home automation systems keep your home more comfortable and safer and they save significantly on energy consumption, paying for themselves in the long term. If you are remodeling or building a new home, full automation should always be a part of the plan. For existing homes, automation can be added all at once or piece by piece as the budget allows.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Basement advance Portfolio by Mark of Excellence Remodeling

Mark of Excellence Remodeling showcases some of its recent Basement Renovation Projects. A design + build company, Mark of Excellence does not just "finish basements", they add new living space.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPx3S5ep9O8&hl=en

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Valuable Basement Remodeling Plans

Basement remodeling plans entail a lot of work and depending on your requirements, you would have to spend a lot of time just to plan the perfect design and layout. The most dramatic basements in general can be found in newly constructed homes where contractors can design higher ceilings to create a more spacious environment and of course to do away with the dark and scary dungeon feel of the basement. Basement designs have dramatically evolved and you can't believe how other people spend thousands of dollars just to get the look that they want. Well I can't really blame them because if you have a beautiful basement, it's usually the main attraction in your home because of the efforts put into it.

The basement lacks natural light but don't worry because there are a lot of things that you can do to brighten your basement that it won't look like a basement at all anymore. Ask your contractor if you can include more windows in your basement remodeling plan. Aside from natural lighting benefits, a window can also serve as an alternative escape in case there's fire. If your house provides walk-out possibilities then you may want to consider putting new sliders or French doors to improve and increase natural lighting.

If you have the budget, make sure you maintain finishing continuity. This means that your materials, hardware, trimmings and other finishing elements are as high quality as any other part of your house. You can also have the same color scheme in your basement however if you are like me who wants to treat the basement as a separate house or room, then you can totally contrast the design of your basement with your house. This is beneficial especially if you are planning to build an office space in your basement. At least you won't feel like you're just in the same place.

Another basement remodeling plan you can do is replacing solid doors leading down to the basement with glass-paned doors. This will let lighting flow down the staircase and you are also effectively eliminating that claustrophobic and scary basement staircase feeling. Invest in good lighting to make your basement friendly and inviting. There are a lot of lamps with adjustable illumination and don't worry because they're really not that expensive. Don't consider all of these things as expenses because you are just merely adding value to your home.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Remodeling Software

With the ongoing popularity of home renovation and reconstruction, it would also mean that technology will cope with the times, thus, there have been so many remodeling software, E-books, E-magazines, and websites dedicated to this topic. These information and materials are usually downloadable in the internet and buyable in the bookstores and other home improvement shops.

This remodeling software incorporates so many data and details about home designs, improvements, renovation, materials, products, and tips on one's remodeling project. Most of the contributors are actually interior designers, contractors, architects, engineers, planners, etc. who feel that the homeowners can also make their own design and practice their creativity while working on this big project. Without leaving the comfort of your home, without buying and using those expensive paper and pencils, without paying designers, one can create and make his dream remodeling plan through the help and guide of the remodeling software.

A remodeling software, with its very improved and user-friendly applications, makes the homeowners one step closer to their goals. Because of its huge database, one can choose to renovate one room after another, using only one remodeling software. This also includes some dos and don'ts in remodeling, how-to projects, and a helpful guidebook to materialize your remodeling ideas.

Being a user-friendly gadget, one only has to click and drag or click and move, the items, tables, countertops, appliances, furniture, fixture, etc., and that's definitely designing in 3 easy steps. You can actually play around and try different places and locations for your things, use various colors and materials for your walls and ceilings, and then view it on a 3D image or a walk-through the place.

Some remodeling software may contain calculators that will help you compute your budget and expenses, the loans and payment scheme, etc. There are also other sets that may offer some measuring tables or mixture computation, which will give you the number or the amount of materials that will be used for that particular room dimension, etc. It has built-in analytical systems that can give you the total number of tiles needed for your 100 sq. m bathroom, or the number of paint gallons required to paint your living room, or the length of wallpaper you need for your room, and more. It's truly an asset when one starts or plans to remodel a house, or add a room, or change paint color, etc.

Remodeling a house is not an easy feat but with the help and the convenience of these different sets of remodeling software, one would truly enjoy and fulfill their goals of living in a new remodeled house.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Burke Mountain Homes: Gardenia

Burke Mountain Homes: Gardenia by East Village Developments is an exclusive development of only 15 homes, nestled within an expansive 2.3 acre green belt on Burke Mountain. These well-designed 4 and 5-bedroom open floorplan homes range from 3400 to 3900 square feet, and include a fully finished basement and a legal, 1-bedroom suite. There are 3 professionally designed finishing styles, 7 exterior colors and styles and over 7 total floor plans to choose from. These homes are nearly half sold, and there are only a handful of opportunities remaining. East Village Developments is a Canadian company, and have been in the construction business for over 25 years. Visit www.burkemountainhomes.com for more information about Burke Mountain real estate, development and the growing community in North East Coquitlam.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRfuzEIiIj4&hl=en