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2012: New Year, New Home Remodeling Decisions

January 19, 2012 in dRemodeling News, Kitchen Remodeling, Philadelphia bathroom remodeling, Philadelphia remodeling, Practical Tips For Homeowners, Remodeling thoughts

It’s 2012. New year, new beginnings, new statistics and ideas for home remodeling projects.

There has been a significant and noticeable shift in preferences with regard to new-home purchases from late 2011 and into the fresh beginnings of 2012. This purchasing impact is a result of the struggling economy, still-shrinking construction market, and the need and desire for smaller homes.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, builders and contractors expect newly built homes in 2012 to average between 2,000 and 2,150 square feet by 2015. That is over 10% smaller than previously estimated desired home sizes.

To maintain the consistency of simplicity and small-size, luxuries will likely fade out in home remodeling and practicality will move in. Formal living rooms are going by the wayside, making room for much smarter and multi-functional home layouts.

In 2012, you can expect to see a lot more of those once-forgotten small spaces: eat in kitchens, and large social areas that can double as office space and entertainment rooms. There’s going to be a decrease in the interest for remodeling or even building dining rooms and great rooms; these simply will become unnecessary.

“Keep the following tips in mind if you’re thinking of investing in an addition or a significant remodel:

* Select a professional contractor with experience, knowledge of local codes and a good reputation for quality work.

* Before you finalize your remodel decisions, research the improvements that will likely bring you the highest return on your investment. A minor kitchen remodel should return more than 70 percent of its cost at resale, according to the 2010-2011 Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report. Adding a bathroom pays back more than 53 percent.

* During the latest housing boom, remodels were all about big and bold. Now there is less emphasis on luxury and more on practicality. Take advantage of that trend, and you’ll make your home more competitive at resale, and your dollars will stretch a lot further.”

Tags: 2012, Home Remodel, Return on Investment, Small home
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Heated Floors- benefits – types – cost

January 3, 2012 in Philadelphia bathroom remodeling, Philadelphia remodeling, Practical Tips For Homeowners

Heated floors are used more frequently in places like bathrooms or bedroom places where you want your feet to be warm. But it can be used in any room in your house and even out site. I have seen it in garages (to help melt the snow off of your car) or even in cold area they heat their sidewalks and parking lots so they never have to shovel.

There are benefits to heated floors other than keeping your feet warm after you get out of the shower. Compared to the usual forced air heating such as central air, radiant floor heating throughout your house can help you save on your monthly heating expenses. With floor heating you are able to heat only the rooms you are using with timers and to your desired temperature with giving you the option to make each room a different temperature. Also air quantity is much better than your typical forced air system because you’re not recalculating dust and spores. It’s more cost effective if the floor has a significant thermal mass such as a concrete slab. Read the rest of this entry →

Tags: Cost, Floor, Heat, Homeowners, Interior, Radiant, remodeling, Tips
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Customers that miss appointments

January 2, 2012 in Philadelphia remodeling, Practical Tips For Homeowners, Remodeling thoughts

My thoughts on customers that miss appointments

Kitchen and bathroom remodeling is my passion and business. Thus, as a through professional, I value my time. However, last week, it seems I got stood up 3 times in a row when I visited the client’s destination for an assessment of the place. Even though I understand that emergencies happen, the least they can do is give me a call from wherever they are. I mean, it is actually not asking for too much, isn’t it?

Though it is not that I have never missed an appointment, it does happen sometimes, but I ensure that I call up and apologize. Though this is extremely rare, I must admit that it happens. However, when I miss an appointment, customers post negative reviews, which even though cannot be completely justified. But what do I do?

I talked it over with my friends and other business owners and some of them had a simple solution- charge the customer. They said I need to mention it over the phone conversation to ensure that the customer knows that they need to be there at the given time. I usually drive for over an hour to reach a destination and nobody’s home…isn’t that a sheer waste of my time?

I know what my friend suggested was a good idea but I’ll need to think it over. Another suggestion that can save me valuable time is to hire a reminder service. Some of these services charge to remind the customers of their appointment with the company. A day or two before the scheduled appointment, the live attendants give a call to the customer to remind them of the appointment, so that when I reach there, they are home.

Another friend suggested that I call before I leave home so that at least I do not waste me time travelling up and down without doing any business. Customer satisfaction is my priority but I need to ensure that the potential clients understand that as a business owner my time is equally precious.

However, I think giving a new customer a benefit of doubt is essential as I have a service business but just like, Dave, another business owner said, “Dan, if that happens a second time over, just drop the client because they are not serious about the remodeling so no point putting in more time.”

It is natural that some people have hectic schedules and so the mess-up happens, but for some people, it is sheer inattention to details. These are just my thoughts on the subject, what do you think works the best?

Tags: customers, free estimate, kichen remodeling, kitchen remodeling contractor, missing appointments, remodeling, remodeling kitchen philadelphia, valuable time
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Latest Review: South Philadelphia Bathroom Remodel

December 3, 2011 in dRemodeling News

When you start with a vision, and you have never had design experience, and you know you are about to embark on a large remodeling project – there is an issue that stands in your way….. “How do I get that vision to be reality”?

I waited 4 years until I finally got the chance to turn my dream into reality – turn my small, one person (well, master – but it felt like there was only room for one) bathroom into the spa bathroom that I always wanted.

I found the remodeling company DRemodeling that really made me feel that they would do the best job. Then I was introduced to Crystal Russell who helped make my dream a reality. We worked very closely picking all the materials to fulfill my vision. Her eye for lines and proper aesthetic helped guide my choices and we were able to get everything and more to make the space the clean, spa, modern yet vintage looking bathroom one could only dream of. My experience with Crystal is difficult to put into words. Her passion for perfection and the ability to be present as much as I needed her helped me in more ways that I can verbalize. The stress of renovation takes a toll, but I was able to count on her to help guide me through difficult decisions as well as check up on all the progress throughout.

DRemodeling is a professional and reliable firm that not only will remodel, but offers design which most remodeling companies do not. There were minimal issues that arose throughout, they remained very professional and were always making sure I was completely satisfied throughout.

The dream is a reality and I walk in my new bathroom each and every day and cannot believe that just 4 weeks ago, I was fighting with my husband to use the sink and be able to see in the small mirror at the same time.

-WF, South Philly Bathroom Remodel