Should you Buy a Fixer Upper Infographic

When it comes to buying homes, some people like to consider buying a fixer upper that they can update themselves. Before you decide that a fixer upper is a choice for you, this infographic from Credit Sesame and Column 5 helps you decide whether a fixer upper home is right for you.  It takes into consideration time, budget and home improvement experience.  Budget can be a major factor when buying a home that needs a lot of repairs and potentially a complete overhaul. Budgets can easily get out of control Read More


Home Improvement Projects, What I like, Versus What I can Afford

home improvement projects

Another age old conundrum with home improvement projects is the trade off of what I like versus what I can afford. Everyone struggles with this reality where finances and costs are pulling one side of your brain, versus the emotional trigger of I really want and like “this” to be a part of my project.

One method in helping resolve this debate in your head, or worse yet with your spouse, is to have developed a detailed budget for each item in your project.  As an example, you might have a patio project that includes 10 key items like the following. Read More


Home Offices for Better Productivity

home offices

Did you know that 59% of prospective home buyers want a home office in their next home. Home offices are great rooms that allow you to work from home if your job allows, conduct your personal home business in a quiet environment and also allows your students to study if necessary.

What to consider?

When designing your home office keep a couple of things in mind. How many people in your family will use this office? What will the purpose of its use be? What furniture will you require? Will you require multiple work stations or desks or will your require a small conference area to Read More


Home Improvement Project Budgets, High Level and Detailed

Home Improvement Project BudgetsCreating budgets is a must for your home improvement projects. Creating home improvement project budgets will help everyone involved in your project understand the overall fiances. Home improvement project budgets provide a compass on when and how to proceed with your project. When planning a project, there are various aspects for budget considerations.  Read More


Which comes first, Design or Product Selection?

product selection

This is an age old question, which comes first, design or product selection. That probably ultimately depends on your approach, and the type of home remodeling project you are undertaking. Below are examples of how one can come before the other, and a third example where they are happening simultaneously.

With larger and more complex projects, the design usually comes before the product selection phase.  A good example is a kitchen remodel, which is one of the more complicated projects.  You really need to design the layout of the new kitchen and the overall style and look of the Read More