Blueprints are the universal language of builders and contractors. They are the way that everyone on a particular project works together to achieve the same final product. From building plans to electrical layouts, blueprints show every detail of the project. To the common eye, blueprints can be intimidating and difficult to interpret. However, building plans can easily be interpreted by understanding how to read them. First and foremost, the title page of the blueprint gives vital information. The title page will include a list of all drawings to show what is included in the entire … [Read more...]
Blueprints: How to Read the Construction Designer’s Handwriting
Last updated on September 21, 2023 by DRHCI
Countertop Considerations
Last updated on September 14, 2023 by DRHCI
You don’t have to watch shows like “House Hunters” for long to realize that, as Americans, we are obsessed with our countertops. Aside from wanting a particular material, though, there’s plenty to consider when it comes to your countertops. Unlike your cabinet doors, this surface is the work horse of your kitchen. You don’t want something that’s just pretty — you want it to hold up to heavy use and make your prep time more enjoyable and your clean-up easier and shorter. An Ideal Countertop Height If you’ve spent any time at all standing in a kitchen to chop veggies, decorate cakes, or even … [Read more...]
Bedroom Renovation and Remodeling Tips
Last updated on September 7, 2023 by DRHCI
If you’re like most people, then the bedroom is the area of your home in which you spend the greatest portion of your day. You dress there, you read there, you relax there in front of the television, and, of course, you sleep there. With all the hours that you spend in your bedroom, if the space is dreary, cluttered, or bland, it’s definitely worth considering a renovation. If you’re interested in remodeling your bedroom, consider the tips below. The tips cover all types of renovations, meaning some might be out of your budget, but most can be adapted in some way to suit your financial … [Read more...]
Remodeling Priorities Most Homeowners Ignore
Last updated on August 31, 2023 by DRHCI
Let’s face it: The best part of a home remodeling project is when you can sit back, look around, and see the results of your investment. Okay, that might come in a close second to hearing the “oohs and ahs” of friends and family as they survey your updated digs. Many homeowners end up opting for aesthetic renovations over less obvious but necessary fixes their homes need. If you focus on a surface-level facelift instead of correcting potentially hazardous issues, you may end up having to watch a sledge hammer break up that new wall you just repainted or the expensive flooring you had put … [Read more...]
Increasing Your Kitchen Remodel’s Cost-to-Value Ratio
Last updated on August 24, 2023 by DRHCI
According to Remodeling Magazine, the size and scope of your kitchen remodel can make a major difference—not only in initial cost but in the amount of cost that you’re likely to recoup in terms of added value. While a major kitchen remodel may be cost-prohibitive with an average cost of nearly $57,500, a minor kitchen remodel may be feasible at about a third of the cost. As if that’s not enough motivation to think smaller, when you compare Remodeling Magazine’s often-cited Cost vs. Value Report for 2010-2011 to their 2011-2012 report, you’ll see another reason why the trend toward minor … [Read more...]
Reasons To Consider Buying a New Home
Last updated on August 17, 2023 by DRHCI
Even in a struggling economy, there’s something to be said for buying a new home. While foreclosures, short sales, and other priced-to-sell existing homes may seem like a bargain, newly built homes bring benefits that add a lot of value to your purchase. Custom Options and Modern Floor Plans This is, perhaps, the most obvious benefit to buying a new home over an existing home. How many times have you said, ”If we ever get to build our own house, we’d ____.” Well, fill in the blank with whatever your dream house would include, because if you’re having a home built for you, you get a say in … [Read more...]
Top Two Home Renovations for Curb Appeal
Last updated on August 10, 2023 by DRHCI
Your home may boast a coveted open concept, spacious kitchen, and updated bathrooms unusual for its age; but if it doesn’t have curb appeal, today’s home buyers will be reticent to walk past the Welcome mat. Taking time to focus on the outside will not only promote buyer interest, decreasing the time frame it takes for you to sell your home, but it will also earn you a higher price and let you enjoy the view from now until you decide to sell. Here are some ways you can give your house a facelift, starting at the top. Rooftop Attention Roofs are metaphors for homes, as in “a roof over my … [Read more...]
Cabinet Trends for Today’s Kitchen Remodels
Last updated on August 3, 2023 by DRHCI
Why are kitchen upgrades such popular home renovation options? The main reasons kitchen remodels are so popular, particularly in a sluggish economy, are both financially fueled. The trend toward people cooking and eating at home is, in large part, due to the lower cost. The more time you plan to spend in a room, the more renovating it makes sense. Especially when homeowners are highly likely to get back a high percentage of what they put into such projects. Year after year, kitchen renovations are some of the best performing projects on Remodeling Magazine’s often-cited Cost vs. Value reports. … [Read more...]
Tips for Bathroom Renovations
Last updated on July 27, 2023 by DRHCI
The decision to remodel a bathroom is one not often regretted by homeowners, and there are many reasons for this. First, bathrooms (most of which contain a simple shower, a boring porcelain sink, and a plain toilet, all on top of white or off white vinyl flooring) are often quite neglected in terms of design, and as such, this room may seem out of place with the rest of your home. Additionally, by renovating your bathroom, you help to create an oasis of privacy; the bathroom is the most private room of the house, after all. Follow the tips below to help make your bathroom renovation experience … [Read more...]
Resale-Savvy Home Renovations
Last updated on July 20, 2023 by DRHCI
In addition to mourning the passing of the housing boom that peaked in 2005, many would-be house sellers are decrying the low returns their pricey renovations no longer promise on the sales block. If resale value is of any concern to you at all, though, you will want to carefully choose the types of remodels and updates that you plan. Major Curb Appeal Evidently, that first impression is more important to prospective buyers than almost anything else. Maybe it’s psychological, or maybe it’s about the image they want to portray to the world, but chances are, if your house doesn’t look good on … [Read more...]
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