Home Improvement Tips & Ideas
Tried to DIY and it’s not for you? Get tips for hiring contractors for your home improvement projects, including tips for contracts, change orders and more
The pandemic is changing the way homeowners interact with home service professionals. But there’s no reason to put home improvement projects on hold—and if it’s an emergency repair, you have no choice but to bring a pro into your home. The good news is that many of the best practices and protocols that have been …
I’m the home expert at HomeAdvisor, but I’m also a regular user of the service, which connects homeowners with home service pros, everything from plumbers and handymen to architects and designers. Case in point: a few weeks back I was getting the rental unit in my Brooklyn home ready for a new tenant when I …
Why the digitalization of home services is a win-win for pros and homeownersRead More
Tips to help decide if hiring a contractor or doing it yourself is the best way to get a project done. Learn how to access the complexity of the home improvement project, your own skills and the time you’ll need to get things done.
DIY or Go Pro? How to Know When You’re in Over Your HeadRead More
Design-build is a method of construction that is rapidly gaining in popularity as a way to build or add on to a home or commercial building. At the present rate, it’s destined to surpass traditional building methods in 5–10 years and will reestablish itself as the standard way to execute home remodeling and construction projects. …
Design Build Construction: 5 Steps to a Successful ProjectRead More
Learn about home improvement contract essentials and important document between you and your contractor should include.
Big talk about your next home improvement project may be exciting, but don’t skip the step of securing a formal, written contract from your contractor if you want to make that dream a reality. Verbal contracts with home improvement professionals may be binding by law, but the details can be hard to enforce if there’s …
Find out the differences between home improvement or home renovation contracts, guarantees, warranties and service contracts.
Home Improvement Contracts, Guarantees and WarrantiesRead More
This guide will describe the different types of home improvement professionals, explain when you might enlist their services and, if applicable, mention the education, training and/or licensing they require.
Every day, 365 days a year, I’m thinking about building products. With decades in the home building and remodeling industry, it’s engrained in me. Like many other builders and remodelers … when we go to a friend’s house for an outdoor barbeque, we end up analyzing the home’s roof, windows and siding – all while …
Siding That Builds Value for Construction Pros and Consumers AlikeRead More
How can you make sure you select a contractor that is competent, qualified and trustworthy? It’s all in how you interview the people you are considering hiring. Get a list of the right questions to ask a potential contractor.
As the weather warms up, so does the market for home improvements–and home improvement scams run by shady contractors. Whether you’re on your first-ever home project or your fiftieth, a qualified contractor is key to getting the job done on time and on budget. Take the following steps to avoid possible home improvement project pitfalls …
Finding the Best Contractor for Your Home ImprovementsRead More
Tips to keep your roof in good shape also know if your roof needs repair or replacement or if you should just repair the roof or flashing.
Roof Repair or Replace? How to Know When it’s Time for Your Roof to Go!Read More
This fall the home improvement industry is bracing for one of the busiest years ever. But while home improvement will be hot this year, the risk of making a costly mistake at any point in those projects is also great.
Avoiding contractor fraud largely depends on knowing when an offer is just too good to be true. Here are a few of the most common home repair scams and how to avoid them.
I’m selling my house. The buyer had a mold remediation specialist in to check for mold. They are also a waterproofing company. We subsequently got slapped with a report that stated we had an ongoing water problem in basement, and that a full french drain system is needed (we already have a french drain leading …
If you've ever struggled to find a good contractor to help with a home remodeling project, you'll appreciate Angie's List. For decades the service has helped identify the best home improvement pros. Now the service is free and helping over 3 million homeowners find pros for projects.
We own a 1920's era tract home with floor structure issues in both the bath and kitchen. House is in need of a complete, and major, remodel with new kitchen and bath. What are best steps to take to ensure we plan for the right work to be done the right way? Thanks.
Learn how to evaluate appliance service contracts, also known as extended warranties, do your homework before you buy an appliance service contract or extended warranty
Appliance Service Contracts and Extended Warranties: Are They Worth It?Read More
In august of 2013 I paid a contractor in New Jersey a check for $1700 to purchase materials and a down payment for a kitchen remodel. The contractor cashed the check but he never performed the services or purchased the materials. I filed a civil suit and won but of course he did not show …
When it comes time to find a contractor to replace your windows, you should do your research beforehand to ensure a good outcome. The experts at Simonton Windows have created the following checklist to help you hire the best window installer for your project.
How to Hire a Trustworthy Window Installer: Checklist and Important Questions to AskRead More
According to the Spring 2013 U.S. Remodeling Sentiment Report from RemodelOrMove.com, strong growth in higher-end remodeling projects means a lot more contractor hiring and a lot less DIY work by homeowners. Find out more about report results and do-it-yourself project trends.
Finishing up a small remodel and the customers have informed me they are not happy with the paint job and do not want him back inside their home to correct what they don’t like. Do they have the right to tell me my painter is not allowed back to correct his shortcomings? By stating this …
May is National Home Improvement Month, the perfect time to tend to the major components of your home. Top projects include roof inspection, cleaning and repairing siding, replacing windows and the front door, and cleaning gutters.
Before I hire him, I want to make sure my prospective contractor carries proper insurance and licenses. Should he have a card that states he's licensed, and has liability and workmans compensation? I assume the license would be obvious, with the state's information on it, but the insurance aspect makes me wonder.
