charlotte home improvement: What Are the Best Home Improvements - 03/02/11 11:50 PM

Homeowners renovate for two basic reasons: money and fun. Or, more precisely, they undertake home improvements to improve their home's resale value or their enjoyment of their house. The best home improvements, however, are ones that deliver on both objectives. Americans will spend nearly $141 billion on remodeling in the first half of this year, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. If you'll be among the many homeowners opting to improve, rather than move, you may be wondering what renovations are likely to give you the best balance of enhanced resale value and immediate enjoyment. Here are five … (1 comments)

charlotte home improvement: Don't Put Off Home Improvement Projects - 09/27/08 12:23 PM
Increasing costs have become evident in every aspect of our lives. In addition to daily expenses like gas and groceries, home improvement costs are escalating across the nation as well. The cost of construction materials has risen more than 10 percent during the past year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. In addition, the American General Contractors (AGC) of America find that construction costs have increased more than twice the overall consumer price. As the summer months rolled by, construction prices kept increasing. By the end of July, the cost of steel, a material widely used in home construction, had increased … (0 comments)

charlotte home improvement: Tips for Painting Your House - 09/14/08 10:05 PM
Painting the interior of your home can be one of the most rewarding and cost-effective ways to completely transform your living space. By following a few simple tips, you'll maximize your time and efforts, while ensuring the end result will look as if you hired a costly professional. * The most important step to getting a great look is preparation. As a general rule, walls should be clean, dry and dull. If your existing surface was painted previously with semi-gloss or gloss paint, the surface should be lightly sanded to a duller finish and all sanding dust removed. For previously painted … (1 comments)

charlotte home improvement: A Good Time to Remodel - 03/29/08 02:24 AM
Many people are planning to stay put in their own homes until the loan market steadies. Perhaps that will happen when the new proposals that will tighten up the mortgage market go through.
This waiting period seems a good opportunity to improve the value of the existing home by decorating and renovating. There are still safe lenders out there who will lend you a little cash based on the equity that has mounted up in your home. Your original lender is the best place to start. They have proved reliable, and they will have to be involved in any other loan, as … (0 comments)