Bizzibid’s Remodeling Blog

When it’s time to remodel a kitchen, one of the key areas of concern for homeowners is the kitchen cabinets. With cabinets, we’re faced with the tough choice of refurbishing the cabinets, which can save money, or buying all new cabinets. Tearing out the old cabinets and installing new ones does cost more, but the benefits of brand new kitchen cabinet installation far outweigh those of refacing.

Resale Value

Though it’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of having something new, making areas of your home look nicer and making it your own, the first concern any homeowner should have when considering upgrades is whether they will get a return on their investment. Fortunately, kitchen remodeling, along with bathroom additions and upgrades, is the best remodeling project for adding resale value to a home. While swapping carpet for laminate flooring or painting walls won’t get much return on investment, brand new cabinets will certainly go a long way in paying for themselves when it’s time to sell.

Longer Lasting

Though many homeowners keep a keen eye on resale value, others plan on staying for a long time and aren’t thinking about return on investment at all. These homeowners can realize a tremendous benefit from choosing brand new cabinet installation as well. While refurbishing old cabinets by stripping the finish, swapping old hardware and repainting or refinishing is certainly cheaper, you’re still left with the “bones” of those old cabinets. Refacing cabinets is only a cosmetic fix. If, as a homeowner, your aim is long-lasting quality rather than just making old cabinets look better for a sale or as a “stop-gap” measure, then brand new cabinets are definitely the way to go.

New Kitchen Layout Options

Most homeowners are stuck with the same old kitchen design they inherited from the previous owners or, if it’s a new home, from the builder or architect. Working with a professional to design and install new cabinets allows homeowners to break out of this rut and change their kitchen design completely. Once the old cabinets are out, home owners are free to create the kitchen of their dreams with many more layout options. With simple kitchen cabinet refurbishing, this just isn’t possible. But by completely remodeling their old kitchen and choosing new cabinets, homeowners gain options they may have always wanted or may not have even considered.

More Storage

The problem that a lot of homeowners have with their existing kitchen cabinets is that there’s just not enough storage. Resurfacing old cabinets makes them look nice, but they’re still the same old cabinets that are too small for homeowners’ growing needs. A new cabinet installation allows homeowners to choose larger cabinets to accommodate all their storage needs. For example, the existing cabinets might be the standard 30 to 36-inch height, leaving a foot of wasted space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. Custom designed cabinets can be built to use this space, allowing for many more square feet of useful storage. This is just another of the many reasons new cabinet installation is such a benefit for homeowners.

Tags: cabinet refacing, cabinet replacement, kitchen remodeling, remodeling, remodeling cost //
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There’s more to climate control in your home than temperature and humidity. The stabilization of your home’s climate is something that keeps everyone comfortable with no unwelcome changes. To maintain an optimum level, a properly functioning heating and air conditioning system keeps everything within reasonable bounds. Your HVAC equipment needs to be up to the task at all times. Proper maintenance can give you continuous service and avoid problems that many times crop up at the worst possible moment.

Care and Maintenance
First and foremost, it helps if you keep an eye out for things you can do to minimize problems before they occur. The following is a list of maintenance recommendations for the homeowner:

1. Check the outside unit to remove debris like rocks, sticks and leaves.
2. Clean the outside unit of mud, snow and bird droppings.
3. Vacuum the reachable ducts behind the wall filter.
4. Vacuum the coil behind the blower assembly.
5. Vacuum under the inside unit, inside the enclosure.
6. Change the wall filter if you think it might have fouled prematurely.

This is basic but could ward off intermittent problems. Nevertheless, the system is too complicated for anything more, and regular service by a qualified technician is recommended. Most maintenance tasks performed by a technician are done twice a year and include:

1. Replace filters.
2. Clean evaporator and condenser coils.
3. Treat coils with an antimicrobial agent to ward off mold.
4. Check space around air ducts.
5. Inspect fan, bearings and belts.
On an annual basis, leaks in cabinets and the supply duct need to be checked along with dampers. All air ducts should be cleaned at least every two years.

Rewards of Keeping up Regular Service
Proper heating and air conditioning service can have a positive effect on your family’s health. When the filters and ducts are clean, allergens and unwanted dust are kept out. Dirt buildup in an HVAC system is a culprit in many respiratory diseases. Also of critical importance is energy efficiency. A poorly maintained HVAC system works harder to move hot or cold air and costs more. Clogged filters can pass contaminated mold-inducing air. Emergency cleaning causes a drain on your budget.

Another energy-wasting practice is improper control of your home’s temperature. Waiting until everyone is shivering or sweating before turning on the system makes it work harder in heating or cooling as it attempts to match the temperature you’ve set. Even playing with the settings can cause the machinery to turn on and off unnecessarily. Your best bet is to set a comfortable temperature and let the system make minute adjustments to maintain a high level of comfort.

Tags: air conditioning, hvac, hvac installation //
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Tile flooring is durable. It can provide almost unlimited options in the type of tile used. Tile flooring also enjoys an ample variety of designs. It can be as simple or complex as you desire. There are tiles that can last forever and others that are less durable but offer price advantages and flexibility in replacement.

Although kitchens and bathrooms are ideal areas for tile flooring due to tile’s resistance to water and spills, other parts of your home can benefit from tile. With children or heavy traffic, tile makes sense given its superior resistance to tracking of mud, water and spills of all kinds. Costs can vary widely. Consider the following:

1. Vinyl tile is economical and among the easiest to install. It resists spills, but its relative softness can suffer wear and tear due to scuffing and acidic spills. It costs $3-$7 per sq. ft.
2. Ceramic tile is more expensive and requires greater attention when installing, considering evenness and possible grouting concerns. In its native form it tends to be somewhat porous. It can also be subject to breakage but individual tiles can be replaced. It costs $8-$15 per sq. ft.
3. Glazed ceramic tiles add a glassy and tough protection to your floors. They come in a wide variety of patterns and designs. When it comes to cost, glazed ceramic tile flooring varies in price due to hardness. On a scale of one to five, glazed ceramic tiles work best at grade III and above. The entire pricing gamut runs from $1-$10 per sq. ft.
4. Porcelain tile flooring is a tougher version of glazed ceramic tiles since its higher glazing temperature adds extra strength. The process doesn’t allow as wide a range of design as glazed ceramic tiles. It comes in at the higher end of the $1-$10 range.

Installation costs can run $5-$10 per sq. ft. so a do it yourself effort can be tempting. In many cases an even floor surface makes DIY possible especially for vinyl and ceramic tiles that don’t require grouting. You’ll need mastic and tools to carry it out, and getting a smooth overall surface can be daunting. A professional can bring the installation near to perfection and provide a guarantee. Seating ceramic tiles can be difficult, and grouting takes special care in adding and finishing.

For cleaning and maintenance, vacuuming is recommended to pick up solid matter. Mopping with plain water works well for everyday practice. If stains and spots don’t come off easily, consider using pH neutral commercial cleaners. Baking soda and water make a good home-made cleaner for spot removal and cleaning grout. If grout won’t clean well, you can check with a home improvement store or a professional in extreme cases.

Tags: flooring ideas, tile flooring //
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Stone/brick exteriors have been around for centuries and suggest elegance and modern sophistication. While this is an expensive exterior that is available in granite, slate, limestone, marble, or brick, if you are fortunate enough to live close to an area where the stone is quarried, you will pay less. While brick may run an average cost of $6–$12, real stone can be $12–$30 per square foot. For this reason, many property owners choose to use stone or brick siding as an accent or only on the front of their buildings for a richer look without exorbitant expense. It is also possible to find artificial, engineered stone that is lighter and easier to install. It is less expensive, but does not sacrifice good looks in the process. It is also very durable and unaffected by weather and climate conditions.

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Tags: brick exteriors, stone exteriors //
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Are you living in a home with a small kitchen? Are you desperately looking for ways to make this space seem bigger and more inviting? I recently came across a blog post that offers several suggestions for creating the illusion of more space in a kitchen.

• Lighting – The lighting in a kitchen is a detail that is often overlooked, yet it can have a huge impact on how the space appears. Task lighting and under cabinet lighting are two ways to add extra lighting in your kitchen while also showcasing some of the details in the space. Natural light from replacement windows is another way to make your kitchen look more open and bring a little bit of the outdoors in.

• Paint – Lighter rooms will generally feel much larger. Keep this in mind when choosing paint colors for the walls in your kitchen and for your kitchen cabinets, if you choose to paint them as well. Go with light blues, greens and yellows on the walls for a light and airy feel.

• Details – The smallest details can make a big difference on how large or small a kitchen feels. Glass front cabinets and patterned backsplashes are stylish and can make the space appear more open. The way the flooring is installed also plays a role, such as making the room looking more expansive just by choosing larger tiles.

Keep these elements in mind if you are taking on a kitchen remodeling project in a smaller space.

Tags: green kitchen remodeling, small kitchens //
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There are very few places on earth where people are comfortable living without heating and air conditioning, and the United States is not usually considered one of them. Weather you live in a state with hot and sticky summers, or freezing cold, snowy winters, you are going to want an efficient HVAC unit. But how much will it cost?

The price of residential HVAC depends on the size of the house, the quality and brand of the unit, the region in which it’s being built, and the type of fuel it will use. Initial installation cost is one thing, but it’s important to consider the cost of fuel in the long run as well. High-efficiency systems can be more expensive to install, but will pay off over time. Maintenance costs are also something to consider. A complete overhaul or entirely new system with new ducts will cost more.

Installing an air conditioning system in your home can range from $3,000 to $6,000 depending on the situation of the home and the duct work. For a 1,900 square foot home, an new unit may cost around $3,500-$4,500, not counting the cost of installation.

The region in which you live will play a big factor in your final cost. If you live in the Midwest, the South, or the country, you will pay less than if you live in the Northeast or West Coast regions. In Raleigh, North Carolina, for example, a reasonable estimate would be somewhere around $3,800-$4,200 for changing a 2-ton system. This price would be a bargain if you lived in Maryland or New York, where prices are on average closer to $10,000 or more. Estimates can range closer to $20,000 for a complete HVAC overhaul on a large house. Every project is different, so it is difficult to say exactly what the cost will be. As a nationwide average, homeowners should expect to pay somewhere around $5,000 on new heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, then factor in the labor.

The cost of your project will also depend greatly on which contractor you choose. Estimates for the same project can differ by thousands of dollars, so it is definitely to your advantage to obtain several before choosing between HVAC contractors. When reviewing an estimate, make sure you understand exactly what it includes and what it does not include. It always helps to get as much information as possible from your perspective contractors.

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Tags: air conditioning, heating and cooling, hvac, hvac installation //
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Thanks to its sleek, classic look, hardwood flooring is extremely popular. Installing wood flooring not only makes a difference in a home’s look, but in its resale value as well. For homeowners interested in installing wood flooring, the first question usually has to do with money.

There are many things that can affect the cost of your wood flooring, including the materials, the size of the space, and the contractor you choose. Standard solid-strip hardwood flooring averages about $8 a square foot for materials and installation, or $1,150 for a 12×12 foot space. The wide pine planks that have become popular lately can cost up to $12 per square foot (materials and installation). This means that for a 12×12 foot room, you are looking at an average cost of $1,750.

Pre-finished wood is more expensive than unfinished, though it still depends on what type of wood you are buying. Usually, factory finished wood costs around $10-$14 per square foot for installation. This means that for the same 12×12 foot room, the average cost is close to $2,000.

Different types of wood come at different prices. Bamboo is usually cheaper, around $4-$6 per square foot for materials. Other, more exotic woods can cost up to $13 per square foot for the materials, and more when you factor in the installation. Laminate flooring is usually around $8-$12 a square foot for materials and installation, which means that your final cost is somewhere close to $1,500 for a 12×12 foot space.

Your final cost will also change if you choose to have a custom pattern or border installed. This adds an element of originality and uniqueness to your floor, though the cost may go up by $2 a square foot, or more. For a 12×12 foot room, an extra $2 a square foot means $288 added to your bill. The bigger the room, the more your floor costs.

As with anything, your final bill will depend largely on which contractor you choose. Competing flooring contractors may have dramatically different prices, so it is a good idea to obtain several initial estimates. Pay attention to which items the estimates include and exclude. You want to know exactly what you are getting with each contractor. It also can be very helpful to get references and see floors previously completed by the contractors in question. Entering a project fully informed is the best way to guarantee a successful and satisfying experience.

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Tags: bamboo flooring, flooring installtion, laminate flooring, tile floors, wood floors //
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The average cost of bathroom remodeling job can range anywhere from $10,000 to $40,000, depending on the extent of the project and the materials being used. This range is flexible, and your final cost could end up being more or less depending on the choices you make. In fact, many homeowners remodel their bathroom for a more reasonable price range of $7,000-$10,000.

The cost of bathroom remodeling depends on several factors, including whether or not you expand the space, which fixtures you choose to replace and the quality of the replacement fixtures, the cabinetry you choose, and the type of flooring you choose. Really, the possibilities are endless. If you’re knocking down walls and expanding, choosing top-of-the-line fixtures and flooring materials, expect to pay closer to the top of this range.

Where you live can also affect the cost of your bathroom remodeling project. In areas with higher living costs, such as California and the Northeast, expect to pay more than other parts of the country. The size of your bathroom also matters, and square footage affects the cost of flooring an other things. It helps to search around for different flooring and fixture options in the beginning. For example, two manufacturers could have similar products, but one could be much less expensive.

Another important consideration is the type of fixtures you’re replacing. Are you looking for standard products, or will this be a custom project? Custom built cabinetry can cost a lot more than something off the shelf at Home Depot. The same goes for showers and sinks.

Before beginning any bathroom remodeling project, it can help to set some sort of a budget. Decide on flooring materials, sinks, tubs, showers, etc. Collect estimates from several local contractors before choosing one. All of these things affect the final cost, and it’s important to know all of your options before beginning.

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In a world of rising energy costs, everyone seems to be looking for ways to cut their bills. Replacing old leaky windows can actually cut your energy bills up to 25%. It’s important to weight the cost of replacement against the savings over time. So how much does it actually cost to outfit a home with new windows

The actual cost of new windows depends on a number of factors, such as the quality of the new windows, the number of windows, and whether or not the window frames are damaged and need replacing as well. If the window frames are in good condition, you can expect to pay an average of $300-$700 per window to be placed inside the existing frames. Depending on where you live, it could be as much as $1,000 per window. This means that for a single-story home with 10 windows, you’re looking at anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000. Larger homes with more windows and second stories can run anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000. If the window frames are rotten or damaged, expect to pay 50-100% more for new construction windows.

The type of window has a big impact on the cost. Higher-end manufacturers can charge more for more energy-efficient windows. Sometimes you can find a lesser-known manufacturer that produces top-end windows, but charges less than the leading brands. Where you live matters too. In areas with a higher cost of living, your window replacement contractor will be have to charge more.

Another important cost factor is the size of your windows. Non-standard sized windows generally require custom replacements, which can increase the cost by 50-100%. It’s important to know the size of your windows and to shop around with different manufacturers to see who will give you the best deal. As with any home improvement project, it’s important to obtain estimates from several contractors before settling on one to get the job done.

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Sometimes we forget how important gutters are, until a torrential rain sends sheets of water flying off the roof, turning the yard into a sloshing mess for a week. If you’re looking for new gutters, your first question is probably going to be about the price.

The cost of your gutter replacement depends on the length of your gutters and the material being used. The average residential home has 120-250 feet of gutters. For vinyl gutters, you can expect to pay around $3-$5 per linear foot for installation. That comes out to anywhere from $360 to $1250 depending on how much you need.
Aluminum gutters are slightly more expensive at around $4-$9 per foot, with the downspouts costing about $8 per foot. Galvanized steel costs about the same as aluminum, so roughly anywhere from $480 to $2250 total cost. Wood gutters are also available, although these are usually only used in restoration projects and can cost $12-$20 per foot.
Stainless steel and copper gutters are two of the highest quality gutter materials. Stainless steel gutters run at about $20 a foot ($2400-$5000 for the average house). The upside to this is that stainless steel gutters are very strong, rust-free, and will remain shiny for years to come. Copper gutters cost between $15 and $20 per foot ($1800-$5000), and are also low maintenance and rust-free. Copper, however, will develop a green color from being exposed to air over a lengthy period of time.

On average, gutters can cost anywhere from $360 to $5000 depending on the size of your roof and the materials you choose. Also, expect to pay somewhere between $40 and $100 for the hauling away and disposing of your old gutters. As with any home improvement project, it’s best to shop around and get estimates before beginning.

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