Home Additions, Remodeling, and Modular Homes Blog

Loans for Kitchen Remodeling Projects`

2011-11-14T20:22:00.001-05:00

Kitchen Remodeling Loans

Kitchen remodeling projects can cost a lot of money, so most people look into getting a loan to complete the job.

There are many home improvement loan types for kitchen remodeling projects. The type that is good for you depends on how much cash you have on hand, your credit score, your current mortgage, and of course how much cash you need to borrow.

Most people use home equity lines of credit for major kitchen remodels, such as kitchen additions.

Special home improvement loans such as the Title I loan from theFHA can get you up to $25,000.The Federal Housing Administration also has a 203k loan program. This loan is for people who are buying a fixer upper, and want a loan that will include the cost of the home plus the cost of the kitchen renovations. The 203k is perfect for people who found the right house but the kitchen seems a bit outdated.

Other loan options for kitchen remodeling projects include: Second Mortgage, Cash Out Refinancing, and lastly Cash. To read more about these options visit: Best Loan Options for Kitchen Remodeling Projects

Interviewing Home Improvement Contractors

2011-11-10T20:07:00.001-05:00

How to Interview a Contractor?

Since I was a contractor, believe me when I tell you that most people do not know what questions to ask.

If you are doing a major remodel, a room addition, or building a house, you need to read this blog post.

The first thing you need to get is your contractors license and insurance policy numbers. Try to get this information before the interview, because what you might learn can change whether or not the contractor is worth interviewing.

Find out how much experience your contractor has with your particular project. Remember that a contractor can have 20 years experience installing tile, but only a months experience bulding a deck. Make sure you get at least three referrals from customers who have had a similar project done.

Contracts. You will be surprised to learn that many homeowners don't know that they could specify the level of detail on their building contracts. It's true, contractors will be glad to do it in order to win your business, and you as the customer will be safer because you will have in writing every detail of the project that you want specified. I say the more detail the better, but some of you are squeamish about long contracts. Typically the level of detail about your project should be well detailed; therefore, you have written proof of everything the contractor verbally agreed to build for you.

For more information visit the complete article on our main site Simply Additions ->
How to Interview a Contractor?

Protecting your home from Burglars

2011-11-10T15:47:00.001-05:00

Are you going away for Christmas Vacation? Are you going on any vacation anytime soon and wondering what is the best way to protect your valuables? If so this blog post will help.

When you go away for an extended period of time your mail and newspapers will build up, make sure you make arrangements with a friend or the post office so that the most obvious sign of your vacancy doesn't attract thieves.

Did you know that most thieves look for an entry toward the back of your house? It's true, because it's usually out of sight and sometimes we leave a window or backdoor open without even knowing. Make sure you lock all doors and windows and that each of your doors has a deadbolt installed for extra piece of mind.

Hey that's a nice pet rock you have by your front door, that isn't one of those key slips is it? Well if you still leave your key underneath your floor mat or in a rock by your front door, it's time to change that strategy. Burgles love it when homeowners leave the keys to their home in the most common place they look when they arrive on your doorstep to steal your valuables.

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Did you know that you can buy cheap security cameras and check on your home from anywhere with an internet connection nowadays? Well it's true so if you are into doing some spying on your house while you are away, look into these nifty devices.

These tips are only a taste of the full list of tips that we have posted on our main site Simply Additions. Visit our Top 10 ways to Burglar Proof your Home for more methods of securing your valuables from thieves.

Selling Your Home Fast in Today's Market

2011-11-08T14:40:00.003-05:00

How to Sell Your House Fast

It's a whole new world out there after the biggest recession hit us in the face, just as George Bush Junior left the White House.

Selling your house in this market can be tricky, but it surely is not impossible.

To get top dollar for your home you will have to play the real estate game a bit harder than you might have played it a few years ago. Right now it's a buyers market, meaning real estate is at an all time low and so are mortgage rates. It's the perfect time to be a buyer, and a seller can still make a profit if they play their cards right.

Marketing. A home for sale sign is simply not enough. We suggest you go the extra mile and spend some money on print and online advertising.

Pricing. If homes in your neighborhood cost between 250 to 300k, you will have a tough time trying to sell your home for anything above 350k. Your local market will dictate what you can get for your home. Use websites like Zillow to see what homes are worth in your neighborhood that match your house specifications.

Curb Appeal. Is your siding clean and your yard nice and tidy? Well it should be if you want to sell your house quick and get top dollar. Rent a power-washer and get your home to sparkle on your street. Clean up dead plants, weeds, and overgrown bushes.

Home Staging. Have you ever walked into your friends house and noticed how cramped and cluttered it was? No? Well have you watched a clip of Hoarders? The bottom line is, less is more! People looking at your home don't want to see a cluttered mess. Rent a storage locker and get your home into a condition where buyers can easily visualize their furniture in big almost empty rooms, instead of rooms that are crammed with furniture and nick knacks.

Read more about How To Sell Your House Fast in This Market on our main site for more details and tips.

Saving Big Bucks on Electricity

2011-11-08T01:45:00.002-05:00

Who wouldn't want to save some extra money every month on their electricity bills?

I live in Connecticut and you might have heard about the crazy snow storm at the end of October that knocked out power to most of Connecticut and a whole bunch of other states in the north east. While CL&P are working hard on restoring power, I was working hard on writing a great article on Simply Additions that will help people all over the country save money on their electricity bill.

On the website I go into full detail, but on our blog, I'll shorten the list up and just give you the basics.

1. Time to invest in CFL's or LED light bulbs. Think about it, you have lights on whenever you are home at night or early morning, switching to light bulbs that hardly take any electricity when compared to standard bulbs should be a no brainier. LED's might still be to expensive but Compact Florescent Bulbs are cheap and you can get a deal on them at any Home Depot, Lowes, or Walmart; so stop thinking about it and get it done. You will notice a difference, especially if you do your whole house!

2. Wrap that water heater with a special water heater jacket. They only cost $25 but they can save you 15 to 20 percent on your electricity bill. (Hold on a second, I'm going to order one right now online and continue writing the rest of this post. BRB)

3. Programmable thermostat. Just set it and forget it. These babies will keep your heating and cooling costs down because you can set them up to heat or cool during optimal times.

4. Energy efficient appliances. These are big ticket items but they really do save you money, especially when you compare them to appliances from over 10+ years ago.

Check out our entire article and the video about Phantom Power. The video is really cool and it will inform you about how you can save even more money simply by fixing the Phantom Power issues we all have going on in our houses.

Read -> Easily Save Big Bucks on Your Electric Bill

Top Ten Home Building Trends

2011-10-17T00:28:00.001-04:00

Top 10 Home Building Trends

There are many new trends in home building that are getting quite the buzz now. We wrote this blog post to tell you about them, Enjoy!

Recycled Materials - More and more people want a more ecofriendly structure and what can be more ecofriendly than recycled materials?

Storm Resistance - Have you noticed all the weather problems and natural disasters we've been having all over the world lately?. It should be no surprise that people want to build homes that are resistant to the elements, as well as some of the most powerful forces that Mother Nature can unleash in our neighborhoods.

Open Spaces - If you ever caught an episode on HGTV of House Hunters, you already know how obsessed we are getting with open spaces. Gone are the days where walls barricade us in every room. Today people enjoy the freeing feeling you get when you step into an open floor plan home.

Storage - One thing you have to admit is that we are acquiring more and more stuff as we get older. If you don't believe us, catch an episode of Hoarders, and you will really catch my drift. But really, storage space is a much needed commodity to us nowadays, we just simply have more stuff and with websites like Ebay and shows like The Pickers, & Pawn Stars, I think we secretly hope that one day our stored goodies will bring bags of cash.

Eastern Philosophy - Hey where did you put my Bagua? Speaking of Feng Shui, it seems that people in the west are being more open to old methods of design that were developed 5,000 years ago. Feng Shui is simply the art of arranging things for optimum energy flow within a space. Real Estate developers pay Feng Shui experts tens of thousands for consultations, when they build skyscrapers and developments; hmm, it's no wonder us homeowners are beginning to catch on.

If your interested in the other 5 home buidling trends, visit our complete article Top 10 Homebuilding Trends on our main site Simply Additions.

Is Solar Power Worth The Cost for Homeowners?

2011-10-16T20:41:00.001-04:00

Is Solar Power Worth the Cost for Homeowners?

Solar power is a growing option for homeowners to recoup some, if not all of their energy bills. But even today, solar power is seen as an expensive way to add energy to homes.

So the question stands, is solar power worth the cost?

A typical solar panel installation costs between $5,000 to $10,000. At that price, it may seem like a big pill to swallow, but the system can pay for itself in as little as 5 years.

If you are considering solar power for your home or business, make sure you get at least three separate solar energy contractors to price out systems for you.

Government Incentives for Solar Power are a popular funding option for homeowners and businesses who are interested in alternative energy projects. Grants and loan programs exist for the Federal, State, and Local government levels in this area. Start doing your research today, by reading our complete Is Solar Power Worth The Cost? article on our main site.

Home Maintenance Tips You Need To Know

2011-10-16T15:45:00.000-04:00

Home Maintenance Tips

Regular home maintenance is the only way to run a house, because without it, you will pay more out of pocket costs in emergencies.

Simple things like cleaning your gutters can prevent your house fascia boards from rotting and saving you possibly thousands in repair costs.

Inspecting your roof and siding for cracks is another way to prevent the elements from causing damage to your home.

Another important thing to look at is your HVAC system. A routine maintenance will prevent failures during seasons where HVAC contractors will charge premiums for repair work.

Visit out main site and read the entire article on the Top 10 Home Maintenance Tips that will save you money in the long run.

Popular Roofing Choices That You May Not Know About

2011-10-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

Popular Roofing Options

Most homeowners know about asphalt shingle roofing because it is the most popular choice out there, but there are a lot of other great roofing choices to consider for your home and each has it's own benefits.

Roll roofing is great for low pitched areas.

Metal roofing is a great choice for colder climates and it also withstands the elements far longer that asphalt roofing shingles.

Fiberglass roofing is used more commercially, you probably saw the long wide corrugated panels before.

Tile roofing looks great and it adds a touch of class to your home.

Slate roofing is another great option for people who want to spend a little more but achieve something that is considered more of a wealthy choice.

Visit our entire article about Popular Roofing Options for Homes to read more into each roofing option on our main site Simply Additions.

List of the Most profitable Home Improvement Projects

2011-10-16T15:31:00.000-04:00

House flippers and your standard homeowners are curious what home improvement projects have the best value and return on investment. Through our research we created a top ten list of the most profitable home improvements that you can do right now. Visit our main site for the full feature article.

Bathroom Addition
Decks and Patios
Basement Remodeling
Kitchen Addition
Attic Remodeling
Maser Bathroom Remodeling
Kitchen Remodeling
Window Replacement
Siding
Kitchen Addition

How to Rent Out Your Home?

2011-10-14T21:44:00.001-04:00

Renting out your Home

Renting out your home to strangers is a great way to make some additional income.

Are you aware of all the options you have when you considir renting out your home?
1.) You can house swap
2.) You can enter your home into a timeshare program
3.) You can rent your home to the proper person/family

To rent out your home properly, you will have to do a few things to prepare yourself against damages from the occasiional bad renter. One of the most important and neglacteted items on the list is acquiring renters insurance. Landlords think that their doing themselves a big favor by charging a large sequirty deposit, but those landlords learn the hardway that some renters cause so much damage that the security deposit only covers a portion of the repair costs.

Renting out your home can be a profitable oppertunity for you to earn that extra income, but make sure you do your due dilligence and read our full article: Valuable Tips on Renting your Home to Strangers from our main site Simply Additions.

Home Improvements that Add Value

2011-10-10T18:52:00.000-04:00

Making Money ob Home Improvements

Some home improvement projects can add value to your home really quickly.

If you are a homeowner and you have some spare cash laying around, you might be interested in what home improvement project, you should tackle to get the best ROI (return on investments).

Increasing the value of your home is a great way to get paid for the home improvements you do to your house.

Choosing the right home improvement project for this objective usually entails the following:

1. A Home improvement project that improves the energy savings of a home, such as additional insulation, new windows, adding energy saving appliances.

2. Curb appeal projects such as new siding, new roof, lawn repair and lawn enhancement.

3. Do it yourself home improvement projects, just pick something that is not above your skill set.

Read the full detailed article on Making Money on Home Improvements on our main site Simply Additions. It includes the top Ten High Earning Home Improvement Projects that bring value right away.

How to Make the Perfect Lawn

2011-10-10T18:23:00.005-04:00

How to Make a Perfect Lawn

Every homeowner secretly strives for having the perfect lawn. Let's face it, a perfectly manicured lawn with bright lush green grass just makes our homes look better.

So what steps does one have to take to achieve the perfect lawn?

1. You have to know how to nurture the grass and that means growing it thick and removing weeds the proper way.

2. You have to know when and how to use the correct herbicide.

3. Mowing the lawn is a science, not just a weekly chore. You have to mow it to the proper length, and with a very sharp blade. Otherwise, your ripping grass out and inviting grass diseases of all types to attack it.

4. You have to water the lawn properly, because over watering causes thatch to grow, which will choke your grass. Under watering will cause...., well a dead lawn.

Visit our full How to Have Perfect Grass article on Simply Additions for the complete guide to creating the perfect lawn and making your neighbors grow with lawn envy.

Planning the Home of Your Dreams

2011-10-10T15:48:00.004-04:00

How to Plan a Dream Home

It's no simple task for the average person to sit down and sketch out the home of their dreams, without some useful bits of advice to guide them.

First things first, you have to be honest with yourself about your budget for your dream home.

You may want that indoor swimming pool right off of your living room, but how practical is that idea, if you knew that it would cost you $50,000 to swing it?

Planning a dream home is something more and more people are looking to do as we get older, some of us are young and lucky enough to plan it early.

Here are some basic tips on Planning a Dream Home.

1. Sketch out a few floor plans, and vote on which ones you like best. Chances are that you will have some family members to convince of your layouts over theirs.

2. Plan for the ideal location. Do you want to be nestled in the middle of nowhere or within a 10 minute walk to a shopping center.

3. Are you going to need an architect and would it help to visit your architect with preliminary hand drawn designs to cut on home designing costs?

There are many more options to go over when planning a dream home, visit our full write up on How to Plan a Dream Home on our main site Simply Additions.

The Importance of the Right Home Insurance

2011-10-07T16:06:00.000-04:00

Finding the Right Home Insurance

Most people are unaware that home insurance refers to two different forms of coverage's.

1. There is Building insurance, which covers the building and things that can happen to the building such as fire, natural disaster damage and so on.

2. There is also something called contents insurance, which covers everything that you would take with you if you were to move.

There are a few key points that you should know about when shopping for home insurance. If you decide to make alterations to your home, like getting a kitchen extension addition or a new family room addition, you should notify your insurance company that the fabric of your home has changed and you need to update your policy. This is a very important step to do, because if there was a natural disaster that caused damage to your home, your old policy which didn't reflect the new home additions, would not cover the cost to fix the additional damage.

Another important fact is that homes with alarm systems receive a substantial discount with certain insurance carriers. Make sure you ask about the home alarm discount and find out if your alarm system qualifies.

Read the entire article about the Right Home Insurance on our site Simply Additions.

Feng Shui your New Kitchen for Success

2011-10-07T15:40:00.001-04:00

Feng Shui Kitchen Layout for a New Kitchen Addition

Good Feng Shui design for the kitchen starts out with optimizing the kitchen layout.

A proper Feng Shui designed kitchen layout addresses the traffic and energy flow of the kitchen addition. A good flow is usually designed around the three most important objects: The Refrigerator, Stove, and kitchen sink.

Read our full length article about Feng Shui Kitchen Design Tips on on our main website Simply Additions.

DIY Installing Kitchen Cabinets

2011-05-21T16:53:00.001-04:00

When you are preparing for a do-it-yourself kitchen cabinet installation, keep in mind that installing them properly is the main ingredient that will make a kitchen remodel successful. Using proper guidelines will be necessary, so that your cabinets will work correctly for years to come.

Read the whole DIY Kitchen Cabinet Installation Guide

Hardwood Flooring Installation

2011-05-21T16:48:00.000-04:00

Hardwood flooring installation plans will help you in laying in your floor in a way that will assure you of having a beautiful floor that you can enjoy for years. Hardwood flooring is not a project you will want to tackle with no experience, but you can learn proper installation methods, and this will save you money over using a professional installer.

Check out the entire Hardwood Flooring Installation Guide

A Guide to Interior Painting

2011-05-21T16:45:00.001-04:00

Before you begin painting, you'll need to purchase good brushes, drop cloths and a roller set with a pole. A ladder will help you reach the highest spots, and you can use a screwdriver for the removal of outlets and light switch plates. Plastic tarps are handy for covering your furniture, if you plan to leave it in the room.

Read the whole guide to Interior Painting

2011 Remodeling Cost Guide

2011-05-21T16:27:00.003-04:00

Are you in the market for a:

major remodel?

home addition?

new garage?

Check out the complete 2011 National Remodeling Average Cost Guide on the main site.

It's filled with pricing information for over 21 major remodels and home improvement projects. Also included is Upscale Costs for 13 popular home improvement projects.

Free Estimates on all Remodeling Projects

2010-09-28T14:57:00.003-04:00

We now have over 40 remodeling services that you can get free contractor estimates on!

From Basement Remodeling all the way down to Sunrooms!

Home Addition Checklist

2010-08-07T01:24:00.002-04:00

Get yourself the best Home Addition Checklist written by home addition building experts.

Why?

* Eliminate change orders

* Get true apples to apples estimates for comparison

* You can download it instantly!

Home Addition Building Guide and Checklist

2010-08-05T21:34:00.003-04:00

Do you want to save thousands of dollars off your project by doing your research and filling out a checklist?

Are you going to price shop between contractors?

Would you like to have the upper hand during your interview with the home addition contractors?

If you answered yes to any of the questions, you are in need of our Home Addition Building Guide Ebook!

Get your copy today!!!

Save 25% off your order

CT Attic Remodeling

2009-10-29T11:51:00.004-04:00

Simply Additions has done it again!

We have created a whole new section to our main website http://www.simplyadditions.com/ dedicated to Attic Remodeling.

In this new section we have designed and estimated the costs fro renovating several attic remodeling projects. Check it out today!

Attic Remodeling Ideas Menu

Adding a Bathroom to your Basement Cost

2009-10-08T10:18:00.002-04:00

A highly popular basement finishing project is adding a bathroom. We had so many requests from our CT consumers, that we developed a bathroom package.

New Basement Bathroom Specs

10' x 7 bathroom

Tile flooring

Upflush basement toilette

Corner shower

Toilette with privacy wall

Sink with vanity

Fully finished for $16,195

Includes new solid wood staircase from first floor

Link: to see more detials about this basement bathroom project

Link: all basement remodeling project costs