Even though a builder is a professional in their area of work, consumers should still take the time to check out their builder and their builder's business to make sure that the builder they choose is the builder they want building their home. One way to check out a builder is by checking with the Better Business Bureau or the BBB. This article discusses how a person can check their builder out with the Better Business Bureau.

The Better Business Bureau purpose is to ensure that the marketplace is an ethical place for both buyers and sellers. The Better Business Bureau better enables these to parties to trust each other. They look at the performance and the integrity of a business to let consumers know how well a business rates. The views of the Better Business Bureau about businesses are unbiased, so they can be more easily trusted by consumers.

Where to find the Better Business Bureau

As with just about anything these days, a person can check out their builder with the Better Business Bureau by going to http://www.bbb.org/us/. This website will guide a person through the steps that they need to take to find out important information about their builder.

How to check out a builder

When a person gets to the Better Business Bureau's website, http://www.bbb.org/us/, to check out their builder, they can either click on the button "Check out a business or charity" on the left side of the screen, or they can click on "Check out a business or charity" under "BBB For Consumers" which is on the right hand of the screen. Either of these buttons will send them to a page that will allow then to enter the builder's business name, or their City, State, and Postal Code.

If a person does not happen to know the name of their builder's business they can click on the "Type of Business" button, and type in "builder" and either their Postal Code or their City and State. Hopefully a person would know the name of their builder's company; this search would probably be more helpful to someone looking for a good builder.

Once a person finds their builder using the search method provided by the Better Business Bureau's website, they can click on the builder's business' name and then view the rating that is given their builder by the Better Business Bureau. It will also say how long the business has been BBB Accredited, if it is accredited.

A person can also find out more information about their builder from the Better Business Bureau. A person can read any customer complaint history, any advertising reviews, or any government actions.

A builder's Better Business Bureau Rating is based on several different categories. A few of the categories include: the length of time that the builder's business has been in operation, the history of complaints that the business has, any advertising issues that the builder has experiences, and if the builder is BBB Accredited. A person can read more about the BBB ratings on the Better Business Bureau's website.

Getting a home building loan is has some very similar parts that getting a regular mortgage loan does. First a person looking to get a home building loan needs to find a mortgage provider. Once they find a lender who they want to do business with, the person will need to meet some criteria that will pre-approve them for the home building loan they want.

After construction

Once the new house is built, a person will need to change their home building loan to a permanent mortgage loan. From the beginning of the process, many people choose to have a construction-to-permanent loan program to make the process easier once the house is completed. This can be a good option because there is only one set of closing costs when a person uses a construction-to-permanent loan.

There are two types of mortgage loans, a fixed rate home loan and an adjustable rate mortgage loan. With each of these types of loans a person will no longer be paying only interest when they may their monthly payments, they will also be paying down the principal.

Variables with home building loans

Home building loans have a few variables that a person should be aware of. One such variable is how much of the construction project the lender is willing to give funding for. For example, if the borrow already owns the land where they want to build their house then they can use their land as equity for their home building loan.

Regular mortgage loans are partly based on how much the building/house is worth, a home building loan needs to be based on the construction plan since there is not a house built yet. So each home building loan is going to be different. They cannot be standardized.

With a home equity loan a person's house is the collateral-or the protection-for the loan. The bank or other lending institution gives a person a certain amount of money for them to use for their home remodeling project. They usually figure out this number by taking the appraised value of the home minus the remaining amount that a person owes on their mortgage for that house. Generally people use a home equity loan to fund their home remodeling projects.

Getting a home equity loan does take some work. A person should do some shopping for their home equity loan. There are certain differences when it comes to loans offered by banks and lending institutions. For example they may offer different interest rates on the home equity loans.

There are also three very important things that a person should be aware of when they are looking for a home equity loan to finance their home remodel. The three things are the person's credit history, their current income, and the loan-to-value ratio.

Credit history

A good credit history is always important for a person to have when they are looking to apply for any type of loan. If is important that a person pays their bills on time and that they do not have too much debt. A credit score can tell the bank whether or not the person has a good credit history. The higher the credit score, the better a person's credit history is, and the better the chances are that the person will be able to get a home equity loan.

Not only does a good credit score enable a person to even get a loan in the first place, but it can also get them a better interest rate on the home equity loan. A person should be aware of their credit history and their credit score when they are looking for a home equity loan.

Income

A person's income is also important to the lending institution. The bank will want to know how long the person has been at their job and how much they make. They will look at the person's other debts to see what the person's income to debt ratio is. When a bank is looking into give a person a home equity loan, they want to see that the person has the money to pay back the loan.

Loan to value ratio

The loan to value ratio is the ratio between what the house is worth and what the person still owes on the house. A bank will get a person's house appraised or get an estimate of what the house currently costs. Then they will add the person's mortgage balance to the size of the home equity loan that they want to get. After that they will divide that number by the current value of the home. This is then referred to as the loan to value ratio and will then dictate how much a person is able to get for their home equity loan.

Why use a home equity loan

There are several reasons why using a home equity loan is a good idea to finance a home remodel. For example, a home equity loan has fixed payments. This way the borrower knows what the payments will be each month until the loan is paid off. Also, with a home equity loan, the interest rate is fixed. Usually with a home equity line of credit the interest rate is variable-this means the interest rate can go up and down. With a home equity loan, the interest rate will never go up.

• Kitchens typically suffer the most wear and tear and are generally outdated the quickest when it comes to home styles. The most popular minor improvements in a kitchen would include adding functionality like double sinks, cooking stations, under cabinet lighting, and counter tops. Many buyers want a home with a modern kitchen so if you're trying to get the biggest bang for your buck start by remodeling your kitchen. A great kitchen can sell the rest of your home.


• Bathrooms are another remodeling project that will give your home more value and help it sell much quicker. Popular renovations for bathrooms are walk in showers, vaulted ceilings, Jacuzzi tubs, ceiling fans, and vanity areas.


• Energy efficient fixes are another way to get your biggest bang for your remodeling dollar. Replacing old windows with new ones, replacing an old leaky roof, or replacing an old inefficient furnace with a new one and putting in an air conditioner. Not generally cheap fixes but definitely worth the money spent. Every potential home buyer wants to know that they're going to be saving money on electricity and gas because the previous owner took the time to make the home more energy efficient.


• Master suites have become more the norm than the exception to the norm. If you're thinking go remodeling and want to upgrade the value of your home then think about adding a master suite with some nice extra amenities.

• Choose your materials carefully. Make proper measurements and give yourself a little wiggle room so you do not have to pay for more than you will actually use.


• Shop at home improvement stores first. Many of these types of stores will carry everything you need at a lower price than specialty stores.


• Be your own bos

Hopefully these ideas for getting the biggest bang for your remodeling dollar will help with your future remodeling project.

• Cabinets. While brand new cabinets are always nice, if yours are still in good condition you can just refinish them for less money. If all the hinges are in working condition and the doors are still in tact, then take a sander, sand them down, and re-paint them to give your kitchen a new look. If you don't want to paint, then try sanding them down and just putting on a glaze.


• Fixtures. Dolling up fixtures can save you a ton of money and definitely make your remodel worth while.


• Recycle. Using recycled building materials for counter tops and backsplash is another way you can save money but still get a new countertop.

• Wall color. One of the easiest ways to liven up your home while remodeling is to add a new color or texture to your walls and ceilings. Color brings feeling to any room so think about going to the paint store to test out some sample colors. If you don't texture on your walls you can also find ideas on how to texture online or at home improvement stores. From Orange peel textures to knockdown textures your home will have a different feeling with each one. Doing the painting yourself will save you a ton of money in the long run.


• Floors. If you compare the price of having someone come in to do your floors, in comparison to doing them yourself you will see a significant difference in price. Tile and hard wood are probably the most expensive products to use, however you can generally find them at a home improvement store for less money than you would find them at a specialty store. Carpet is another story however. If have the skills you need to lay carpet then by all means. If you don't, then it's probably best to have someone else do it for you. The thing to remember when it comes to floors is that they take a lot of wear and tear so if whatever you put in, make sure it will take all the traffic. Even if it costs a little more now, it will save you money in the long run.

Cutting costs, not corners when remodeling your home isn't rocket science. Look for deals, sales, and try to do most of the work yourself. Talk with neighbors, look online, and do what you can to keep your costs down.

Common mistakes first time homebuilders make
First time homebuilders are at a slight disadvantage when it comes to pricing, finding contractors, and getting things done the ways they want them to be done. Here are just a few of the most common mistakes homebuilders usually make when they're building:

• Find a good contractor or designer. Whichever you decide to go with (some do both designing and building) just make sure you get someone that is trustworthy with good references. Ask builders for a list of four or five clients that you can call and go see their work. Ask the clients questions so that you can get a good idea of what they are like to work with, if they run on schedule, etc.
• Make a plan and stick to it. One of the most important things to do before the building process is to come up with a plan. We're not just talking about blueprints for the home, although those are just as important. You need to plan out your budget; plan out your deadline and days when work will commence and finish; plan out the entire project.
• Be flexible. Don't be so rigid in your planning that you have no tolerance for any kind of mistake or a glitch in the time

There's no secret to learning how to avoid the headaches of homebuilding, but you can definitely make it easier on yourself by doing all that you can to help the project run smoothly.

Tip #1: Examine your floor plan thoroughly. When it comes to the interior design there are several ways you can cut costs without cutting corners. Take for example your ceilings. Modern homes are being built with vaulted ceilings and higher walls, but these can be costly. You (or your designer) can create truss systems that give the effect of higher ceilings without spending the extra cash to actually do it. You can also save some cash by utilizing all the space in the home. Most contractors and designers call this dead space; niches, alcoves, and small (or large) storage spaces, or closets.

Tip #5: Think economically
If you're trying cut costs and not corners then think economically about how things are being built. Think about ways you can allow for plumbing to be shared by having bathrooms run back to back; or when it comes to lighting think natural. You can place your windows in places where they will let in most light so you can save on electricity. Solar lighting is always a good idea and can add warmth to any home.

Cutting costs, not corners, when building a home can be done with careful consideration in the building process. Take time to plan the home carefully so you can save money without cutting corners.

Removing a non load bearing a wall is a little simpler and involves less structural changes. But you still need to be sure that you are going to have to tamper with gas lines, plumbing or extensive amounts of electrical wiring. You can sometimes tell how much work is ahead of you by seeing how many electrical outlets there are on the wall. If you have a sink or some other water fixture on the wall, you'll need to move the pipes when you remove the wall. Sometimes it's a good idea to contact a professional to determine whether your wall is actually load bearing or not. Having the original blueprints of your home could also help you determine the type of wall you want to remove.

When you begin to remove the wall, start with turning off the electricity to the house or specific area where you are working. You also want to mark what should be removed and what shouldn't so you don't get carried away. Cut along the seams of the walls and ceiling so that you don't accidentally rip out those parts. You want to start removing the plaster or drywall carefully so you don't rip out any wires or other important parts. This job is easier if you keep the area clean and take out trash while you are taking it off the walls. When you've removed the wall, you then need to spend the time to refinish it and make the two rooms flow better together.

Another great way to make a space feel more open doesn't involve expanding the footprint of a room, but rather the height. Many older homes have attics that can be used to expand the height of a ceiling upwards. A vaulted ceiling makes a room feel much larger especially when it is combined with wood beams or other similar decorations. Doing this remodeling project will require similar considerations as removing a wall but with less electrical wiring involved. When you remove or change a ceiling, you'll also need to make sure that any changes you make meet building codes and standards for your area. You will also want to make sure that there is still sufficient insulation.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist takes it toll on just about everyone, especially when it comes to real estate. Homes are worth less, people have less money, and builders struggle to find buyers for homes they've already built.

• The great part about building during a recession is that prices will generally fall because business isn't booming. The price of labor is one thing that usually decreases. Contractors or builders will work for a cheaper price because they just need the work and they're willing to make deals


• The cost of materials will generally go down some also. You may not see a big drop in price, but you will see some things that are definitely cheaper during a recession (although they might not seem cheaper because there is less money to go around).


• Many companies are willing to offer cash rebates, free upgrades, or extensions which can normally cost tens of thousands of dollars. They're willing to do it however to get your business. Most people that build in a recession get a lot of extra perks.


• If you have good credit you should be able to qualify for a really good loan with great interest rates. This can be really helpful in getting you into a home with an affordable mortgage payment that you wouldn't have been able to get into if rates were higher.

• One of the biggest cons to building a home during a recession is that the home might depreciate. No one ever knows how long a recession will last, or if it will get worse and go into a depression. If for some reason you have to move, you will most likely have to take a big hit in how much you can sell it for. Most people who try to sell a new home during a recession end up owing more than what they home is worth.


• Desperate times make for desperate people. When people are in need of money, you may be "taken" for what you have and left with an unfinished home. It's a sad situation, but sometimes contractors or sub-contractors will just take the money you've already paid them and leave the job.

Though a person may plan on living in their home for many, many years, it is also important for them to think about building a home that will also resale easily. This article discusses how a person can build a home that will resale easily if the time comes to sell the house.

When a person is building a home, they should think about where the home is located. The value of the location where the house is going to be built will also reflect on the value of the home. Even if a home is very nice, if the area around it is not as nice then the house may not be sold for as much as it is worth if it was built in a nicer area.

There are changes in areas and property that a person cannot foresee. But if a person looks for real estate in areas that may be considered "up and coming, it can help ensure them that the area and their property will be worth more in years to come.

The size

It is important for a person who is building a house to consider the size of the property as well as the size of the home they are going to build on the property. It is not smart for a person to build a house that ends up being the biggest house in the neighborhood. The smaller houses in a neighborhood actually tend to sell quicker than the larger houses.

But of course this does not mean that a person should build a tiny house if they need or want a bigger one. It means that when the person is purchasing the land on which to build their house, they should think about how large they want their house and buy land in a neighborhood that will allow them to have a home that is similar in size to the other homes in the area.

Decorating

When a person builds a house, they generally want the house to portray their personality, especially when it comes to decorating. While this is completely valid, it is also important for the house to be sellable if the time comes that it needs to be sold. The key to decorating a house while still being able to resell it easily is balance.

Modern fixtures and appliances in the bathrooms and in the kitchen are a must to help a house resale easily. These are rooms that get used often, and people want the appliances etc. in these rooms to be convenient and modern.

One way that a person can put their own unique touches to their newly built home while still creating a home that can be sold easily is by adding their decorative touches and other fixtures that can be changed easily. Instead of a person making their countertop orange, they could add an orange lamp or paint one wall orange. A lamp can be removed and a wall can be painted over. But a countertop is expensive, and it is smarter to make things such as flooring, cabinets, and countertops, etc., more neutral and traditional.

One type of lighting to consider when doing the lighting in your home is lighting for your stairs.

Why choose lighting for your stairs?
Installing lighting for your stairs is an excellent idea for both the inside and outside of your home. Some benefits of lighting for your stairs include:

• Striped lighting. This kind of lighting, similar to what you may see in a movie theater, uses a strip of light to highlight the outline of each step. This helps to improve the overall visibility of the stair.
• Battery operated. If you don't want to deal with the installation of stair lighting, you can get battery operated motion sensing lights instead. These are relatively inexpensive (about $20 each) and are easily mounted or installed by the do -it yourselfer.
• Recessed lighting. This type of popular lighting is recessed into the stair risers, blending in nicely to your stair. Most often it requires professional installation.
• • Ceiling lighting. Another type of lighting for your stairs can be simple ceiling lights at the top or bottom of your stairs. For safety purposes, it's a good idea to have a two-way switch at the bottom and top of stairs. This allows people going up and down the stairs to turn the lights on or off from both e

Lighting for your stairs is important for safety as well as décor.

First, let's talk about some basic differences between builders and contractors. Builders generally manage contractors. It is the job of the builder to see the project through to completion, but not necessarily to participate in any of the actual labor themselves. Contractors, on the other hand, are specialized laborers and manufacturers. General contractors oversee the work of these contractors.

If you would like a more hands-on approach and to be more involved in the remodeling process, you will probably want to work directly with the contractors. Working directly with contractors definitely has its benefits and disadvantages. The benefit of working with contractors can pretty much be summed up with the fact that when you manage your own workers, you have a vested interest in making sure that the project is done according to your budget, time-line, and quality standards. You run the show. Sure it takes more of your time to make calls, follow-up, perform personal inspections of the work, etc. But by the project's end you can have a very clear idea of what transpired throughout the process and you can be confident that all the labor was performed to your standards.

One of the hardest jobs when working with a contractor is to have them work as hard on your home as you would. Naturally you want to get the most for your money. You would also like for contractors to show up on time, work efficiently, respect your home, etc. For all of the things that you would like for your contractor to be there is a handful of characteristics that they will bring to the job that will be less savory. The solution is to be wise with how you balance your money with your contractors.

Money talks and contractors listen. Few contractors are in the work that they are in because it was their life's ambition to be in the construction business. They are in it for the money. This is why you need to be incredibly wise with how you structure their payment. Paying for work in advance is something that you need to avoid at all costs. What motivation do your contractors have to put their efforts and attention into completing a job to the best of their ability, if they have already been paid to simply get the job done? Another thing to keep in mind when working with contractors is to be persistent. If you have a job that has been paid for but was either not completed or unsatisfactory, you need to be persistent in following through with the agreed upon guarantees. Unfortunately, many contractors are not motivated by an inner desire to do their best. The more jobs that they do the more they get paid. Use this knowledge to your advantage to get your remodeling job done right.

So there you have it; some ideas on where to get blueprints for a home that you're trying to remodel. And although it seems like this might be the most difficult part of renovating a home, it's just the beginning.

Magazines
Most people think that you have to spend a lot of money to find the right floor plan for your house. The truth is, you can find floor plans in simple places like magazines and books at the store. If you look on the magazine rack in a local store like Wal mart, Target, or Shopko you can find several different "home" inspiration magazines; from designing ideas to floor plans. The great thing about going to a store is that you don't have to hire anyone to draw up a floor plan that you could or could not like. If you haven't looked already try going to a magazine rack to find what you're looking for.

The internet
If you have access to a computer with the internet then you already have at your disposable hundreds of different web sites to look through and choose a floor plan. The most difficult part about using the internet is trying to decide where to stop. There is so much out there that you can sometimes get a "system overload." Here are a couple of different web sites to go to for some phenomenal floor plan ideas:

• www.houseplansandmore.com- This web site has just about everything you might need when looking for a floor plan. From a "featured home plan" link to a cost estimator you can probably find just about anything you need. And as we all know there are several different types of homes with several different types of floor plans. They have homes listed under architectural styles and specialty styles that you can browse through to find your own personal style. The one draw back is price.
• www.wealthsmith.com/house-building-plans.htm- This site has two different links on it. One will take you to builder house plans, and the other will take you to luxury home house plans. So depending on what you are building will depend on which link you go to. Those links will take you to another page of links which will then take you to the web site you desire

When it comes to finding the right floor plan you need to focus on the layout and how you want to use the space. Everyone has their own ideas so hopefully these suggestions on where to find floor plan ideas will give you a good start.

Paint is not the most predictable of mediums. Paint will look different on a wall in the daytime versus the night, it will look different depending on the kind of lighting that you have, and it will look different based on the number of coats that are applied, and so on. Do not have the expectation going into the paint store that the color you picked out on the paint sample is going to be the exact same color that you get on your wall. Many paint stores have devices that manipulate the light in shining on the paint sample, so that you can see for yourself how the tones can change. Keep in mind that darker colors require more coats or at least thicker coats than do lighter or white-based paint colors. The sheen or finish of the paint is also something that you need to consider. Certain finished are better than others in high traffic areas, bathrooms and kitchens. In some rooms the choice of finish is less one of function and more one of aesthetic preference. Of course, you are also going to need to know how much paint it is going to take to get the job done. Don't be afraid of underestimating the amount of paint that you want, with very few exceptions you can go back to the store to get more paint mixed to match the color you want but very few paint stores will refund your money if you want to return paint you bought too much of.

Brushes, rollers, pans and other tools

When most people think about a painting job, their mind goes to the paint. A lot of time and effort is spent on choosing out the perfect color in the perfect finish, but most first-time painters neglect to spend the necessary amount of time on the little things that are essential if you want the beautiful color in the can to go up beautifully on your wall. Just as paints have finish types, there are different rollers for different textures. You will need longer rollers for larger areas and extension handles to paint up high. It is generally a good idea to have a different roller for every color that you put on the wall or to have one roller per gallon of paint (after a while the paint will start to absorb into the roller and that will result in more clumps of paint on the wall). Other tools that you might need are brushes, smaller rollers and even paint brushes to get into small nooks and crannies and those delicate areas such as where the wall meets the ceiling. Not to mention all of the additional materials that you will need to think about if you are doing a faux finish of some kind. There are a lot of different techniques that you can try. Just make sure that you have the right tools for the job.