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Thinking About a Home Remodel? Here’s Where to Start
Begin by carefully considering what you think you want and how you can get it. Weigh your wish list against what you’ll probably pay to fulfill it.
Planning a Home Remodel
If you’re adding new rooms, making substantial changes to the existing floor plan, or dealing with complex structural or functional questions, you’ll need to hire professional design help. There are several design options and combinations of options.
How to Check Out Contractors
Some homeowners leave contractor vetting and selection to their architects or house designers, but most make the call themselves, and rightly so: It’s the most important step.
Window Shopping Guide
The type of windows you buy will affect your home’s appearance, the amount of light admitted, your comfort, and energy savings. Plus, some windows last longer than others.
Finding the Best Window Installers
We receive a disturbing number of complaints from consumers regarding window installation work, often about companies that advertise heavily. Many complaints are about sloppy work.
What to Get in Writing for Window Replacement Work
Whichever window company you choose, make sure you have a tight contract that includes all details on the product and installation, payment schedule, work schedule, and guarantees.
How to Find a Reliable Roofer
Roofing work is expensive, and, if you hire the wrong contractor, you can spend thousands of dollars too much and still get terrible work.
Avoiding a Shakedown for Roofing Costs
When hiring a roofer, quality of work should be your primary consideration. Once you have identified roofers that measure up on quality, get several fixed-price bids for the work. You’ll find big roofer-to-roofer price differences for the same job.
How to Tell It’s Time for a New Roof
Different types of roofs have different lifespans. Your inspections will reveal whether the entire roof is due for replacement.
How to Secure Your Home’s Perimeter
Because most burglars enter homes by simply opening unlocked doors or windows—or pushing and kicking locked ones until they open—do what you can to improve your home's physical barriers.
Maintaining Good Home Security Habits
In addition to beefing up your home’s physical defenses, following some good-security rules will help deter thieves.
Inexpensive DIY Home Security Options
The internet of things movement has spurred even easier ways to connect various gadgets—including home security components—to a central hub and control everything via smartphone app or similar interface.
