Your home is your haven and something you have worked very hard for. It is where you build your family and celebrate the milestones in your life. Owning a home is no doubt you have worked very hard to do and maintaining your home is something that goes hand in hand with being a homeowner.
Beyond ordinary maintenance, enhancing your living space with home improvement projects as your family grows, is something many homeowners do.
Home improvement projects are abundant, and they are easily one of the best ways to update your home and make it more functional for your needs. However, not all of us have the time or the skill to perform these projects ourselves. That is why we choose to hire a professional contactor.
Contractors vary in skill and qualifications. When you end up hiring a bad contractor, you run the risk of shoddy workmanship or worse, you may even end up with an unfinished home improvement project. Both scenarios mean that you’ve just thrown your hard-earned money down the drain.
So, what are the red flags that you be aware of when looking for a contractor for your next home improvement project?
Poor Reviews
The lack of reviews or worse, the presence of negative reviews should already be an indication that the particular contractor does not perform well. Background checks are also necessary when you want to make sure that your hard-earned money goes somewhere worthwhile.
References also work in the same way in that they provide you with a glimpse of a contractor’s work ethic and whether or not they truly deliver results.
No Proposal
A good contractor is going to be able to plan for the entire project, from start to finish. They’re going to be able to determine the time needed as well as the materials required to get the job done.
They should present you with a clear proposal for your to review. If your contractor asks for unlimited time as well as unlimited materials, then you’re just asking to get overcharged for the project. Walk away if this is the case.
Overpromising
If something sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. That old adage is almost always correct, and this situation is no exception. Before you sign a contract, you need to do a bit of research on how much the project is going to cost to complete.
This site should provide you with a comprehensive idea of the price of materials. Use this as a point of reference for when you want to see if a contractor is offering you a low price that’s too good to be true.
Lack of Construction Permits
When a contractor dismisses building permits as unnecessary expenses, you should already be raising an eyebrow. Permits are standard procedure, as well as the inspections that precede their release. You aren’t only risking your project getting shut down. You’re also risking your safety and that of the people around you.
Luckily, if a faulty construction should result in injury to you or anyone in your house, you do have legal remedies that should help you along the way.
This is a collaborative guest post, the words and views do not necessarily reflect those of Mommy Ramblings.
So, the was the first piece of quartz installed. Sorry for the poor lighting, they still had not installed all the lights at this point. Also, outside the kitchen window is a temporary storage shed that will be moved, once we can move our stuff back in.
There will be a false drawer front that matches the cabinets surrounding the farmhouse sink. It is still being made in the factory, but we will show you what a difference it makes when installed. Again, the shed in the back is just temporary.
That is my plumber checking out the island top. I noticed after they left it was not even so they had to come back and redo that and the sink. Fun times.
The opening for the cooktop is cut on site. They bring in a fan that sucks out the dust and through an attached large tunnel tube it is blown outside. They also have a vacuum running.
Once the sinks had set, the faucets were installed along with the dishwasher and cooktop. We also installed the 3 pendant lights over the island and the one over the sink. Then, the rest of the cabinets could be installed.
We need to get the crown molding installed on top of the cabinets and most of the interior cabinet lighting as well as the under cabinet and upper cabinet lighting. The cabinets still need to be aligned and the hardware installed. My biggest problem is, I cannot find a backsplash tile I like. Hope to do that this weekend. We have some more work to do but we have come a long way.
This was the kitchen before as is, it was a mess when I took these photos because we were in the middle of moving out.
This was during the demo of the kitchen, after the tile floor was removed.
The soffits were coming down, so they had to rip them out. We found a surprise under them.
That pipe near the window was our surprise. At first they thought it was a waste line from the upstairs bathroom that could not be moved, but they found out it was not, and we were able to move it!
Some new electric lines were installed and then they started putting the new insulation in. The recessed lighting also was moved.
Next, the sheet rock was put up and spackled.
Then they had to paint. They installed Hardibacker Board in preparation for the tile.
Next the tile floors needed to go in.
After the tile was in and grouted, our Wood-Mode Cabinets were delivered.
We protected our floors with a Red Rosin paper that is used as an underlayment for wood flooring
There were a lot of cabinets, moldings and trim delivered.
These were the first cabinets installed.
The new ovens were ready to be installed.
We had to wait to install the upper cabinets on the other side until the template was done for the quartz countertops because the cabinet in the corner sits on the countertop.
That is the end of this update, be sure to check out Part 2 of our Kitchen Transformation and Picking out our backsplash. If you want to see more check out our YouTube Construction Update Videos.
Build spaceships and rockets with Magformers Space WOW 22Pc Set. Beginner builders can blast into space with the new astronaut character! Add antenna and wheels to create space buggy or search for extra-terrestrial life by building a space station. Great for young minds to learn about constructing cube nets, patterns, shapes and colors!
The original Magformers WOW Set is perfect for beginner builders to create a wide variety of vehicles with the help of 39 activity cards! Lay your MAGFORMERS® on the cards and then pull them from 2D into 3D! Great for young minds to learn about constructing cube nets, patterns, shapes and colors!
Features
As a parent I really like toys that allow kids to get creative. With this set they can follow one of the cards or build their own creation. I also appreciate how you can add other sets and increase the building options. My kids can spend hours with these sets.
Forget the latest toy fad that will be history come January 1st, get your child something they will play with for years and hand down to their own kids!
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Last year at this time, I was picking out the tile for our master bath and I remember being so overwhelmed. I just wanted to be in a room with 3 choices and make a simple decision. Tile is something you don’t just change on a whim, you know it’s going to be with you for a long time and that’s why picking something that is going to go the long haul for you on style and durability is paramount.
If you wished an expert could be with you, holding your hand and guiding you, I may have the next best thing. The Interior Design Tile Style Guide from Drury Design will help you understand everything you need to know when making a tile purchase. From the basics of whether to choose glass, ceramic, porcelain, natural stone or exotic tile based on where it will be installed, durability, maintenance and your budget to lots of interior design ideas simple and ornate. Armed with the proper knowledge beforehand makes picking out tile a much easier and pleasurable task.
You can browse great design ideas for bathrooms, kitchens, backsplash trends and more for inspiration. Check it out today and see what you think. Let us know your thoughts.
My kids are fascinated by magnets and love creating things. MAGFORMERS gives them both in colorful construction sets that foster brain development through fun and educational exploration. With high quality, durable construction and intelligent magnetic design, the possibilities are endless! When we received this set, I’m not sure who was more excited to open it. My boys and both my husband and I were having a blast creating different structures and showing them off to each other. This is a toy my kids have come back to over and over and would also be wonderful in a classroom setting as well. Everything is quality and it’s a toy that can be handed down and still be going strong when the next generation arrives!
Now, I thought about recycling the old whirlpool, since it worked and was in good condition but the color a bit dated. I know the components like the pump etc could be offered for a small fee or free via Craigslist or Freecycle, but what about the tub? What could I do with that? That is when I got a great idea. I wondered if I could use it as a Koi pond. I went downstairs and did some reasearch and indeed I could. It can be covered with a heavy-duty pond liner and set into the ground. So that will be saved and we’re going to take you through that project as soon as the ground thaws. Please tell me that as we brace for yet another snowfall that we will experience spring soon! Now lets talk about the tile, this is some of the tile we choose for the bathroom. It was shipped straight from Italy and was delayed in customs, but finally arrived. The pictures don’t do it justice.
The colors are a gold/ivory color and the wall tile is a subway style, the floor has the same tile but in 12″ by 12″ squares and then the gorgeous mosaics will be installed near the top in a 2 row width and finished with a row of the bullnose subway tile.
Niches, niches, who has the niches? We do, and we have lots of them thanks to Schluter Systems and their prefabricated shower niches. We will be using these in more than just the shower! The largest niche is going in one of the walls surrounding the whirlpool. It is a full tiled to the ceiling wall and will have the 12″ by 28″ niche installed with the subway bullnose tile and the mosaics in the back that will make it pop off the wall. It also has a floating shelf that will be set midway and tiled.
I thought it would be a great accent as well as useful storage that was handy for bath products. A shower niche is an ideal spot to keep shampoos and soaps in a tiled shower. Building a fully waterproof, properly sealed tiled shower niche can be a detailed and time-consuming task. Schluter-Systems has developed four prefabricated and completely waterproof shower niches that are ready to tile. Made of Schluter®-KERDI-BOARD, the shower niches are completely compatible with surface applied waterproofing systems, such as the Schluter®-KERDI and KERDI-BOARD shower assemblies. All four shower niches feature a 1/2″ (12.5 mm)-thick by 2″ (50 mm)-wide integrated bonding flange that sits perfectly flush with the surrounding wall area. The larger sizes include an optional prefabricated shelf that can be installed at any height to create separate compartments within the shower niche.
The preformed shower niche provides installers with increased speed during installation, combined with complete waterproofing dependability. The corners of a traditional shower niche are the most challenging area to waterproof and can be very susceptible to standing water and mold growth. With pre-sealed niche corners this challenge is completely eliminated. The niche complements an already wide array of preformed shower components available from Schluter-Systems, including shower trays, curbs, ramps, and benches. All of these components help installers build waterproof and vapor tight tiled showers more quickly and effectively than with traditional construction materials.
The shower niche is available in four different sizes and we have all of them so we will show you how they not only function so well in the shower but we will install them in areas you might not think for some great design option. For instance the install in the tile wall by the whirlpool and we also plan to install two in the tiled wall above the new vanity to hold soap and other frequently used products neatly off the countertop. We will of course be also using one of the larger sizes in the shower as well as one or two of the smaller sizes. We will take you through the progress of the installation of these great products. To see more about the niches or anf the other great products from Schluter, just visit their website and be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
We toyed with the idea of constructing our own recessed storage cabinets on the sides of the vanity, but the more we looked at components we would need and the work involved, especially given the amount of projects we still had to complete, it started to make sense to go with something finished. I did try, even went to Hobby Lobby and other stores for something that would work as a door but look like a nice piece of wall art on the wall concealing a medicine cabinet. In the end we went with The Concealed Cabinet because we can still make custom tweaks like add a power strip inside the cabinet, but the basics are done. The other great feature is that we can customize the door with a print, photograph, artwork from our children or whatever we like and we can change it as often as the mood strikes.
I am so excited to tell you and show you more on these great cabinets. We are going to take you through the entire installation process not only of the cabinets but of the entire master bath and master bedroom renovations. Feel free to share any ideas and tips you have or tell us about any projects you are working on. We chose the extra-large size and will have one on either end. So now the next decision is picking out the art to display on the door frame.
The other news is that the new whirlpool tub is being delivered on Wednesday. I have been holding off demo until then but it’s almost time to get the rest done and start rebuilding. I tell you I am so looking forward to a long relaxing soak in that tub. We are having some design brainstorming sessions regarding the freestanding tub filler and its placement.
My husband assures me all is good, but I have to tell you, I’m a bit stressed by some placement issues we have. I still need to make a decision on the vanity lighting. The bathroom has recessed lighting in most areas except by the vanity area. I have been looking at so many different styles of lighting and my brain is on overload.
I picked up a great mirror I want to use as an accent in the bathroom at Hobby Lobby the other day. It is huge, heavy, and gorgeous. It is nearly the same color as the vanity I refinished for my sewing table last year and I have decided to use that color as an accent color in the bathroom. I see that color everywhere and yet I am so stressed picking out towels and rugs. My daughter and I went to Home Goods a few days ago and I picked out some towels that I thought were in the same color family and bought them to hang on the towel bars that will be around the tub. When I found 3 rugs that also looked to be perfect I was ecstatic but a little perplexed.
I was so stressed if I had the right shade and then my daughter told me to chill out because there was a 30 day return policy if they weren’t. I get home and now, I don’t know if I am losing my mind or if the lighting in the store affected it, but they look more like a sea-foam greenish type blue than what I thought they were. Not sure what I am going to do yet, but I need to decide before my 30 days are up!
Snow, because we are getting another storm. We are luckily not being hit hard and NYC and NJ will bear the brunt of the storm. This is the trend that was last year, so hopefully it will be this year as well.
Shopping, because tomorrow afternoon, Alexandra, Luke and I go on the famous Sam’s run. Seriously we hit Sams every week. I know there are many people who only need to hit the wearhouse stores monthly, but not us. We need a weekly Sam’s run. We have to stop at the eye doctor as she drove herself the other week to an eye exam and they could not dialate her eyes. So, we need to stop in and let them do that and examine her dialated eyes. Needless to say I will be doing the driving. It also looks like a Wegmans trip is on the agenda as well. I love Wegmans.
Cleaning and organizing, because we are working on our basement right now and are clearing out and organizing. We finally got our exercise area set up and I did 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill so that made me really happy. I have also been going through the little ones’ closets and trying to get things organized. That is always an ongoing battle.
Disney vacations, because in the Spring we are driving down to Florida and so I have spent the last few nights up to the wee hours of the morning researching villas, hotels, parks, packages and more. My eyes hurt and I am not even sure if the little ones are just too little. We are going down because Jimi is in a power-lifting competition in Atlanta, GA. Then we are going to go to Florida to see his sister so we will be in the Tampa area. I am looking at maybe doing Tampa Busch Gardens and Sea World instead. I am not sure but we have to make our minds up soon because most of the booking deals end January 31st.
Some of the other thoughts running through my mind on these cold winter days are planning my garden. Planning my garden really reminds me that spring is around the corner and I can taste it. Spring always has me thinking of free-ranging chickens but then I am always brought to reality by my sane husband who reminds me that our dogs will put an end to free-ranging chickens. He also points out he is the pet caretaker and he does not want any more to take care of at this point. I can’t blame him. He does all the work with the pets while we just get to enjoy the pets. So one can still dream right.
Hope you all have pleasant dreams and that you all are staying warm and cozy on these Winter nights. God Bless you all.