Melton Design Build

Archive for August, 2011

Ideas from a Professional Bathroom Remodeling Contractor

August 24, 2011

What would a professional bathroom remodeler do with your bathroom? A bathroom remodeling contractor with years of experience as should be able to suggest creative ways to use new and traditional products, layout, and design to achieve the look and functionality you want. Here are a few things we like to suggest when working on a bathroom remodeling project:

  • Get a great look that’s also a great value. Hand-painted porcelain tiles, for example, are a beautiful choice for a bathroom. Remodelers love to work with them, but they may take up too much of your total budget, especially if you’re remodeling a large bathroom. Often, however, there are very fine alternatives that can satisfy your design concept by giving you the same look and coloring of high-end materials. You can also design the bathroom to use the more expensive materials as an accent so that you still get the “wow” factor.
  • Splurge a little. It’s true that you might not necessarily need “extras” like a steam shower or a towel warming drawer, but you may find that these luxuries create a pampering, spa-like environment that you enjoy day after day.
  • Design for how you really live. Quiet, luxurious soaking tubs seem to be replacing the noisier Jacuzzis as the first choice for today’s bath lovers. But while soaking tubs tend to be smaller than Jacuzzis, they still take up considerable floor space. The question to ask yourself before you reflexively install a tub when remodeling is will you use it. For many people – including many older couples – the answer is “no.” If that’s the case, why install both a tub and a shower? Instead, you might consider saving the space (and money) you’d spend on a tub – or using that same budget to enjoy a larger, more luxurious shower with seats, a no barrier design and extra room for storage. If you are remodeling with resale as a high priority, you may wish to include a tub in your plans even if you don’t plan on using it yourself. However, you might not have the tub in your bathroom.
  • Think universal design. No matter how young and fit you are, a bathroom designed for safety and effortless access will be a smart investment. If you’re older, features such as walk-in tubs can let you enjoy baths without worrying about climbing in and out of a traditional tub. Curbless showers are another good feature. A good bathroom remodeler can integrate grab bars, good lighting, non-slippery floors, and other universal design features beautifully into any style of bathroom so that you can enjoy your home longer while still being safer from slips and falls.

Please rate this article: 1=not useful 3=useful 5=very useful

0 votes, 0.00 avg. rating (0% score)
: Bathroom Remodeling
: ,

Information Request Form

*This information is required.
First name is required.
Last name is required.
Email address is required.Invalid format.
Phone number is required.
Project Description:

 

Privacy Policy: The information we collect using this form is used for the purpose of responding to your request for information and future contacts with you about our company, its services, remodeling ideas, etc. This information will not be shared, sold, rented, given, or in any other way provided to unrelated third parties except as may be required by law.

Home Remodeler Tips for “Always Fresh” Kitchen Cabinets

August 17, 2011

As part of re-doing your kitchen, your home remodeler will ask you to select cabinets. There are so many styles to choose from that you won’t find it hard to zero in on cabinets that are perfect for your budget, tastes, and the configuration of your new kitchen. But a question we get a lot from our clients is this: “How do I choose cabinets that won’t look dated in a few years?”

It’s an important question. As a home remodeler, we can tell you that cabinets are a big portion of your kitchen remodeling budget. When you make that investment, you want to feel confident that your kitchen retains its “wow” even as styles change – and you can be sure they will! Here are two bits of advice to help you pick cabinets today that will continue to look stylish down the road.

Go with what you love. Today’s home remodeler magazines are brimming with a “new” look in kitchens where cabinets are painted or stained in everything from soft grays and greens to vibrant yellows and blues. If you love colored cabinets, then by all means go with a stained or painted finish rather than maple, cherry, oak or other wood finishes. You may, however, want to stick with softer, more neutral shades for the cabinets themselves – you can always add a punch of color by painting the walls, which is much easier to update than your cabinets.

Consider choosing a minimum of detail. We’re not talking about plain cabinets – after all, we’re home remodelers so it’s our job to give your new kitchen plenty of pizazz! But remember that the more details, the more your cabinets are locked into a particular look. For example, if you decide you want a sleeker, more modern look but have arched-paneled cabinets with elaborately carved moldings, it’s going to be a challenge to achieve the fresh new look you seek. If cabinets have less pronounced detailing, you have more options. In fact, you may be able to make over your kitchen – even take it from classic to contemporary – simply by switching out cabinet hardware and updating your counter-top accessories.

Always opt for quality. When it comes to home remodeler tips for cabinets, this is the most important. That’s because nothing dates a kitchen more than cabinets that start to sag, chip, or lose their finish. For cabinets that continue to look good year after year, buy the best cabinets you can within your budget today.

Please rate this article: 1=not useful 3=useful 5=very useful

0 votes, 0.00 avg. rating (0% score)
: Home Remodeling
: , , ,

Information Request Form

*This information is required.
First name is required.
Last name is required.
Email address is required.Invalid format.
Phone number is required.
Project Description:

 

Privacy Policy: The information we collect using this form is used for the purpose of responding to your request for information and future contacts with you about our company, its services, remodeling ideas, etc. This information will not be shared, sold, rented, given, or in any other way provided to unrelated third parties except as may be required by law.

What You Might Not Know About Home Energy Audits

August 10, 2011

Did you know that a home energy audit can reveal far more than drafts, poor insulation and other energy-robbers? It can also reveal habits – times you use the most energy, rooms you spend the most time in, etc. Even better, it can show you how to turn those home energy habits into a home that not only gobbles up less energy, but one that also feels, breathes and “lives” so much better than it does now.

Here is just one example of how using a home energy audit to learn about habits can lower home energy costs and make your home more livable:

During a home energy audit, one homeowner mentioned that her home office was dark and cold year-round. In summer, the air conditioning froze her out so that she had to wear a sweater. In winter, her feet got so cold she found herself using a space heater. The home energy auditor discovered that part of the problem was that the ductwork to the room was improperly sealed and both warm and cool air were flowing into the wall rather than into the house. The north-facing windows were also old and in need of caulking. Instead of just getting standard energy-efficient replacements, the homeowner had the original openings enlarged to accommodate spacious new windows that doubled the amount of sunlight she enjoyed throughout the day. Skylights weren’t feasible because the office was on the first floor of the two-story home, but daylighting tubes were a good substitution, flooding the room with soft, natural light. In fact, the office is now so light and airy that the homeowner only uses electric lighting when she works at night.

When you work with a home energy audit company that can also handle the performance upgrades and offer remodeling ideas, you get more than just that “one stop” convenience. You also benefit from expertise that can turn your habits and the way you use the house into smart, affordable improvements that make a huge difference not just in energy savings, but in livability, too!

Please rate this article: 1=not useful 3=useful 5=very useful

0 votes, 0.00 avg. rating (0% score)
: Home Energy
:

Information Request Form

*This information is required.
First name is required.
Last name is required.
Email address is required.Invalid format.
Phone number is required.
Project Description:

 

Privacy Policy: The information we collect using this form is used for the purpose of responding to your request for information and future contacts with you about our company, its services, remodeling ideas, etc. This information will not be shared, sold, rented, given, or in any other way provided to unrelated third parties except as may be required by law.

Can You Work With a Commercial General Contractor Without Paying a Fortune in Change Orders?

August 5, 2011

“While you’re at it …” Using that phrase with a commercial general contractor means you’ve just initiated what’s called change order – something that goes beyond what was specified in the original project scope or price. In commercial construction, those change orders can really mount up, adding a hefty percentage to the final cost of your space remodeling or renovation.

Given that change orders push up the price of a project, you’d think commercial general contractors would welcome them. Some may, but we don’t. That’s because anything that adds “surprise” costs or delays to a project reduces the client’s satisfaction. And that’s why we use processes up front to try to minimize the need for change orders.

Now, let me say right away that it’s not always possible to avoid change orders completely. You can encounter last-minute requirements from a municipality or a space planning need can crop up mid-project that simply couldn’t have been anticipated up front. Complexity can be part and parcel of developing space that’s commercial. General contractors, however, can minimize change orders by making sure that everything they can control is covered in the plans and in the bid. As a veteran commercial general contractor, I can tell you that while this upfront detail work is challenging, it’s absolutely possible. Plus, the more years of experience someone has as a commercial general contractor, the more scenarios they know to anticipate.

Another source of change orders is when clients speak directly with subcontractors and ask for changes. The process you want here is for that subcontractor to communicate immediately with the commercial general contractor. Not only does the commercial general contractor need to authorize any changes, he can often eliminate the need for the change order by working with the subcontractor to see if what the client is requesting actually falls within the original scope of the work the sub agreed to perform.

We have an excellent track record working commercial. General contractor control is delivered at a high level from the bidding phase on and it’s one practice we use to minimize costly change orders and bring remodeling and renovation projects in on time and on budget.

Please rate this article: 1=not useful 3=useful 5=very useful

0 votes, 0.00 avg. rating (0% score)
: Commercial General Contracting
:

Information Request Form

*This information is required.
First name is required.
Last name is required.
Email address is required.Invalid format.
Phone number is required.
Project Description:

 

Privacy Policy: The information we collect using this form is used for the purpose of responding to your request for information and future contacts with you about our company, its services, remodeling ideas, etc. This information will not be shared, sold, rented, given, or in any other way provided to unrelated third parties except as may be required by law.