Blue Willow HomesRemodeling And Restoration ::Fine Construction

Universal Design: A Good Investment For Home Improvements

Whether you are looking at building a new home or upgrading an existing home, it may be well worth your while to utilize elements of universal design into your home so that either you can enjoy your home for much longer than you might be able to otherwise. With the trend to living longer lives and spending more of those years living in the family home, there is a real benefit to designing and finishing a home with the principles of universal design in mind.

The Center for Universal Design sets out the principles of the concept as:

1. Equitable use: For useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities

2. Flexibility in use: Design accommodates different methods of use (example: right or left hand use)

3. Simple and intuitive

4. Perceptible information: Design might include pictures, tactile, verbal modes, or clear text with high contrast

5. Tolerance for error: Design incorporates fail safe or correction features

6. Low physical effort: for people with a great range of physical abilities and strength

7. Size and space for approach and use: Design is useable by people of many different size, postures, or mobility.

There are some pretty easy ways to incorporate these design concepts into your home when you’re building it; there are also a great many ways that you can incorporate them into a renovation as well, but it can take a fair bit more work.

Some of the aspects of Universal Design need to be built into a home; wheelchair access is easiest to put into a home when it’s being built, though it was be retrofitted with a bit of work. Some types of wheelchair access that are good to include are entranceways that don’t require ramps, single floor homes, wide hallways and doorways, and at least one wheelchair accessible bathroom.

Other aspects of Universal Design that can easily be installed into the finishing or renovation of a home are items like lever door handles, telephone showerheads, lowered rocker and dimmer light switches, matte finish countertops, and grab bars in the bathroom.

Many features that you can add in the finishing of your home building or renovating can incorporate Universal Design elements with little or no additional cost if you plan ahead; it can prove to be a great selling point later on or, as well, can make your stay in your own home easier in the years to come.

The Center for Universal Design http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/

About the Author

View listings for real estate in Stuart Florida at Waterfront-Properties.com. Our market specialists will show you the wide selection of Palm Beach Gardens real estate and answer any questions you may have about this popular oceanfront community.

KANSAS CITY HOUSE, MO – NORFLEET ACRES

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Bathroom Remodeling Ideas That Work

Bathroom remodeling is one of the best ways of preparing a home for sale. After kitchen remodels, bathroom remodels are next in raising the sales value of your home.

Bathroom remodeling ideas need not be reserved for a house that is to be sold, however. You can enjoy a bathroom remodel now, and know that it will be an advantage when the time comes to sell the home.

The home’s bathrooms are the rooms of heavy use. As such, they get a lot of wear and time. They also are seen many times each day. Bathroom remodels can keep your baths looking good and functioning properly.

There are many ways that you can remodel a bathroom. Here are a few ideas.

1. Wall Tiles: Most contractors will tell you that 4 by 4 inch wall tiles are outdated. Replace them with 8 by 13 inch glazed ceramic tiles. The new tiles will be attractive and will help prevent mold. They will also keep your lower walls from being damaged by splashes from faucets. As part of your bathroom remodeling, paint the upper walls, and run a decorative border of tiles between lower wall tiles and the upper, painted wall.

2. Floor tiles: Visible, light flooring can create a feeling of increased space. If your bathroom remodeling project is, at least in part, because your bathroom seems small, install 12 by 12 inch light-colored floor tiles diagonally. The lines and the light color will give the illusion of much more space.

3. Heated Floor: Before you lay those floor tiles, consider heated floor as part of your bathroom remodeling project. Your whole family will appreciate them, and when it comes time to sell your home, heated bathroom floors will be an enormous selling point.

4. Vanity: Use your bathroom remodeling as an opportunity to get clean, free lines. Replace the vanity with a new “floating” type that does not touch the floor. Choose one with a granite or marble countertop. If you like the granite when you’re done, your bathroom remodeling project can prepare you for replacing kitchen countertops later. You may want a granite vanity top with one of the new vessel sinks.

5. Faucets: Faucets at the sink and tub are a wonderful place to begin a bathroom remodeling project. Once thought utilitarian, faucets have become stylish fixtures. At little cost, you can replace yours with vintage Victorian faucets, or sleek bamboo faucets resembling the bamboo fountain in an Asian garden.

6. Toilets: Relocating a toilet can call for major bathroom remodeling. Replacing it, however, is a simpler task, and can quickly update an old bathroom. If you want to further update your bath, consider adding a bidet. This bathroom remodeling project may require a contractor.

7. Lighting: Much bathroom remodeling falls short of its goal because overhead lighting is allowed to remain. While moisture resistant can lights above tub or shower can be helpful, an overhead light should be replaced by wall lights to increase the value of your bath.

8. Shower: If space allows, consider adding a separate shower to your bath area. Keep the tub for a spa-like retreat, but install a shower, too, with body sprays. If you like the natural, spa idea, look for a shower that has stone surround tile. This bathroom remodeling idea is bound to increase the value of your home.

9. Colors: The simplest bathroom remodeling project, and often an effective one, is to change the colors in the bathroom. If the bathroom remodel is being done to increase home value for sale, avoid unusual color combinations. Apply the tried and true 60-30-10 rule to your colors: 60 percent of your bathroom should be a dominant color, 30 percent a secondary color, and 10 percent an accent color.

Bathroom remodeling ideas are many because people have many different tastes. Different locations also inspire different ideas. Bathroom remodeling in Seattle is bound to be different from bathroom remodeling in Pensacola. Many things will come to bear on your bathroom remodeling ideas, but in the end, you should create something peaceful and functional for you and your family.

About the Author

© 2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about bathroom remodeling at
http://www.easybathroomremodeling.com
. Anna has also posted articles on that site about bathroom decorating. If you want to learn about
bathroom remodeling with wainscoting
, you won’t want to miss her article on the subject.

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Kitchen remodeling website?

I was wondering if anyone knows of a website where you can put dimensions of a room, with the doors, windows etc that are already there & it will give you ideas on what to do with your room. I live in a home that was built in 1910, my kitchen is 12′ x 12′, & the kitchen has 5 doors, 2 windows, the chimney, a radiator & also a built in china cupboard that goes thru to my dining room. The kitchen is so limited for wall space etc. We are considering taking out 2 doors, 1 to the outside & the other to the main floor bathroom which has another doorway in the master bedroom. It is our 1rst remodeling project & would like to see possible layouts & ideas before continuing on. Any websites, help, ideas would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you!!!

The website my boss used was http://www.signaturecontractors.com/remodeling-kitchen-remodeling.cfm he seemed happy with how his kitchen went.

Hope that helps you!

Master Bathroom Remodeling Idea

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Remodeling For Resale – What Helps And What Costs You Money

Remodeling just doesn’t pay off like it did just a few years before.

Of course the expenses of home improvement seem ludicrous to me. And the people you pay to do the work many times don’t do the quality work they declare they can do. It got me into the do it yourself remodeling. I realized I could do many items better than workmen who claimed professional expertise. I’m a small blond lady. If I can do things, most others can, too.

In a real estate market where a capable buyer is golden your home either has to be perfect or it has to be a serious bargain.

But if you can do some of the tasks yourself, it limits your monetary risk and may make it feasible for you to do good work and not borrow money. These two factors change everything.

Nothing about this is easy, but it is possible.

Striking the happy medium between having an attractive house or one that’s WAY overpriced isn’t effortless.

Here are some guidelines that may help you decide what to do and how to do it.

1.    Forget about custom kitchens and granite counter tops. Virtuallu no one will pay you the full cost of these very high-priced upgrades. But there are things you can do for lots less money Paint may make your kitchen look a lot more attractive.
2.    A 2nd bath can make your home more saleable without a lot of money. Homes with one bath are a tough sell. 2 baths work better.
3.    If all the houses in your neighborhood are the size of yours, don’t add on while remodeling. You may never get the extra price to cover the expenditures to do the work.
4.    Don’t mess up your home’s floor plan. One of the worst examples I’ve seen is a house where a couple removed closets from 2 bedrooms, instantly lowering the value of their own home. They turned their house from a 4 bedroom into a 2 bedroom. Bedrooms have to have closets and egress in most municipal building codes to be designated bedrooms.
5.    Get rid of wallpaper. People don’t like it and they do not want to go to the difficulty and cost of removing it. It also tends to date homes in a bad way. Plain paint is so much safer and easier to refresh.
6.    One of the surest ways to attract a homebuyer is to have a new roof on you house. People love new roofs. I pay the professionals for this task.
7.    Do remodeling jobs economically, but make sure they don’t look shoddy. I once refaced a large kitchen for $1,200 and some of my own labor. It sold my house.
8.    Pay attention to street appeal. A cute house will sell easier and faster than other houses, even ones that have been extensively remodeled.
9.    Repair, reuse and recycle existing materials and things you find that may improve your place and not cost a lot of cash
10.    Pay as you go. Don’t finance improvements on credit. It’s too costly.

It’s always necessary to maintain your house. Keeping on top of these things makes it easier to sell a home quickly when you need to move on, for whatever reason.

And finally, if you have substantial equity you may be able to offer owner financing. It’s a great way to sell a property, even one that’s less than perfect.

About the Author

Paula Stone and her husband Ron have a real estate note buying business. Their company buys private mortgage notes, both residential and commercial. Learn more about note buying and selling at their websites, Note Buyer and Mortgage Buyer

Transform Basement Space

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What is the general range of cost of a remodeling/renovation?

I’m considering buying a commercial property. Downstairs is an antique store, but above is a large open space (2500 sq feet) with a “roughed in” bath and kitchen — VERY roughed. Anyway, I’d like to finish this off and rent it out as an apartment with 1 large bedroom and bath, an open kitchen and a great room. Does anyone have any idea what something like that would cost down south…in a small town area? I’m not asking for an exact quote, but a general price range for something attractive, but not luxurious by any means.

i’ve done quite a few rental re-hab units and up here in ne ohio it should be about 10-15000 for everything…if your rents are about 400-550 a month you should consider it if they are lower you might want to see what your payback(cash on cash) will be. that is how long will it take to pay off the remodeling before you start making profit. should be around three years plus all landlord payed expenses…trash, water&sewer, up-keep etc…

Kitchen Remodel Quotes And Bids From Houstons Top Kitchen Remodeling Contractor

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Average cost of 4″ ceramic tile?

There’s a local ad in a paper that has 3 boxes of 4″ ceramic tile. Each box has 100 ceramic tiles in it. The person remodeled their bathroom (like we plan to do) and ordered too much.

The average price for a 4×4 tile is around 2$ a s/f. Each box you have there is 12.5 s/f per box. The large bucket of mastic is actually 3 1/2 gallon pail.
That will retail in the 35 to 40$ range..
Offer 75$ for the lot and you ll have a good deal I do believe.Almost like getting the mastice for free. And there twice as much ( or more) mastic as you ll need… GL

What Is The Average Bathroom Remodeling Cost-Chicago IL 60643

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What do I need to do to sell my house myslef?

We have remodeled and gotten a sq. ft. apprais. My signs are out do I need contracts? I have one. so what do I do after that?

Since you have all your legal paperwork in order, now you just wait for potential home buyers. Depending on where you live, it may take awhile to sell. You always want to look for buyers who have a preapproval letter for mortgage. These people are usually the serious ones who are looking to buy immediately before that preapproval expires.

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Remodeling to Make Accommodations

When you think of home remodeling, you probably think of extending a room or changing cabinets in a kitchen or modernizing an older home. Yet there is a whole new market of people needing home renovations – the elderly.

Renovations for the Elderly:

According to a recent CNN report, home renovations for the elderly are on the rise. These types of renovations are the fastest-growing segment of the remodeling industry, said James Lapides of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). NAHB’s recent study concluded that 75 percent of remodeling companies have seen an increase in requests for so-called “aging-in-place” work.

The “Certified Aging in Place” Specialist program, offered by the NAHB Remodelers Council to teach professionals how to modify homes for older adults, has increased in enrollment, according to Lapides. Representatives of NAHB and the AARP created the program in 2002. Over 1,000 participants have learned building techniques and structural awareness for accommodating physical needs. (CNN, “Builders: Home Renovations for Elderly on the Rise”, by Grace Wong)

Statistics Show Elderly Want to Stay in Their Homes:

According to the AARP, 83% of people over 45 own their own homes. A 2003 AARP survey, “These Four Walls,” sampled this group and found that 75% expect to stay there for the rest of their lives. 51% envision making changes so that can happen.

In addition, The National Association of Home Builders conducted a survey of remodelers and learned that:

• 75% reported getting more requests for “aging in place” projects

• 60% had done “aging in place” projects. Of those:

• 43% were for customers aged 45 to 54

• 76% were for customers aged 55 to 64

• 67% were for customers 65 and older

Remodelers reported that clients wanted aging-in-place remodeling because:

• 75% were planning for future needs

• 53% were living with older parents

• 46% had acute, age-related disabilities

• 23% had acute disabilities unrelated to aging

(realestate.msn.com, “Elegant Remodels Allow ‘Aging in Place’”, by Marilyn Lewis)

A Remodeling Project:

Some families are bringing older relatives to live with them and extending a part of the house to accommodate that change. Others are making modifications for physical reasons, such as widening doorways for wheelchairs, lowering bathtub walls and adding support bars. Other modifications simply include updating an older home because of wear and tear. However, the going trend is to do it all with style.

An example of an accommodating remodeling project occurred in a California backyard. A playhouse was rebuilt to become a livable apartment for one family’s 70 year-old father with Paget’s disease. Building aspects of the apartment include a walk-in shower with no obstructing ledge at the entrance, two-inch-square commercial nonskid tile, lever handles instead of doorknobs and an anti-scald device to keep water temperature even. (realestate.msn.com, “Elegant Remodels Allow ‘Aging in Place’”, by Marilyn Lewis)

Suggestions for Remodeling:

If you are contemplating a remodeling project, keep the future in mind. You can make simple changes now for what may be needed many years in the future. Sam Clark, a builder and author of “The Real Goods Independent Builder: Designing & Building a House Your Own Way” and “Remodeling a Kitchen”, provides the following suggestions for changes to make to your home to accommodate the physical bodily changes that occur over time:

• Remodel your home so that you can live on the ground level if necessary.

• Widen doorways to accommodate wheelchairs.

• Plan the front entry to be as level with the ground as local building codes allow. Eliminate stairs with sloping sidewalks.

• Try to think way ahead. For example, in a bathroom remodel, install reinforcement for grab bars.

• Plan for a lot of storage within the “optimal reach zone” – the space between 20 inches and 44 inches above the floor to a depth of 20 inches away from your body.

• Use drawers instead of cupboards where possible.

• Install lever handles throughout the house.

• Use hard flooring or choose an attractive, low-pile commercial carpet.

• Place electric outlets higher than usual and switches lower.

• Install a shelf outside the front door so you can put down packages while searching for keys.

Additional tips from the Home Remodelers in New Jersey (www.homeremodelersgroup.com) further suggests vinyl siding. Vinyl siding is made to look like real wood and it never needs painting, preventing any hazardous maintenance or painting. Vinyl windows are also suggested; they are easy to clean and energy efficient.

For additional remodeling articles, visit http://www.homeremodelersgroup.com/?source=articles

About the Author

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