HomeImprovement posts

In a case of things are tough all over, the Paramount Realty Group of America Corp. filed a lawsuit on behalf of Paolo Zampolli, against his former landlord, Iceland mogul Jon Asgeir Johannesson and his wife, Ingibjorg Palmadottir, for installing an allegedly "ugly" Ikea kitchen into a swanky $312,000 co-op rental apartment on the 16th floor at 50 Gramercy Park North. Hmmm .. HGTV or Judge Judy?

It seems the Johannessons are being called on the faux-Persian carpet by their tenant for committing a Nordic no-no of Viking range proportions. According to the suit, the embattled Icelanders failed to make promised renovations on time and when they finally did the kitchen was deemed unsuitable -- read cheap -- for such a luxurious home.

Adding an entertaining dimension to the appeal of energy-saving home improvements and building on the promise of new tax incentives for homeowners, President Barack Obama termed insulation "a sexy subject" during a Home Depot visit in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday.

"Here's what's sexy about it. It saves money," Obama noted in comments aimed at encouraging Congress to pass incentives for homeowners who insulate and otherwise upgrade their homes to make them more energy efficient.

Green may be the buzzword of the day in the construction industry, but buyers are increasingly skeptical when they find out green homes may cost more greenbacks.

A recent NAHB survey of its members showed this trend holding strong.

"Buyers have consistently said they want to be energy efficient, but stop when the better windows, insulation and appliances begin to cost too much – over $5,000 for an average new home," Stephen Melman, economics director for the National Association of Home Builders, told WalletPop.

This is the last of a five-part series about how the writer and her husband, Charlie, tackled a major overhaul of their home and the pitfalls they faced along the way. To read the first installment click here.

The workers are gone, the dumpster was picked up, and we are touching up the stain and paint. Now that things are finished, we are so glad that we put in the quality finishes and the extra touches we wanted. The total cost was around $55,000 -- twice as much as we had originally planned.

The investment is definitely worth it. Now we have new plumbing throughout the house, updated electrical, refinished floors, and a state-of-the-art kitchen -- all upgrades that are bound to boost the value of our home if we ever decide to sell.

This is the fourth part of a five-part series about how the writer and her husband, Charlie, tackled a major overhaul of their home and the pitfalls they faced along the way. To read the first installment click here.

We continue to eat dust and stumble through piles of stuff. In spite of the inconveniences, I was starting to feel positive about the progress -- that is, until a large semi-truck pulled up to deliver the dome that goes over the tub.

Rick, our contractor, and my husband soon discovered the dome weighed close to 400 pounds. With daggers in their eyes, they asked, "And just how are we suppose to get this thing out?" Fortunately. I remembered reading on the website that the dome was actually quite light -- it was the packing that was so heavy. Grumbling and swearing under their breath, they emerged about 15 minutes later with a fiberglass dome to be temporarily stored in the living room.

Tom's Take: It always makes sense to add the cost of a few visits with your chiropractor to every home improvement budget.

This is the third part of a five-part series about how the writer and her husband, Charlie, tackled a major overhaul of their home and the pitfalls they faced along the way. To read the first installment click here.

The situation is deteriorating fast. A large part of the problem is our fault, we're falling victim to an all-too-common disorder in the industry called project creep.

It works like this: If we are going to put in a new hallway floor, why not rip up the carpet upstairs and do all the floors there, too? And if we are going to do the upstairs, then it only make sense to do the downstairs as well. Since we got such a good deal on the granite, why don't we put new counter tops in the kitchen? For that matter, why not get new appliances? After all, the plumber and electrician are already here. They can get things hooked up. Don't you think the whole thing will look lousy if we don't re-tile the kitchen back splash? Why not, it already has a hole in it from the plumber. And so on...

This is the second part of a five-part series about how the writer and her husband, Charlie, tackled a major overhaul of their home and the pitfalls they faced along the way. To read the first installment click here.

Now it was onto the next step: Demolition. The destruction was scheduled to begin right after the holidays.

Tom's take: Good idea to hold off on demolition until after the holidays. I can't tell you how many panicked calls I've received on my radio show from folks that absolutely had to get a major project done before an event (a holiday, wedding, anniversary party, sweet-sixteen, whatever). It never makes sense to put that kind of pressure on yourself -- or your contractor. Build a fudge factor into the schedule and the stress factor goes way down.

Our house is a beautiful, 3,000-square foot home built in 1918 that sits across the street from South Shore Park and Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. But after living in our home for 25 years, we were faced with a difficult decision: Do we spend a chunk of money to fix up the place or move? We had done some remodeling in the past, but it was looking tired and the bathroom upstairs still had all of the original (read: very old) plumbing.

As much as we loved the place, the thought of undertaking another remodeling project was too overwhelming. I embarked on a house-hunting mission in nearby Madison and Middleton, WI, but soon discovered that to recreate anything close to what we have -- easy access to downtown, shops within walking distance, lake view, bike path and a quick commute to the airport -- was going to cost $1 million or more. So we reversed course and decided to remodel -- again. Our initial budget was $25,000 and our sights were on that horribly outdated bathroom upstairs.

Home repair contractor Kaile Warren had a rags-to-riches story that was enviable. The former homeless home improver credits "divine intervention" with giving him the idea for a home improvement company and brand name that would ultimately place him on a national stage that included appearances on Oprah, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the CBS Early Show, to name a few.

But according to an investigative report by USA Today, Warren has all but crashed and burned taking more than a dozen investors with him who poured an estimated $4.5 million into his Rent-A-Husband chain of home improvement franchises.

Today, Warren is reportedly more than $3 million in debt with assets of just $145,000, faces investor complaints, one lawsuit, and investigation by the Maine Division of Securities.

Here's a video by USA Today on the story:

This is news a lot of cheapskates aren't going to like, especially the kind of cheapskates who routinely poach on other people's wireless connection. There's now a paint you can use that will block Wi-fi from going through walls and into the arms of another, unauthorized, computer user.

According to this tech blog, The University of Tokyo has developed a paint that is allegedly able to block radio frequency in higher spectra, where Wi-Fi and other, higher-bandwidth communications take place. Most Wi-Fi technologies operate at 2.4GHz; the Tokyo pain can reportedly block frequencies all the way up to 100GHz. A 200GHz-blocking pain is also in the works, according to this report.

Grumpy Wi-Fi owners might be rejoicing (presuming this stuff ever gets to the market, and isn't $100 a gallon). Likewise theater owners, who will surely be interested in squelching that pesky cell-phone problem once and for all (the paint also blocks in the lower frequencies that cell phones use.)

But I wonder what this does to the dream of free and unfettered Wi-Fi for all?

By balancing the cost of home improvement projects against the return on investment those projects can bring in real home value at the time of sale, you can make the most of a conservative amount of cash while enhanciing home value and enjoyment.

Rally your do-it-yourself skills for a project or two from among the following under $1,000 upgrades.

1. Replace kitchen counter tops. Cook up a new look by upgrading kitchen work surfaces with one of the many sleek, budget-friendly materials available. Great green options include stainless steel, cast concrete, and solid surfacing and terrazzo composites made from recycled materials. Also revise counter-top collections for a clean, clear view and easy access to work zones.
2. Accessorize the bathroom for comfort and safety. If you plan to stay in your home for many years to come, start making small changes that create easy access for family members of all ages and abilities. AARP's Bathroom Checklist can help you assess the current state of your bath and select smart installations like a wider entry door, easy-to-grasp door and cabinet hardware, rocker light switches, grab bars, and a shower fixture with a removable, hand-held head.

With school out for summer and a bunch of seasonal projects, the time's right for getting young do-it-yourselfers involved in home improvement plans.

Working together to make a repair or build something new not only teaches lifelong skills and builds confidence, but also gives kids a sense of accomplishment and renewed pride in the home you share.

Select a project together: Whether it's an easy fix-it project, a simple gardening chore or an opportunity to redecorate, every DIY project is a valuable chance to learn. Kit-based programs like Red Toolbox are also available, and help you learn together through three discrete skill levels, starting with very simple tasks and progressing to more advanced techniques. Along the way, parent and child have fun working together and create useful, decorative items that make great gifts.

This Father's Day, dear-old dad is expected to have to make do with less according to new data from IBIS World Research.

According to the report, Father's Day spending will be down across top categories like home improvement (-28%), gift cards (-21%) and electronics (-16%).

However, despite the economic downturn and retail sales plummeting, dads may be going from handyman to dandyman, as sales of pampering services and related products are expected to increase 35.7%.

Perhaps as a well-meaning gift attempt to destress dads, purchases of spa services, personal care products, and greeting cards is emerging as this holiday's fastest growing gift category with consumers expected to spend $190 million compared to $140 million in 2008.

"Traditional Father's Day gifts, such as tools and electronics are declining this year while spa services, personal care products, and greeting cards are increasing," explained Toon van Beeck, senior analyst with IBIS World. "It seems that 'New Age' dads are this year's fad."

According the U.S. Census Bureau, there are an estimated 66.3 million fathers in the nation today, which demonstrates the impact spending on Father's Day has on the U.S. economy.

Despite the downward economic trend, there's no word on its impact on the age-old practice of buying dad a tie for his big day -- the gaudier the better!

Tom Kraeutler is the AOL'S Home Improvement Editor and co-author of My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure. He delivers home improvement tips each week as host of The Money Pit, a nationally syndicated home improvement radio program.

When times are tough, we all look for ways to better plan repairs and cut unexpected costs. If you own a home, you may be more tempted to purchase a home warranty to help avoid the financial surprise of an unexpected repair.

But the real question is whether home warranties truly offer the peace of mind they claim on the brochure. Will owning a home warranty cover an air conditioner that gives out mid-summer, or a water heater that leaks and turns your basement into a swimming pool. The answer is: maybe.

The Home Depot's profits jumped 44% this quarter, beating expectations and signaling the recession is over. If only.

The Home Depot's bottom line boost is thanks to lots of cost cutting, namely slowed expansion and the closing of under performing stores, including all Expo Design Stores. Lowe's, is also closely watching what it spends and cutting wherever possible. Even so, the chain lost money for its first quarter, but exceeded Wall Street expectations.

As for all the optimism, it's more for the recovery of the home improvement sector than the overall economy. Lowe's Chairman and CEO Robert Niblock painted a pretty rosy picture, with consumers embarking on home improvement projects in greater numbers, mostly because they can't afford to pay someone else.

Retailers, like so many of us, are closing their wallets and reducing expenditures. The Home Depot and the others will continue to closely hold the line on spending, all the while waiting for the public to start doing the opposite.