BEST PLANO HOME REMODELING PROJECT TO FIT YOUR BUDGET OR KITCHEN CHIC IN MCKINNEY

Want a custom kitchen without a custom cost?

For the busiest gathering spot in your home, your Plano kitchen should reflect your family’s lifestyle.  So, when planning to remodel this area, shoot for the biggest impact with the smallest investment.

According to Remodeling magazine’s latest survey, the average cost today for a kitchen remodel is around $57,000!  Few of us can even think in those terms.  Even if you live in one of the affluent communities in North Dallas or further up 35 or 75 to McKinney, Frisco or Plano!    Now isn’t the time to be spending huge amounts on remodeling projects when you probably would never see a return of your investment.

Let’s look at a few ideas anyone can use spending minimal dollars with satisfying results.

Starting with the least cost, yet an attention getter is new hardware, including accessories such as new lights.  These simple changes can make tired cabinets look fresh and updated lighting will add a sense of warmth to your kitchen.  New counter tops would be a bit of extra work, but the new look would be worth all the extra effort and still would not put a big dent in your budget unless you choose a pricey granite or stone counter.

Create an actual focal point for your Plano kitchen such as a new vent hood in a dramatic design.  The cost for a copper or stainless steel hood is around $500.  This alone can give your kitchen that “wow” as an eye catcher.  The new hood designs are very attractive and will add character to a warm kitchen.

A really inexpensive way to update your older dishwasher is to reverse the door panel under the controls.  There is usually another color or design on the other side of the older models.  Or, you could have your local store out in Plano cut a whole new laminate piece with a choice color you can use in other areas of the room.  Or even spice up your old cabinets with a panel of this same laminate, thus you have played off the new look to your dishwasher for mere pennies!

Installing a new floor would be another completely new look for your kitchen.  At prices for tile and even hardwood these days, your cost would be minimal and the effect phenomenal.  Throw in a few new small appliances and maybe a couple new bar stools and you’ve got a whole new look!

These are just a few of the ways you can make a profound difference at a small cost.  Add some elbow grease and paint and your friends will think you spent a fortune!

Realtors agree it’s a buyer’s market out there today. If you’re thinking about selling your home any time in the near future, you need to become aware of what these picky buyers are looking for. Since they have their choice of properties, how are you going to be competitive? You have a product to sell, but unfortunately, there are thousands of people selling the same thing in your market.

How do you go about changing the odds to your favor? Get educated, for starters. Find out what’s really important to the current buyer. Talk to realtors and contractors or friends and family who are in the market. They’re the ones who are quick to assess a property’s appeal value. They may tell you they hear or say things like, “but, if it only had another bedroom, or bigger kitchen or bath and the killer statement, “I love the layout, but we’d have to do too much to get it up to date or where it would fit our family”. You fill in the blanks when you compare your home to others on the market for the edge you’re looking for in putting your product ahead of the pack.

The one simple improvement you can do that will give you a head start with any buyers that visit in person, online or even a “drive-by” of your home, are classy, beautiful front entry doors. This will grab the attention of any prospect. In addition, this improvement will help lower heating and cooling costs. And, most important for a Dallas property, will stand up under extreme weather conditions.

A really smart way to add value to a home is to convert the attic into another bedroom. This is a cost effective way to increase your chances to sell to a larger family, or families that are looking to have that extra space for future needs. Today we often see parents and/or children moving in together for economic reasons by combining their incomes to live in a bigger home.

One of the least expensive improvements that will increase the home’s value and living space is to build a deck. Very popular in the DFW area, decks are the family room extension into the back yard. This is one addition that will guarantee almost 100% return in investment. In addition, there are varieties of reasonably priced materials available that will provide a beautiful, yet low-maintenance option.

One of the most important features a buyer looks for in a new home is easy maintenance. Siding on a home gives it that neat, clean appeal with an eye-catching tidiness. Siding will also add to the energy efficiency of a home, a feature not lost on current buyers. If this is not on your list of possibilities, look into adding some decorative trim and/or painting to give the home that fresh look.

The centerpiece of any home is usually the kitchen. If your kitchen doesn’t invite this “gathering” feel, look for a way to add some character. One of the easiest improvements is replacing the countertops with a new, updated look. Basic items such as new cabinet knobs and doors can completely change the look of your kitchen. Add some new appliances for that model home look!

Find a good contractor for those bigger jobs who can help you decide how to turn this ordinary home into a “must have” for that buyer who walks in and finds exactly what he wants.

Easy Tips to Sell Your Lewisville, Flower Mound House Quickly in a Tight Market

Percentage of home sales in the North Texas area is up 41% in high-end communities such as the Park Cities and Preston Hollow. Current thinking is that the more affluent buyers are looking for more solid ways to invest their funds. However, in more affordable areas such as Lewisville-Flower Mound, sales are down 1%-10% even though there is a glut of medium priced and distressed properties available.

The economy has turned the rules generally associated with home buying upside down! It may be a buyer’s market with plenty of inventory, but lenders are making the process extremely difficult for the moderately priced homes and bargains such as foreclosures to be financed. Additionally, many of the government backed incentives for first time buyers and other tax credits have expired. So, if you’re a Lewisville-Flower Mound homeowner looking to sell, you have to make your property stand out and grab the attention of the few qualified buyers that will show up at your door for a quick visit.

Is your home unique? What caught your attention when you purchased the home in the first place? What can you do to improve your Lewisville house and property and to make those buyers say “I really like this one!” If you’re even near the water, this fact alone could be a big selling point to a lot of lookers. Play on any environmental advantages you have and look at upgrading your landscaping and outside areas. Use native plants and ornamental plantings to make the home a beautiful picture for buyers to see when they drive up. First impressions come and go quickly. Consider consulting a landscaping expert to get the most bang for your buck for a great first impression!

They say it’s the little things that count, and no better words have been written when it comes to home buying. It could be that larger laundry room, or the double sinks and vanities in the new remodeled master bath, the beautiful picture windows in the den or it’s the center of the room counter space in the kitchen! Sliding glass doors onto the patio would be ever so much better in the Texas summer heat if the patio were covered and surrounded with some of those beautiful plants you’ve used to dress up the outside. Nothing beats sitting in the privacy of your own backyard resort on a pleasantly warm Spring day enjoying a Texas Tea!

Home improvements do not have to be costly ventures such as a pool or extra rooms when you want to add value and interest to enable a quicker sale. Look around you and imagine you were seeing this home for the first time. What would you like to see? Making a home warm and inviting is a big plus to catch the eye of prospective buyers, and in today’s market, a seller needs to use whatever competitive edge he can muster!

Now would be a good time to call that Flower Mound general contractor who can really make things happen!

With the advance of the big box home improvement suppliers, the thinking today is usually, I can do that remodeling job pretty reasonable with a few nails, a couple buckets of paint and a little sweat! Well, for those of us who have taken that route many times, here’s the truth…….. “It ‘ain’t always so”!

Granted, there are a lot of talented people in Dallas who really know what they’re doing and actually can produce a wonderful product. However, for the weekend home improvement players, we could tell you stories of wrong calculations, use and abuse of tools, hands, neighbors, etc, etc. No one wants to admit that sometimes, it really is so much better to get a good contractor, saving you time, aggravations and probably even dollars when you think of all the mistakes we tend to make.

Here’s a short list of some of the reasons a professional would be your best bet.
#1: You can expect a professional job. A reputable Dallas home remodeling contractor will go out of his way to make your plan come to life without cutting corners. A good contractor will always take pride in his work and will do his best to make you a happy customer so you will be one of his best references.
#2: All work is under warranty based on your signed agreement, thus relieving you of concerns in case there are issues that need to be resolved that are not according to plan. Reputable contractors are also bonded and insured.
#3: A Dallas contractor like Mustang will provide free estimates and can guide you in choosing the perfect materials to make the remodeling finished product beautiful and pleasing to all as compliments follow.
#4: A local contractor will be familiar with the territory and can advise you regarding environmental issues such as flooding, soil types and possible effects of weather on your planned project.
#5: The contractor is licensed and knows his job. You can expect the finished product will be exactly what you wanted according to the agreement you both signed. If it isn’t, then you are dealing with a professional who will go that extra mile to make you one of his satisfied customers.
#6: Dallas contractors like Mustang Contracting will advise you of and often handle any necessary local permits and will also make sure he follows all safety and zoning restrictions for your area. Often on a DIY project, the homeowner gets a surprise visit from city inspectors.
#7: Since you have a written agreement, you will know your completion date.
#8: Payment for your project will be agreed upon in advance and you will not have any financial surprises without being notified in advance by the contractor.
#9: It is much easier to procure financing for home improvement projects when you choose an experienced and licensed professional remodeler.
#10: Once all is completed, you can rest assured the project will pass any code inspections since your professional contractor will be experienced at satisfying these requirements.

When you think of redoing your Dallas bathroom, what is it that you want to accomplish?

While that may seem like a pretty basic question to ask, your answer contains the elements of your plan and how much you’ll need to spend. Do you need more room, more storage space, or are you just tired of that old look and want to modernize? Maybe you have a need to accommodate handicapped or elderly household members. Whatever your objectives are there are ways you can trim costs and still have satisfying results.

One of the least expensive changes that can be made with any remodeling job is with lighting. If you just want a refreshing new look with minimal effort, this is a good way to start. Colors and various types of lighting can put a whole new look on a tired old room. Try some plants or pictures that bring out your interests or creates a new theme with simple painting or paper and interesting accessories.

However, if you’ve got more serious remodeling in mind, make sure you have the skills to tackle the job and do your homework before you start. Get some free estimates from qualified contractors and get an idea of what you’ll be facing in the way of difficulty and expenses. If you plan on moving the plumbing or making electrical changes, consider hiring a contractor unless you are particularly experienced. This is the most expensive type of remodeling you could make, so unless it’s crucial to your needs, consider less drastic measures.

If your plan calls for a new bathtub, shower and or toilet, make sure you use the current plumbing placements to prevent enormous budget issues. In particular, if your remodeling includes adding an upstairs bathroom, line up your additions to match what is in existence right above your original bathroom and you’ll be saving plenty of green.

Other areas that could be changed inexpensively are storage and flooring. There are reasonably priced bathroom cabinets and vanities that would provide a magnificent new look when accompanied with appropriate bathroom accessories and perhaps new lighting. Using dead space such as over the toilet adding either shelves or a cabinet is an easy to do change, as well as modernizing fixtures or building shelving areas into the shower or tub walls. A new floor alone can dramatically change an entire room and with the usual small area in a bathroom, the cost would be very reasonable unless you decide on expensive material. For a DIY project, even this could be done with a beautiful finished product!

Dressing out your completed bathroom is the fun part. Unlimited varieties of inexpensive bath accessories available can give your new room a beautiful look and feel of luxury. A special attraction such as heated towel racks can really step up the ambiance. Even minor additions such as soap dishes and toilet paper holders give opportunity to add to the beauty and sense of pampering created by your renovation.

So, you wake up one morning and decide you need to make good on your promise to remodel that back room your son used for band practice before leaving for college.  Your wife thinks you could change it into a sun room for lounging during the many long days of warm weather here in the DFW area.  The last remodeling job you almost completed cost you plenty when you had to hire a Dallas contractor to finish.  You hope to avoid that pitfall by following the advice of that expensive hired gun as he gave you that sideways look and said, “just what WAS your plan for this project?”

OK, so here’s the plan, subject to changes depending on YOUR project:

#1: Whatever you plan to do, the first thing you need to think of is checking with the Dallas city for any zoning and/or safety restrictions you might encounter.  If your house is older, say forty years or more, this  could turn out to be your best time investment right off the bat.  You may be required to update electrical or plumbing systems to meet codes which can immediately put a damper on that inexpensive remodeling job you had in mind.

#2: Check with the city of Dallas to get any permits you need.

#3: Do you qualify for any home improvement incentive programs?  Inquire at city hall for any local or federally funded programs….especially if you are a senior citizen.

#4: Here’s a good one, check to see if you qualify for any tax credits or other incentives.  You may want to change your plan a bit to fit into one of these tax saving home improvement requirements.

#5: Just what IS your plan?  Now you know your limitations, exactly what do you want?  What does your wife want?  Never forget to get input from others in the household!

#6: What is your budget?  Do your homework and have a good idea of product cost if you go the DIY way and what part, if any, you will have to hire outside contractors for.  After the next step, you’ll have the facts and figures to make your decisions.

#7: Get some FREE estimates from recommended local Dallas contractors like Mustang.  Friends or relatives, co-workers and neighbors will always be happy to give you recommendations if asked.   At this point, you will need to begin your final decisions….is this a DIY job, or will it pay to avoid the frustrations and get it done professionally by one of these experienced contractors?   Check the records of the contractors you choose.  Ask for references of prior customers, check with the Better Business Bureau and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

#8:Take into account the time of year you plan to make this all happen.  Fortunately in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, we can count on pretty decent weather most of the year, but if you have a project that requires open doors, walls or windows, Spring or Fall is much better than 110 degree Summers.

#9: Whether it’s a DIY project or you’ve hired a contractor, you need a written schedule along with your projected costs or the contractor’s estimate.

#10: If you’ve decided on a contractor, make sure the written agreement contains everything you’re expecting and that costs are clear and transparent.  Question, question, question, until you feel satisfied the contractor has answered fully and completely.