Welcome To Kitchen Remodeling Explore Series

Today's Home Improvement News

Kitchen Makeover - Bing News Updated : Oklahoma makeover was ‘Extreme’ indeed - Daily Oklahoman Five days before the " Extreme Makeover: Home Edition ” team arrived in Oklahoma to surprise the Skaggs family, ice and snow fell across the state. But five days after the "Extreme” team led by Ty Pennington announced its plans to build the ... Publ.Date : Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:50:00 GMT Adam Lau / Special to The Chronicle - San Francisco Chronicle Jennifer Jones, owner of Candystore Collective, uses a neutral palette and cozies up the Eichler with '70s chairs from Craigslist for a laid-back vibe. View More Images (6) You never know what you'll come across on Craigslist. Jennifer Jones can ... Publ.Date : Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:09:00 GMT $50,000 prize to lift couple's home improvement quest - News-Sentinel Bob and Lisa Hathaway woke up Feb. 28 and decided, on a whim, to trek from their Hicksville, Ohio, home to the Fort Wayne Home and Garden Show. Their mission: peruse the kiosks for home improvement ideas. The couple left with the funding and ability ... Publ.Date : Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:14:00 GMT Union Hills Country Club officials address neighbors' traffic concerns - YourWestValley.com Last year, management announced the club would be undergoing a major makeover: the demolition of the clubhouse ... square feet to 1,450 square feet, with two-car garages, two bedrooms, a large kitchen and some with dens. "It’ll look like a ... Publ.Date : Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:47:00 GMT Green fish catches on - Chicago Tribune Chef Kara Brooks had to make a decision. She had built up a "green" reputation at her Still River Cafe in Eastford , Conn., with a menu of local, seasonal and sustainable products. Now she debated whether to add a Hawaiian farm-raised yellowtail ... Publ.Date : Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:55:00 GMT Culinary calendar - The Spokesman-Review Healing Foods Kitchen - “Recipe Makeovers.” Cooking class for cancer prevention and achieving good health and healing after cancer treatments. Pre-payment and registration is required. Today, 5:30-7 p.m., Providence Holy Family campus, 5633 N ... Publ.Date : Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:02:00 GMT Craft artisan-style pizza at home - Montana Standard NEW YORK — In recent years all manner of unassuming foods have endured high-end makeovers. Mac and cheese was spiked with lobster and truffles, hamburgers got serious slider treatment, and cupcakes morphed into an industry dripping with retro ... Publ.Date : Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:16:00 GMT Resources for decorating and remodeling - WXVT There's a reason for the popularity of home renovation TV shows such as "This Old House" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The American dream revolves around owning your own home. But not everyone can hire contractors to install a dream kitchen ... Publ.Date : Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:57:00 GMT

Explore Kitchen Remodeling Beginnings

The inspiration for this website came from a friend when she asked me to visit Lowe's building suppy store with her to explore the possibility of remodeling her kitchen.  In particular she was interest in replacing her kitchen cabinet and counter tops with newer improved materials now available at building suppy stores such as Lowe's, Home Depot, and building supplies sellers.  Listening to the questions asked the store personnel concerning kitchen remodeling caused me to think that there must be a lot of people who were seeking similar information on the same subject.  Thus, the first in the remodeling explore series, Explore Kitchen Remodeling, came to be.  I hoped that the information and links provided in this website www.ExploreKitchenRemodeling.com will make it easier for you to plan and accomplish your remodeling home improvement projects.

For the 1990s television show, starring Tim Allen, see Home Improvement.

Home improvement is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home. Often, a professional handyman is hired to perform the improvements but, typically, most improvements are done on an amateur DIY basis by the homeowner.

Bob Vila is a well-known author and television host in the home improvement field. Also, the sitcom Home Improvement uses the home improvement for comedic purposes.

Professional versus do it yourself (DIY)

A homeowner can hire a general contractor to oversee a home improvement project that involves multiple trades. A general contractor acts as project manager, providing access to the site, removing debris, coordinating work schedules, and performing some aspects of the work. Sometimes homeowners bypass the general contractor, and hire tradesmen themselves, including plumbers, electricians and roofers. Another strategy is to "do it yourself" (DIY). Several major retailers, such as Home Depot and Lowes, specialize in selling materials and tools for DIY home improvement. These stores even host classes to educate customers how to do the work themselves.

With the rise of residential re novation [aka Home Improvement or  Home Remodeling] has come the rise of the renovation disaster.  The search for a reputable contractor or trades person is daunting for most homeowners and can be filled with stress.  Here is a short checklist that may help homeowners to make better hiring decisions:

-Slow Down! Finding a good contractor takes time and research.
-Avoid the Yellow Pages! The Yellow Pages doesn't make sure a contractor has a license or insurance
-Ask to see Proof of Liability Insurance. Don't accept a contractor's word, require the documentation
-Ask to see a Renovator's License. Many cities require this license so ask for it.-Ask if your project needs a Building Permit. -Let your home insurance company know. More renovation how-to and best-to-do information can be found at eRenovate.com

Types of home improvement in addition to kitchen remodeling

• Wall papering and painting walls or installing wood paneling.
• Adding new flooring such as carpets, tiling, linoleum, wood flooring, or solid hardwood flooring.
• Upgrading cabinets, fixtures, and sinks in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Repairing or increasing the capacity of plumbing and electrical systems.
• Upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC)
• Roof tear-off and replacement.
• Concrete and masonry repairs to the foundation and chimney.
• Waterproofing basements.
• Soundproofing rooms, especially bedrooms and baths.
• Replacing siding and windows, both as a cosmetic improvement and as a way to save energy.
• Turning marginal areas into livable spaces such as turning basements into recrooms or attics into spare bedrooms.
• Reducing utility costs with:
  • Energy-efficient insulation, windows, and lighting.
  • Renewable energy with biomass pellet stoves, wood-burning stoves, solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal exchange heat pumps (see autonomous building)
• Extending one's house with rooms added to the side of one's home or, sometimes, extra levels to the original roof.
• Improving the backyard with sliding doors, wooden patio decks, patio gardens, jacuzzis, swimming pools, and fencing .
• Emergency preparedness safety measures such as:
  • Home fire and burglar alarm systems.
  • Security doors, windows, and shutters.
  • Storm cellars as protection from tornados and hurricanes.
  • Bomb shelters especially during the 1950s as protection from nuclear war.

References

• Litchfield, Michael (2005). Renovation 3rd Edition. Taunton Press. ISBN 1-56158-588-2.  

See also

Home improvement Portal

• Home repair
• Refurbishment
• Repair and maintenance

External links

• DIY, Home Improvement and Building
• DIYinfo.org's 
• HomeImprovementShare.com 
• National Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council
• DIY information and resources.
• eRenovate.com | Canada's most trusted source for home remodeling articles,  tools and expert answers

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia