Before you renovate your home, watch out for contractors with these red flags

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Things such as hacking of walls, meanwhile, require an application for a permit, he noted. Then there is a “common practice” in the industry for experienced firms to help new, unlicensed contractors by applying for a permit using their license, he said. “Most of (these experienced firms) are inactive. That means they (retain) the license to get service fees from these newcomers.” 5. ASK FOR ACCREDITED DESIGNERS But there is a problem not just with HDB renovation contractors. Many consumer complaints can be explained by the “low barrier to entry” in the industry as a whole, said Tan. Singapore Interior…Continue Reading

Renovations slide as rates rise

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The rate of home renovations is slipping as interest rates rise. The Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday again hiked the nation’s cash rate, this time by 0.25 points to a nine-year high of 2.6 per cent. The increase is the sixth consecutive since the RBA started lifting rates in May this year. As property prices slip backwards, due in part to higher interest rates, renovating is a method for improving value. But the ambition of adding more space or modernization is tempering, as the cost of a renovation blows out, hand-in-hand with cash rate increases, and builders and traditions…Continue Reading

Home renovation booms even as project costs increase

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Susan Lambertis is in the process of having her entire home renovated and is hopeful it will be completed by early next year. “We are knee-deep in a reno,” she said. After going through plans with an architect last year, getting the necessary approvals and some pandemic-related delays, the project officially started this past spring. Lambert said she and her husband were motivated to upgrade their house after realizing a lot of smaller fixes were needed. “We needed new windows, we needed a new roof. Our kitchen was falling apart — the cabinets were all broken, our fridge was broken,…Continue Reading

As Their Family Grew, the Suburbs Beckoned

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For Peter and Christy Tiboris, like so many others, the pandemic provided the push they needed to do something they’d long contemplated: leave Manhattan for the suburbs. Since marrying in 2013, the couple has bounced around various New York City rentals, taking on more space each time they have a child. By 2020, they had a three-bedroom apartment in TriBeCa and three children: Dessa, now 7, Ernie, 5, and Susana, 4. But even with three bedrooms, their home felt ready to burst at the seams as the couple contemplated having more children. “And there was no way we were going…Continue Reading

New Year Home Improvements Made Easy

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A new year means a new opportunity to start fresh or freshen-up your home! Many of us desire a bigger kitchen or updated bathroom. Or perhaps an outdoor living space that allows you to take advantage of the long summer Idaho nights and gorgeous sunsets. But for several reasons, many of us, decide tackling these projects are out of reach. The costs of remodeling a space can be hefty, let alone figuring out the timeline of an overhaul and the anxiety of not getting the design right. But you can breathe a little easier and take on these challenges with…Continue Reading

7 Reasons To Stop Watching Home Improvement Shows

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Jasen Wright / Shutterstock.com Homeownership is a trip. A few months ago, I gave up condo life and bought my first house — a 1937 Tudor Revival. And while it’s not really a fixer-upper, the demands of an 85-year-old house can be daunting. For design inspiration, I turned to HGTV and the Magnolia Network (formerly, DIY Network), but nearly every show left me feeling annoyed and underwhelmed. As a category, home improvement shows seem less about helping real people and more about selling big-ticket products. If you’re feeling the same way, it might be time to unplug. Here are several…Continue Reading

Home Improvement TV star Bob Vila downsizes with $12.5 Palm Beach purchase

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America’s home improvement teachers are downsizing. Just one month after putting his Palm Beach spread on the market for an eye-popping $53 million, DIY deity Bob Vila bought a more manageable $12.5 million property in the enclave last week, records show. The 77-year-old former host of “This Old House” nabbed the 4,300 square foot Georgian Revival residence with 5 bedrooms and 3 and a half baths for $2.5 million under its original $15 million asking price. The property had been listed since September, according to the Palm Beach Daily News. The villa’s acquisition came after he and his wife, former…Continue Reading

When will Lowe’s Home Improvement open in Leland?

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Leland residents have been anticipating the opening of the new Lowe’s Home Improvement store, and the company has finally announced a date for the store’s grand opening. Here’s what we know. When will it open? The store will hold its grand opening on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. Where is it located? The store is located at 3716 Gateway Blvd. in Leland. This is in the busy Leland Town Center shopping center, and the store is behind Chick-fil-A and Dunkin Donuts.According to the master site plan for the development, Leland Town Center could grow even more in the future. Plans…Continue Reading