ORLANDO, Fla. -- Residential contractors are hoping that tight-fisted consumers will decide they need a new bathroom.

Or maybe it's time for those old kitchen counters to go.

Perhaps it would be better to add another bedroom than move?

After three years of slumping business, builders anticipate that the home remodeling and improvement sector will pick up in 2012.

"We have been in a downturn and a weak market for a really long time," said Paul Emrath, a researcher with the National Association of Home Builders. "But we are starting to edge up to the tipping point.

"The phones are ringing, people are calling and making appointments," Emrath said last week at the association's annual meeting in Florida. "But the next challenge is to turn those over into actual jobs."

In 2011, U.S. residential remodeling added up to an estimated $279 billion, about the same as in 2010 but down almost 15 percent from 2007. And new-home starts have fallen more than 70 percent around the country since the market peak in 2005.

"All things considered, remodeling has held up well in this cycle," said Kermit Baker, a senior fellow at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

"We think we are going to see better numbers coming out of the industry as we move into the second half of this year and into 2013," he said.

The National Association of Home Builders is forecasting an almost 9 percent increase in remodeling this year and more than an 11 percent jump nationwide in 2013.

"We are still not going to be back to where we were at the peak," Emrath said. "It's difficult to get financing.

"And a related problem is the decline in house prices; people don't have as much equity," he said. "People may not want to remodel when they are seeing house prices going down."

Remodeling accounts for close to 70 percent of U.S. residential construction expenditures.

The biggest share of home improvement spending, roughly 20 percent, goes for exterior repairs or upgrades. But kitchen and bathroom jobs are a close second at 19 percent of remodeling work.

Some of the glitzy fix-up jobs of years past are on hold, regardless of what they show on home decorating television shows.

Until nationwide home values improve, homeowners will be more conservative with their remodeling, Baker predicts.

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Contractors anticipate better market for remodeling

February is the anniversary month of East Bay’s Mara Construction. This local and general contractor, offering bath remodeling, kitchen remodeling, home additions and more, is celebrating 23 years of business.

Orinda, CA (PRWEB) February 15, 2012

Mara Construction, a general contracting company that offers services like bath remodeling, kitchen remodeling and home additions, is happy to announce that it has been successfully serving the East Bay’s needs for 23 years.

“By offering excellent customer service and good communication with clients, we have been so successful that the majority of our business has come by referrals,” Anthony Maramonte of Mara Construction said. “We like using new technology and take the time to do the job right. We offer complete residential services, from foundations and structural repairs to trim and finish to tile work. I am always on the job site and in constant communication with homeowners.”

Maramonte pays special attention to details, budgets and schedules and all of the staff at Mara Construction places emphasis on listening to the homeowner’s ideas. Great communication is crucial for a general contracting business. Maramonte also features extensive experience working with local architects and provides free estimates.

Mara Construction, one of the most reliable remodeling contractors in East Bay, is a full-service general contractor that offers a variety of services, including kitchen remodeling, bath remodeling, home additions and general renovations. They also complete repairs for foundations (re-leveling, structural or drainage), retaining walls and electrical wiring. Other services include new custom builds, design and engineering, doors and windows, tiles and pavers, foundation repairs, custom wiring, and a myriad of remodeling services.

For more information about any of Mara Construction’s services, call 510-385-8251, or view the company on the web at http://www.maraconstruction.com and http://www.remodelingcontractorseastbay.com. Mara Construction is located in Orinda.

About Mara Construction

Mara Construction provides prompt and efficient construction services at reasonable prices throughout the Bay Area because it believes that customers deserve reasonable prices for projects that will last a lifetime. Mara Construction takes pride in building and remodeling houses and guarantees that customers will remain happy and content living in a brand new or newly remodeled home.

Mara Construction is a big enough company to handle any size job, yet a small enough company to give the customer the personal touch they deserve.

###

Anthony Maramonte
Mara Construction
(510) 250-3770
Email Information

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East Bay’s Remodeling Contractor Mara Construction Celebrates 23rd Anniversary

(ARA) - Upgrading the kitchen is on many homeowners' "to do" list. And for good reason. A minor kitchen remodel ranks fourth on the list of the top 10 home improvement projects that deliver return on investment, according to Remodeling magazine's 2010-11 Cost vs. Value Report.

But whether you're in it for the investment, or just to freshen up the space in your home where people spend the most time, a new kitchen look could be a fun, impactful improvement to your house. Some may start with a weekend project and a $40 can of paint, while others will jump into a $50,000-plus remodel. Either way, one thing is for sure - you can't go wrong with a beautiful, highly functional kitchen.

A simple refresh

If time or budget constraints limit you to changing just a few basic elements of the kitchen, focus on things that make the most impact. Even novice do-it-yourself homeowners can complete many of these items on their own:

* Paint the walls. Painting always tops the to-do list when a mini makeover is in order. It's an affordable, high-impact way to change the decor of a kitchen. If you're not changing out cabinets or countertops, be sure to select a color that complements those major elements.

* Add new accessories. Switching out the small decor details in a kitchen can make the room feel entirely new. Maybe it's replacing bar stools at the island, reupholstering pillows or a bench cushion, or even hanging a few new pieces of art or photos on the wall.

* Change the faucet. Often underestimated, the kitchen faucet has a lot of influence in the overall style of the room. Choosing a more up-to-date pull-down or pull-out faucet not only improves the look of the room, but can add significant convenience and functionality.

"Faucets in the kitchen are much more than what they used to be," says Kevin McJoynt of Danze, a manufacturer of decorative plumbing faucets and fixtures. "They play an important role in setting the decor and focal points of any kitchen."

A full remodel

Homeowners throughout the country are staying in their homes longer than they once did. Because of that, significant remodeling projects tend to rise to the top of the priority list. If you're in it for the long haul (or even to ensure you get that return on investment), a complete kitchen remodel could be for you.

When the entire room footprint is your canvas, the possibilities are exciting. While a contractor is recommended for most of these projects, make sure you're involved in exploring the options that will help you use this space as wisely as possible (yet provide beautiful decor in the process):

* Install display shelves. This hot kitchen trend is an eye-catching alternative to hanging wall cabinets. Taking down cabinets is a pretty simple task for two and hanging the shelves is even easier.

* Evaluate the flow of the workspaces. Adding more water sources to your room could improve efficiency and ease. Consider a simple, yet beautiful faucet on the island for prep, a pot filler by the stove to help while cooking, and a hard-working faucet at the main sink for clean-up.

* Mix and match your surfaces. Replacing countertops is one of the most noticeable changes to any kitchen venue. Quartz surfaces are a popular choice, providing a unique combination of quality, hygiene and a look of natural stone. Selecting a lighter color surface for the perimeter and a darker, bolder color for the island is a great way to add another design element to the room.

"With today's growing popularity in cooking and a rise in the number of at-home chefs, kitchen flow and workspace needs are critical aspects to consider when completely remodeling your kitchen," adds McJoynt. "The sink and faucet choices for each of these areas can play a big role in the functionality and enjoyment of the space."

Manufacturers such as Danze offer a wide range of faucet styles in various functional designs, according to McJoynt. So, whether you're looking to enhance a traditional decor, add sleekness to a contemporary professional-grade room, or something in between, leveraging faucets and other elements can help set the tone for the entire room.

To learn more about the beauty and variety of Danze, visit danze.com.

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Planning your new kitchen - renew or redo?

Boston, MA, February 14, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Massachusetts has one of the most stringent building codes in the US.

Here is a quick list of things to prepare and know before you start tearing up your kitchen or bathroom.

1. First off, have your licensed contractor file a building permit at your city building, or inspectional services office. Usually they meet in the mornings between 8am-10am and 3pm-4pm, but call your local office for hours of operations. They will let you know what you require for your permit.

2. You will need a drawing of your design and any alteration you will be making to your kitchen or bathroom. They may even get specific and ask you what type of appliances will be installed. Be sure to have all these items available for your contractor.

3.Your contractor will require a valid CSL or Construction Supervisors License, an HIC or Home Improvement Contractor license, and a Workers Compensation Insurance Affidavit form. (You should always ask for a Certificate of Insurance from your contractor to make sure he and his company is insured.)

4. The contractor will also have to present either a contract with your signature, and/or the permit application signed by you. This is to make sure you are authorizing the work to be performed as well as to confirm the cost of the project. The cost of the project will determine the cost of the permit. Typically $10.00 per every $1000.00 of construction. (i.e. If your kitchen remodel will cost $35,000.00, the permit cost will be $350.00.) Do not forget, this will not be the only time you are charged a fee for a permit. You will also pay for the electrical permit and the plumbing permit. Typically, the electrical and plumbing contractor add these fees to their price. Be sure to find out what those fees are. Fees vary from city to city, so you could either call your city building department ahead of time or ask your contractor to be informed.

5. Typically you can start the next day or so depending on how swift your local inspector is at writing permits. Be sure that you and your contractor abide and listen to your inspector.

If you follow these simple steps, your project will be headache free and run smoothly.

Aureli Construction is a licensed and insured company providing commercial, retail, residential and medical construction services in Massachusetts.

http://www.aureliconstruction.com

###

Original post:
Aureli Construction Releases Tips to Prepare for Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling

21-10-2011 12:30 kitchencabinetvalue.com Cherry kitchen cabinets are stylish. Cherry kitchen cabinets are in high demand in new homes, renovations and kitchen remodeling projects. Cherry wood is hard, durable and beautiful in color and grain. The heartwood is red to a deep reddish-brown, with a fine closed grain. At first, the color might be light when used to build kitchen cabinets, but it darkens with age. Solid cherry kitchen cabinets are among the most expensive of all kitchen cabinet wood choices. For many homeowners, the cost of solid cherry kitchen cabinetry is prohibitive. There is, however, another way to do a kitchen remodel with the elegance and beauty of cherry without the higher cost. The secret to affordable cherry kitchen cabinets is to buy quality cabinets that are stained cherry. The stain can be deepened and smoothed by glazing the cabinets. Cherry kitchen cabinets are a good choice. They are versatile. Cherry kitchen cabinets never go out of style. They look good in any design or door style. They work with any kitchen décor choice from colonial to contemporary. They blend beautifully with all countertop materials, flooring choices, color schemes and kitchen layouts. Like all cabinets available from Kitchen Cabinet Value, our glazed cherry kitchen cabinets feature - Solid wood dovetailed drawer boxes with steel under-mount, full extension and soft-close drawer glides. - Five-piece raided panel door and drawer face design. - Full overlay door and drawer design. - Cabinet ...

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Cherry Kitchen Cabinets - Video

BY DONNA VICKROY dvickroy@southtownstar.com February 2, 2012 6:52PM

Firefighter Paramedic Aaron Rutter points out where repair work to the wall had to be made after replacing their old stove with a donated one at Palos Fire Protection District Station 1 in Palos Park, Illinois, Thursday, February, 2, 2012. The station is one of five finalists in the IKEA Firehouse Kitchen Remodeling Contest. The cabinet drawer on the countertop in the foreground broke Thursday morning. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

storyidforme: 25080484
tmspicid: 9175937
fileheaderid: 4188770

Vote online

You can vote daily at http://www.rescueremodel.com.

Updated: February 3, 2012 2:08AM

Marianne DeHaan made a distress call to Ikea last month to rescue the kitchen at the Palos Park firehouse where she’s worked for 10 years.

“The kitchen is currently on advanced life support and the firefighters/paramedics are performing CPR (Cabinet Partial Removal) when necessary,” DeHaan wrote in her entry essay for the Ikea Firehouse Kitchen Remodeling contest.

It worked. The Palos Fire Protection District station at 8815 W. 123rd St. is one of three finalists in the online voting competition that continues through Feb. 28.

“We’re asking everyone we know to vote, daily, for our station,” said DeHaan, the fire district’s administrative assistant. “As you can see, we need a new kitchen. But it’s not going to be in the budget, that’s for sure.”

If they get the most votes — beating out stations in Yonkers, N.Y., and Oregon — they will receive a $25,000 kitchen makeover, complete with new cabinets, countertops, appliances and tile work.

A win for the financially strapped fire district not only would improve cooking efficiency and time, it would be a morale boost for a staff that recently saw six fellow firefighters laid off due to budget constraints, Capt. Jim Graben said.

There is no money to replace the chipped tile, a faulty faucet and cabinets that are duct-taped together.

“This is a way to get these guys a nice, decent kitchen without costing taxpayers a cent,” DeHaan said.

Asked what bugged them most about the current kitchen, firefighter Aaron Rutter said the sink, while colleague Joe Lenzen pointed to the fridge.

For the past week, Palos has led the online voting.

“But that could change at any moment,” Graben said. On Thursday, Yonkers was gaining on them.

DeHaan said a win for Palos would bring regional bragging rights, as well.

“It would be great for the Midwest for a Chicago-area fire department to win,” DeHaan said. “All firefighters are wonderful, but this is local.”

The district has 29 full-time and six part-time employees. The kitchen at Station No. 1 is used daily by six to nine firefighters.

The district — which is seeking a property tax rate increase via a referendum in the March 20 primary to address its financial woes — has two stations, but one is sometimes closed because of the reduced staffing.

DeHaan said the firefighters have done considerable repair work in the kitchen on their own time with their own money. They’ve patched holes in a wall to accommodate a vent after a used stove was donated to the department. They’ve even built shelving units out of 2-by-4s.

“The station is their second home,” DeHaan said. “They deserve a nice place where they can gather and enjoy a meal together.”

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Palos firehouse a finalist in kitchen makeover contest

16-01-2011 23:33 http://www.Konon.us http

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Interior Design Ideas, Kitchens - Red - Video

After more than 32 years providing homeowners with basement, bathroom, and kitchen remodeling and redesign, Interior Excellence LLC announces the launch of a new website and new opportunities for NJ residents.

Bridgewater, NJ (PRWEB) January 31, 2012

Interior Excellence LLC recently announced the launch of their new website and is changing the way home remodeling is done in New Jersey.

In these difficult times one thing remains constant: owning a home requires ongoing maintenance. Despite the rhetoric of foreclosures and financial difficulties in the world, most people are well managed and in stable condition (financially).

If a home is allowed to enter a state of disrepair, it can lead to many snowballing problems. An example may be a broken down bathroom which can cause water leakage to lower floors and even cause fires when coming in contact with electrical wires. Remodeling or renovating problem area's within a house not only solve existing issues with your home, but provide additional space for your family to socialize.

Interior Excellence takes a different approach to home remodeling than most companies. Myles Albert, the owner of Interior Excellence, has more than thirty two years of experience which helps keep the remodeling process quick, clean, and easy to understand for his clients. As Interior Excellence also provides design services included in the project, the entire remodeling process is streamlined compared to traditional contractors and provides a "one-stop shopping" solution.

One concern amongst most homeowners is the time it takes for a typical remodeling project to finish. Instead of juggling multiple jobs and leaving your home half-finished, Myles only works on one project at a time.

This keeps your project quick, and the inconvenience to your family at a minimum. As the dust and dirt from a construction project can easily spread throughout a house, Myles takes the time vacuum and clean up the workspace after each day.

Clients are also encouraged to get involved in the selection of materials to be used in the project. Using deep discounts that Interior Excellence has acquired throughout various New Jersey remodeling stores, customers receive savings on project materials that many home remodeling services keep to themselves.

In an effort to help his customers better understand what kind of service he offers, Myles recently redesigned and launched a new website in order to showcase the work he's been providing for all these years. In addition to providing a portfolio of past work (http://interiorexcellencellc.com/newjersey/portfolio/), Myles also maintains a blog which is updated regularly with industry news and articles.

New Jersey residents looking to reach out to Myles are encouraged to call 908-218-0200 or visit his website at http://www.interiorexcellencellc.com.

# # #

Myles Albert
Interior Excellence LLC
908-218-0200
Email Information

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New Jersey Home Remodeling Company Interior Excellence Launches New Website - Interior Excellence LLC

A soft economy prompted some homeowners to take a new look at their
existing footprint. Even as housing-market conditions turn a
little brighter, many homeowners
still opt to stay put and update their current quarters
instead of selling at lower prices.

The numbers prove it. Remodeling industry sentiment, as
tracked by the National Association of Home Builders'
Remodeling Market
Index (RMI), hit a five-year high in the fourth quarter.

[See the
5 Best (and Worst) Home Remodeling Projects.]

In many cases, these decisions are fiscally motivated and
reflective of the times, but the following remodeling trends
may be here to stay:

Suite spot of the market. Builders and
remodelers are finding more demand for in-law apartments
(typically called mother-in-law suites whether mom is the sole
resident or not) as part of new additions or basement
makeovers. The first waves of baby boomers have reached their
golden years and families are
getting creative with longer-term care solutions. For some
families, this is ultimately a lower-cost option than
assisted-living or nursing home care.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, 62
percent of builders surveyed were working on a
home modification related to aging in 2010. About 1 in 5
builders added an entry-level bedroom. AARP is working with
builders on a designation for Certified Aging in Place
Specialists, who are trained in designing and modifying
buildings for the elderly. About 3,000 builders, contractors,
remodelers and architects have been certified.

[See
Will This Home Renovation Pay Off?]

There's another shift among the generations in some households.
A soft job market has occasionally landed grown children (and
their families) back at mom and dad's place, too. Lengthy stays
often lead to a call to a contractor. Given demographic trends,
these remodels have resale potential and are no longer seen as
a design burden and deal-breaker for prospective buyers.
Remember to follow municipal building codes.

Backyard haven. Booming economic times led to
luxury outdoor living--pricy natural stone hardscapes, gourmet
grilling kitchens, and major electrical upgrades. The recession
may have dinged this corner of the remodeling industry, but the
concept survives. In fact,
investing in outdoor living spaces (and installing
additional windows and doors for better inside-to-outside flow)
has been a major part of even budget-minded upgrades within
existing home footprints. Consumers may be scaling back their
wish list, but they're not cutting back on outdoor entertaining
and family time. After all, if families are traveling less,
they're playing more at home.

[In Pictures:
The Home of the Future.]

Smarter kitchens. Smarter doesn't mean the
kitchen does the cooking for you, but it can mean you're in and
out of there in less time. The peak of the construction surge
featured token real estate words like "granite," "high-end
appliances," pre-packaged cabinet "suites," and more. It's not
that people now want low-quality kitchens, they're just moving
toward more customization. Some are putting more money in
pantries and utility rooms that keep the "guts" of the
operation undercover. They're giving up dedicated food-prep
square footage in favor of larger eating and family room areas.
They're opting for open shelving and islands that do a lot of
the heavy lifting, with loads of storage. Kitchens are and will
continue to look less like a work area and more like an
extension of the living area.

Twitter:
@USNewsMoney

More From US News & World Report

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3 Recession Home Remodeling Trends Likely to Stick Around

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire -01/30/12)- San Diego-based
remodeling firm, winner of the 2011 Better Business Bureau
Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics, Jackson Design &
Remodeling (JDR) today announced a call for nominations for
its third annual "JDR
Industry Blogger Awards," which recognize the nation's
best blogs in the design and remodeling industry.

Nominations for the 2012 awards will be accepted online
through Friday, February 17. Blogs may be submitted in one of
five categories: Architecture, Green, Construction Business,
Interior Design and Remodeling.

"We started these awards three years ago as a fun and unique
way to recognize the best blogs in our industry," said

Todd Jackson, President and CEO of
JDR. "Since then, each year we've received a larger and
larger response and they've become the premier awards program
for remodeling and design industry blogs across the country.
More and more businesses in the industry are seeing the
importance of communicating with consumers through new media
and are providing important information, news, tips and ideas
to help consumers make informed decisions and offer
inspiration for projects of all sizes."

Voting for the 2012 Industry Blogger Awards will begin on
Feb. 27 and end at 2 p.m. PST on April 13. The five winners
will be announced April 18. The blog that receives the most
votes in each category will be the winner of that category.
Each winning blogger will receive $500 cash and a 2012
Industry Blogger Award Winner badge for display on their
website.

About Jackson Design and Remodeling
Jackson Design
and Remodeling has been serving the San Diego community for
more than 20 years with high-end
bathroom remodeling,
kitchen remodeling,
room additions, and other home redesign projects. Todd
Jackson, President and CEO, has established an enduring
tradition of quality and service in the remodeling industry.
Jackson and his team have won numerous awards for their work,
including over 40 COTY awards, dozens of Chrysalis, ASID,
NKBA and Master Design Awards as well as three consecutive
Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics.
For more information, visit
http://www.jacksondesignandremodeling.com, call (619) 442-6125
or follow us on
Facebook and
Twitter.

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Jackson Design & Remodeling Announces Call for Nominations in Third Annual Industry Blogger Awards