In the past decade, ready-to-assemble (RTA) kitchen cabinets have been steadily gaining popularity. RTA cabinets are regular cabinets that are shipped unassembled. They are available in standard cabinet sizes with a wide range of styles and finishes to choose from. High-quality RTA cabinets are made from the same materials as custom cabinetry featuring solid wood construction, dovetailed and soft-closing drawers, European-style and adjustable hinges among many others. The assembly is relatively simple as they are grooved and predrilled wherever necessary.

The obvious question is if custom cabinets are the same quality as RTA cabinets why would you opt for the latter? Answer?  Simple. The price. RTA cabinets can be up to 50% less than custom cabinets and look just the same! RTA cabinet manufacturers are working hard to compete in the upscale kitchen market. Besides for the quality and durability of the cabinet, many decorative pieces are now available to match. Cabinets such as plate racks, shelving units and desk cabinets are available as well as various sizes of crown molding, furniture base molding, turnposts, spindles, fluted fillers, glass doors and decorative overlays. They are all standard items that are offered to match the cabinet style of your choice. Storage solutions such as drawer bases, lazy susans, soap tip-outs, trash pullouts, and rollout trays are offered as well.

Wait, it gets better. RTA cabinets come in flat boxes which take up minimal storage space not to mention the low shipping cost. It is therefore not uncommon to find that they are in stock in the US and ready to ship within 2 weeks. No more paying your contractor for days that he can’t do any work due to backordered items.  Or how about when a project gets delayed and the cabinets are already ordered? Instead of canceling and reordering, Ready To Assemble cabinets can be easily stored in a storage room or garage until they are needed. 

With all the luxury features at a low cost, it is no wonder that RTA cabinets generate a superior reputation among homeowners and contractors alike. However you look at, functionality, aesthetically or durability, RTA cabinets can work for you.

At Construction-411 we get asked all the time about niche contruction areas and where to go to get a small fortune going. The best niche markets online are usually areas of high and growing demand and not much supply.  So is it bathrooms, kitchens, attics?  We are going to go through these niches and tell you in the next few posts on where you can do some great internet marketing for these contruction niches.

There is a great report based on world wide supply and demand curves in search engines that looks at the most “in demand” businesses that don’t have much supply right now.  I just read it and it already has me thinking. It was at a site called best niches online
and you can click that link to get it. It is all about Internet marketing and niche marketing online.

When selling a house in today’s market, it’s important to stay optimistic about any home’s chance of selling.  As the weeks and months go by without any offers, however, many homeowners begin to ask themselves and their realtors, “What’s wrong?”  Sometimes the home itself is not the problem, but rather that there are certain qualities or characteristics standing in the way of helping potential buyers realize the potential of the property or space.  Paying attention to these top five home selling improvements can help to quickly move any house off the market.

1.  The Kitchen.  The kitchen is the number one “deal breaker” for most home buyers.  If the kitchen is in need of disrepair, is dark and dingy, is in need of new appliances, or is just plain uninviting, most potential buyers will walk, or run, in the other direction.  While the cost of remodeling or renovating the kitchen can be steep, the returns upon resale are generally in the range of 80% to 100%.  Try adding cabinet space, counter space, and fresh new appliances to start.  To add to the appeal and luxury, stick with classic looks like granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.  When all else fails, adding lighting whether natural or artificial, can go a long way.  

2.  The Bathrooms.  The two biggest problems that most sellers have when it comes to the bathrooms are the style, and the quantity.  A home without enough bathrooms is a real turnoff in the eyes of many buyers, who will picture hectic mornings around the sink and toilet instead of admiring the newly installed rain shower head or the fancy soaps laid out on the counter.  Adding a half bath with a sink and toilet is a fairly affordable remodel for many home sellers and one that has an 80% to 90% return on investment upon resale of the home.  Adding a master bathroom and creating a ‘master suite’ has a slightly higher return on investment still.  Little luxuries like whirlpool tubs, tile flooring and lots of storage never hurt, either!

3.  The Outside Appearance.  First impressions count just as much, if not more, for homes as they do for people.  A buyer wants to be excited about a home from the minute they pull in the drive.  Well cared for lawns, sidewalks and a maintained driveway will all make a good first impression, as will a home with a fresh, never faded, interior with all windows and shutters cleaned and in good repair.  If the home has any external features like decks or patios, make sure they are in top repair as such spaces are shown to greatly increase the value and appeal of a home.

4.  The Home Office.  Whether working home, balancing the checkbook, or simply using the computer, nearly all families today are in need of some kind of office space.  Imagine the excitement a buyer that has been living with a computer in the dining room or kitchen would feel at having a space all its own such as a home office.  Any small side room, alcove, or spare bedroom can easily be turned into a home office with a couple quick fixes like installing three-prong electrical sockets, a DSL, data port and/or phone jack, and a desk and computer setup to create the ambiance so buyers get the right idea. 

5.  More Illumination.  The brighter a home is the more inviting it will seem to potential buyers.  There are many ways to go about letting some light in from expanding or adding to windows, creating skylights, or even knocking down walls to let the natural sunshine in.  A window replacement, whether wood or vinyl, is routinely listed as one of the highest return on investment features on a house during sale and can really help to brighten up the ambiance.  When all else fails try track lighting and dimmer switches for increase control over each room’s lighting. 

About the Author: This article is a joint effort from Jim Beadman of Construction Chemicals, who are experts in DIY projects from decorating a room to tanking a cellar, and Victoria Crowdell of Shopfit Design who specializes in displaying homes for sale on Cable Display systems.

For those with a lot of experience, taking on the remodel of an entire bathroom might not seem like such a big deal. But for those who aren’t as up on their wiring and plumbing, a bathroom might not be a great idea for a complete overhaul. Especially as the room in a house where people are counting on being able to bathe and use the toilet, there’s a bit of risk involved in deciding to suddenly do everything over–especially if there is only one bathroom in a home or apartment.

Thankfully, there are plenty of simple ways to change up a bathroom without rendering it useless for days on end. And anyone who isn’t up for the challenge of major changes can handle these simple tasks with poise and grace. After all, sprucing up a bathroom doesn’t need to entail spending a bundle to completely redo everything. There are plenty of other simple ways to repair things without going overboard. Here are five simple ways to change the look of any bathroom for the better.

#1 - Add art. Whether it’s hanging paintings or getting a mural going with tile, there are plenty of simple aesthetic changes that any homeowner can take on. Going to the store and checking out the best paint for bathrooms is recommended, as it is a considerably more moist room than other household spaces. For tiling projects involving walls, asking artistic friends to get involved is a great way to make a weekend renovation project go a whole lot quicker.

#2 - Fix the lighting. Sometimes, the brighter light options for bathrooms are great for putting on makeup, but terrible for a calming experience. Those who are okay with lighting work can make a simple DIY project out of changing the options. Whether it’s abolishing brighter lights for something dimmer or installing a chandelier just for candles, there are plenty of ways to improve lighting in any bathroom.

#3 - Go the high-tech route. For those who are a bit more savvy, wall-mounting an LCD screen to make movie viewing possible from the tub is one interesting way to bring any bathroom into the 21st century. Just be sure that all members of the household are on the same page about being able to watch television in the bathroom!

#4 - Change up the color scheme. Sometimes all that it takes to repair a bathroom is changing the colors. Choosing a calming blue or a motif from a particular culture is a great way to keep things cohesive, and making the changes can be as simple as buying new curtains and towels, fixing different faucets and handles, and painting a medicine cabinet.

#5 - Bring in more furniture–or ditch existing furniture. Whether it’s moving the clothing hamper to the bedroom, replacing a medicine cabinet with something more chic or less vintage, or deciding that there’s room to place shelving or a makeup desk, sometimes it’s just redesigning the layout that’s necessary to improve a bathroom. Make sure that none of the remodel ideas require moving any of the pipes or electrical outlets, and anyone is capable of making big changes. Sometimes, a simple paint job for furniture is all that it takes to get it ready for a bathroom, too.

About the Author: Karl Donaghey is the Managing Director of Bathroom Solutions, who specialize in designer bathrooms, wet rooms and loo seats