Renovating your home can be an exciting time. It’s also a time where many decisions must be made… decisions that can lead to many headaches down the road if not given enough forethought. One of these decisions is whether or not to install a home security system. Each year over 2 million homes are burglarized in the US, with crime rates only increasing with the recession.[1] Although getting an alarm system may seem like a waste of money at first thought, it is well worth the cost in the long run… especially if you opt for a wired system over a wireless one.

Wired home security systems have their pros and cons, but are generally considered to be superior to wireless systems. The only drawback is that they must be run throughout the walls of your home, requiring one to take up the impractical and costly task of tearing open their walls to install one. The only practical opportunity you have to install a wired system is when your home is initially being built (known as pre-wiring), and if you are renovating your home and plan on re-plastering your walls anyway. These opportunities obviously come very rarely, so making this decision is crucial to ensuring the safety of your home.

What makes a wired system such a better option? One of the biggest reasons is because of its low maintenance. Wireless alarm systems are much easier to install (requiring no destruction of your walls), but require camera batteries to be recharged almost every day. Not only is this extremely irritating, but leaves your cameras more prone to failure in the actual event of a burglary. They’re also more susceptible to interference from radio signals – don’t be surprised if the signals from your phone or even a car driving by sets off a false alarm.

Another selling point that these types of security systems love to talk about is their upgradeability. Although this may seem counterintuitive, wireless systems upgrade their models often, purposely making older models incompatible with newer ones. When combined with the relative unreliability of wireless systems, finding a replacement part will easily turn into a full system upgrade (a pretty costly thing to do after awhile). Although tearing down your walls may deter you from even thinking about upgrading your wired system, they are usually much more compatible with newer technology if you ever choose to do so. Also, add in the fact that wireless systems are considerably more expensive than their wired counterparts, and you can see why most people opt for a wired system whenever possible.

So next time you find yourself having to re-plaster your wall, don’t look at it as a chore… it’s an opportunity ensure your home’s safety!

Can just area rugs help my floor?
Rugs are becoming more and more popular as each year passes. So how do area rugs help your floor? There are a handful of ways that they can work together with your surrounding decor to enhance the look of your floor. They can be used to provide warmth to a cold floor. Ever wake up in the morning and hurry across the hardwood to the couch because your feet are cold? An area rug is a good solution. The most conventional use for area rugs is to add character, color, spontaneity and class to your home! Homeowners tend to be rather sneaky and use their carpets to cover up stains, scratches, blemishes and other flaws in their flooring. Next time your over at Aunt Sally’s take a peak for yourself!

What are area rugs made of?
Today, there are all kinds of materials that are used. The first area rugs were made of wool and cotton but nowadays you can find all sorts of other natural fibers such as jute, hemp rugs, bamboo rugs, sisal rugs and various blends. They are made with synthetic fibers as well including acrylic, polypropylene/olefin, and nylon. When shopping online it is important to know that natural fibers cost more whereas synthetic rugs are more affordable. Polypropylene is one of the least expensive fibers on the market today, so if you need something quick, easy and affordable, polypropylene rugs may be your best bet!

In order to determine the proper area rug material, you will need to consider 5 things; location, traffic, texture, maintenance and cost. You will need to determine exactly where it will lay, quiet or high-traffic area, the look and feel, sustainability and of course your price range. The material will determine its durability, feel and texture, required maintenance and of course price. Looking for kids rugs? You might consider picking up a braided area rug for that high-traffic room as they are incredibly durable. Looking for something soft and cozy? Shag rugs may be your best bet. Need something that is easy to clean? Wool rugs are typically used around kids and other areas considered being “high-risk” for getting dirty. Hallway needs some color? Runner rugs are perfect for hallways, stairways and doorways. All of these things can help you determine exactly what best suits you. We have thousands of rugs for sale however to make your shopping experience easier, it is best to decide what you need before shopping. This way it can be done in a timely fashion without the stress!

Due to rising costs of living, people are cutting costs anywhere they can find. Homeowners are cutting costs anywhere they can. In order to maintain the value of your home, money must be put into maintaining your home. Do it yourself home projects can increase the resale value of your home, while saving you money and expensive labor costs.

Here are a few examples of Do it yourself home projects that can be completed fairly easily and will increase the resale value on your home.

Maintain Your Home’s Exterior and Interior Paint:

Maintaining your home’s interior and exterior paint is not just aesthetically important. It is important to keep exterior painting up to date since a quality exterior paint job protects and maintains the integrity of your home’s wood, preventing wood decay and rot. Homeowners living in the southwestern United States only need to repaint their home once every 8 years where as homeowners living in the northeastern United States must repaint every 10 years, assumed you are using a high quality exterior paint. The main reason for this is the winters in the northeast are much harsher than winters in southwestern regions and paint quickly chips and peels.

Floor and driveway renovation and maintenance are key components to increase the resale value of a home. Hardwood floors significantly increase the value of a home. Not only are hardwood floors a manageable do it yourself project, the installation of hardwoods have the ability to increase the resale value of your home, up to 10% of your home’s value. The materials required can be found here. The cost of materials are high, yet the gains that yield from the installation of hardwood floors can range anywhere from $2,000-$10,000 in a resale return.

Home renovation projects require the financial investment yet the overall financial benefits are great. The most important idea behind home renovations is that all projects can be done by yourself. Since all the home repairs can all be completed by the homeowner, a great deal of money is saved on the labor costs.

There are many do it yourself home renovation projects that offer a return of up to 100-80% investment return. Major and minor kitchen remodel, fireplace, or deck can offers a resale payback between 90-70%. Do it yourself home renovation projects that offer from 90-100% payback include a single bedroom addition and a 2^nd full bathroom addition.

Things to Keep In Mind:

The type and value of do it yourself home improvements projects should be appropriate for the home they are being performed on. A $20,000 bathroom renovation for an average priced home will not earn a huge return. It is important to maintain the integrity of your home when deciding what types of do it yourself projects you should undertake. Be consistent in terms of your choices with respect to interior and exterior of your home. Style changes rapidly so very trendy renovation choices should be reserved for changeable decorations like couches and rugs. You will not see returns on highly stylized moldings, fixtures, and windows.  Lastly be aware of the location of the property.  A home could be worth a different value in the New York Real Estate market, than one in the New York City Real Estate market so pay attention to your respective markets.

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.