More Tips on ROI

Reno ROI, no this is not the name of a slot machine in Reno Nevada.
As catchy and game-like as the name "Reno ROI" sounds, gambling on renovation return on investment is a topic anxious homeowners take seriously. As a matter of fact, there are several new articles on the subject available to read on the internet.

Home Renovation Guide has a ROI round up on the topic. They have some interesting points, for instance did you know that by adding a swimming pool is not a value added ROI despite the huge investment, while a simple quick fix (painting kitchen cupboards) adds to the resale value.

I will add my own cautionary update to kitchens based on what clients tell me.

• Do not purchase expensive granite counter tops to top existing cabinets if your cabinets are shot.
  
• If you are fixing up the house for a quick sale and need to do it economically, save your money on new cabinets and expensive slabs of granite.
  
• Instead, detail out your kitchen to a spic and span immaculate state. Paint the cabinets inside and out, buy new hinges, drawer boxes and glides to freshen and update the cabinets inexpensively. To keep your investment costs down, top the cabinets with new 12x12 granite tiles instead of more expensive granite slabs or solid surface options. Granite tiles are less expensive than slabs and more appealing to buyers then laminate tops. (check what is popular in your region. In Southern California I have seen more people here are laminate top snobs. Most would not dream of having laminate where East Coast transplants do not mind it.)
  
• My renovation clients in the past have pointed out to me, they managed to get a buyers credit in the sale for replacement costs on dilapidated cabinets, fixtures and appliances. They call me to rip out cabinets ASAP because the kitchen cabinet interiors are so gross, they can't bear to put their food away.

A sensible update: updating light fixtures nets a 60% to 70% ROI.

I would agree, nothing changes the atmosphere of a room better than updated lighting. I would add that homeowners should not overlook the switch plates and covers. Staring at a cracked outlet plate, a peeling painted plate, a Barbie doll or Star Wars switch plate in a bedroom is begging for a simple replace and update! Add dimmers to all light fixtures if possible.

From here you can jump off to the other articles around the blog about ROI. Chris Pearson from
The Red Sign.net marks the top three rooms to invest in. The top three, Kitchen, Bath and all room window replacements. He sources: 2007 Cost vs. Value Report (Remodeling Magazine and REALTOR® Magazine).

Another tip I will add, get permits whenever you do a home improvement project. Reason: permitted jobs add value and peace of mind that your project was done to code. Always hire licensed contractors. Never cut corners. Poorly installed projects devalues your ROI.

CNN Money calls out four renovations that kill a home's value. In a buyer's market, you do not want to get caught with improvements that may kill a sale.

Read more...

Support your community: Buy Local

Driving through my town, I noticed a telling sign, businesses that once were a thriving part of the community, are now merely vacant buildings with "for lease" signs in the windows. Two popular restaurants, two art and frame shops, two kitchen and bath retails showrooms. Rents are high, sales are down. Where are these business going? My favorite frame shop told me he is going back to wholesale downtown. The sign in my favorite restaurant said they can't afford the landlords increase in rent.

I have heard my client's mention the deals they find when searching the internet for the best prices on cabinet hardware, plumbing fixtures or even large ticket appliances. I am all for getting a bargain, but I prefer to buy local and put my money back into my local economy and encourage clients to do the same. If you see a better price, show your local store, if they want your business, they will make an effort to provide a better discount.

On the other hand, when competing with predatory internet businesses, local stores sometimes cannot compete. When one client showed me she could buy a water filter for a price cheaper than what my cost is on the same product, I complained loudly to my distributor. The distributor said they unfortunately have no control who the manufacturer sells to. Why do manufacturers allow these wholesale internet bandits sell at prices far cheaper than what local businesses can buy it at wholesale prices? It is outrageous that manufacturers have little loyalty to local businesses who promote their products, stock their product, pay overhead and payroll costs to maintain a storefront to sell their product only to be undercut by an internet seller who is selling the product at cost or below cost. Is this the direction we are going? Should we all close our local stores, eliminate our employees, and open our business on the internet to compete?

Consumers need to be mindful of the undercut. There are severe financial repercussions. Look at the state of Aloha Airlines for example. The airline filed for bankruptcy due to what it called "predatory pricing" by Mesa Air Group Inc's go! airline. How can an airline compete with $1 fairs?

go! operated at a loss according to their 2006 financial report. Losing a reported $20 million in its first 16 months of operations. Aloha and Hawaiian reported combined losses of nearly $65 million since go! began operating.

What is wrong with this picture? Why would an airline sell flights so cheap that they are operating at a loss? Is this good business? Knock off your competition and become the dominant airline. Let's see if you can get a $1 fair when they have the monopoly.

So in the short run even though consumers benefited from flights at unbelievable cheap prices from go! airline, in the long run when Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines are put out of business by unrealistic cheap flights, consumers will be hit with higher rates in the long run. The economic repercussions will have a devastating effect on the local economy. With Aloha in bankruptcy, 3,500 Aloha employees will be out of work. Small business people who depend on inter island flights every day or every week will be effected.

So what do you gain from rock bottom prices? Employers, employees, consumers will suffer with these tactics. We all lose from predatory pricing. Think before you buy and always buy local when you can.

Read more...

All fired up over appliances

Tonight I attended a special open house event at Warehouse Discount Center in Agoura Hills, CA. The idea behind these open house events are to get kitchen designers excited about new product lines so that we can share this information with our clients.

Even more so, I encourage client's to visit appliance stores that offer product demonstration days. You will want to learn how to work effectively with these new appliances before you purchase them. Call your local appliance store and ask if they have product demonstration days. Also, you should know that appliance distributors encourage customers to come see cooking demonstrations at their authorized product centers throughout the country.

Saturdays are good days to visit your local appliance stores, especially if they have live displays. Product demonstration days are fun times. Live displays, ovens filling the air with savory delights. Sweet crepes gently prepared before your eyes and served up with fresh strawberries and cream. Tasty appetizers abound as you move from display to display.
Ask your local appliance store to direct you to the nearest complementary product demonstration event. They usually hand out free tickets or can provide you information about additional cooking classes offered. Purcell Murray in California does a great job with product education classes. Viking Product Presentation in Southern California is offered by Sues, Young & Brown. Reservations are required, so go on line to reserve your seat. These product demonstrations are held in a non-selling environment. So relax, it is not a high pressure time-share sales pitch.

Thanks again to everyone at WDC for a great evening. The salespeople really did a great job with the open house. Their enthusiasm was contagious. Do you have a good appliance store in your town? Share your story here.

Enjoy!

Read more...

Hats off to the weekend warriors!

I have got to hand it to the "do-it yourself" able bodied homeowners who tackle and complete home renovation projects. With the high cost of materials and labor to complete a project, "sweat equity", can payoff in the long run. That is if you have the patience to endure living in construction mode far longer than it takes if you hire professionals to do the work. Check out the story of Lili and Arnie Richards, profiled in LA Times Blog, "Pardon Our Dust".

Great story if you are thinking about doing it yourself.
A kitchen remodel and dining room addition all for $27,000 is remarkable. A remodel like this would certainly run into figures closer to $100,000 if done by a general contractor.
Why it worked for them:

• They planned in advance and stuck to a schedule. Diligent in planning.
  
• Previous experience remodeling.
  
• Realistic about the invariable hic-ups. They managed their expectations.
  
• Self-starters, determined to see the project through to the end.
  
• Self-reliant. Spirited even while enduring labor tasks they deplored.

I salute their ingenuity and spirit. Bravo!

Read more...

And now finally: A stylish shower drain

A pet peeve of mine is cheap shower drains. You may think I have too much time on my hands to worry about the state of drains. Being in the business, I have seen way too many ugly drains and by ugly I mean the corroded powder coated type with the screw holes showing, usually with a screw missing or a bent drain cover.

Finally, a faucet manufacture has addressed the state of drains.
ABSORBING STYLE
Introducing the StyleDrain™ from California Faucets—the First “Decorative” Shower Drain with fast-flow efficiency
Form and function fuse in the world’s first decorative, highly proficient shower drain. California Faucets’ groundbreaking StyleDrain™ boasts style previously unseen in a shower drain. Indeed, StyleDrain™ is the alternative to the run-of-the-mill, plain-Jane industrial drain.

Whether a complex shower system with multiple water spray applications or simple shower with a single head, StyleDrain™ delivers deluxe style in tune with the most luxurious bath decors.

“Consumers are frustrated with the limited selection of lackluster, industrial-style drains available,” explains Jeff Silverstein, president of California Faucets. “A gorgeous, richly designed shower with an unattractive and clunky commercial drain didn’t sit well with us. Our patent-pending, groundbreaking StyleDrain™ couples a streamlined, stylish design with extraordinarily fast draining capability. We believe style should flow from beginning to end.”

A Shower of Complements
Available in a variety of 30 finishes, this new decorative drain offers an unadorned simplicity. Unlike today’s typical, industrial-style drains with their bulky, unsightly screws on display, StyleDrain™ boasts California Faucets’ patent-pending design with no visible screws and flush grill plate for smooth styling and ultimate foot comfort.

StyleDrain™ perfectly complements California Faucets’ wide range of designs, from custom faucets to shower systems. The two debuting StyleDrain™ designs are square shaped and feature patterns that blend seamlessly with any bathroom motif, traditional to art deco to contemporary.

Fast-flow Efficiency
But it’s not just a pretty drain that’s all show and no work—you won’t be left standing in a puddle. Whether you have a beautiful shower with one showerhead or a spa-inspired system customized with multiple fittings including body sprays, rain bars, multiple shower heads and more, StyleDrain™ handles water flow at the highest level of efficiency.

Adding to the sense of style is the unique square shape. In contrast to typical round shaped drains, StyleDrain™ is a dream for bathroom remodeling. It allows hassle-free installation simply because it’s much easier and cost effective to cut tile to accommodate a square drain than a round drain.

About California Faucets
California Faucets has been providing its customers with the very best customer service and delivery of the finest selection of decorative fittings in the industry since 1988. With over 25 styles and more than 34 decorative finishes, California Faucets’ Custom Faucetry™ allows you to combine any spout with any handle in any finish to create a design uniquely yours. Design choices now exceed two million, and offerings range from traditional and transitional to contemporary and art deco.

As part of Custom Faucetry™, California Faucets offers Thermostatic Shower Systems, Tub and Shower Sets, Trim, and Bathroom Accessories. California Faucets’ products are sold at prominent decorative hardware and plumbing showrooms and at select kitchen and bath dealers nationwide. For more information, call 1-800-822-8855 or log on to www.calfaucets.com

Read more...

Should we or shouldn't we?

Considering a home renovation? In today's unpredictable housing market, checking what type of ROI you would get in today's market in your specific zip code would be a valuable tool to consider your options.

There is a new web site, Cyberhomes.com, that may be helpful if you are considering a kitchen remodel or home renovation. It’s definitely a fun tool to play around with if you’re a homeowner!

Cyberhomes (www.cyberhomes.com) is a new online destination for people who want complete home buying information, including renovation ROI estimates for a specific zip code and detailed neighborhood info – all on one site.

Whether you’re interested in doing a home renovation to increase the value of your home for a future sale, or if you’re simply trying to make your home more comfortable to live in, deciding to take on a home renovation or remodel can be an exciting time for homeowners. But with as unpredictable as the housing market is these days, how do you know if a renovation is worth the investment?

Planning to add a new bath or remodel your kitchen? Simply plug in your home address, add in the desired renovations, and see what type of return those remodels fetch in your specific zip code. Follow the steps below to see a demonstration of these tools:

1. Go to www.cyberhomes.com

2. Type in an address (Ex. 3523 Paxton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45208)

3. Under the “Property Highlight” section, click on “Refine Value”

4. Then use the “Edit This Home’s Facts” section to add a bath or bedroom and see the Value Change difference. Or use the “Home Improvement” section to select a specific type of renovation and see the Value Change difference, depending on your zip code and the current market.

Read more...

Jot Dry- Erase Refrigerator

Amana has introduced a new refrigerator with a Dry Erase surface.
From jotting down a grocery list to family reminders, the Jot Dry-Erase Refrigerator lets you express yourself anyway you like, as often as you want. Just jot it down. Erase and repeat.

Read more...

Is there humor in recycling? You bet cha!

These book shelves are made from real books and salvaged lumber. So clever and humorous!


This is hands down my favorite quirkiest bookshelf ever. In design, as in life, no one should take themselves too seriously. This bookshelf does it for me.

Great gift idea for a loved one too.
Do you have a bookshelf idea? Artist Jim Rosenau, will make custom shelves on any theme. You can begin with just one book or simply an idea you provide. For more information please visit the website This Into That.com

Read more...