Last November, over 85 Kansas City families received a unique invitation in the mail. Each family was then sent off into the woods with a special Schloegel tag to pick a tree from the hundreds of specimens available. More
A plain-Jane ranch grows into a gracious manor with a remodeler who knows how to... More
Someone's on the phone with a complaint about the windows you installed in their addition, what was it, three years ago? Production manager Rob Dagley estimates that maybe one in 20 calls requesting warranty work at Rhino Builders, Kansas City, Kan., have to do with service on a window. More
For Stephanie Witt, owner of Kitchens by Stephanie, Grand Rapids, Mich., the question comes down to, "Do you want a payback on your investment or the room of your dreams?" Replace all fixtures to include standard-sized tub with ceramic tile surround; toilet; solid-surface vanity counter with integral double sink; recessed medicine cabinet; ceramic tile floor; vinyl wallpaper. More
Resale values for the 2001 Cost vs. Value Report were estimated by the following real estate professionals. More
Seen strictly from the standpoint of resale, carving a bathroom out of existing space, especially in a home that has only one or one and a half baths, might be the most productive remodeling project you can undertake. Even first time buyers, whose expectations may not be as high, "want a master bath and at least one more," she says. Include cultured-marble vanity top, molded sink, standard tub/shower with ceramic tile surround, low-profile toilet, general and spot lighting, mirrored medicine cabinet, linen storage, vinyl wallpaper, and ceramic tile floor. More
Bob McCay, owner of McCay Building Company, Birmingham, Ala., says prospective home buyers with experience -- that is, those who've already bought and sold homes -- notice windows. In this year's Cost vs. Value Report, an upscale window replacement project -- with a national average of $15,502 installed -- yields a slightly higher return -- 77% -- than replacement windows at a mid-range price point, with a national average of $9,424. More
Minneapolis remodeler Marty Schirber observes that potential home buyers often like some feature of a house simply because it's something they couldn't imagine building for themselves. One such example is a master suite, which Schirber calls "sanity space." More
