Buying Kitchen Cabinets At the Home Improvement Stores
The number of cabinet names and styles at the Home Improvement Stores like Lowes and Home Depot can be overwhelming, and so can the number of options and upgrades. They do a very good job of distracting you from the two biggest factors when it comes to buying kitchen cabinets. Find out what they are and how to avoid the common mistakes that people make when shopping for kitchen cabinets.
If you have ever strolled through the kitchen section at one of the big home improvement stores (like Lowes or Home Depot), you know how overwhelming the selection can be. They do a very good job of offering every door style, wood type, and finish imaginable. They also do a very good job of distracting you from the two biggest features that you should be focused on- price and quality of construction.
When making a large purchase like a kitchen, it is really easy for emotion and excitement to overshadow the total cost. It is really important to do some research before going into the store and have a budget in mind. Minor changes in the look of the cabinet can end up adding hundreds, if not thousands, to the cost of your kitchen. The same thing applies to unnecessary upgrades and accessories, which will quickly add up.
As a part-time contractor and rental property owner, I always tell people that I am talking to, to start their research on the internet.. The big stores will offer the name brand cabinets, but if you search online you will find that you can find similar, if not identical cabinets, for significantly less on-line. Have you ever noticed that the stores will usually price cabinets on a cost per square foot? This is done deliberately….. when you are emotionally attached to a particular style of cabinet, what is more likely to sway you from going over your budget- That upgrade is going to got you an additional $1.00 per square foot, or that upgrade is going cost you an additional $900? It is a great technique to distract you from the actual price you are paying and get you focused on the style and finish of the cabinets.
What you will also find is that the quality of the materials used will differ dramatically from cabinet to cabinet. As I mentioned before, the retail stores do a very good job of getting you caught up in the features and of the cabinet face, but they often brush over the actual cabinet box construction? Ironically, most of the higher priced cabinets don’t actually use solid wood for the cabinet box. They may have a great looking cabinet door, but they are using particleboard or fiberboard for the construction of the cabinet box. The problem with both of these materials is that they are adversely affected by water and moisture…. What you will find on-line is that a lot of the lesser-known cabinetmakers actually use solid plywood, which creates a much stronger cabinet box. The other big factor in materials is how the cabinet is held together. Don’t be surprised to find out that some of the big name cabinet companies use staples or basic nails and glue to hold the cabinet together. The best joinery would have to be dovetail joints, but right behind that is the cam lock. The cam lock is used primarily on ready-to-assemble cabinets. (NOTE: LKN Cabinets uses screw, staple and glue construction which many find superior to this.)
In doing some research on-line you will more than likely come across another common term in the cabinet industry- RTA, or Ready-To-Assemble. Don’t be scared away from this type of cabinet. If you ever go into the big stores and see pre-assembled or stock cabinets, they are actually RTA cabinets that have been assembled for your convenience (and they are significantly more expensive). There are three categories that separate RTA Cabinets from their competition-
1) Construction- Not all RTA cabinets are the same, but most of them use solid plywood for the cabinet box, solid wood for the face frames and doors, and they have an interlocking cam lock assembly that is a stronger bond than staples, nails, or wooden dowels
2) Price- if you find the companies that are importing them directly, the saving can be as high as 40-50% versus the name brand cabinets
3) Assembly- they are so easy to assemble that you can actually eliminate the added expense of hiring someone to assemble and install them
With all the advantages of RTA Cabinets, there are some inferior products on the market that you should steer clear of, but they are definitely worth doing some research on. Typically when RTA cabinets or knockdown cabinets are mentioned, people authomatically think of Ikea products. Today’s ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets are far superior than what is sold at Ikea.
So before you go running to your local big box supply store, take the time to do some research on-line. At the very least you will be a more educated customer and you can avoid the mistake of exceeding your budget for your kitchen.
Source: RTAcabinetstore.com by Gary Nealon
www.LKNcabinets.com offers FREE kitchen cabinet quotes for the greater Charlotte, NC area
Master Bathroom Remodeling
Imagine your own personal retreat that refreshes you every waking hour, reinvigorates the spirit any time of the day, and distresses with each day’s end… spoiling you and your partner again and again and again. With master bathroom remodeling, imagine no more. With trends tending towards creating a personal and intimate area of pure indulgence many homeowners are tempted to undertake such home improvement. And who wouldn’t? Not only does this afford you your everyday dose of luxury- enhancing the quality of living but also your New York home considerable boost in value. Truly, a master bathroom remodeling project is one great investment whether you are in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens, or Staten Island.
Irregardless of what is hot or not this year, one thing is for keeps and that is your options gets better and better when it comes to achieving fashionable functionality that provides you the pampering you deserve. What you can do in your master bathroom remodeling is only limited by your creativity and of course, budget. So before you decide on jumping head on into the renovation bandwagon, ensure a sound financial source and flexible budget that is sufficient to help you fulfill your envisioned result.
To make the most out of your master bathroom remodeling, here are ideas guaranteed to make a huge difference in your everyday bathing and personal experience:
- The ambiance does the trick. Colors play a huge role in setting up the ambiance. To achieve one that is relaxing and soothing, focus on the essentials that greatly contributes to ambiance and these are the walls, flooring and lighting. Other than its time tested durability, natural stone options can add up to the luxury both in look and feel. You can choose to have your walls painted, wallpapered or have both combined to capture an atmosphere of indulgence through rich colors and textures. To be able to manipulate lighting to suit whatever the mood is, dimmers are must-haves. A distressing lighting feature called the chromatherapy would also serve the master bathroom and its masters well.
- Indulge your senses. Nowadays, many homeowners are creating a luxurious personal retreat out of their own master baths. With more and more delightful products and facilities coming out in the market that specifically caters to buyers yearning for an in-house spa, the realization of this need is made so much easier. Whatever your idea of indulgence is, you can easily integrate this into your master bathroom remodeling project-steam showers, air-jetted tubs, deep-soaking tubs, steam saunas, vertical shower spa, rain jets, whirlpools, and Jacuzzis. Incorporating entertainment has become quite common in modern master bathroom remodeling. And the best thing about this is that year after year, manufacturers are taking the concept of waterproof televisions and sound systems into a higher level.
- It all boils down to the details. The extras that you add on to your master bathroom remodeling can bring about that touch of utter luxury in your master bathroom remodeling. Radiant floor heating and towel warmers will extend the warmth of the soak or steam shower that you have enjoyed through stepping out into pleasantly warm floor draped in your fluffy towel. If you fancy extravagance then hang an elaborate chandelier over a soaking tub. To jazz up the romance, deep soak underneath the velvety skies dotted with stars through installing skylights. Throw in some scented candles, ornamental plants, art and fresh flowers into the design. Giving attention to details would surely payoff and these are just some of the many ideas you can implement.
| Eugene Makeev uses his skills and expertise to help home owners in Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island avoid pitfalls by matching their needs with prescreened contractor – bathroom remodeling NYC.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_R._Makeev |
www.LKNcabinets.com offers FREE estimates for anyone in the greater Charlotte area. We would be glad to come by and quote your project! Give us a call 704–883-2365 or fill out our contact form at our webpage.
The Pros and Cons of Bathroom Remodeling for Resale Homes
On each flip project a decision must be made as to whether or not the bathroom(s) need to be remodeled. The decision to remodel the bathroom of an investment property is one of the biggest you’ll make as it will also result in one of the largest costs in terms of time and money. The net financial result is what should concern you. Will the remodeling yield a profit on it’s own, or at least contribute proportionately to the overall profit.
The Pros of Remodeling the Bathroom of an Investment House:
Give it the WOW factor! The Wow factor is probably the major reason you would renovate the bathroom. There are three rooms that you want to be impressive; and the bathroom is arguably number one. Mr. and Ms. Buyer will often make their decision based on the condition of the bathroom.
Whether you choose to remodel the whole thing or just replace certain components should be based partly on the criticality of the bathroom in the buy-decision. Done properly a bathroom renovation could well be the deciding factor between getting your price and not selling your house.
An ugly, poorly maintained bathroom will have the potential buyers lowering their pricing expectations disproportionate to the amount it would cost to renovate it. A buyer purchasing a renovated house has expectations that certain things are in good shape – that’s why they’re buying a house that’s already been renovated.
Whether it’s a facelift or a total gut, that one room can make or break the deal.
If you’re working with a very limited budget you can decide which particular parts of your bathroom that you would like remodeled, such as the tub or the toilet or the sink.
If money is not an issue, you may make the decision to remodel your whole bathroom. In addition to deciding what parts of your bathroom you would like remodeled, you will also have complete control over the products and materials used.
For instance, if you wish to replace the toilet, you can choose the quality which suits the budget. What matters is that it’s new. Knowing that the toilet is new and has never been used is a big deal to some people. They may think “I will replace that toilet someday”, but it’s good enough to help facilitate a good overall impression.
Bathroom remodelling can be relatively easy to do depending on the depth you want to go. It is something an average handyman can do by themselves in order to save expenses.
Although you can save yourself money by doing your own remodeling, you may not want to or you may be unable to do so. If that is the case, you still have a choice. That choice is seeking assistance from a professional contractor.
Despite costing more money, your bathroom will be remodeled professionally and often in less time.
It is also important to mention that bathroom remodeling projects can help to increase a home’s value. That is one of the biggest pros to having your bathroom remodeled. The increase in value, if there is one, will depend on a number of different factors. Those factors include what type of remodeling is done, as well as how well it is done. Whether you choose to hire the services of a professional bathroom remodeling expert or if you have prior home improvement experience, the decision to remodel your bathroom could significantly increase the value of your home.
Although there are a number of pros to bathroom remodeling, there are also a number of cons. Those cons mainly include the cost of doing so. When it comes to deciding whether or not you want to remodel your bathroom, you will have to make up your own mind; however, when doing so you may want to keep the above mentioned points in mind.
The Cons of Remodeling the Bathroom of an Investment House:
There are two major cons to remodelling for a flip; cost and the impact of a poor job.
If you are contemplating a bathroom remodeling project, these cons may make you want to rethink your decision.
The biggest con to remodeling is the cost, particularly if you go high end on your fixtures. Remodeling for resale is not the same as remodeling for yourself. You must keep this in mind for a flip. The character of the end result should match the character of the house not your idea of what the perfect bathroom should be. Remember, you are in this for profit.
The extent to which you remodel will affect the price as well. If you gut the bathroom down to the joists you will be looking at a lot more than if you simply replaced the toilet and added a tub surround. In addition to the cost of supplies and materials, you also need to determine whether or not there will be any additional costs. For instance, if you make the decision to have your bathroom professionally remodeled, you will need to pay a professional contractor. Although a professional contractor often produces better results, you will find the cost of hiring one fairly high.
In addition to the cost of bathroom remodeling, it is also important to note the time that it will take. How long a bathroom remodeling project lasts will all depend on what is being remodeling. If you are simply looking to replace your toilet, you will find that your remodeling project takes less time than it would if you were planning on remodeling your entire bathroom. The amount of time it takes for remodeling will also depend on how much time can be devoted to it. If you make the decision to hire a professional contractor to remodel your bathroom, the remodeling will likely be done quicker. In addition to knowing exactly what they are doing, professionals can usually devote more time to work than someone who is only doing the work on the side.
Another one of the many cons to remodeling your bathroom is what it can do to your home. As you may already know, it is possible for a bathroom remodeling project to increase the value of your home. While an increase is likely to occur, it is not guaranteed. If your home’s value does increase because of a bathroom remodeling project, it will all depend on how much remodeling was done and the result of that remodeling. A professional or quality remodeling job is likely to produce the best increase in value.
What you need to be aware of is what a poor remodeling project can do for your home. There is a chance that a poor bathroom remodeling project could also decrease the value of your home. The chances of that happening are slim, but there is always a chance.
As previously mentioned, when having your bathroom remodeled, you have a choice as to whether you want to do your own remodeling or a have a professional do it for you.
When it comes to bathroom remodeling, you will find that are more cons to do it yourself bathroom remodeling.
As you can see, there are a number of bathroom remodeling cons. Although it may seem as if it isn’t worth it to remodel your bathroom, there are also a number of bathroom remodeling pros. These pros include a new bathroom and the possibility of increasing your home’s value. If you are interested in remodeling your bathroom, only you can decide whether or not it would be worth it and given your skill set and time, what the best approach would be.
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Steve Leighton Real Estate Investment Consultant http://www.HouseFlipOnline.com [http://ebook1.HouseFlipOnline.com] Author of “Guide to Buying and Selling Fixer Upper Homes” Get your FREE copy today and sign up for the HouseFlipOnline News Letter Today! Visit: http://www.HouseFlipOnline.com [http://ebook1.HouseFlipOnline.com] Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Leighton
www.LKNcabinets.com has 15 years experience in “flipping” homes and investment properties. Give us a call today for a FREE estimate on your project 704-232-5169 |
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