Home Improvement Specialists

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HOME REMODELING - Do-it-Yourself or Not?

HOME REMODELING – Do-it-Yourself or Not?

READY, SET, DO-IT-YOURSELF – OR NOT

Have you ever watched a home improvement show and decided “I can do it myself.” The shows make it look so easy – and the whole house is renovated in just 30 minutes!

It’s time for a reality check to see if you should really tackle a do-it-yourself (DIY) project. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) created a simple yes-or-no quiz that you…

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HOME REMODELING: ADDING A SUITE

HOME REMODELING: ADDING A SUITE

MAKING A SWEET BEDROOM SUITE

A Leading Edge Homes, Inc. suite addition makes your home even sweeter.

Adding a bedroom suite to your home can serve many different purposes. A “mother-in-law suite,” as it is often called, is a perfect living situation for your loved one that wants to keep their privacy and still remain independent.  Or perhaps you love your home, but your family has grown and you…

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NOT HAVING A PERMIT CAN COST YOU MILLIONS

NOT HAVING A PERMIT CAN COST YOU MILLIONS

HOMEOWNERS BEWARE: WORK WITHOUT PERMITS CAN COST YOU MILLIONS

  “Saving money” by not paying for a permit for your home improvement project is really like throwing money away.

$1,000,000 IN FINES

According to an article recently published in the Palm Beach Post,

“A suburban West Palm Beach area couple will write a check for $12,000 to settle a code enforcement lien with Palm Beach County.

But…

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Leading Edge Homes Inc. - It's Time To Think About Hurricanes Preparedness

Leading Edge Homes Inc. – It’s Time To Think About Hurricanes Preparedness

The Dog Days Of Summer Means – HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE

  HURRICANES – STAY AWAY

The dog days of summer are already here.  We seemed to have skipped spring and gone right into summer.  What does that mean for Florida residents?

It’s time for the media to bombard us with hurricane preparedness news and alarm us about every tropical wave, depression, and potential hurricane – even if it is…

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“ARE YOU DONE YET?” – UNDERSTANDING THE REMODELING PROCESS

No, home remodeling is not like what you see on television – it takes time.

  HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

As a contractor, my two least favorite questions are “How long will it take?” and “Are You Done Yet?”  Perhaps it is because it reminds me of the long trips in the car when my children were young and they asked the infamous question…

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Home Improvement: TV Show Remodeling is Not Reality

Home Improvement: TV Show Remodeling is Not Reality

REALITY SHOW CONSTRUCTION – “Homeowners’ Funds Essentially Pay the Cost of Creating a Stage Set”

  Sometimes the truth about home improvement is shocking…

Back in October, I posted a blog about the “ABC’s” of reality shows and home remodeling. Sadly, a couple from Raleigh, North Carolina did not read the blog! They turned to HGTV network’s “Love It Or List It” last year when they were…

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Home Improvement: When Your House is Telling You It Needs to Be Repaired

Home Improvement: When Your House is Telling You It Needs to Be Repaired

PUTTING THINGS OFF NOT WHAT IT IS CRACKED UP TO BE

  Photo courtesy of @pawsandwatches

Many people follow this advice from Mark Twain, “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well.”

This philosophy make work fine for doing your laundry – you might have to re-wear some clothes after spraying them with Febreeze. It also might work well for grocery shopping  –…

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Home Inspection: The Time To Contact A Home Remodeling Contractor is BEFORE You Purchase a Home

Home Inspection: The Time To Contact A Home Remodeling Contractor is BEFORE You Purchase a Home

IF ONLY HOME INSPECTORS WERE CONTRACTORS TOO

Home inspectors should have home remodeling and construction experience.

“I FOUND MY DREAM HOME AND IT’S IN GREAT CONDITION…”

Those were the words of a potential client. The client contacted me because she and her husband wanted to make some modifications to their dream home before they moved in. But…

I FOUND MOLD AND OTHER PROBLEMS

This morning, I…

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HOME REMODELING: I MADE A HOMEOWNER CRY

HOME REMODELING: I MADE A HOMEOWNER CRY

TRUE CONFESSIONS OF A REMODELING CONTRACTOR:  MAKING A HOMEOWNER CRY

Nothing is worse than having to tell a homeowner they have been scammed.

  MAKING A HOMEOWNER CRY

This has been one of the toughest month’s for me as a home remodeling contractor.

Two of the potential clients that I visited with were brought to tears and another one was strong enough to hold back the tears but realized they…

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HOME REMODELING: HELP - MY NAME IS TODD AND I'M A REMODEL-IT-AHOLIC

HOME REMODELING: HELP – MY NAME IS TODD AND I’M A REMODEL-IT-AHOLIC

HELP – MY NAME IS TODD AND I’M A REMODEL-IT-AHOLIC

Home remodeling is addictive!

HOME REMODELING – THE HIDDEN DISEASE

I have had many clients that have been afflicted by remodel-it-ism and have become remodel-it-aholics.

By definition, a remodel-it-aholic is

a homeowner marked by increasingly desires to remodel their home, especially after completing a project and realizing that the rest of the…

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HOME REMODELING: ARCHITECT OR CUSTOM BUILDER?

HOME REMODELING: ARCHITECT OR CUSTOM BUILDER?

PLANNING A HOME REMODEL –   ARCHITECT or CUSTOM BUILDER?

Using a design-build contractor may save you time and money.

One of biggest investments you’ll ever make—and not just in terms of money—is remodeling your home. Whether you are updating your kitchen, remodeling your bathroom, or adding space to improve your family’s lifestyle, you need to invest time up front to make sure you the process…

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SMALL ROOM ADDITIONS: THE SOMETIMES SHOCKING STICKER PRICE

SMALL ROOM ADDITIONS: THE SOMETIMES SHOCKING STICKER PRICE

FACTORS THAT ADD TO THE COST OF YOUR ADDITION

The cost for your addition may surprise you.

Hands down, when you need to more living space to improve your life style, the option to add a room typically beats the cost of selling your existing home and then purchasing a new one.

What you may not realize that even though you are only adding a 100 square foot sitting area, you may have to update…

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HOME MAINTENANCE: When There is A Hole Under Your Foundation

HOME MAINTENANCE: When There is A Hole Under Your Foundation

WHEN AN ANIMAL DIGS UNDER THE FOUNDATION

A hole dug under the foundation of your home can cause major damage.

Last Thursday I got what may go down in history as the most unusual home repair request I have ever received.  A client of mine asked for my help with damage to the dirt beneath their addition foundation which was caused by their “free” rabbit. It turns out the bunny dug a hole about 8″…

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KITCHEN REMODELING: Which Cooktop is More Efficient

KITCHEN REMODELING: Which Cooktop is More Efficient

WHICH COOKTOP IS MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT – GAS, ELECTRIC OR INDUCTION?

         This may come as a shock to you, but the Perry house is not immune to appliance failures.  Recently the microwave oven and the cooktop have developed problems, and it doesn’t make sense to put money into 12+ year old appliances. While out looking for a replacement cooktop, we got quite an education.  There are three…

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Kitchen Maintenance: FLOOD THWARTED BY ANTS

Kitchen Maintenance: FLOOD THWARTED BY ANTS

GARBAGE DISPOSAL LEAK THWARTED BY ANTS

   Over the weekend, to my mother-in-law’s displeasure, were hundreds of ants walking along her ceiling, around her family room, and into her remodeled kitchen. She had not remodeled by choice a year and a half ago… but because her ice maker line sprung a pin hole leak that turned into the flood of the century for her. Her cabinets, made out of…

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PERMITS: OPEN PERMITS CAN THROW MONKEY WRENCH INTO PURCHASING A HOME

PERMITS: OPEN PERMITS CAN THROW MONKEY WRENCH INTO PURCHASING A HOME

BUYING A HOME – MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING PERMITS OH NO! OPEN PERMITS DELAY HOME CLOSING.   Yesterday, we received a call for help.  This call, however, was not because the house needed a repair. A woman wanted to sell her mother’s home… but, there was an outstanding permit that had not been closed. The daughter had no reason to suspect that an outstanding permit existed on the home.…

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HOME IMPROVEMENT: DON'T ASSUME AN "A" RATING MEANS A BUSINESS IS REPUTABLE

HOME IMPROVEMENT: DON’T ASSUME AN “A” RATING MEANS A BUSINESS IS REPUTABLE

ANOTHER “A” … HOME IMPROVEMENT COMPANY NOT FULFILLING IT’S CONTRACTS

TWO MONTHS LATER – ANOTHER TRUE STORY ABOUT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU RATING

Back in October, I told you about the CNN Money article:

Slammed by the government, A-rated by the Better Business Bureau

It was a warning to all people who believe that an “A” rating from the Better Business Bureau means a company is reputable.

LOC…

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