News

Kitchen Remodeling Costs in Michigan

Posted in: News by admin on November 3, 2010 | No Comments

Kitchen Remodeling

Kitchen remodeling is one of the most popular home remodeling projects performed today. Whether homeowners are looking to expand or update an existing kitchen to accommodate their family’s needs, or are looking to resell their home, kitchen remodeling is a great way to increase your home’s overall market value. But what kind of a budget should you set aside for your kitchen remodeling project? What are the cost averages for a kitchen remodel? What individual contracting services are factored into that cost?

According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2009-10 Cost vs. Value Report, the national average cost for a midrange kitchen remodel is $57,215. The national average cost for a high-end kitchen remodel is $111,794. There are many factors that will affect the cost of your kitchen remodel. Generally, the biggest cost factors will be the:

  • Size of your kitchen
  • Scale of the remodel project
  • Geographic project region
  • Choice of materials
  • Attention to detail and quality of work.

What to Consider When Remodeling Your Kitchen

In certain parts of the country, the kitchen has always been the center of life in a home. In other regions, the center of the family’s life has moved from the kitchen to the family room or other areas. But today, in virtually all parts of the country, the kitchen has become central again. A kitchen that is both functional and comfortable is now the norm.

Whether you want to remodel your kitchen to make it more functional, more comfortable, more modern, or to provide more space for family life, you can create wonderful changes within most any budget. If you are considering a kitchen remodel to make a house more marketable, the good news is that, according to Remodeling Magazine’s 2009-10 Cost vs. Value Report, you can expect to recoup around 72% of the cost of the project when you sell your home.

A kitchen remodeling project can be as simple as new window and wall treatments, new flooring, or new cabinets. Or you can create the gourmet kitchen/family room that is so popular today.

A simple and relatively inexpensive kitchen remodel might mean new curtains, a fresh coat of paint, new appliances, and new flooring. Hardwood floors are very popular today in the kitchen. The new finishes and coatings on the wood make them as practical in the kitchen as they are in other parts of the house. Ceramic tile is also a very popular flooring option. Tile is easy to clean and durable.

Much entertaining is now done in the kitchen. Preparing a meal can become a time for guests to gather in the kitchen and enjoy conversation. Most kitchens built today will either be open to a family room or they will include a family area at one end of the room. An attached or semi-attached breakfast room is also a popular design. An island that is functional for food preparation and provides a place for people to sit and talk to the cook is also very popular. In fact, one side of the island can be serviceable in food preparation while the other side functions as a casual dining counter.

If your home is older and your kitchen just needs a little modernizing, you will certainly want to consider modernizing your cabinets, and, perhaps, your counter tops. Raised-panel cabinet and cupboard doors are certainly the way to go. This can be accomplished by simply placing new doors on existing wood cabinets. If your budget permits, you can even install custom or semi-custom wood cabinets. While laminate countertops are certainly still being used, there is a clear trend toward marble or granite countertops. They are both beautiful and functional.

Your choice of appliances will be important in the total appearance of your kitchen. To be sure, appliances are available in a wide variety of colors and styles. There is, however, a clear preference in most new appliance purchases for stainless steel.

A quick look around an appliance or department store will provide a head-spinning variety of styles, colors and functions in appliances. Your refrigerator can be simple and functional or it can provide a variety of accessibility options and features that go far beyond ice and water from the door. Microwave ovens can be built in, or they can sit on the counter, or they can hang from the bottom of a cabinet. And stoves and ovens are available with an amazing array of options from warming chambers to griddles to multiple ovens, including convection ovens.

You will also find a wide variety of sink styles and faucet and spray options. Sinks are available in the standard single basin style, as well as equal double basins or even double width with various configurations of additional small basins.

Water filtration and purification is becoming more important in many areas. There is a great deal of choice in systems that are either built-in or installed under the sink. There are also small systems that simply attach to the faucet.

Ventilation hoods can be simple or extravagant, depending upon the style you want to achieve in your remodeled kitchen, ranging from porcelain to stainless steel to copper.

To make standing easier on the cook, you can even consider installing cork flooring with wood trim. And you can add a trash compactor, composting and recycling organizers to reduce the number of trips to the garage.

Lighting is also important in your new kitchen. Installation of low-voltage under-cabinet lights are fully functional, energy efficient, and conducive to warmer lighting in the rest of the kitchen. In addition to light fixtures, you might want to consider installing a skylight for warmth and natural lighting.

Another great feature to add in cabinets, especially high cabinets or low corner cabinets is a lazy Susan that brings items to you without stretching. Pull-out shelves and recessed areas that permit shelves on the inside of doors will also make items more accessible.

If your house has a family room in close proximity to the kitchen, you may find that opening up that space by taking down the separating wall will provide a feeling of spaciousness and keep the cook interacting with the rest of the family or your guests. Two popular approaches to connecting the kitchen and the family room are to either take the wall out completely, and allow the rooms to open naturally, or to remove the wall and replace the bottom part of the wall with cabinets backed by drywall with an opening at the top. Yet another possibility is to remove the wall and replace it with a dual-function counter.

Remodeling a kitchen can be great fun. It offers the opportunity to create a more energy-efficient kitchen and to create a space where the family can relax. Whether your remodel is simple or you want to create a gourmet super-kitchen, you can count on adding to the value of your home as you create a warm and functional family space.

Finally, you must ask whether this is something you can do yourself, or you need to hire a contractor. This will depend on the extent of the renovation, your skills and knowledge, and your time. You may be able to do all of the work yourself. You may need to hire someone to do the parts of the remodel that you don’t feel competent to do. Or, you might just want to relax, have someone else do the work, and simply enjoy the result.

Ways to Protect Footings From Frost According to the Michigan Building Code

Posted in: News by admin on October 19, 2010 | No Comments

Michigan is cold.The state is located by Lake Michigan, and it has extremes of temperature. The winters are dominated by the lake, which causes winds up to 70 miles per hour. Needless to say, when you are building a house in Michigan, you need to take into account the extremes of cold. This is why the Michigan Building Code has set out ways to protect footings from frost. Knowing what these regulations are will help you build a strong, weather-tight home that can endure whatever comes your way in winter.

Extending Below Grade

# The footing should not extend below the surface of the earth or grade more than 42 inches.

Frozen Ground

# The footing should not rest on any ground that is frozen, unless the ground is permanently frozen.

Solid Rock

# If the footing is on solid rock, it will be protected from the frost, because the rock will not freeze.

ASCE 32

# ASCE 32 refers to American Society of Civil Engineers, Design and Construction of Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations. This is a practice of building so that the footing is installed above the frost line. The method is termed FPSF, or Frost Protected Shallow Foundations. The theory is that heat from the building goes into the earth beneath the building, keeping the ground from freezing. If you build the foundation or install the footing in this manner, you will not have to protect the footing from frost, according to the Michigan Building Code.

Read more on ehow.com

Rehab a Home w/HUD’s 203(k)

Posted in: News by admin on | No Comments

With winter around the corner – and the desire to cut down spending in any area we can – increasing your home’s energy efficiency can cut utility costs. And the government can help.
Yes, the Federal Housing Administration’s 203(k) rehabilitation program allows those looking at daunting-but-necessary renovation in tasks to make the repairs without dipping into savings or looking into home equity loans.

Rather, the loan allows you to both purchase a home and cover the renovation projects it needs. The point is to size up your renovation projects with accurate price quotes, and then apply for the federal program, which adds the remodeling costs to your mortgage balance and can be paid off after the home is purchased.

This may seem like a new and innovative concept, yet this little-known program has been around since 1978. Why hasn’t it been more popular, you may ask with a raised eyebrow? Largely because of poor publicity and because borrowers often mistakenly think they have to buy a wreck in order to qualify.

While luxury improvements are of course ineligible, the program has a broad definition of repairs and modernization. The place doesn’t have to be falling apart to qualify for renovation help. Here are just a few qualifying improvements:

* Roofing replacement
* New heating system (even geothermal)
* Room additions
* Decks and patios
* Energy conservation improvements
* Interior painting

To get started, find out how much your home improvements would cost. You can obtain multiple cost estimates for free, and then compare them side-by-side to get the best deal.

Remember, it doesn’t have to be a run-down house. “Run-down” typically means foreclosure, but the program also applies to older houses, historic houses, short sales, bank-owned homes, and places that are simply outdated. Check the rules here.

A loan “for someone who’s willing to be a little involved,” as a Ann Arbor, Michigan., banker Dan Robson put it, this loan is also for someone willing to put a bit more thought into how to save a lot more money down the road.

What should you know before you start with remodeling in Michigan

Posted in: News by admin on December 13, 2009 | No Comments

Giving Your Home a New Face with Capital Construction Group

Home remodeling is definitely a hot topic these days. While the housing market may be experiencing a temporary downturn, Michigan remodeling projects continue to hold steady simply because many Portland home owners have decided to stay put in their current homes, opting to upgrade rather than move. Some Portland remodeling projects are becoming a necessity as the average age of homes in America reach just over 30 years old. But home age aside, people are adding on, upgrading and remodeling their homes in greater numbers than ever before. C is a big part of over 25 million U.S. homeowners undertaking some sort of home improvement project annually. Major remodeling projects now make up a large part of the money invested by homeowners. These include complete home remodeling, additions and kitchen upgrades.

Getting Value for Your Capital Construction Group Investment Dollar

When planning your home remodel, it’s important to remember that certain Portland remodeling projects will add more value than some others. Usually kitchen, bath and bedroom upgrades or additions will show the greatest return for money invested should you decide to sell. Of course no matter what home project you undertake, it’s important to remember that selecting the right remodeling contractor is important. Choosing the right remodeling jobs is important, and your Capital Construction Group LLC should be able to help you with the jobs you should do to maximize the value of your home. Finding the money for your Portland remodeling project is also something a homeowner should think about. If you need to borrow money for a major Portland remodeling project, you should be aware that there are a number of ways to get the money you need. You always want to shop for remodeling loans with the lowest interest rates, make certain your payments are tax deductible and most importantly don’t put yourself in the situation of over borrowing and possibly losing your home.

Determining a Budget for Your Capital Construction Group Project

If you’re planning on undertaking your own Michigan remodeling project, it’s important to have a plan and determine your budget to see if your plan is financially feasible. You will have to determine if you’ll need a loan to finance your project as well as what type of loan. You’ll need to talk to your Portland remodeling professional and make certain you can get all the necessary permits. It’s true that a home remodeling project can be a trying time, but if you take the time to do a little research first and discuss everything with your Portland remodeling contractor, you’ll find that your remodeling job can be a complete success.