Most popular spring projects that you can enjoy all summer and fall:

Add that deck!  Get your bids in line and schedule your new deck now, so that you can be sure you will be able to enjoy it for the entire summer.

Fresh paint!  Get your home ready for spring and summer parties.  Decide which rooms need to be freshened up, pick out your colors, and schedule the work now so you can have it done when you want.  Remember, spring is your contractor’s busiest time.

Kitchen and Bath Remodels!  Start the planning now, pick out all your new fixtures, cabinets, flooring, etc. and schedule your project so it is complete well before summer so that you can sit back and enjoy your brand new room and summer at the same time.

Call Custom Edge today for your free, no obligation quote at (734) 397-1200.

Let The Bittinger Team do a quick “Comparative Market Analysis” for you, for free, and with no obligation. Also known as a CMA, this analysis compares your home to others that are currently on the market and to those that have recently sold.

As top real estate agents, The Bittinger Team determines the value of homes daily and can give you a free estimate of what your home is worth in today’s market.

Remember, market conditions can be different, even one neighborhood to the next. The Bittinger Team knows how to take all these factors into account when determining the true market value of your home.

This service is completely free and without obligation. There are absolutely no strings attached. Why? The Bittinger Team wants the chance to show you their expertise as top real estate agents.

The Bittinger Team is one of The Top Selling Real Estate Experts™

Visit The Bittinger Team at www.bittinger.com.

Curb appeal is not only important when preparing your home for sale, but is also important to assure that your neighborhood looks great and keeps increasing in value.  These areas make a huge difference in the look of your home while not putting a huge dent in your pocketbook:

Landscaping – nothing elaborate is necessary.  Well-trimmed shrubs, potted plants at the corners of the front porch, a groomed lawn and mulched flower beds all contribute to your home’s appeal.

Front entrance – the door should be in good shape with a fresh coat of paint.  Does the hardware need to be updated?  Replacing the porch light adds a nice touch.

Siding - walk around the house and check the siding.  Is it looking dull?  A thorough cleaning (powerwash) can greatly improve the look of the siding.

These simple improvements will increase your enjoyment of your home as well as improve the value of your neighborhood.

A bathroom remodel might seem an unlikely project to consider in the middle of summer.  However, when you think about how nice washing away a sweaty summer day can be, replacing old, worn out shower and bath fixtures with ones that do a better job (and may even save you some money in the long run) can be really appealing!

As one of the most popular home improvement projects in the country, bathroom remodels are an investment that you’ll enjoy all year round, and in many cases, one that returns a large portion of its cost in added value to your property!

Give Custom Edge a call – we can assist with ideas for your bathroom remodel as well as give you a free quote on your project (734) 397-1200.

Hi Doug, Where do you get your supplies for the jobs you do? 

 Greg:

Our suppliers will vary depending on the type of project and whether it is residential or commercial.  Here is a sample of suppliers we would use on a residential basement finish:

1. Lowe’s – general building materials 
2. Jeldwyn – windows
3. Wellcraft – egress system
4. Shenandoah – cabinets
5. Custom Stone Works – granite
6. Kohler – bathroom and kitchen fixtures
7. Sherwin-Williams – paint
8. Beaver – tile
9. Shaw – carpeting

Thanks for stopping by!

Doug

The renovation was a success and we had a great open house on April 13!  Here are some of the highlights (to see pictures bigger, just ‘hover’ the cursor over the picture):

Family Room

   Fireplace Before:                                    Fireplace After:

False beams and popcorn ceiling gone; new railing between kitchen and family room:

Kitchen

Before:

After:

Foyer

Before:

After:

Half Bath:

Before:                                                 After:

Laundry Room

The washer drained into the laundry tub previously; the washer now drains directly.

Before:                                                             After:

Flooring

Solid hardwood flooring (bamboo) was installed throughout foyer, living room, dining room, and kitchen.  Ceramic tile was installed in the back hall, including the half bath and laundry room.  All trim, baseboard, doors, hardware, plugs, switches were replaced with new.

Before:                                                                   After:

Exterior

Getting rid of the brown exterior made a huge difference.

Before:

After:

And, of course, a beautiful new front door: 

This is a question from Jeff in Plymouth -

I am going to have my basement remodeled.  The contractor I want to hire told me I should pull the permit, that it will be cheaper and less hassle.  Is that true?

 Here is our answer to Jeff:

 Don’t hire that contractor!  The reason he wants you to pull the permit is that either he is not licensed or his license is not in good standing.  Do you want someone like that working in your home?  David Ness Jr put it very accurately when he said “if you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait till you hire an amateur!”

So you need to have some electrical work done and you have a friend that knows someone that has done a bit of electrical work.  You have this person give you a price and he gives you a great price and you are excited to have the work done at a really low price.  You ask him if he will be pulling a permit and he says not to worry, that would just cost you more, and you don’t need one.

 Beware, beware, beware.  Do you want to entrust your home with someone clearly unlicensed and therefore uninsured?  Keep in mind that if a fire results from work done by someone uninsured and you try to get your insurance company to cover it, they will likely discover that work was done and deny coverage, and then what will you have saved?

 When you require that a contractor pull a permit, the City or Township will verify the contractor’s license for you.  Further, the City or Township will inspect the work to make sure it is in compliance with code.  In addition, you need to make sure the contractor’s insurance is current – just because the contractor is licensed does not mean his or her insurance is up to date.

 Verify licensing, check insurance, and call on references…………………..always.

Be wary of offers of financing that seem too good to be true.  If a contractor offers to arrange financing for your home repair project, take the time to look for financing yourself as well.  You may find better terms from your own bank or a regular lender.  Some shady contractors may try to get you to sign loan papers that are actually a mortgage against your home.  Also, certain financing arrangements may pay the contractor in full before the work even begins – the contractor could take the money and disappear before the job is finished.

Homeowners, beware of the following warning signs:

• Offers of reduced pricing because the contractor is in the neighborhood for a limited time only
• “Percentage off” reductions in pricing without stating what the original price is
• No street address or published company name, just a post office box or cellular number
• A refusal to give a written estimate or contract
• Accepts only cash payments

When you need work done to your home, choose a contractor carefully.  Choosing a contractor based on price alone can turn your proposed dream project into a nightmare.