Have you ever been turned down by a remodeling company or a tradesperson? You may have been rejected, but a savvy contractor’s manner of turning down clients may be so artful that you don’t even realize it happened. All you know is that you’re calling other companies. First, why would a potential client be rejected…
One of my favorite remodeling journalists of all time, Leah Thayer, has launched a new enterprise called Daily 5 Remodel. If you sign up, you get an email every weekday morning with all the news about the industry. Each day has a pertinent and perceptive news feed that looks like this: Morning! It’s the “all’s…
If you want to remodel like a pro, I suggest you do what the pros do. For inspiration, many professional contractors hang out at the online forums of JLCOnline. This is the website of the highly respected Journal of Light Construction. To participate in the forums, you have to be a professional contractor. However, DIYers…
If you live in a house older than 1978, there’s a chance it contains paint with lead in it. Now don’t freak out. Even though lead when ingested or inhaled can cause brain damage, the paint itself is not dangerous unless it’s chipping off or is turned into dust by sanding and cutting. In a…
The other day, a little girl’s doctor told her parents their child’s blood-lead level was elevated. It wasn’t yet at the 10 micrograms per deciliter that is considered dangerous. But at 6 micrograms per deciliter, it was moving in that direction. And her dad freaked out. Why? See how lead blood levels are tested The…
According to a story on CNN.com, the Internet is a bounty for those ready to remodel. You can find help and information in many areas, including: • Finding a contractor (check out Franklin-Report.com and Angieslist.com) • Checking on a contractor’s credit rating, license and insurance (contractorcheck.com) • Ordering supplies (HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com, eFaucets.com, TileShop.com, and so on) • Check online for takeout…
Own an older home? Beginning April 22, only contractors who have been trained in safe handling of lead-contaminated paint dust can legally work on your home. And that’s a good thing for you. If you’ve been keeping up with contractor-type news, you know that contractors are not happy at all with a soon-to-be enforced EPA…
Planning to remodel? Unless your home is fairly new, only renovators certified to handle lead will soon be legally allowed to do the work. The problem: Many are not yet ready. The EPA is slated to enact a rule April 22 that will require remodelers who work on homes built before 1978, when lead paint…
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is an organization that helps raise the professionalism of remodeling contractors. So what does this have to do with homeowners? NARI holds a competition each year called the CotY Awards, or Contractor of the Year. Winners are chosen in a variety of categories, like Best Residential Kitchen Under $40,000 and Best…