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Thank you for visiting our remodeling contractors website.

   Our remodeling contractors estimate general contractor website is designed exclusively for the homeowner and/or renter to get their job done efficiently and in a timely manner.

  We are dedicated to giving you an easy estimate request form for your remodeling project and following up with prompt and courteous service. We believe that between the customers request and our contractors skill your home improvement project will be a wonderful and delightful experience.

  Fill out the easy form and give us an idea of the project you wish to complete and you will receive an estimate from a qualified and licensed contractor. The benefit of a licensed contractor gives you assurance that your project is in capable hands and the job will be done right from start to finish.



Bathroom Trivia

A bathroom is a room that may have different functions depending on the cultural context it is used in.

In its literal sense it means 'a room with a bath', but as bathtubs have partly made way for showers and steam showers, the more general sense of 'a room where one bathes' makes more sense. There can be just a shower or just a bathtub or both, sometimes combined and sometimes separate (in which case the bathtub may have a second shower). Usually, it also contains a handbasin or sink and often also a toilet. In the USA, 'bathroom' commonly means 'a room containing a toilet' (in other countries this is usually called 'toilet' or alternatively 'water closet' (or 'WC'), or 'lavatory'). For this interpretation of the word see bathroom (American). If a bathroom facility is attached to a bedroom it is often known as an en-suite or if it's attached to a master bedroom it's known as a master bathroom.

A half (1/2) bath contains a toilet and a handbasin (lavatory). A 3/4 bath contains a toilet, a handbasin (lavatory) and a shower. A full bath contains a toilet, a handbasin (lavatory) and a bathtub.

  For information and articles about contractor laws and licensing we have included a link for your convenience. To find out more, simply click on the corresponding state you wish to obtain information from. - Home improvement contractor info

Additional information and resources:

Read Home Decorating Articles - We have included a great resource link for you to get ideas about designing to compliment any home improvement project. The link will open in a new window so you may keep our estimate form open for easy access.

Find Decorating Pictures - Finally...a source for interior decorating and gardening pictures! A giant selection of home and garden, and interior decorating from a great website that will give you many ideas about updating your home with an array of well thought ideas. Link opens in new window so you may return for an estimate.




Design considerations

The design of a bathroom must account for the use of both hot and cold water, in significant quantities, for cleaning the human body. Disposal of the water usually leads to a sewer or septic tank. Water may be splashed on the walls and floor and hot humid air may cause condensation on cold surfaces. From a decorating point of view the bathroom presents a challenge. Ceiling, wall and floor materials and coverings should be impervious to water and readily and easily cleaned. The use of ceramic or glass, as well as smooth plastic materials, is common in bathrooms for their ease of cleaning. However, such surfaces are often cold to the touch and so water-resistant bath mats or even bathroom carpets may be used on the floor to make the room more comfortable. Alternatively, the floor may be heated, possibly by startegically placing heater conduits close to the surface.

Electrical appliances, such as lights, heaters and heated towel rails generally need to be installed as fixtures, with permanent connections rather than plugs and sockets. This minimises the risk of electric shock. Ground-fault circuit interruptor electrical sockets can reduce the risk of electric shock, and are required for bathroom socket installation by electrical and building codes in the United States and Canada. In some countries, such as the UK, only special sockets suitable for electric shavers are permitted in bathrooms, and are labelled as such.

Bathrooms can also be a source of decorative inspiration. One can easily decorate the bathroom by choosing shower curtains or cubicles to match a theme.




Home Improvement Information

Fixer-Uppers: What To Fix


You've bought a house, a fixer-upper you can make some money on. What improvements and repairs should you make? First of all, you need to know this before you buy, as I explained in another article. Before and after you buy, though, you need to have some simple rules with which to start analyzing possible fixes.

Return On Investment

A young couple was very disappointed when I told them there house was worth $110,000. "We just put $40,000 into remodeling the kitchen!" they told me. I looked at the kitchen. It was nice. They had added $10,000 in value to the house by spending $40,000. This is a classic example of a bad return on investment.

With fixer-uppers, you have do things which give the most "bang for the buck." Aim for a three-to-one return on improvements. If you're going to resurface the driveway for $1000, it better raise the value of the home by $3,000. Even when you're just guessing, keep this three-to-one formula in your head, if you want to invest safely.

How To Fix A Fixer-Upper

With things like new curtains, you can't really estimate the increase in value. What you can do, though, is group together the many small repairs and improvements you are considering, and imagine how the house will look when you are done. Then you can estimate whether you will have increased the value enough to justify the cost.

It often is in the small details that you'll get the best return on investment, so look at these first. A new mailbox, flowers on the porch, a raked yard and trimmed trees - $30 total if you do the work yourself - can make a big difference in the first impression potential buyers have. First impressions are important.

Other small investments that pay big include shiny new switch covers (less than $1 each), shelves, a birdhouse, new doorknobs, new light fixtures, curtains, new rocks or wood chips on outdoor paths, new faucets, new woodstain on decks, and general cleaning. Stand in front of the house and imagine what it might look like with various small improvements (flowers, wood-rail fence, birdbath, etc.).

The Big Fixes

Obviously, there are things that just have to be repaired. The basic systems must function. Improvements, though, should be subject to the three-to-one rule. You may have to get creative here. An investor friend of mine once had a wall put up, and for less than $1000 created a new bedroom, probably raising the value of the house by $8,000. Now that's a good return on investment.

Bathrooms and kitchens are important. A $1000 updating of a bathroom can add $4000 in value to a home. Spend $2000 wisely in the kitchen (New fridge, re-finish the cupboards, add a garbage disposal, etc.), and you can add $8000 to the sales price of the house. Look for changes which are most universally valued (don't paint the kitchen pink because YOU like that color), and be sure you get a decent return on investment.

Depending on the fixer-upper, there are many potential improvements that can be worth doing. These include adding a carport, new doors, fences, gazebos, sheds, painting, carpet, benches, a new closet, a new toilet, a new stove, a shower/tub surround, and trees or bushes. The bottom line is the bottom line: be sure anything you do returns more than you spend, preferably three times as much.

Steve Gillman has invested real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com


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