5 Tips to Improve Indoor-Outdoor Flow

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Wouldn’t you love to double the size of your house for the holidays, or when you’re entertaining a large groups of friends? And when the party is over and all the guests have gone home, have your nice, cozy house back just like that?

It doesn’t make sense to maintain a large entertaining space that gets used only a couple of times a year. That’s why it’s so practical to have a functional and efficient indoor-outdoor space.

Modern Outdoor Spaces: Blurring the Lines Between Indoors and Outdoors

Having a well-designed outdoor area adjacent to your main entertaining rooms is a great way to get more space when needed and to add value to your home. The indoor-outdoor concept is not a new idea, but when you combine it with an open floor plan, you can create a large entertaining area that your guests will savor.

Here are some tips to make sure you get the most out of your indoor-outdoor design.

Dawna Jones Design, original photo on Houzz

Create a big opening. Don’t be afraid to invest in big openings between your indoor and outdoor spaces. Large pocket or accordion doors are a great way to blur the visual barriers between the two areas. When weather permits, you can open up the exterior wall and instantly double the floor space.

IndoorOutdoor 2: Giulietti Schouten Architects, original photo on Houzz

Keep it covered. It’s always best to have a combination of covered and uncovered outdoor spaces — but be sure to provide a covered entertaining area if at all possible. Essentially, you’ll be creating a series of outdoor rooms that will give you a sense of place without taking away from the fact that you’re outdoors.

Browse Thousands of Outdoor Umbrellas

JMA (Jim Murphy and Associates), original photo on Houzz

Make it level. The goal is to remove any visual or physical barriers between the two spaces — including any changes in floor level. Making sure your indoor and outdoor spaces are on the same plane assures they’ll function as one space when needed.

IndoorOutdoor 4: Horst Architects, original photo on Houzz

Create floor flow. Choosing a flooring material that works well inside and out is another great way to make the two spaces feel connected.

Hire a Flooring Professional

Take advantage of the view. There is nothing more impressive than a large, open space that takes advantage of an incredible view. Make sure you orient your interior to look at the vista through the adjacent outdoor space. This way you’ll get to enjoy the view from both inside and outside the house.

The truth is, great design is less about the way your house looks (although it should look remarkable), and more about how it functions. A well-designed house will work better, cost less to build, be more efficient to run and maintain, and get you more for less.

IndoorOutdoor 5: GM Construction, Inc., original photo on Houzz

Great design doesn’t cost more to build than good design, but it sure feels a million times better to live in.

By Dylan Chappell, Houzz

The post 5 Tips to Improve Indoor-Outdoor Flow appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

A Home Addition: What to Consider Before Starting to Build

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Adding on to your current home may be your best bet if you’re short on space, but you don’t want to move or can’t find another house in the area with all the qualities you’re seeking. It’s also an attractive option if the house you have is lacking just one significant element (a family room, another bedroom, a larger kitchen, a separate apartment, etc.).

On the other hand, even a modest addition can turn into a major construction project, with architects and contractors to manage, construction workers traipsing through your home, hammers pounding, and sawdust everywhere. And although new additions can be a very good investment, the cost per-square-foot is typically more than building a new home, and much more than buying a larger existing home.

Define your needs

To determine if an addition makes sense for your particular situation, start by defining exactly what it is you want and need. By focusing on core needs, you won’t get carried away with a wish list that can push the project out of reach financially.

If it’s a matter of needing more space, be specific. For example, instead of just jotting down “more kitchen space,” figure out just how much more space is going to make the difference, e.g., “150 square feet of floor space and six additional feet of counter space.”

If the addition will be for aging parents, consult with their doctors or an age-in-place expert to define exactly what they’ll require for living conditions, both now and over the next five to ten years.

Types of additions

Bump-out addition—“Bumping out” one or more walls to make a first floor room slightly larger is something most homeowners think about at one time or another. However, when you consider the work required, and the limited amount of space created, it often figures to be one of your most expensive approaches.

First floor addition—Adding a whole new room (or rooms) to the first floor of your home is one of the most common ways to add a family room, apartment or sun room. But this approach can also take away yard space.

Dormer addition—For homes with steep roof-lines, adding an upper floor dormer may be all that’s needed to transform an awkward space with limited headroom. The cost is affordable and, when done well, a dormer can also improve the curb-appeal of your house.

Second-story addition—For homes without an upper floor, adding a second story can double the size of the house without reducing surrounding yard space.

Garage addition—Building above the garage is ideal for a space that requires more privacy, such as a rentable apartment, a teen’s bedroom, guest bedroom, guest quarters, or a family bonus room.

Permits required

You’ll need a building permit to construct an addition—which will require professional blueprints. Your local building department will not only want to make sure that the addition adheres to the latest building codes, but also ensure it isn’t too tall for the neighborhood or positioned too close to the property line. Some building departments will also want to ask your neighbors for their input before giving you the go-ahead.

Requirements for a legal apartment

While the idea of having a renter that provides an additional stream of revenue may be enticing, the realities of building and renting a legal add-on apartment can be sobering. Among the things you’ll need to consider:

  • Special permitting—Some communities don’t like the idea of “mother-in-law” units and therefore have regulations against it, or zone-approval requirements.
  • Separate utilities—In many cities, you can’t charge a tenant for heat, electricity, and water unless utilities are separated from the rest of the house (and separately controlled by the tenant).
  • ADU Requirements—When building an “accessory dwelling unit” (the formal name for a second dwelling located on a property where a primary residence already exists), building codes often contain special requirements regarding emergency exists, windows, ceiling height, off-street parking spaces, the location of main entrances, the number of bedrooms, and more.

In addition, renters have special rights while landlords have added responsibilities. You’ll need to learn those rights and responsibilities and be prepared to adhere to them.

Average costs

The cost to construct an addition depends on a wide variety of factors, such as the quality of materials used, the laborers doing the work, the type of addition and its size, the age of your house and its current condition. For ballpark purposes, however, you can figure on spending about $200 per square foot if your home is located in a more expensive real estate area, or about $100 per foot in a lower-priced market.

You might be wondering how much of that money might the project return if you were to sell the home a couple years later? The answer to that question depends on the aforementioned details; but the average “recoup” rate for a family-room addition is typically more than 80 percent.

The bottom line

While you should certainly research the existing-home marketplace before hiring an architect to map out the plans, building an addition onto your current home can be a great way to expand your living quarters, customize your home, and remain in the same neighborhood.

The post A Home Addition: What to Consider Before Starting to Build appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

3 Garden Alternatives for a Patchy Lawn

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I’ve met with more than one client while standing on a struggling lawn. “I keep trying,” they tell me, “but the grass won’t grow.” I tell them that maybe this means there’s another option, something even better than a lawn. Maybe it’s time for a garden. And it’s as if I’d just told them the secret to eternal happiness and long life.

Still Have Hope for Greener Grass? Ask a Lawn Professional

Don’t keep tossing grass seed on your bare lawn. Instead, put a garden there, or at least plant something that has a better chance of surviving. Here are three situations where a languishing lawn may call for a new vision — a self-supporting garden that wildlife will love to call home.

BE Landscape Design, original photo on Houzz

1. Blazing sun. Whether it’s out in the open on a flat grade, on a slope or atop a hill, lawn just never does well in hot sunshine. It burns away each August, opening up holes for advantageous weeds to move in.

You could seed or plant drought-tolerant native grasses like sideoats grama and blue grama (Bouteloua curtipendula and B. gracilis) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). Or try sedges like shortbeak and Bicknell’s (Carex brevior and C. bicknellii). And while you’re at it, get some flowers. If it’s a larger area, think self-sowers like upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and skyblue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense). For smaller areas, ‘October Skies’ aromatic aster (S. oblongifolium ‘October Skies’) works well, along with pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), purple and white prairie clover (Dalea purpurea and D. candida), many species of Baptisia, and more.

Try to create a base layer of sedges and grasses that will work to mulch and cool the soil, adding clumps or drifts of flowers among them for seasonal interest and pollinator action.

Attract Pollinators for a Productive Edible Garden

Anne Roberts Gardens, Inc., original photo on Houzz

2. Ponding water. After a heavy — or even moderate — rain, water may collect in an area of your lawn, drowning grass for days or even weeks. When that water finally vanishes, you’re left with barren soil that’s both unsightly and open to weed invasion.

This sounds like an area where rain garden plants may work. These are the plants that thrive in the boom-bust cycle of spring and fall flooding with dry summers. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum), Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), muskingum sedge and fox sedge (Carex muskingumensis and C. vulpinoidea), New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), queen of the prairie (Filipendula rubra), white turtlehead (Chelone glabra), and Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum) are all good options.

If it’s a large area and you want privacy, a shrub hedgerow is an option. Plant redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea), red or black chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia and A. melanocarpa), or elderberry (Sambuca sp.) — they will slowly sucker to form a massive bird and native bee habitat.

Sisson Landscapes, original photo on Houzz

3. Dark or dappled shade beneath a tree. Trees are great: They cool homes, clean the air and provide for so much wildlife. Oaks (Quercus spp.), maples (Acer spp.), elms (Ulmus spp.) and willows (Salix spp.) are near the top in serving a diversity of pollinators and other insects, specifically, that use the leaves and blooms at different life stages. But grass doesn’t often grow underneath these tall trees — mostly because they cast dense shade.

If you have rich, moist to medium soil, there are many spring ephemerals to choose from: Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), trillium (Trillium spp.), shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia), yellow trout-lily (Erythronium rostratum) and Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica).

For gardeners with dry clay soil, early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum), zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), calico aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum) and wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) are solid choices. Sprengel’s sedge (Carex sprengelii) is a grass-like option.

If you don’t want a large bed of strictly plants, weave a path of mulch or stepping stones through. Place a chair or two, a hammock, or a potting bench.

The Philbin Group Landscape Architecture, original photo on Houzz

It’s always important to carefully research the plants before you buy them to make sure that they suit your conditions. Clay soil is different from sand or rocky loam, and while some plants may do well in several kinds of soil and light conditions, others won’t. You may also prefer plants that create short drifts rather than tall ones, or vice versa, or clumping plants instead of aggressive spreaders.

When you take the time to carefully match the plant to the site and your region, you’re setting yourself up for more success and beauty with less maintenance — unlike sowing grass seed over the same area year after year.

By Benjamin Vogt, Houzz

The post 3 Garden Alternatives for a Patchy Lawn appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

6 Alternative Flooring Solutions to Refresh Your Home

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Feeling ho-hum about classic hardwood floors? Here are six alternative floor solutions that can give any room in your house a fresh sense of personality, whether you’re starting from scratch or looking for an inexpensive DIY update.

1. Rubber. Often associated with commercial interiors, industrial rubber flooring can also be a sleek and smart solution for homes. Rubber is comfortable to stand on, easy to clean and durable enough to take on plenty of mess and abuse — great for an entry, a mudroom or a laundry room. From a style perspective, it gives a room a hint of an industrial edge, but in warm muted tones that still create an inviting air.

In a kitchen, a rubber floor is a chef’s dream, as it cushions the feet while the cook is standing to reduce fatigue. Plus, the textural surface reduces slipping hazards from spills and is very child-friendly.

7 Kitchen Flooring Materials to Boost Your Cooking Comfort

DHV Architects, original photo on Houzz

Want a rubber floor with a less industrial vibe? Choose sheets or tiles of rubber with a flat surface dyed to various hues that draw from the tones in stone tile. You wouldn’t guess this floor is rubber by looking at it, but your feet would be able to tell.

Cost: Rubber flooring can be extremely inexpensive but, in general, quality materials start at $12 per square foot. Anything below that would probably be of a quality that wouldn’t look appropriate inside a home.

Green Goods, original photo on Houzz

2. Bamboo. Bamboo flooring is similar to wood flooring in many ways, but it imparts a Zen flair that can add a sense of peace to a room. And it is typically more moisture-resistant and hard-wearing than wood.

It should be noted that not every bamboo product is equally environmentally conscious. For one thing, shipping products from overseas can quickly make up for any carbon-footprint cost saved during production. However, if you are looking for a durable natural floor that’s sustainably grown, bamboo is a great option to consider.

It’s also worth noting that bamboo flooring can come in quite a variety of styles. A higher-contrast grain and stain can create an exotic look, for an effect that is playful and energetic rather than soft and tranquil.

If you love the look of walnut or zebrawood, bamboo can recreate that vibe with a stronger surface, and without cutting down any rare trees.

Keep in mind that the stains and adhesives involved in bamboo flooring can off-gas with an unpleasant odor, so those who are sensitive to chemicals may want to avoid the space immediately following an installation, or look at traditional hardwoods instead.

Cost: Bamboo is generally comparable in price to hardwoods, running about $2 to $8 per square foot.

3. Parquet. Everything old is new again, and while some homeowners (and many renters) are wishing away their parquet floors, others are installing them anew. These patterned wood floors add a sense of life and richness to a home, bringing visual interest and a sense of dynamic energy that typical straight-laid planks can’t match.

Installing wood in a parquet pattern also gives a lot more character to inexpensive local woods that might not have an exciting grain. For a patient DIYer, a parquet floor gives a high-fashion look with a much lower price tag than some other choices.

Arnold Ziffel, original photo on Houzz

To give a classic block parquet layout a modern twist, use an oversized pattern in squares 12 inches or bigger. And, yes, a warm honey or orange tinted stain is back as well, especially mixed with classic modern furnishings in deep rich tones like chocolate, ruddy tan or espresso or crisp, airy whites.

Cost: Installation fees may be a bit higher than for straight-laid flooring, but the material cost can be as low as a few dollars per square foot.

See These Styles at Your Local Showroom

ABRAMS, original photo on Houzz

4. Painted. Think painted wood floors are only for cottages? As with walls, painting a floor can create as many different moods and effects as there are colors of paint. And if you choose a paint in a durable finish, it will hold up just as well as your wall paint does.

For a contemporary interior, consider a painted floor in a simple, natural hue like a muted beige or an off-white, and mix it with anything from antiques to midcentury classics or hip, trendy pieces.

You can kick up the style of a painted floor another notch by creating patterned effects that echo stone inlays, without that thousands-of-dollars investment. With a little painter’s tape and patience, this can be another great DIY approach to getting high style at home without ripping out your existing wood.

For those who do prefer a relaxed cottage air, a muted color adds a lot of charm, much like an accent wall, only underfoot. Try pale blue for a semi-neutral that will work with neutrals or other colors without clashing.

Cost: Paint and a top coat will cost a few dollars per square foot, and can be applied to existing flooring (with some good sanding and prep) or to inexpensive wood planks for a new installation.

Christian Gladu Design, original photo on Houzz

5. Concrete. Concrete floors may sound like the domain of cold, minimalist works of architecture, but they can actually come in many forms to suit various tastes and personalities. Like wood, concrete can be stained (or tinted), allowing the material to feel quite warm and human in a way that beautifully suits transitional or traditional spaces.

Why choose concrete? Well, you can imagine that if the material can handle the wear and tear in an auto factory or warehouse, it can easily handle pets, children and sharp heels.

For an added seal and a gloss effect, concrete is sometimes finished with a coat of resin. This gallery-like look typically comes with a gallery price tag, but for those who enjoy a modern atmosphere with a perfect polish, this look is definitely photoshoot-ready.

It should be noted that concrete does not retain heat well, and thus can be chilly without a heated floor system, but extremely cozy with one installed.

Cost: With heated floors and a sleek finish, the cost can definitely add up. Your budget could range from $2 to $20 per square foot and beyond.

6. Cork. Cork flooring, like bamboo, can be developed very sustainably, making many cork products a smart choice for those hoping to reduce their environmental impact.

In the case of cork, the finish is very important to determining how water-resistant the product will be. However, cork has natural springiness that makes it feel extra comfortable (a little like rubber) and makes it resistant to dents and dings. Plus, it has a unique visual texture that’s a little like wood’s but with a twist, for a very livable sense of flair.

KCS Design, original photo on Houzz

More Living Room Designs

Cork works beautifully for sleek modern spaces or contemporary ones, as it has a natural softness that gives it a friendly vibe. If you’re considering using carpet in some rooms and wood in others, consider cork for the entire home, and get the best of both worlds along with a sense of harmony.

Cost: Cork ranges from $3 to $8 per square foot, but keep in mind that some products may require an additional sealant to hold up to moisture and possible stains.

By Yanic Simard, Houzz

The post 6 Alternative Flooring Solutions to Refresh Your Home appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

25 Ways to Make the Most of Small Spaces

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Suburban homes—with their large spaces, big yards, and separate bedrooms for every child—will always be popular with families, especially families of four or more. But there’s also a contingent today that’s eager to live in a dense urban setting: a high-rise condominium in the downtown core, a small home in an urban neighborhood, a small apartment, or even a shared housing arrangement. For those people, designing, furnishing, and organizing these living spaces will require a very different approach.

Urban living spaces are usually much smaller than suburban homes, which means, if you use traditional furnishing and space-planning techniques, you’re bound to be frustrated by the outcome. But with a little planning and creativity, you can create a fully functional space that belies its size.

Small-space planning ideas

  • Start with the biggest, most important piece in each room (the sofa, the dining room table, the bathroom sink, etc.), then plan the rest of the space around that item.
  • Focus on the needs of those who will be living in the home full-time. Leave any accommodations for guests until later.
  • Work to make every space multifunctional (e.g., a kitchen island that can also be used for eating; a home office that can also function as a TV room and/or guest room).
  • Look for any opportunity to increase the amount of sunlight. Install glass doors and skylights, and leave windows unobstructed.
  • The fewer walls separating spaces, the more open and spacious it will appear.
  • Traditional staircases are an inefficient use of space. If you’re designing from the ground up, consider a spiral staircase instead.
  • Light paint colors (especially white) will make a room look more spacious. The combination of light walls with a dark floor will magnify the effect even more. Consider painting one wall a contrasting color to create a stylish focal point.

Furnishing solutions for small spaces

  • Your furnishings should be small mobile and, when possible, stackable. That way, spaces can be quickly reorganized to suit different situations.
  • Furnishings that blend with the colors of your walls or floors (or are transparent) will make the space appear less cluttered. To add personality and warmth, accentuate with colorful throw pillows and rich fabrics.
  • If you keep most furnishings against the walls, traffic flow will be improved, and it will make rooms feel larger.
  • Furnishings that hang from the walls or have legs will also create the illusion of more space.
  • In many cases, bench seating is better than individual chairs, because benches can accommodate more people and can be used as side tables when no one is sitting on them.
  • Instead of a coffee table, consider small side tables. Instead of a full-size sofa, try a three-seat version, or even a love seat (just two cushions).
  • A large, wall-mounted mirror will make the space appear larger.
  • An open-sided bookshelf can do double-duty as an interesting room divider. Leaving it half empty will allow natural light to shine through.
  • A table on wheels is good for the kitchen. Use it as an island in the center of the kitchen or roll it to the side and use is as a side counter.
  • Consider using an under-counter refrigerator, together with an under-counter freezer, instead of one large, freestanding unit.
  • In small spaces, there is no room for furnishings you don’t love. If something isn’t getting used much, or if you don’t really care for it, get rid of it.

Organizing small spaces

  • The best furnishings are those that include storage space (a dining room table with drawers; an ottoman with a hollow interior; a bed that sits on a storage unit).
  • Bookshelves and other wall-storage systems should be thin and as tall as possible to maximize storage while minimizing the amount of floor space used.
  • Storage pieces with doors keep small rooms from looking cluttered and unkempt. Even glass doors can help achieve this effect.
  • Remove food goods from their air-filled boxes and bags and store them in space-saving, stackable containers.
  • Store larger things (like a vacuum cleaner, electronics, etc.) behind a free-standing decorative screen.
  • A professionally designed closet storage system can double, and even triple, the space for your clothes. Removing the door(s) to the closet will ease access.
  • Wall-mounted hooks are ideal for coats and much more. Pot racks are great for freeing up valuable cabinet storage space in the kitchen.

Many people think you need to sacrifice in order to live in a small space. But with these suggestions, you can simply adapt and enjoy your home to the fullest.

The post 25 Ways to Make the Most of Small Spaces appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

How Long Is Your Contractor Liable?

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Constructing or remodeling a home is a complex, expensive endeavor. Ideally, everything goes as planned, and when the dust clears, the homeowner can settle in and enjoy the new home — and never think about the building process again.

But what happens when, nine months after the owner moves in, the floor develops a crack, the dishwasher begins to leak or the shower water won’t run hot? Or when these things happen three years later? It’s time to refer to an all-important piece of the contract: the warranty.

How to Hire a Contractor

Janet Paik, original photo on Houzz

What Is a Warranty?

The purpose of a warranty is to protect both the homeowner and the builder — homeowners from shoddy work with no recourse; builders from being liable for projects for the rest of their lives.

A warranty may be included in a contract, or it may not be since it’s not required. There is no standard length of time for one. Rather, a warranty is a negotiable portion of the overall agreement (contract) between a homeowner and a contractor.

The laws that relate to warranties are somewhat vague and vary by state, so the advantage of having one as part of the contract is that everything can be clearly spelled out. However, by agreeing to a particular warranty without understanding its finer points, owners may inadvertently limit the protections they would have otherwise had under the law.

“A warranty describes the problems and remedies for which the builder will be responsible after completion of the project, as well as the duration of the warranty and the mechanism for addressing disputes,” says David Jaffe, vice president of legal advocacy at the National Association of Home Builders.

At least in the ideal case.

Janet Paik, original photo on Houzz

The Law Governing Warranties

Before homeowners agree to a particular warranty as part of their contract, it’s important to understand what protections they already have under the law. In the U.S., we have a legal concept of an implied warranty — which is a warranty that does not have to be spelled out in the contract but is simply understood to exist thanks to the law. There are two important implied warranties when it comes to home construction.

The first is the implied warranty of good workmanship, which is the reasonable expectation that a home will be built in a workmanlike manner. The second is the implied warranty of habitability, which is the reasonable expectation that the home will be safe to inhabit.

The implied warranties, however, have limits in the form of statutes of limitation and statutes of repose, which essentially are time clocks that determine for how long a homeowner may sue a contractor.

Statutes of limitation in each state dictate how long an owner can invoke various types of legal claims — for example, a breach of contract claim.

Statutes of repose apply specifically to construction projects, and set the time for which builders and designers are liable for their product. These also vary by state. In California, the statute of repose is four years for most defects, but 10 years for latentdefects (those that aren’t observable right away, such as a faulty foundation). In Georgia, the statute of repose is eight years for all claims related to design or construction of the building.

Finally, most states also have a right to repair law, which means that before homeowners can sue a contractor, they need to notify the contractor of the problem and give him or her a chance to come see it and repair it.

To find out what the laws are in your state, simply do an online search for “statute of repose” and “right to repair” in your state.

Janet Paik, original photo on Houzz

The One-Year Warranty

The key thing to understand about warranties is that many builders offer their own warranty in lieu of the implied warranty. Additionally, many contracts specify that homeowners are giving up their rights to the implied warranty by agreeing to the builder’s express warranty. Also, builders will “often try to shorten statutes of limitation and statutes of repose. Some states allow you to do that. Others don’t,” says Anthony Lehman, an Atlanta attorney who advises homeowners.

Though there is no industry-wide standard, many residential contractors have adopted a one-year warranty for their contracts. The practice likely trickled down from commercial construction, where a callback warranty is typical. A callback warranty means that within one year, a building owner has the right to call back the contractor and expect him or her to repair work, Lehman says.

The downside for homeowners who agree to a one-year warranty is that they likely trade away their right to the implied warranty, and they may also agree to limit the time they have to discover a defect and sue. Obviously, this is a plus for builders because it limits their risk.

But there is no real reason a homeowner has to accept a one-year warranty simply because that’s the builder’s first offer. “It’s a negotiated point, and people can negotiate warranties that are broader — and they often do,” says Robert C. Procter, outside general counsel for the Wisconsin Builders Association. “If you don’t ask for more, you won’t get more.”

Janet Paik, original photo on Houzz

Pros and Cons of a Builder’s Warranty

Though a one-year warranty may seem like a poor deal for a homeowner, a contract with details spelled out does provide an upside: some degree of clarity in the process. Ideally, a warranty includes not only the time period that the warranty covers, but also the standards by which various materials will be evaluated, and the steps to follow when a problem arises.

In a minority of states, the legislature has codified what a warranty is and how long it lasts for a variety of materials, Jaffe says. They are California, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. If you live in one of these states, you can refer to the state-set standards.

If you do not, one option is to refer to the NAHB’s publication Residential Construction Performance Guidelines. “It’s broken down by categories within the home: foundations, exterior, interior, roofing, plumbing,” Jaffe says. “If there’s an issue that comes up, you look in this publication, and it tells you what the observation is — what’s the problem.” The guide then spells out what the corrective measure — if any — should be.

If you decide to use this guide as the standards by which problems will be judged, be sure you read it first and are comfortable with its terms. Sometimes having the terms spelled out is simpler than relying on the implied warranty because the implied warranty is so vague.

“The implied warranty doesn’t have a fixed time; it’s a reasonable period of time,” says Jaffe, of the NAHB. “If you’re a homeowner, and you call your builder up in year five and say, ‘There’s a crack here, and I think you should come out and fix it because it’s a defect,’ well, at that point, it may or may not be related to something that the builder did or didn’t do. Is it a defect? Who is going to make that determination? What is the fix? Who is responsible for it?”

Relying on the implied warranty means that these sorts of questions would need to be resolved in court if the parties aren’t willing to, or can’t, come to an agreement on their own. Open for debate is whether an item is a warranty item, and for how long it’s covered. Having these issues determined in court can be an expensive, time-consuming headache for everyone involved.

Still, some attorneys say owners might be better off with the implied warranty than giving up their rights for a limited one provided by the builder. “You build a house, and you expect it to be there for a long time. The buildings in Europe have been there a long time. The pyramids have been there a long time. The question is how long is it reasonable for you to expect it to last,” says Susan Linden McGreevy, an attorney in Kansas City, Kansas, who specializes in commercial real estate work. “If it has to get before a jury, the contractor has lost already. What I mean is, the jury will always find in favor of a homeowner — unless they’re a real flake.”

TruexCullins Architecture + Interior Design, original photo on Houzz

Going Beyond Warranties

Despite all this talk of legalities, there is an important caveat: Many good builders will continue to be helpful even after their express warranty has passed. Anne Higuera, co-owner of Ventana Construction in Seattle, provides a one-year warranty to her clients. Nonetheless, Ventana has made repairs and fixes even years after the one-year warranty expired. Higuera says the company does so because the builders want good relationships with their customers, and because they feel as though it’s the right thing to do. “Warranty issues come up very rarely if you do things well in the first place,” Higuera says. “Just finding a contractor who does the right thing on the front end helps you avoid issues with warranty.”

More Ways to Protect Yourself

So what should homeowners do if a builder is offering only a one-year warranty? One option is to negotiate for a longer period of time. “You might want to say, ‘I’ll take a one-year warranty for everything except latent defects,’” McGreevey says. (Reminder: Those are the kind that take a long time to discover, such as foundation problems.)

Another option owners have is to ask builders about insurance products. Many builders offer products with an extended warranty — as long as 10 years — that are backed by insurance companies. These are typically paid for by the builder, with the cost passed on to the homeowner.

Third, homeowners would be wise to consult an attorney to make sure that they’re not giving up rights unknowingly. Given that owners are spending thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars on construction, paying for five to 10 hours of an attorney’s time (at $300 per hour, $1,500 to $3,000) to ensure that the contract is sound is probably a good investment. “Would you buy a car for $50,000 and not read any of the financing information?” says Lehman, the Atlanta attorney. “And then people do that for a home construction project.”

Finally, the most important thing is for both contractors and owners to screen each other carefully. “Ninety-eight percent of the homeowner-builder relationships, when there’s a disagreement, most parties reach a reasonable conclusion, even if they’re not 100 percent happy,” says Procter, the Wisconsin attorney. “The contracts matter more when someone is not being reasonable.”

By Erin Carlyle, Houzz

The post How Long Is Your Contractor Liable? appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

How the American Home has Evolved

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Owning a home has been an American tradition from the start. But the home itself has changed dramatically over the years.

For example, you may be surprised to learn how much the size of the average American home has increased since the turn of the 20th century—especially when you compare it to the size of the average family during the same time period.

In the year 1900, the average American family was relatively large with 4.6 members, but the average home featured just 1,000 square feet of usable floor space. By 1979, family size had shrunk to 3.11 members, but the floor space they shared had expanded to 1,660 square feet. And by 2007, the average family size was even smaller still—just 2.6 members—while the average home size had increased by the largest amount yet—this time to 2,521 square feet.

To accommodate those larger homes, property lots have also had to expand in size. In the 1930s and ‘40s, Bungalow homes were usually built on lots measuring 60 by 100 feet (for a total of 6,000 square feet). However, by 1976, the average size of a single-family property lot had expanded to more than 10,000 square feet. In 1990, it expanded again (to 14,680 square feet). Today, the average property lot in America is a staggering 17,590 square feet.

Exterior building materials

Until the 1960s, the building materials used on the exterior of most homes were limited to brick, wood, or wood shingles. However, by the early 1960s, many Americans chose to cover their homes with a more affordable material that was also maintenance-free: aluminum and vinyl siding. Today, many homeowners are using low-maintenance siding materials made of cement fiber.

Interior building materials

The primary building material for interior ceilings and walls for much of the 20th century was plaster applied over wood lathe. Modern day sheetrock didn’t become popular until the 1950s. In the 1960s, wood paneling and textured walls became prevalent, largely for their quick and easy application. In the 1970s and ‘80s, “popcorn ceilings” became a common way to hide imperfections in ceilings. Today’s style again favors smooth walls and ceilings, which can result in a lot of work removing paneling and textures in older homes.

Throughout the early 1900s, the floors throughout most homes were almost always bare wood. Linoleum tile became a popular choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms in the 1940s. However, by the 1960s and 1970s, wall-to-wall carpeting was all the rage—even in bathrooms and some kitchens. Homes today feature a wide array of flooring materials, depending on both the region and the room’s function. For example, tiles are a more popular choice in warm regions than cold ones because they tend to stay cool; wall-to-wall carpeting is still popular in rooms like bedrooms and family rooms, where people like to feel most comfortable, while durable and easy-to-clean hardwoods, tiles and linoleum are more favorable in kitchens and high-traffic areas.

The Kitchen

At the turn of the 20th century, the kitchen was a place where the woman of the house did all the cooking. Kitchens were typically small, closed off from the rest of the house by solid walls, and far more functional than fashionable. Dining took place in the dining room.

Throughout the 1920s and ‘30s, kitchens remained stark workplaces with very few appliances. Food was kept chilled with an icebox (a non-electric, insulated box about the same size as a modern refrigerator that used a block of ice to keep everything cold). However, by 1944, 85 percent of American households had switched from an icebox to a refrigerator.

In the mid 1950s, the kitchen changed dramatically. It not only became larger, it also transformed into the heart of the home, where the whole family gathered to help prepare and even eat meals.

The 1950s also brought a host of kitchen innovations, from the stainless steel sink to electric ovens and stovetops. But the most exciting of all was the dishwasher. The 1970s marked the introduction of the microwave.

Today, the kitchen is still a place where everyone gathers. So it’s not surprising that may people favor open-concept kitchens, with no walls separating them from the dining or family room.

Appliance and amenities

The 1940’s census was the first to ask homeowners about some of the amenities in their homes. The results are startling (though perhaps less so when you consider that this was during the depression): Less than 50 percent of homes had hot water, an indoor toilet or a bath tub; about one in five didn’t have a home phone.

By the 1950s, however, things had changed dramatically for the better. That’s when many Americans got a refrigerator, an electric stove, a dishwasher, and, ah yes, air conditioning. Until then, most homes were cooled with nothing more than a ceiling fan at best.

Thanks to the larger, Ranch-style homes being constructing in the 1950s, walk-in closets also made their introduction. The fabulous ‘50s also ushered in the two-car attached garage.

And let’s not forget the television; it exploded onto the scene in the early 1950s and by 1955, half of all U.S. households had sets. Today, the average home has little less than three TVs.

What hasn’t changed

Despite all these changes, one thing has remained the same: The number one reason why Americans chose to buy a home. According to Dan McCue, research manager at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, “It’s always been seen as the best way to build net worth and equity.”

The post How the American Home has Evolved appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

8 Ways Your Kitchen Renovations Could Break Your Budget

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When you begin planning a kitchen renovation project, you may have no idea how much your ideal vision might cost. The answer will likely depend on several factors, including the size of your space, what you will do to it, and your budget. In the end, the price of a renovation should largely be driven by your own choices.

That said, there are some common reasons kitchen renovations go over the original budget. We asked three kitchen designers to tell us what they most commonly see.

Kitchen Reno 1: Original chart on Houzz

The No. 1 reason that renovation projects (all projects, not just kitchens) go over budget is owners choosing more upscale products and finishes, according to a recent survey of 120,000 registered Houzz users, including 70,000 who renovated in 2015. Nearly half of those who went over their budget cited this as a reason.

About 40 percent of those who busted their budgets said finding out that products or services were more expensive than anticipated was the culprit, according to the survey. Given that this was a such common experience, we’d like to flag some areas where costs can rack up quickly.

Kitchen Reno 2: Santarossa Mosaic & Tile Co Inc, original photo on Houzz

Upgraded Finishes

1. Custom cabinetry. Cabinet costs range widely, largely depending on whether they come from a big-box store or are semi-custom or custom-made. Stock cabinets typically cost $50 per linear foot, while custom cabinetry can run up to $2,000 per linear foot.

The key is to know how much the designs you want might cost before you actually start to renovate. Keep in mind that specialty and custom items usually cost more. For example, it may look beautiful to stretch your upper cabinets to 12 feet to balance out high ceilings. But with this design, “you’ve almost quadrupled the cost because your standard cabinet doesn’t go to 12 feet. Now you’re doing super-custom cabinets,” says Tanner Luster, owner of Luster Custom Homes & Remodeling in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ask your architect, designer or general contractor to advise you on the costs of various options early. If you’re acting as your own general contractor and hiring individual tradespeople directly, you can discuss cost upfront with them before you finalize your plan.

2. Special features. In addition to the external features of cabinets, the innards can increase the cost. Examples of nice-to-have but pricey cabinetry add-ons include a magic corner, where pull-out shelves provide access to a hidden portion of a cabinet that you otherwise couldn’t reach, a knife drawer, or spice or wine racks. “There are so many things you can add to cabinetry. You can add $10,000 or $15,000,” says Matthew Ferrarini of Ferrarini Kitchens, Baths & Interiors in Philadelphia. “Before you know it, your cabinetry costs significantly higher than you want.”

Before committing to a special feature, you may want to consider how much you’ll really use it. That way, you can determine if the added functionality is worth the cost to you.

Kitchen Reno 3: Echelon Custom Homes, original photo on Houzz

3. Countertops. The cost for countertops ranges widely. Plastic laminate countertops are relatively affordable at $8 to $20 per square foot. Quartz and granite typically run much higher, anywhere from $50 to $120 per square foot. “If you haven’t purchased a countertop in 20 years and you go from a laminate to a Cambria or a quartz or a granite,” be sure you look into the cost of the various options, advises Judy Kimble, marketing manager at Gerhard’s Kitchen & Bath Store in Madison, Wisconsin.

4. Appliances. Appliances also range widely in cost, from under $1,000 to several thousand, depending on the make, model and features. Luxury appliances like Wolf and Sub-Zero are priced on the higher end of the range, and brands like GE are more budget. A Sub-Zero refrigerator could cost upward of $7,500, while a basic GE model from Sears could cost under $500. A Miele gas range could run $7,000, and a premium 60-inch model from La Cornue more than twice that. An Asko dishwasher could cost more than $1,000, whereas some LG models sell at just $450.

These prices are examples and not meant to be all-encompassing; the point is that appliances have a huge range. “A Viking range versus a GE Profile could be a $10,000 to $15,000 difference,” Ferrarini says. Kimble, the Wisconsin kitchen store manager who appreciates luxury appliances, says she was once quoted $38,000 for an entire kitchen suite. Do your research and find out what you get for the various cost ranges so that you can determine if the price of the features is worth the expense for your family.

Kitchen Reno 4: Before Photo, original photo on Houzz

Hidden Costs That Can’t Be Avoided

Beyond the costs that the owner controls by selecting finishes and materials are the costs resulting from structural problems that simply must be resolved.

5. Unforeseen structural issues. You might open a wall and find that termites have eaten half the studs. Perhaps once the kitchen flooring is removed, you find that an undetected water leak has rotted the sub floor and floor joists. Or, as shown in this picture from a real Houzzer’s kitchen renovation project, you might discover a faulty ceiling. “Our only unexpected expense was when the kitchen ceiling partially collapsed while our contractor was cutting holes for the can lights,” writes Houzzer Susan Hofer. “Bought the house new 37 years ago and the collapse exposed some very poor construction.”

Such unforeseen issues are good incentives to do pre-project due diligence. Even so, not every problem can be caught ahead of time. Many designers recommend reserving a 20 percent contingency in your kitchen renovation budget for unexpected surprises.

6. Code compliance. Pete Gersdorf, owner of Aim Kitchen and Bath in Des Moines, Iowa, has faced code issues on some kitchen remodels. For example, when a new gas range is a high-BTU unit, a larger gas pipe may need to be installed — which entails opening up the wall and replacing the pipe. He has seen plumbing vent issues when the original sink plumbing was not correctly installed. “We [have] also found ceiling joists or floor joists not built correctly and had to replace them to meet current standards and or codes,” Gersdorf says.

Related: Kitchen of the Week: Connected, Open Oregon Remodel

Kitchen Reno 5: Studio William Hefner, original photo on Houzz

Let’s Just Call It ‘Bloat’

The final category of reasons that kitchen renovations go over budget is basically entirely within your control.

7. Changing your mind. For your contractor to accurately predict the project cost, it’s a good idea to select all your finishes before the construction work starts. “If you haven’t picked them out, invariably it will be more money. Two, it will take more time. And three, it will mess up the schedule — which will also cost more money,” says Anne Higuera, co-owner of Ventana Construction in Seattle, which has worked with more than 250 clients since 2003.

Changing finishes or materials mid-project typically results in a change order, which can slow the timeline and increase the cost. “It might be a configuration of an island countertop we have decided on; they may not like it and want to change it,” says Gersdorf, the kitchen builder in Iowa. “Those things will definitely add to the cost.”

Even when they know making a change will add to the cost, some homeowners will still want to change the plans midway. In fact, this was the third most common reason kitchen budgets got blown, according to the survey of registered Houzzers.

8. Mission creep. This is the term for what happens when your kitchen renovation is looking amazing … and suddenly you decide you want to also redo the trim on the living room and dining room, and put in all new doors. “Suddenly your mission has expanded a little bit,” Gersdorf says. “That’s probably the No. 1 place where we see their budget get blown out more.”

Kitchen Reno 6: Original chart on Houzz

What Does a Typical Kitchen Renovation Cost, Anyway?

While it’s helpful to know some common reasons why kitchen renovation budgets expand, it could also be useful to know how much kitchen renovations typically cost. According to a Houzz survey of nearly 2,500 homeowners who were renovating or had recently renovated their kitchens, about one-third of owners spent between $25,000 and $50,000. Another one-third spent more than $50,000. These are national averages. The cost for you will depend on costs in your area. Typically costs on the coasts are more expensive than in the middle part of the country.

Costs also depend on the type of project, as well as the size of the room. A major kitchen overhaul, which includes at least replacing all the cabinets and appliances, costs about three times as much as a minor, or more superficial, kitchen renovation.

Kitchen Reno 7: Original chart on Houzz

How Often Do Renovation Budgets Get Blown?

Finally, a note about renovation budgeting. If you stay on budget, you will fall among the approximately one-third of Houzzers surveyed who renovated last year (all projects, not just kitchens) who also did. A little less than one-third exceeded their budget. Just 3 percent came in under budget.

By Erin Carlyle, Houzz

The post 8 Ways Your Kitchen Renovations Could Break Your Budget appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

Great Design Element: Why Awnings Are Making a Comeback

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Awnings are a valuable home design element that our grandparents knew all about. In the days before air conditioning, they were used to shade interiors and help keep homes cool. With the focus on sustainable design today, there’s renewed interest in the power of awnings. They block the sun from entering the house and warming it on hot days, and can be removed or retracted during the winter months when you’re craving light and warmth. Depending on the fabric you choose, they can also keep harmful UV rays from damaging your skin and fading your fabrics.

Awnings 1: Flagg Coastal Homes, original photo on Houzz

Window awnings can reduce solar heat gain in the summer by up to 65% on south-facing windows and 77% on west-facing windows, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Besides all of that great money- and energy-saving function, awnings are an aesthetic asset. Colorful materials, stripes and scalloped edges are just a few of the options. Awnings bring softness, pattern, color and nostalgic charm to a home’s facade.

This photo shows awnings at work — you can see the shadows they create and how they’re protecting the interiors and the second-floor balcony area from the sun’s rays. Aesthetically, the stripes break up the white on the home — they are the home’s flirty false eyelashes.

Awnings 2: Christina Karras, original photo on Houzz

The retractable awning is curb appeal gold and transforms a space out front into a shady outdoor room. This style of retractable awning has poles that help support it, but there are other options that don’t require the added support.

Retractable awnings that don’t require support poles have retractable arms to support them. This provides a cleaner look. These can extend up to 14 feet.

Awnings 3: Exteriors by Chad Robert, original photo on Houzz

This style of awning, called a spear awning, adds to the style of the home. The decorative wrought iron rods have finials that pick up on the iron lantern and metal furniture frames on the patio.

These awnings are easily rolled up by hand when inclement weather is expected.(You will need to retract awnings when high winds are predicted. The awning company will let you know how many miles per hour their products can withstand.) There are also motorized versions on the market. Factors to consider when deciding whether to go hand-cranked or motorized include the ease of simply pushing a button versus the increased cost of the product, installation and maintenance.

“The motor is an up-charge and usually adds another $800 to the cost of the awning,” says Sandy Price of PYC Awnings. “The motor comes with a 12-foot cord and a plug, or you have an electrician hard-wire it for you.” (That cost is not included in the $800.) By the way, motorized awnings come with a hand crank in case the power goes out.

Awnings 4: Our Town Plans, original photo on Houzz

This roller shade protects those on the porch from the sun and wind. “It has a cable on each side that passes through rings at the bottom of the shade to keep it from flapping in the wind,” says Suzanne Stern of Our Town Plans. The shade has a crank for rolling it up and down by hand (which you can make out on the left side of this photo if you really squint).

Related: Patio Details: Awning-Covered Patio and Playhouse for a Shared Property

Stern also notes that this solution doesn’t change the look of the column and that the shade can be rolled all the way down below the railing.

Awnings 5: Becky Harris, original photo on Houzz

These valance awnings on a house on Florida’s Marco Island are more decorative than functional. They’re installed across extensive porches and tie into larger retractable awnings used in other spots on the home. “The customer used the Costa Track installation so they wouldn’t see any hardware and did a ceiling-mount installation,” Price says.

By Becky Harris, Houzz

The post Great Design Element: Why Awnings Are Making a Comeback appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.

How to Reduce Noise in an Open-Plan Design

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Open-plan living spaces have many advantages for family life and entertaining, and they increase the opportunity to bring lots of natural light into your home. But they can end up being quite noisy. You may be surprised, however, at how easy it is to reduce sound travel with a few key additions to your furnishings. There are also structural changes you can make if you’re after a more robust fix.

Related: 8 Architectural Tricks to Enhance an Open-Plan Space

1. Dress your windows.

Large areas of glass, such as big windows and glass doors, act as bouncing-off points for sound to travel in an open-plan room. Introducing curtains will help deaden the noise. A sheer fabric works especially well, as it won’t totally block the light or views.

For maximum muffling, curtains work better than blinds, simply because there’s so much more fabric involved.

Reduce Noise 1: Environ Communities Ltd, original photo on Houzz

2. Introduce rugs.

Another way to deaden sound is to cover hard floors with rugs. Here, the use of a rug in the living space both minimizes noise and helps define the seating area, making the room feel more intimate.

When it comes to rugs, the thicker the pile, the better the soundproofing, so a cut-pile rug will tend to work better than a flat-weave design.

Reduce Noise 2: HelsingHouse Fastighetsmaklare, original photo on Houzz

3. Break it up.  If you can, try to break up your open-plan space to create zones. This will also help contain the noise. Here, the fireplace in a freestanding wall maintains a visual connection with the space beyond while breaking up the room to create a more defined living area.

If you want to incorporate a feature like this, bear in mind that you’ll need to position the fireplace so you can create a flue, which will need to go through the ceiling or an external wall.

Reduce Noise 3: Stuart Sampley Architect, original photo on Houzz

4. Add a storage wall. The wood-paneled wall in the middle of this large room works beautifully to separate the kitchen from the living area. This kind of feature can be a freestanding structure or a custom piece of furniture, making it a relatively easy and cost-effective solution to break up the space, since you won’t require any structural elements.

Reduce Noise 4: DTDA pty ltd, original photo on Houzz

5. Fit a feature screen. If you can’t bring yourself to divide the space with something permanent, a nice alternative is to introduce a screen as a buffer between zones. It won’t be as effective as a solid structure, but it will help diffuse the noise slightly. The louvered screen seen here allows a glimpse of the living space beyond.

Reduce Noise 5: Studio Revolution, original photo on Houzz

6. Panel your walls. Large, flat, hard surfaces can amplify sound, so adding texture will help reduce this effect. Lining one of your walls with wood not only creates an interesting feature, it does the sound-dampening job. It’s as simple as using flooring material on the walls instead. For a more traditional look, painted wood paneling works equally well.

Often, walls aren’t completely flat, so you’ll first need to add wood battens to the surface onto which you’ll attach your paneling. A good flooring contractor or woodworker can do this, or if you’re pretty confident at DIY, you could tackle it yourself.

Reduce Noise 6: Honka UK Ltd, original photo on Houzz

7. Bring texture to your ceiling. Just like walls, a large expanse of ceiling will encourage the spread of sound, so try adding a textured surface there too. In this example, the ceiling and walls have been paneled with wood boards painted white.

8. Fashion fabric panels. If wood isn’t your style, consider covering one of your walls with some form of acoustic material. These padded fabric panels are highly effective at deadening sound. You can also buy off-the-shelf acoustic panel systems, which can be fixed to your walls and are easy to install.

9. Go soft underfoot. Hard floor surfaces, such as tile, are less than ideal when it comes to controlling noise, so consider something like linoleum instead, which is a durable and practical finish in a kitchen. It’s also soft underfoot, meaning it will absorb the clunk and clatter of cooking.

By Denise O’Connor, Houzz

The post How to Reduce Noise in an Open-Plan Design appeared first on Best Real Estate Agents in Northern Colorado.