Great Ceiling Feature

Well, the weather is warming up. The flowers are starting to bloom (maybe not in my yard yet, but somewhere) and we are working on a house in Nashville that has a great ceiling going in it. If you are building a new home or thinking about remodeling, this video will give you something to contemplate.

The Groin Vaulted ceiling has been around for hundreds of years and doesn't get much attention these days, but Broderick Builders is remodeling a gorgeous home that has one.

The title link will give you the Wikipedia entry for Groin Vault and is very informational.

Remember, give me your feedback or questions about remodeling and construction.

ArcusStone--New Products Overview

In today's remodeling market there are so many new products and processes that it's often hard to weed through them all. Well, I have stumbled onto a fairly new product and I think you're going to like it.

The company is ArcusStone and they provide decorative limestone coatings that are much lighter and less expensive than traditional limestone. It gives you a very elegant look inside or outside and it won't blow up you remodeling budget.
http://www.arcusstone.com/

Watch this video from one of the Broderick Builders remodels that is using ArcusStone on the exterior.

Congratulations....You live in Middle Tennessee

I know you've heard for months now how bad the housing market is and how many homes are going into foreclosure. There is definitely some truth to the stories in many parts of America, but not here in Middle Tennessee. Sure, we have our fair share of delinquencies and foreclosures, but Nashville is not seeing the dramatic drop in value and abandoned homes like much of Nevada, California and Florida are experiencing. There is actually a new name for homeowners who are moving out of their homes and mailing in the keys to the banks--they call it JingleMail ('cause the keys jingle--get it?).

One piece of the real estate puzzle which does seem to be happening in Nashville, is a slight upswing in Home Remodeling. When a slow down occurs in the Real Estate market, many people decide to stay in their homes and add on as opposed to move. This eliminates the expense of moving and it allows homeowners to increase the value of the home for the future.

If you are in an established neighborhood and like where you live, consider adding a new room or finishing out the attic space so the kids can have separate bedrooms. Remodeling your current home may be a little inconvenient at the time, but will allow your family more continuity in the longrun because the kids stay in the same schools and the family doesn't have to learn a new neighborhood, but you get the benefits of something "new" and add value to your home.

Insider Series Coming...

I hope everyone had a tremendous holiday and a Happy New Year! Santa was very good to me and mine, so I cannot complain about anything going into 2008.

This year is shaping up to be an interesting year for construction, homebuilding and remodeling. Although we have heard ALL the horror stories about the mortgage mess and declining interest in Real Estate, one of the bright spots is that now is a great time to buy or remodel the existing home you're in now. When the housing industry slumps, many homeowners decide to stay put and remodel or add onto their existing home. Great Idea...just make sure you know a little bit about what you're getting into and who is doing the work.

I am starting a new interview series this year that will focus on sub-contractors and businesses that are a part of the remodeling project or important to the finished product. This series will include framers, plumbers, lighting galleries, painters, flooring companies and bath & kitchen fixture stores to name a few. I am looking forward to learning more about new products and techniques they use along with sharing some of the secrets of remodeling.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to drop them in the comments section.

Create a WISHLIST

The following is a quick excerpt from John Broderick's book, The Do's and Don'ts of Remodeling.

Now that you've decided to remodel your home, your first job is to pinpoint what you want to accomplish and how much you can afford to spend. To develop your plan, start with a wish list of all the things you would like to do. Sit down with your spouse and other family members to discuss the specific improvements your home needs. Ask yourself why you want or need these changes. At this point, it doesn't matter if some of your "bright ideas" turn out to be unaffordable or structurally unfeasible. The goal is to brainstorm and come up with a written statement of your dreams. Include the room or section of your home you'd like to improve, and list the possible changes.

This is great advice to get you started....create a wish list as crazy and long as you can. Let it all hang out on the front end before anything really happens. It will certainly change a bit along the way, but it's a perfect starting point.

Here We Go!!

I've always been told if you want something done right, then you gotta do it yourself. Well, that's not always true with remodeling, but it's definitely true with remodeling blogs. There is so much good information and so many fantastic products in the market place right now for remodeling and renovating. However, the question remains, how does all that info get out to consumers and how can consumers get details about the process.

ThinkRemodel is going to solve that problem. We will inform, educate and give you straight information about the products and the processes involved with remodeling.

We invite your comments and questions about anything you see on this post or any other questions you may have about remodeling. Please feel free to suggest topics, product reviews or questions about how it all works. We want this to be a community where you look forward to new topics, you value the opinions and you can apply the advice on products.

The one thing you can count on when remodeling is that it will be an ADVENTURE!!