Remodeling Trends: Mother-in-law suites

Their has been a high demand lately for Mother-in-law suites.  Due to aging parents we are often times asked to tend to their day to day household chores, lawn care etc.  The convenience of having them move-in to our existing homes help to alleviate the stresses of the additional responsibilities we may have to face. Mother-in-law-suites can be costly but can be very affordable too. You can make changes in your present home by re-configuring your existing unused space instead of building on additional rooms. Remove walls to create a separate living space in a home office, basement or garage.  Soundproof the area by using quality insulation to insure privacy.  Adding an extra bath or small kitchen in a basement is ideal.  Although  permits may be required and additional plumbing, it will increase the value of your home and the expenses will be recouped if the house is sold in the future. Putting the new bathroom or kitchen close to existing plumbing will keep costs to a minimum also. Adding on exterior walls to make a separate entrance placed near a walkway or garage will give a sense of independence and privacy.
 As with any remodeling project, do your research, get three estimates so you understand market costs and set your priorities to stay within your budget.

Common Courtesy

There is only so much you can do to cultivate new business and if people aren’t ready financially to do business with you , you can stand on your head and pass out dollar bills and it wouldn’t help.    We’ve heard so much talk about how important it is to build relationships and that it is key to getting customers.  What I would like to expand on how we attract other people.  Initially, smiling and making eye contact puts others at ease, making us more” approachable “.  There is also common courtesy which is not only the” please”, “thank you” and “excuse  me” but “how are you?” or “Nice to see you again!” Are these comments just superficial pleasantries to just get us through those networking meetings?   Do we set up meetings for coffee or lunch to find out what someone is all about and if they are not the right connection we never contact them again?  Or how about asking someone for pricing and then never responding back to let them know what you have decided?   Is it too much trouble to just say thank you for your time and explain that you are not able to make that commitment or purchase at this time?  It is ok to say no.   Sometimes it’s best to just put the business aside and just be a human being.  It’s not always about a sale or a contact that you need.  Maybe we should just go out there looking for new friends !  You can never have enough of them!

Fran Siegel

9016 Sutton Pl.

Hamilton, Ohio  45011

513-874-7636

http://www.siegeldesigncenter.com/

In The Blink Of An Eye...

It only takes a blink of an eye to change your life forever.  As you sadly know more and more young people have lost there lives in car accidents lately while texting, dialing or talking on their cells phones.  Statistics have shown that there has been a 20% increase in accidents due to cell phone use over the past few years.  Most of us think that tragic things only happen to other people until it becomes up close and personal.  Two weeks ago it became personal.  My daughter's best friend was driving from the outlet mall in Monroe Ohio on Rt. 741.  She was using her cell phone to find the easiest directions to the shopping centers in Deerfield Township.  She was distracted and went out of her lane , over-corrected and  lost control of her vehicle, hit a tree and was killed instantly.  She was 26 years old, a nursing student and had just started a new job at Bethesda North Hospital.  She was beautiful, kind and smart and had a bright future.  Her life was cut short and the lives of hundreds of people were changed that day. 

Not just the under 30 crowd text, dial or talk on their phones while driving.  New technology has made multi-tasking the new catch phrase of the day.  I too am guilty as are so many people in business today. Please set your priorities so that an up close and personal tragedy doesn't do it for you in a blink of an eye.

Fran Siegel/Siegel Remodeling and Design
9016 Sutton Pl.
Hamilton Ohio  45011
513-874-7636
www.siegeldesigtncenter.com

Beware!!!

Your mailbox is federal property right? You can be prosecuted if you take anything out of anyone else's box but... the Postal Service usually doesn't follow up on any theft reports. That's what I found out from our local police department several weeks ago. Someone took checks that we were sending out to pay bills from our business mailbox, washed them and recreated new amounts on the checks. Apparently the two men took the newly created checks (with our bank account number on it) to Pennsylvania and cashed them at a local PNC bank. I only noticed when one of our checks bounced and our company account was short $7,000.00. I called the bank and they took action immediately and within days retreived pictures of the two men from the bank's cameras. My account was restored but the stress and inconvenience of closing and opening new accounts was overwhelming. This happened in the West Chester area off of 747 and Sutton Place.

If your mailbox is located out in an open area , near a busy street or even in front of your house, anyone has excess to it. Be aware that this has been happening frequently in the Cincinnati area and suburbs. To be safe you may want to mail your bills at your local post office or pay as many as you can on-line or by debit/credit card.

Fran Siegel/Siegel Remodeling & Design
9016 Sutton Pl.
Hamilton, Ohio 45011
513-874-7636
www.siegeldesigncenter.com

Tags: Additions, Basement, Bath, Bathroom, Chester, Cincinnati, Hamilton, Home, Improvement, Kitchen





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Three Important Things To Remember....

You might think that the living room is the most "lived in" room in your house, but it's usually the kitchen! Whether you'd like to maximize your space, build an island or add a sleek, modern touch to your kitchen, remodeling is no small decision. You don’t have to spend a fortune so save the big projects for when you have the extra money; make little changes that have a big punch. In the end, it is about maximizing space & workflow in the kitchen with a little ingenuity. Change your faucets, add crown molding, change your lighting, try some faux painting and you can change the look of your home and raise its value.

Though you may not want to spend a lot, there are projects that you can still afford to do. Adding Crown molding to the upper portion of your room will add that needed appeal that will make you feel like you′re living in a palace. Crown molding makes a large difference in the look of a room. Crown molding comes in all styles and thicknesses. Just choose something that "fits" the room. You can do this with any project, whether it is kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling or a bedroom makeover. Crown molding can take any room from drab to a quality look.

Everyone wants a spacious kitchen. Even if you do not have a lot of square footage to work with, you will find that you can create plenty of counter space and a feeling of openness; just use a little creativity. Minimize appliances that you keep on your counters. If there is an option for an appliance to hang from overhead cabinets then do it! You always want room to work. Make sure that there is plenty of light in your kitchen because it gives a feeling of space. Avoid cluttering windows. Choose bright colors that reflect light and make sure you choose light fixtures that brighten the kitchen.

How do you work in the kitchen? If you cook alone, you will have a different work flow than someone who regularly cooks with a helper. You want to make sure that when you’re considering kitchen remodeling that you consider where work spaces will be. Do you want to be able to cut vegetables near the sink? This will help you decide where to put appliances, whether or not you think a kitchen island might be a helpful thing for you.

You can remodel a kitchen without spending a lot of money. Little changes can make a big difference. In 2010, we are all too scared to spend too much on our home improvement projects; however, even the smallest budget can still make the upgrades to increase the value of the home. If you have a larger budget, spend it where it counts: on things that can help you save money, like new windows and doors.

Now kitchen remodeling trends are more budget friendly and they provide a big punch.

You can overhaul the look, or gut out the whole kitchen. If that is not in your budget you can do simple things such as paint or reface the cabinetry although there are good quality cabinets out there that are not expensive. Even changing up the hardware on your cabinets can make a difference. There is also the flooring material and the layout of the room. All of these aspects come together to define style and feel of the new and updated space.

Keep three things in mind: Space, Work Flow, and Budget.

Work flow is simple. It means: how you work in the space. If you cook alone in the kitchen, for example, you’ll have a different work flow than someone who regularly cooks with a helper.

Make a budget but be realistic. Most consumers always spend more than they originally estimated. 

Fran Siegel/Siegel Remodeling & Design
9016 Sutton Pl.
Hamilton, Ohio 45011
513-874-7636
www.siegeldesigncenter.com

Seven Smart Strategies for Bathroom Remodeling

A remodeled bathroom not only makes your house attractive to potential future home buyers but it is a solid investment. A 15,000 bath remodel will recoup almost 75% of the cost when it is time to sell your home.


You can maximize the value of your investment by using smart strategies to get the bathroom of your dreams while keeping costs down.

1. Evaluate how you are going to use the space, what kind of materials and fixtures you want and what you are willing to spend. Pricey fixtures drive up the cost of a project.

2. Refrain from changing your mind. Changes cause confusion and extend timelines and costs to the original project. Many contractors put clauses in contracts for changes to the original plans that specify charging for change orders because they cause so many problems and delays.

3. You can also save major expense by not rearranging walls and relocating plumbing. You’ll not only save on demolition but reduce the amount of dust and debris.

4. Make lighting a priority. You can install lighting for a fraction of the cost of pricier amenities.

5. Bathroom ventilation is essential for removing excess humidity and controlling mold.

6. Add storage space like slide-out trays to vanity cabinets or moveable inexpensive woven baskets on shelving.

7. Make sure to purchase quality faucets. Scrimping in this area can mean having to replace your faucets again in 6 months to a year. Inexpensive faucets have plastic parts that crack or break especially the pop-ups( stoppers).

Make smart, well informed decisions so that your project will be a source of pride.



Dan Siegel
9016 Sutton Pl.
Hamilton, Ohio  45011
513-874-7636

Want The Whole Truth, Nothing But The Truth About Decks About Decks? Ask Dan The Remodeling Man!

Being in the remodeling business for 35 years, I have noticed that 80% of consumers want real wood when building a deck. Although synthetic planks offer lasting good looks with less upkeep, nothing feels or looks quite like real wood.

It’s cheaper and more structurally sound but you need to seal wood immediately and reseal every three years or so. It’s also prone to decay and splintering overtime.

Vinyl decking is increasingly more popular in recent years due to it’s longevity, low maintenance and more convincing wood look. Lightweight and more resistant to discoloration from UV rays, it isn’t without flaws. Upfront cost doubles pressure treated lumber. The light weight may also require a redesign of deck plans that are geared for wood. Vinyl posts are not as sturdy and need to be placed closer together. Vinyl doesn’t reflect sunlight and can be very hot to touch. Vinyl does have the least maintenance.

Composite can offer the best of both worlds. Wood mixed with plastic looks like wood but has added resiliency and longevity. The wood used in composite decks are recycled woods, they tend to absorb water and can produce mold which many homeowners have had issues with over the past few years. Composite is more expensive than wood, comparable to vinyl. In 5 years you may need to replace the deck, sand or refinish it like a wood deck. You don’t have to stain composite but you do need to clean it every few years.

Also be careful of pressure washing. Just the right amount of pressure must be used or you can damage your deck and it may require sanding or re-staining. Scrubbing by hand may be safer and you may also need to sand a deck before staining.

Knowing all the facts before making a decision will alleviate surprises and headaches in the long run.

Dan Siegel/Siegel Remodeling and Design

9016 Sutton Pl.

Hamilton, Ohio 45011

513-874-7636

www.siegeldesigncenter.com