Water Filters: the perfect addition to any kitchen or bathroom

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Home Improvement, Uncategorized |

By Francine Maglione

You’ve repainted, refinished and even hung up a few pictures, so what else can you do to make your kitchen or bathroom complete? Add a water filter! Go green in your kitchen by forgetting about bottled water and installing a water filter on your sink’s faucet. Your water will be healthy and tasty, and the filter will save you money because you won’t have to keep buying expensive bottled water.

More importantly, decreasing your use of water bottles will help the environment in a big way. Water bottles pile up in landfills and take up space, so if you need to take water with you, buy a reusable thermos. You can wash it when you need to and continuously use it for years!

The Refill Not Landfill organization reports that 80 percent of water bottles end up in the trash or a landfill. They also report that transporting bottled water long distances burns large amounts of fossil fuels, not to mention that it adds to air pollution. If everyone avoided bottled water for one week, it would save 24 million bottles!

New West Gypsum Recycling, Inc., reports that more than 1.5 million barrels of petroleum go into the production of the 38 billion plastic water bottles Americans throw away every year. And according to filterforgood.com, one Brita pitcher filter can replace about 300 plastic bottles that you and your family would have used and thrown away. Give this tip a try and get a step closer to “living green.” While you’re at it, add a filter to your bathroom sink for those middle-of-the-night trips for a glass of water.

Check out the rest of our website for more basement remodeling ideas.

10 Tips for Living Environmentally Friendly

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Home Improvement, Uncategorized |

By Francine Maglione

1. Make the jump to fluorescent lighting; it uses about a quarter as much energy as incandescent lighting and can last many times longer.
2. Use phosphate-free detergents; they get clothes just as clean, but are gentle on the environment.
3. Paper or plastic? Neither! Bring reusable bags to the grocery store.
4. Pass on harsh drain cleaners for a more eco-friendly approach such as pouring baking soda mixed with a half cup of vinegar down the drain followed by boiling water.
5. Overloaded with free coffee mugs? Use one in your bathroom as a toothbrush holder or mouthwash mug.
6. Drink filtered water and take a thermos with you to minimize waste made by water bottles.
7. For small paint jobs, mix old paint colors together instead of buying more.
8. Dont fall asleep with the TV on.
9. Redecorating? Go vintage! Buying vintage furniture requires no additional resources and eases the load on landfills.
10. Eliminate drafts around windows, doors and garage doors to conserve heat and AC.

(Tips compiled from TreeHugger and Planet Green)

Tips on Paying Your Contractor

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Basement Finishing, Basement Finishing Contractors, Basement Renovations, Home Improvement, Uncategorized |

By Francine Maglione

When it comes to coughing up payment to your basement contractor, things can go sour quickly. Is the contractor going to take your money and run? Are you stiffing an honest contractor out of hard-earned money? Too often, the problem lies with the contract and a vague description of payment terms and conditions.

Tim Carter of “Ask the Builder” believes that the best way to pay a contractor is to agree on periodic payments that are based on the amount of work completed. Carter advises against paying for work that has not been performed and recommends getting a breakdown of costs from the contractor before the job begins.

You must also remember to always have enough money to complete the unfinished tasks so you aren’t left with bills you can’t pay and an incomplete job. One suggestion Carter makes is to use a tiebreaker clause in your contract. This has the parties agree on an independent inspector who will give a ruling on the quality of the work done and settle any disputes between the contractor and homeowner.

To read more about Tim Carter’s tips for paying a contractor, check out these “Ask the Builder” columns:

Tips on Paying Contractors

The Other Side of the Fence – Be Fair to a Contractor

When to Pay a Contractor

Picking the Best Basement Wall Products

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Basement Finishing, Basement Finishing Contractors, Basement Framing and Insulation, Basement Insulation, Basement Renovations, Energy Efficient Basements, Featured, Finished Basement Ideas, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing, Uncategorized, Waterproof Basement Wall Panels |

By Jacques Bouchard

As the real estate slump continues to worsen and homes become more and more difficult to sell, homeowners are finding that the best option for gaining more living space for their family is to finish the basement.  In response to this ever-increasing trend, many companies are designing wall panels especially for use in a basement.

However, these companies are often providing products that are hastily researched, poorly created, or make false or misleading claims about how well they work and how appropriate they are for a basement finshing project.  Before you make a decision on the basement wall product that’s right for your home, consider these five questions: