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Thinking About a Home Remodel? Here’s Where to Start
Begin by carefully considering what you think you want and how you can get it. Weigh your wish list against what you’ll probably pay to fulfill it.
Planning a Home Remodel
If you’re adding new rooms, making substantial changes to the existing floor plan, or dealing with complex structural or functional questions, you’ll need to hire professional design help. There are several design options and combinations of options.
How to Check Out Contractors
Some homeowners leave contractor vetting and selection to their architects or house designers, but most make the call themselves, and rightly so: It’s the most important step.
How to Find a Fine Fence Builder
A quality fence can cost a bundle, especially if you choose a builder that charges high prices. Though some homeowners opt to DIY their jobs, most count on fence builders to help with the design and handle the construction.
How to Plan for a New Fence
There’s much to decide on: fence type, materials, finish, height, spacing and width of slats, and post size. Also decide whether you want extras such as latticework or an electronic gate.
Buying Kitchen Cabinets
Are you ready for a kitchen makeover? Here's advice on how to get the kitchen you crave for the least amount of hassle and money. We provide tips and ratings to help you plan your space, find the right designers, suppliers, and contractors, and get good prices.
Trends in Cabinets & Countertops
Since you’ll probably redo your kitchen only every 10 to 20 years, you’ll want to select finishes and fixtures that you love. But also make sure they fit current, up-and-coming, and long-term cabinet and countertop trends.
Countertop Intelligence
While granite is still popular, the most popular kitchen countertops are quartz, which looks like stone but is actually a mashup of minerals and resins and usually colored with patterns that mimic granite or marble. No matter what type of material you select, you can save plenty by shopping for the best price.
Tips for Planning Furniture Purchases
Most of us have made unwise furniture purchases that a bit of planning would have prevented. Before shopping, evaluate your budget, how you’ll use the furniture, how it fits in with your other furniture and tastes, and other considerations.
Where to Buy Furniture
Although buying furniture should be a straightforward purchase, Checkbook receives an inordinate number of complaints—and poor ratings—from customers of many stores. Fortunately, some furniture stores make shopping easy.
How to Get the Best Deal on Furniture
Comparing furniture prices is extraordinarily difficult. Many products are sold exclusively by a single chain, sale prices can’t be trusted to be low prices, and many stores don’t list prices on the Web. Here are some tips on finding the best deals.
