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Tips for Planning Home Improvements

nancy@oasisgrafx.com (Nancy Sheridan ) — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 10:15:02 GMT

Decks – Outdoor Living Space

A great deck starts with high-quality materials that reduce routine maintenance. Instead of natural wood, why not choose a premium composite decking that combines the beauty of hardwood with low-maintenance composite materials.

Also think about how you can bring the inside outside with sliding doors, furniture, rugs, outdoor kitchen for grilling and serving family and guests. Consider adding a fire pit, portable furnace or heater for the winter months. Adding these types of features will make a more comfortable outdoor space … great for relaxation and entertaining.

Thinking of Adding a Garage?

Garages are certainly great for protecting your cars and boats. But they also can serve as storage space for your lawnmower and shop tools. If you want a home office, consider adding it to the top of the garage.

Financing Your Home Improvement Project

nancy@oasisgrafx.com (Nancy Sheridan ) — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 10:05:20 GMT

You can start by applying for a home improvement loan at your bank.

Or, you can approach a mortgage broker as some have
a large number of loan programs available.

There are many lenders who are competing with loan options and terms and are eager to offer a loan that fits your project.

You will need to know how much money is needed for your home improvement project. And that’s something Chris Turner Home Improvements can provide. Our initial consultation is FREE! We’ll meet with you at the job site to discuss your project, needs and desires. When you are sure you're going to move forward with the project there might be a design fee involved. We'll advise you at our discovery meeting if there will be a fee for providing an estimate.

How much you can borrow is based on your credit rating. We suggest you check your credit reports and make sure they are accurate. If there are errors in your credit report, get the information corrected. Having a good credit report can result in quick loan approval and lower interest rates.

How to Remove Grease from Kitchen Cabinets

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 09:56:48 GMT

One of the most dramatic ways to give your kitchen a new look is to replace dated and worn cabinets and countertops.

If you’re not ready to update your kitchen with new cabinets and countertops, here’s a handy tip for for removing grease from your kitchen cabinets. Removing grease from cabinet surfaces should help freshen-up your kitchen.

Avoid using harsh cleaners by:

• Heating a damp sponge in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds.

• To avoid burning your hands, be sure to wear rubber gloves when using the hot sponge to remove the grease.

• Spray the cabinet with a citrus based cleaner (citrus works as a grease cutter).

• Wipe off any remaining residue with a paper towel.

Combining citrus cleaner with a hot sponge will quickly remove the grease resulting in a squeaky clean cabinet surface.

If you're ready to remodel your kitchen or bath, contact us for a free estimate. We have years of experience improving homes in Calvert County and St. Mary's County.

Southern Maryland Builder Kitchen Makeover Ideas

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 09:34:12 GMT

Chris Turner Home Improvements, a Southern Maryland Contractor, is just around the corner. We’re builders in Southern Maryland, and we take pride in our work.

Deciding to make changes to the kitchen includes changing the wallpaper, cabinets and flooring. The least expensive changes include changing the designs of the pots, pans, and other cookware.

Updating the look of the cookware does affect the look of the kitchen. Think about the teapot that sometimes sits on the stove. There is also the coffee pot and toaster sitting on the countertop. Like the rest of the little things changed with the makeover, do not forget to change those items too. They are just as important, if not more important, than the other things changed. They are every day appliances remaining in the open on the counter.

This is the time to update the toaster from the old reliable 2-slice toaster to the newer 4-slice toaster. Instead of a counter toaster, get the under the cabinet mounting toaster and save counter space. The older coffee pot, which has been burning the coffee, replace it with a new coffee pot that has the timer you have always intended to buy. The teapot that has been in the family for years and shows its age, replace with a newer model that takes less time to heat the water.

It might be time for new cooking utensils replacing those that are cracked and chipped. They have been sitting in the utensil holder and now look out of place with all of the other new things. Get new utensils and a matching utensil holder.

Making-over the kitchen means out with the old; in with the new. Some items may still be used yet they will need to be altered to fit into the new decor of the kitchen. If you are taking the time to makeover the kitchen, take the time to do it right.

Walk into the kitchen. Turn on the lights. Look slowly in every direction of the kitchen. Make a mental note of the things your eyes are attracted to. These are the first things that need to be changed. If you are seeing them immediately, chances are other people do the same thing when entering the kitchen. Think how that makes you feel. Some people are embarrassed while others are comforted.

Use the items that provide comfort and incorporate them into the newly designed kitchen. Keep that comfort object in the kitchen. If it needs repaired, get it repaired so it's a functioning item in the kitchen again.

When you were surveying the kitchen, think about the things you saw and wanted to change. This is where the changes will be the most important places to change. Take those feelings of wanting to change those items and run with the idea. Find the best possible solutions to get new items for the things you want out for the kitchen. Make the changes and learn to like your kitchen again with Southern Maryland Home Builder – Chris Turner Construction.

Southern Maryland New Home Construction

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 09:34:11 GMT

Home improvement contractors are available to come to your home to tackle any of the tasks that need to be done there, including small jobs and large ones even building new homes in Southern Maryland. Most often, hiring a contractor is an investment in trust. You have to trust the contractor to provide you with the best job possible. It goes without saying that you want the job well done. Hiring the right contractors can help make that possible.

One of the best places to start is by getting recommendations. Your family and friends can recommend home improvement contractors. The key is to get a specific recommendation to ensure that the person you hire has done a good job in the past. With a good trrack recotrd, hey are likely to do the same for you.

Before investing in the time to have a quote done for your project, be sure to ask important questions. For example, be sure to ask the home improvement contractors if they are available for a project your size and if they are willing to provide financial references. This can help you to know how much they are actually paying for supplies. Home Builders in Southern Maryland should be willing to give you a list of past clients to contact. Also, ask questions about subcontractors. Do they use them and if so what type of control will they have over them? Finally, be sure you know just how busy the home improvement contractors are. They could be too busy to get your job done on time.

Meet the Southern Maryland home builders face-to-face and ask questions. Allow them to give you an open quote on the home improvement project you wish them to take on. Quotes may cost you a small amount, especially if the project is a large project. You can compare several home improvement contractors for price, but it's also important to actually understand who the professionals are and their range of skill.

With all that you have gathered, you'll want to do one final step prior to hiring a home improvement contractor. Have a contract and be sure you read everything they wish you to sign. This is critical to protecting your safety and keeping yourself financially secure.

Most home builders in Southern Maryland will have no problem providing this information. They are happy to share any information with you to secure your business. If they do struggle to provide you with information, or they do not give you accurate, factual information, find someone else who will do so. The bottom line is it is up to you to find a trusted provider.

Home Improvements Add Value to Your Home & Lifestyle

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 09:16:50 GMT

If you love where you live but want to improve where you live, you should consider renovating your home, additions or expansion of a living space. Opening up your living space will make your home appear to be larger. Removing the wall between the kitchen and living area will bring your family and guests closer as you prepare meals. The kitchen is the central gathering place in a home so why not make it more accessible and welcoming.

Have you thought about adding an inlaw suite or increasing the size of your master bedroom with an en suite? How about adding a deck, an outdoor living space, for entertaining family and friends? Are you ready to finish out the basement you think of as a dungeon or add a garage to protect your car or boat?

Improving your home adds value and return on your investment. From Kitchen Remodels with a return of 60-120%, to Room Additions showing that you can recoup 50-83% of the cost, you should be comfortable with your decision to improve your home and lifestyle. Chris Turner is the Southern Maryland Home Improvement Contractor to call for your home improvement projects. He's known for quality construction and outstanding service.

How to Plan a Budget for Your Southern Maryland Home Remodel

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 09:03:03 GMT

So you’ve decided you’d like to remodel your home – improve your living space and lifestyle. This can be an exciting and a daunting project. You may know what you want, but do you know how much you can afford?

Follow this 4-step plan to find the answer.

Start with getting an idea of how much your dreams will cost. Starting with a bathroom remodel or a family-room addition, it could cost from $100 to $200+ per square foot. To get a better idea of the price/square foot, talk with a design pro or a remodeling/home improvement contractor.

Next, it’s time to determine how much money you have to spend.

After talking with a designer or home improvement contractor and getting an estimate of project costs, you’ll need to decide if you have the money or can borrow the money. Paying cash makes it very easy to make the decision to remodel. However, if you need to borrow or create a second mortgage, you will need to know how much your bank is willing to lend and what the impact will be on your monthly expenses.

Loan Options could include a cash-out refinance package, a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC). A HELOC is borrowing against your home’s value which often results in paying a lower interest rate.

House Logic Information: 6 Ways to Pay for a Remodel When You Can’t Tap Home Equity Be sure to get quotes from reputable home improvement contractors.

Before soliciting a home improvement bid, you’ll need to know exactly what you want including countertops, cabinetry, fixtures, etc. Your goal should be to provide enough information to get a more accurate bid. If you’re asking for bids from more than one contractor, showing the same specs to each contractor should result in bids that you can easily compare and feel comfortable with your decision.

How to Find a Qualified Home Improvement Contractor

Get recommendations from trustworthy friends, family-members, neighbors or people in the trades. Be sure to check the references and work of those recommended.

When Chris Turner provides estimates/bids on home remodeling projects, he often suggests ways to improve the construction, the project, and how to save money.

Contact Chris Turner for a FREE estimate for your next home improvement project.

Don't Move. Improve Your Home & Lifestyle!

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 20:58:41 GMT

Are you tired of cramped spaces or your home's appearance?

If so, it may be time for a home addition. It’s a great way to improve your lifestyle with more space and amenities. If you have a large family or circle of friends and wish you had the space to entertain, an addition just might be the answer. An addition can greatly increase usable square footage, whether it be in the form of a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or family room. Adding just four or six feet to a small room can make a big difference.

Whether you choose to add or expand a living room, dining room, master suite or sunroom, your home's value will increase, while upgrading and modernizing your living space, and improving the quality of your lifestyle.

Home additions can be easier and not as expensive as moving. No need to wait for a buyer, searching for a home to buy, packing, hiring movers and any of the other tasks that come with a move. The home addition phase of concrete and framing can start at least two weeks before the buildout moves into your existing home. Chris Turner strives to make the home addition experience as easy as possible.

Here's what one of his customers has to say about his home addiiton project.

“Chris Turner didn’t simply build an addition onto our house, he crafted a space that gave us an entirely new home, inside and out, and we didn’t have to pack up and move from a location we love to get it.”

– Doug & Lorrie (Dunkirk, MD)

A home addition can turn your Southern Maryland home into your dream home. And it can be less expensive than many remodeling projects and is almost always more affordable than moving. Ready to get stearted? Contact us today for a Free consultation and estimate.

Boomers Are Staying-In and Improving Their Homes

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 20:28:31 GMT

What’s a Baby Boomer?

It’s a person who was born between 1946 and 1964. Currently there are more than 76 million Boomers who are reconsidering their retirement and their living space. Some are choosing to downsize, but currently 63 percent of Boomers surveyed say they are choosing to stay where they are, and are choosing to make improvements to their homes.

Exterior Home Improvements

Aging Boomers’ growing concern is how will they care for their homes. Switching to manmade products for the exterior of their homes often require little or no upkeep making their living space easier to maintain.

If it’s time to replace a roof, there are a variety of manmade materials such as slate and shake roofing tiles that look real, providing years of beauty with no maintenance headaches. Using synthetic roofing products eliminate the worry about splitting and cracking problems of real slate or cedar shakes. Because these roofs are very durable, many insurance companies offer discounts on homeowner policies.

Other home improvements include replacing that wooden, sagging garage door with a low-maintenance aluminum garage door resulting in a realistic-looking wood grain door.

Changing siding, windows and doors with vinyl, fiberglass, polyurethane and other low maintenance materials will also help to reduce maintenance.

Bathroom Changes with Big Impact

Growing older can bring some physical challenges requiring improvements or remodeling of the bathroom. Adding grab bars and replacing a standard toilet with a higher profile toilet makes it easier and safer to use the facilities. Replacing a standard bathtub with a walk-in tub or shower with grab bars and seating can make bathing easier and safer.

Replacing double-hung windows with “privacy” windows such as easy-to-operate decorative glass or acrylic block windows, crank-handle casement and slider windows are often easier to operate. And a bonus for using privacy windows, there will be no need for window shades or blinds.

If you’re planning on staying in your home but would like to make improvements, contact Chris Turner today.

Scheduling Your Home Improvement Project

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Have you wondered when to plan your home improvement project?
Spring and summer in Southern Maryland might be the logical choice because it’s warmer weather and better conditions for outside work, but there may be other things to consider.

Supply & Demand is About Cost of Materials & Availability of Home Improvement Contractors
Supply and demand could affect what we pay for most all that we purchase. The cost of building materials … windows, doors, paint, lumber, cement, etc. can vary during the year. Another consideration is how many remodeling contractors serve Southern Maryland and what is their availability?

Plan your project well in advance so that you can schedule a contractor and the materials can be purchased in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Busy Times & the Season for Contractors
Contractors have a busy season. If you’re thinking of hiring a home improvement contractor during the off-season, you might think about the project and how the weather will affect its completion. If your goal is to have your basement remodeled, then off-season can be a good time to start the project. However, if you would like to add a room addition, cold and wet weather could adversely affect and delay completion of the project.

Consider scheduling your project a month or two before or after others are calling remodeling contractors to schedule their projects. For example, if you are adding a deck so that you can enjoy the outdoors in spring, summer, and fall, winter might be a good time to schedule the design/build.

We advise that your remodeling project get scheduled after the project has been thoroughly planned and you have established a budget. If you’re ready for us to review your plans, contact us for a free consultation.