Q. I would like to use affordable green flooring, but Marmoleum is way more expensive than Vinyl and I think it is a flooring you should have professionally installed. Tile and adhesive will cost over 1300 for my 300 square kitchen area, not including installation. Also, I have read many reviews of unhappy customers who complain about the maintenance of the floor and general disgust for the lack of sheen. I do not want to even think about investing into this floor if it will be hard to clean. I do not plan on staying at this house for more than 5 years, and would not want to have troubles selling bc of the kitchen floors. Also I want to try recycled PET carpet for the upstairs bedrooms, its seems affordable. (I do need carpeting, im not putting in hardwood floors) Any experience with Beaulieu carpet or any other recycled PET carpet?? I do have to pay for school, bills, and eventually next year i need to replace the siding and windows. (more issues with vinyl versus costly alternatives) Thanks!

A. I agree with you about the Marmoleum, there have been consumer issues with it particularly with maintenance and dullness over time. However, I have used PET carpet for client applications, rental units and in my own home. I find the performance to be superior, it has stain resistance and is easy to clean, it retains its brightness and the one I used in my own home and rentals has an excellent warranty.

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Q. We are still trying to close on this house, but I'm making my preparations since we have only 2 weeks of having somewhere else to live while we get the place in a condition we can live with while we make upgrades. It has a nearly finished basement apartment that only needs a few appliances, so we plan to probably live there while we work on it. We're planning on : Ripping out the carpets & linoleum and refinishing the hardwoods Painting Buying and installing new appliances Buying and replacing most/all of the light fixtures Tearing out an inset cupboard to make room in one bathroom Re-staining the kitchen cupboards Making concrete counter-tops for kitchen cupboards Replacing the kitchen sink Replacing the kitchen flooring Moving some plumbing around in the bathrooms Tearing out bathroom cabinets Putting new tile in the bathrooms, possibly tanking and making a wet-room Replacing the bathroom sinks with wall-hung sinks Replacing the bathroom window (maybe making larger or replacing with glass block?) Replacing the rusted fireplace box and facade Paint-stripping the fireplace mantle Paint-stripping the trim, built-in-cabinets and doors and replacing mismatched trim Replacing the gutters and flashing around the chimneys Fixing the sub-standard window trimming outside Tearing off the vinyl siding, removing the asbestos siding underneath and re-siding Adding vents to the roof Removing a possibly leaky greenhouse-style sun-window Putting up a fence Ripping out a deck This list is so huge and a bit overwhelming; which should we do immediately and which should we wait on? Obviously we won't want to install new tile bathroom floors before moving the plumbing, for example; and we won't want to paint after finishing the floors, nor before we strip the trim. However, some of the larger projects, like replacing the window with glass block, we may not get to for a long time, and it would be a pity to have our external window seals leaking while we wait and plan. My fiancee is a remodeler so we're pretty sure we can tackle all the projects, but in the interest of making the place as livable as we can as quickly as possible... does anyone have any advice on getting things into good shape quickly without causing more problems for ourselves down the road? We are buying this foreclosed house very cheaply, my fiancee, as I already mentioned, remodels houses for a living. You rarely find legal duplexes in the city for $73 a square foot. The structure is sound, the floorplan is decent, there are so many good things about this house that I shouldn't have to explain why we want to make some custom cosmetic tweaks. I could buy some other house that has had $3,000 put into cheesy cabinets and ugly countertops that is selling for $10k more as move-in-ready and still want to rip the whole thing apart.

A. You are going to have to check your local laws because Asbestos Removal is heavily regulated!Also, make sure you do your floors last so you don't screw them up trying to complete other projects.

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Q. There are 80 homes in a subdivision. A realtor tells you that 50 of the homes have vinyl siding, 20 of the homes have automatic sprinkler systems, and 15 of the homes have both.

A. 80 times 0.15

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Q. Can you give me practical tips on selecting and dealing with contractors: carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc.? This is for house renovations, not new construction.

A. 8 Tips for Dealing With Contractors There seems to be a communication gap between homeowners and their contractors. Too often, homeowners are suspicious of contractors, worrying that they're about to be taken advantage of. Meanwhile, contractors have been known to roll their eyes at the naïveté of some of their clients. Both parties could benefit from trying to speak the same language. Here are a few tips for dealing with contractors and home improvements -- they may help you when it comes time to repair or renovate your home. 1. Know what you want This is critical. Too many people sign up with a contractor to have a certain job done, but in the middle of the job, they realize that they want something else. Maybe they wanted to expand a living room, for example, but later decide they'd rather devote some of the new space to an expanded kitchen. That's a big deal, and can wreak havoc in a contractor's plans, perhaps causing him to have to undo some of what he's done, or to spend more time than he'd budgeted on your home. It can also end up costing you a lot more than it would have if you'd been more sure of what you wanted at the outset. 2. Expect messes, then work to minimize them Contractors often scratch their heads when they run across clients who are surprised that working on a house can be messy. ("How come there's so much dust?") If you're going to have work done on your house, take some time to find out from your contractor what you can expect, mess-wise, and how you should prepare the work areas. You'll save yourself from some unpleasant surprises and you can minimize the pain, too. For example, if a wall is going to be torn down, you can prepare for that by removing as many objects in the room as possible and covering as many things in that room and nearby rooms as you can. (Clouds of dust don't know to stop at thresholds.) You might also want to find out ahead of time about any safety issues. When certain kinds of work are done, there may be fumes or dust that's best to stay away from. If you have asthma, for instance (and even if you don't), you might want to sleep somewhere else for a few nights while some work is being finished. 3. Don't assume the world revolves around you It's easy to forget that the world doesn't revolve around us, but trust me, when it comes to home repairs and renovations, you're probably not the only client in your contractor's life. Some contractors may be able to work only for one client at a time, but many will be juggling a few while they work for you. Part of the reason for this is that they may have promised to start work somewhere at a certain time, while work at another site has dragged on a bit longer than originally expected. Think about this: If your contractor is a cooperative one, she might oblige you when you enlarge the scope of the job over time. ("Actually, we now think we'd like a new sink as well as a new toilet." "Before you paint, could you change all those light fixtures?") But if she's doing this for you, she's probably doing the same for other clients -- and that can consume extra time. 4. Be prepared for delays Have you been watching a lot of HGTV? If you're a devotee of the many home-improvement television programs out there, don't let them lead you to believe that major projects can be completed in half an hour -- or even a day. And remember that on these programs, the craftspeople often have plenty of assistants working with and for them, behind the scenes. Simply installing a door or sink can take much of a day if there are a few unexpected developments, which isn't unusual. Don't forget the role of weather in all this, as well. If you're having outdoor work done, rainy days will likely delay things. Temperatures also matter -- it might be too cold to paint, for example. Even indoor work can have such delays -- sometimes wood that gets installed indoors (floors, cabinets, etc.) needs time to dry out or warm up or otherwise get comfortable before being locked in place. A final timing consideration is one of language. Make sure you're on the same page with your contractor. If he estimates that the job will take "10 days," don't assume that that means two weeks. It could end up taking 10 days of work over the course of a month, due to the weather or the contractor's schedule. 5. Your help can hurt Sometimes clients like to hang around contractors while work is being done, helping out. This can be a Good Thing or a Bad Thing. Find out from the contractor exactly what kind of help is and isn't welcome. If a floor is being torn up, you might offer your brute strength in tearing up some tiles. But think twice before attempting to install Sheetrock or change an outlet. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, and if you do certain things on your own initiative, you may end up causing damage or generating more work for the contractor who may have to undo what you did. 6. Your job may cost more than you expect You're on a budget, right? Well, make sure your contractor is fully aware of it. (A good one will probably discuss this with you, anyway.) Expect some variation between the estimate you get and the final cost. You might even want to plan to spend 15% to 30% more, in total, on the job. Why? Well, things happen. Over the course of a few months, the price of lumber may skyrocket. In the course of renovating your home, there may be some expensive discoveries, such as lots of rotten wood under vinyl siding that's removed. The cost can also rise if you keep adding to the scope of the work, or if you opt for more expensive materials, many of which are good to opt for, as they may last longer or look better. One good way to discuss your budget with a trusted contractor is to say something like, "We'd like to spend no more than $X on this job, but if need be, we can spend an extra $X -- and absolutely no more than that." This can help him decide where he can upgrade materials and where he must be as frugal as possible. 7. Not all contractors are shady Many of us are used to thinking negatively about contractors, having heard horror stories about inept ones or, worse, scam artists. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the home-improvement area received the second most consumer complaints in 2002 (after automobile sales), according to a recent survey. Still, remember that bad experiences are typically shared more often than good ones. While there are certainly more than a few dastardly contractors out there, preying on unsuspecting homeowners, there are also lots of skilled and honest ones. You've probably read about various contractors ripping off clients -- but believe it or not, contractors get ripped off, too. After doing all or part of a job, they may end up with a check that bounces or a client who refuses to pay. Don't assume that your contractor is automatically an adversary. He may well be a valuable ally in your quest for a lovelier home. 8. Find a good contractor Now that you're ready to hire a contractor and spiff up your house, here are a few tips on finding a good one: Do try to find a contractor you really like, one you feel you can trust and whom you'll be comfortable communicating with. You should be able to ask questions and get answers you understand. Don't just rely on the Yellow Pages in your search. If a contractor has been working for more than a year or two and is good, he probably doesn't need to advertise. He likely gets offered much more work than he can take on. Ask around. Find people who have had done to their homes what you want done to yours. See who had good experiences with their contractors. If need be, try asking for referrals at your local hardware store. Yes, you might end up with a mediocre professional this way -- but possibly not, since the store should want to keep its customers happy. Make sure she's licensed and insured. (Yes, she -- there are some female contractors out there.) You don't want someone uninsured working on your home. If your state requires any licenses, make sure your contractor has them.

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Q. This Is J. S. Construction in Richmond Hill, Ga. We are looking to help rebuild homes destroyed by disasters. We currently work in Richmond Hill, Savannah, and Effingham Co... We have been building homes for seven years now including Framing, Renovations, Vinyl Siding, Interior Trim, Custom Decks, and Hardi Plank Siding. We are currently looking to evolve our business and if you know any contractors their names and numbers would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

A. Mr. builder guy 1-800-mr-builder-guy

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Q.

A. A square or rectangular two story frame house with vinyl siding is probably the cheapest but durable way to build a house. Two stories, gives you more square footage with less foundation and roofing. It can also reduce the cost of wire and plumbing.As you know if you locate all of the plumbing on both floors close together the amount of pipe is less. A rectangular or square house is easier and faster to frame with fewer complications. Vinyl siding is inexpensive, durable and can be very attractive. It also needs no painting. Take a look at the houses Habitat for Humanity builds. There are some good clues there. You don't have to be quite that plain in your design but they usually go for the more economical design they can.

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Q. We are putting a new roof on our garage and doing the work ourselves. We want to put on a metal roof as we did on our house a few years ago. However, I would like to find something more decorative than just the plain metal roof, since the garage & roof are in close proximity to our deck and is very visible from the house. We looked into the new metal shakes, etc., but they are very costly. So before we just give up and go with the plain metal roofing sheets, I was wondering if we could find some decorative siding (vinyl, etc) and put it on the roof instead of the sheets of plain metal roofing. The roof will be going over an existing shingle roof that is starting to lose a lot of it's shingles. Would the siding be able to shed water, snow, etc. like a metal roof would? We live in Indiana. What do you think?

A. Nope, and if the shingles are deteriorating that badly you really should strip them off and check out the sheething underneath. Chances are the plywood is also shot and needs replacing.

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Q. I was planning on black roof, but I've seen a lot of yellowish houses with brown roofs and my neighbor house already has that color scheme (ivory and brown roof). I will be changing my shutters to match the roof color. Currently my shutters are white. I have white windows, trims and doors. Any suggestions and pics will be helpful! Thanks.

A. With ivory-colored siding, you can choose just about any "dark, rich" color and it will be georgeous! Don't choose a light color, because it will be boring against the light color of the house. Just to demonstrate colors, I've added a couple of websites. One one, you can click on the little shutter pictures to see how the color would look, and on the other website you can play around quite a bit with different colors of siding, shutters, and roofing. I don't know anything about the companies....it's just a way to get an idea how your house will look with different colors on the roof and shutters. I personally like Federal Brown, Midnight Green, and Classic Blue. You're house will look beautiful in any of these rich colors!

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