A good result of the housing slowdown

With the slowdown in housing sales the last few years an important trend is starting. Homeowners are finding it harder to sell their homes and buy new ones. This means they will stay in their homes longer. With people staying in their homes longer they are looking for ways to make their homes more inviting and livable. Instead of fixing their homes up for a quick sale they are looking for ways to improve their homes for their long term livability and usefulness. This means homeowners are looking for quality home improvements that will last for years. When looking at home improvements that will last for years, quality and overall design are much more important than a cheap fix. This means that communication with the contractor is much more important. Because you will living in you home for years you want your project to be designed to best meet your needs and fit your style. A quality contractor will have the experience and knowledge to advise you in making your home improvement meet your long term needs. This will require more planning and preparation before the project is started and open communication throughout the construction process.

As homes get older they will naturally need updates to bring them up to current styles and repairs of worn out items. As homeowners stay in their homes longer they will need ways to give them more space and storage. They will want home improvements that will personalize their homes and make them more inviting and comfortable. This could be an addition of a deck to give them more livable space or shelving and closet organization to better store and organize all the stuff that accumulates over time. It could mean adding trim work and molding to give your home a more comfortable feel or replacing doors that wear out over time and are not as energy efficient as newer ones. it could mean adding on to your house or finishing the basement.

In conclusion it is more important than ever to focus on quality and overall design. You will be living in your home longer and will need home improvements designed for the long term and not a quick fix. you will need a contractor that can work with you in the design and planning to make sure your project will meet your needs for years down the road. you will want home improvements that will enhance your home and compliment your lifestyle.

A new way to design your stairs and railing

With all the many styles of metal balusters to choose from, it can be hard to pick the right stair design. There are hundreds of design and layout combinations. To make your stair rail look its best and complement your home it can be hard to make a decision and visualize how your stairs will look.
A new web site has a program that allows you to select from hundreds of baluster styles and layout combinations. It allows you to view what your stairway will look like with any combination of balusters that they offer. You can view your railing going up a stairway or a level section. You can plat around with the layout until you have a design that is unique and is your very own style. With this program I can help you design your stair rail to be the focal point of your home. The address is www.houseofforgings.net/design

How I helped organize a home office

I have a client that works from home and needed more space and better organization in her office. She had and office with very little storage and just a computer desk.

To fix this problem I created a built in desk with large drawers to store files and a large work space to work on. We were able to put the computer and printer in a cabinet with a slide out shelf to keep them off the desk top. The drawers have full extension glides so you can access the back. We were able to hide all the cables and wiring to keep the workspace clutter free.

Above the desk top we created bookshelves that are adjustable and give lots of storage space for books and decorations. Across the top of the shelves is crown molding to further enhance the look.

For more information and pictures go to www.apexcarpentryinc.com