There are many different types of countertops on the market today. Homeowners have a tough choice to make when it comes to choosing what counter to install in their homes. Style and color are just two considerations and before those can be finalized you first have to take a look at things like what kind of options are available in terms of durability, stain resistance, maintenance, installation, and cost. We’ve broken this information down into two easy-to-read charts, which will let you quickly compare how

Read more

It’s a scary but unavoidable reality that as a result of climate change, natural disasters are becoming a part of everyday life. In fact, the number of severe weather related events that cause more than $1 billion worth of damage, has risen to a shocking ten a year since 2010, from an already worrying two a year in the 80s, according to the National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI). Apart from the risk to personal health and safety, this is particularly concerning for homeowners as

Read more

Most homeowners are obliged to spend on their homes fairly constantly, whether for general home maintenance or for more intensive improvements. We look at both the average costs of maintenance and the most common forms of improvement, to give a better idea of where the industry should be focusing in the coming year. Seeing as the house retail and new build markets are still in a bit of a slump, we also looked at homeowners that chose to do a gut rehabilitation which may become more

Read more

Heating systems are vital especially for homes in colder climates. However, choosing the correct system for your home is probably more complex than you may think. While the purchase price is often one of the main factors to consider when making any big purchase, with heating, running costs and energy losses can create significant long-term expenses. Considering that heating accounts for about 42% of your energy bill, it makes sense that choosing the most efficient system should be a priority. We compare heat pumps, gas boilers,

Read more

When choosing the siding material for your home, you not only need to think about cost, but also practical and aesthetic elements. The appearance of your house says a lot about you and your architectural style, and unlike other fashionable choices, it is not something you are likely to change once decided. You should consider your priorities like should it be eco-friendly, or cutting edge? low maintenance or adjustable? etc. We look at how surfaces have changed over the years, and what properties each surface has,

Read more

When talking about construction in the U.S. valuable information can be gained from looking at which areas are building the most. Analysing these numbers can then provide insight into where to focus construction investment, where to move resources, and for the areas with lower numbers, to analyze what is causing the slump in construction demand (earning potential, availability of resources, etc). Though we are focusing on construction here, these numbers also indicate the bigger picture with regard to the health of the housing market and

Read more

A new home is always considered a milestone in life, especially if it’s your first, whether you are buying an existing place or building from scratch. Here, we look at the price tag on building your own home, which has the benefit of everything being shiny and new, right where you want it, with better green ratings and better efficiency. We break down the costs involved and help you to get a better idea of how the lump sum is divided, so you can plan

Read more

Pest infestations are both annoying and frustrating. And with the summer season upon us, we can expect even more unwanted guests moving inside. Infestations can also be costly; whether you are battling with bed bugs, coping with armies of ants, or dealing with racoons rattling around in your attic, it helps to have an idea of what you should pay for the extermination or removal of these creatures. Because, as much as we might admire them from afar, it is quite another thing to be sharing

Read more

If you live anywhere in the Gulf or on the Atlantic coast you’re probably well aware that tropical storms are likely, especially now that we’ve entered hurricane season which runs from June 1st to November 30th. However, it is important to be aware of the extent of the risk to yourself and your property and how you can prepare to minimise that risk and the associated costs of potential damages. Also, it’s important to note that it’s not only coastal areas that

Read more

Following on from our post in early June, which focused on the types of residential construction trends, we wanted to further break down the statistics to give you a more in-depth understanding of the construction market across the various states. As shown in the graphic above, construction is a multi-billion dollar industry and as such it can be very helpful to establish where the major spending is happening to ensure products are marketed toward the most lucrative and relevant geographical areas on both a macro and

Read more