e Home Improvement Center Blog

The good news: Our Open House was successful! It was a beautiful, sunny day (as shown in the picture) and we had over a dozen couples come to see our place. My husband hosted the hour and a half showing and said there was tons of great feedback. One woman didn’t realize that he was the owner and turned to him saying, “Wow, these people are neat freaks!” Ha! If she really knew me. Another couple thought our pictures online were so good, they came to get staging tips because they are looking …

Source:FSBO: The Waiting Game

Okay, so foundations aren’t the sexiest part of the house. We can all agree on that. And roofs probably sit atop everyone’s list of “The Features of a House That Keep It Dry.” But ask anyone who has suffered a crack in their foundation or sees regular moisture infiltration through that part of the house how important this half-buried, monolithic platform is to the integrity of the home and you’ll probably get a pretty consistent answer. I know my parents agree. They once spent over 36 hours …

Source:A Fast Footin' Foundation

Think your backyard is cool? Take a look at this guy’s.

These light fixtures for a backyard putting green were a candidate for our upcoming Outdoor Lighting Gallery. Although the company will install the illumination for your at-home golf course, our goal is to inspire readers towards the attainable… thus, this particular project fell to the cutting room floor… where I snatched it up.

It’s too good not to be seen by the world.

The lights are from Unique Lighting’s …

Source:The Backyard Putting Green

Has the ENERGY STAR Fallen?

Last week’s Washington Post article on ENERGY STAR called into question the legitimacy of the program’s “high standard” when more than half of the products in an ENERGY STAR-eligible category qualify for the label. Some product categories see ENERGY STAR market share at well over half, like television (79%), dehumidifiers (75%) and dishwashers (67%).

The program should be evaluating its standards and, in many cases, raising them, the article …

Source:Has the ENERGY STAR Fallen?

As I mentioned yesterday, my husband and I have decided to sell our Boston condo ourselves. We have a little bit of experience (and a lot of luck) doing this with one other property, and depending on how this sale goes, we’re about to think we’re pretty amazing — or pretty dumb.

We have worked on getting our house ready since January 2nd. Mostly, this is because we have a one year old boy who doesn’t sit still and likes to empty boxes once we’ve filled them. So, we limited our work to …

Source:FSBO: Getting Started

Okay, so foundations aren’t the sexiest part of the house. We can all agree on that. And roofs probably sit atop everyone’s list of “The Features of a House That Keep It Dry.” But ask anyone who has suffered a crack in their foundation or sees regular moisture infiltration through that part of the house how important this half-buried, monolithic platform is to the integrity of the home and you’ll probably get a pretty consistent answer. I know my parents agree. They once spent over 36 hours …

Source:A Fast Footin' Foundation

Do you want a bathroom makeover but fear the high costs?

Sentrel’s wall paneling may not be the answer for a whole-room remodel, but it can add sophistication and customization to the bathroom space. Essentially a printed paneling product, Sentrel’s composite panels utilize high-resolution imagery sandwiched between a PVC backer-board and a polyester top cap.

Installation requires a jig saw, miter saw for miter cuts, a plane, and an assortment of hand tools and adhesives. The …

Source:Bettering the Bathroom Space

For some reason I pictured the house of the future to have more rounded edges and moving parts–you know, sleek, curved furniture and conveyor belts to move you from room to room.

But no. It’s really just a house like yours and mine, with a few more wires, maybe.

The home in question belongs to Jari Arkko and sits near Helsinki, Finland. It’s a pretty smart home. In addition to giving the Arkkos access to stored media in the home and allowing them to monitor home health …

Source:The Jetson Family Found Living In…Finland?

You may not be the political type, but anyone who appreciates our country’s move in a greener direction will find the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) “Top 10 Green Building Bills” an interesting read. The Council has compiled a Top 10 list for both House and Senate legislation that “advances green building and the economic activity and jobs that come with it.” Atop the list for the House sits the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which allocated over $22 billion for energy …

Source:USGBC Release "Top 10 Green Building Bills"

I’ve never been prouder to say I am a TD Bank customer.

The East Coast commercial bank is going to pay off the mortgage of one lucky homeowner (up to $250,000). Anyone who applies for a TD Bank mortgage between March 7 and April 30 will be entered into the drawing. (Existing TD Bank mortgage customers are automatically entered).

The bank is also going to award $2,500 to six weekly winners, to go towards a mortgage payment.

I wonder if the $2,500 HAS to go towards the …

Source:TD Bank to Pay Off One Lucky Homeowner's Mortgage