6 Rules to For Remodeling Your Home

Some additions or remodels do not pay off. See photo.

Homeowners that have a remodeling project in mind should consider these 6 rules, fresh from Money Magazine, to get the best "bang-for-their-buck" should a future home sale be in the works.

1. Repairs can bring the biggest returns. EVERY potential buyer will be turned away if costly repairs are needed to bring the home up to standard. Spending money to keep it maintained is paramount and is the best return on your investment.

2. Remodeling tops an addition. Updating existing square footage returns a better value than adding square footage.

3. Eco-friendly upgrades can save the homeowner cash. Going green with compact fluorescent lighting, low-flow toilets and showerheads, more insulation, energy-efficient windows, doors, and newer HVAC and water heaters really works and can save hundreds every month. Tax-credits for many of these items make it a great value. Tax credits end at the end of this year.

4. Keep up with technology. Add cable and Ethernet cabling to each room when tackling a project. If you have modular type light switches in one room, change them out in all rooms.

5. Keep up with the Joneses. If most of your neighbors have granite countertops, do the same. You do not want your home to be sub par compared to others in the neighborhood. Keeping to neutral colors helps.

6. In reality, the payback time period is 5 years. If you know your plans are to sell within 5-7 years and you need to update, start now! Remember, keeping the home maintained is the best overall value for your dollar. If you need repairs completed hire a professional. There are many that will sell you short in these trying times.

Better Quality Means Higher Price

Here is a quote that sheds some light on quality verses price from a previous century. There were some wise ole' folks back then!

"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better."
John Ruskin - 1819 - 1900
English Author, Architect, and Economist

I can relate with Mr. Ruskin's point. I just returned from a business trip where I purchased some beauty products for my wife. I bought them at a kiosk in a mall and paid a higher price than I would have in any other situation. I have read comments from online posters that these folks (beauty product vendors) are ripping people off because the products could be purchased online for far less (about 50% lower costs online). These online vendors do not have the overhead of a mall kiosk, a staff of sales persons, nor sample products to demonstrate on potential customers, nor theft issues. Is there any wonder that their sales price is greater than a warehouse environment at an online vendor? Potential customers get to sample the products at the mall kiosk and receive wonderful customer service each time more products are needed.

I think we all have been accustomed to a Wal-Mart World where we think the cheapest price is the best but it is rarely the greatest overall value. There are many "handymen" in the Omaha area that will work for food (on the table) but when it comes to customer service, warranty, and professionalism, they cannot compare to a reputable company like Mr. Handyman. Do you think they will be straightforward about the guy they send to your home if he has been a convicted felon (we perform background checks on all employees). Buyer Beware! Will they have insurance to cover YOUR LOSS if a mishap took place? Ask for proof or hire the professional choice, Mr. Handyman.

I'd rather pay a higher price to get that kind of protection than pay a cheaper price and get wiped out. If you can grasp the financial hardship an unlicensed, uninsured serviceman can cause you if some type of calamity should occur, what about the emotional and physical devastation your family will endure if you found out too late that the individual was a convicted child molestor. What would saving $20 per hour feel like to you then?

Like Mr. Ruskin stated, it is best to pay more as long as you know the value added overcomes the added risk of the lower price. It costs the professional company more to lessen the overall risk to you but it is only a few dollars compared to thousands of dollars potential loss and quite possibly loss of life to you and your family. In the end....pay more but make sure you get more. You'll be much happier and safer.

Sell your Home & all the Maintenance & Repairs along with it!

An overwhelming trend in today's society is for a couple to purchase a home and live there well into their retirement years. A home is a major expense even if the mortgage had been paid-off many years ago. The annual property taxes, preventative maintenance, utilities, yard and exterior clearing and repairs may put the cost of staying in your home outside of your fixed income. Many choose to purchase the priority items (prescription drugs, health care, and food) and let the home deteriorate.

A 'seasoned' couple (or singles, for that matter) can sell their home and move into a roomy apartment or condo (where maintenance & repairs are tasked to someone else) and live very comfortable, both financially and physically, without any unforeseen major expenditures for home repairs or the annual maintenance costs that keep the house in great shape. On another note, let’s face it, most repairmen, contractors and auto mechanics do not have a great reputation in giving the elderly great value for the services they provide sometimes taking them for a huge sum because of the situation they find themselves in.

Many are choosing to move to the downtown Omaha area where the shops, nightlife and nostalgia are unparalleled. On a recent drive one evening to the Civic Auditorium for a hockey night with the girls, I witnessed many elderly couples walking around downtown catching the nightlife and enjoying life in general. They were laughing and cutting-up even in the brisk wind!

One such apartment complex is the Orpheum Tower Apartments in beautiful downtown Omaha. It has 16 stories packed with numerous floor plans to accommodate a wide variety of potential apartment dwellers. Availability is limited as they average a 97% occupancy rate throughout most of the year. Their website is http://www.orpheumtowerapts.com/ .

Ask for a little sweetie named Sara. If she doesn't have availability at the Orpheum there are other properties in the downtown area she can help you discover.

Licensed, Bonded, and Insured- What does it mean?

Licensed, bonded, and insured. We see it in advertisements and hear it on Radio and TV spots. Articles urge homeowners to make certain of these items before having work performed. Yet many are unsure exactly what these terms mean or how they can protect us from unscrupulous or incompetent contractors. For a better explanation, read on.

Licensing: The State of Nebraska requires both residential and commercial builders and contractors to be registered with the state as a contractor providing services. There are separate licensing requirements for Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC and the state requires that these licenses be kept current. You can confirm a contractor has the required registration credentials by searching the Nebraska Department of Labor website. Mr. Handyman is a registered contractor in the State of Nebraska.

Bonding: Fidelity bonds protect the homeowner from dishonest acts incurred by a contractor’s employee. Mr. Handyman also performs a thorough background check and subjects employees to drug screening for your safety and security.

Insurance: This is the most familiar of the three requirements, but there are differences from what most of us understand as insurance. Workers’ compensation is vital to protect homeowners from liability for injuries incurred while workers are present in their homes. Commercial General Liability insurance (GCL) protects the homeowner for bodily injury, property damage, or personal injury. In the event there would be damage or loss to a home or structure due to a contractor’s negligence, the homeowners’ property insurance may not be in force. It would be necessary for the contractors General Liability Insurance to offer the coverage. Most insurance companies would highly recommend an “insured contractor” be hired for all work within the home to protect you, your home’s value, the mortgage lender and your homeowner’s insurance policy. Consider the consequences if a large loss were to take place and you can understand the benefit of hiring the right company. Mr. Handyman is fully insured and can produce the insurance certificate if needed.

While the contractor registration and license is issued by the state, the bond and insurance is backed by an insurance carrier. Contact information, for verification purposes, is listed on the insurance certificate; as is the expiration date of the policy.

Ask to see licenses, bonds, and certificates of insurance if you have any doubts about the contractor you’re thinking of doing business with. Reputable companies like Mr. Handyman are happy to provide proof of their adherence to the laws and regulations designed to make certain that contractors, employees, and homeowners are protected during the completion of a project.

In these tough economic times, homeowners need the protection offered by properly credentialed contractors. “Contractors” that cut corners on licensing, bonding and insurance are much more likely to cut corners when working at your home. If that contractor cannot afford the appropriate insurance and other credentials, how will he cover the expenses of any theft, damage or injury should that occur? Be skeptical and do not be fooled by a “cheap” price. The value offered, quality of workmanship and minimum hassles far outweigh a low price any day. A contractor is in your home for a few hours to a few days yet you have to live with the end results for many, many years.

If you know a friend, relative or neighbor with a contractor or project horror story at their home, more often than not it was with an un-credentialed contractor.

Mr. Handyman is Licensed, Bonded and Insured for your protection, as well as ours.

Save $ with a DIY Radon Testing Kit

Test your home for radon with a DIY kit.


Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless radioactive gas that is known to cause cancer. The Surgeon General states that radon is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the US. It can build up in your home when windows and doors are sealed tight, both during the winter or summer months when the A/C or heat is running all day long. Checking for radon in the winter months is an excellent time since you're indoors a lot more often and sealing those windows and doors to stay warm.


To check for radon, you will need to purchase a home testing kit (will usually cost around $25). Follow the directions carefully so the results will be as accurate as possible. Or you can choose to have a professional come out and test your home for you (can cost up to $300.00).


You must leave all windows and doors closed almost exclusively except to quickly exit the house. You should not use the bathroom vent fan or a range hood fan (only if it vents to the outside) during the testing period (3-7 days for the short term testing kit).


I found a great, cost-effective radon testing kit at http://www.radon.com/. It should run about $16.00 for the kit and about $10.00 for the return postage to get the test kit to the lab. They will email or fax the results to you in about one week.


Once you get the test results you can determine if you need to have a radon mitigation system installed. It will pull air from your basement (or sump pit area, if installed) and vent it outside to minimize the radon levels in the home, thus reducing the negative effects of radon on your family's health. You may not need to have a dedicated radon-mitigation system installed to reduce the levels to a safe level. There are other methods to accomplish the same task. Knowing what your options are will allow you to make a better informed decision.

February Maintenance Tasks

Burrrrr. It's still cold out there. Spring is not too far away and we'll be planting, gardening and enjoying the great outdoors in due time. Here are a few maintenance tasks that could be accomplished in February while the snow has you feeling blue.

Clean the garbage disposal by dumping 2 trays of ice cubes and 1 cup of white vinegar into the opening and running the disposal. The ice will sharpen the blades and the vinegar will clean the chamber and drain. I have also heard folks dumping a cup of baking soda and then pouring 2 cups of vinegar down the opening. After a few minutes, run the disposal as normal with the water running. NEVER POUR WASTE OIL like drain-off from bacon or hamburger down the drain!

Wipe down and disinfect door knobs, toilet handles, kitchen drawer and door pulls etc., especially if any family member was sick this winter. While you are at it use some furniture polish or Old English scratch remover on wood-stained cabinets to bring out the shine and beauty of those kitchen cabinets.

Dust the ceiling fan blades and the motor housing screening material with a vacuum and brush attachment. Also use the brush attachment on the heating and air-conditioning vent covers. If you have floor vents, remove the cover and vacuum down in the ductwork as far as you can reach. Look for those lost toys and other "treasures" your kids lost down there first.

Learn the location of the gas, water and electrical shut-offs. You never know when you may need to flip the switch or turn off the water to the house in an emergency situation.

Check and clean your range hood filter. The dishwasher is the best way to clean these.

And lastly as with each month, change your furnace filter. Those of you that use a blow-dryer on your hair, clean the filter on it as well. It will last longer that way.

A Clever Way to Spend Your Tax Return

Go Green! Free 'Green' Stuff from Uncle Sam.

As a primary homeowner a tax payer could receive up to a $1500 tax credit for increasing the energy efficiency of their home. If you use your tax return to purchase energy efficient doors, windows, HVAC equipment, water heaters, skylights or insulation and roofing materials you will get 30% of that money returned to you as a tax credit. If you need some of these items anyway taking advantage of this tax credit just makes financial sense.

There are certain requirements and some paperwork to keep but it is money returning to you. If you do not take advantage of it this year you will miss out. I'll put it this way. If you received a tax return of $1000 this year and expect to get about the same back next year, you could spend this years return on a $1000 home improvement (materials costs only) and next year you'll receive $1300 back instead of the $1000 because of the tax credit. You could spend up to $5000 on these home improvement projects to max out at the $1500 limit.

Not all windows, doors and HVAC purchases qualify for the tax credit. Consult a tax professional or go to energystar.gov for more detailed information. You can call Mr. Handyman for more information as well.