Sunday, April 19, 2020

Home Remodeling Pictures Of Actual Projects Near You

Home Remodeling Pictures Of Actual Projects Near You

See Home Remodeling Projects Clients In Westchester, Putnam, And Dutchess County Had Us Do
Freestanding tub with half marble wall around it

After you see these home remodeling pictures you very well may want to remodel a part (or parts) of your home. Exteriors, kitchens, bathrooms, and more!

See what they look like in the post below-

I Can’t Wait Until This Is Over

“What’s up buttercup?”

Lindsey looks up from her phone as Jerry plops next to her on the couch. “I’m looking at home remodeling pictures. There are some great ideas here. I think we should do an exterior home addition now while we’re stuck inside. Or save up for an interior one later.”

“That’s a great idea! Since we aren’t traveling or spending a lot of money this is perfect. Might as well spruce up our living space,” Jerry smiles.

“Yay, I’m so glad you agree! Now I really can’t wait until this is over. Want to look at these pictures with me? There might even be something that catches your eye.” Jerry nods and puts his arm around Lindsey so he can get comfy.

This is what the couple finds-

Exterior Remodeling Pictures

“Wow, these exterior home remodeling pictures are great! I would love to have any of them, really.”

Covered patios are a great home addition

This client remodeled their patio into a covered patio. Now they can relax outside, even eat meals together, without being in the sun all the time.

“That certainly would make relaxing by the pool more fun,” Jerry notes. “And so would this next house addition!”

Before and after remodeling a deck

Lindsey’s eyes widen. “Wow, they made that deck look so much better! Put an umbrella on it and add some outdoor lighting and you’ll have a great hangout spot. And you’re right, it would make our backyard pool way more fun.”

Lindsey scrolls down to the next set of home remodeling pictures.

Kitchen Remodeling Pictures

“This kitchen looks totally different now!”

Kitchen remodeling picture

“Yeah, it went from old-fashioned to modern in a BIG way. Are you sure it’s even the same kitchen?” Jerry jalf-jokes. “I don’t know,” Lindsey plays along, “it looks like a different home haha,” she laughs. “But, no, really, those white shaker style cabinets, black countertops, and subway tile backsplash look cool and contemporary.”

“We might need to save up and do a kitchen remodel. Here’s another one:”

Before and after remodeling a deck

“It practically went from breakfast nook to actual kitchen!” Jerry lowers his head closer to the screen. “I spy a mini-fridge (or keggerator), handles on the cabinets, and a lot more counter space.” It also looks like it jumped ahead a decade or two in style (because it did!)

“Let’s see if the bathroom remodeling pictures are just as good,” Lindsey says scrolling downward.

Bathroom Remodeling Pictures

“It looks so new and fancy!”

Kitchen remodeling picture

“But what if we took out the tub and made the shower huge! Maybe even have a place to sit down in there,” Jerry muses. “Look at you, coming up with great ideas. This next one we could do for our guest bathroom.”

Bathroom remodel before and after

“That hardwood-looking floor is really nice. We should get that look for the entire first floor. Or wait! Let’s put it in the basement instead.”

Basement Remodeling Pictures

“Now, finishing the basement looks like a really good idea.”

Basement remodel in Westchester County

Jerry mimics a cave-man. “Make into man-cave!” Lindsey laughs. “Maybe, or it could be a place to entertain our guests. If anything we could have it be a place for the kids to go play.”

Ideas for finishing a basement like this one

Which To Get?

“Base-chen. Kit-ment.” The couple looks at each other in surprise. “I think we should remodel the basement,” Jery says slowly. “But I think the basement would be better as we can use it for more things,” Lindsey replies.

They decide to break the tie by looking at kitchen remodeling ideas and basement finishing ideas.

The post Home Remodeling Pictures Of Actual Projects Near You appeared first on Fisher Building Co..

Sunday, April 5, 2020

5 Home Remodel Contractors Near Me In Mahopac New York

5 Home Remodel Contractors Near Me In Mahopac New York

One Of These Home Remodelers Might Be The One For You
Insulation basement walls

These 5 home remodel contractors near you in Mahopac can help make your vision a reality. You just might end up hiring one of them.

Find out who they are and a little bit about them in the post below-

There’s Just Too Many!

“This will take forever.”

James sits back with a heavy sigh. He and Lauren are starting to look for a home remodel contractor near them in Mahopac. The huge number of them is kind of scary. How are they supposed to find one contractor out of the hundreds around them?

Home remodel contractors near me in Mahopac NY

“And there’s more when you zoom in! Then you realize these are only the businesses that have a Google account, so there are even more home remodelers near me,” James mutters in frustration. It’s just like when they were trying to find the cost of home renovations.

“Hon, I think I found something that can help,” Lauren bursts excitedly.

James goes over to see what she’s looking at on her phone. She has a post pulled up that has a 5 home remodeling contractors near them. 

Here is the list she found-

5 Home Remodel Contractors In Mahopac, New York

  1. Above And Beyond Contracting
  2. Colgar Enterprises
  3. First Class Remodeling Inc
  4. Fratto Home Improvement and Repair LLC
  5. Lopardo LLC

“What makes these remodelers worthy of being on this list?” James asks curiously.

Working on a home renovation project

Above And Beyond Contracting was started back in 1918 by the current owner’s grandfather. Since starting, they’ve been working to improve their systems and processes to be what they are today.

“So far this list of home remodel contractors is good,” Lauren says quietly.

Colgar Enterprises is owned and operated by Gary West. He and his son work on their client’s projects together in a professional manner worthy of being put on this list.

“Father son home remodeling contractor team, huh? Reminds me of when I would do home projects with my dad,” James says nostalgically.

First Class Remodeling Inc is privately owned and operated. John Boer, their head contractor, has been working in the area for a long time. They’re a home remodel contractor in Mahopac that specializes in kitchens and bathrooms.

Fratto Home Improvement and Repair LLC is a home remodel contractor company in Mahopac. They specialize in all types of home repair and say no job is too small for them! They no longer do jobs in Yonkers.

“I wonder why they don’t do jobs in Yonkers anymore?” Lauren wonders.

Lopardo LLC is a remodeling company based in Carmel Hamlet. Besides residential work they also take jobs in the commercial sphere. They are also a family owned and operated home remodel contracting business near Mahopac.

To The Victor Goes The Crown

“See, I like this list. It’s short, simple, and doesn’t take a lot of time to go through. Let’s take a look and see what we think of these home remodel contractors near us,” James suggests. Lauren likes the idea so the couple gets to work.

The post 5 Home Remodel Contractors Near Me In Mahopac New York appeared first on Fisher Building Co..

Monday, March 23, 2020

The Truth About How Much Home Renovations Cost In New York

The Truth About How Much Home Renovations Cost In New York

The Real Answer Is It Depends On What You Want For Your Westchester, Dutchess, Or Putnam County Home
Cost to renovate a home kitchen is a lot when its on this level

Finding an answer on how much do home renovations cost is impossible. You can find a national average, but it’s better to know what can cause it to change. Once you know that then it makes more sense why your renovation is getting the estimated prices it is.

You can find the main factors affecting home renovation costs in the post below.

National Averages Don’t Really Help

“What do you mean they don’t really help?”

Whitney looks at Debbie in confusion. The average for how much home renovations cost is an average for a reason. Whitney thinks if she renovates her whole home the price should fall somewhere in the national average range of $18,000 – $76,000.

Deck before and after renovation

“True, but we live in New York. Everything is more expensive here, especially if you compare it to places out in the middle of nowhere,” Debbie points out.

“Oh. You’ve got a good point there Debbie. So I guess the only way to know the cost of the home renovations I want is to contact a home renovator,” Whitney sighs in defeat. After seeing those kitchen remodeling ideas she’s been super excited about doing a renovation of her own. She was hoping to have some idea of the price before she contacted anyone.

“Don’t be so down, let’s not give up yet! I’m sure we can at least find out what factors change the cost of a home renovation,” Debbie says encouragingly. She whips out her phone to see what she can find on Google.

After searching for several minutes, here is what Debbie finds.

Factors Changing Home Renovation Costs

  1. The rooms
  2. Complexity of the renovation
  3. Underlying problems
  4. Chosen materials

“Wow, I can’t believe we actually found something,” Debbie says in surprise. “Don’t stop there, keep reading!” Whitney bursts out excitedly.

1. Rooms Are A Game Changer

“This is a good start.”

Bathroom renovation before and after

The number of rooms you’re trying to renovate will definitely have an impact on home renovation costs. The more there are the more manpower, labor, time, materials, everything there is.

“That makes perfect sense,” Whitney says with a nod.

Kitchen after a renovation

Then the room itself changes the cost. Kitchens are the most expensive room to renovate, costing a national average of $25,000. Renovating a basement comes in at $20,000 and bathrooms at $10,000.

Basement finishing ideas to add home value >>

“Wow, that’s a good chunk of change right there,” Debbie says with a low whistle. They scroll down to the next factor affecting how much home renovations cost.

2. Home Renovation Costs Change Based On Complexity

“What exactly is meant by complexity?”

Deck Restoration Project: Make Your Home Look As Good As This

Complexity can mean how much is actually being renovated. Just updating one or two parts of a room will probably be less of an investment than updating the entire room. It does come down to what you’re renovating in the room and the materials you choose (we’ll get into that later on in this post).

“What you’re renovating sounds like another part of the complexity,” Whitney correctly guesses.

Kitchen cabinets after renovation

Cabinet renovation is usually the most expensive. They can take up the most space in a room, especially kitchens. Compare that to painting the walls or redoing the flooring and you’ll see what you’re renovating can change the cost of a home renovation.

“I might have to renovate my home in steps depending on the overall cost for what I want,” Whitney says thoughtfully.

Size matters as well. Small kitchens and bathrooms can cost less because they take fewer materials. Labor might increase simply because smaller areas are harder to work in. If you can only fit 1-2 people at a time it’ll take longer than if you had 3-5 people.

“I never thought about that part of a home renovation project,” Debbie realizes. They wonder if the next factor that can change how much a home renovation can cost will be as surprising.

3. Watch Out For Underlying Problems

“Underlying problems like what?”

This basement has a lot of problems to fix that will add to the cost of a home renovation

You might not notice it. Heck, even the best contractor might not until they start renovating your home.

Problems can pop up at any point during a home project. Rotten wood can be hiding in plain sight, mold and mildew can be growing behind the walls, the wiring for electrical appliances may need updating, and many other problems could be present.

“And any problems should be fixed before continuing the project. Otherwise, they can cause worse problems later that I’ll need to spend more money to fix later,” Whitney notes.

They scroll down to the last factor affecting the cost of home renovations.

4. Chosen Materials

“If I had the money I would make almost everything marble.”

Higher-end materials will raise the cost of a home renovation. Natural stone is going to be the more costly option as will anything you want custom-made. But it will look AMAZING.

“Looks like I’ve got a lot to consider when it comes to material choices,” Whitney muses. She’s feeling a lot more confident, enough that she’s ready to contact a home renovator.

The True Cost Of A Home Renovation In New York

“It seems like it mostly depends on how much you choose to renovate and what you choose to renovate with. It’ll also be different based on who you contact, but at least I’ll have a decent idea of why it costs what it does,” Whitney says confidently.

“Oh look, it says here the average cost of a home renovation in New York is between $21,000 – $90,000,” Debbie points out.

You can find out more average home renovation prices on Home Advisor >>

The post The Truth About How Much Home Renovations Cost In New York appeared first on Fisher Building Co..

Sunday, March 8, 2020

How To Remodel A Bathroom To Make It A Modern Masterpiece

How To Remodel A Bathroom To Make It A Modern Masterpiece

Transform Your Westchester, Dutchess, Or Putnam County Bathroom Into Your Personal Escape
How to remodel a bathroom so it looks like this

You can create your own personal escape in your bathroom! You can find out what it takes by learning how to remodel a bathroom and why it’s in 4 parts. These parts include remodeling the floors, cabinets/vanities, shower/bathtub, and the walls/ceiling.

You can see the differences remodeling these areas can make in this post.

It Doesn’t Even Compare

“After seeing their bathroom I know ours needs updating just as badly.”

Holly sits down on the couch with a sigh. She and Mike just got home from their friend’s house who just fully remodeled their bathroom. It made her realize their bathroom is so out of date it might as well have dinosaurs in it.

Old bathroom in need of remodeling

“Well, we have the money and the time, why don’t we remodel our bathroom too?” Mike suggests helpfully.

“Really?!” Holly bolts up in surprise and disbelief. She thought she’d have to do a few weeks of subtle convincing to get him on board with a full bathroom remodel. “But I’d like to know what a full bathroom remodel means,” Mike says.

Deck Restoration Project: Make Your Home Look As Good As This

Holly pulls out her phone and looks up “how to remodel a bathroom” on Google. She can’t wait to get through this and contact a bathroom remodeler.

Here is what she finds.

How To Remodel A Bathroom

  1. Floors
  2. Cabinets/vanity
  3. Shower/tub
  4. Walls/ceiling

“Well that’s surprisingly short,” Holly mumbles in confusion. “Try scrolling down to see if there are any details,” Mike says. Holly scrolls down to find out more about how to remodel a bathroom.

Remodeling Bathroom Floors

“I guess we’ll start at the bottom and work our way up.”

Slate vinyl flooring

The overall best bathroom flooring has got to be ceramic or porcelain tile. It’s waterproof, durable, stain-resistant, easy to maintain, and not too expensive. You can also get it in almost any style or color including wood and stone.

“But tile is cold and hard to stand on,” Holly groans. “We can always put carpet over it or even get heated floors,” Mike points out. “True. Wait, you know how to install tiles right? We won’t need a contractor for this will we?!”

“Not doing it. It’s too much work for what I want to do,” Mike says firmly.

Remodeling a bathroom can modernize it

Besides ceramic and porcelain tiles you can also use natural stone which is beautiful, expensive, durable, and high maintenance. Then there’s engineered hardwood which can be installed over existing flooring. It is durable and water-resistant, but not waterproof. Other good choices are cork and luxury vinyl (make sure the manufacturer offers green choices that don’t emit VOCs).

Deck Restoration Project: Make Your Home Look As Good As This

“Let’s get the ceramic/porcelain option that looks like wood or stone, that sounds like fun,” Holly smiles. Mike agrees and they scroll down to the next step for how to remodel a bathroom.

How To Remodel Bathroom Cabinets/Vanities

“Yeah our cabinets need an upgrade, they don’t look good or have a lot of room.”

A modern and minimalist take on bathroom cabinets

If you’re going to modernize your bathroom cabinets you’re going to have lots of fun with the choices. The overall style is becoming more minimalistic, which has sleek lines, less clutter, and a spa-like feel. Marble countertops are in (though they never went out of style). Wood vanities are also in, though mostly with reclaimed and unfinished wood. 

Wood bathroom cabinets with open storage areas

“Oh, the wood look is really nice. It gives the bathroom an organic, natural feel, plus it would look great with more modern countertops and hardware.

You can also have the bottom of the vanity float, as in it doesn’t connect with the ground, or be an open storage area for towels and the like. This way you (nor anyone else) will have to go through drawers and closets looking for things.

Modern bathroom vanities

“Open storage all the way. I like seeing where things are,” Mike says. “I agree! Let’s get the minimalist, spa-like style. It looks so clean and elegant!”

The couple scrolls down to the next part of how to remodel a bathroom.

Remodeling The Shower/Tub Area

“Whoa, these ideas are incredible!”

Almost fully open shower

Open-concept bathrooms are becoming more popular with every bathroom remodel. Take the doors and curtains off of your shower and you have an open-concept bathroom. It feels different at first, almost weird, but after a couple uses it feels amazing. Your bathroom will feel larger, more open, and nobody will have to worry about slipping while climbing in or out of it.

Bathroom with large bathtub

“YES.” Holly just stares at the screen as her mouth tugs upwards into a big smile. Mikes not the biggest fan of this idea but he feels like he can get used to it.

The other styles for bathrooms are trending in 2 very different directions. It’s either a large shower without a tub or a large tub with a smaller shower. It all comes down to what you want and prefer.

Modern bathroom remodel

“Looks like we already decided with the larger, open shower concept,” Mike notes. Holly smiles and hugs him before scrolling down to the final step for how to remodel a bathroom for 2020.

Here are some real bathroom renovations we’ve done >>

New Bathroom Walls For 2020

“Whoa, these ideas are incredible!”

You can always go for a new color or update your current one so it looks new and fresh. Darker colored walls with lighter vanities, showers, etc are becoming more popular. Pinks, whites, and blues are also popular paint colors for bathroom remodels.

“Not pink. If anything I’d like the darker walls with lighter other things,” Mike says. “Trust me, I wasn’t thinking about pink, it’s not my style,” Holly assures him.

Freestanding tub with half marble wall around it

Or you can go for an entirely new style like tile. Like with floors, there is a huge variety of styles and colors for wall tiles. Natural stone walls are also becoming more popular. This includes everything from magnificent marble to cool concrete.

“Marble would be amazing, but that would be our entire budget,” Mike half-jokes.

What Will Their New Bathroom Look Like?

“So far we have wood or stone looking ceramic/porcelain tiles with rugs on it, organic wood cabinets with open storage space, an open-concept shower with some sort of tile pattern, and darker wall paint.”

Now that the couple has some idea as to what they want they need to find a contractor who can make their vision a reality. The best place to start is on a contractor’s portfolio page.

The post How To Remodel A Bathroom To Make It A Modern Masterpiece appeared first on Fisher Building Co..

Sunday, February 16, 2020

How To Insulate Basement Walls Properly And Make It Livable

How To Insulate Basement Walls Properly And Make It Livable

Save Money And Start Turning Your Westchester, Putnam, Or Dutchess County Basement Into A Livable Space
Insulating basement walls properly

You can insulate your basement walls properly in 11 basic steps. Fair warning, you may have to frame your basement walls before adding insulation.

From choosing insulation to putting up a vapor barrier you can find out how to insulate basement walls right here.

It’s Like An Igloo Down Here

“Igloos are actually quite warm if you build them right.”

Matt rolls his eyes as Melissa corrects him. “Well, they’re still cold though, just warmer than the outside. Anyway, it’s cold down here and we can’t let it stay that way if we’re going to turn it into a living space.”

Unfinished basement in need of insulation

Matt knows they’re going to have to add insulation to the walls. “Guess we’re going to hire a basement finishing contractor,” Melissa sighs, pulling out her phone.

“Whoa, what? C’mon, I can add insulation to the walls! It can’t be that hard,” Matt protests.

“Let’s find out then. Here, I’m going to look up how to insulate basement walls properly and, based on that, we can decide whether you can DIY it or if we need to hire a pro,” Melissa counteroffers. Matt grumbles an agreement as Melissa starts searching Google.

Here are the 11 basic steps to insulating basement walls that Melissa finds.

How To Insulate Basement Walls Properly In 11 Steps

  1. Choose the level of insulation (R-value)
  2. Attach interlocking rigid foam styrofoam to wall
  3. Seal joints
  4. Frame walls with pressure-treated lumber
  5. Run electrical, plumbing, etc
  6. Cut insulation .25 inches lower than your ceiling
  7. Apply adhesive to the wall
  8. Stick insulation to it
  9. Seal seams with duct tape
  10. Seal gaps between ceiling and floor with caulk or foam filler
  11. Put up a vapor barrier

“See? I can totally do this, it just looks like a lot because there are 11 steps,” Matt points out. “Mmmmm, I’m still not convinced yet. Having it laid out like this makes it look easy-ish, but it might not be,” Melissa fires back.

She scrolls down to see more details for insulating basement walls.

Steps 1-5

R-value tells you how well insulation works to keep heat where it is. The higher the R-value the better it will perform and for New York, this number is quite high: R13 – R15.

The styrofoam helps seal against air and some moisture, though you’ll want to seal your basement against moisture before doing any of this (you can learn how right now). Sealing the joints between the styrofoam boards helps them be more airtight.

The framing is necessary because the type of insulation most contractors use needs a wall covering it. This way it meets building and fire codes. “Yep, and we need to use pressure-treated lumber so it lasts longer,” Matt chimes in.

If you want a comfier basement then you’ll want the essentials: electricity and plumbing.

Melissa looks at Matt, who seems to be losing confidence a bit. She keeps scrolling to see the rest of the steps on how to insulate basement walls.

Steps 6-11

Cutting the insulation makes sure it fits. Don’t worry, one of the following steps helps fill in the gaps so you’re not improperly insulating.

As for applying the insulation to the walls, it’s the glue-and-stick method. Put the glue on the wall and stick the insulation to it. Then, seal the seams between the insulation with duct tape and the floor/ceiling gaps with caulk or foam filler.

“Then we put in the vapor barrier,” Matt says excitedly.

The vapor barrier keeps moisture away from the insulation so it doesn’t rot or mold.

Will Matt DIY Or Will They Hire Someone?

“What do you think Matt?” Melissa asks. Matt frowns and rubs his chin thoughtfully for a minute. “I think I can do it myself,” he says slowly, “but it would take a lot more time and energy than I want to put in. We can afford to hire someone, so let’s go that route.”

Now the couple is one step closer to finishing their basement. After the drywall is up, Matt just may learn the rest of the steps on how to finish a basement.

The post How To Insulate Basement Walls Properly And Make It Livable appeared first on Fisher Building Co..

Monday, February 3, 2020

How To Waterproof A Basement So You Can Upgrade It

How To Waterproof A Basement So You Can Upgrade It

Waterproof Your Westchester, Dutchess, Or Putnam County Basement So You Can Enjoy It
Digging around the outside is part of how to waterproof a basement

You can turn your basement into an actual living space! The best place to start is learning how to waterproof a basement so it won’t get damaged. After that, you can start finishing it into whatever kind of room you want, whether it’s a man cave, kid cave, or guest area.

Here are the basic steps you can follow to waterproof your basement.

It Has To Happen Before It’s Too Late

“Ok, this is really not good,” Sharon says worriedly.

She can see the water stains spreading all over the walls of their basement. It’s unsightly, not good for their walls, and it’s getting in the way of her plans to finish their basement.

Basement in need of finishing

At least she has a few ideas of what’s causing it and she can probably fix that on her own or have her husband help her. It’s keeping it from happening again that’ll be the main problem. If she can fix that then she can learn how to finish a basement.

She sighs heavily, pulls out her phone, and searches ‘how to waterproof a basement’ on Google.

Here is what she finds.

How To Waterproof A Basement In 4 Basic Steps

  1. Remove any paints, adhesives, etc from your basement walls and/or floor
  2. Clean the walls and floor
  3. Make any repairs and seal them
  4. Waterproof your basement with an appropriate waterproofing sealer (like concrete sealer for concrete)
Basement in need of finishing

“There really aren’t that many steps, huh,” Sharon thinks to herself in surprise. Then she realizes that this is only for waterproofing the interior of a basement.

The process for how to waterproof a basement exterior takes a lot more work and money. You have to dig to the foundation using bigger machines, make repairs, apply a sealant, and then fill it back in.

So to completely waterproof a basement you’ll need to work on the outside and the inside.

Sharon will need to think on this for a while and talk to her husband about it because it won’t be cheap. She may have to do it in sections, first the outside then the inside.

But the sealant should last a lifetime so it might be worth the cost, especially considering the fact that a finished basement will be amazing:

Sharon considers what she wants from her basement. When (not if) she finishes it she’ll use it until she sells the house and even then it’ll help increase the overall selling price.

Sharon decides to contact a contractor to get an estimate so she can start moving forward with her plan.

A Few Months Later

Sharon walks into her finished basement with a smile on her face. It took a lot of time and money but seeing and using her basement makes it worth it. It’s great for get-togethers, having guests stay over, and being a great place to unwind.

She sure is glad she found those 3 ideas for finishing a basement.

The post How To Waterproof A Basement So You Can Upgrade It appeared first on Fisher Building Co..