There are some home renovations that really should be left to a professional. Finding a good contractor that is trustworthy and dependable can sometimes be a challenge, but with some preparation it can be done.

Before accepting to work with a contractor, ask for a list of references. Ideally, the list will be fairly long, and not rigged towards a few happy customers. Call these references, skipping around from recent customers to older ones to see how the work has held up. If possible, visit one of the remodel sites in person. Ask about the quality of the work, and if the contractor stayed on budget and finished in a timely manner. Also, check how the contractor dealt with problems that arose, and if the reference would use him again.

A good contractor is one that the client feels comfortable speaking with. He should have clear solutions to your remodeling ideas. The contractor may be in your house for an extended period of time, and some problems will arise, so having good chemistry with this person is key to having a positive remodeling experience.

After getting a few different bids, do not base the job on lowest price alone. Read the details of the bid. It’s possible that if the cost for materials is cheaper than other bids, it could be an inferior product that won’t last. If one bid is significantly lower than the others, the contractor could desperate and his workmanship may be poor.

Make sure that the contractor is a professional. Verify he has workman’s compensation insurance in case a worker is injured in the home, and general liability insurance for any damage that might accidentally happen to house. Major remodeling improvements legally require a building permit so inspectors will check over the contractor’s work. Make sure the contractor applies for these permits. Certain industries allow contractors to get professional designations, such as Certified Remodeler and Graduate Certified Remodeler. Check if the contractor is part of any trade association, as they are more likely to be keeping up with current industry standards and practices.

Once a contractor is chosen, it’s good to have a contract written up so there is no confusion during the actual remodel. The contract should have the starting and projected ending dates, as well as a payment schedule which details when payment is due, and how much each payment will be. Usually, certain amounts will be paid after particular milestones are completed in the project. Also, have the contractor put any warranties he offers into the contract. Outline which duties the contractor or the homeowner will perform, such as cleanup when the job is completed, in the contract to avoid butting heads when the time comes.

Though a contractor may be needed for large remodel jobs, a homeowner can save money along the way by doing some of the low level work, such as painting walls or ceilings. Some contractors will allow the homeowner to pick up materials, such as lumber, toilets, flooring, etc, which would have been added as a surcharge on the final bill.

After some research, well thought out questions, and open communication, landing the perfect contractor for those large remodeling jobs can be achieved.

Ki operates as a real estate broker in Austin Texas. His site is filled with information about Austin real estate along with providing visitors information about mortgage interest rates along with a graphical search of the Austin MLS.

Putting in a flowerbed is a great way to add a splash of color and charm to your lawn, and turn an ordinary yard into a place to stop and smell the roses. All it takes is a little dirt work and a weekend afternoon, and you’ll be ready to plant azaleas and daisies to your heart’s content.

The first step is to decide the “where and how big?” question. There are a few things to keep in mind when making these choices, such as proximity to a water faucet (Or whether you need to buy a new, longer hose), what types of flowers you want to plant (Do they need full-sun or shade? Keep in mind that if your location will receive less than six-hours a day of sun, you will need to choose shade varieties of flowers, while more than six hours of sun requires sun-loving varieties), and how much time you want to commit to maintenance (Weeds love flowerbeds, too, and a smaller flowerbed means less to weed). Once you have chosen a location, you can mark the perimeter of the flowerbed using string or a hose. This provides a great visual that can easily be adjusted before you commit to digging.

After you have the flowerbed marked out exactly how you want it to be, it’s time to start digging. Use a shovel or spade to cut through the sod and remove the grass and roots from the flowerbed area. Take your time--this can be backbreaking work! Make sure you put all the sod into a wheelbarrow or bucket and dispose of away from your work-zone, or your flowerbed will inevitably revert back to its origin as part of your lawn.

Once you have the sod removed, surround the flowerbed with whatever edging you have chosen. There are lots of options, from brick, stone, and pavers, to landscaping timbers and vinyl. You will need to dig down a few inches to install your flowerbed perimeter, depending on your edging choice, in order to imbed the edging and ensure stability. If the soil is especially bad in your yard, it can be easier to build your flowerbed edging up and add garden soil, creating a raised flowerbed, than to dig the existing ground and amend the soil.

Now that the edging is installed, it’s time to prepare the dirt. If your flowerbed is raised, this is just a matter of filling it in with garden soil, humus and organic compost, and mixing with either a tiller or turning it over by hand with a shovel. If you have a lower flowerbed, or if you want to use some of the native soil in your flowerbed, it’s digging time again. You will need to dig down approximately eight-inches to a foot, loosening the soil and removing any rocks. Once you have dug up the entire flowerbed, add soil amendments and mix well. A consistently good amendment choice for flowerbeds is organic composts and manures, in addition to whatever amendment you may need for your soil type.

Now, the only thing left to do is add flowers and enjoy. (A little mulch for weed control wouldn’t hurt either).

Ki helps buyers looking to invest in Austin. His site provides a search of the Austin MLS along with statistics and neighborhood descriptions about Austin real estate and a mortgage calculator for visitors to use.

During the subprime crisis we saw the advent of numerous bizarre loan products. In general the new loan products were designed to get people into houses they could not normally afford. As people started to default on their mortgages banks realized many of these loan products were not a good idea. During the subprime crisis we saw most of these new loan programs fall to the wayside. I think in most cases this is a good thing. Many of these new loan products reduced the chances that individuals could gain equity in their homes by paying off principle. When difficult times arose for people they were in a difficult position because although they had made years of payments their loan balance had not changed. The worst of the new loan products had "teaser rates" so that individuals made low payments for a few years until the rate and their mortgage shot up. Its a wonder why banks are surprised by the number of foreclosures.

The one product that has seemed to survive the subprime meltdown is the 40 year loan. I am not a fan of the 40 year loan. Mostly because the savings are minimal. Lets look at the current mortgage interest rates from Wells Fargo for a 40 year, 30 year and 15 year loan.

40 Year Loan = 6.375
30 Year Loan = 5.75
15 Year Loan = 5.125

Now using a mortgage calculator lets look at the mortgage payments on a 200k house.

40 Year Loan = 1153.14
30 Year Loan = 1167.14
15 Year Loan = 1594.64


While the difference between a 30 year loan and a 15 year is substantial, $441.50, the difference between a 40 year loan and a 15 year loan is only $14 per month. A little savings but is it really worth adding a whole extra 10 years to your mortgage. So over 30 years $14 dollars a month amounts to $5040. On the other hand an extra 10 years of mortgage payments comes out to $138,377. To run the numbers a different way by putting down a mere $2400 on your 30 year loan you would get the same mortgage payment as you would on a 40 year loan.

Obviously everyone's situation is different and in a small number of cases a 40 year loan might be warranted. But in general the 40 year loan adds extra years to a person's loan for a minimal benefit.

Ki works as a realtor in the Austin real estate market. He provides updated stats on the market on his Austin real estate blog along with a free search of the Austin MLS.