Builders & Remodelers Blog

Having seen the nation through the windows of a tour bus, Chris Hawkey knows a thing or two about the impact that nice, new windows can have on your daily life. A few cracks in the frame, and the rain is warping his guitar; some poor insulation, and those summer tours feel like a ride through the desert. Even though he’s swapped tour life for home life, Chris’s windows are still a priority.  Not only does replacing windows raise home value, but it also slashes energy bills, improves ventilation, and increases security.

As a homeowner, investing in your property is always a tightrope between cost and value. With many homeowners buckling down on budgets, deciding on which part of your home to invest in has become a careful consideration. One way to save dollars down the line and free up budgets for different projects is to properly clean and maintain existing aspects of your home. A perfect example of this is siding.  Ultimately, properly cleaning and maintaining your siding can not only lengthen the lifetime of your siding, but also improve efficiency and raise exterior design as well. 

As a homeowner, investing in your property is always a tightrope between cost and value. With many homeowners buckling down on budgets, deciding on which part of your home to invest in next has become a careful consideration. However, sometimes our homes make the decision for us.  Your house is constantly providing information and clues on how each portion is performing.  When evaluating your siding, look for high energy bills, cracking, dry rot, bubbles and fading.  These are relevant factors, as they could indicate it's time for a replacement.

It’s summer time.  And in Minneapolis, that means humidity and heavy rainfall. This could ultimately put your home’s insulation and windows to the test.  Not only does window replacement rank as one of the top home improvement projects in terms of ROI, but it also results in widespread upgrades to your home. Windows have an immediate impact on ventilation, insulation, energy efficiency and resale value.  Here’s 10 things you should know about local window replacements.

As a homeowner, investing in your property is always a tightrope between cost and value.  With many homeowners buckling down on budgets, deciding which part of your home to invest in next has become a careful consideration.  Two projects that should be on your radar this summer are roofing and siding.  Here’s why -- not only can poorly insulated siding and roofing contribute to raising energy bills, but it could also lead to widespread damages for a homeowner.

Siding is the protective material attached to the side of your home that helps shield against the elements. As the largest surface of your home, siding not only has an impact on things like insulation and air infiltration, but also a major influence on the overall exterior design.  As such, it should be one of the first places a homeowner examines when evaluating their house.  When looking for the best home siding replacement options, aspects such as R-Value and type of material should be first on the list. These are important factors, as they directly impact insulation, maintenance, protection and design.  That being said, here are some of the best options for your next residential siding project. 

Choosing the best replacement windows for your home is no small decision.  Not only does window replacement rank as one of the top home improvement projects in terms of ROI, but it also results in a widespread upgrade to your home. Windows have an immediate impact on ventilation, insulation, energy efficiency and resale value.  So it’s important to pick the right one.  That being said, Vinyl windows are one of the most extensive, versatile, energy efficient and widely implemented windows in the nation. However, they've been around for decades, allowing competing window materials such as Fibrex and Composite to emerge.  But are these options truly superior to Vinyl windows?  The numbers say otherwise.

As the warm weather starts to roll in, and millions of families remain confined to their homes, one of the most worthwhile investments you can make for your property is to add a new deck. Installing a new deck can not only come with a low final cost per square foot, but it can also increase the living area of your home, create a beautiful outdoor space for your family or guests to enjoy, and raise resale value. 

Double hung windows are some of the most commonly used windows in the nation.  And for good reason.  While not only budget friendly, double hung windows are also versatile, durable and easy to customize, making them the ideal choice for new window installations or even window replacements. Builders and Remodelers has a wide variety of Double Hung Windows, all complete with the benefits and features listed below. 

For those looking to find the most important portions of their home to evaluate, look no further. Turns out your roof is at the top of the list when it comes to maximizing energy efficiency, while simultaneously serving as a building block for weather protection, insulation, and exterior design.  Furthermore, roofs have a large influence when it comes to resale value, as homes with outdated, insufficient roofs are more susceptible to energy loss, storm damage, and structural problems.  Here’s why you should care...