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Protect your Home from Southern California’s Mudslides

by admin
Design & Construction, Home Maintenance & Repairs
December 15, 2015

A record El Niño phenomenon is likely to bring wet and potentially treacherous weather to Southern California this winter. Meteorologists are predicting record warm temperatures off the Pacific Ocean, which is a recipe for huge storms. And we have seen every time that El Nino + California = mudslides.

Mudslide protection in California is serious. It’s not too late. Get prepared. Contact home design and remodeling experts to implement some mudslide protection measures.

The Perfect Storm

Heavy downpours in SoCal are usually accompanied by dangerous mudslides. This year the experts are predicting massive mudslides as a consequence of extraordinary weather, the long drought, and a bad wildfire

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Tips for Maintaining Your SoCal Short-Term Rental Investment Property

by admin
Home Improvements, Restoration projects
December 5, 2015

Joining the short-term property rental market can be highly lucrative, especially in Southern California. People flock here year round for vacations and for business, and many are sick of the impersonal nature of hotels. Therefore, renting out a property through agencies like Airbnb is big, big business.

Your place will not look after itself. To maximize your tenancies and financial returns, follow these tips for maintaining an investment property. You may even be looking at remodeling or renovating in order to boost revenue potential.

Think Beyond Esthetics and Ambience

You can add all the special touches you like for your casual renters – flowers, chocolates, fancy linen, etc – but even more important is how well you maintain your investment place.  Even a slight “relaxation” in maintenance can

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Ask the Experts: I Might Sell Soon – Is it a Good Time to Remodel?

by admin
Home Improvements, Home Remodeling
November 17, 2015

Owning a home is a wonderful thing. Selling it, however, can be stressful. Should you remodel to sell your home? Remodeling can either net you a decent return or it can mean cash out of your pocket.

This is your home and you want to get the most out of the sale, so the idea of remodeling is about earning a larger return. But is it a good time? Is it worth the cost?

What Are the Comps?

Before you remodel to sell your home, look into the comparative listings (sold and for sale) in your neighborhood. Compare homes of similar age and size. Study what each have in common and what’s different. From here, you’ll get your first idea of what specific home remodeling projects will produce return on investment (ROI).

Big Projects vs Small

When you remodel to sell your home, you need to think about a realistic return. At a time like this, a major remodeling

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Three Tips for Creating an Indoor Outdoor Living Space in SoCal

by admin
Design & Construction
October 24, 2015

Southern California’s climate is perfect for bringing the outdoors in and the indoors out. There’s nothing better than dining outdoors surrounded by the hills, or watching a movie in the yard, or just using the patio as an outdoor living room. You need a stylish outdoor space for year-round use. So, get on it. This is one home remodeling idea that involves minimal disruption to the inside of your house and your daily life, and it’s guaranteed to add value to your home. So let’s look at a few ideas for creating your amazing indoor-outdoor living space here in SoCal.

Blend Indoor and Outdoor Kitchens – and Then Some

An outdoor kitchen can provide that perfect hosting area for dinner parties with friends. But for you to maximize the value and utility of your outdoor kitchen, you should blend that space with your

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L.A. Home Improvement Rebates Through LADWP and SoCalGas

by admin
Home Addition, Home Improvements
October 14, 2015

Do you own a home in Southern California? Are you aware of the excellent rebates out there for making your home more efficient with its energy and water consumption? Because these rebates spell savings for any homeowner thinking of doing some remodeling. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and SoCalGas can make your remodeling costs lower. Check out some of the home improvement rebates in Los Angeles and across SoCal.

ENERGY STAR Windows and Cool Roof Rebates

LADWP offers homeowners rebates on installing ENERGY STAR

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Copper is the ‘It’ Metal for Home Restoration in 2015

by admin
Home Remodeling, Home Restoration
October 13, 2015

Move over granite, stainless steel, tiles, aluminum, and brushed nickel. 2015’s ‘it’ material for home restoration is copper!

Copper is amazing for so many things in home remodeling and restoration. Use it to make your home look awesome and increase its value at the same time.

Remember: copper is 100% recyclable!

Durable, Low Maintenance Copper

First, copper is so durable. It’s great for areas that are exposed to the elements, like gutters, flashing and downspouts. They look incredible, won’t sag or weaken, and can handle any weather condition. On top of that, they are very low maintenance.

Over time, copper develops what’s called a patina (the green look), which even reforms

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Three Things to Consider When Taking Out a Home Construction Loan

by admin
Design & Construction, Design-Build
September 22, 2015

When building a new home, or upgrading an existing one, the financial aspect is the most basic, right? Without money, nothing gets built. Unless you’re very fortunate, you’ll need a loan to finance the project. So, what kind of home construction loan do you need? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of such a loan? The success or failure of your project can depend entirely on you getting the right kind of financial help and knowing exactly what you’re getting into.

  1. Ensure You Have a Detailed Contract

All business transactions require comprehensive documentation, especially for long-term and expensive processes – like building your home. It’s essential that all project costs be documented, as well as

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Ask the Experts – What’s Needed When Building a Home Recording Studio?

by admin
Recording Studio
August 21, 2015

Home recording studios have taken off in Southern California. So many music professionals, recording engineers, bands, instrumentalists, singers, and even voiceover actors have decided to eliminate hours of highway traveling to other studios and have their own studio at home. That, of course, meant they had to do some home remodeling. So, let’s talk about the requirements for a little (or large) home recording studio remodel job.

Choosing a Room

First, you need a room. Sometimes this isn’t as easy as first thought. Maybe a spare bedroom is

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Remodeling Tips for Increasing the Size of Your Cozy L.A. Condo

by admin
Design & Construction
July 22, 2015

Los Angeles is where everyone wants to be and scoring a condo in this city takes patience, luck, and capital. Then there is the size. A realtor may call these condos “cozy” but let’s call a spade a spade… they’re small. We’re talking 650-800 square feet small. Nothing says small quite like sitting on the couch and being able to reach the refrigerator without moving. Here are some tips on how to remodel a condo in L.A. to make it appear much roomier.

Lose A Wall

Many cozy condos in L.A. are converted apartment buildings or hotels. This explains the small size as well as some dividing walls that were once “necessary” for aesthetic purposes but now serve

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Honoring Spanish History and Authentic Design with a Home Remodel

by admin
Design & Construction
July 8, 2015

Whether it’s the roof tiles, arches, or stucco walls, there is no question that Spanish home design makes a statement. It is firmly rooted in the Mediterranean with its bold colors and distinct architectural elements. Remodeling your home with a Spanish design looks great and works well in SoCal, especially if you honor the history of that design by using authentic techniques.

The Tile Roof

The simplest Spanish design and remodel starts at the top: the roof.

Drive by a home covered with red curved clay tiles that are layered and you know immediately that it is Spanish in nature.

Once attached, the tiles should remain natural and untouched, so they can age gracefully and have that fantastic patina that ancient villas possess.

Many Spanish homes have a sort of reclaimed look to them so it is OK to mix and match tile colors.

This adds to the authenticity of your home remodel.

Red Brick Curving Walkways

A Mediterranean Spanish home often has a very distinctive red brick and curved pathway leading to the front door. To honor this style for your home, the walkway should always reflect the color and design of your roof. More walkways may also be used in the garden with 

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Father’s Day Home Remodeling Ideas

by admin
Home Remodeling
June 19, 2015

With Father’s Day on the horizon, sons and daughters across the country are getting creative with ideas for what to give their Dads. A different and mega-cool idea is a home remodeling gift. Provide Dad with a purpose-built space just for him. If you need inspiration, here are a few Father’s Day home remodeling ideas that will last a whole lot longer than a new outfit and provide your family with great spaces for making lasting memories.

The Ultimate Man Cave

The man cave is the space where Dad can relax and enjoy his favorite activities, either in
solitude or with his friends and family. It’s where seats are exceptionally comfortable and the flat screen television offers a standout viewing experience. Remodel as a Father’s Day gift and craft a stylish man cave with a bar, sink, fridge, storage, wine racks, fireplace and all media hardwired (TV, games, internet, etc.).

With a media wall, Dad can use both the TV and computer at

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Five Signs That It’s Time to Remodel Your Staircase

by admin
Home Improvements
June 12, 2015

Stairs. We take them for granted every day. And when we do that, eventually they will wear out and need repairing, remodeling or replacing.While a staircase is rarely the first element most people think of for renovation plans, it is vital to your safety as well as your home’s style and functionality. Let’s look at five clear signs it’s time to remodel a staircase before it’s too late.

Creaking and Rattling

Loud creaks might be a common occurrence within older homes, but they’re also annoying. They could be due to something simple or they could be a sign that there’s a structural problem.

If you’re hearing creaks where you tread, the fix should be relatively simple.If you hear creaks and groans from the railings or balustrades, you need an immediate repair because safety could be compromised. The end result will be a quieter and safer home.

Loose Railings

This problem goes further than the creaks mentioned above. A loose railing is

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Seven Things You Must Know Before Hiring a SoCal Home Contractor

by admin
Contractors
April 9, 2015

Hiring a contractor in SoCal does not have to be a headache. TV shows and news media might tell horror stories about scammers who cut corners and leave jobs unfinished, but you can easily have a contractor that you can trust to deliver on promises for an honest price. You just need to know a few tips for hiring contractors in Southern California.

1. Do Your Research

The Internet makes it easy to research SoCal contractors before you hire. Websites like the Contractors State License Board and

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