VA Home Improvement Loan - Guide to Best Use

This Old House

The Veterans Administration (VA) offers veterans and active duty service members some awesome opportunities to make their homes more comfortable, more valuable and more energy-efficient. VA Home Improvement Loans are guaranteed by the federal government and are available through lenders who offer home upgrade financing.

Not Really a Government Loan

Getting a VA Home Improvement Loan is not really getting a loan from the Veterans Administration. Neither the VA nor the federal government is a bank. They do guarantee full repayment of the loan, though. This takes the risk factor out of the loan for the lender and they are usually willing to offer very reasonable interest rates on such loans.

Advantages of a VA Home Improvement Loan

Traditional lending institutions such as banks and credit unions have raised their lending benchmarks considerably since the mortgage debacle of the last decade. Conventional home improvement loans are rather hard to come by. VA Home improvement Loans have some distinct advantages:

- No cash down payment is required.
- No penalties are applied if the loan is paid off early.
- Because of the government guarantee, veterans and service members get the best interest rates.
- Qualification is so much easier than for conventional home improvement loans.
- Energy-efficiency goals for home improvement are sought after by the federal government.

Energy Efficiency High on the List

The federal government has among its policy goals to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources. That being the case, any number of energy-efficient upgrades are okay for financing with a VA Home Improvement Loan. Among them:

- Replacing heating and cooling systems with more energy-efficient systems.
- Improving insulation or caulking.
- Upgrading storm windows and storm doors.
- Installing energy-efficient thermostats.

Some Restrictions Apply

You cannot borrow an amount that is more than 90% of the available equity in the property. You will need to check with your present lender to see how much equity the home now holds. If you must borrow more than $3,000, you will have to show that the improvements will lower the household utility bills. If you borrow less than $3,000, you need only show the lender your receipts. If you borrow more than $6,000, you will have to get the home appraised once again. Energy efficiency need not be the only goal for a VA Home Improvement Loan. Other uses can include:

- New windows, new doors, new siding or a new roof.
- New plumbing or new wiring and attendant fixtures.
- Additions, such as a bedroom or a garage.
- Bathroom, basement or kitchen remodeling.

Other Considerations

VA Home Improvement Loans can be financed for up to 15 years. You may be able to qualify for more than one improvement loan, for instance, one for an addition and one for new plumbing. With VA Home Improvement Loans, credit scores may be a consideration depending on the lender. However, with the guarantee of the federal government, these will not play as large a roll as in conventional loans. Check with a lender experienced with these types of loans.

Money In Your Pocket

Making improvements on your home is the next best thing to putting money in your pocket. It would behoove any veteran or service member who owns a home to take advantage of a VA Home Improvement Loan, not only for immediate comfort, but also for value on down the line.

Your Ultimate Guide to Finding the Best Home Contractors

Planning to renovate your home, but not sure how to go about finding the best homebuilders? Here are a few tips that will ease you through the process. Building a new home is the most important decision in a person's life and with so much at stake, you do not want to take any chances.

Get listings of top builders

Start your search on the Internet. By simply signing up with the leading directories, you are sure to find classified listings of top ranking builders in your area. You could also ask friends and associates for referrals. Another feasible option is to contact your local homebuilder's association and ask for reliable builders list in your area. Once you have the list with you, investigate and choose your builder wisely.

Verify the contractor

The most important thing that you need to make sure is that your contractor is certified and licensed, with appropriate insurance in place. A license is all the proof that you could need to know the company in question is competent enough to handle your project and deliver high quality results. Just because a company is licensed does not necessarily mean that the company will be insured too. Insurance is essential to protect you against unforeseen events. An insured company will reimburse you for any damages caused during the completion of the project, due to the negligence of the service technician or staff.

Check referrals and testimonials

Here is the time-tested trick to verify the credibility of the homebuilders. Verify with close friends or associates who have prior working experience with the company. Few key questions that you need to ask is - their experience working with contractor, did they encounter any hurdles along the way, whether the contractor proved true to their commitment, etc.

Other than this, you can also read the detailed reviews and testimonials published on the websites. All this will give you a clear insight about the reliability of the contractors.

Schedule interviews for estimates

Once you have shortlisted the contractors, schedule for interviews. You are building your dream home, so the possibility of you pooling in your life's worth of saving is high, which means you would want to hire someone who is up to handle the complexities of the job. Barrage the potential contractor with lots of questions and make sure he/she can answer every single question to your satisfaction. Verify the kind of project the contractor has worked on in the past, the level of experience in the field, renovation ideas they might have to suggest for your project, overall cost estimates and measures to be taken in case expenses surpasses the allotted budget.

Based on all these vital details, weigh the pros and cons of hiring the contractor, and accordingly arrive at a decision.

Final deeds

Once you have finalized the contractor that you want to work with, the last step is drafting the contract. Whether you are making minor changes around the house or are looking to rebuild your home from scratch, it is important to have the right contracts in place. Make sure the deeds given to you are coherent and you understand all the clauses given before you enter into a contract. Every minuscule detail that you agreed upon should be mentioned in the contracts.

Home Remodeling Guide - Finding the Best Time to Launch Remodeling Project

In most instances, homeowners normally implement home improvement projects during summer. The reason is pretty obvious - the sunny condition and warm weather are ideal conditions especially if you are looking at extensive work on the exterior of your home. However, there is more to it than meets the eye. There are just a lot of intangibles that you have to take into account when considering the timing of your home improvement projects.

In short, temperature is just one among several important variables that you have to take into account when performing home enhancement activities. As a general rule, it is vital that when you implement your home remodeling project, you are able to meet the working conditions that will likely cut your expenses as well as save you time in completing the home improvement project.

While the accepted norm is to implement your home remodeling and addition projects during summer and spring, this does not necessarily mean that you have to limit yourself with this generally accepted work schedules. The basic rule that you must follow when deciding on the timetable of your project is to for the best time where budget requirement and hassle are at their minimum levels.

Consider the Market Forces

Knowing when to remodel - this is one aspect of your decision that must be seriously considered. The timing of your work and purchases will determine, to a certain extent, how much you are going to spend for the home improvement project. In short, you will have to consider the impact of the general state in the market in deciding when you are going to launch your project. The prevailing prices of construction materials and supplies such as lumber, paint and cement goes into a cycle of dips and peaks depending on the level of supply and demand. If we are going to use market forces as one of our choice parameters, then the best time to implement home improvement projects may not necessarily be during summer or spring.

However, you might find yourself in a dilemma trying to come up with a middle ground in your final work schedule as you struggle to account for several contending forces. Is there a perfect way by which you can extricate yourself from this tight situation? Prices of construction materials and supplies may go down during the time when it is not ideal for home remodeling. When it is possible, you may carefully schedule your purchases of materials and items that can be stored during the time when prices are low and begin work when conditions are perfect. In this way, you get to enjoy the best of both worlds - low prices and perfect working conditions.

On top of these variables, most contractors are much too busy during summer and spring, and it would be a good idea to consider other possible options where you won't be competing with other homeowners for the services of home remodeling contractors.

Best Season to do Home Remodeling

Your 'best season' may not really be the best time to do your home remodeling. It really depends on the kind of jobs involved in the project. This means that the right timing will vary depending on the type of home improvement project you are planning to undertake. Your best bet is to schedule work a month or two before and after everyone else starts with their own home improvement projects.

As for the specifics, you may consider the following practical ideas when planning your home improvement projects. Consider the possibility of having your furnace maintained or altered from mid to late summer. You may also try to perform window replacement or repairs during the early part of spring. Servicing of your air conditioning unit in late fall is also a practical alternative as it saves you from the inconvenience of being made to wait by service providers due to high influx of job requests.

What's Your Bathroom Style? The Bathroom Home Improvement Guide

With so many factors to consider, coming up with a bathroom home improvement is no slam dunk. A homeowner's primary concern is the budget and one that offers extreme functionality. So if you're still confused as to how you will fashion your bathroom, the following elements may help transform it:

1. Maximize daylight while maintaining confidentiality - If you can't seem to achieve the look and feel of privacy in your bath, an acrylic-block awning version or tubular skylights will do the trick. These types of windows do not only provide a high level of privacy but also lets in fresh air, are less prone to leakage, and eliminates the need for electricity during daytime.

2. Replace the crammed tub/shower combination - If you got your bath tub and shower all stuffed in one specific spot; don't you think it's time to wash out that old style? So instead of your bathtub visually dividing the room, why not opt for glass shower doors that will make your bathroom space look larger and more inclusive.

3. Make use of large tiles - In small baths, one efficient bathroom home improvement is to use large tiles with very narrow grout lines. Considering this size of tile makes the room look bigger and larger. Not to mention, large tiles are easier to sanitize than smaller ones.

4. The dual-flush toilet upgrading - The amount of water that runs through in a regular flush is important and having a dual flush makes it more efficient on your end. Truly, functionality doesn't have to entail a style compromise.

Tips for a Successful Paint Job - A Home Improvement Guide

For you to have a real value for your home, make it sure that this is painted with elegance and fashion. Have a color that will best fit the house as well as the owner's personality. Listed below are some of the painting ideas that can help you achieved a new style in your home with building complexity and style.

Color Selection

It's hard to decide as to what color will best fit a house. There are so many colors to choose from and all of them seem to be everybody's favorite. For you to come up with a great choice of color why not have your favorite color instead? Have with you your creative imagination on how will your house or room look like when it is painted with your favorite color. Carefully decide for the best color that will best fit every corner of your house. Consider also colors that will best fit your mood. Colors like green or blue will provide an atmosphere of peace and serenity. Seek for every corners of the house and make it to a point that it is being painted with care. You can have a color that will best fit your children's bedroom sets or your contemporary metal beds.

Designs and schemes

After you have a selection of colors, the next step to do is for you to choose for the right designs and color schemes. Color combination will make the room and well as the entire house to look attractive and eye-catching for the visitors. Before performing this, you can seek advices from experts or professionals in finding for the right color combination, designs and schemes. If you do not want to make effort in going to some experts or professionals, you can turn on your computer or laptop and search for some internet sites regarding your concerns. The internet will provide you a lot of information about color combinations, designs and schemes.

Roller paints

Get it started on how is the usage of a roller paints. Some people will basically has difficulty in the proper technique of a roller paints. It will be easier for you to do this simple task if you will just consider some tips and following for right direction. The first thing that you will do is to select for a suitable roller paints before starting your project. You must have a thread that will enable you to reach the ceiling. Carefully construct a shaped pattern as your first coating. After which, go over with your first coating and have a second coating that will be applied for a trend of fashion and elegance. Always remember that when doing this, ensure for a smooth work so that it will not mess your entire coating. Furthermore, do not scrape any edges on every corner with your paint roller. Have it with a paintbrush and directly apply this on every corner you want to paint.

What is very beneficial in all these contents is that, you can have a home improvement that will not require to spend a lot of money. All you have to do is to apply your knowledge and you will come up in the upgraded version of your house.

A Guide to Choosing the Best Home Designers

What's the biggest dream that most people have? This dream is to own a house. Millions of people take loans and pay mortgage payments for years. After all the hard efforts, when a person finally buys a house, shouldn't he/she be trying to make the house look beautiful, welcoming and bright? In case, you have decided to use a home designer to work on the interior and exterior of your house, you must carefully choose a designer. To enhance the beauty of your most important asset, you must do some research to find some of the most dedicated home designers to assist you with your needs.

Before taking the step of choosing a designer, make sure that you have done an appropriate research. In short, looking at the portfolio of your designer before giving them the important task of working at the design of your home is highly recommended. In fact, it is necessary. There are many companies that have provided the details of some of their successful work on their websites. You can visit some of the reputable companies' websites and see the details of projects completed by these companies, so you can evaluate them. You can click on the interior or exterior design section to land on pages containing information regarding one particular aspect.

Once you have shortlisted a few designers, visit their offices. The design professionals of modern day must be on the avant-garde of their skills in order to compete with others. This is something that requires a great level of reference material, for instance books, code text, catalogs, manuals and samples. See if you can obtain a recent list of previous customers, so you may get in touch with them to talk about designer's performance. A good and professional home designer company always keeps an agreement or contract for customers' review that entails items, such as terms of payment, their fee, the particular services that they will provide in given fees, etc. You can as for this contract. I will also help evaluate the home designer.

You are advised not to choose home designers based on their high prices. People often consider the highly priced designer as the top home designer, but that's not true. A designer must be chosen based on their experience and skills set. They must be able to make sure that all the walls and corners of your house speak for themselves. Whether it's interior or the exterior of your house, they must know the art and must have the skills to make your house a home sweet home.

Your Guide To The Best Home Water Filter Systems

A lot of people are getting more and more concerned about the quality of their drinking water. And according to published reports they have very good reason to be concerned. It has been estimated that almost 7 million Americans get sick each year from drinking contaminated tap water. And on top of that, many studies that have been done recently indicate that most bottled water is no better for you than what you may get from your home tap. What that essentially means is that you are paying much more for the same quality of water then.

So water filtration systems have become very popular with many homeowners as a means of improving their home. There are several kinds of filtration systems in use today, and we will try to help you get familiar with the most important ones.

 

1. The cheapest to purchase, easiest to use, and most portable are water pitchers designed specifically for the purpose of filtering water. The advantage of these water pitchers is their simplicity itself. All you have to do is fill the picture up with tap water and then let it filter out the impurities. The biggest disadvantage to using water pitcher filters is the time that it takes for the water to be filtered. Very often they take 15 minutes or more just to filter a half-gallon of water. So obviously, if you often need water right away this may not be your best solution.

2. The next step up in the water filter chain are faucet mounted water filters. These are often seen advertised on television and in magazines. As the name indicates, they connect to the end of your water faucet, and have a lever so that you can either choose straight tap water, or to send the tap water through your filter instead. These are also very inexpensive types of filters, and very easy to install. They filter water much more quickly than water pitcher filters, but the filter cartridges have to be changed on a regular basis, perhaps every month or so.

3. Undersink water filters have the advantage of providing some of the best overall water filtration possible, and also are stored out of sight. They also work much faster then either water pitcher filters or faucet mounted filters. However, the biggest drawback to them is that in many cases professional installation is a good idea. Some homeowners that are very handy may attempt to tackle the installation of an undersink water filter, but for the average person it may be too much of a job. Cartridges are also used as the filter material for these units, but they only have to be replaced about every six months or so.

4. Whole house water filters are able to provide filtered water to every faucet in your home easily and quickly, which many see as a clear advantage. However, they can be even more involved to install than undersink units, and so most often you will need the services of a plumber to get it set up. The filters in these units also last about six months or so.

5. Reverse osmosis water filters were very popular in the past, but are not nearly as popular today due to the increasing effectiveness of some of the less expensive and easier to install water filtration systems. Perhaps the biggest drawback about reverse osmosis filters is that they waste almost 5 gal. of water for every gallon that they purify. On the plus side though, they are one of the best water filtration systems available, capable of filtering out even some of the smallest and most obscure pollutants.

As you can see, there are several choices to be made when you're considering home water filter systems, and hopefully the information provided above will help you make a more informed choice of the water filtration system that will work best for you.

Tips for a Successful Paint Job - A Home Improvement Guide

For you to have a real value for your home, make it sure that this is painted with elegance and fashion. Have a color that will best fit the house as well as the owner's personality. Listed below are some of the painting ideas that can help you achieved a new style in your home with building complexity and style.

Color Selection

It's hard to decide as to what color will best fit a house. There are so many colors to choose from and all of them seem to be everybody's favorite. For you to come up with a great choice of color why not have your favorite color instead? Have with you your creative imagination on how will your house or room look like when it is painted with your favorite color. Carefully decide for the best color that will best fit every corner of your house. Consider also colors that will best fit your mood. Colors like green or blue will provide an atmosphere of peace and serenity. Seek for every corners of the house and make it to a point that it is being painted with care. You can have a color that will best fit your children's bedroom sets or your contemporary metal beds.

Designs and schemes

After you have a selection of colors, the next step to do is for you to choose for the right designs and color schemes. Color combination will make the room and well as the entire house to look attractive and eye-catching for the visitors. Before performing this, you can seek advices from experts or professionals in finding for the right color combination, designs and schemes. If you do not want to make effort in going to some experts or professionals, you can turn on your computer or laptop and search for some internet sites regarding your concerns. The internet will provide you a lot of information about color combinations, designs and schemes.

Roller paints

Get it started on how is the usage of a roller paints. Some people will basically has difficulty in the proper technique of a roller paints. It will be easier for you to do this simple task if you will just consider some tips and following for right direction. The first thing that you will do is to select for a suitable roller paints before starting your project. You must have a thread that will enable you to reach the ceiling. Carefully construct a shaped pattern as your first coating. After which, go over with your first coating and have a second coating that will be applied for a trend of fashion and elegance. Always remember that when doing this, ensure for a smooth work so that it will not mess your entire coating. Furthermore, do not scrape any edges on every corner with your paint roller. Have it with a paintbrush and directly apply this on every corner you want to paint.

What is very beneficial in all these contents is that, you can have a home improvement that will not require to spend a lot of money. All you have to do is to apply your knowledge and you will come up in the upgraded version of your house.

Home Improvement Guide - Painting Melamine Cabinet Doors and Drawers

It's never been easier to change the tone and color of your kitchen by following the painting melamine cabinets mini-course offered by Home-Improvement-and-Financing.com. Melamine paint is urethane reinforced oil based paint which can usually be applied to a multitude of surfaces like laminates, plastic, fiberglass, glass, and even ceramics. This article will answer your questions on how to paint cabinets that are not wood, as well as what primer and paint to use, and steps to take in order to do it.

Some paint experts believe that paint can be directly applied onto a pre-cleaned surface without using a primer, others believe that kitchen cabinets should be cleaned with a detergent, lightly sanded, giving the paint a grip, and washed over with a trisodium phosphate (TSP) cleaner and then left to dry before painting. One supplier goes as far as to say that by applying a coat of a multi-surface primer first before using the one coat goes a long way to improving the performance of the melamine paint.

Step-by-step guide on how to paint melamine doors and drawers

• Protect your floors by laying down plastic sheets.

• Wear gloves to protect your hands.

• Ventilation is paramount. Open windows to facilitate drying.

• Remove cabinet doors to a place where you can paint them horizontally and leave them to dry.

• Remove the knobs and pulls and put them in a safe place - unless you're buying new ones.

• Clean and remove grease from surfaces and let them dry well.

• Follow the instructions for mixing TSP with water and wash the surface. Allow a few hours to dry.

• Remove dust and dirt hidden in corners and thoroughly sand the surface. Apply the primer with a 80 to 100 grit sandpaper.

• Apply one coat of primer and allow the cabinets to dry. This should be a high quality product which provides good adhesion for the top coat. Drying should take around four hours. This is an important part of the process. Make sure there's no one in the house where you're working.

• Lightly sand the surface of the primer with a 240 or finer grit sand paper.

• Take a natural bristle brush and apply the melamine paint with smooth up and down strokes for an even sheen finish. (Some suppliers recommend using a foam brush or a high density foam roller).

• Best results are achieved by painting three thin coats instead of one or two thick coats, allowing for plenty of drying time between coats.

• When painting over a dark color, apply two coats anyway. Dry for at least sixteen hours before applying the second coat.

• Allow the drying period of sixteen hours and a bit more before you re-hang the kitchen cabinet doors. Note that complete drying is necessary for the best results and that it will be worth it. Bear in mind too that most melamine paints might be touch dry in a couple of hours, but will not be completely set for a few days, so let it dry longer before remounting the doors and wait until they are totally set.

Home Improvement Guide - Understanding the Dynamics of Price Appreciation

How can you add premium value to your home? Beyond the variables within the control of the owner, the home will appreciate in value depending on the prevailing conditions in the market. In addition to this, there are other variables that come into play, and these include the overall condition of your home, specific home improvement projects done and the overall state of safety and stability of the community. The highest jump in prices of homes generally occurs when the economy is going strong. It is during these times that home prices are usually on the higher range.

On the other hand, you can also gain substantial increase in the value of your home through carefully planned and properly executed home improvement projects. In most situations, there are specific home improvement projects that provide the highest added value. These include bathroom remodeling, which can provide as high as 81 percent return, bathroom addition, which can provide 89 percent return, and master bedroom, which can give you 82 percent return.

You have to remember that quality translates to higher value. Proper home remodeling projects are one of the best investment options of homeowners, and poor or inferior home improvement projects amount almost to nothing. You must also remember that the overall state of security and safety of the community directly impact on the actual value of your home. If you are living in a community with higher crime index, a full-functioning watch program in your community can help boost the value of your home.

Does buying a larger home result to higher profits?

You have to take into consideration the following critical variables when deciding whether to go for home addition or move up to a bigger home. Assess your financial condition. Determine how much you have in your coffers and your probable source of additional funds in order to determine how far you can go. From there, decide whether you can afford a larger home or not. If the current budget is not enough to cover your equity for a larger home, then you may have to seriously consider your home addition option.

You must also evaluate the actual additional space required. Carefully assess the overall design of your current home. Can the foundation accommodate a second floor or can the lot area have available space to cover the additional room on the ground level? You must also verify if the home addition complies with existing zoning and building ordinances. Finally, you must also check out available home units for sale that can satisfy your requirements.

At the end the day, your final decision will have to be based on your needs and preferences, the scale and scope of work required and the added value for each of your home improvement options.

Assessing the real value of the home

Proper assessment of the actual worth of your home must be anchored on a reliable comparative market review or an appraisal. A real estate agent will be able to help you derive the numbers and come up with a comprehensive comparative market review, which is the determination of the value of your home based on careful comparative price analysis between your home and similar type of real estate property within your community. You can also gather relevant information by accessing records not only from your local assessor's or recorder's office but from private entities as well. You can also check out available information online.

Home appraisal is generally defined as professional opinion of a certified appraiser on the actual value of the home at a particular time. Appraisers take into account a number of factors when making a fair assessment of the actual value of the home, and these include location, area, construction and improvement history and comparable sales.

How a Simple Home Improvement Guide Can Change Homes for the Better

Little changes in life can mean so many things. The same applies in home remodeling; such little changes can give your home a new and improved look. It can also enhance the living environment inside it. A simple home improvement guide can do great things for better living.

An effective home improvement guide must tackle important issues on building projects that alters and improve existing homes. These projects can be improvements to various areas like lawns, outdoor structures, gardens, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, attics, and so many more. Some examples of home improvement issues are the following:

1. Budget - These days, budgets will always come first, and will heavily influence the planning and other decision-making processes. Most of the time, we all need to come up with an economically sound budget before we can proceed with our home improvement activities. A home improvement guide will tell you to take your time and jot down each and everything that you will need for this undertaking, especially with the materials needed. Once written down, you can shop around and compare prices. Choose those that present you an opportunity to play with your budget.

2. Design and Planning - Now that you already have your budget, you can now start planning how your ideas and designs will be implemented, considering that everything revolves around your set budget. Venturing away from this can cost you more, and this will prove impractical along the way. If you want to get the best of the designs and the planning you pour through it, you can start by reflecting it on your mood. This will give you a sense of direction that will always lead to satisfaction.

3. Comfort - It can never be successful if comfort is not part of the plan. We renovate or remodel our homes simply because we want more comfort in it. Comfort can be defined by so many things; like upgrading the homes' heating, ventilations, and air-conditioning systems. A modified plumbing and electrical systems is also very important. Such systems are the workhorses inside homes that when functioning well, can do so many things to support other areas. Waterproofing basements can make it a livable extension inside the house.

4. Maintenance and repair - You may have fancy and well-planned home improvement designs, but all these are for nothing if your precious home will be plagued with pesky maintenance problems or unfinished repairs. A real home improvement is one that includes maintenance projects for the complete package. Such projects can include replacement of roof tear-offs, concrete and masonry repairs surrounding the foundations or chimneys.

An effective guide must also encourage creating additional living space inside your home. Marginal areas can be effectively transformed into livable spaces. The basement is a very good example. If you are really serious about home remodeling, you can turn this dusty and unused room into a recreational area for the family, complete with home theaters and other entertainment systems, or as guestrooms. Whatever you reasons for home improvement are, remember that little changes always bring so many good things inside the house.