What Do We Do?

We just spent 8 days as a sponsor at the Cincinnati Travel, Sport and Boat Show and I can’t tell you how many times I answered the question “What do you do?”  Home Services Link is not a household name (yet) to Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky homeowners.  The conversation typically went like this:

Customer: “What do you do?”

HSL: “We’re a referral service for homeowners, we have licensed, insured and reliable contractors for any project or repair at your home.”

Customer: “So I can call you and get referred to someone that’s not going to do me wrong?”

HSL:  ”Exactly.  All of our contractors are quality checked every job and we don’t keep remodelers, roofers, etc. with service issues. Customer service, peace of mind and reliability are the reasons you choose Home Services Link for your next home improvement project.”

Customer:  ”Where have you been all these years, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve hired a person to help remodel or fix my home and get bad service, I will defiantly be calling you the next time something needs repaired at my home or we do a remodeling project.”

The show went great, but it never ceases to amaze me of the horror stories that I hear about home contractors.  There are a TON of great people helping homeowners in Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, but there are also a few terrible one’s.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised anymore when I hear the stories, but I still can’t understand why you could not do the best job you can every time and hope to get that customers business on the next project.  Good contractors have referrals ALL THE TIME, because they take care of their customers.

Cincinnati named No. 1 remodeling market in U.S. | Business Courier

Courtesy of  the Cincinnati Business Courier

Homes across the city should be seeing improvements, as Cincinnati has been tagged the No. 1 residential remodeling market in the country for 2011, according to Remodeling Magazine.

Using its Residential Remodeling Index, the magazine ranks the top 100 markets annually using variables such as household median income, household growth, median existing home prices, unemployment, existing home sales and total permits. In addition, the forecast looks at 66 demographic segments including level of affluence, age, urbanization and family status.

The index compares the current level of remodeling with 2007, the baseline year of highest registered activity both nationally and locally.

The index forecasts the Cincinnati regional remodeling market will be better by the third quarter of this year than its was at its peak, the first quarter of 2007.

With so much remodeling going on, the Home Builders Associations of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are anticipating much greater participation in their joint Tour of Remodeled Homes scheduled to take place this fall.

“We are extremely encouraged that the Cincinnati remodeling market is projected to be the top performing market in the country this year. With this important segment on the rebound we are optimistic that performance of the single and multifamily segment will also begin to gain momentum over this next year,” Dan Dressman, executive director of the HBA of Greater Cincinnati, said in a news release.

Rounding out the top five markets expected to see people freshening up their kitchens and bathrooms include are Houston, Minneapolis, Dallas and Austin, Texas.

As for other Ohio cities, Columbus was ranked 10th, Dayton was ranked 51st and Cleveland was ranked 74th.

Read more: Cincinnati named No. 1 remodeling market in U.S. | Business Courier

Tackle 1 Project Per Month!

Make a New Years Resolution to do something once per month to keep biggest investment in Tip-Top Shape.  Below we’ve outlined a month-by-month calendar of projects to help you plan better.

January – Flooring - Are your carpets showing a little wear and tear? Have you always dreamed of having beautiful hardwood floors? Refinishing wood floors and replacing old carpet can reinvent a room without changing anything else. So kick-start your year with new flooring that is sure to wow (for less). January is the best time to take advantage of bargains. During this month you’ll find the lowest prices on flooring material due to slow sales.

February – Get rid of the clutter, Storage - There’s no need to scrimp and save for an extravagant renovation project like adding a second story. Simply clearing up the clutter in your home can double it in size. Maximize winter’s down time by organizing your closets, drawers, garage, computer files and storage areas. Focus on one room at a time and schedule different rooms for different days. Utilize a good all-in-one copier/printer/scanner to digitize paper documents and eliminate mounds of paper clutter. Need budget storage? Wire shelving systems brings order to closets and garages — without costing a bundle. For your closets or office, turn to a professional for some great systems that can make like a lot easier.

March - Spring Cleaning –  Don’t be overwhelmed by the thought of spring cleaning. Breeze through the mess that winter has left behind by tackling it in a room-by-room fashion. Wash windows and floors; polish furniture; clean bathrooms; dust lightbulbs and light fixtures; tame clutter zones; and polish wood furniture. No time for a big scrubfest? Remember, you have a whole month — so don’t try to get all your spring cleaning done at once. Break it down and you can clean your home in just 10 minutes a day.  OR you can hire a professional for less than a few hundred dollars to handle the large items while you knock out the little nuances.

April – April showers bring May flowers, and a need to check your gutters -Rain gutters carry away thousands of gallons of water from your house’s exterior and foundation walls. But after a harsh winter of diverting rainwater and melted snow from the roof, your gutters are due for an inspection and cleaning before the heavy rains begin. It’s advisable to revisit this project late in the fall too when leaves, twigs and other debris have fallen and collected in gutters.  CAUTION, this is something that many homeowners try themselves, this is a project that should only be performed by a professional, you don’t want to take a chance of falling off the roof.

May – Get your deck ready for grilling - Pressure washing is a fast and easy way to blast grime, mold and mildew off of your home’s exterior, decks, driveways, and sidewalks. Pressure washing is a potentially hazardous job, so stand at least three feet away from the surface you’re cleaning. Make sure to avoid windows, light fixtures, and anything else that could break under the pressure. If you’re not comfortable using the equipment, simply hose off the surface instead. Many companies can make your deck look brand new with their special products and tools.

June – Better make your AC is ready! – A properly maintained air conditioning system will run more efficiently, use less energy and lower your utility bills. For window air conditioning units, clean the filter and coils. Concerning central air conditioning units, it’s highly recommended that you call a professional to inspect your system. In addition to pro help, you can DIY clean your system by replacing your air conditioner filters regularly; this will cut down significantly on dust and allergens in the home. Also, clean the condenser and evaporator coil in the unit.

July – Paint - A fresh coat of paint is the easiest and cheapest way to dramatically change a room’s appearance. It not only adds to your home’s appeal, it can even make it look cleaner. Plus, thanks to paints with low-volatile organic compounds (Low VOC paints), as well as no VOC paints, you can paint the walls in your home without inhaling that horrible paint smell. These eco-friendly paints don’t produce the toxic fumes that traditional paints do. Love the look of wallpaper or Venetian plaster, but short on cash? Get especially creative with wall stenciling or faux-painting techniques such as sponging, gingham, wood grain, strie, grasscloth, marble and more. Use painters’ tapes to make elegant vertical stripes or casual horizontal stripes. Or simply paint a bold accent wall to bring drama to a room.

August – Get Ready For Guests, Deep Clean Your Carpet - After a messy winter and active summer, nearly a year’s worth of spills, foot traffic, accidents and lively pets have taken a toll on your carpets. Give flooring a quality cleaning to remove dust, dirt and grime buildup that is embedded deep down in carpet fibers. Shampooing or deep cleaning your carpeting will give it a tidy appearance, as well as a fresh smell.

September – Roof Repair – Roof shingles will eventually come loose in spots, so take advantage of the reasonable fall temperatures to inspect your roof for loose and damaged shingles. The harsh winds and cold winter weather can exacerbate shingles, potentially causing a small roof leak. Make sure to repair damage well in advance of the first snowfall.

October – Yard Work – Your thoughts may be turning towards winter, but this is a time to actually start prepping for spring. To ensure a beautiful lawn next year, complete important yard work such as raking leaves, fertilizing, top dressing, and re-seeding in the fall.

November – Fires may be romantic, but make sure they’re safe as well - With winter just around the corner, now is the perfect time to prepare your fireplace. Part of this preparation includes inspecting and cleaning the accumulation of soot, ashes and debris from your wood-burning, gas or electric fireplace. Doing this will assure safe and efficient heating of your home come winter.

December – It’s here…BURR.  Winterize your home – Old Man Winter is ready to roar and wreak havoc on your home and energy bills. Combat the chill by sealing gaps around door and windows with weather-stripping: an easy, inexpensive tool for sealing openings, staying warm, and reducing your heating bills.

Home Services Link can help you get all these tasks accomplished in a timely, cost efficient way with one of our many licensed and insured contractors.  Every month we will have specials for projects like the ones above and we’ll remind you via our email newsletter. Home Services Link is here to help home owners in Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky by giving you the best, most trusted contractors to accomplish any task around your house.