HGTV, please go away.

HGTV has haunted me since day one of it's existence.  Never before had people thought they could get a master bathroom renovated for $5,000 or a full basement remodeled for $10,000 until HGTV came along.  HGTV inaccurately portrays the renovation process as being something that almost anybody can afford.  I watched a show last night where the couple had a $35,000 budget to completely remodel their full basement (roughly 600 square feet) AND renovate their existing master bathroom which required knocking down a few walls and moving plumbing locations!  Not only that, but they were able to paint the entire 2nd level of the house and add more closet space!  Folks, please don't take these shows seriously.  Before you give your hopes up and plan a kitchen renovation with a $7,500 budget, call a trustworthy contractor and have them give you an accurate representation of the total cost.  Call 3 or 4 contractors and I guarantee you their prices will be astronomically higher than anything you've seen on HGTV.  Plus, weren't you ever told not to believe everything you watch on television anyways?

The importance of an architect

Hire a design-build company or an architect? This has become a very hot topic over the past decade.  Even more so today, design-build companies are flooding the construction industry, promising to clients a turn-key, all-inclusive construction experience.  The design-build approach has proven to be somewhat successful, just not in high-end construction.  If you value your home and value the design and construction of your home, you will hire a professional who specializes in architecture and you will hire a seperate professional who specializes in building.  Thinking you can mix the two and come up with similiar results and quality on high-end construction is purely being naive. An architect on-staff with a contractor that is pitching their "design-build" firm is not going to have the same insight, creativeness and efficiency as one who works for an architectural firm.  The same is true if you were to switch the roles around:  a contractor who was been hired by an architectural firm to pitch their, "one-stop-shop" design-build company will not be nearly as effective and professional as a contractor who works on his own.  Bottom line: for best results on any construction project, it is important to hire an architect who will focus solely on your design and hire a builder who will focus solely on his craftsmanship and building your home.

A message from cupid

Although it may be a drive for some, Helen Olivia in Old Town Alexandria is THE florist for any special occasion and is well worth the drive.  Men, don't wait until the morning of to order the last batch of roses for your significant other; start planning now, and be the hero on Valentines Day when she is awestruck by Helen's beautiful arrangement of red roses.

www.helenolivia.com