10 Best Contracting How-to & Home Improvement
List Updated December 2023
Bestselling Contracting How-to & Home Improvement in 2023
Markup & Profit: A Contractor's Guide, Revisited
Graphic Guide to Frame Construction: Fourth Edition, Revised and Updated (For Pros by Pros)
Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide
The Modular Home
Guide to Contract Pricing: Cost and Price Analysis for Contractors, Subcontractors, and Government Agencies
DEWALT Electrical Estimating Professional Reference (DEWALT Series)
The E-Myth Contractor: Why Most Contractors' Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
Construction Contracting: A Practical Guide to Company Management
Winning AEC Interviews
How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Construction Company
Top Three Affordable Home Remodeling Projects
Looking for an affordable home remodeling project? Check out these top three home remodeling projects based on affordability versus resale value.
Flooring
One of the most neglected areas of home remodeling; it can also be the cheapest if you're willing to do most of the work yourself. Snap-lock, click-lock, tongue and groove, floating floors-whatever you call them, dry laminate flooring is a cheap product that looks great, has a high resale value and lasts a long time. Best of all, laminate flooring is easy to install, so just about anyone with the will and a strong back can install it.
Pergo's Elegant Expressions are 8-inch wide pieces four foot long. At less than $1 a square foot, these easy to install materials really look good and add value to any room in the house. Don't forget the laminate floor padding and the installation kit for the perfect affordable home remodeling project.
Trim
Another great way to enjoy an affordable home remodeling project is by installing trim work. You don't have to be a master carpenter to learn the secrets of trim work. There are many good books on the subject and websites that teach the basics of trim work.
Trim work is relatively easy and certainly inexpensive. The most costly item would be a pneumatic trim nailer and an air compressor. Quantity purchases like the Bostitch combo kit offer a better deal, but if you're really looking for the cheapest investment, visit a local tool rental company; they'll even have the nails.
Front Entry
From repainting your front door to installing new front porch hardware to the all out and extravagant window insert, the front entryway benefits the most from the least amount of investment with a fantastic return. Resale value of added curb appeal is one of the greatest assets to increasing the value of your home.
My top favorite affordable remodeling project is installing a window insert into the front door. Remove the door from the hinges and place it on a set of non-marring surfaced sawhorses. Use basic tools like a circular saw and saw blade to cut out the opening for the window insert and install the two halves together using a screw gun. Simple, cheap and the best affordable home remodeling project.
