whole house remodeling guide

The Nine Circles of Home Renovation Hell
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The Nine Circles of Home Renovation Hell

First Circle: Limbo

Midway on our journey in life, we find ourselves in a dark kitchen, surrounded by oak cabinets and laminate flooring, our savings account completely lost. Welcome to reno limbo, a place where nothing happens, as the good crews are booked for several centuries. In this circle, the pagans shout “DIY! DIY!” toiling back and forth to Home Depot, lost in the labyrinth, unable to find help or penny tile. They refused to accept the bidding of Jesus, a master carpenter from Piscataway. Above the gates, a sign reads, ABANDON YOUR HOMEYE WHO can

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Woman dies in blaze that destroys home in Belmar
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Woman dies in blaze that destroys home in Belmar

BELMAR−A fire that engulfed and then destroyed a three-story home on Surf Avenue claimed the life of the elderly woman who lived there, a family member said.

Kevin Colie, 58, told the Asbury Park Press that his mother, Frances Colie, 93, was pronounced dead at a local hospital after the 4 pm blaze.

Woman dies in blaze that destroys home in Belmar

Firefighters work the scene of a fatal fire at Surf Ave. in Belmar, NJ Wednesday, March 15, 2023.

Colie said his family owned the house for about 50 years, since Colie was in the third grade.

He said they had recently done renovations at the house.

Borough

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Planning our loft conversion
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Planning our loft conversion

January 8, 2023

So, after 12 years of thinking about it, we are finally getting a loft conversion done. Yay! It might have taken covid and working from home to give us that final push (or maybe shove). But I am so glad we are taking the plunge.

Planning a loft conversion

Why a loft conversion?

To put it bluntly, it was far more cost effective for us to build up to create more space, than to move house. We live in an old, average, 3 bedroom Victorian house in London. You know, one of those long but fairly thin houses with a kitchen

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Sunlight lofts review – choosing a loft company to build your loft conversion
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Sunlight lofts review – choosing a loft company to build your loft conversion

January 15, 2023

Choosing a loft company to build your loft conversion is a big deal. I mean, a really, really BIG deal. It was probably the most nail-biting moment for me of the whole process, following our fair share of ekkk moments with building works in the past – remember when our floor dropped upstairs? It wasn’t a pretty sight, that’s for sure! So, choosing a loft company was the biggest leap of faith. Here’s how we chose Sunlight lofts to build our loft conversion – which was most definitely the best decision we made!

Sunlight lofts review – choosing a loft company to build your loft conversion

Choosing a loft company

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Five Fab Things – 23rd January 2023
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Five Fab Things – 23rd January 2023

January 23, 2023

It’s been a while *I keep saying that don’t I?! – but I’m back with my Five Fab Things post. They are the perfect reminder of all the great things going on, and especially fab for recording unseen stuff happening behind the scenes in the Button house. Here are my Five Fab Things from this week.

Five fab things

Our very own A-Team

You may have spotted that we are having a loft conversion done! Yassss!!!! And, I cannot believe I’m saying this, but the building work has nearly finished… already! The house is a little bit quieter, while the

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Council takes next step toward major renovation of Springfield’s Historic City Hall
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Council takes next step toward major renovation of Springfield’s Historic City Hall

Council takes next step toward major renovation of Springfield’s Historic City Hall

Construction is anticipated to begin on renovations at the historic City Hall in summer 2024 and completed sometime in 2026, a city spokesperson told the News-Leader.

Springfield City Council took a step toward renovating Historic City Hall, with council members giving city staff the green light to start searching for a contractor.

Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2024 and be completed some time in 2026, a city spokesperson told the News-Leader.

The Historic City Hall building was originally constructed in 1891 as the US Customhouse and Post Office. Since then, three additions have increased its size to nearly

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Here’s How Much Time Bobby Berk Has To Renovate Homes On Queer Eye
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Here’s How Much Time Bobby Berk Has To Renovate Homes On Queer Eye

Before Bobby Berk and his team renovate the house that week, they look for a massive warehouse to store various furniture and décor they can use throughout the season. When the Fab Five meet with the homeowners, Berk assesses the house and what he and his team need to get done. He has a four-day timeframe — the team meets the homeowners on Tuesday, and Berk needs to finish renovating by Friday, per Netflix’s Tudum.

Luckily, his team got a head start on the project. While Berk is working on the renovation for the week, several of his teammates will

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What expenses can you deduct when renovating a rental property?
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What expenses can you deduct when renovating a rental property?

Rental property owners can typically deduct property taxes, insurance, interest, condo fees, repairs, utilities and other related costs. A rental property can even run at a loss allowing the taxpayer to claim deductions against their other sources of income.

Rental properties: Current vs capital expenses

There is a distinction between repairs and renovations for a rental property, Shawn. Repairs are referred to as current expenses, meaning they are deductible in the year incurred. Renovations are capital expenses that cannot be deducted immediately but can reduce your capital gain upon sale.

According to the Canada Revenue Agency:

A current expense is

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