Higher home prices and new residential construction in Santa Maria are having mixed results on how many homeowners are able to perform remodels.

James Halsell, co-founder of Halsell Builders, said his company has experienced a recent surge in home remodeling projects during the last year.

Were probably up over 500 percent, Halsell said. We get at least two calls a week for remodels.

He said the spike is due largely to rising housing prices in the area between 2011 and 2013, the average sale price of homes and condominiums in the Santa Maria and Orcutt area rose from $227,000 to $290,000, according to data from the Central Coast Regional Multiple Listing Service.

As a result, homeowners have more equity that they can leverage into secondary lines of credit. Government-backed programs such as emPower Santa Barbara County loans can also help subsidize the cost of larger remodeling projects by providing customers with an extra $25,000 to make energy-saving improvements. Such loans arent tied to equity, he said.

Halsell said the average master bathroom remodel might cost about $35,000, while a kitchen project could be more like $65,000. However, Halsell Builders has seen more people coming forward lately looking to do projects integrating a master bathroom, kitchen and great room. Those ventures can run as high as $150,000 to 200,000, representing a significant percentage of the price of the home itself.

The reason more people are willing to make such large investments is that they are more confident in the real estate market, he said.

When equity is rising, people are more confident that itll keep rising, so people are more confident to put some money into their house knowing that their property value will keep rising.

Not everybody in Santa Maria is having the same experience, however. Greg Organ, branch manager of the local Ferguson Plumbing Supplies store, said his companys remodeling work has decreased recently.

(Our) remodel business has probably gone down between now and probably a year and a half (or) two years ago due to the new homes being built and the interest rates being down, Organ said. Kind of what weve seen is people selling their houses and buying newer houses.

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Some rise, others fall in home remodeling business

You can use free online room design applications to quickly design your dream room or plan a room remodel. You start by creating your room's dimensions and then you move on to adding paint, flooring, furniture and accessories by simply dragging and dropping them into your online room.

Before you know it you'll have created a wonderful room using these free online room design applications!

Are you looking for decorating inspiration? Request some free home decor catalogs and free furniture catalogs to get inspiration for your next room design.

If you're feeling more ambitious you might want to check out these free home plans.

Floorplanner makes the top of my list for free online room design.

It's easy and fun to use and has so many options for flooring, wall coverings, furniture and objects that you'll be able to design houses and rooms either for realistic use or to create your dream home.

3Dream is one of the best free online room design applications available. You'll have fun building a room here with their huge collection of furniture, flooring, wall coverings and accessories.

The tutorials at 3Dream will get you started and in no time you'll have a stunning room finished that you can view in interactive 3D.

Arrange-a-Room, by Better Homes and Gardens, is a simple but effective free online room design application.

You'll be able to quickly recreate a room in your house and plan your new design with their simple to use tools and clear instructions.

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6 Free Online Room Design Tools - About.com Freebies

Photo by Adam Testa

In this May 7, 2014 photo, a collection of military patches and medals is displayed in Carbondale, Ill., in Tom Engram's study, a room his daughter established to showcase his historic memorabilia and for him to work on art projects. Her father, retired Lt. Col. Thomas B. Engram, trained in B-25s and was a pilot and member of B-24 units that drew 36 missions, dropping explosives in Japanese harbors during the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. (AP Photo/The Southern, Adam Testa)

CARBONDALE, Ill. Cheryl Francis has taken a cluttered, outdated room in her fathers house and transformed it into a showcase where he can relive his World War II service aboard bombers.

I thought about this for a long time. I wanted to transform the space so he would have things around him his accomplishments and awards, his paintings, computer space and book cases, Francis said about the 10-by-12 room.

Her father, retired Lt. Col. Thomas B. Engram, trained in B-25s and was a pilot and member of B-24 units that drew 36 missions, dropping explosives in Japanese harbors during the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II.

She had the entire space gutted and did the remodeling by phases with some of the work done by private contractors.

New carpet was installed. Walls got sanded and repainted. Francis wanted to highlight a new room layout around a special feature a window.

This is very serene. The window looks out on the backyard, she said.

In addition to getting the floor plan organized and the various items in place, such as her fathers history books in new cases, Francis applied her creative touch as an educated interior designer.

She had track lighting and new file cabinets installed. Family furniture got refinished.

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Daughter remodels room into showcase for aviator dad

Grimsby Lincoln News

Remodeling your home is no small task. It requires a significant financial investment, and takes a lot of planning to achieve results that are to your taste and liking.

As well as the look and feel of a new bathroom, kitchen or laundry room, there are many other details to consider when remodeling or renovating the most important being plumbing.

After all, revamping a room to be aesthetically appealing is half the job. If the space doesnt function properly plumbing-wise, your efforts and money are wasted. So when it comes to a complex project, like a renovation, its advisable to not go down the do-it-yourself route. Instead, hire the best in the business to do the dirty work for you.

Located in Beamsville, Ont., Aquaflow Plumbing and Heating Service specializes in plumbing for home and commercial renovations and remodels, and offers a range of other plumbing repair services.

Their experienced and licensed plumbers can help complete your vision by rerouting and replacing pipes and upgrading fixtures and faucets.

Their plumbing and remodeling technicians can advise you of quality toilets, tubs and sinks that achieve the look you want and best suit your needs. Were here to answer any questions about the function and efficiency of products, so that you can fully enjoy your new space.

Aquaflows plumbing specialists can also suggest high-efficiency toilets that have a limited impact on the environment and your wallet. From classic, freestanding tubs to sleek and modern whirlpool tubs, we can also install the bathtub of your dreams. Or how about a rain shower that is both luxurious and efficient?

Their remodeling technicians are happy to come into your home or business to assess your needs, recommend water-saving models and provide you with an estimate.

Contact them today for a quote and receive $25 off of your estimate.

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Remodeling? Hire a plumber to do the dirty work for you

(BPT) - Remodeling a bathroom can increase the value of your home but short-sighted planning can wash projects down the drain.

Some do-it-yourself experts recommend a fresh coat of paint, new tile, a shiny new sink and great cabinets to transform an ordinary bathroom into an extraordinary spa but thats just what the eye can see. Yes, your refinished bathroom will look different but will it hold its value? Not unless you think first of whats behind the paint and tile and consider how to protect it from the greatest threat in a bathroom: moisture, mold and mildew.

Upgrading your walls, ceilings and subfloors before you paint, install tile or hang a fancy new mirror can ensure your new bathroom will stand up to everyday splashes, showers and relaxing tub soaks, as well as dreaded mold and mildew that can come from these steamy, wet environments.

Anitra Mecadon, host of DIY Networks "Mega Dens" and spokesperson for National Gypsum, is on a mission to prevent major mold and mildew problems by recommending homeowners start at the studs. Heres her advice when it comes to the No. 1 room people remodel in their homes bathrooms:

Look for ideas

Popular upgrades include decorative tile or stone in the tub and shower areas. You can also consider multiple showerheads or steam enclosures to give your bathroom spa appeal without the worry.

Budget and plan

* The average cost of a bathroom remodel is around $16,000, so create a budget so you know how much you can comfortably spend.

* If you plan to have someone do it for you, get an estimate from a contractor before you start.

* Shop on your own, with a contractor or interior designer to select building materials, fixtures and appliances.

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Bathroom remodeling should start at the studs

The Sidney Sanders McMath Library in Little Rock will reopen at 9 a.m. Monday after having been closed since March for remodeling.

The Central Arkansas Library System branch, at 2100 John Barrow Road, will feature a new childrens programming room and an expansion of the existing childrens area, the library system said in a statement.

In addition to the childrens area, computers, parking space, new carpet, furniture and paint were added to the library.

An open house will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. June 21, and patrons visiting the library starting Monday will have the opportunity to register for prizes to be given away at the event.

After the library closed March 17 for the renovation, building materials for the librarys remodeling were vandalized, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette previously reported. On March 18, two wooden pallets of bricks were set on fire, damaging 8,500 bricks to the tune of $20,000, the construction companys insurance company said.

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McMath Library to reopen Monday

An arched, covered porch with a decorative transom and built-in benches serves as a portal to the past and the present -- from Talleyrand to Tallman -- and into a dream home at 105 Meeting House Lane in the heart of the Greenfield Hill area.

The updated Antique Georgian house sits on a street lined with pink and white dogwood trees directly across from Timothy Dwight Park and diagonally across from Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, giving its residents a front row seat for the annual Dogwood Festival each spring.

The house is on a level corner lot of 2.49 acres that also encompasses a new in-ground heated saltwater swimming pool and spa, professional landscaping including specimen plantings and manicured shrubbery, and a large renovated antique barn, circa 1900, with an apartment and eight vehicle bays that are ideal for the car collector. The rear bluestone terraced patio has an outdoor fireplace and numerous sitting areas.

A white picket fence lines the front of the acreage on Meeting House Lane and a stone wall borders the portion of the property along Hillside Road. A stone structure, attached to the main house by a breezeway, houses the family room with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace, cathedral ceiling and hand-hewn beams.

Built by Zalmon Bradley in 1750 in the saltbox tradition, the 9,700-square-foot house was transformed in a recent renovation and remodeling project by Paul Tallman Builders and Baker Batchelder Architects to achieve the present Georgian design. During the renovation, the house was raised to build a new foundation and finished lower level. All of the floors, systems, windows, and walls were replaced to bring it up to today's high standards.

The early history of the house includes its ownership by the Baldwin family until 1870 and visits to the house by notable people referred to in an article published in 1929 as "a cluster of geniuses" who were often in Greenfield Hill, among them Timothy Dwight, Joel Barlow and Barlow's brother-in-law Abraham Baldwin, whose brother owned the house.

A native of Guilford, Abraham Baldwin was a founding father and contributing draft writer of the U.S. Constitution. A graduate of Yale University, Baldwin was the founder and first president of the University of Georgia, the first state-chartered public institution of higher education in the country.

Influential European diplomat Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, the minister of affairs under Napoleon, is said to have dined in the Meeting House Lane residence, according to Elizabeth Rose, the Fairfield Museum and History Center's library director.

The house exterior features white clapboard with a bit of a twist. It gives the appearance of batten board, and it has dark green paneled shutters. The house has a center hall foyer and wide-planked wood floors. The formal living room has a grass wall-covering and a fireplace with a red brick firebox in a herringbone pattern, honed granite surround and wood mantle with flush, fluted columns.

In the formal dining room there is a similar fireplace and the walls are a bright aqua blue, a color that's in vogue today but also harkens back to the 18th century, Rose said. "In colonial times they used bright colors. It was a way of brightening up rooms. People tend to think they were more drab than they were," Rose said.

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On the market: Antique Georgian is home to history and modern amenities

By Evelyn M. Rusli and Douglas MacMillan

Home-remodeling site Houzz is in talks with investors to raise a round of funding that would value the company at more than $2 billion, according to people familiar with the deal.

The Palo Alto, Calif., startup has so far raised $150 million but may take on additional funding, said one of these people. Early shareholders in Houzz may also sell some shares in the round, the people familiar with the deal said.

The sizable valuation investors are willing to place on Houzz reflects the sites growing influence in home remodeling, a market the Home Improvement Research Institute predicts will top $300 billion this year.

It also reflects lofty valuations for several consumer Internet companies, despite concerns that these values are higher than business fundamentals warrant. Airbnb, the room-rental marketplace, was recently valued at $10 billion, while Uber, the on-demand car service, has talked to investors eager to value the company at $17 billion, people with knowledge of the matter have said.

A spokeswoman for Houzz declined to comment.

Houzz is part marketplace, part social-network for people interested in home design. Users can share photos of home-improvement projects, trade tips and get recommendations on local contractors.

The site has 16 million monthly visitors--a modest number compared with other Web startups valued at more than $1 billion. But visitors to Houzz are a potentially lucrative group, with 90% owning a home, 74% planning to decorate their homes in the next two years and 9% building a new house, according to the companys website.

Houzz would be worth less than half of Pinterest, the graphical online tool for scrapbooking that is also commonly used to plan home improvements. Pinterest has raised $764 million and was valued at $5 billion in a funding round last month.

Pinterest has more users--55 million in April, according to comScore. But Houzz began generating revenue three years ago, while Pinterest is just starting to sell ads on its site.

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The Wall Street Journal: Home-remodel site Houzz in talks to raise more funding

NORMAL The planned addition of an automated book sorter prompted a layout change at the Normal Public Library that brought a more open concept to the first floor and takes advantage of natural light.

"It's opened up space for people and tables for laptops; it's amazing," said Joan Steinburg, president of the library board.

Library Director Brian Chase said making space for the sorter gave the library the "opportunity to make efficient, logical changes."

The cost of the entire project including the book sorter and remodeling work was about $100,000. Chase said the library set aside the money from last year's budget.

In addition to opening up the first floor, the second floor also will have some changes, including the addition of a "mother's room" and a "technical playground" for kids.

The remodel included changing some staff offices technical services was moved to the lowest level and Chase's office to the second floor. Two other staff rooms were condensed into a single room.

"We gave it a lot of thought and it's paid off," said Chase. "We have been able to optimize the public space."

A small area at the front of the library has been turned into a "collaboration space" with a large table. Walls were razed behind the circulation desk, providing a large open area for the library's audio, DVD and MP3 collections. The reference desk was moved, allowing space for CDs.

The computer area has been turned into a periodical area and has more seating. Walls were taken down allowing light from windows at the front of the building to spill into the center of the library. Computers have been moved to smaller tables clustered in the center of the first floor.

Chase said doors, door frames and lights were reused; old desks are being used to make new desks; and tables were reused to save money. The library also got some used furniture from State Farm.

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Remodeling project opens up Normal library

WATERLOO | The City Council is planning to move home next week.

With a major renovation of the Harold E. Getty Council Chambers in City Hall nearly finished, council members expect to convene in their traditional meeting space Monday for the first time in 15 weeks.

"The contractor did a great job," said Mayor Buck Clark. "It's going to be quite a different look with more modern amenities. It will leave a very positive impression."

Failor-Hurley Construction of Waterloo was awarded the $220,000 contract which involved remodeling the room with new carpeting, ceiling tile, window treatments and furnishings. The work included new audio and video equipment and a wheelchair ramp.

New finishes replace much of the wood-paneled feel of the chambers while the ceiling masks what had been stains from past water leaks. The old pews for audience seating have been removed, and new chairs were being loaded in Thursday.

City Clerk Suzy Schares said a large portion of the project is electronics that may not be ready to roll by Monday.

The equipment will allow the meetings to be recorded for broadcast from the basement studio instead of paying camera operators in the room.

"We will have remote cameras linked to downstairs," Schares said. The broadcast "will be a little better, but it will get us closer to the point they'll be great."

Council members eventually will have data ports and tablets to provide paperless agendas for use during meetings. The project allows "electronic voting" for council resolutions, but no decision has been made on whether to do away with the voice roll calls used now.

Television screens have replaced the video projector used for presentations now, and the sound systems for both the council chambers and adjoining Mollenhoff Room have been separated so both rooms can be used at the same time.

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Waterloo council chambers renovation nearly complete