Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Across Chicago and the U.S., the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting everyone. Every business is in jeopardy of shutting its doors for goods. Every employee is in danger of losing their job. Every family is concerned about their health and wellbeing. And every single person in America is hoping to stop the spread of this deadly virus.

One thing that isnt stopping, however, is home renovation projects. Since everyone aside from essential workers are remaining in their homes almost 100% of the time, now is the perfect time for homeowners to improve their properties and begin (and hopefully finish) some important projects.

There is some concern over whether its even advisable to work on your home during this pandemic or not. Though there are some cons to beginning home remodeling projects due to the shortage of supply, potentially higher costs, and general feelings of being overwhelmed; there are plenty of advantages, too. For the most part, the costs are actually much lower right now. Several remodeling companies have come up with great deals and substantial discounts. Plus, if youre hoping to sell your home in the next few years, taking advantage of all this downtime and upgrading your home is a great option!

Here are some important things to consider whenever starting, or even thinking about starting, home remodeling projects:

There isnt a project on earth that wouldnt benefit from some diligent planning beforehand. Still, so many homeowners jump right into specific projects without an actual plan in mind, which can subsequently lead to a messy home, costly remodeling expenses, and high stress levels. Even skillful do-it-yourselfers need to plan out every step of their remodeling project. Without planning, chaos will certainly be the end result.

If you have a four-to-five-month timeline, you can talk to friends on who they used and look at Angies List reviews on their performance, said Kermit Baker, project director at the Harvard remodeling program. You can do your due diligence as you prepare to get the project ready.

Its important to have plenty of tools around the house, as well. If you just need a few things for a couple of quick projects, you can take advantage of tool rental programs. However, its best to own a legitimate set of tools so you can be fully prepared to take on any kind of home remodeling project. Here is a list of tools that every homeowner should have:

Every home improvement project will cost more than you think it will and will take more time than you planned, added Bob Harkson, a chief financial planner at Phase2 Wealth Advisors.

Remodeling contractors everywhere advise the same thing: the more thorough you are during these crucial planning stages, the more likely you are to stay under budget for each project.

Another great idea is to keep a detailed journal documenting every aspect of your home remodeling project. This can be helpful for all sorts of reasons! For instance, if youre working with home builders or a team of professional contractors and something goes wrong, you can use your journal in court or arbitration. Write down things exactly as they happen so you arent being charged for unnecessary costs down the line. Its best if your remodeling journal includes at the very least the following: project start date, major milestones, inspection dates, contractor work schedules, change orders, and all financial information.

Planning is one thing but budgeting can make or break not only your remodeling project ideas but your financial stability, as well. If you arent properly budgeting especially during these wild COVID-19 times, you are putting your entire future at risk. You need to carefully determine exactly how much you can afford to spend on every facet of your remodeling projects. Take, for example, home flooring projects. Your budget needs to account for everything, not just the final tiles. If you know what youre doing, you should still keep a strict budget and plan for spending on tools, materials, and everything else. If you are completely lost when it comes to flooring jobs or other potentially complicated projects like residential siding or plumbing repairs, consider hiring a team of professional contractors. But be aware, doing this will likely significantly increase the amount you spend on each project, which should be reflected in your budget.

Be realistic as you tour your homes interior and look at it as a buyer would with a very critical eye, said Gina Wolter, Broker/Realtor with The Real Estate Group. Determine projects that need the most attention. Some things on your list may require just a little elbow grease, while others may require assistance from a professional. Whichever the case, set your budget and work from there.

If youre working with a contractor, its important to ask as many questions as possible. This way, youll actually learn whats being accomplished. You wont have to hire a contractor for that specific project next time. Instead, youll be able to handle it all on your own! There is no better feeling than that. But dont be afraid of asking questions to the professionals. Even ones that might seem like are obvious its best to get the right answer than wing it on your own down the line. Plus, its your money that youre spending on these projects. You should know why youre spending that much and whats exactly taking place!

It might seem like a scary thing to do during these uncertain times, but there are loans out there available that are designed to help you and your family upgrade your home in a financially responsible way. A Federal Housing Administration (FHA) 203(k) loan or a Fannie Mae HomeStyle Renovation loan, for example, are great options.

An FHA 203(k) loan offers flexibility because you can finance up to 97.75% of the improved home value, said Catherine Holtman, operations support manager for Embrace Home Loans. Theres a streamlined version for improvements up to $35,000 that are nonstructural and a standard version for major renovations including structural changes.

Additionally, taking out a home equity line of credit will provide you with the necessary flexibility to take advantage of remodeling projects. Youll only have to pay interest on the actual line of credit being used and not on everything else. Plus, closing costs are using pretty affordable! Cash-out refinancing, personal loans, credit cards, and 401(k) loans are all great options, as well just beware of high interest rates.

Upgrading your home is exciting but it can also be quite stressful if you dont know what youre doing, arent properly budgeting and planning, or you make mistakes. Some mistakes are minor and are just a little annoying. However, some mistakes even the minor ones can lead to catastrophic issues and ruin your home and your bank account.

Here are some of the most common home remodeling mistakes that homeowners across the country make:

So, in short, the best way to prepare for these kinds of home renovation projects is to save as much as possible, do plenty of research beforehand, make sure youre acquiring all the necessary tools, think about taking out a renovation loan,

More here:
Home Remodeling and Repairs: Everything You Need to Know - Skyline

Home of the Year is proudly presented by The Redbud Group, creating great real estate experiences. Browse featured listings to find your own Charlotte dream home.

We know coronavirus brought a lot of unexpected change to our city, but Charlotte is still a place filled with architectural beauty and some of the best designers in the country.

We created theHome of the Year Award to celebrate the best of the best in new residential real estate. We want to honor that.

The home must be a new build or remodel within the past 12 months. Any remodel qualifies the home interior and/or exterior. Condos and apartments also qualify, so it doesnt necessarily have to be a traditional home.

Can I nominate my own home? Yes, of course! We love hearing directly from homeowners and we anticipate the majority of nominations to come from directly from homeowners.

Can I nominate a clients home?Yes, of course! If youre an architect, builder, or designer wed love to receive nominations, and when we profile our winner and finalists, we will credit all the people who touched the project.

Will there be finalists?Yes, we will profile a group of finalists. We will also select one overall winner. Heres our2019 Home of the Yearif youre looking for an example of the format.

Email your nomination(s) to brianna@charlotteagenda.com using the subject line Home of the Year nomination. Please include the address, up to three sentences on the home, and up to two photos of it. If selected as a finalist, well follow up for more information.

The deadline is Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

Thank you for your help, and we look forward to celebrating the Home of the Year Award this summer!

Cover image: 2019 Home of the Year winner, The Providence Dream Home by brillhart architecture.

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Nominate your favorite new build or remodel for our third annual Home of the Year Award - Charlotte Agenda

An artist's renderings show what Regal Cinemas at River Park will look like after a renovation starting next month. Photos via River Park

published on May 21, 2020 - 2:36 PMWritten by Gabriel Dillard

River Parks Regal Edwards Fresno movie theater is headed toward a major remodel and an apparent rebranding, according to an announcement from the shopping center owner on Thursday.

A news release lists the theaters name as Regal Cinemas in River Park, a departure from the Edwards moniker that has remained with the 22-auditorium movie theater since it opened in the late 1990s.

A rendering of what the theater will look like after the interior and exterior remodel of the entire building also doesnt include the Edwards name.

A message left for officials with Lance-Kashian & Co., owner and manager of the River Park shopping center, were not immediately returned Thursday afternoon.

The remodel also comes with a new 15-year lease for the theater, which will be modernized and upgraded with all new seating as well as VIP lounge areas, concession stands, restrooms, lobbies and the entire facade.

Construction is expected to begin by June 1. The theater has been closed since March due to Covid-19 emergency orders. It is not clear if, once California movie theaters are allowed to reopen, Regal Cinemas in River Park will operate during the remodeling effort. No timetable was offered in a news release from Lance-Kashian.

The news follows the recent addition of 4DX and ScreenX technology at the theater. 4DX features in-theater special effects such as motion-synchronized seats, scents and other sensory effects. ScreenX technology surrounds audiences with an immersive 270-degree panoramic screen.

The first step in the complete renovation will be the addition to IMAX inside the main theater building, according to the news release.

This is truly a step into the next millennium, and we are excited for movie goers to return to our center to experience something magical, said Tracy Kashian, VP of marketing and public relations for River Park.

The release adds that all proper Covid-19 precautionary measures will be taken once the theater re-opens its doors.

River Park & Regal look forward to welcoming back our Central Valley families, concludes the release.

See the article here:
Major renovation coming to Regal theater at Fresno's River Park - The Business Journal

Added to that is a higher demand for cleaning supplies, security systems, safety gear, sidewalk chalk and activity kits for youngsters, said Randy Rusk, national spokesman for Do It Best, a cooperative of hardware, lumber, and building materials stores in 50 states and more than 50 countries.

But analysts and marketing experts in the home and hardware industry are cautious. They predict a mixed bag in spending through the end of this year, dragged down by little or no construction in some states and nagging uncertainties surrounding the economic toll from the pandemic.

Smaller, in-home projects have been the bright spot in the sector. During the past two months, as unprecedented restrictions sent workers home and consigned people to work in bedrooms and at kitchen tables, the home services industry saw consumers flip their attitudes about their surroundings.

At first they were scared. Then, they began looking around their homes and decided they needed to get on projects they'd put off for years, said Larry Janesky, a Connecticut-based contractor with 300 dealers and 700 employees refurbishing attics, basements and roofs across the U.S.

Basement waterproofing and refinishing projects took off in the past month or so because people realized they needed to upgrade space for a home office. Roofing also has shot up, Janesky said.

Before the outbreak, spending on home remodeling was expected to post annual growth of 3.9% by the first quarter of 2021. But the latest data rolling together actual and forecasted impacts of the economic shutdown have led to predictions of declines this year, with more of a drop off into 2021, according to Harvard Universitys Joint Center for Housing Studies.

The uncertainty has analysts offering a mixed forecast for what will happen in the category later in the year.

Whether confidence returns to undertake large projects could be dictated by the depth and duration of the economic and housing market decline, wrote Wedbush analysts led by Seth Basham in a note about Home Depot, MarketWatch reported earlier in May.

Read more:
What a surge in decks and paint sales in the midst of a pandemics says about economic recovery - Oklahoman.com

This content is being provided for free as a public service to our readers. If local news is important to you, consider becoming a digital subscriber to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.***

Nineteen-hundred twenty-five was a momentous year in Florida.

The Sunshine State had just gotten its first taste of the boom times that would define its future: a powerful real estate market drawing northerners looking to invest or for a place of their own in the sun.

It also was a time of railroads, lines that connected Florida from top to bottom, and the beginning surge of what would become the beautiful, sandy and artsy Southwest Florida, home to Fort Myers, Naples and Sarasota.

Four years earlier, on May 14, 1921, Sarasota County was carved out of Manatee County and incorporated as its own community. Manatee, the much older sibling, was founded on Jan. 9, 1855 (when first created, Manatee included all of what is now Sarasota County, Charlotte County, DeSoto County, Glades County, Hardee County, Highlands County and part of Lee County).

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Read all of our Sarasota-Manatee Rebuilding America stories.

For the last 95 years, the Herald-Tribune has been here to document the stories and the growth of the two great communities of Sarasota and Manatee counties, through the financial crisis of the 1920s and 1930s to World War II and the subsequent Florida boom to Korea to Vietnam to the great Space Race of the 1960s and the birth of Disney to the Great Recession until now, when our state, nation and planet face another momentous time.

The Herald-Tribune has always been here to help readers navigate troubled waters and were here to help the businesses that serve as the backbone of this great community get back to what they do best.

Weve been here every step of the way through the COVID-19 crisis, documenting the first cases, telling you how to remain safe and partnering with local foundations and nonprofits to raise millions of dollars to help those folks most impacted.

In this Rebuilding America section, we have partnered with some of the regions most prominent businesses to document how they have dealt with the crisis and to ask them to stand beside us as we navigate our way out of it.

The Herald-Tribune is proud to be the trusted local source for news and information for Sarasota and Manatee residents, and we stand alongside our local businesses as we begin reopening.

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Read Rebuilding America stories from around the country.

The increase in web traffic and audience engagement during these difficult and challenging times has been explosive. Thats why this project is so vital. It zeroes in on focused economic categories, both in print and online.

During this difficult time, weve been been amazed at the generosity and deep sense of community weve experienced from both a personal and professional perspective. Were even more impressed with the adaptability and creatively of local business owners and those keeping our health and safety top of mind.

For example, the way Sarasota Memorial Hospital has kept the community informed about the virus and the importance of emergent and general health has been inspiring.

The creative way other local businesses have kept their employees working highlights local market leadership. Restaurants are a key economic driver for employment and commerce. Many have gotten extremely creative from selling grocery baskets at Pier 22 to many carry-out options from downtown restaurants like Duvals.

Sarasota residents and businesses have been deeply impacted by the pandemic. Being a community that relies heavily on tourism and residential seasonality, the timing was particularly difficult. As we begin thinking about traveling safely, we are so fortunate to have a local air travel option with Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

The automotive industry was one of the first to respond and adjust to our new environment with consideration for those impacted. Local dealers adapted business practices for both sales and service with drop-off and pick-up options in order to keep their employees and customers safe.

Building is an essential business. People are still buying and selling homes. As we take a deep look at residential building, local malls, real estate companies and new homebuilders are taking advantage of great rates from local financial institutions.

One positive note is that we are all spending more time with our loved ones as we work from home. This has given us time to evaluate our home environments. More than ever, people are looking into comfort, functionality and style for their space.

From home offices and furniture upgrades to even more extensive kitchen and bath remodels and home exterior improvements, like landscaping, pools and lanais, people are taking advantage of the work-from-home requirements to engage with contractors and accept deliveries.

Many of these businesses have joined with us as we innovate as well with Best of HT Preps. We had to pivot in order to celebrate student athletes in our communities. Rather than an in person banquet and awards show, we will produce an on-demand ceremony on June 18, 2020. We are seeing the same type of innovation with educators at all levels from elementary to college.

For 95 years, the Herald-Tribune has helped its readers and advertisers to see the light. We have no doubt that when we fully emerge from this latest test, Sarasota and Manatee counties will be stronger than ever and also wiser and more determined to succeed in creating a better community for our residents and their families, and a great place to do business.

None of this is happening in a vacuum. In fact, its quite the opposite.

Gannett newspapers across Florida are collaborating on this effort 23 of them to be exact from Pensacola to Jacksonville to West Palm Beach to Sarasota. Collectively, we reach a digital audience of 9 million, nearly 60 percent of Florida adults each month and 2 million readers in print.

But this effort is even bigger than Florida. Its happening across the 260 local brands that form the USA Today Network, which stretches from California to Maine to, of course, the Sunshine State, and most everywhere in between. Thats an audience of 173 million.

If you havent joined us in recent days in Rebuilding America, there is still plenty of opportunity to do so. This is just the beginning. We will be carrying this theme throughout the recovery and its a great opportunity for you to reach your customers and assure them youre back in business.

Were here for you like we have been for the last 95 years and well be here for the next 100.

Matthew Sauer, the executive editor and general manager of the Herald-Tribune, can be reached at matthew.sauer@heraldtribune.com. Stacia King, the media companys sales director, can be reached at sking@heraldtribune.com.

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Herald-Tribune is your partner in Rebuilding America - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

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Dave Hansen, left, and his son Austin Hansen work on a new seating area Thursday at Scooter's Chillin'-N-Grillin' in Twin Falls.

A new bar top has been installed at O'Dunkens Draught House Thursday in downtown Twin Falls.

New patio flooring has been put in place Thursday at Twin Falls Sandwich Co. in downtown Twin Falls.

Original flooring was found during the renovations to the theater, built in 1921, on Friday at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Twin Falls.

Downtown businesses have been keeping busy in spite of of COVID-19 closures by doing renovation projects in Twin Falls.

TWIN FALLS Sometimes even the darkest clouds have silver linings.

Magic Valley restaurants have lost huge sums of money because of COVID-19. Hundreds of food service workers have lost their jobs. Business wont return to normal for a long time if ever.

But there is one major benefit to shutting, or slowing, down business. Lots of business owners have done remodels to take advantage of their empty stores, and for some, theyve been able to do big projects that would have been more challenging under normal circumstances.

Financially it was the worst time, but as far as affecting customers it was the best time for sure, Twin Falls Sandwich Co. owner Shane Cook said. It took the entire time we were closed.

Owner Shane Cook stands over his new patio flooring Thursday at Twin Falls Sandwich Co. in downtown Twin Falls.

Many Twin Falls business owners have spent the past two months renovating their establishments, in some cases doing much of the work themselves or with the help of friends.

Cook said his business did a ton of deep cleaning, and also repainted, re-tiled and added new artwork by local artists to the walls.

Wed planned on doing it in two years, Cook said, noting that the restaurant is now brighter and more colorful.

Scooters Chillin-N-Grillin started working on major renovations even before Gov. Brad Little ordered restaurants to close. Manager Jamie Carlton said the restaurant decided to get a jump start since it was clear business was going to virtually disappear anyway.

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Watch Now: New business (re)models Store owners make the most of closures - Times-News

In March, states undertook dramatic and unprecedented measures to stem the spread of the SARS2-COV virus. And yet COVID-19 has claimed 100,000 lives in the U.S. Was the lockdown effective? Economists frequently address such questions in our research.

Seeing the unseen, or the path that we did not choose, is the key here. It is the fundamental challenge of economics, as illustrated by Frederic Bastiats parable of the broken window. A shopkeeper must replace a broken window. A neighbor, perhaps offering solace, points out that if windows never got broken, the town glazier would starve. To avoid believing that broken windows boost the economy, we must recognize what the shopkeeper did not buy due to replacing the window.

Economists visualize the alternative paths we could choose. What would have happened if we didnt pass NAFTA, or hadnt bailed out banks during the financial crisis, or if we raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour? The term counterfactual refers to the unchosen path.

Economists devise principles for constructing counterfactuals. Scenarios must be logically coherent and consistent with the available evidence. We must avoid overly optimistic or pessimistic alternatives.

I have never estimated potential deaths in an outbreak of a disease but have researched tornado warnings and worst case tornadoes. Like most economists, I recognize the challenges in evaluating the lockdown.

Heres a first challenge. WalletHub has scored the strictness of states COVID protection measures. The average COVID fatality rate for the ten states with the strictest lockdown policies is 686 per million residents, versus a fatality rate of 68 for the ten least strict states, or one tenth as much. The three highest fatality rate states are among the ten strictest states.

Does this show that lockdowns cause COVID-19 deaths? No. The states suffering the worst outbreaks will impose the strictest measures. This is the endogeneity of policy problem. Ignoring this issue would lead us to conclude that hospitals cause death because many people die there. Controlling for policy endogeneity is a major research focus.

Another problem arises because states imposed policies and Americans realized that COVID-19 was a serious health threat at about the same time. The NBA suspended its season March 11, people sharply reduced travel around March 15, and the first state stay-at-home order took effect March 19. We have very few data points to tease out the effect of various policies from behavioral changes.

The United States was slow in rolling out testing for COVID-19, creating another challenge. If we compared the number of COVID-19 cases in the month before and after lockdowns to test effectiveness, the total would rise simply because many more people were tested. Can we detect a decline in infections during a period of expanding testing?

Even if Marchs lockdown was effective, the policies may not be effective in another time or place. Policy effects may not transfer for several reasons. For the COVID lockdown, an important factor is peoples willingness to comply. If Americans do not favor shutting down the economy for a second wave of the virus, stay-at-home orders may prove ineffective when reimplemented.

Researchers at Columbia University have evaluated the lockdown, based on computer simulations with travel data between cities and reported cases and deaths. The policies appear to have stemmed the illness; indeed implementation of the same policies two weeks earlier could have avoided 83 percent of U.S. deaths through May 3.

The sophisticated technical analysis here, I think, obscures a bigger point. Nonpharmaceutical interventions, as epidemiologists call such policies, do not prevent COVID-19 deaths. Americans who did not get COVID this spring can still get sick next fall. Only a vaccine or effective treatment will truly prevent deaths.

Whether school closings and stay-at-home orders slow an outbreak is an important and really challenging research question. This question must be answered before we compare economic costs and health benefits. Ultimately a lockdown is merely a delaying action. Delaying actions are only worth fighting as part of a larger strategy.

Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.

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Dan Sutter: Did the lockdown save lives? - Alabama Today

The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission approved an application as submitted for the renovation of the Boston Athenaeums south balcony during a virtual hearing on Thursday, May 21.

The applicant, Matthew Bronski, a principal with the Waltham engineering firm Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, said the scope of the project includes removing existing waterproofing and slate paving from the balconies at the second- and fifth-floor levels at 10 Beacon St. facing the Old Granary Burying Ground and replacing them with new waterproofing and non-slip bluestone paving. The proposed work also includes the replacement of non-original existing railings on the second- and fifth floors with equivalent railings that would be up to code, as well as the installation of a new copper gutter on the fifth floor.

The commission approved an extensive renovation of the Athenaeums north faade and terrace at its previous monthly hearing, which was held virtually on April 16.

In a matter continued from September of 2018, the commission approved the applicants to plan to construct an interior staircase at a two-story carriage house owned by the Park Street School at 55-57 Brimmer St., as well as planned changes to the design of the faux carriage house doors on the adjoining one-story garage while denying the proposed window reconfiguration and additions on the garage building to preserve the integrity of the historic building.

The Park Street School intends to convert the garage into a science lab and classroom while the former single-family residence upstairs would be repurposed as a meeting room and administrative offices.

On an application for a building owned by the Park Street Church at 3 Park St to replace insulated glass in kind; to replace an existing intercom system; and to replace an existing copper chimney-cap with a vented copper chimney-cap to restore the chimney to its original use, the commission gave its approval, with the provisos that the chimney cap be made of copper and not painted black, and that the modern intercom system be housed inside a brass box in keeping with the character of the neighborhoods Historic District.

The commission also approved an application for 19 Myrtle St. to remove existing panel antennas at the roof level and replace them with new ones of similar size while painting them to match the existing structure, with the proviso that the antennas be housed inside a fiberglass screen enclosure painted the same color as the existing structure, and that the applicant submit drawings of the enclosure to staff for approval.

In another matter, the commission approved an application for 34 West Cedar St. to repair and repaint trim in kind, and to repair and replace slate in kind at the dormer level, with the proviso that the applicant provide a sample of new slate to staff for approval, and that the entire dormer be clad in slate for consistency with the district standards.

In considering an application for the installation of a new gas line at the front faade garden level at 41 Beacon St., the commission approved it, with the proviso that the connection is made beneath the building to avoid penetrating any granite walls, and that the applicant submit drawings showing a trellis wood screen painted grey to staff for approval. The applicant will also need to provide a letter from the city indicating that the location of the gas meter is the only possible option, and that it can t be installed inside the building.

The commission also approved an application to install new street numbers on the Archer Residences at 45 Temple St., with the proviso that the numbers not exceed 12.5 inches in size and match the material and color of the adjacent window mullions.

Meanwhile, the commission approved an application to install an alarm bell in the entryway of the front door at 54 Pinckney St., with the proviso that it be painted black or dark grey if permitted by the Boston Fire Department.

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BHAC Approves Application for Renovation of the Athenaeums South Balcony - Beacon Hill Times

Looking to save some cash and still stay entertained? Swap out all of the services you pay for -- that includes Netflix, Hulu, Apple Music, DoorDash and Grubhub -- for free alternatives. The free choices may not get you the exact same thing, but can often get you pretty close, especially if you're one of the millions of people whose employment has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and you're looking to cut costs where you can.

A lot of these free services operate with ads, unlike their paid counterparts. And the streaming services won't let you download stuff to watch or listen to offline. But some have deals to go ad-free for free during the pandemic, which you can take advantage of now.

Here's how to replace all of the services you pay for with free ones.

Replaces: Netflix

Sony's Crackle is an ad-supported streaming service that offers movies and some TV shows, including original content. You can find a variety of flicks old and new including Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Adaptation, The Big Chill, Dr. Strangelove, Glory, It Happened One Night, La Bamba, The Natural, The Social Network and Star Trek: First Contact. In terms of TV, you'll find more than 100 different shows, including a lot of sitcoms such as All in the Family, Roseanne and Who's the Boss. But not every series has all seasons available.

You can stream on Crackle without signing up for an account, and can watch on virtually any device, with apps for all mobile platforms, game consoles and major streaming devices. If you do create an account, you can save favorites, get recommendations and resume playback if you switch between devices.

Read more: The best free stuff while you're stuck at home

Replaces: Hulu Plus Live TV(or your whole cable subscription)

Two big caveats here: Pluto TV is, like CNET, a division of ViacomCBS, and you'll find plenty of CNET, CBS and Viacom content on the docket here. And much of the programming on Pluto isn't the same live TV channels you'll find on pay cable or satellite, even if the channels have the same names. So, while news junkies will find live programming from CBSN, NBC News Now and Bloomberg TV, Pluto's versions of MTV, AMC and CNN are time-shifted or alternate programming from those providers.

Ultimately, none of that matters, because you're still getting a wealth of streaming video that's truly free (it's ad-supported, of course). And because there are literally dozens of in-progress streams to toggle through in real-time, Pluto offers the best analog to flipping through the myriad channels on a traditional cable system (or paid streaming alternative, like Hulu). You can also browse channels by categories like news, sports, comedy and movies, and find on-demand TV content, though it's mostly crime and reality shows.

Pluto works on desktop browsers, through a Windows client, or through apps for Android, iOS and different smart TVs and channels for Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku.

Read more:Best free TV streaming services: Roku, Sling TV, IMDb, Pluto TV, Tubi TV, Plex and more

Replaces: Apple Music

Spotify tops CNET's list of the best music streaming services thanks to its easy-to-use interface, extensive catalogue and device compatibility. Plus, you can always listen to its full music catalogue for free, with ads. And now there's even better news: In the wake of the pandemic, Spotify is letting you sign up to get three months of Spotify Premium totally free. This would normally cost you at least $9.99 per month.

You can get the free offer if you have Spotify Free or it's your first time subscribing to Spotify Premium. If you've subscribed to Premium in the past and cancelled, you can get three months for a flat $9.99.

Read more:Netflix alternatives: The 10 best free movie streaming services

Read more:Best food delivery service: DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats and more compared

Replaces: Your gym, or Peloton

Nike Training Club is a free app for iOS and Android with a variety of home workouts and programs to help you set a workout schedule. You can filter workouts based on what equipment you have at home, and find bodyweight-only exercises, yoga and training programs.

Replaces: Online classes

MasterClass offers thousands of online lessons taught by veritable masters in their fields -- we're talking Gordon Ramsey on cooking, Ken Burns on documentary making and Helen Mirren on acting. While an annual membership costs $180, you can find a series of free courses called MasterClass Live available now. These include a session on building suspenseful thrillers with Dan Brown, the importance of science with Neil deGrasse Tyson and poker tips from six-time World Series of Poker champion Daniel Negreanu.

Read more:Gym closed? Here are some of the best home workout options

Replaces: Magazine subscriptions, cooking classes

If you're spending your quarantine experimenting with cooking projects such as sourdough, banana bread or dalgona coffee, grow your cooking chops even more with the Food Network Kitchen app and subscription service. It brings live and on-demand cooking lessons from celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis and Ree Drummond to iOS and Android devices, the Amazon Echo Show 8, Fire tablets, Fire TV and Alexa. The app's goal is to become your personal kitchen companion, helping you step by step while you cook.

While the service usually costs $4.99 per month or $40 per year, Food Network is offering a 60-day free trial right now.

Now playing: Watch this: Do this first if you've been laid off or furloughed

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I have used many of my previous columns to help accountants and other tax professionals alert their clients to perfectly legal, easy-to-understand strategies that save taxes. Im going to devote this column and two subsequent ones to the selection and implementation of strategies that help homeowners.

Long-standing rules authorize valuable tax breaks for owners who itemize their deductions on Form 1040s Schedule A. Theyre able to claim annual write-offs, within limits, for payments of mortgage interest and property taxes.

Owners cant claim current deductions for money spent improvements that add to the value of their homes, prolong their useful lives, or adapt them to new uses. The law requires them to add the money to their homes cost basisthe figure used to determine gains or losses when they sell their homes. Consequently, improvements decrease any taxable gains on eventual sales.

Big breaks for sellers with big profits:The law permits sellers to exclude, meaning they escape, federal and state income taxes on sizable portions of their profits from sales of their principal residences.

The profit exclusions are as much as $500,000 for married couples filing joint returns. They drop to $250,000 for single persons or married couples filing separate returns.

How do things work out when sellers reap gains greater than $500,000 or $250,000? Theyre liable for taxes on the excess.

IRS audits (or examinations, as the agency prefers to call them):In the event the IRS questions how seller Sarah determined her gain, the audit will be less traumatic and less expensive if she has kept meticulous records that track the dwellings basis.

Those records should include what she originally paid for her home, plus certain settlement or closing costs, such as title insurance and legal fees. They should also include what she subsequently shells out for improvements, as opposed to repairs.

Improvements, both big and small, boost basis:Qualifying improvements can be big projects, as when Sarah puts a recreation room in her unfinished basement, adds another bedroom or bathroom, puts up a fence, or paves her driveway. Or they can be small projects, as when she upgrades closets, or installs built-in bookcases, new faucets, towel racks, or medicine cabinets.

Repairs dont boost basis:An adamant IRS insists that Sarah cant count routine repairs or maintenance that add nothing to the places value. They just maintain it. Some examples: Sarah repaints her home inside or outside, fixes her gutters or floors, repairs leaks or plastering, and replaces broken window panes.

Bundle ordinary repairs into bigger jobs:It might pay for Sarah to postpone repair projects until she can do them in connection with an extensive remodeling or restoration project. Adding the smaller job into bigger jobs may allow Sarah to include some items that would otherwise be considered repairs, such as the cost of painting rooms.

In two subsequent columns, Ill discuss more strategies to impart to your home-owning clients.

Additionalarticles.A reminder for accountants who would welcome advice on how to alert clients to tactics that trim taxes for this year and even give a head start for next year: Delve into thearchive of my articles(more than 350 and counting).

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Why It Pays to Keep Track of Home Improvements - Accountingweb.com