House Design

Should start looking for another electrician and file a complaint with the contractors license board for an electrician who hasn’t completed work and is unreachable?

Debbie, when a hired contractor fails to perform services that he has previously agreed to complete, then you should file a grievance with the Better Business Bureau and the State Licensing Board. If you have already paid for services that were not performed to your satisfaction, then you may also consider filing a case in Small Claims Court or consulting an attorney. Although the headaches involved with tracking down AWOL contractors are often considerable, a problem contractor will usually repeat his unprofessional actions if not challenged by a dissatisfied home owner. T

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Ive been hearing more and more about the Bagster Bag from Waste Management so I thought it would be good to share this new concept with all of you. To help spread the word about this great new way to clear up construction waste the folks at Bagster are going to sponsor a $50 Visa Gift Card for one of our lucky readers. Before I go into the rules for this giveaway Id like you to read the information below about Bagster Bags.

• While households look for ways to save money, more homeowners are tackling projects themselves from bathroom remodels to flooring projects to spring cleaning.

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There are winter home improvement projects that take into consideration the down-time many contractors experience through the winter months. That means hardly any lag time between when homeowners make appointment calls and when the work gets done.  It can be especially prudent to schedule routine, but absolutely necessary, home maintenance projects, even if the money is tight. The money is tight everywhere, which means some contractors may give you a good rate in the winter.

Yahoo Finance suggests this may be a good time to have a termite inspection, even if the weather is cold and the insects are in hibernation. Cold weather doesnt stop the hungry pest.

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A couple weeks ago, I posted about Fresh Home reader Errin’s dining room chair project, and I promised I’d make her a mood board to give inspiration for her entire dining room makeover. So I hopped back to Olioboard and got to work. (See more of our mood boards here.)

Here’s the picture of Errin’s dining room as it currently is:

And here’s how I see it spruced up a bit:

Errin says she loves bright colors and mid-century finds, so I thought a red-lacquer pendant from Lampsplus and bright artwork from 20×200 perks up the room a bit. Neutral cu

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Some ideas for recreating yesterdays San Francisco rooftop dining space by Growsgreen Landscape Design (fog not included).

Above: The Amalfi Square Lantern in antique copper finish is also available in weathered zinc or polished nickel. Prices start at $25 for the mini (6.5 inches tall) and go up to $139 for the extra large (25 inches tall) at Restoration Hardware.

Above: The Tolix Marais Armchair is on sale at DWR for $233.75.

Above: The Kaat Table, from Lister US, is made from renewable and sustainable harvested teak and seats four; $1,300 at Terrain.

Above: The Mailroom Wood and Metal Tray from Restoration Hardware functions as an outdoor table when perched on a stool; $199 each.

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