Archives

December 3, 2010

Home Improvement to Sell a Home

If headlines are any indication, Americans are starting to put money back in their homes.  This points towards an improving economy and more stable ground for the housing and home improvement industries.  It may have been quite some time since your last home improvement endeavor.  Figuring out what project you should begin is a little bit more complicated than it used to be.  Selling your house and seeing a return on your investment means you have to carefully plan what projects you put money into.  Fortunately, there are a multitude of resources at your disposal so you don’t have to take on this assignment alone.  Whether you are planning on adding an addition or simply power washing the exterior, the costs involved may not always be worth the investment.  If you are selling a home then you may find the following ideas especially helpful. Read more…

November 9, 2010

Top 5 Things to Know About the Expiring Tax Credits

For our readers in Virginia and Maryland who are interested in window replacement, now is the time.  The remodeling sector can thank the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for much of their success this year.  The credits provided by the act were paramount in the decision by many homeowners to commit to their next remodeling project or installing replacement windows.  Nothing lasts forever and as of December, 31 2010 the tax rebates will no longer be offered.   The procrastinators amongst us still have a few weeks before the expiration date.  Here are the top five things you need to know coming down the homestretch. Read more…

October 15, 2010

Installing Windows For A LEED Platinum Home

As you may know, Long Windows is donating their very best products to help create the first LEED Platinum home in Baltimore City.  Working with Under Armour, we are helping Sandtown Habitat for Humanity build their 300^th home.

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October 8, 2010

Flickr Friday

Who doesn’t like to gather around the old photo album every now and again?  Here are a few pictures of us doing what we do best – improving homes.  The set will be updated from time to time and we look forward to capturing some of our newer projects.  Want to learn more about how we improve homes?  Check us out here!

October 7, 2010

Maryland’s First Passive Home

Yesterday, we learned that the first passive home in Maryland had begun construction.  The phrase “passive house” refers to the voluntary, yet rigorous energy efficiency standards builders are subject to when creating a home.   The Maryland project is being completed by O’Neill Construction Corporation (Gaithersburg, MD) and Peabody Architects (Alexandria, VA).  They are focusing on one of the biggest culprits of inefficient homes – air leakage.  Preventing air leakage requires serious attention to siding and replacement windows.   Passive Homes are very popular in Europe. The word actually comes from the German term “Passivhaus”.  While not as popular in the states, the need to save money and energy is leading to their acceptance and consideration across the nation.  To learn more about Maryland’s first Passive House read more here.