The Home Remodelers Group® Announces Expansion of Customer Referral Rewards Program

The Home Remodelers Group®, providers of superior home improvement services in New York and New Jersey since 1964, has one of the most generous referral rewards programs in the home remodeling industry. On October 1st, 2007 we will expand our customer referral reward program to include two vacation travel award categories: a 4-night or 7-night Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Caribbean vacations for two for referring customers to The Home Remodelers Group®.

Fairfield, NJ (PRWEB) October 2, 2007 — The Home Remodelers Group®, the 12th largest* home remodeling company in the US is expanding its Customer Referral Rewards program. Now in addition to cash rewards, customers can earn a 4-night or 7-night Royal Caribbean Cruise Line® vacation for two by referring their friends, family, neighbors or business associates to The Home Remodelers Group® for their home improvement needs.

The Home Remodelers Group® Customer Referral Rewards program is already one of the most generous rewards program in the home improvement industry. The three tiered cash rewards system is Silver (8,000 - 14, 999 in referral sales) Gold (15,000-24,999 in referral sales) and Platinum (25,000 in referral sales). Silver referrals receive $200, Gold referrals receive $300 and Platinum referrals receive $400 each.

The Home Show with Jerry Leen
Now in addition to the cash rewards, referrers can earn a Ocean Turquoise 4-night Royal Caribbean Cruise for Two (50,000-124,999 in referral sales) or choose to continue in the program to earn an Ocean Sapphire 7-night Royal Caribbean Cruise for Two ($125,000 in referral sales). These awards are all-inclusive and include booking in an inside cabin, all meals and round trip airfare from Newark, NJ.

Mr. Marc Leen, Vice President of The Home Remodelers Group®, and son of HRG founder Mr. Jerry Leen, says “With this addition to our Customer Referral Rewards program, we look forward to expanding our referral business and giving those customers who trust us with their recommendations a wonderful vacation to thank them for their business. We all need home improvement services at one time or another. This is a great way for our customers to help their friends or family, neighbors or co-workers find an established, reliable home remodeler for their needs and earn a Royal Caribbean Cruise for themselves at the same time!”

The Home Remodelers Group® adds these awards to its Customer Referral Reward program through partnership with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines® incentive program and The Travel Mart of Westlake Ohio.

*According to Replacement Contractors Top 100, September 2007.

About The Home Remodelers Group®:
The Home Remodelers Group®,a division of Mark Four Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1964 by Mr. Jerry Leen, in Fairfield, New Jersey. For 43 years The Home Remodelers Group® has provided quality home improvement services to Rockland, Orange and Westchester Counties New York and northern New Jersey. Mr. Leen is also host of the radio show “The Home Show with Jerry Leen”, heard every Saturday on WOR 710 AM at 2pm.

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release (or for a sample, copy or demo), contact Ms. Nancy Estus or visit www.hrgreferrals.com.

Contact:
Ms. Nancy Estus,
Manager, Customer Referral Reward Program
The Home Remodelers Group®
1-888-371-9404 x112
http://www.homeremodelersGroup.com
http://www.hrgreferrals.com

It’s hard to imagine a feature more important to your home than the windows. Windows are functional, letting in light and keeping the elements out, but they should also be beautiful , for they truly are the “eyes” of the home. Windows let us look out onto the world from our homes, let us watch the season change and provide a home with light and warmth.

In the past, there were only a couple of options for materials for windows, aluminum or wood. Aluminum windows dent, are hard to maintain and may be functional, but are not very attractive. Painted wood windows can look better, but require lots of hours of maintenance. Paint chips off and looks ragged and has to be redone, and houses settle, causing cracks and spaces that wind, rain, dust, insects, heat and cold get in through.

That’s just a few reasons why vinyl replacement windows are the fastest growing trend in home improvement. Vinyl replacement windows are custom made to fit your windows exact measurements, and are practically maintenance free. They look beautiful; they come in a variety of styles and colors. And because they are custom fit and so well made, they are Energy Star certified and can qualify you for up to $200 in tax credits.

Vinyl Replacement Windows are Beautiful

Alside® features a wide array of styles, decorative options, complementary trim selections and performance packages for a fully customizable product to suit your personal style.

Featuring a broad range of styles; from single-hung windows for that wide open look and double-hung windows for light in abundance, sliding, fixed lite, casement and awning, bay, bow and garden window models.

Alside® and The Home Remodelers Group®

At HRG, we are proud to be partners with Alside, premium manufacturer of vinyl replacement windows. Since partnering with Alside in 1990 HRG has sold and installed over 17,000 replacement windows in New Jersey and New York.

Each window is custom-made from virgin vinyl resin combined with the best stabilizers and impact modifiers for consistent color and strength. Alside® insulated glass units use the latest technology to ensure the best possible insulation performance and seal strength.

Alside windows are easier to install because they require no additional wall construction, in comparison to stock windows found at your local retailer.

The Alside® Lifetime Limited Warranty

Not only does Alside® manufacture one of the best vinyl replacement windows in the market, they also offer one of the best warranties in the business.

Alside®—a recognized leader in product innovation, manufacturing excellence and uncompromising quality control—offers one more layer of protection and peace-of-mind: a Lifetime Limited Warranty. From the day your windows are installed to the day you sell your home, you have our assurance that your windows are fully backed.

Vinyl Replacement Windows are Energy Efficient

The ENERGY STAR program is a joint venture between the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) designed to encourage homeowners to purchase energy-efficient products.

Alside Window Systems has been recognized as the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

You can earn up to $200.00 maximum credit for windows for all taxable years (maximum $500.00 credit for all improvements combined). For more information , visit http://www.energystar.gov

Vinyl Replacement Window Options

Casement window

A window with a side-hinged sash that opens and closes outward by a crank handle mechanism.

Casement and Awning Features
• Beveled exterior sash design
• Virgin vinyl, multi-chambered sash and mainframe

Bay window

An angled combination of three windows that project out from the wall of the home.

Bow window

An angled combination of windows in 3-, 4- or 5-lite configurations. They combine to form an arch shape that projects from the wall of the home.

Bay & Bow Features
• Slimline reinforced mullion design for superior strength on selected components
• Available in double-hung, casement and fixed lite styles

Swing & Clean Windows

Each and every sash on a Swing & Clean window swings in for easy access to the inside glass surface, and the outside as well.

Swing & Clean Features
• Fusion-welded sash and mainframe adds strength and rigidity
• Triple-barrier weather-stripping keeps the elements out

Single Hung Windows

The beveled, double wall, narrow-profile design of Performance Series Single-Hung windows delivers increased strength and a larger glass exposure.

Single-Hung Features
• Fusion-welded sash and mainframe
• Multi-chambered design for energy efficiency and reduced noise

Double-hung window

A window that has two vertical operating sashes.

Designed for strength and larger glass exposure, they feature two easy-to-clean tilt-in sashes to make any cleaning chore a breeze.

Double-Hung Features
• Fusion-welded sash and mainframe
• Beveled exterior mainframe

Chose Cut Glass to add sophistication to your windows

Cut Glass Features
• Hand-cut and polished patterns
• All the durability of standard Alside windows

Choose a home remodeling company that is experienced and reliable.

Call the The Home Remodelers today at 1-888-371-9214 or fill out the free estimate form on the left side of this page to set your free no obligation appointment with one of our experienced home consultants to find out more about vinyl replacement windows and how they can make your home more beautiful and energy efficient.

When Joann Pappas got a call from our Director of Marketing, Susan Passariello, telling her she and her husband Paul were the 1st Prize Winners in our Internet Sweepstakes contest, she admits to being skeptical. But the truth was, they had won a home improvement prize worth up to $5,000!

Congratulations on being chosen 1st Prize winner in the 2005 The Home Remodelers Group Internet Sweepstakes!

How long have you lived in North Brunswick?

11 Years

How long have you been married?

We have been married 11 years

What are your occupations?

I am registered nurse and my husband has a construction company.

Do you have kids?

We have a son who is a police officer in our town.

How did you feel when you heard that you had won a home improvement prize valued up to $5,000?

I must admit I was skeptical when I was first told I had won something that big but I am glad my skepticism was not justified.

You had your choice of prizes: Cabinet refacing, Siding or Roofing – what made you chose Windows as your prize?

We chose windows because we had just put new siding on our house and also put in a new kitchen.

You had 11 double hung Windows installed – what was the installation process like?

We were very pleased with the whole process that we had and our window man Brian Donovan did a fine job.

Would you recommend The Home Remodelers Group to family and friends?

I would recommend Home Remodelers to other people - we are very pleased with the job they did.

Where were you born and raised? What is a favorite memory of childhood?

I was born in Newark and raised in Irvington, NJ, “The All American Town”. The thing I remember most was my family’s unity. My parents were always there for us. There were 4 kids, my dad worked two jobs and my mother took care of us. They made sure we got a good education and a solid foundation to build our lives on.

When did you start your own business, The Home Remodelers Group?

In 1964. We have been providing quality home improvement services to NJ homeowners for the past 40 years.

How have you seen the company grow and change over the years?

Nowadays, with computers and the internet, our customers are more educated and business savvy about their choices. They do their research, they get multiple bids. Our customers are able to tell right away that we are a solid, reputable company in an industry that can have many unscrupulous, fly-by-night operators. We’ve been around for 40 years, we back our products and services, and we care about a job well done. More and more families are choosing to improve and invest in their homes. They want a company they can rely on. We are meeting that need.

What is most important to you in your profession?

Customer service and satisfaction. The customer drives our business. We take pride in the quality of our work; we can assure our customers that we will be here for them in the future. It is important to me that we are helping people realize their dreams for the place they call home.

When did you start your radio show with WOR? What is your favorite part of doing the show?

I started my own show on WOR in May 2001. I love helping people solve their home improvement problems, sharing my experience with them, giving them the knowledge they need to make wise decisions concerning their home.

You receive hundreds of letters from your customers expressing how satisfied they are with the work of The Home Remodelers Group. Do you see a common thread in their comments to you?

It gives me great satisfaction to read those letters and know that we have done our job for our customers with courtesy, skilled workmanship, and integrity. I have customers that I have known for many years and I am honored that they keep coming back to us for their home improvement needs. They know they can trust me and my company to do our very best for them.

Jerry, I understand this is a family business and that your son Marc now runs the day to day operations of the business. You must be very proud. What is the most important aspect of this legacy to you?

Continuity of service. Knowing that the work I have started will continue. Marc is a very bright guy with a degree in law and finance. He is my partner in the business, and it makes me very proud that my son shares the same values I do in his dedication to our customers.

In a industry where 80% of companies fail in three years, you have maintained this company for 40 years. How have you survived?

By doing the right thing. By focusing on three things: customer satisfaction, quality service, value and quality in our products.

I like the company slogan, “Large enough to serve all of our customers, yet small enough to care.” Why is that particular slogan the one you want your customers to remember about The Home Remodelers Group?

It sums up the things I care about the most: One on one personal service and quality work. You can go to a big chain store, see a beautiful home improvement display, sign a contract. Then you have a problem, go back to the store, the person who sold you the products are gone and you have no one to talk to. We have the ability deliver professional work and quality products, without ever losing our personal touch.

As your company continues to grow, what are your goals for the future?

We look forward to adding new product lines to expand the options available to our customers. Growing our company by expanding into new territories but wisely and slowly, never at the expense of quality and customer service.

In closing, is there anything you would like to say to your customers?

Thank you, to our customers past, present and future. There are few things in life more personal and dear than the place you call home. We appreciate being the company you trust to make the home improvements you dream of a reality.

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Including the Outdoors in Home Remodeling

A backyard isn’t the same as it used to be – a place to grill, where kids play ball, or just an extra spot to mow. Now the trend is to make the backyard an outdoor retreat or an extension to the house. The Home Remodelers Group® can help transform your outdoors into a beautiful year round sunroom, a deck for entertaining or even an outdoor kitchen.

As reported in the May 2006 Consumer Reports, designing and furnishing an outdoor room is the second most likely home-remodeling project to do. Specifically, approximately 1.2 million U.S. households will install a fully functional outdoor kitchen, according to a study by the industry research company inquiry.

In 2004, Better Homes and Gardens magazine received survey responses from nearly 60,000 Americans describing home improvement projects and future home-building aspirations. Better Homes and Gardens found that people want indoor/outdoor livability, technological innovations, flexibility for family needs and a kitchen-centric focus. (REMODELING Magazine, September 1, 2005)

Homeowners are seeking ways to make the outdoors a functional part of the living area. To accomplish that, the barriers between outdoors and indoors, such as walls and solid doors, are going away. As cited in “A Simple Way to Increase Outdoor Living Space” at HGPgal.com, for homeowners looking to add to their living space, improve their lifestyle and increase the resale value of their home, the perfect solution is to extend living areas outdoors through the addition of decks, patios, outdoor kitchens and entertainment areas.

“The line between the house and the outdoor space continues to disintegrate,” says Julie D. Taylor, author of Outdoor Rooms. “Many designers are using the same, or similar, materials both on the interior and exterior to extend the house to the outdoors. It breaks down the barrier and gives a feeling of a larger house.”

Alternatively, instead of thinking of the barriers disintegrating, another solution is effective indoor-outdoor connections. These connections can include French doors opening up onto a porch, or the addition of a window to expose a lovely view. Indoor-outdoor connections can be as simple as adding a mudroom between the garage and the home, or more complex, such as an outdoor entertainment area placed just outside the doors of a home’s main gathering space. Adding visual connections to the outdoors, such as through the addition of glass doors or enlarging a window, adds value to your home by making its interior space appear larger than it actually is. (“Connect Inside of Your House with the Beauty Outdoors,” Ann Robinson, Deseret News, April 2005)

To create the outdoor living space that you want, start by determining your budget and your desires.

Consumer Reports provides some tips about what to consider for building room extensions or outdoor entertainment areas:

• Determine how you will use your space
• Consider location
• Be sure to weatherproof
• Incorporate lighting and heat
• Consider safety

No matter what extension you decide to make, it will undoubtedly add value to your home. As cited by Ann Robinson in Deseret News, “Exterior living space adds usable square footage to your home without costing you the $120-plus per square foot you’d spend for the construction of an addition.”

The Home Remodelers Group® can work with you to determine your indoor-outdoor remodeling desires. We have many gorgous sunroom plans and other renovating features available on our website at www.homeremodelersgroup.com. So, if you need a new area to relax and enjoy reading your favorite book, a place to create a new home gym, a place to add a spa to create your own special oasis, or an area for entertaining family and friends, a new sunroom, deck, or outdoor kitchen may be the perfect solution. We can help bring the outdoors in or take your family out in a comfortable and relaxing setting.

Vinyl Siding – a Maintenance Free Alternative

Maintaining your home can often be a burden to homeowners. Very few of us want to give up our free time to repair a shingle or climb up on a ladder to repaint the exterior of our house. However, maintaining one’s home can’t be avoided forever. Repainting your home is one of those big tasks that requires attention every few years. Nevertheless, you have a wonderful solution. You have the option of repainting your home or replacing it with beautiful vinyl siding.

The Home Remodelers Group®, a family owned and operated home improvement company since 1964, recommends premium vinyl siding to give your home the long lasting and durable care it deserves.

What is vinyl siding?

Vinyl siding is comprised of PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) resins. Combined with acrylic components, which help resist denting and exposure to extreme weather conditions, and Titanium dioxide and other chemicals, which help protect the color from fading and chalking, the durability, flexibility and color retention of vinyl siding increases. Color pigments are mixed with the PVC resins to give vinyl siding a deep, penetrating color that goes all the way through the material. Because it isn’t just coating the surface, scratches and blemishes are not noticeable and it never needs painting.

Why vinyl siding works best

Painting your home used to last for approximately 10 years. Unfortunately, the paint was formerly made with poisonous chemicals. These chemicals gave paint a long-lasting and durable effect but also resulted in injury to children and animals who consumed the paint chips. As a result, paint manufacturers were required to remove most of these chemicals from their formulas, so repainting is required much more often. With wood siding, the paint eventually cracks or peels off, fades or even rots. Steel or aluminum siding can get scratched, dented or become rusty. (Source: www.hart2hart.net/siding_facts.htm)

According to Tim Carter at askthebuilder.com, you have about 4 years in between exterior paint jobs. Thus the cost of painting increases exponentially. For example, the estimated cost to paint your home is $1,200. Or estimate about 20 gallons of paint to provide 2 coats to an average size house, without labor. With inflation, repainting every 4 years would add up to approximately $14,550 over the next 20 years. (Source: www.vinylsiding.com)

Compared to the cost of years of repainting, vinyl siding is a wise investment. Replacing siding on a home is among the top ten remodeling projects in terms of overall payback. Based on the 2006 Cost vs. Value Report, homeowners in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvaniatypically get a 92% return on their vinyl siding investment. The market value of low maintenance homes has increased dramatically because most homeowners want to spend their time relaxing in their home rather than working on it.

Vinyl siding can range between $1.00 - $2.50 per square foot, which costs a homeowner an estimated average of about $9,000. It is the less expensive alternative to wood or aluminum siding. With it’s easy cleaning, with soap and water, overall durability in any weather and a high return on investment; vinyl siding is a definite and beautiful benefit that adds instant curb appeal to your home.

To The Point

The Home Remodelers Group® highly recommends vinyl siding for your home for these reasons:

• Vinyl siding is made to look like real wood and it never needs painting.

• Available in a wide selection of colors and styles to fit your individual needs.

• Easy clean up – just spray with a garden hose and you’re done.

• Premium vinyl siding will not warp, dent, corrode or show scratches.

• Added insulation can save money on heating and cooling costs.

With premium vinyl siding added to your home, you have more time to enjoy the things you love doing. And your home continues to look freshly painted year after year.

Hire Licensed and Respected Home Improvement Companies

Finding the right home improvement company to update or renovate your home doesn’t have to be a stressful and disheartening process. Yet most homeowners have no idea where to start because they are bombarded with bad press about contractors who are dishonest, inexperienced and downright unreliable. Homeowners today are wary of who they can trust. 

Home Improvement Complaints and Scams

“With lower-rate mortgages tempting homeowners to trade up to a bigger house, or to refinance and expand or repair their existing home, we’re finding that construction and home improvement activity is way up, and with it is the number of complaints in those areas,” said Consumer Protection Commissioner Edwin R. Rodriguez. (Consumer Affairs, January 2006)

“Home improvement complaints rank as the top consumer complaint in Connecticut and elsewhere across the country,” Rodriguez said. “While home improvements themselves can be expensive, any problems that arise often cost consumers thousands more to fix. Unfortunately, there have been many cases where a homeowner is left with a huge problem and has no financial means of getting it repaired.” (Consumer Affairs, June 2006)

Basic scams usually do not occur with accredited companies, so make sure the company you use is licensed. “The law requires home improvement contractors to register and follow certain procedures for a reason, to protect homeowners,” Rodriguez said. “This includes complying with state laws that assure consumers a level of financial protection.” (Consumer Affairs, June 2006)

Be Wary of Certain Sales Tactics

According to the National Consumer Law Center at consumerlaw.org, unscrupulous contractors mostly target senior citizens. Do not fall into the trap of the following sales tactics that take advantage of homeowners:

• “Bait and Switch” - offers low prices for installed items like windows and home siding, and then tells the homeowner the item is out of stock and can only be replaced with a high-priced substitute.
• Misrepresent the urgency of a needed repair.
• Claim the item is more expensive than advertised because it has to be “custom made” to fit the home.
• Misrepresent that the consumer is receiving a discount because the home is selected to model the repair when, in reality, the consumer is paying market price or more.
• Misrepresent the energy savings, health benefits and value added to the home.
• Misrepresent the terms on which financing is likely to be arranged.

Practices to Follow for Finding the Right Contractor

If you hire a contractor with a license and a good reputation (such as the Home Remodelers Group®), you are guaranteed to avoid unfinished work, financial wrongdoing and fraud.

The National Consumer Law Center has a list of suggestions for homeowners looking for a home improvement company:

• Do not hire an unknown contractor that solicits business by knocking on your door. Deal with companies recommended by friends or reputable building supply stores.
• Before agreeing to hire any home improvement contractor, get a second estimate for the same work from another contractor.
• Get references for the contractor and speak to those references. Ask about satisfaction and any problems that arose.
• Look at other work performed by the same contractor.
• Many states require contractors to be licensed and/or bonded. Check with the state licensing body to see if the contractor you are considering is licensed.
• Get a written contract describing explicit specifications of the work, the price (including details of any financing or credit terms), the responsibility for cleaning up, and the hourly rate for any added work. Ask for guarantees and other promises to be made in writing.
• If the written documents are different from oral promises, do not sign them.
• A 3-day right-to-cancel applies to door-to-door sales and home improvement loans even after the papers have been signed.
• Do not allow a contractor to begin work until financial arrangements to pay for the work are complete.
• Do not agree to pay the final payment until the project is finished.
• Do not consolidate other debts with a home improvement loan.
• If problems with a contractor or home improvement lender arise, get help from a lawyer or housing counselor immediately.

Take Care of Your Home

The Home Remodelers Group® has been in business since 1964 and there is a simple reason for our longevity. We take great pride in helping our customers beautify their homes, we enjoy our work and we want our customers to be happy with their homes. The Home Remodelers Goup® is licensed and insured so you can feel secure when working with us. Before you sign any contract, we provide a written estimate and detailed information on the scope of the project. You’ll know exactly what you are getting before we do anything. We do this to provide our customers with peace of mind. We have survived in this business because we focus on customer satisfaction, attention to customer service and offer quality products at a fair price.

Think of your home like a child that needs a doctor. You would take your child to a licensed and professional doctor, not someone that comes to your door. So make sure your home receives the care it deserves by hiring experienced and well-accredited home improvement professionals.

For additional remodeling articles, visit www.homeremodelersgroup.com.

 

Remodeling to Make Accommodations

When you think of home remodeling, you probably think of extending a room or changing cabinets in a kitchen or modernizing an older home. Yet there is a whole new market of people needing home renovations - the elderly.

Renovations for the Elderly

According to a recent CNN report, home renovations for the elderly are on the rise. These types of renovations are the fastest-growing segment of the remodeling industry, said James Lapides of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). NAHB’s recent study concluded that 75 percent of remodeling companies have seen an increase in requests for so-called “aging-in-place” work.

The “Certified Aging in Place” Specialist program, offered by the NAHB Remodelers Council to teach professionals how to modify homes for older adults, has increased in enrollment, according to Lapides. Representatives of NAHB and the AARP created the program in 2002. Over 1,000 participants have learned building techniques and structural awareness for accommodating physical needs. (CNN, “Builders: Home Renovations for Elderly on the Rise”, by Grace Wong)

 Statistics Show Elderly Want to Stay in Their Homes

According to the AARP, 83% of people over 45 own their own homes. A 2003 AARP survey, “These Four Walls,” sampled this group and found that 75% expect to stay there for the rest of their lives. 51% envision making changes so that can happen.

In addition, The National Association of Home Builders conducted a survey of remodelers and learned that:

• 75% reported getting more requests for “aging in place” projects
• 60% had done “aging in place” projects. Of those:
  • 43% were for customers aged 45 to 54
  • 76% were for customers aged 55 to 64
  • 67% were for customers 65 and older

Remodelers reported that clients wanted aging-in-place remodeling because:

• 75% were planning for future needs
• 53% were living with older parents
• 46% had acute, age-related disabilities
• 23% had acute disabilities unrelated to aging

(realestate.msn.com, “Elegant Remodels Allow ‘Aging in Place’”, by Marilyn Lewis)

A Remodeling Project

Some families are bringing older relatives to live with them and extending a part of the house to accommodate that change. Others are making modifications for physical reasons, such as widening doorways for wheelchairs, lowering bathtub walls and adding support bars. Other modifications simply include updating an older home because of wear and tear. However, the going trend is to do it all with style.

An example of an accommodating remodeling project occurred in a California backyard. A playhouse was rebuilt to become a livable apartment for one family’s 70 year-old father with Paget’s disease. Building aspects of the apartment include a walk-in shower with no obstructing ledge at the entrance, two-inch-square commercial nonskid tile, lever handles instead of doorknobs and an anti-scald device to keep water temperature even. (realestate.msn.com, “Elegant Remodels Allow ‘Aging in Place’”, by Marilyn Lewis)

Suggestions for Remodeling

If you are contemplating a remodeling project, keep the future in mind. You can make simple changes now for what may be needed many years in the future. Sam Clark, a builder and author of “The Real Goods Independent Builder: Designing & Building a House Your Own Way” and “Remodeling a Kitchen”, provides the following suggestions for changes to make to your home to accommodate the physical bodily changes that occur over time:

• Remodel your home so that you can live on the ground level if necessary.
• Widen doorways to accommodate wheelchairs.
• Plan the front entry to be as level with the ground as local building codes allow. Eliminate stairs with sloping sidewalks.
• Try to think way ahead. For example, in a bathroom remodel, install reinforcement for grab bars.
• Plan for a lot of storage within the “optimal reach zone” - the space between 20 inches and 44 inches above the floor to a depth of 20 inches away from your body.
• Use drawers instead of cupboards where possible.
• Install lever handles throughout the house.
• Use hard flooring or choose an attractive, low-pile commercial carpet.
• Place electric outlets higher than usual and switches lower.
• Install a shelf outside the front door so you can put down packages while searching for keys.

Additional tips from the Home Remodelers in New Jersey (www.homeremodelersgroup.com) further suggests vinyl siding. Vinyl siding is made to look like real wood and it never needs painting, preventing any hazardous maintenance or painting. Vinyl windows are also suggested; they are easy to clean and energy efficient.

For additional remodeling articles, visit www.homeremodelersgroup.com.