Do you ever approach a large home improvement project or a major purchase with fear and trepidation? Right now, my husband and I are making some changes around the house—buying new appliances, a TV for the bedroom, drapes for the living room. We both dread the prospect of spending precious weekends at the mall or at appliance showrooms, and that’s after you invest time in figuring out what you want.

If you’re a savvy consumer like me, I do my homework, but streamline the process. For starters, I only go to trusted sources for information on products. Consumer Reports magazine is always my first choice when it comes to finding objective and independent ratings for most items. Read more

Because I am in the middle of planning a kitchen remodel and getting some foundation work done, I found these to be wise words from a Diamond Certified Guest Blogger, Michael McCutcheon, owner McCutcheon Construction, Inc.
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I was thinking this morning about the language we use when we discuss negotiating with people. “I’ve got to play hard-ball” with this guy….

“Hard-ball” is a pretty good analogy for taking a tough negotiating stance. Hard-ball is very much a game of intimidation, particularly when the pitcher tries to “brush back” the hitter with one that’s “high and tight.” A pitcher will deliberately throw at a batter’s head in order to get them to “back off” the plate. Read more

Many old Bay Area homes were wired using a method called “knob and tube,” which was in common use until the 1940’s. You don’t always have to replace it, according to Nick Courcoumelis, owner of Positive Electric, a Diamond Certified company. “Knob and tube can’t be used in places where it can’t supply enough power to a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room or outdoor wiring. Or anywhere you need surge protection because it doesn’t have a ground. However, if it’s in good condition, it can still be used in other parts of the house, like bedrooms.”

Mr. Courcoumelis explains that codes don’t allow electricians to install knob and tube wiring anymore. However, you can insulate over it in California, Read more

It's one of the biggest furniture investments you're going to make, so take your time when choosing a new sofa. Our Diamond Certified expert Craig Kohler with Artesanias Unique Home Furnishings says the biggest mistakes people make are on the depth of the seat and the overall size. Seeing a sofa in a large retail space may throw off your sense of how big it really is. Look at your traffic flow and where you're going to place the sofa first. Think about how you will be using the sofa, so you can balance style and comfort. Will you be sitting and reading with your feet on the floor, or lying down to watch TV? Read more

Most of us postpone getting our hardwood floors re-finished because we dread the mess. The talcum-like dust from the sanding process is not only difficult to clean up, but a health hazard too. Wood dust is a known carcinogen, and people with asthma, respiratory problems, and expectant mothers are warned to limit their exposure to it.

Scott Miller, Operations Manager for Elegant Floors, a Diamond Certified company, reports that the dust problem caused by sanding floors can now be almost completely eliminated with dust extraction systems.  The Bona Atomic DCS trailer extracts about 98% of the dust through powerful hoses  from the sanding equipment and out the front door to the powerful dust collector to a large truck.  Read more

The savings with solar can be substantial for homeowners with electric bills topping $100 a month.  Randy Zechman, the CEO of Clean Solar, a Diamond Certified company, suggests the first step is to review your PG&E bills for the past 12 months to determine how many kilowatts you’re using and what you’re paying. This helps solar contractors, who have to be licensed, know which size system to install in your home.

Rather than depend only on a solar contractor’s representations as to the amount of energy a system will produce, ask for what’s called a solar production guarantee. Get this in writing along with the warranty. Mr. Zechman says you can still get federal tax credits and rebates from the state for installing a solar system. Read more