HOUSTON -- Houston homeowners are once again spending money to upgrade:

not by buying bigger, new homes, but by remodeling what they have.

"I'm seeing a whole lot more activity," said Fred Spaulding of Quality Home

Improvements.

Remodelers like him said that as the economy tanked in 2008, so did home

remodeling. Now, home improvement is back. But homeowners aren't necessarily

doing it to sell their homes for a big profit, they're staying put.

"There's a lot of people improving their homes to stay in place," said Robert Birner

of Amazing Siding.

With homes appreciating more slowly, or even losing value, and with mortgages

harder to get, the idea of living for just a few years in a home then selling and

buying something better may no longer be so easy.

The alternative is to fix up what you have. And few are doing as much as one

growing family in Montrose.

"We're here for the next 18 years, I think," said Kathleen Meyer.

Eight years ago, she and her husband bought their one-story bungalow which was

built in 1924. Now, with two little children, they've run out of room.

Their solution is to expand.

"Added a whole second story that wasn't there before," explains their contractor,

Stephen McNiel of Creative Property Restoration. "It's definitely a big job."

The second story will cost well over a $100,000. When it is completed later this

summer, it will have added two bedrooms for the kids, a guest bedroom, a play area

and a kitchenette.

Meyers said it made economic sense because to buy something equivalent inside

the Loop would have ended up costing as much, if not more, than what they could

get for their bungalow with the added renovation cost. And since they love the

neighborhood, they said they decided to renovate what they had.

Smaller jobs are far more common. Houston contractors said the most popular

work they do is renovating bathrooms or kitchens. Or more recently, installing

energy-saving windows because of a tax break that expires soon.

At a post-WWII era ranch-style home in the Heights, a crew was knocking out old,

metal-framed, single-pane windows. In their place the crew will install new, double

-paned and specially-coated windows that promise to keep out summer heat.

What's more, a Federal tax incentive will reduce the $11,000 cost.

"This person is going to save. They'll qualify for the full $1500 on the tax credit,"

said Robert Birner.

The tax credit covers 30 percent of the cost of materials with a cap at $1500. It also

applies to new reflective roofs, insulation and energy efficient water heaters and

A/C units. The deadline is the end of this year.

But here's a word of warning: remodeling can mean weeks of living with

inconvenience and destruction. Kingwood homeowner Cassie Moore found that out

when she checked the progress on her new bathroom.

"Oh my goodness! Wow! ", said Moore after seeing the job in progress.

She was looking over what had become of her old bathroom in her 23-year-old twostory

home.

Her old tub was in pieces. Her vanities were soon to follow. Two crew members

stood by with hammers in hand.

"It's a mess," but worth it she said.

Moore showed off her kitchen she had done two years ago along with two other

rooms.

"We are thoroughly enjoying the kitchen and living room and dining room, and I

know I'm going to enjoy the bathroom," she said.

If the Moores sell, they can expect to get back 70 percent of the remodeling cost, the

average in Houston according to the remodeling industry.

My contractor friends, family, and friends. April 22, 2010, Earth Day, was D-Day on the enforcement of the EPA Lead, Remodel, Paint, designed to protect you from lead poisoning. I’m surprised that so many contractors still don’t know about this law. It deals with homes built prior to 1978. You MUST test the painted surface for lead if you are going to disturb over a total of six square on the interior of a home or twenty square foot on the exterior. This not only applies to remodelers, but also to window installers, siding installers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, any trade that disturbs the painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes.

The main problem is not the protection of children or the elderly, its that the public doesn’t know about it, many trades people, who don’t belong to a professional trade association such as The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), haven’t been informed. Training hasn’t been available very long and many states don’t have certified trainers.

Before you can work in an area that has lead paint, you must take an EPA approved course, pass a test, and become a Certified Renovator. This will allow you to test for lead paint, remove the painted material under the EPA approved method of hazardous material containment, kind of like that used for mold remediation. You also must have respirators, hazmat suits, hats, gloves, shoe booties, eye protection, test kits, HEPA vacuums just to name a few of the required items. Mold remediation firms are all over this. They already have the equipment and are using a clean-up method very similar to that required by the EPA.

As a contractor, you must also become an EPA Certified Firm. Certified Renovators work for Certified Firms. The only requirement for this is to send $300 to the EPA and be able to keep very detailed records of the testing and cleanup..

The Certified Firm may be responsible for any lead poisoning that may occur in a residence for three years. Finding insurance is hard to find because many of the insurance companies didn’t know there was a new business liability area they could cover.

Fines are $37,500 per violation, per day, if caught. If you don’t know what you’re doing, this very well could be eight to ten violations. It probably will ruin your day.

Homeowners doing the work are exempt from this law as well as emergency repairs. However, after the emergency repair it must be cleaned using the EPA approved methods.

It’s the law, it’s not going to go away. Please check it out at www.epa.gov/lead

For More information aout choosing the right contractor in Kingwood, Texas feel free to give me a call at 281-360-2387 or e-mail me at linda@qhii.com .

For more information about Kingwood Home Remodeling in Texas or Humble Home Remodeling in Texas feel free to contact me or check out my website athttp://www.qhii.com/contact-us.html

Quality Home Improvements is located at 1701 Northpark Drive, Suite 3 in Kingwood

For More information aout choosing the right contractor in Kingwood, Texas feel free to give me a call at 281-360-2387 or e-mail me at linda@qhii.com .

For more information about Kingwood Home Remodeling in Texas or Humble Home Remodeling in Texas feel free to contact me or check out my website athttp://www.qhii.com/contact-us.html

Quality Home Improvements is located at 1701 Northpark Drive, Suite 3 in Kingwood

Local Remodeler Receives Top Honor

Kingwood, TX 4/20/2010 --- The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) awarded Quality Home Improvements, Inc., in Kingwood, Texas, the 2010 National Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award in the category of Residential Kitchen Remodel: $40,000 to $80,000 along with team member Amish Cabinets of Houston also of Kingwood, Texas.

Mr. Fred Spaulding, CKBR stated, “Winning a national award is something that we have strived for many years, and I thank God for this honor. We have been fortunate to win many Houston wide remodeling awards and numerous regional awards over the years, but never a national award. We are always trying to find new ways to serve our clients, to raise not only the quality of our remodels, but also to make the remodel a more enjoyable experience. And it’s that constant critiquing of our business that has gotten us to this point. This award has set the bar of performance for our company just a bit higher”.

Quality Home Improvements, Inc. was founded by Mr. Spaulding, CKBR in 1991 with the goal of providing the highest quality of remodel possible for their clients. The company is a family owned and operated business. Fred Spaulding’s wife Linda and daughter Serena Canion, all long time Kingwood residents, manage the business. The craftsmen who work for Quality Home Improvements, Inc. must be highly skilled in their trade, pass a criminal background check, and provide proof of legal residents. This is for the protection of their clients. The past few years, over 74% of their projects were in the Kitchen, Bathroom, and Room Addition categories. Fred Spaulding states, “It has been a pleasure being able to work for the greatest clients a company could ever hope to have. It’s personally gratifying to help them fulfill their dream remodel.” Many of their clients have used the company for several remodeling projects over the years”. Most of the projects they work on are either for past clients or referrals from our client base. Mr. Spaulding has earned the professional designation, Certified Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeler (CKBR).

The kitchen project that was submitted for judging on the local, regional, and national level was for an “L” style kitchen. With use of pull out drawers on the base cabinets and pantries, there was very little space that wasn’t used to the fullest. Even the ¾” space behind the “decorative” door panels on either side of the built-in hutch was used. A cork board was installed behind an active door on one side of the hutch and a dry marker board on the other side. The use of granite countertops, tumbled marble backsplashes, under cabinet lighting, tile floors, and faux painting finished this elegant award-winning kitchen.

Quality Home Improvements, Inc. was presented the award at NARI’s Evening of Excellence^SM on April 10 at the Wyndham Phoenix hotel, Phoenix, AZ. The Evening of Excellence^SM is widely considered to be the premier event of the year in the remodeling industry, and was attended this year by more than 230 of the industry’s elite.

The company can be contacted by dropping by their office and showroom in the Northpark Business Center located at 1701 Northpark, Suite 3, in Kingwood, by phone at 281-360-2387, by email at info@Qhii.com, or their website at Qhii.com.

NARI members represent an elite group from the approximately 800,000 companies and individuals in the U.S. identifying themselves as remodelers.

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Homeowners are estimated to spend a total of $113 billion on home improvements in the U.S. through second quarter of 2009.

NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics. Consumers may wish to search www.RemodelToday.com to find a qualified professional who is a member of NARI.

WE ARE NOW ON FACBOOK - CHECK US OUT AND BECOME

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ABOUT US

Quality Home Improvements was established March 1991. Our goal was to provide our clients with the highest quality of workmanship and ethical treatment. As the business has grown, our original commitment to our clients has not lessened, it has grown stronger and deeper. Quality Home Improvements has built a sterling reputation through-out the Kingwood-Atascocita area and is known for their integrity, creativity and exceptional customer service.

For More information aout choosing the right contractor in Kingwood, Texas feel free to give me a call at 281-360-2387 or e-mail me at linda@qhii.com .

For more information about Kingwood Home Remodeling in Texas or Humble Home Remodeling in Texas feel free to contact me or check out my website at http://www.qhii.com/contact-us.html

Quality Home Improvements is located at 1701 Northpark Drive, Suite 3 in Kingwood

ABOUT US

Quality Home Improvements was established March 1991. Our goal was to provide our clients with the highest quality of workmanship and ethical treatment. As the business has grown, our original commitment to our clients has not lessened, it has grown stronger and deeper. Quality Home Improvements has built a sterling reputation through-out the Kingwood-Atascocita area and is known for their integrity, creativity and exceptional customer service.

Quality Home Improvements takes your remodel through planning, design, permitting, construction, clean-up and final inspections. It is our job, our pleasure, to take your remodel from start to finish and make it as easy and painless for you as possible.

Over the years Quality Home Improvements has won several Contractor Of The Year awards, both local and regional, Remodeling Excellence Awards and several Better Business Bureau Awards For Excellence. See our Awards section.

Quality Home Improvements has had the privilege of becoming a referral-based company in 2006 where we had a 72% referral rate from repeat clients or from client referrals. The remainder of the clients was from business referrals or from our yard signs etc.

In late 2006 the company started its transformation from a bidding process to working under a design/build contract. At this time we hired our first full time interior designer. This has provided an entire new level of service to our clients. This service comes complete with full descriptions, drawings including 3D views, and construction drawings.

Enjoy the satisfaction of excellence
We send skilled conscientious craftsman to do the work
We keep disruptions to you and your family to a minimum
We employ multiple crews to help expedite your project
We keep you informed every step of the way
We follow a quality control checklist
We work with you every step of the way
We listen to you
We design to budget
We back our work with a two-year limited warranty
We help you understand the process
We make sure you are satisfied before we leave
We utilize our design/build agreement to supply plans, scope of cost estimates and production schedule.
We clean up when we are done
We provide on-site supervision

ABOUT THE STAFF

The company's founder, Fred Spaulding, had a twenty-three year career in data processing (IT) prior to starting this his second career. Mr. Spaulding grew up in a contracting environment and had remolded his own homes over a twenty-year period. So remodeling was nothing new, a remodeling business was just an extension of what he enjoyed to do. Mr. Spaulding has attended many remodeling seminars, builders shows, etc. to keep on top of the newest, latest and greatest products, laws and codes for the industry.

Mr. Spaulding has been very active in the Houston Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) over a twelve-year period, being the President of that chapter for two years. In 2007 Mr. Spaulding served NARI on the national level by being the Regional V.P. of Region Five (the southern region of the U.S.). Now Mr. Spaulding serves on the national board of directors.

As the business grew, Linda Spaulding, Mr. Spaulding's wife sold her business to join with her husband. Ms Spaulding at first handled the office duties then later on took on the responsibilities of V.P and project supervisor.

The business truly became a family business when their daughter Serena Canion came on board and took on the receptionist and office manager duties. Later Ms Canion was promoted to V.P. Special Projects and also doubles as estimator (kitchen and bathrooms) and project supervisor.

Beverly Wards primary duty is figuring and reviewing all of the job costing. It is this task that helps Quality Home Improvements ensure that our profit margins are maintained and/or determines what financially went wrong with the project. Was something left out of the proposal, was an item mispriced or was it some unforeseen problem on the project the cause of the cost overrun. A well planned proposal, a well executed remodel and a good review is what makes a good business.

For More information aout choosing the right contractor in Kingwood, Texas feel free to give me a call at 281-360-2387 or e-mail me at linda@qhii.com .

For more information about Kingwood Home Remodeling in Texas or Humble Home Remodeling in Texas feel free to contact me or check out my website at http://www.qhii.com/contact-us.html

Quality Home Improvements is located at 1701 Northpark Drive, Suite 3 in Kingwood