New Jersey Citizens Still Concerned with Asbestos – Green Alternatives Now Exist

The state of New Jersey is no stranger to asbestos-related problems. There are many sites where the substance occurs naturally. A fibrous mineral, asbestos became highly sought out throughout the 20th century because of its many unique qualities including: fire/heat resistance, versatility, durability and inexpensive nature.

Homes and buildings built before 1980 maintain a strong chance of containing asbestos materials. Potential home buyers or those seeking to remodel older homes should be aware that asbestos exposure can cause many health concerns.

Although un-damaged asbestos generally does not pose any risks, it is difficult to determine the level of danger present. If these materials are suspected, it is recommended for home owners or remodelers in New Jersey to hire professional inspectors or abatement contractors who can determine the legitimacy of danger. If it is determined that asbestos should be removed, leave it un-disturbed until a licensed contractor can safely remove the material. There are many green, eco-friendly materials that replace the need for asbestos and can reduce energy costs annually.

Frequent and long term exposure to airborne asbestos fibers can cause severe lung ailments such as asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma. From 1980 until 2000, there were 2,828 asbestos-related fatalities in New Jersey, ranking eighth in the nation. The asbestos scandal was perpetuated by manufactures and joint corporations who chose financial gain over the health and safety of workers, civilians and military personnel all over the world. Mesothelioma treatments vary from patient to patient but physician prognosis is usually poor.

Most people are unaware to the fact that eco-friendly products can cut energy costs by 25 to 35 % per year. Rather than expensive and mal-treated wood, interior walls can be made from steel and concrete, avoiding many of the problems associated with asbestos and other insulation methods. Green alternatives to asbestos include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose. Cotton fiber is becoming a favorite insulation method. Made from recycled batted material, it is then treated to be fireproof. Water based spray polyurethane foam, lcynene, is a healthy insulation which contains no toxic components. Due to these recycled materials, waste is decreasing in crowded landfills and proper insulation will save you on bills.

If it is determined that asbestos must be removed, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection assists in the abatement and safe disposal of asbestos. The removal of asbestos and toxic materials must be done by professional abatement contractors. These individuals are not only trained in handling dangerous substances, but are licensed in their state to work.

Should I remodel my kitchen now?

Many homeowners are asking themselves the above question. Many consumers and business owners are asking the same question when it comes to buying a new car or new computer. The media displays catastrophic images of falling home prices, melting real estate market. Recently the media is taking the attack to the next level! The U.S economy is doomed! We are going through a global meltdown!!!

While it is clear to everyone by now that the economy is slowing down, home values are indeed falling, and the financial crisis is real. However, it is unclear how severe is the slowdown? How far are we from the light at the end of the tunnel? How low did home values get? Did home values revert back to 1990s level? Are we at a bottom?

The level of decline differs from one state to another and sometimes between one city to another. In northern New Jersey for example most homes have declined by 15%-20%.
A typical $ 420,000 home have declined to around $ 350,000, that is 17% decline.

On the other hand, a typical bathroom remodeling used to cost anywhere from $10,000 to $14,000. Nowadays, a typical bathroom remodeling is priced between $ 6000 to $ 8,000 - about 50% decline!

Many value driven consumers know that now is the best time to remodel their home. The low cost of home remodeling would not stay that low for a long time. As some of the fly by night contractors (that came about during the sub-prime wave) are going out of the business. Further, the amount of qualified contractors available is decreasing. In addition, investors buying distressed homes and first-time homebuyers (taking advantage of the lowest interest rate in years) are likely to increase the demand for such qualified contractors. The increase in demand and the decrease in supply will result in shortage of qualified contractors. The shortage will drive the price of home remodeling up.

I am aware that many pessimists would critic the above argument. While I do not deny that the argument could be questioned, I would like to suggest the following example.

A few months ago, the auto dealers were struggling to convince consumers to buy SUVs even though the prices of those cars were at very low levels due to the insane $4 a gallon gas price. Today, only couple months later (not years...) the very same cars are selling at much higher prices as people are no longer worried about gas prices and prefer the convenience of SUVs over the tiny gas saving cars.

I am not implying that the housing crisis will be over in couple months. No one knows exactly when it will end but as long as you are able to afford the house (housing payment about 30-50% of your income) you will benefit from buying a house and remodeling it.

If you already own a home, taking advantage of the low interest financing offered by many retail showrooms and contractors will help you remodel your home at great prices while not having to worry about denting your cash position.

The bathroom remodeling process - nj bathroom remodeling

Many of our customers ask us about the bathroom remodeling process. Different contractors approach the job differently. However, our principal contractor who
specialize in nj bathroom remodeling , nj kitchen remodeling and nj home remodeling, approach the remodel as follows:

- Sign an agreement with progressive payments(schedule of payments)
- Selecting most of the materials for the project
- applying for the appropriate construction permits
- Begin demoliton
- rough plumbing inspection
- rough electric inspection
- rough building inspection
- closing up! sheetrock..
- tiling
- the finishing touch!- putting up the different accecories.

the entire process of nj bathroom remodeling takes about 1 week plus 1 week for inspections. nj kitchen remodeling usually takes about 1 week after the kitchen cabinets arrive.

NJ Real Estate Market Near Bottom??

Many are wrestling with the above question--is the nj housing market reached a bottom? is the downward price movement over? It is very hard to come to a clear black or white answer. However it seems that the decline in prices have came to a stop. Many houses are priced well bellow market prices.

Many of our customers are shocked at the deals they had managed to get away with.
Is this the end??? we do not know... but what we do know that it will be over before
we know it. Anybody who tries to pick the exact bottom is playing a risky game. It is almost never possible to pick the exact bottom.. by doing so , one is running the risk of missing out on the best real estate opportunities of the century.

In the real estate market just like in the stock market it is always better to buy in after a large decline and disregard a minor further decline.. trying to guess when the stock has stopped declining may cause you to buy in at a high price as the
market rages again...

However, we usually advise our customers to focus on their personal circumstances. You should know if a second house is going to cause you to strangle yourself..
you would know if going for 400,000 house is not realistic for your single income..
the lesson we all learned from the financial crisis is that we should not try to
eat more than we can swallow.

Happy home hunting!

Free Foreclosure Search

Many people are only concerned with the bad 'end of the world' news the media is broadcasting over and over... but the reality is that now is the time to invest in stocks , bonds and yes real estate too! The foreclosure listings reveal many properties priced well bellow market prices. Many banks are looking to inject extra liquidity to their balance sheets, and therefore would do almost anything to strike up a deal. This above is specially true when it comes to properties in need of renovation. Our firm is working closely with couple firms that are very active in the foreclosure market. From what we hear the opprtunities are huge! We are listing bellow some nice tool - the free foreclosure search tool.

Mortgage News Daily

Only Hire LICENSED NJ Home Improvement Contractors

Many homeowners do not realize that hiring a contractor is not as easy as 1-2-3...
When hiring a general contractor in nj , one should excercie care and due diligence.
There are many important factors to look for during the brief interview with each
contractor however we are going to focus on the primary factor- is the contractor licensed? Many ask why is licensed contractor is so important? Licensed contractor follow a strict guidelines outline by the state. For example licensed contractor will include in the CONTRACT the expected starting time and the expected completion time. Also licensed home improvement contractor will not take a 50% deposit on any large remodeling project such as nj bathroom remodeling , nj kitchen remodeling and any other nj home remodeling project. Finally , ONLY licensed nj home improvement contractors could apply for nj home remodeling permit.

Nj Home Remodeling Blog - What is it about?

This blog is dedicated to help homeowners get as much information as possible about their remodeling projects. In order to make the right decision - every homeowner should conduct due diligence- from selecting the supplier of the materials to selecting the right contractor. Also some do- it- yourselfers could find useful information.


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