Posted by gzfreezeadmin on February 28, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Are you planning to remodel your bathroom? Trying to hunt down bargains both on and off-line? Like many homeowners looking for a good deal, you may be considering the purchase of your remodeling supplies on the Internet, but you’re wondering if that’s a good idea.
Keep reading to learn about both the benefits and the disadvantages of buying your bathroom remodeling supplies on the web.
Pro – Great Savings
Home renovators can typically save between 20-50% off the standard retail price when purchasing their products online. As a consumer, you’re not paying for retail overhead like building costs and store staff, meaning you save money. It also doesn’t hurt that by shopping from home rather than driving from one store to another, you saving on fuel costs.
Con – Hidden Shipping Costs
Hidden costs for online purchases, like shipping, can easily tip your budget overboard. Because building materials are often bulky and heavy, you can wind up paying a hefty premium to have online-purchased items shipped to your house.
One strategy is to look for products that can be picked up in-store or for online specials that include free shipping. Either way, you definitely need to calculate and factor in shipping and handling costs before determining your potential savings.
Pro – Easy Cost Comparison
Because all the price information is right in front of you, the Internet makes it simple to do a fast cost comparison between different products and suppliers. With just a few clicks of a mouse, you can find out who has the lowest price on Moen faucets or Ceralux sinks. This saves a lot of time over making phone calls to individual supply centers.
Con – Lack of Product Testability
When you’re browsing through a bricks-and-mortar retail store, you’re able to really examine a product. You can look at it, touch it and even shake it if you wish. Unfortunately, with online shopping you don’t get that tactile testability so the need to have some established knowledge of the product helps in decision making.
Pro – Online Consumer Reviews
Even though you may not get to test the product yourself, it’s often easy to find numerous product reviews written by consumers just like you.
By browsing through review sites or even doing a web search for your product name plus the word “review,” you’ll quickly find honest product summaries from people like you who buy and use the products. In these, they generally speak directly to quality, ease of installation and the manufacturer’s level of customer service.
Purchasing online may not be for everyone. Some of us like the ease and convenience of one-stop shopping from the comfort of our home office while others prefer to browse the store aisles, getting ideas and checking out products first-hand.
If you are going to attempt online shopping for bathroom remodeling supplies, always read product reviews, do a thorough price comparison and be aware of hidden costs like shipping and handling. These steps will help you to acquire the key information needed to determine what are truly the best deals for quality products.
Filed under Remodeling · Tagged with Bargains, Bathroom, Bathroom Remodeling, Bricks And Mortar, Budget, Building Materials, Buying, Cons, Cost Comparison, Different Products, Fuel Costs, Hidden Shipping, Home Renovators, Lot, Moen Faucets, Phone Calls, Pros, Pros And Cons, Remodeling, Retail Price, Retail Store, Shipping And Handling, Shipping Costs, Store Staff, Supplies, Testability
Posted by gzfreezeadmin on February 27, 2010 · Leave a Comment
The landscape industry is on the rise. So should you hire a landscaper or do it yourself. This article will present a couple good landscaping tips as well pro-industry news.
In a recent issue of Lanscape Management, Ron Hall says, “that the industry is set for growth due to demographics, dual-wage-families, and disposable income.” He also suggests that “landscape contractors should think of other avenues for profit to cope with the crisis in the housing market.”
So what does this mean? One thing is for sure, people who are homeowners love to add curb appeal. It adds beauty as well as value. Landscapers need to think of more creative ways to keep and add new business that won`t break the banks of their customers, yet at the same time add the elegance the client`s desires.
For inspiration and ideas on the different types of turfs and grasses, The 2007 Pocket Seed Guide is an easy-to-reference summary of the latest results from the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP). It lists the latest top-rated varieties of turfgrass at most testing locations. NTEP is one of the most widely known turfgrass research programs in the world.
Here is a tip now that autumn is here. In the same issue of Landscape Management, tips on improving the appearance of a fall mum display. It suggests the purchase of quality mum plants. Mum plants should have flowers from the top of the plant to the ground level. They should also, be planted when they are 10% to 25% in color because they are easier to move.
Yet, to a landscaper, its more than just lawns and flowers. Don Dale reports in the April issue of Landscape Management, that mole control of landscapers adds to the income in the U.S.. According to Dale, “The Growing Green Lawn Care, lawn care business of Keith Fisher has seen a 40 percent increase in mole activity where his clients are clamoring for mole control. Fisher began treatments in March, as moles begin tunneling near the surface and it is easy to make an immediate application and do a follow-up whenever it is needed as the crew returns to mow the lawn.”
So the question is whether or not to do it yourself. Simply put if it is something complicated, such as controlling rodents in the garden, or an elaborate hardscape project, its best left up to the professionals. However, if you enjoy gardening and doing the landscaping, getting that “look what I just completed” feel. Then give it a go, so as long as you are willing to possiblly screw a few things up in the process.
By: Michael C. Podlesny
Filed under Landscaping · Tagged with Curb Appeal, Disposable Income, Don Dale, Green Lawn Care, Housing Market, Immedia, Landscape Contractors, Landscape Industry, Landscape Management, Landscaper, Landscapers, Landscaping, Landscaping Tips, Lanscape, Lawn Care Business, Management Tips, Mole Control, National Turfgrass Evaluation Program, Pros, Seed Guide, Tips, Tricks, Turfgrass, Turfs