Home Improvement

A Worthington home-improvement company was sued yesterday by the Ohio attorney general, who accused it of, among other things, doing poor work and issuing phony refund checks when customers complained.Mastergard Inc., with headquarters at 733 Lakeview Plaza Blvd., also is accused of not completing work on time, not telling consumers of their right to cancel their contracts and not getting proper work permits, according to the lawsuit filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. The suit…Press: Columbus Dispatch, The (OH)

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When it comes to home improvement, being green has never been easier. Those in the industry say recycled glass tiles, low toxicity house paints, carpet tiles and other eco-friendly products have reached a tipping point with consumers.”It’s growing and continues to grow both in breadth and depth,” says Aaron Winer of the environmentally minded home improvement center Environmental Building Supplies, which has showrooms in Portland and Bend.You may…Press: Register-Guard, The (Eugene, OR)

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The New Year is a perfect time to take stock of home-improvement goals. But not all space makeovers are created equal.Resale-minded homeowners can boost their property value by investing in updates and renovations that recoup the most bang for their remodeling buck. But a tight real-estate market forces homeowners to pick and choose the updates that are worth pursuing.Considering a splurge like a pool or a home theater? That may improve your quality of life but the investment…Press: Denver Post, The (CO)

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I really started rolling up my sleeves for home-improvement projects about the same time I started college, back in the mid-1970s. My Mom - a widow since 1959 - had a rental home in Dearborn, Mich., a sturdy two-story, brick twin home with matching two-bedroom flats, one on each floor. Money always was tight, so to save her a few bucks, I started dabbling more and more in repairs to our old house, built in the mid-1930s. I think it was the summer after my freshman year when Mom figured I liked…Press: Newsday (Long Island, NY)

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Spring cleaning is over. Now, it is time for hard-core home improvement.When the Times asked readers to share their best home-improvement investments, several eagerly responded.All investments were made after careful consideration, and varied from sprucing up the yard to installing solar panels and adding rooms. For most, the improvements brought not only concrete benefits - upgrades, however big or small, also brought warmth, elegance or comfort.”I replaced the sliding…Press: Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA)

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With interest rates at attractive lows and a return to warmer weather, millions of people are busy making home improvements and starting renovation projects. While budget and aesthetic considerations are important, MetLife Auto & Home’s vice president of claims, Tom McHugh, warns that safety should also be at the top of any “to do” list.”Home-improvement projects can offer years of enjoyment and make great investments, which is…Press: Post-Tribune (IN)

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Home improvement and do-it-yourself television shows that document and demonstrate how to maintain and improve the Great American Dream have been popular for more than two decades. Over time, the home improvement genre became so popular that it gave way to Home and Garden Television (HGTV), a cable television network that devotes all of its programming to home improvement, remodeling, design, decorating and gardening. The home improvement novice could kick it up a notch and get the…Press: Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ)

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Home improvement heresy? Just paint Jan Clark a shade of sinner.Her kitchen counters are an oh-so-20th-century beige Formica. Flooring is a patchwork mishmash. The appliances are white, not sleek stainless steel. The walls? Admittedly dull and in need of color.She wants to forget these blemishes. Yet every cable TV channel she clicks — all filled with images of everyday folks honing their dwellings to perfection — reminds her that her nest may not be its best.And now she can…Press: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA)

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Bob Vila, marking his 25th anniversary as the top TV guru of home improvement, could rightfully claim much of the credit for the explosion of interest in homebuilding, decorating and changes in the industry. But Vila says the vast improvements in tools, materials and awareness have been inspired by more-discerning homeowners. “Many of the improvements in materials, tools and home design have come about because the public has become so enthusiastic and so much more…Press: Seattle Times, The (WA)

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Natalie Franklin and her young daughter Caitlyn are veterans of home-improvement projects.Caitlyn — who loves to watch home-decorating shows with her mother to “see how pretty the rooms and stuff look when everything gets done” — owns her own set of safety goggles and helps her mother with projects around the house. The 6-year-old even has a favorite brand of power tools: Dremel. “Women are more independent nowadays than they used to be,”…Press: Columbus Dispatch, The (OH)

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