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Ron Leffler Real Estate Blog

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Save TONS of Money on Replacement Vinyl Windows

I recently needed to replace all the windows in my 1950’s home in Alexandria, VA.  I decided I would explore every option to experience what consumers are up against when making this expensive and common upgrade. The results shocked me.

Conclusion: You could accidentally spend triple the amount on similar windows! This clip will explain:

 

I needed 30 windows, a number that surprised me. I did some searches and put together a list of 10 suppliers of windows in different categories.

  1. The media driven company.  In my case it was Thompson Creek.  For years I had heard this name through radio advertisements across multiple stations as well as radio personalities endorsing this company.  They made claims such as “windows built specifically for our local climate”. And so I took the bait and called.Answering the phone for the company was a representative that took my name and address but then proceeding into a long line of questioning.  “What window issues are you trying to solve”? What a weird question.  Umm, they are 60 years old…  “Who owns the house”?  “Will all the owners be present when the salesman arrives”?

    The day arrives, the salesman showed up with his mini window display and breaks out into a full on […]

By |October 2nd, 2015|Homeowner|
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Avoiding Asphalt Driveway Scams

The driveway game is ripe with scammers.  I’ve heard many stories and have a few of my own.

Here is my biggest piece of advice. Measure your driveway, take the length and width and multiply them together to give you the square footage.  Now, expect to pay $2.00 – $2.50 per square foot for a new asphalt driveway.  Anything outside of this range is reason for suspicion.

Besides price, here are a few red flags:

  1. “We are working down the street and we’ll give you a discount cause our equipment is already here” or “we have extra material so we can give you a big discount”.
  2. Make the check payable to an individual and not a company.
  3. Ask how long they have been in business, and verify it!  You can go to the Virginia Corporate Commission and do an entity search.

wpid-20150811_170741.jpgThe most important part of the paving process has nothing to do with the surface you drive on, its what’s underneath that counts!  The sub surface must be prepared properly to prevent settlement.  If the ground underneath your new black top sinks, the asphalt sinks with it and causes cracking which turns your driveway […]

By |September 4th, 2015|Renovations|
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Contractor Highlight: Premium Construction

It happens less and less these days that you stumble upon a tradesman or a company that you cannot say enough good things about.  Premium Construction, a father/son duo are the guys and company I’ve been raving about for years.  I met them in 2008 after just purchasing my first home, a foreclosure and fixer upper for sure.  They had been working across the street from my parents, building a master suite addition above a garage. My project was much smaller than a full scale addition but that didn’t matter.  Large or small these guys will get it done.

Ok, talk is cheap. Let me show you what these guys can do.

My First House:

Remove a load bearing wall and install a structural lvl beam to create a more open space between the dining room and living room. Build a custom elevated bar between the two rooms.  Install recessed lighting and tv above the fireplace.

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Before

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After

Turn “pinky” into a more modern bathroom.

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By |January 24th, 2015|Renovations|
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