Kitchen Remodeling

Easy Home Bar Options When you think of home bars, the first thing that usually comes to mind is one that goes the whole nine yards - a basement bar complete with railings, refrigeration and a beer tap. But while home bars might seem like a big undertaking, it's not hard to get what you want without breaking the bank. By keeping it simple and choosing the right style for your space, you can quickly and easily have the perfect bar for your home. - Corner & Hidden Bars Keep it simple with a corner bar that serves as a mixing station and combines plentiful storage with a convenient, space-saving corner design. While not offering as much in the way of entertaining, corner bars are a practical option for homeowners that don't have the space for a bigger bar. Hidden and storage bars are another easy alternative to larger bars by being practical while not taking over the room. Some have a classic table top that can combine with doors for storing glasses, liquor bottles and shakers. Others, like Howard Miller designs, focus on

Pankow Construction, Inc. of Phoenix, Arizona Receives Houzz’s 2012 ‘Best Of Remodeling’ Award First-Ever Survey & Analysis of More than 1.2 Million Members Reveals Top-Rated Professionals and Current Design Trends from Across the Country - Phoenix, Arizona --  March 20, 2012 – Pankow Construction, Inc. of Phoenix, AZ has been awarded “Best Of Remodeling” 2012 by Houzz, the leading online platform for residential remodeling and design.  The 12 Year-Old Design/Build firm was chosen by the more than 1.2 million registered members of the Houzz community. - The Houzz “Best Of Remodeling” award for 2012 is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction award winners are based on homeowner members who rated their experience working with remodeling professionals in 12 categories ranging from architects, and interior designers to contractors and other residential remodeling professionals.  Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the 1.2 million members, also known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 16.5 million professional images to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site and iPad/iPhone app. - "We're thrilled to be recognized by our peers

Weighing Savings and Ease: Should You Replace Your Counters By Yourself? When tackling a major Phoenix home renovation project such as a kitchen remodel, cutting corners to save the budget is a common consideration. You might be asking yourself, "How much can I do?" Painting the walls is the first on this list, and probably something you've already done before." What do I absolutely need to hire a professional for?" Installing a new gas line comes to mind. And what about those activities that fall into a grey zone? For example, installing the countertop is doable, but  can difficult and costly if mistakes are made. When making this decision, there are a number of factors that should be included in your calculations. - TBC (To Be Considered)… DIY (Do It Yourself) If… PSE (Pay Someone Else) If… Size Countertop installation is typically priced by the square foot of countertop. Thus, size is a huge consideration for the budget-minded. However, size also impacts the weight and ease of maneuvering a countertop. Your countertop is small enough

Appliance Shopping Phoenix-Scottsdale Remodeling your kitchen or building a new house?  Kitchen appliances can be one of the most expensive things that you will have to purchase for your project.  We all like saving money, and the rest of your project isn’t going to be cheap either.  So if you spend some time doing your homework, you can save a lot of money and get a lot more bang for your buck.  Here are some tips to help you save some of your hard earned money when shopping for new appliances. - Manufacturer Rebates Appliance manufacturers will often offer rebates when you purchase multiple appliances as a set from the same manufacturer.  These rebates will often run seasonally, and they will usually run from 1-6 months at a time.  Check the manufacturers website or your local appliance store to learn about any current rebates, or find out about new rebates that are coming up.  These rebates can often save you anywhere from $100-$500 and sometimes even more.  Make sure the timing of the rebates coincides with when your project will be completed so you don’t lose out on the rebate. - Buy More

Phoenix Kitchen Remodeling Tips Every area around the house has to be carefully planned up to the smallest detail. You can also easily create a look and at the same time make transformations by simply adding or removing decors. All these requires a little effort but one thing that you can really do nothing about is the amount of available space which is why proper planning and design are very important. - The kitchen is probably on the busiest areas around the house, it is a place where family and friends often come together to share one common thing: love for food. Now who wouldn’t want to have a spacious kitchen area with a complete set of tools and modern kitchen appliances? Sadly this is but a dream for most homeowners who are tied up with their small spaced kitchens. A common mistake of most homeowners is the use of big and bulky appliances and decors that is not appropriate for areas with limited room. - But fret no more as there a lot of ways on

Home Remodeling Services in Phoenix Pankow Construction is a design/build company located in Phoenix, AZ. You might be asking, "What exactly is design/build...?" This is a fair question, so let's try and clear things up. - First, let's break up the word Design/Build: - Design - Pankow Construction offers design services much like an architect would. However, unlike architects, the core of Pankow's design is in 3D software. Our 3D services create a realistic model of our client's home remodeling project that allows critical decisions to be made before construction begins. Knowing what to expect can reduce change orders by as much as 30% during a home remodeling project. In addition, changes can be made more quickly during the design phase than traditional drawings. What once took days or weeks to correct and adjust, can be achieved in minutes or seconds! - The "Build" in Design/Build means comprehensive construction services that offer clients a turn-key experience. Pankow Construction is a licensed contractor and has close relations with professional sub contractors throughout the Phoenix region. In addition, our build comes with a 3 year warranty, a full year more than the industry standard. This allows

Counter Tops in Phoenix & Scottsdale, AZ There are dozens of contemporary countertop types available, made from hundreds of different materials. The pros and cons of each are usually based on cost, aesthetics, durability, maintenance, and heat resistance, since they’re typically found in kitchens and bathrooms. Here’s a review of the five most popular natural countertop types and the materials they’re made from: - - Granite Granite receives high marks in nearly all categories. Pros include its beauty, high number of commercial varieties to choose from, extreme durability, and high heat resistance. Although it is one of the more expensive choices, it has gained recent popularity and is dropping in price. One con can be that it requires a bit of maintenance because it should be resealed periodically and washed only with a diluted, mild natural soap or granite-specific cleaner. You can view some granite examples in our phoenix kitchen remodeling portfolio. - Marble Marble is popular, despite its tendency to scratch, crack, and chip easily. That’s because it’s gorgeous with a polished finish and adds both beauty and value to homes. Bathrooms done from floor

Around this time of year, many people are thinking about taking advantage of the January sales in 2012 in order to re-model and upgrade their home, including remodeling their kitchen.  Part of this plan can include buying a new refrigerator to complement updated kitchen cabinetry and work surfaces. If you consider buying a new fridge, chances are you will be looking online for refrigerator reviews on different types and brands. There are some important things to consider when shopping for a fridge, the following guide will give you a short overview of what you will need to consider when choosing a new refrigerator. - What Capacity Refrigerator will Suit Your Family & Kitchen? The first thing that you should look at is what size capacity you will need.  As a general rule most newer refrigerators for a family kitchen range

How to Prevent Counter Tops from Getting Chipped - Stone counter tops remain a popular choice in kitchens and continue to be using in kitchen remodels all the time. There is a unique aesthetic quality to stone counter tops, and in addition they are a durable option and can take a beating. However, there are several precautions to be aware of if you are considering stone counter tops. - Typically, the most annoying problem with stone counter tops is their ability to chip on corners and edges. This can often become a costly repair, so it's best to avoid chipping at all costs. Here are some tips to prevent your stone counter tops from chipping: - -- It is recommended to not lean, sit or stand on your granite counter top. They may be strong but they are not flexible. This is an easy way to get a chip! Don't stack dirty dishes on the countertop or you may have to call for granite repair. Throwing dishes on your granite benchtops can make them chip from the edges. Try to leave dishes in a dishwasher

Cabinet Refacing Kitchen Cabinets in Phoenix & Scottsdale I'm often evaluating kitchens where homeowner's are stuck between the options of refacing their cabinets, or starting from scratch.   There are a few questions you should ask yourself to get started: - Are you happy with the function and layout of your cabinets? Does your current appliance and window situation suite your needs? Have you recently redone your counter top, backsplash, or flooring? Will you be staying in your home for at least 5 more years? If you answered yes to these questions, cabinet refacing may be an economical option. Most of the time, the answers will be a combination of yes and no, and some further questioning will be required.  Here are a few rule of thumbs that I follow if you're not planning  to resell anytime soon (Also, you can view our cabinet selection guide for more information): - If you don’t like the way your cabinets function or layout, or you don’t like the appliance layout and there are clear and better design options, don’t invest any further into those cabinets.  They eventually have to go if you stay in your home!  Often, finances can make