10 Smart Reasons to Remodel Now

The Details

"Two or three years ago, when you called a contractor, it could be six months before he even returned your call," says Bernard Markstein, the director of forecasting and analysis for the National Association of Homebuilders. "Today, all you have to do is think about a project you want to do, and three contractors will call you." He's exaggerating, of course, but gone are those 12- or 18-month waits. So as soon as you sign the deal for your new basement playroom, you'd better start clearing out the junk: The framing crew may show up in a matter of days.

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