Answers

If you have the extra space, and depending on its use, a walk-in pantry is a luxurious upgrade. In most cases, where floor space is at a premium, pantry cabinets are the best bet. Looking a a bank of finely crafted cabinets is also much more applealing than a closet door.

As for cost, you get more for your dollar with cabinets as well. Framing a drywall closet with fixed-shelves may be slightly cheaper, but much of that cost is labor. We advise the client to put the money in the product.

When you add pull-outs to anything the cost rises exponentially. It's improtant in the design process to determine a good balance between accessibility and organization to avoid unnessisary cost overruns. 

Nobody mentioned the most important one: Will you provide a written Contract?

What is your contracting (not business) icense number? Having and active State license answers many other questions, like whether they meet insurance and employment criteria. Everyone who does work in which your particualr State requires a license must be licensed especially for plumbing, HVAC, electrical (including low-voltage), and structural work.

BBB accediting is meaningless, as it only applies if a contractor pays their fee.

Can you provide references for similar work? 

As mentioned above, complaints against a license with the Secretary of State should be noted, but the number and nature should also be noted. There are people out there you just can't please, and who try to scam free work from well-meaning contractors by complaining about them. I have also found that complaints on referal sites like Angie's List and Home Advisor are best ignored altogether as anyone with an axe to grind can post anything about you, whether tru or not. 

From time to time, we get called to evaluate problems with homes, To answer your direct question, "No it's not as unusual as you must think." There are reasons as Christen and Paula have mentioned above, but I also meet home owners who would rather not have the hassle of cleaning backed up gutters, or having to replace them when damaged. There are several reasons for gutters, but in most cases gutters and downspouts simply direct water away from the foundation, and if your surface drainage is adequate they become more of an option.

Yes I think the builder should have been thoughtful enough to metion it to you. As a home owner you rely on professionals like us to guide you through those things and allow you to make knowledgable decisions. I would question them about it, but they are not necessarily wrong for having omitted them, unless they are mentioned in your contract.

There are severl things to consider first: 1) Was the proper double-paned, Low-E windows made for such a location installed? 2) Is the room properly insulated? 3) Does the existing HVAC unit have the capacity to cool the addition? If all these are yes's then you want to look at an auxillary coolling option. Simply cutting holes in the wall and adding an air-excahning fan may offer some relief, but if your system is being over taxed to cool this oven you will only have limited results. Having not seen the room I can't offer specific suggestions, but the whole project definitely needs to evaluated for the three things mentioned above.

Lastly, our clients facing simlar situations where a room was added, or porch was enclosed without thought of the above found relief with ductless split AC systems. They are very effitcient, quiet, and serve as an auxillary system moderating the extremes. This also gave them the option of closing their "sunrooms" off from teh rest of the house while continuing to keep them comfortable.

Both of the previous are great ideas. Also consider, if it is an older valve, that the main does not close completely, for a variety of possible reasons. We see that alot in older homes. You can confirm this by checking other fausets to see if they continue to drip after you have tried the above proceedures. 

Remember if you drain the system as suggested before, to properly refill it, to get rid of the air in the system, or you could have "water hammer" issues as well.

Yes, contact the installer. Hae them check it. Just from the sound, it could be anything from a bad heating element, malfunctioning thermostat, to being plumbed backward, to name a few. Either way somone qualified to diagnose and repaitr the problem needs to look at it.

In twenty years it only came up once. It was an old house and the owner knew it was substandard. It is taken for granted by most people that a house was built to code and still in sound condition. It would seem logical then if you put the same riding material on the house everything should be alright. There not enough inclination here to even guess what went wrong but you need to get a licensed, or at least certified inspector, and another reputable roofer to evaluate the installing and structure to determine Weiss at fault.

The short answer is the percentage of ROI varies by region but, kitchen and bathroom upgrades including new cabinets and countertops always top the list. From there it depends a lot on the house, it's condition, and what you're wanting to do with it.

The above are two good, and siilar in approach answers, but there are two issues it seems no one includes:

1) If you house was built before 1978 it must be inspected by a certified contractor or lead paint inspector for lead paint before a remodel is started. If found the paint, or paintd material must be prperly abated. This can be a significant cost item.

2) Most remodel items like tile, cabinets, and paint are considered minor and don't require it in most jurisdictions, but electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and structural modifications require permits and inspections. A homeowner can save money by omitting them, but if you get busted, you'l pay and you may be without a kitchen for a long time.

Robert Johnson

Southern Home Improvement, LLC

Georgia

Depending on the severity of the runoff you might want to contact a Civil Engineer. As an engineer myself, with a specialty in drainage and hydrologythere are many issue to consider when dealing with offsite drainage. For instance if you redirect it on to another property it's possible you could be held liable for any impacts tha occur. Just a thought.

Consult a professional.

Whether it's 12" or 12' off the ground there are too many safety and code issues for the average homeowner to tackle. Better to do it right than to regret it later.