Formica, concrete, and granite have all been popular choices for countertopping in recent years, but is it time for a new product to take center-stage? Engineered quartz is growing in use and popularity, and is rapidly becoming the “in” product.

Some varieties of engineered quartz come directly mined in slabs, but the majority of what you see is created in a manufacturing plant. It consists of 95% ground quartz and 5% hard polymer resins.

Loved because of their vast color choices, high durability, and overall beauty, quartz countertops can also be kept 99.9 percent bacteria free. Although they don’t require resealing, caution should be taken with extreme heat as they can be damaged. …continue reading Engineered Quartz Countertops, Move Over Concrete and Granite

Thanks for tuning in to another great week with CalFinder Remodeling. We hope you enjoyed the Right Style, Right Remodel series on Ranch Style homes, as well as our Green Wednesday blog and articles related to the financial and business side of remodeling including:

• Should you Refinance your Remodel?
• The Bright Side of the Housing Collapse
• Remodeling and Recession: Are They Compatible?

Remember, if there are remodeling topics you want to hear more about, let us know by sending an email to renee [at] calfinder.com. Have a fabulous weekend, and stay tuned for next week’s articles on Earth Homes, Tools and Tips of the Trade, Remodeling Q & As, and the 411 on remodeling foreclosed homes and fixer uppers!

We’ve got one particular cover to show off, belonging to a prestigious voice in the remodeling industry: This Old House. Our CTO, Dean, is very familiar with the home that graces TOH’s March 2008 cover, along with an 8-page spread. The Newport Beach cottage belongs to his parents, Steve and Janet Dowd, who recently left a much bigger property in Laguna Hills in favor of a simpler lifestyle. In the process, they exchanged nearly 4,000 square feet for less than half the wiggle room, and the space saving solutions they incorporated were ingenious enough to make headlines.

Here are just a few examples of the downsizing magic that their architect, Carol Tink-Fox, suggested: …continue reading Making the Cover of “This Old House”