Suburban LogoCustomer Testimonials • Customer Service • Search



Call 24 hours 563-391-4000 or toll free 1-800-717-3066


11 Must Read Articles > To Move or To Improve?
By JR Girskis

Does your current home no longer suit your needs? Are you confused about whether it will be more cost efficient for you to remodel your home rather than sell your house and move? As you probably know, there is so much at stake in your choice, and making the wrong decision can wind up costing you thousands of dollars—as well as time, energy, and grief. The following are six good reasons you may want to choose to remodel your home rather than move.

1.Remodeling your home may be cheaper than moving.

With today’s skyrocketing real estate prices, you may be able to save thousands of dollars by upgrading your home rather than moving. Sometimes the addition of a room or two may be all you need to accommodate your growing family, or you may be able to add living space to your home by remodeling your basement to make it more attractive and comfortable. In addition, you don’t have to do all of your remodeling at once. You can take your time upgrading your home, modifying it as your budget and schedule allow. Sometimes a few minor upgrades may be all you need to feel comfortable and at home where you live.

2.Remodeling your home can be a good investment.

In almost all cases, well done remodeling projects increase the value of a home. As mentioned above, remodeling can be done in bits and pieces, allowing for your schedule and budget constraints. When remodeling, make sure you consider whether your additions and modifications will stand the test of time. For example, are the designs classic or will they quickly go out of style? Are the appliances, cabinetry, and floors you’re adding durable? Does the manufacturer offer a warranty? If you invest wisely in your remodel, your home improvement projects can increase the value of your home for many years to come.

3.You’ll get to stay in your neighborhood.

If you love your neighborhood and want to stay in it, remodeling will be a much better choice for you. This is especially true if you want to keep your children in the same school or if your job is close to where you live. Take some time and make a list of the pros and cons of your neighborhood. Remember that old saying “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”? Keep this in mind when determining whether a move or remodel is best for you. Often, problems with neighborhoods, including crime and noise, don’t become apparent until you have lived in a particular neighborhood for some time. Your current neighborhood may not be perfect, but it’s yours.

4.You’ll get the house you want.

Potential homeowners usually have to look at dozens of houses before finding one that suits their needs, not to mention their budget. Even then, the house they choose more than likely will be missing something they’d really like or have a few features they’d prefer it didn’t. When you remodel, you’re in charge of the look, feel, and features of your home. And there are many ways to remodel your rooms relatively affordably—from redesigning the lighting systems to adding hardwood flooring. Even though you may hire an architect, designer, and contractor, you’re ultimately in charge of the design of your remodeled home. You can be outrageously creative or more conservative in your remodeling. The choice is completely up to you.

5.You’ll get to keep your existing floor plan.

Perhaps you like the layout of your home but want to expand a room or two. Or maybe you’ve had it with your 30-year-old kitchen and you just want a more updated feel. Remodeling allows you to keep your existing floor plan while modifying the elements you choose.

6.You won’t suffer buyer’s remorse.

When you remodel, you’re only changing one thing: your house. Your neighborhood stays the same. Your yard stays the same. Your children are attending their same school. When you purchase a new home, there are so many variables involved, some of which you may not find out about until after you’re well settled. Remodeling allows you to stay with known elements but also modify or add to your home in ways that afford you increased comfort and functionality.

For furthur reading please see our Learn the Basics Homepage.
 


Proudly serving the Quad City Area; Scoot County, Rock Island County, Bettendorf, Davenport, East Moline, Moline, Rock Island, Sterling, Rock Falls, Muscatine,
Clinton, Dewitt and surrounding 90 mile radius. Copyright © 1997-2009 by Suburban Construction, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Iowa Illinois Home Improvement • Quad City Vinyl Replacement Windows • Iowa Vinyl Siding Contractors • Egress Windows • Illinois Gutter Cap
Learn the Home Improvement Basics - Frequently Asked Questions Service Area Coverage


Iowa Illinois Home Improvement Contractors Disclaimer: The replacement vinyl window, roofing contractor and vinyl and steel siding installation information presented within this website is for informational purposes only. Please contact us or see our huge showroom to discuss your particular vinyl window, sunroom or siding needs. Specialists of quality replacement windows, siding, sunrooms, roofing, gutter cap, heater cap, entry doors, storm doors and estimates are always free. Who is Suburban Construction? Brian Girskis launched Suburban Construction in 1985 and the family-owned and operated company is growing strong some 25 years and two generations later. His son, J.R. Girskis, is the company president and the third generation was born a few months ago. The Davenport-based company supplies and installs windows, siding and doors for the residential market. In 25 years, Suburban has completed more than 24,000 jobs. “We are always focused on the customer,” said general manager Darin Wilson. “Without the customer, we don’t have a business.” The company was honored as a 2007 Dealer of the Year by Associated Materials Inc., or AMI. “Suburban Construction is a company that definitely goes over and above servicing their customers,” Wayne Fredrick, executive vice president of AMI Sales, said. Working with a large customer base allows Suburban to purchase and buy goods for substantially less then its competitors, Wilson said. “We’re one of the only companies in the nation that offers a lifetime warranty on the product after we install it,” he said. The company doesn’t make money if things go wrong after the installation so crews make sure the job is done properly, he said. With energy conservation such a huge concern, products offered have the Energy Star rating so homeowners see savings on their energy bills. “With today’s home market being so inconsistent, it’s easier to have someone come in and give you a new home on top of your current home rather than having to pack up all your stuff,” he said. For example, by installing new insulated siding, Wilson added, an older home can essentially be turned into a new residence. Founder Brian Girskis still keeps a hand in the business. He was in the manufacturing and wholesale end of the industry in the 1970s and 1980s and distributed material to companies similar to Suburban. “I saw they weren’t generating any repeat business. I learned what not to do from those other people,” Girskis said. “Most of our business is referral business and that’s what we want to keep.” The office and showroom originally were based in downtown Bettendorf. Girskis relocated the company to Davenport in 1995. His decision to specialize in windows, siding and doors was based on two factors: getting better buying power that is passed onto the consumer and building something of value, Girskis said. “We try to do a Cadillac for the price of a Chevy. I’m very satisfied but we’re always looking to do better,” he said. Products Suburban Construction specializes in: Replacement Windows from AMI – Suburban Construction and quality windows by Associated Materials Incorporated, set the standard by which other replacement windows are measured. Innovation has resulted in a collection of windows that are designed and engineered to provide beauty, performance, ease of operation, virtually no maintenance, and increased energy-efficiency. You want a fair price. Don’t be misled by others offering replacement windows for a cheap price. Often times, this is a low-end window you might use for a garage, not your home. Usually, this cheap price doesn’t include measuring charges, custom sizing, replacing rotten wood, insulating inside weight cavities and around perimeters, or covering the outside window trim with maintenance-free aluminum and sealant. At Suburban, you always get a complete installation without any hidden costs. Gutter Cap is a must for the bitter midwest winters! Ice and snow build up in gutters, causing gutter seams to break! In addition, the weight of heavy snow causes gutters to loosen while the back up of ice behind gutters causes moisture damage to fascia. · The Gutter Cap combines surface tension with “capillary action!” This patented design allows rainwater to adhere to the dome of the cap while leaves and debris blow OFF the roof. · Your existing gutter is a free flowing drainage system with Gutter Cap. · Gutter Cap saves you the time, hassle & DANGER of cleaning Gutters…plus saves you upwards of thousands of dollars in damage each year! Some vinyl siding has a reputation for being flimsy, which not only make is awkard to handle and install, but caused problems with sagging and uneven walls long after installation. The Freedom Vinyl Siding from Suburban Construction is designed to help eliminate wavy lines and uneven walls. This leads to the production of a superior finished quality that really lasts. The Freedom Viny Collection is Designed with optimal performance and outstanding beauty. Loaded with premium features, Freedom Premium Vinyl Siding boasts a premium thickness. Freedom Premium Vinyl Siding from Suburban is the best investment you can make in your home and is perfect for every siding project. Wood doors aren't very energy efficient. They also crack, swell, warp and rot, leading to frequent maintenace. Steel doors are more durable, but they easily dent, ding and rust. And if a door's parts aren't designed as a system, they won't work well together or stand the test of time. A fiberglass door simply outperforms wood and steel doors. It won't crack, swell, rot, dent, ding or rust - so it's virtually maintenance free. And only Therma-Tru fiberglass entryways offer full door systems designed, built and tested to the industry's highest standards. You may consider the addition of storm doors to be an unnecessary expense, and may even believe that adding storm doors will decrease the beauty of your home or bring down its market value. Many realtors agree, however, that the addition of storm doors can actually improve your home’s market value, as storm doors will help, in general, to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Energy zoning with triple pane freedom maxx 10 windows can help save you great money. Sun Clean Glass® is a new self cleaning glass technology created by PPG industries. It uses a durable transparent coating that is fused to the surface of the glass with high temperatures during the production of the glass. This glass is available in almost all Suburban Construction replacement windows with one goal in mind, that you spend less time cleaning your windows and more time doing the things you love.

Download Windows Media Player 11

Download QuickTime