Doubts in our economy have caused many problems and setbacks for consumers and businesses alike. 2009 was a difficult year indeed, as we witnessed record job-losses, businesses failing or cutting back and consumers spending much less. These things apply to us all, but there is much to rejoice about in 2010.

As our economy slowly makes its way back to recovery, the result is increased consumer spending. This spending is what fuels the engine for our valley businesses, and is vital to being successful with QwikBids.

QwikBids has hung in there, and the reward for patience is paying off.

Recent data tells us we are in recovery, and as we heal from the past 2 years of hardship, there will be an influx of consumer spending not seen since the recession began. Projects by homeowners and commercial businesses have been put off, and this year we project a large swell in bid requests to fulfill these needs as they come in larger numbers.

Now is the time to act!

Yes, it’s time to prepare for the inevitable consumer and business spending. No longer should service providers put off being in place to bid on projects in their respective professions. If it’s affordable, proven and easy to set up, coming aboard QwikBids just makes sense!

Take it from our own service providers.

John Wifler, owner of John’s Design and Tree Service, is playing it smart. Specializing in landscaping, tree care and irrigation systems, John realizes the importance of being ready and willing to take on additional projects to keep his crew busy. “Since joining QwikBids, I have been really busy, especially since December. People seem to feel a little safer about the economy and are now spending more money,” John states.

John says that he also landed a commercial job from a local college on QwikBids, and adds that the client was so happy with his services, they’ll be using his company again. In the beginning John rolled the dice with his marketing budget and joined QwikBids, and after his initial experience, it dawned on him just how valuable our services really are.

“I decided to sign up to QwikBids for an additional two years instead, as they gave me a discount on a special they have. It was a no-brainer. I’m now looking to expand my crew and invest more money in my business,” John says with confidence, adding, “Both door to door and word of mouth also work, but immediate results came with QwikBids.”

Getting involved with QwikBids is easy, economical ($399 per year; no hidden fees) and exposes registered users to ready-to-buy consumers. Set-up can be done online, but if assistance is needed, businesses are encouraged to contact customer service or arrange a visit to offices located in Scottsdale. Ask about specials that QwikBids offers to valley businesses as well.

Much is being accomplished to draw consumers to use this service, free of charge. It allows the consumer to remain anonymous if they wish, choose the best value for their needs and all from the comfort of their own home. What’s more, consumer confidence is high with QwikBids, as they know all service providers are verified for licensing (if it applies), insurance and reputation (references). These things are vital to consumers looking to spend their money again.

Lastly, QwikBids donates to charity when consumers leave feedback on a business that performed work for them. Giving back to the community is yet another incentive for consumers and service providers alike.

Again, we cannot express the importance of being prepared for the re-growth of our economy. Don’t put it off, visit QwikBids today. Now is the time!

Not everyone has the luxury of having large windows that let in lots of sunlight.  Many homes have at least one room that is continually dark.  A dark room can cause accidents, eye-strain, and even a poor disposition.  If you’d like to add more light to that room – without taking a sledgehammer to your walls, try a few of these room-brightening tricks.  A brighter room will lead to a brighter mood!

• Paint your walls a light color, and use eggshell or semi-gloss paint.  Dark, matte finishes actually soak up the light, making the room seem darker – even when you put the lights on.  Lighter, glossier paints will reflect the light back into the room.

• Keep your ceiling white.  We know it’s fun and fashionable to paint ceilings “anything but white.”  But in that very dark room, it’s amazing the difference that a white ceiling makes.  Just like dark walls, a dark ceiling will absorb a lot of the available light.

• Add more lamps.  Yes, this seems obvious.  But many homeowners rely solely on overhead lights to illuminate a room.  Light needs to come from various levels – low, middle, and high.  Combining up-lights on the floor and lamps on tables around the room with overhead lighting will create a brighter, more comfortable room.

• Hang large mirrors.  Large mirrors can act like windows, reflecting the light back into the room.

• Choose reflective surfaces.  Just like walls, other large surfaces can absorb or reflect your light.  Opt for glossier furnishings, add glass to your framed artwork, and place mirrored trays on top of dark tables.  We are seeing more and more sophisticated metallics in paints and fabrics, too!

Light is important for your physical and mental health.  So make sure your home is getting all the light you need!

Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI).  Amy can be reached at 480-683-0200, or amywolff@rnsmte.com.

Word of mouth is always great when you seek services and have no idea where to begin. But sometimes, there are projects around the home that require a specialist for an array of odd things you may need done. Too often, there are no suggestions from family or friends. However, there’s an alternative to having to “shoot in the dark” when choosing a service provider for your many projects.

Rely on feedback from homeowners like you!

QwikBids offers a unique rating and feedback system that’s easy to understand and is always completely free to consumers. Aside from word of mouth, feedback from other homeowners is the most reliable way to know you’re getting the best deal in addition to supreme workmanship.

Consumers have an incentive to leave feedback too. For their feedback, QwikBids donates $10 to the charity of their choice! How cool is that?

Very recently, a homeowner decided it was time to visit QwikBids with an assortment of projects that needed to be done. From what we could tell, she was looking for one company to come in and do it all. She placed her bid request (always free!), got numerous bids and scheduled a reputable handyman to come out to do the work.

After the work was completed, she happily gave feedback. She wrote, “Dan is the best! He is very knowledgeable, efficient, honest and his prices are very fair. He did a great job on fixing a messy electrical problem I had in my master bathroom. Dan is the first person I will call when I need any electrical, plumbing or repair work done in the future.”

This feedback will help many in choosing a service provider, but this is also very favorable to Dan, as he has now established a customer relationship through his performance and fairness. Good job, Dan!

What’s more, the customer chose Sequoya Elementary School for the $10 donation. She had her projects done superbly at a great price, and helped our kids!

It all starts with all-important feedback. Visit QwikBids today to take advantage! It’s free to consumers, plus you remain anonymous until you choose a service provider. Convenient, easy and just makes sense!

Once the decorations are back in storage, here are some ideas to spice up your rooms!

Planning and installing holiday decorations consumes a lot of time – and we all get real satisfaction once the scene is set for entertaining.  But what happens when once the greenery and ornaments come down?  Our homes feel bare and lose the warmth they held for those few weeks.

There are lots of simple ways to transform your rooms once the holiday decorations are stored.
§ How about the walls of stairways and hallways?  This is a great time to frame and hang artwork or photos.
§ What about those empty corners?  Consider adding that accent table you never purchased or the lighting needed in that space.
§ What about color?  The house may have looked more inviting because the decorations added a shot of color that is missing the rest of the year.  Reupholstering one chair or painting an accent wall will impact the whole room!  Think about an interesting wallpaper in the powder room, too.
§ Is scale a problem?  The absence of that holiday décor may reveal that the scale is incorrect – especially in rooms with generous ceiling heights.  Place something higher on the wall or an item taller than 6 feet.  Clear away some smaller items for one large accessory!

Consider this a season of opportunity for your home.  In the coming year, our homes will become even more important to us.  It’s a new age of cocooning – entertaining at home and adjusting rooms to better fit our needs.  Even if you can’t do a major redecorating project, these small things will bring emotional warmth to the home!
 

Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI).

In addition to being the busiest time of year, the holiday season is the most popular time to entertain and make merry with family and friends.  Seek out decorating inspiration that’s simple, yet adds warmth, cheer and style to your home!  Some simple ideas to make your home more festive…

Holiday Greenery:  Add holly berries, evergreen boughs, and pine roping to banisters, doorways and centerpieces.  Fill a large bowl with colored glass ornaments for tabletops and mantles.  Easier still, faux evergreens are great looking, re-usable, and easy to find at craft stores. 

Holiday Scents:  Use pine, gingerbread, sugarplum or peppermint scented candles or potpourri. Even grocery stores offer candles and “plug-in’s” with seasonal scents. 

Holiday Table Wrapping:  Linens, placemats or runners add holiday flair to tables.  Turn functional items like chairs, doors, banisters and plant containers into decorations by “wrapping” them in fabric and bows.  Buy green, gold, red, blue, or silver linens without holiday themes and think about all the other occasions in which you can these!

Holiday Sparkle:  Use bead strands and candles to create a holiday glow. String the beads on light fixtures or over window treatments and watch them twinkle!

Holiday Sounds:  Have a diverse selection of festive holiday tunes to set the mood for a party – or even for yourself!

Decorate and Forget It!

The most important part of the party should be spending quality time with family and friends.  Keep the holiday displays on the mantle instead of the dinner table so you won’t need to re-arrange for every meal.  Get your decorating done early and simply, so you can sit down and enjoy the season!

Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI).

The staff had a wonderful time at the Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo at the Phoenix Convention Center. We had an exhibitor’s booth awaiting us when we arrived. We’re getting good at this so set up went very qwik this time around!

In our industry, we have found that the bulk of consumers that generally use services to locate quality service providers are overwhelmingly women. So we didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to put on display the ease and convenience of using QwikBids for their next home project. We got their attention! The busy woman is looking for ways to avoid having to endure the task of looking for a service provider. Demonstrating how QwikBids takes the pain out of locating a service provider that will treat customer’s right, was relatively easy.

We handed out literally thousands of our cards, and explained to all who we are and how we not only benefit consumers and service providers, but also charities. Attendees were very adamant in saying what a great idea QwikBids is and how they plan on utilizing our service on their next home project!

The Expo went on for two days. The first day, Valerie Bertinelli spoke about empowerment, and her battle with weight loss. It was a very heartfelt speaking engagement, and a very crowded one. Women from around the Valley applauded Valerie for her courage and determination.

Speaking of courage and determination, the second day of the Expo presented Olivia Newton-John (who was accompanied by her new husband, John Easterling). Olivia expressed her battle with cancer, and the resulting victory overcoming it. According to her, a new lease on life and outlook in the future has forever been changed. She is reaching out to women globally in an effort to raise awareness of cancers that plague women from every walk of life.

How could we not applaud both Valerie and Olivia? The entire gang loved it!

This is just the beginning for QwikBids, a business that’s in the business of helping others and showing all other businesses that profits are not the only issues that need to be addressed. As many of you already know, QwikBids is modeled for charities as well. The recession has affected everyone, so it’s a breath of fresh air knowing that when you use QwikBids, you’re giving back to the community.

It seems we are in recovery, and we’re bouncing back! Stay tuned for more events the QwikBids team attends. And if you see us, drop by and say hello!

According to Remodeling Magazine in 2007, Americans spent an average of $15,000 remodeling their bathrooms. The resulting value rose in those same homes to about $12,400. Here we are two years later, and as you can imagine, that margin is even bigger now.

Time and again I have heard do-it-yourself remodelers say they regretted doing the project themselves. The projects took long hours and the material cost was still an issue. So, we’re going to steer this one to the professionals. In doing so, you’ll want a minimum of 3 quotes from reputable, licensed and insured remodelers and contractors. A few references from each that are verifiable are also highly recommended, as well as seeing photos of some of their work. These tasks take time, so why wouldn’t you go to a source that has taken care of it all for free? Yes, you read it correctly: FREE! Simply go to QwikBids for your remodeling needs. It’s really a no-brainer.

Having a smart contractor for your remodeling needs will make the entire process easier, and any good service provider in this field will work with you on maximizing the value added to the home through the project. Besides the choice of materials and new bathroom additives, it’s also recommended that you get advice from an experienced interior designer to make certain all of your ducks are in a row.

We set about talking to folks that have undergone the experience firsthand, and got some surprising feedback. Darlin Smith, of Ocala, Florida, indicates that she wished she’d gotten someone else to do most of the work from a skilled service provider. “I tried to take on the project myself, but realized I would need help with many things, such as removal of the tub and help with the plumbing. I also didn’t know anything about electrical,” she says.

Another home owner, Susan, was very unhappy with her remodeling project. She was quick to put in her 2 cents, “I’ve found the biggest challenge with any home repair is when you don’t have a choice but to hire someone; finding one that will actually show up, do the job (and do it well), and finish it within the agreed-upon estimate and timeframe.”

So it’s obvious what the main concern of consumers is. And if we told you there was a way to avoid a nightmare and stress by offering only service providers that are already prequalified wouldn’t you take advantage? If there was a service that allowed you to remain anonymous until you chose between multiple bids, already having the licensing, insurance and references checked out to save tons of time would you take advantage? It’s free, what are you waiting for? Go to QwikBids today!

 Once again, QwikBids hit the road to spread the word about a unique way for consumers and service providers alike to come together. The destination this time was the Maricopa County Home & Landscaping Show at the Maricopa County Fairgrounds. The mood was cheery, and the smell of food cooking was everywhere!

We got situated rather quickly, then settled into the routine of meeting consumers and the many service providers that came out to show their stuff. We had more visibility this time around, so we were busy! Thousands of consumers were in attendance, wanting to get the most for their money during these recessionary times. These consumers represented the many homeowners looking for home improvement ideas. Yes, consumers want to spend money!

We explained to consumers (and service providers) what we were all about, and they knew we would come in handy for their upcoming projects. There was one that was interested in using our service but also owned a business. So they are not only a consumer using QwikBids, they are also now a service provider on our site. Awesome!

I had the crew by my side, and as always we had tons of fun. The bid requests have picked up as a result, meaning business is picking up for our service providers. The three days at the show were a success, and look forward to attending many more.

Next up is the American Cancer Society Charity event in Goodyear (we are a sponsor), then we will be attending the Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo at the Phoenix Convention Center October 17^th and 18^th. Come on down and visit our booth, I would like to meet all of you personally!

Here are some ways to make your home more uniquely you!

Choose one-of-a-kind elements

Opt for custom-designed furniture.  Instead of shopping at mass-produced furniture stores, have just one special piece of furniture custom-designed for you.  Customized furniture is becoming more and more popular.  Imagine having a sofa or table that is the perfect size, shape, color, and pattern – and with all the exact details you want!

Reinvent existing pieces.  You can add nail heads, tassels and trim to upholstered items, apply unique moldings to tables and cabinets, or faux paint wooden furniture.

Shop at flea markets, antique fairs and estate sales.  The pieces you find will be much more unique than what you get at the usual stores.

Create your own accessories.  The interest in hand-crafted materials continues to grow.  So why not craft your own piece?  It will not only be one-of-a-kind, but it will have special meaning to you and your family – and be a great conversation starter for guests!

Use a decorator!  Professional decorators have access to many more resources than you have as a homeowner.  They are able to help you select and create a truly customized piece from a wide variety of fabrics, trims, and other materials.

When you combine new technology with your own imagination, you can create a truly distinctive, one-of-a-kind home.  How trendy.  How YOU!

Amy Wolff, CID, is nationally certified in the interior decorating profession through Certified Interior Decorators International (CIDI).

Did you know that the typical family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills? It is unfortunate a large amount of that energy goes to waste. Every year, energy produced for a single home from fossil fuels releases more carbon dioxide than two average cars.

The key to eliminating this wasted energy in your home is to have a whole-house thermal imaging energy audit. Viewing your home as a whole, look at it as a self-contained energy system with interdependent parts. For example, your Air conditioner system is not just an A/C, it’s a cold air delivery system that starts at the unit and delivers cold air throughout your home using a network of ducts. Even a top-of-the line, energy-efficient A/C unit will waste a lot of energy if the ducts, walls, attic, windows, and doors are not properly sealed and insulated. Viewing your home as a whole, look at it as a self-contained energy system with interdependent parts.

Improving energy efficiency will inevitably make your home more comfortable, and yield long-term savings as well. Given rising electricity prices, follow-up actions based on the findings of an energy audit are almost certain to save at least 15% of the energy a household uses. Figures available on the DOE “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy” website illustrate what savings are available from even modest energy conserving investments.

Why Thermography?

Thermography uses an IR camera (thermal imager) to capture two-dimensional representations of the surface temperatures of parts of buildings, including roofs, walls, doors, windows and construction joints. Often, those images reveal temperatures or temperature differences that indicate conditions contributing to the waste of heated or cooled air and, as a result, needlessly excessive energy costs.

Thermography is also used to detect moisture: 

The presence of moisture in a building, whether from leakage or condensation, can have serious consequences. For example, moisture in insulation reduces its insulating capability, causing heating and/or cooling losses and wasting energy. Moisture can also cause structural deterioration and foster the growth of mold, while a serious roof leak can damage or destroy a building’s contents.