home improvement

By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger If you have a refund check coming your way, consider using it to bolster your personal balance sheet. The average refund has been around $3,000 for the past two years. (Most people receive their refund within three weeks of filing their returns.) That's a nice...

Nearly every homeowner has some ideas for a makeover, but with the housing market as it is, many of us have chosen to put them on hold. Now, there are positive signs on the horizon that might encourage you to break out the tools.

There's an unusual cola war brewing in the home-based pop market between SodaStream and Primo Water. But why make your own soda? Is it easier? Cheaper? Healthier? You're probably going to like all three answers.

"Never Stop Improving" is the tagline of Lowe's new branding strategy and TV ad campaign, which kicked off Monday. It's a slogan designed to impart the message that shoppers are in good hands at Lowe's, which will guide them through all stages of their home improvement journey.

Lowe's Cos. (LOW), the nation's second-largest home improvement retailer, said Monday that it will buy back up to $5 billion of its common stock. While the repurchase program has no expiration date, the Mooresville, N.C., company said it plans to use the full amount over the next two to three...

Over the last few years, Home Depot has expanded its retail stores aggressively, adding more than 200 outlets annually. However, the firm has recently embarked on a $1.1 billion program to improve its Web presence while dramatically reducing the number of new store openings to around 10 in 2011.

As the competition between home improvement heavyweights Lowe's and Home Depot intensifies, customer service is emerging as one of the key features on which they will need to innovate. Lowe's latest attempt is a new incentive program for customers paying with the store's credit card.

Now more than ever, people want to get the most for their home improvement dollar. There are definitely great deals to be had, but to get the best prices, you have to know where to look.

Renting isn't just for apartments and cars anymore. Americans today are trying to save a few bucks by taking only temporary ownership (or, borrowership) of a whole new array of goods from designer handbags, rims to pimp their rides, iPhones, power tools and, yes, caskets.

As Spring finally approaches and homeowners around the nation begin to contemplate home improvement projects, the Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to choose contractors with care to avoid getting scammed. According to the BBB, the home improvement industry regularly ranks among the top...