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Bathroom remodels in 2026: where the budget actually goes
National "average remodel cost" figures hide more than they reveal. Where bathroom budgets actually concentrate, so you can read your own quotes…
Carmannews staff
Sarah Bell
Home Editor
Sarah covers the carmannews home desk: renovation, contracting, rental-market shifts, and the codes and inspections that surround any real repair. She holds a US general contractor license and worked five years on residential builds before moving full-time into reporting.
Credentials: Licensed contractor (US); ten years covering housing, renovation, and the residential trades.
Based in: Portland, Oregon
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Heat pumps vs. gas furnaces: the math depends on the state
Whether a heat pump saves money in your house depends on three numbers: electricity rate, gas rate, and your climate zone. carmannews…
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Why your dishwasher takes 3 hours now — and how to fix it
Modern dishwashers run longer cycles to meet efficiency standards, not because they're slower at cleaning. carmannews explains the cycle math and lists…
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Renter’s insurance: 7 things most policies don’t cover
Mold, sewer backup, expensive electronics, valuable jewellery: most standard renter's insurance excludes more than many tenants expect. The common gaps, and what…
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5 things to inspect on a house before the inspector
Buyer's inspectors look at 200+ items; you can pre-screen for the five that most often kill deals. carmannews walks through them with…
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HVAC maintenance: the routine that doubles equipment life
Annual HVAC service is the minimum, not the optimum. The quarterly maintenance routine that genuinely extends equipment life — and which parts…
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Insulation upgrades: which ones pay back, and how fast
Attic insulation, wall insulation, basement insulation, and weatherstripping all sound similar but have wildly different paybacks. carmannews maps each against typical install…
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Smart thermostats save money — for some homes, not all
The Nest/Ecobee marketing tends to oversell savings. carmannews summarises the recent independent studies on actual realised savings by household type — and…
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The renovation order that prevents 80% of regret
There is a near-universal order for whole-home renovations: structure → systems → surface. carmannews walks through the order and the four moves…
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Solar in 2026: what the IRA tax credit changes really do
The Inflation Reduction Act solar incentives are partly phasing through 2026; the math is different depending on when you sign. carmannews shows…