Whether you want to add a deck to your house or learn how to do that faux finishing technique you saw on HGTV, this article gives you tips and pointers on various things you could do in your home to make it more personal and a home you can take pride in because you did it yourself.
Make sure you have weather stripping around all of your doors and windows. This helps you with multiple problems. It keeps air from leaking out keeping your house cooler or warmer when you're running your A/C or heat. It can also keep little critters from finding their way in. It's also good if you're in an area that floods a lot, to keep water from seeping in.
It is wise to trim any branches that are overhanging your roof. In a storm they may break off, fall and spear your roof. In a snowstorm they will dump their load of snow, which may accumulate as ice. Also, falling leaves from these branches may accumulate and cause dampness on the roof, and clog the gutters.
Get really good references for contractors you use on your home improvements. It is far too easy for a con artist to take your money and run, leaving you with a wreck of a home and no more money to fix it. Don't trust just anyone. Make sure you have plenty of excellent references, from people you really trust.
Don't waste water due to leaky faucets or plumbing. Check them regularly and have any issues addresses as soon as possible. Along those same lines, use cold water to wash all your clothes. It will reduce the strain on your hot water heater and add time to its lifespan.
Before starting a job, decide what you will do beforehand. This is crucial to make sure you stay on budget and within a certain time frame. You will up your cost and time when you change up in the middle of your project. You will also find much happier contractors if you already know exactly what you want prior to construction starting.
When it comes to home improvement, the lowest bidder for your project will not always translate to be the one who does the best work. Many times, a quote that is too good to be true is just that, due to poor work quality or hidden costs. Be sure to check with any agencies that provide feedback about contractors before hiring them.
Remove a door from its frame without taking out the screws in the hinges. Need to take out a door so you can move a big piece of furniture? All you have to do is drive a nail through the bottom of the barrel of the hinge so the pin slides out of the top. Do that on both hinges and the door is free!
Redoing your floors with new tiles can be a great idea, but adding radiant heat tiles will bring a whole new level of comfort to your floors. This type of tile heats up with electricity. You can easily install these things if you have detailed instructions. This makes it a project you can add on whether you are hiring someone or doing it yourself. You'll thank yourself the first time you step inside your bathroom on a cold winter day.
If a lock is having problems, you can change out the entire thing or look to change out only the cylinder. The cylinder in the lock is what actually initiates the locking action. Changing out the cylinder of a lock is enough to preserve your security if you've lost the keys to the door. If you are adding a lock and there is one there already, you should replace the whole thing.
Carefully examine the benefits of rental equipment before securing it for a home improvement project. Any repair or renovation job can be made faster and easier by renting purpose-built equipment. Such equipment is not always economical, though. Before laying out money for rentals the canny homeowner will weigh the savings in time and effort the equipment offers against the expense the equipment adds to a home improvement project.
Open up the curtains and blinds during a showing to allow natural light into the home. If the outdoor scenery is not desirable, consider keeping the blinds somewhat closed to draw less attention to it. Turn on all of the lights in the home so the home looks bright and cheery instead of dark and dreary.
Before starting off on any home improvement project involving painting, make sure you have the essential tools at hand. Painter's tape will prevent damage to doorways and windowsills, and a drop cloth will protect both your shoes and the floor. The right-sized brush will ease painting, and a roller and extension handle are vital for painting ceilings.
Clean kitchen counters can help to sell a house. Remove everything except your coffee pot, a nice set of knives, and perhaps a bowl of fruit. The cleaner your counter tops are, the more organized your kitchen will appear. Your kitchen will also feel larger and more user friendly.
Roofing Tips
Roll roof your floor for a practically indestructible finish! Buy roll roofing without the adhesive strip. Glue it in place either in long strips as it comes off the roll or cut up into irregular geometric shapes. Coat thickly with paint and use a brush to work the paint evenly into the surface.
Make sure to have your home inspected before starting any major renovations. Checking for roofing issues, termites, electrical issues and plumbing beforehand can save you a lot of trouble down the road. Finding issues like these when you are halfway through a renovation process can be a nightmare on your budget.
A roof replacement is one of the more expensive home improvement projects. Talk to at least three different roofers to secure estimates -- and call their references. You have lots of choices when it comes to roofing. You can choose from a traditional roof covering such as shingles or wood shake, or you could choose a metal roof or a lightweight tile roof. A smart contractor can help you make a decision.
One type of roof vent you can use with metal roofing would be one made of ABS plastic. They normally come in the same color of the metal you will be using. They are easy to install with metal screws and stand up well when you are considering the elements.
Metal roofing can be made of many different types of metals. Some of the choices you have when deciding are steel, zinc, copper, stainless steel, and alumninum. All of these have their pros and cons and you should look into each one of them to make an informed decision.
You can install your metal roofing right over top of old asphalt tiles. This will save you time and money because you will not have costs involved in the removal. But if there are more than two layers they will have to be removed first.
Finding a trustworthy roofer is very important whenever you need work on on your roof. Before you sign a contract, conduct proper research into a roofing contractor. You can check their reputation at the BBB and survey online reviews to get a sense of what caliber of work they do.
Suppose you are planning to replace your roof and are considering using either shingles or metal roofing. Which is best? You need to take into account the pitch of the roof. Either material will work on a steep pitch, but for a low pitch roof you should use metal roofing. Shingles will always leak.
As you can see, there are a variety of things you can do around your home, both inside and outside, that will put your personal stamp on it. It doesn't have to be a major change, because even the smallest things can make a big difference if done correctly and strategically.
