Tag / curb appeal

by Ted

Ways To Get The Most Out Of Home Improvement

Finding the right home improvement facts can seem like a difficult task. Without some basic information, you risk a project that costs you more time and money than you would like. This article will give you substantial and very helpful home improvement information.

Shoe Boxes

Instead of laminate floors, consider real wood. Laminate wood floors may initially have the same look as wood floors but they will not last and long and cannot be refinished. Years from now, whoever owns the house will need a brand new floor.

TIP! If you have small rooms in your home, they can feel gloomy, but they don’t have to! Look for ways to make the room appear lighter and more airy. Shine your windows and raise the blinds.

Put old things in shoe boxes for extra storage space. You can cover the shoe boxes with fabric or wallpaper samples for an interesting decorating touch. It can add style to your room and give you additional storage in small spaces.

It is important that you focus your improvement work on the visible portions of your home. If you are trying to sell your home you do not want people to be put off by unattractive features. Even though cosmetic improvements are not usually the most vital improvements, when the goal is the sale of your house, they are!

It is important to thoroughly dust your home weekly. Dust and debris can build up with shocking rapidity; this not only makes your home less attractive but also introduces allergens into your air. Dusting home accessories not only eliminates dust and allergens, it also discovers pests such as fleas, ants & spiders much sooner.

TIP! Sponges are great for installing drywall. Rather than sanding drywall seams, just sponge them.

Tile can wear out over time. Using a solution made of vinegar and water is safe for most flooring. Pick up a bucket, put the mixture inside, and carefully mop up your flooring. This will remove dirt and grime and make your flooring look beautiful again.

Use wallpaper to create a unique and attractive bookcase. Make sure it has an interesting design. If you apply wallpaper to a bookcase’s back, when books are stacked the wallpaper design will appear behind the books. The wallpaper will make your bookcase look better and stand out.

When you are going to be doing home improvement projects, you should do the ones that you can see first. Your potential buyers have no choice but to judge your house by what they see, and having things such as peeling paint and overgrown hedges may cause you to lose the sale. Although major improvements aren’t usually seen, lesser, more obvious ones are, so take care of them before selling your home.

TIP! Use a couple two-liter bottles for storage in your kitchen. They are transparent, and a good way to store things like flour, baking soda and sugar.

In home improvement projects, you need to dedicate a certain space in your yard for the debris that results from the project. Removing lots of rubbish can be expensive, and planning ahead can save time, money and the frustration of working around piles of discarded materials.

When you need the help of professionals to complete your home improvement project, you’ll want to deal only with reputable companies. Disreputable companies that only do business by phone or on the Internet and provide no physical address should be avoided. Instead, select someone with a good reputation.

Find the gas shutoff prior to starting any home improvement project that is located in the kitchen or in any other place that contains a gas line. It is also important to exercise extreme care in these circumstances. Safety is the number one priority in these situations and you don’t want anything bad to happen.

TIP! Confirm the credibility of a business before you give your money to them. A company that does not list a business address and conducts business primarily by phone is probably small and possibly not reputable.

When a lock needs replacing, you can replace the full assembly or only the cylinder. The part of the lock called the cylinder is a piece that does the locking action. If you misplace your keys and you would like to get a new lock, you can replace the cylinder instead. If you want to install an upgrade, then revamp the entire unit.

Replacing the roof on a home is one of the largest expenses a homeowner will face. Solicit price quotes from no less than three contractors and make sure you have verified their references. When it comes to the material used on a roof, there are tons of choices, such as metal, wood shake, composite shingles, and lightweight tiles. A smart contractor can help you make a decision.

Whenever you will be staining or painting something that is wooden, smooth the surface with sandpaper and use a damp rag to wipe the residue off. Using fine-grit sandpaper is the best way to smooth the surface. You can get rid of dust by using the damp rag to wipe it off. This also gives it a smooth finish.

TIP! Use baby food jars for organizing your office. Superglue or screw the lids of the jars to the underside of a wall shelf.

Consider your porch when deciding what areas of your home to improve. Anyone who drives up to your home is going to see the porch first. Keep your porch clean and add tasteful enhancements. Flowers, nice furniture and great lighting can be used to dress up an otherwise boring and bland porch. Overall, a good looking porch will increase your home’s value.

Never, ever hire an unlicensed contractor. Certification is required in every state for contractors and sub-contractors. They don’t have to do a test to get certification, though. Most importantly, a contractor without a proper license is likely not carrying proper professional insurance, making them especially risky to work with.

Soundproofing interior walls can be a great way to add to the value and comfort of a home. However, it’s not really possible to soundproof every single wall. The best soundproofing areas include bathrooms, bedrooms, and media rooms. The kitchen is a good candidate for soundproofing as long as it doesn’t open into many spaces.

TIP! Many homes can lose up to a fifth of their heat or cold air through the clear glass in their windows. One way to make windows more efficient is by having a second glaze added to them.

Curb Appeal

Add curb appeal and increase the value of your home by adding one or two coats of high-gloss paint to your front door and shutters. When your home has a lighter exterior, bright reds or blues can offer great curb appeal. For those homes that have darker exteriors, consider cooler, deep colors such as jade or eggplant.

A great way to improve the look of your landscaping is to plant fully grown plants rather than seedlings. Mature flowers can add instant color and vibrancy to the outside of your house, and they are effective in filling gaps in your landscape. This is instant enhancement as compared with seedlings which will not make a good showing right away. A home buyer should think that they are good to go when they look at the yard.

TIP! If you have a very challenging home repair job, it’s best to hire a professional. Professionals like architects, designers and contractors are in business for a reason.

How long do you plan on staying in your home? Do not spend all your savings on home improvement if you plan on moving in a few years. Take care of things that need to be fixed but do not spend money on purely aesthetic changes.

If your walls have built-in alcoves or small niches, you can make these areas pop with accent colors and well-placed wallpaper. If you paint them, you might be able to get by with just a small container of paint instead of a whole gallon.

If you want to spruce up your home in a jiffy, replace the paneling on your walls. Paneling produces a dramatic change in the appearance of your home’s interior. It is economical and easy to install, and it can be removed later with a minimum of fuss.

TIP! Water usage should be a consideration when planning a home improvement project. Low-flow toilets, shower heads and tank-less heaters are all readily available.

When people look at homes, the number of bathrooms plays a major role in determining how they feel about the house. The property value of a house is definitely impacted by how many bathrooms it has. Renovating to include one or two spare bathrooms can greatly increase your home’s value.

Asphalt driveways need regular maintenance to stop cracks turning into pot holes and damaging vehicles. Good driveway maintenance includes frequent removal of debris.

When making house renovations, a good tip is to make use of the 1st months budget because you will have less expenses in this time. This is due to the fact that you will feel less stressed about the project if you take the time to budget for it while your funds are low.

TIP! Reconsider adding carpet to your high-traffic areas. This can often result in unnecessary spending.

By now, you should understand that home improvement projects are nothing to be afraid of! Take the time to carefully plan your repairs and you will eliminate much grief and frustration! Armed with this knowledge, you can realize the fruits of your labor much sooner than working with inadequate information.

by Ted

Save Yourself A Hassle By Following This Home Improvement Advice

Being a home owner is one of the most rewarding things you can do. It means that you get to extend or reflect your own lifestyle and personality into the look and feel of your home. Your home is like your personal castle, so make sure you make the right additions that will make it look appealing. The following article has some great advice on how you can make those improvements.

Whenever your roof needs redoing, you should insert white tile. If not white, then ensure it is light colored. Lighter colors reflect the sun instead of absorbing it, which means your attic will not be so hot. You will be able to reduce all of your monthly energy bills by doing this.

When it comes to managing your home during the summer, use all of the fans that you can. Ceiling fans can be particularly great at cooling down a room because they improve a room’s circulation. This saves you money on air conditioning, too.

TIP! Make sure you understand your style before customizing your home. Figuring out what your decorating style is will help you decide what improvements to make on your home.

You should avoid furniture with a busy upholstery. Doing so may lock you in to a certain style in your home. Instead stick to plain colors for furniture, such as greens and browns, and add any accents through the use of accessories. Pattern can be introduced through pillows, throws and other items.

Use two-liter bottles that are empty to store things in your kitchen. You can use these to protect any dry goods like flour, sugar or corn meal. You can keep them on a shelf, in the refrigerator, or even in the freezer. Just unscrew the cap and pour what you need, when you need it.

Make a bookcase unique by applying some wallpaper to it. Choose a vibrant graphic design. If you apply wallpaper to a bookcase’s back, when books are stacked the wallpaper design will appear behind the books. Adding a little bit of edginess to you bookshelf will create a more modern look for not only the bookshelf, but the room that it is in.

TIP! You only need PVC cement and PVC primer to attach two PVC pipes. You must use these exact products.

Before you begin your next home improvement project, ask for help from friends and family members. If you do not do this in the beginning of you project, it may be hard to find help. This can put your project behind schedule and cause you some aggravation. Plan ahead.

Installing insulation in your attic is an excellent way to economize on the cost of heating in the winter. When a home does not have proper insulation, it will lose heat, since it rises. Insulation is available at your nearest hardware store; you can install it yourself.

Actually spend some time reading the bottle before purchasing drain cleaner. Not every cleaner is like the other, and some are very harsh. It’s best not to use drain cleaners that are crystallized, because they’re known to stick to pipes, and they can cause long term damage. Be sure to select drain cleaners that work well with the type of septic tank you have.

TIP! Building supplies are often stolen because they are valuable. Take the time to secure all building supplies while work is halted.

If you plan to hire a professional to work on your home, always get references. It’s just like hiring for a company. Make sure you run a thorough background check and consider whether or not other have been happy with the services rendered.

Before you go shopping for home improvement supplies, write down all of the things you will need. By doing this, you will make sure to get everything you need the first time you are at the store.

You don’t need to live in a mansion to own a chandelier. You can buy a very nice chandelier for just under 500 dollars. By opting for 200 to 400 watts, your chandelier will provide brightness and sparkle to any room.

TIP! Facing your outside lights downward can accent your lawn and show its attractive elements. Such lights can mimic natural sources like moonlight or dusk if they’re placed properly, such as high up in a big tree.

Replacing a roof is costly. Carefully check the references of your potential roofing company, and always get estimates from three different companies before committing to one. When it comes to the material used on a roof, there are tons of choices, such as metal, wood shake, composite shingles, and lightweight tiles. Skilled roofing professionals can guide your decision.

Before you do anything with electrical outlets or lighting fixtures, you need to turn the electricity off. Forgetting to turn the power off may end in electrocution or even death.

Use an analogous color scheme in a restful area of your home. Analogous colors are those that reside side by side on the color wheel. For example, red and orange are analogous, as are violet and blue. A room featuring an analogous color scheme, tends to be more restful and relaxing, so it is suitable for a family room or bedroom.

TIP! Do you find yourself bothered by excessive heat and glare in your home? You can solve this by tinting your windows. It’s a fairly easy project that you can do yourself.

You can use 3-D tile instead of buying art for your walls. Use multi-colored 3D tiles for a striking effect. Match them to your room’s furnishings for a interesting look.

If your gutters are clogged, you may end up with costly drain problems. One of the major causes of leaky basements is clogged storm gutters that re-route rainwater down the siding of a house. Before this happens, be sure to clean your gutters.

Should the time come when you want to replace your bedroom furniture, consider building your own! This is not the easiest thing to do, but with a little talent and effort, you can make beautiful furniture and improve the look of your room.

TIP! Crown molding makes a huge difference to your walls. If you have plain walls, the molding will add a bit of style to them.

Garage Door

In order to enhance the curb appeal of your house, paint the garage door. Garage doors often get exposed to different elements, making them look worn and dingy. A house with a brand new paint coat looks even more valuable and pristine. Pick a color that compliments the rest of your home for your garage door.

New paneling is something to consider when you are wanting to create a new look but have a limited budget. This can make your walls look new quickly and with minimal expense. If you decide at some point that you no longer want the panels, they can be removed easily.

TIP! Take the appropriate safety precautions at all times. For example, hardhats protect you in the event of an accident.

A house doesn’t have to be huge and expensive to have a chandelier. For less than $500, you can get a beautiful lighting piece to enhance your room. A watt range from 200 to 400 is needed if you want a brighter chandelier.

Try painting your doors and shutters with high gloss paint for pizazz. When your home has a lighter exterior, bright reds or blues can offer great curb appeal. For those homes that have darker exteriors, consider cooler, deep colors such as jade or eggplant.

Start on your cabinets and then put a line around your kitchen. This will be of great assistance to you whenever you are putting in your base and wall cabinets. Benchmark lines should start at the highest possible point of the floor.

TIP! You can craft your own kitchen back splash by using varnish and wallpaper. Purchase wallpaper in a design that you like.

Perhaps you’re really ready to make some home improvements, but just don’t know how to go about it. Well, information is all that you need. Getting started with your improvements is always the most difficult part. Use what you have learned above to get started in the right direction.

by Ted

Tips For Success With Your Home Improvement Plan

Home improvement can be confusing to many people. This article will show many ideas and how to incorporate them into your home. It is possible to figure out refinishing railings as well as putting on a front door. When you take on home remodeling projects yourself, it’s useful, saves you money, and is plenty of fun. The following tips and techniques will teach you how to complete many home improvement projects.

It is extremely important to change your air filters. Not only is it healthier for the air that you breathe inside your home, but it is better for your heating and air conditioning unit. Many repairmen get calls when the machine simply needed a new air filter, which makes it cost more than it should.

It’s expensive to refurnish a home. You may be able to make your room shine with by buying a few pieces of furniture from a thrift store of a garage sale. Real treasures could be found among used items, such as furniture. Some things require work, but by investing time, they can become an asset.

TIP! Use sponges on drywall. Instead of sanding seams in drywall, use a sponge.

Vinyl flooring is an affordable alternative to more expensive materials like stone or ceramic. Vinyl is easy to install, tough and is cheaper than other tiling options. To meet your individual needs, you can conveniently purchase vinyl flooring in large sheets or as individual tiles.

It’s a good idea to sit down and clearly define your goals and intentions before you get started on your home improvement work. After you have started the project, you’ll be free to focus on what it takes to accomplish it rather than elements of design. Pull ideas from magazines, others homes and anything that you really like.

Do not underestimate the amount of work that a project is going to require before you begin. Get a notebook, and list everything that must be done. A second pair of eyes on your notes never hurts, either; have a friend check to see if you’re leaving anything out. You will save a lot of cash by having a good idea of what your project consists of.

TIP! Hiring an expert? Get their list of references first! It’s just like hiring an employee. Look closely at their background, and ensure that their past clients have been happy with their work.

You can use empty 2-liter soda bottles for storage containers. You can see what is inside them, and can store and protect dry goods like flour or sugar. You can keep them on a shelf, in the refrigerator, or even in the freezer. You just have to open them up when you need what is in them.

When you are getting ready to sell your home, evaluate your living space to make sure that each area has a separate purpose. For example, make certain that your family room has comfortable and inviting furniture, while your office has functional, utilitarian furniture. Potential buyers will be able to get a better grasp of the space’s purpose and come up with compelling ways they could use it themselves. Well defined spaces makes a house attractive, and it will be easier to sell.

If you are in need of a screen for your window, consider making your own. All window sizes can be cut via frame kits and then you just have use cording to actual attach the screen. Certain windows require a certain type of screening, but an external screen is attachable to most any window easily with the right adaptation.

TIP! A great way to improve your households safety is to discuss with the entire family the different escape routes available if needed. In a bad situation, people often struggle to think clearly.

The better your home’s curb appeal is, the more money you can get out of it when it sells. What constitutes a good view can vary from one person to the next, however. How much a view is worth is up to each individual person. Other buyers might not like the view as much as you, and don’t want to pay more for it.

Landscaping is a home improvement project you should consider. People look at the front of your home when they first see it, and this can leave a lasting impression. Keep up your yard work. Add flowers and shrubs. This will greatly enhance your home’s look.

Free up space on end tables and night stands by using floor lamps instead of simple table lamps. A floor lamp is free standing, which means it can be moved at any time. A table lamp requires a surface, and can take up a lot of space. Select a lamp that complements your decor.

TIP! Staining the floors of your basement makes for an easy facelift. Using stain on concrete is less expensive than ripping it out, and it looks great.

The lighting inside a room makes a big difference in how it looks. Having a room that’s well-lit with plenty of light can give a warm and inviting feeling. An additional lighting installation can brighten the room, but won’t always improve the appearance. Consider your decorations and choose accordingly. Increasing the light in darker rooms will do wonders to improve the look of your entire house.

For more curb appeal, think about painting the door of your garage. Garage doors are exposed to the natural elements, which can cause them to look older than they are. A splash of new paint will rejuvenate the look of your whole house, and add value as well. Rather than choosing a predictable color, try an eye-catching hue for the garage door.

If you are living in a place that has fires, you should pick a fence that is right for that area. Cedar is good because of its safety with regards to wildfires.

TIP! Always shop for low or no-VOC paints for interior use. No-Voc paints are free of harmful chemicals: this is better for the environment and for your health.

Many home builders install solid wood cabinets or cabinets made of particleboard which have no hardware in order to save on construction costs. Fortunately, you are able to get knobs, pulls for the drawers and handles at a hardware store or online. In less than an hour, you can put in accents ranging from vintage decor to modern styles.

Fresh Flowers

Before you start a project for home improvement you may wish to speak with the neighbors to let them know what’s going on and when. Living next-door to construction is extremely annoying. Neighbors are going to want to know what to expect.

TIP! Does your flooring look somewhat dated or old? Pull your floor up and add a new sticky wood floor if you are feeling ambitious. This might seem like cheap flooring, but it is actually quite nice.

Add fresh flowers or a bowl of fruit to your kitchen. Tastefully and well-arranged flowers in a vase or bright colored fruits can add some zest to your kitchen. It is an inexpensive way to spice up your kitchen. No matter how bad of a day you are having, seeing some fresh flowers in your kitchen can instantly lift your spirits.

Tired of looking at that old dresser in the bedroom? Give old furniture a breath of life by sanding and refinishing them. When you refinish furniture yourself, you end up with a nice piece that looks like new for almost no money. Old furniture can be stained in many new color options.

When it comes to remodeling your bathroom, think small. Small budgets can still make large impacts. Replace the mirror, toilet roll holders, light fixtures, and towel bars. Then, add some paint in order to brighten up the room. For a small price, your bathroom can be transformed into something new and fresh.

TIP! A good home improvement suggestions is taking the local conditions into account when doing a renovation. Think about things like the wind or how much sun you get when remodeling.

Does your flooring look dingy or worn? If you have a lot of ambition, you can remove a floor and put down wood flooring that’s sticky. While this type of flooring is considered cheap by many, it is a very nice alternative. Furthermore, this type of floor is simple to put down and a relatively easy project to tackle on your own.

Do-it-yourself home improvement is not as hard as you might think. Remember, professionals weren’t always professionals and they had to learn their trade as well, so you can, too! Using the tips in this article will help you become experienced and skilled, so you can have a beautiful, well maintained home.

Everyone has heard the saying “plant a tree for your tomorrow.” It’s also possible to increase your property values by planting a tree. Full trees can increase the value by up to $1,000.

TIP! Are you looking to improve your home? When you want to personalize your space you can use things you already own to inspire you. Purchase some decorative frames that will match your existing decor.