Tag / front door

by Ted

Creative Ideas For A Variety Of Home Improvement Project

Home improvement projects may need to be done if the growth of your family warrants a better place. The possibilities of what you can do are endless. This article should teach you a few tips about home improvement and increase the value of your house.

Sometimes, it takes only a small investment in order to improve your house’s value. When you are hoping to sell your home, a couple of small improvements should be considered. A bright and colorful coat of paint can add visual interest to any room or exterior. Weekend job like these are low-cost and can enhance the value of your home.

Think about putting in matching metal fixtures if you want to change the look of your bathroom. It is possible to find a wide range of shower curtain rods, cabinetry pulls and towel racks to suit almost any taste. Many retailers offer such fixtures in packages with coordinating patterns and colors which can all be in place within a few hours of starting this simple improvement project.

TIP! If you’d like to make an old bathroom look modern and new, look into buying matching metal fixtures. There are lots of different finishes and styles available in drawer pulls, shower curtain rods, toilet paper holders and towel racks.

Ceiling Fans

When it comes to managing your home during the summer, use all of the fans that you can. Ceiling fans are great for increased circulation and cooling. Using room and ceiling fans can help reduce the amount of energy you use running an air conditioner, lowering your electric bill.

If you are going to buy some furniture make sure they are simply colored. If you choose a love seat with an elaborate floral print pattern, you just decided on your home decor in advance. Accessories are an inexpensive and easily changed way to give neutral, solid-colored furniture an injection of pattern and color. Add pillows and throw blankets in a variety of patterns and colors for an interesting mix and match effect.

TIP! Avoid busy patterns on all recliners, sofas and chairs when you choose furniture for your home. Doing so may lock you in to a certain style in your home.

If you are not bound financially, install the real hard wood flooring, rather than the laminate. Laminate looks like real wood but it cannot be refinished. Choosing the cheaper option will mean that it will have to be replaced sooner, whereas quality materials can last for decades.

When you are considering home improvement, think about your surroundings so your improvements make sense. Examples of nonsensical improvements include non-insulated sun rooms in Michigan, and uncovered decks in Arizona; basically anything that causes potential buyers to think about whether you have made other odd choices while maintaining the house. Do what you want within the bounds of reason.

Install peepholes on your doors. You should know who is at your door before you open it! This easy-to-install project is an inexpensive home improvement. A drill is required and you can finish the project in less than a day. Having a peephole will avoid the apprehension you feel when opening the door to a potential stranger.

TIP! Place peepholes on your doors. Before letting anyone in, see who is lurking outside.

Drive nail holes in the rim of your paint can! A common problem that occurs with paint cans is that paint spills from the can as the lid is replaced, thanks to a channel in the can. Driving several holes in the circumference of the lid should do the trick.

Buy some clear plastic storage boxes to help you organize the clutter in your garage. Label your plastic boxes, and make sure they’re stack-able. This allows you to keep your garage organized while keeping bugs and rodents at bay.

Start thinking about ideas on how you would like to improve your home. If you have a lot of ideas in mind, the easier it will be when a decision has to be made. When you remove the rush to make decisions in the midst of a project, you’ll feel more relaxed during the process.

TIP! Try getting ideas now for your home improvement projects. When you stay on the lookout for projects that you think could work in your home, you give yourself many options from which to choose when it comes time to decide on which home improvement projects you want to undertake.

Front Door

If you think about it, it should be obvious why a good front door can make a property up to 10% more valuable. Update the appearance of your entire house by installing a brand new doorknob and matching lock to your front door.

Add a coat of glaze to bathrooms to give them a vibrant look. An old, worn bathroom can look new and shiny with a coat of fresh glaze. Adding new bathroom fixtures can be expensive, but glaze generally will cost a couple of hundred dollars. It can improve the look and the value of the home while not spending much money.

TIP! Add a coat of glaze to bathrooms to give them a vibrant look. A glaze can brighten up a dingy bathroom, and can take it from looking worn to shiny and clean.

Planning for home maintenance expenses when setting up a household budget makes it much easier to keep up with projects as they are needed. Your home will look better and stay trouble free if you actually spend a little on it each year. If money remains at year’s end, it can be put toward upgrades or major renovations down the road.

When planning a landscaping project, you should take the style of your home into consideration. For example, the addition of a garden, stone walkway or patio that clashes with the design of your home looks as if it was haphazardly thrown together, while one that is well planned and complementary to your home gives your property a put-together look.

If you think the front of your home lacks style or character, think about buying a pergola and installing it. This popular garden fixture has become increasingly popular among homeowners for its natural, rich appearance and tendency to create shaded, romantic areas of tranquility. A bit of help from friends and a pergola kit can make it easy to install your pergola in as little as a weekend.

TIP! A pergola is an excellent way to add a little pizzazz to your outside space; so if the front yard of your home needs a little character, consider putting in a pergola. With its rich, natural wooden look, a pergola is perfect for adding shade, visual interest and texture to the exterior of your home.

Finishing your home’s basement is, possibly, the best improvement to make. When you finish the basement, you are making extra space for your family. Purchase the materials needed from the different discount stores in your area. By putting in the work to finish your basement, you can increase the value of your home by as much as thirty percent.

Now that you are armed with a few solid tips to guide you, making a sound decision regarding home improvement should seem less daunting. Remember, quality home improvements to your home will not only allow you to have a more desirable space but will also improve the overall value of your home.

Motion-detecting lights are a valuable option when improving your home. This allows you to actually turn your lights off instead of having them on all night. As soon as something moves in front of the motion lights, they turn on. When it moves away, they turn off. Motion sensor lights can also help prevent intruders from entering your home.

TIP! When improving your home’s exterior, you could save money by adding motion detecting lights. These lights only come on when there is movement, which saves you money on electricity.

by Ted

Quick And Easy Home Improvement Projects For You

Learning more about home improvement will save you money and keep your house in good shape. The following information will let you know if it is worth tackling the project on your own or if it is best left to someone that does it for a living. When in doubt, the smart thing to do is call a professional.

There are many boring lampshades with no zest. With stencils, you can brighten them up. Use paint or an ink pad to add designs that be taken from a template, then add them to your boring lampshades. Spicing up your lamp shades will make a surprising difference in the personality of a room.

Go with real floors over laminate if you have the money. Laminate floors may look like real wood and be easier to clean, however they cannot be refinished. Choosing the cheaper option will mean that it will have to be replaced sooner, whereas quality materials can last for decades.

TIP! Brand new furniture, even from department stores, can break the budget. Instead of buying new you can get creative by finding unique pieces that are gently used.

You can easily make your own window screen replacement if you are not able to find one in the right size. All window sizes can be cut via frame kits and then you just have use cording to actual attach the screen. Your window may need a special screen type, but you can still make an external screen using adapters.

Front Door

You can use drywall mud to add texture and visual interest to your walls. This will also cover up any nicks or blemishes. This texturing process isn’t difficult. Just trowel the drywall mud in place and use something like a stiff bristled brush, a sponge, or even a wadded up plastic bag to dab at the drywall mud and add texture.

TIP! Vinyl is one of the best materials that you can use for tiling a floor. Vinyl flooring is simple to put in, durable and water resistant.

A new front door could increase significantly the value of your home, sometimes up to 10 percent. If you want to add a bit of pizzazz to your front door, update its knob and lock with one of the dozens of styles on the market.

If there’s no shower in your house, think about putting one in. Showers are more accessible than bathtubs, and they use less water. One five minute shower will use less water than it takes to fill a bath.

Safety is a very important part of any home improvement project. You might be surprised that they are safety risks in projects that seem straightforward, but the instructions for tools and products you use are meant to be followed for a reason. You can turn to online tutorials, if need be, for further information.

TIP! If you have a window screen that needs to be replaced, and are having trouble finding one that will fit your window, it is not hard to make it yourself. Frame kits are customizable to various sizes and are inexpensive to use.

One simple way to improve the look of your windows is by replacing your worn, old blinds. Over time, blinds become faded by the sun or damaged by little hands and paws or other mishaps. New blinds help to add a vibrant look to your home, as you should coordinate them with your home’s style.

Save Money

By repainting your walls, you can transform the look of a dreary, dated house. Changing the paint can change the entire look of the room. It does not cost much to repaint your walls and doing so can increase your home’s value. A good tip is to use light colors that look good with the decor of your home.

TIP! You can easily make your entrance look better and safer by replacing the knob on your door. This project shouldn’t take longer than an hour.

Install smoke alarms in your home to maintain safety and save money on insurance. The older your house, the more you’ll save. Smoke alarms can save money and your life.

Are you one of those people who enjoy the outdoors, but don’t care for the bugs that may come along with that experience? Think about adding screened porch space to your home. A screened enclosure gives your family a nice shaded and protected area that keeps the bugs out but lets the fresh air in. For added comfort you can install a ceiling fan.

Home improvement has much more to do with saving money than it does with spending money. You can save on electricity with newer appliances. Roof repairs and improved insulation also saves energy bills. Careful planning can help in the long run.

TIP! It can be inconvenient to live in a home that is undergoing a home improvement project. To minimize disturbances, work during times when no one is at home.

Install windows that have secondary glazing. They cost a bit more, but they dramatically reduce outside noise and energy costs. These windows will save you money over the life of your windows. They also make it easy to cool and heat your home.

If you hate painting and paneling, try wallpaper. Installing wallpaper is affordable and very easy. Depending on which wallpaper you select, it can be more difficult to take down, or easier, so use caution.

In the rooms with the most traffic, if you want to circulate air, use ceiling fans. You will not need to turn your air conditioner up as high and you will get warm air moving in the winter. Fans, in general, can easily switch directions in order to draw the air upward or downward according to your needs.

TIP! Use wallpaper and varnish to make a backsplash in your kitchen. Purchase a design that you enjoy when picking out wallpaper.

Find out how long you will stay in that house. If you do not plan on living there for very long, it does not really make much sense to spend thousands of dollars on changes. You should however not overlook maintenance, but any major improvements can be left to a long time owner.

Plan everything in advance before starting a home improvement project. The decisions about your budget, timing and the exact projects you want to do much be included in your plan to avoid going over budget and taking too much time on the projects.

Building a bar in your basement can be a home improvement project that you will pursue with joy. Designing a bar or designing anything from scratch can be very exciting. There’s no denying it–a bar of one’s own is an exciting and entertaining project for any home.

TIP! Whenever you consider re-staining your deck, you have many different types of stains to utilize. These stains come in a number of colors and bases.

Don’t forget to take safety into account when doing a home improvement project. You need these precautions so that you or your home are not injured. Make sure you read the manuals and watch tutorials for your power tools before starting any renovation projects.

When you are faced with lots of trees that can clutter your gutters, install a screen over the gutters to slow build-up. A gutter guard keeps leaves, sticks and other debris from filling your gutters needlessly. While you may have to maintain your gutters occasionally, it will greatly reduce the amount of debris that collects.

When woodworking, always use the proper equipment to take measurements or judge whether a surface is level – don’t rely on your eyes. Instead, be sure to use a tool like a measuring tape or a level. A speed square is also great.

TIP! Here is a helpful tip that can help with the problem of water that is too hard. Filter the water you need with a water softener.

Paint a room with decorative paint in order to give a dramatic effect to it without spending lots of money. It’s not expensive to buy paint and the supplies that go with it. There are a number of paint techniques can use, including fresco and ragging, both of which will turn your wall into a piece of art.

Steel Wool

In many areas, you’ll need approval from local government agencies or your homeowners’ association to do major home improvement work like putting up additions, adding a pool, or constructing outbuildings. If you do not know which steps you should take before making major changes to your home such as structural changes, it is best to have a professional help you.

TIP! Take a walk around your house, looking for home improvements you can make quickly and easily. Identifying air leaks is one example.

If you find a hole in your home, fill the hole with steel wool to detract mice. Steel wool is not something most rodents can chew through easily, so it gives you a temporary stop gap until schedule permits you a more permanent repair.

Roofs often need repairs, but you need to make sure the roofer you hire to take care of it is a reputable contractor. Ensure you find out if the roofer is reputable before hiring them. In order to find out about any potential problems, you can check online reviews from past clients and search for any complaints with the DCA (Dept. of Consumer Affairs) and the BBB (Better Business Bureau).

Organize your projects if you have a lot of different ones to do. For example, if your home improvement project involves replacing the floor and the cabinets in your kitchen, you would want to replace the cabinets first. By beginning with the cabinets, any debris that falls down will only land on the floor you’re about to replace. Create a plan and get started today.

TIP! Use a cheque to pay your contractor in case he does a shoddy job, this way you can put a stop on it. By doing this, you can assure you aren’t getting scammed.

As stated earlier, you need to understand your limitations before tackling home improvement projects. If you use the information given in this article, you’re less likely to make costly mistakes. Don’t regret not asking for help if you need it.

by Ted

Get The Job Done Right With These Home Improvement Tips

When it’s time to do home improvement work, you definitely want high-quality results. But, there are many things to keep in mind. You must do all work while putting safety first. Don’t know where to start with a home improvement project? Fear not! In this article, we offer some excellent home improvement tips.

Weather stripping is important to include around your windows for energy efficiency. This is a cheap method to make your home more energy efficient. You won’t experience drafts on cool, breezy nights, either.

If you have the available funds you should choose real hard wood floors rather than laminate. While laminate flooring looks like wood and requires less maintenance and cleaning, you cannot refinish this type of flooring. In 10-20 years, you will find that your floors need to be replaced and cannot be refinished.

TIP! If you are looking to reduce you energy costs, you could change your lighting system to operate on motion sensors. You can still turn the light on manually when you need to, and most models also let you fine tune the sensitivity.

To lower the electric costs associated to illuminating your yard, you can change your regular light to one that contains a motion sensor. It is still possible to turn the light on manually, and the sensitivity is adjustable.

Before you paint any walls, make sure you cover any electrical outlets with aluminum foil. It’s easier to apply than tape and will protect outlet covers from spills and splatters. It is so easy to clean up! Let paint dry prior to removing the foil.

When improving your home, take the character of the neighborhood into consideration. A Victorian house is going to stand out blaringly on a block that only has saltbox cottages. Your remodeling plans should compliment your house and the neighborhood and not clash.

TIP! Texturing walls using drywall mud can add visual interest and cover up many blemishes. It is easy to texture.

Take the time to shop for the best deals in home improvement supplies. This can help you avoid over-spending on expensive items. It can cost a lot of money to install a new floor, so be sure to shop around to find the best deals. Discount supply stores are very valuable as they can help you save a lot of money.

Before doing any renovations on your home, check out some open houses. There, you can see how others have been using the newest colors and styles to decorate their homes. Many model homes even hire a decorator to include window coverings and furniture to complete the effect, so you can copy the ones you like best and skip a lot of trial and error when updating your own home.

While painting, remember to protect the floors. In this way, you can avoid damaging your carpeting and flooring. A cheap way to get this done is using old newspapers in your layers. A paint cloth works well too, as you simply need to create a barrier to prevent the paint from hitting the floor.

TIP! When it comes time to purchase furnishings, shy away from living room pieces that have active patterns in the upholstery. Upholstery with complex patterns such as floral prints or geometric shapes will make it hard for you to find decor that matches.

If you want to use a wood fireplace to heat your home, you should understand that it is not the best idea. Apart from aesthetic reasons, this type of system is also quite inefficient because most of the heat ends up going through the chimney. Keeping the fire going requires lots of oxygen, too, which might necessitate ventilation that can reduce or even cancel out the fireplace’s heating effect.

You can use a coat rack that is mounted on your wall for a place to hang and display any of your bracelets or necklaces. It is important to keep your valuable jewelry out of sight and only hang jewelry on the rack that is not of the highest value. Jewelry that is displayed nicely can be a lovely decorative touch to any room. This method has the added benefit of keeping your pieces free from tangles and knots. Make sure that the jewelry you tend to wear the most is still handy.

Using the right tools will make a huge difference while you work on your home improvement task. Using proper tools makes it easy to do the job right the first time without unnecessary effort. Having the right understanding of how the tools are used will also make for better outcomes.

TIP! Two-liter bottles can be used in your kitchen as storage containers. You can see what’s inside, be it salt or beans.

If you have been wanting interesting wall decor, you don’t need to spend a lot of cash to get the job done. Choose tiles in two complementary or contrasting colors, such as blue and green, and arrange them in an interesting mosaic-style pattern on the wall to create your own original work of art.

Purchase the best supplies for your home improvement project. It does involve a more expensive up-front cost, but you won’t spend as much money over time. In general, quality products tend to have a longer life and can better go through wear and tear. Since tools are so pricey, you want to avoid having to get new ones all the time.

If you desire to replace your window screen but you could not find a window that fits, it is easy to make one. You can cut a frame kit to any size of window. After that, it is a simple matter of screen attachment with cording and a cheap tool. While some windows require a specific type of screen, you can add any type of screen by using an adapter.

TIP! Don’t neglect the bathroom when you’re going to sell your house. Living rooms and bedrooms can be custom styled by buyers, but you need your bathrooms to be in really good condition.

Front Door

A new front door could increase significantly the value of your home, sometimes up to 10 percent. New hardware and a fresh coat of paint allow you to update your front door inexpensively.

Be sure you properly install ventilation or windows in the bathroom. Humidity can cause a lot of damage to a bathroom. You’ll be dealing with mold regardless of whether you paint over it or not. You need to take precautionary measures to stop it from ever growing. Put in a fan and clear the air for good.

TIP! Talk to your neighbors regarding drainage for a big landscaping project. You will want to get rid of all water from your property.

While a good home improvement project adds value to your home, you should never forget about safety. Learn what you can about the job before you do it. What’s holding you back? Apply what you’ve just learned to improve your home.