Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Save Money On Home Improvement With These Helpful Tips

So you are feeling a bit dejected about your home. Many people go through periods where they want to rip everything out and start over, or they just want to move. The thing is, you can always make your home better. Why not try out a few of the tips in this article?

Minor home improvements have a small but cumulative effect on property value. Setting and achieving modest goals for repair and improvement projects is a good way to keep home value moving upwards. These "little fixes" are cheaper and faster than major renovations and can even make a fun leisure activity for the handy homeowner.

Replace old and outdated sliding glass patio doors with french doors. The look is bold and modern, something that new buyers will really appreciate. It's the kind of small touch that is quick, easy, and inexpensive but will give you the most bang for your hard earn buck.

An easy and cost effective way to spruce up your home is by painting the interior. To estimate the amount of paint you need, you have to calculate the square footage of the walls. Simply multiply the length of the wall by its height. One gallon of paint will cover approximately 350 square feet. Bear in mind that you may need two coats of paint, depending on what color you are painting over.

To save on your electric bill, try switching from regular light switches to dimmer switches. Dimmer switches allow you to select how much light you want to use in a particular room. By doing so, you can use less electricity to light a whole room, and add a sense of mood as well.

If lubricant alone doesn't solve your door squeaking problems, try using wire wool. Simply remove the hinge from the door and dismantle it by removing the pin in the center.. Wipe away any dirt, rust, and any other excess debris with the wool and replace the hinge pin and return the hinge to the door. Then apply lubricant.

Patch the holes in your walls with toothpaste! Yes, this is definitely a temporary cover up but it works to hide an ugly hole until you can come up with the materials for a more permanent fix. Use white toothpaste and trowel it into the hole with a butter knife.

Think about installing solar energy panels on your roof for a home improvement that pays for itself. The initial investment is high, but it pays for itself in short order. You will be drawing from the electricity that is stored by your solar system and lower every electric bill. This is a great, natural method for providing power to your home.

If you have a lot of dirt in your backyard or garden, you can easily make your own pathways using pavers and stones. You don't need to use any concrete, just lay your stones in a nice design or pattern in the area you need it to cover. This can provide a nice and balanced look to your garden, as well as keeping your shoes dirt free.

If you have wood or faux-wood paneling in your home, consider refinishing it rather than getting rid of it in a renovation. Removing the old paneling requires having it hauled away, while new wall covering must be brought in. Wood paneling can be easily sanded down and the voids filled in with drywall compound.

Before investing in plants for the inside of your home, take a few minutes to do your homework. Many popular houseplants are actually toxic to animals and people. Rather than selecting a plant solely on the basis of its appearance, consider whether or not young children or pets will be within reach of the plants' leaves or flowers.

If you find yourself falling in love with a particular pattern of wallpaper but find that it's either out of your price range or not quite durable enough for high-traffic areas, consider buying a roll of it anyway for decorative purposes. You can easily have it matted and framed, or can keep it around the house for smaller, more craft-type projects.

Grimy, cracked shower doors can ruin the overall look and feel of a bathroom. By removing these eyesores and installing treated, all-glass doors, you can instantly make the room appear infinitely more spacious and modern - not to mention more appealing for future prospective buyers if you decide to sell.

Make sure that you check your local building codes and get proper permits before you embark on any major remodeling project. Building codes and permits are meant to ensure that a specific building project adheres to safety standards. If a project does not follow building codes, there is a risk that the project may be unsafe.

You need to make sure you think about the paint before any other projects are attempted in the room. It is a lot easier to paint before the floor is installed. No matter how well you try to protect your new floor, it will be almost impossible to avoid getting paint on it.

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.

It can cost a lot of money to replace a roof. Get estimates from at least three roofing companies and be sure to check their references. Whether you want composite shingles, lightweight tile, metal, or wood shake on your roof, you'll have a lot of choices. Have your contractor 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.

It's important to find a trustworthy roofer when your roof needs repair. Researching the company is important before signing a contract. 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).

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.

There are few tasks more satisfying than improving your home. Each improvement brightens your day or makes everyday life easier. You will be proud when friends or relatives visit and notice what you have done. So why not find a little time to carry out one or two of the suggestions that you've just read about? You'll be glad that you did.

No comments:

Post a Comment