5 Can’t Miss Home Renovation Projects
You’re looking to make some changes to your home, but you understand that not every project is worth pursing. Ideally, for every dollar you spend on renovations, it would be great if that dollar was added to the value of your home. Unfortunately, the current economic climate means you’ll be hard-pressed to recover your investment. However, there are five can’t miss home renovation projects that if completed according to plan will add value to your home and make it more marketable when it comes time to sell according to the Remodeling website.
1. Attic bedroom. If you already have an attic, then you have the bones for a new room in place. You may need to run electrical and heating lines, put up drywall, update the windows and lay down flooring. What you’ll end up with is a much-needed room for your teen and a home that has a bonus shoppers will take note of when you’re ready to sell.
2. Deck addition. Outdoor living space is prized by today’s families, especially decks as these are relatively low-maintenance additions. An annual cleaning and occassional resealing is all that is needed. Decks can extend your living space outward for a cost that is much lower than a Florida room or porch.
3. New siding. Regular painting of a home gets expensive. Insteading of repainting once every five years, why not install quality siding that matches the character of your home? For some homes that would be vinyl for others it would be brickface. In addition to decreasing maintenance costs, you want siding that will improve your home’s appearance and perhaps lower your utility bills.
4. Kitchen update. You don’t have to gut the kitchen to realize an improvement in your home’s value. A smaller job involving the replacement of counter tops, cabinet faces, flooring and appliances can make your kitchen look like new. You’ll spend less, but still come away with a kitchen you’ll like and one that can be a magnet for future home shoppers.
5. Replacement windows. Aged and leaky windows are a turn off and can cost you money. New windows, whether these are vinyl or wood, can add value to your home. New windows look better and can help lower your energy bills.
Will you recoup every dollar you put into your home? No, especially if you hire someone to do the work for you. Labor costs must be factored in and will only allow you to regain some of that money. Indeed, if you choose an attic update, you’ll get back approximately 72 cents for each dollar invested. If you want to come out ahead, then do the work yourself or put in that steel front door — you’ll get $1.02 back for every dollar spent.
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Bathroom Renovation: How to Go About It?
Bathrooms are much more than a water-tight box; they are being designed as thoughtfully as the rest of the home in the present world. Usually a lot of home owners think about renovating their bathroom only if the shower becomes slippery or the colour of the walls fades away or there are water-stains all over it. But some aesthetic people would want to re-design or remodel their bathroom for just making it look modern and attractive.
Why Bathroom Renovation
There are a lot of people who prioritise remodeling their living areas over their bathroom because they want to hear praise from others about their patio or living room. Bathroom remodeling is for people who love themselves more and care less about what others think about their home. However, good resale value and appeal are two of the main reasons to go for a kitchen or bathroom remodeling. So if you are looking forward to remodel your bathroom you must keep the following things in mind; needs versus space and budget limitations – work through your renovation needs and plans and allocate a budget accordingly. This would keep you from over-spending.
Keeping Renovation Costs Within Budget
Bathrooms are one of the most expensive rooms of the home to remodel. So allocating a budget would make things clear in the beginning and you do not end up paying huge debts for remodeling the smallest room of your home. If your wallet is tight, you mus try doing it on your own, but if you have no budget constraint, you can always hire a handyman London for the remodeling project.
Make a prior estimation of all material and labor costs. Hire a professional contractor or experienced handyman. The professional that you hire must be licensed, insured and he should be able to build your vision. You must share with him your wants for the new bathroom remodel. Maintain transparency with the contractor regarding your budget for the remodeling project, to make things easy on both sides.
Is it just remodeling or updating appliances? You must be sure if you want to upgrade your electronic appliances or you just want to change the color of the walls. Some people would like to make their bathroom bigger so they demolish the structure and begin from scratch. The others would want to re-design that little space as they do not want to overspend. Hardwood tiles and flooring are in vogue, so a lot of people would try to replace their flooring.
Look what is your requirement and work things out accordingly. Ask for a remodeling quote prior to finalising any contract with the remodeling company or the contractor. While remodeling, make sure that aesthetics must not overshadow safety and functionality in the bathroom. Always be prepared to handle any unexpected situation that crops up.
Home Improvement Preparation Tips
If you’re planning a home improvement project this year there are several things you’ll want to take care of being starting your project. Arranging financing and hiring a contractor are givens, but there is one matter that should be handled before anyone sets foot on your property and that would included preparing your home first with a thorough clean down and discard of unneeded items.
Let’s take a look at how you can prepare your home for the improvement you have planned:
1. Throw it out — Whether you’re renovating a small den, a family room or kitchen, or the entire house, use this time as an “excuse” to throw out what you do not need. The “throwing out” part can take several angles: hauling stuff to the dump, holding a garage or yard sale, or calling up a local charity that might be glad to relieve you of your useful used items. If you donate it, get a receipt for your taxes.
2. Take an inventory — The rooms under renovation will soon look very different. Will the furniture that is in those rooms “fit” with the improved area or will these be replaced too? As with the first step you may want to donate or sell what you don’t need. Consider touching up what you plan to keep too — that couch looks tired, but it can look brand new with a new slipcover.
3. Store your stuff — Once you have gotten rid of the clutter and have disposed of what you don’t need, the rest of your stuff will need to be stored. Your attic, basement and garage are places where these items can go and a shed may work out if it is in good shape and has room. Get boxes, bags and storage containers to hold all of your stuff while the renovation is underway. Seal everything tightly and check up on your stuff too to make sure that critters aren’t using your storage as a nest.
4. Get cleaning — You’ll be cleaning after the home improvement job is done, but you should clean in advance too. That means dusting, vacuuming, wiping down surfaces and leaving the room spotless. Cleaning in advance gives you less work to do later. And, it keeps dirt from mixing in with paint, wallpaper, dry wall and other work that will be done as your home is renovated.
Once the home improvement project is done you can give your home a final clean up before bringing everything out from storage. The key, of course, is to have less stuff in your home than before and all that preparation you did has helped you to reduce what you really do not need.
View more home improvement ideas in our BLOG-magazine
You Can Renovate Your Stairs
Live in any home long enough and you’ll be undertaking repairs, perhaps a major renovation. One area of the home that is easy to overlook is its stairs, particularly those that lead from the first floor to the second floor.
If your home’s stairs are in terrible shape, only an entirely new staircase may help. That project is expensive, one where you’ll probably have to call in a team of professionals to handle it.
You can renovate your stairs on your own, a project that may be as simple as bringing out a hammer, some nails and a sheet of sand paper to start. Follow these steps to make your staircase a showcase:
1. Inspect each step. Bring along your hammer and walk up each step, hammering in any nail that isn’t flush with the stairs. Replace broken or bent nails with nails of the same size as needed.
2. Fix cracks. You may be able to save the stair’s tread by using a filler to fix cracks. Ask the Builder’s Tim Carter recommends that homeowners first insert “expanding urethane glue or a heavy-bodied epoxy” in the crack and top it with wood filler. Use stain or epoxy to make the crack disappear. You’ll need to sand the tread first and then follow the other steps.
3. Tighten treads and risers. Stairs are made up of three main parts: stringers, which hold the stairs in place; treads that you walk on and risers that are perpendicular to the treads and support each tread. Tom Silva of This Old House magazine, notes that glue and or nails often holds these pieces together. Plan to scrape off the old glue before applying a new coat of glue. If you have access to underneath the stairs, you can tighten the stairs that way too.
4. Baluster and railing — The wood spindles holding up the railing are called balusters. These may need tightening, especially if screws are already present. Or, you can add new screws to secure each one. The post at the bottom of the stair is a newel post and that can be best secured by refastening it to the stair stringer. Install screws to connect and use gorilla glue to hold in place.
When sanding, you’ll want to carefully remove debris, something you can accomplish with a damp towel or a vacuum. Stairs should be completely dry before applying your first coat of stain. Follow the directions on your can of stain to know when to apply your second coat. Once your done, your stairs should look like new and perhaps you have saved yourself from an expensive and unnecessary renovation.
How to Declutter a Closet
Are you still looking for those black open toe shoes you wore last fall? That’s understandable if your closet has swallowed your shoes, clothes and everything else.
Closet clutter can lead to frustration and extra time spent looking for items that should be placed front and center. You can take control of your closet and find those black shoes and everything else that is missing step by step:
1. Open and remove. Open your cluttered closet and remove everything from it. Everything but the shelves and light fixture, that is! Please note that not everything you take out will go back in.
2. Review and separate. Determine to declutter at once by putting to the side anything that you will not wear again. Place these items in boxes or bags that will be taken to your local thrift store. Those shiny red pumps you wore to the club back in the 1980s won’t be coming back in style — mark these and other dated clothing for the thrift store.
3. Hangars and boxes. If you don’t already have enough hangars and storage boxes, then you’ll need to assemble those items before returning anything to the closet. Create an order for hanging your stuff. Seasonal clothing should not be placed back in the closet — put those in marked boxes and store in a safe place elsewhere in your home such as in your attic. Hang shirts with shirts, pants with pants, blouses with blouses and so on. Short sleeve shirts should be separated from long sleeve shirts. You can also group by colors and styles. Come up with a system that is right for you.
4. Organize your shoes. By now, you should have found your famous open toe black shoes. If not, then check with a friend who might have borrowed them…. Anyway, the shoes you keep should be placed on a shoe rack. If you don’t have one, then go buy one. Get rid of those shoes that were never really comfortable and any pair that are well worn and simply won’t get worn again. Keep only those shoes you know you will wear over the next year. Donate the rest.
5. Boxes and tote bins. — With everything hung in place, you’ll still have items left over that won’t be going to the thrift store and don’t belong in your attic. Clear totes are an excellent place to store items such as sweaters, winter gear, hats and other items you don’t use as much. Choose clear so that you can see in them. Place totes on shelves or if you have room on the floor they can go there. As far as boxes go, reserve these for select items such as belts, shoe laces, purses and other items you won’t be needing too often. Label boxes to identify what is in them.
If your organization plans fall apart, consider investing in a closet organizing system. Such systems can make excellent use of a small area, allowing you to keep what you want and have where you can find it.
How to Choose a Cordless Drill
If you recently bought your first home or are a longer term owner considering what tools to have on hand, a cordless drill should be a part of your power equipment inventory. In addition to other cordless devices such as screwdrivers, lawn edgers, hedge trimmers and garden sheers, a cordless drill can be taken anywhere and help you get the job done with the right amount of torque and no cumbersome wires to trip you up.
Let’s take a look on how to choose the right drill for your needs:
Battery Voltage — When choosing a cordless drill you’ll come across different products, with many claiming to do the same thing. You can cut to the chase by ranking your choices based upon battery voltage — the greater the voltage the more power you’ll have for boring holes. The top of the line models offer 18V power, but the trade off for these is that they weigh more. You may find that a 12V drill is sufficient for your needs and at the right weight too.
Battery Choices — Battery technology has been changing and this is important because battery life and recharging times have improved. Nicad or nickel-cadmium batteries were once the standard, but these are being replaced by nickel-metal-hydride or NiMH batteries. NiMH batters are smaller, lighter and more environmentally friendly. Be mindful that quick charge batteries, although convenient, tend to wear out faster. Smart chargers, however, employ technology that can give you a quick recharge in under 10 minutes without damaging the battery.
Get a Grip — Figure that grip will be very important to you especially if you have a lot of work to do around the house. Choose one with a T-handle to get the best grip, avoiding pistol grip cordless drills that are difficult to manage in tight spaces.
Single or Double Speed — The lowest cost drills have a single speed, while most of the better drills have two speeds — low and high. At low speeds, a drill is sufficient for driving screws. For drilling holes, a high speed setting is best. Compare models to find one that suits your drilling and driving needs.
Shop Around — There are many places where you can search for a drill including at hardware stores, home centers and online through an Internet retailer. If you’re planning to buy online, take into consideration shipping costs when comparing prices. You’ll also want to examine the retailer’s return policy and product guarantee too.
Other factors to consider when searching for a cordless drill is its clutch and whether multiple settings are present, a forward/reverse switch and that it comes with a keyless chuck.
5 Mortgage Tips For 2012
Not all homeowners will renovate their homes, with some people choosing to upgrade to a new home instead of undertaking a time-consuming and costly renovation. With home prices down nearly across the board, buying a home now can be a sensible alternative to renovating your current residence.
Just like seeking a home improvement loan, there are some things you should be aware of when seeking a mortgage. We’ll already assume that you have good credit as reflected in your current credit score. If not, then buying a new home now should take a back seat to remedying your credit.
1. What you can afford — You’ll be selling one house to buy another one, but can you afford to pay two mortgages if your current house doesn’t sell? The home you want could be a steal or it may end up being a financial albatross around your neck if you must carry two mortgages. Be realistic about your finances and take into consideration certain worst case scenarios including an unsold home and a loss of income.
2. Be ready to move forward — Once you’ve decided to buy a home and have applied for a mortgage, you’ll want to quickly gather together your paperwork. This means copying the last two years of your tax returns, pulling together your W2 forms, making copies of your bank statements and submitting whatever other paperwork is required. Why the need for speed? For two reasons — nervous homeowners want to know that you are mortgage-ready before proceeding and mortgage interest rates can change if you dally. At the moment, rates are historically low, but financial problems in Europe, America’s debt problems and other local, national and global tensions could quickly drive rates up.
3. The long and short of loan terms — Do you really want or need to finance for 30 years? If you’ve owned you home for many years, you may feel as if you’re starting over with a 30-year mortgage. As long as you have plenty of equity built up in the home that you are selling and/or have other money to bring to the table, there is no reason why a 15-year loan can’t do it for you. You’ll enjoy a slightly lower interest rate and be done with your mortgage sooner. Some lenders offer 5-, 10- and 20-year mortgages too. Find one that meets your needs — obtain the best mortgage deal that you can.
4. Follow through on your application — Mortgage lending has tightened considerably in recent years, which means that some people with good credit are not getting approved for a home loan. If one lender turns you down, don’t assume another lender will do likewise. Explain your situation to a prospective lender and be honest why your application elsewhere was rejected. That information is readily available anyway, therefore take the intiative and see your loan application through until it has been approved.
5. Be satisfied with your appraisal — The home that you are selling and the home that you are buying should be appraised to your satisfication. If an appraisal comes in too low, you can dispute its findings. This is particularly important in markets where foreclosures dominate and are pulling down home prices. As a buyer, too, your appraisal needs to pass muster otherwise your lender could turn down your loan. Be prepared to challenge an appraisal or find a different lender.
Buying and selling a home in 2012 is certainly far different than what it was in 2007. Knowing what challenges you face today can help ensure your success as you seek to make the transition to a new home.
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