With the right information, you can make all of your home improvement projects a success. In this article, you will find helpful advice and tips on how to get the most out of potential projects in your home. Use these tips to make your dream home a reality.
Adding big value to your home can be accomplished with even the smallest of improvements. If you are considering selling your home, you might want to think about improving it in a few small ways. A good example is a clean coat of interior and exterior paint. This simple fix will cost only $100 or $200, but can increase your equity up to $1,000.
You can decrease energy costs and still have a well-lit exterior by switching out your always-on lighting system for one that is motion-activated. With the motion sensor on most models you can make adjustments to the sensitivity, and they can be manually turned on.
Putting weatherstripping in your home will ensure that you will have a better energy footing. This is an inexpensive material purchased at the home improvement store, and seals out exterior cold and hot air to stabilize inner temperatures so that your heater and cooling systems do not need to work as hard. You won’t experience drafts on cool, breezy nights, either.
The commercially available shades for your lamp tend to be mundane and lack creativity. You could easily create an original lamp sage with some acrylic paint and some stencils. This will give your rooms some personality, taking away from the reality of how boring an ordinary lamp shade can be.
Pop the bubbles in an old vinyl covering on your floor if you can. Just cut it with a knife and let the air out. Cutting it will make the bubble go down. To mitigate the problem long-term, you will need to attach the section you just repaired to the floor with some fresh glue. Glue, prepackaged in syringes, is perfect for this job.
A touch of spackle and a little paint will freshen up walls that look the worse for wear due to lots of nail and hanger holes. You can buy spackle at any home improvement store. Only a small bit of spackle is needed to cover small holes. You can fill the small holes by applying the spackle with the end part of any bobby pin. Once it dries try smoothing the hole with a card so that it is flush. Top with paint. This will allow you to get rid of holes in your walls quickly.
You can really spice things up with a uniquely made coffee table vs a pre-made standard one. An old trunk or chest look great in the center of a living room and provide storage, also. Place some books, magazines and other odds and ends on top of the coffee table to give it a unique look. You could even add a small tablecloth and dainty tea cups to create a country look.
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. You must be very careful with these types of projects. You don’t want to spark a gas explosion.
Attaching a couple of PVC pipes is pretty easy to do if you have PVC cement and primer. You should always use products made for this type of material. Furthermore, the pipe surfaces must be completely dry.
Decorative Pillows
Replacing a roof is one of the most expensive projects a homeowner can do. Get estimates from at least three roofing companies and be sure to check their references. There are quite a few different things to consider with roofing like getting tile, metal or just a traditional wooden roof. Have your contractor help you make a decision.
You can make decorative pillows easily. Make your own decorative pillows by putting cool designs on them. These are great additions to any teen’s room and offer a boost of personality.
Paining the walls can make any dull-looking home look brand new. A whole room can look better with new paint. This is very inexpensive to do, yet can significantly increase a home’s value. Consider using light colors that will brighten up your home and blend well with existing decor.
Padding sharp corners of furniture is a small improvement you can make that is especially important if you have young children. Corner protectors can be bought from a local store, or you can just use foam tape on sharp edges. As well, make sure you tape wires to the floor or wall so young children do not play with them and accidentally strangle themselves.
Get an electrician to put an outlet in a cabinet above where your microwave will be. This can make plugging your microwave in really easy, and the cord won’t be easily visible. A small project such as this will keep you from having a cord dangling overhead.
Adding windows and incorporating light into your room can create a more spacious feel. To make your ceilings look higher, place the drapes, curtain rods and valances on the wall that is above the windows.
Using analogous colors in a peaceful spot in your home is a good idea. Analogous colors are those in the color wheel that are near each other, like orange and red, yellow and green, or purple and blue. A room that has an analogous colors tend to be more relaxing and restful, making it suitable for a bedroom or family room.
If your home has reduced water pressure, it could be a simple or complex problem, but there are a few things you can do to find out. Start by consulting with your neighbors and see if they’re experiencing the same problem. If not, then the problem is in your home. You should then check all of your faucets, to see if the pressure is a house-wide issue. A single faucet with poor pressure may only need an aerator adjustment; a house-wide problem may require professional assistance.
Make sure you have the rewiring and plumbing handled in a home improvement venture before moving onto anything else. Repairs of this kind usually will have you tearing into the walls of your home, so you should do that before anything else. Additionally, it’s much easier and less costly to get your plumbing and electrical maintentance done when walls are already torn open.
Color Scheme
A great time to approach home improvement projects is during a slumping real estate market. During this time, professional contractors may have difficulty finding consistent work. As a result, many are willing to offer competitive pricing and discounts. There is no expiration dates on home improvement. But, renovations made in a slump will become more valuable when the housing market rebounds.
Choose a color scheme that already exists in a room. Whether it’s the upholstery fabric, the drapes, or a rug, look at the colors that you already have, and then base your color scheme around that. For example, a green rug with hints of yellow and red can be a great basis for your color scheme. The remaining two colors can serve as accent colors.
Most of the home improvements that you need done can be done on your own. However, if the job is extensive and requires professional experience, then a contractor is necessary. You might be able to paint, do simple repairs to your plumbing, and other things without professional assistance. Do the work yourself and save some money.
One great way to improve safety and aesthetics is by replacing doorknobs. This type of project takes up minimal time. A screwdriver is the most complex tool you require. Then pick up a new knob and get the job done.
One way to spruce up your home, and increase the resell value, is to add attractive landscaping features. Add nice flowers, shrubs, plants, vines, mulches and other nice stones to make your landscape look better. Incorporating a good landscape in your house can increase first impressions about it and it will also increase your house’s value.
Before you let a contractor loose on your home, check his insurance status. If they damage your house without insurance, you are going to need to take them to course in order to get reparaations for that. Simply ask the contractor for insurance proof.
If you are tackling a project near your water pipes or something involving the water supply itself, turn your water off. Knowing where the different water shut-off valves are in your home is extremely important. If you need to disassemble the bathroom sink, for example, you want to head off the possibility of a flood by turning off the water supply before you get to work.
Before you try to remove your popcorn ceiling, have it tested to make sure there is not asbestos in it. Asbestos is extremely harmful, and it requires special care and skilled professionals to remove and dispose of it properly as it causes serious problems when disturbed. A ceiling that contains asbestos should be removed by professionals with special equipment for doing so.
Stucco happens to be a good alternative when replacing the siding on the outside of your home. Stucco is a great material because it stands up to almost any weather and will last. You may need to have help installing it on the outside of your home because you need to employ the use of forms.
Installing carpet into your hallways and other high-traffic paths could end up becoming costly. If you have light colored carpet in high traffic areas of your home, you can count on it to have visible wear and tear in a very short period of time. You will need to replace it frequently. Instead, add tile, linoleum or other wear resistant and dirt resistant materials.
You can improve the windows in your home. A little revamp to them will go a long way. Double hung windows should be used in any home improvement projects. These are not cheap but will save you in the long run on energy costs. Not to mention, you are improving your home’s security. If you could not afford to purchase new windows, you can try to repaint your window frames, as well as adding new curtains or blinds.
Now that you’ve come to the end of this article, it’s time to gather the supplies you need for your project. If you get hung up on any project, review this article for a fresh mental spark.
Every spring, check your roof for any signs of damage. Check shingles for curling or blistering and replace any that show damage. Resolving minor issues as they occur will prevent your from having any major issues later.
