Posts Tagged ‘Home Services’

5 Minor Renovations to Upgrade Your Home

February 3rd, 2011

Many homeowners would love to remodel certain areas of their home, but simply do not have the money to do so. Depending on the difficulty of the project and the contractor you enlist for help, a standard kitchen or bathroom remodel can cost upwards from $25,000! Most of us don’t have that kind of money to spend on our homes, but that doesn’t mean we have to settle for what we already have. There are many budget-friendly renovations that homeowners can do on their own to bring new life into outdated rooms. Here are 5 minor renovations that make a major difference:

  • Refinishing Cabinets and Painting Doors: The cabinets in your kitchen or bathrooms can often be refinished easily, especially if they are made of wood or plywood. A fresh coat of paint can make even the oldest cabinets look like new without the cost of replacement. Painting the front door of the home creates an attractive new color can create a much needed focal point to an overall boring or outdated landscape. » Read more: 5 Minor Renovations to Upgrade Your Home

Contracting a Home Gym

January 24th, 2011

A healthy lifestyle is not complete without exercise, yet many people avoid this requirement for one reason or another. If you think you don’t have the time or if you don’t have the money to pay the outrageous fees they charge at many gyms, we have a solution for you. Consider building a gym in the privacy and comfort of your own home. You will be able to fit your workouts in when it is convenient for you, and after the initial cost of creating the gym, it is free to use. If you are ready to get serious about your lifestyle goals, a home gym is a good place to start, and with the help of an honest contractor, you could have your gym up and running in no time at all. » Read more: Contracting a Home Gym

Hiring a General Contractor

January 18th, 2011

Half of the stress that comes from having a repair or improvement done to your home involves dealing with the contractor. Many of us have heard the horror stories that come from choosing the wrong company, and you may have heard the warnings about using a contractor that uses subcontractors to get the job done. A subcontractor is someone that your contracting company may hire to do a specific part of the job. This person will have an area of expertise like plumbing or carpentry, but doesn’t actually work for the contracting company.

The problems that often occur when using subcontractors involve their level of experience and payment. When you choose a contractor that uses subcontractors, you are trusting that the contractor is confident in the subcontractor’s abilities and that he will pay the subcontractor their fair share of the total cost of the work performed. But what happens if you place your trust in the wrong contracting company? » Read more: Hiring a General Contractor

Putting Off Home Repairs

January 12th, 2011

Ever homeowners has this list, and everything on it never seems to get done. It’s the home repair”to do” list, and instead of picking up our tools and getting to work, we use excuse after excuse to justify not completing the job. Well, today we are going to expose those excuses for what they really are, and hopefully motivate you to finally cross at least a few projects off of that growing list. Some of the most popular excuses that we all use include:

  • I don’t know how to fix it
  • I didn’t know I had a problem!
  • “It’s really not that big of a deal!”
  • “I will do it next weekend!”
  • “I don’t know who to call for help!”
  • “It will cost too much!”
  • “I don’t have time to fix it!” » Read more: Putting Off Home Repairs

Maintaining Your CO Detectors

December 29th, 2010

If your home doesn’t have carbon monoxide detectors installed, you could be putting your family at risk on a daily basis. However, poorly maintained detectors could still be putting your family in danger. Carbon monoxide detectors warn us when levels of carbon monoxide become hazardous to our health, and even if you take very good care of your gas powered appliances, accidents can still happen. Properly caring for the carbon monoxide detectors in your home is part of the responsibilities of being a homeowner, but many people don’t really know where to begin when it comes to taking care of these units. Here are a few quick tips that will help you and your family care for the carbon monoxide detectors in your home:

  • Install detectors within 10 feet of bedrooms throughout the home. You should also have them installed on every floor including the basement and near an attached garage.
  • Never install a detector too close to the furnace, boiler, or any other gas powered appliance. This could cause false readings because levels of CO are always going to be higher right next to these appliances. » Read more: Maintaining Your CO Detectors

Top Ten Holiday Home Repairs

December 23rd, 2010

The holiday season is already in full swing and with all of the festivities surrounding this time of year, there is a good chance that you will be hosting at least one family get together, and you may even be preparing room for guests who will be staying for an extended period of time. Before you do, there are ten home repairs and improvements that should be taken care of prior to their arrival.

  1. Home and Landscape Cleaning: A clean and tidy home, inside and out, is the first to impressing your guests. If you are having guests spend a few nights in your home, make sure they are supplied with clean linens and a clean space to sleep.
  2. Fix Any Broken Door Latches: Your guests will appreciate the privacy that comes from a functional door. This is a must fix especially if the door latch leads into a washroom. » Read more: Top Ten Holiday Home Repairs

Air Leaks: Search, Locate, and Seal

December 21st, 2010

As the weather turns colder every day, the symptoms of air leaks in your home may begin to show. Temperature fluctuations and longer furnace run times are just a couple of the symptoms that may be costing you your comfort and extra money on your monthly energy bills. We try our bests to seal up our homes as air tight as possible, but still air can leak in from almost anywhere in the home. You may not think that a couple little air leaks are a big problem, but those leaks could be costing you more than you think. These are some common problems caused by air leaks:

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