Home improvement can be a very fascinating thing to get into. It has so many ways that it can be customized for each home and the possibilities are nearly endless. This can make it a challenge for a newcomer who doesn't have a clue where to begin. This list of tips can prepare you for the challenge.
Be sure to consider the type of material you plan to use before building an addition to your home. Using wood may increase your insurance premiums because of the added risk of fire. Steel and concrete are more durable and fire-resistant, so choosing one of these options can help keep your annual insurance premiums low.
Put in a garden. It can be a lavish outside nursery, or a simple box window in the kitchen to grow your herbs. The addition of live plants and the appeal they bring to your home is unmatched. If you don't have much of a green thumb, plant strong plants that need little attention, and add a timed drip or sprinkler system for easy watering.
Here's a simple way of fixing gaps at the bottom of poorly fitted interior doors. Sandwich a section of timber (cut to the width of the door) between two pieces of paneling. Leave each piece of paneling sticking out beyond the upper side of the two by two by about one inch. Slip the extension over the bottom of the door and screw each piece of paneling into place against each side of the door.
It's vital to have a good drill when you are doing home improvements. Whether you need holes drilled for screws, screws driven into those holes or many other uses, your drill is the tool. You should have a 9-volt cordless, battery-powered drill and some 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, and 1/4" drill bits. Get attachments that can drive Phillips and flathead screws, too.
Focus on interior lighting for your next home improvement project. If you change out your old light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Lights, you will save energy and money. These bulbs also last longer than traditional lighting choices. This is a very simple project that will have remarkable results on the amount of money you save in energy bills.
Replacing the light switch covers in your home is an easy and quick way to brighten up a room. For about $20, you can replace all of the switch covers in an average-sized home with nice clean white ones. They will match just about any decor style. Since most people look for a switch when they enter a room, a clean switchplate appears to clean up the whole room.
Wallpaper can be a great designer addition to your home, but after awhile - accidents happen - and wallpaper can start to peel. You can easily fix it with some wallpaper paste. Using a knife, smear some wallpaper paste on a piece of writing or printer paper. Rub the piece of paper that you just smeared paste on against the underside of the peeling wallpaper. Slowly start pressing the wallpaper back against the wall, while slowly sliding out the piece of paper. Smooth any wrinkles or bubbles with the help of a clean cloth.
The canny homeowner pays for quality, not name recognition when buying home improvement materials. Many expensive fixtures and fittings cost so much because they have recognizable brand names and fancy styling. Other fixtures are expensive because they are exceptionally durable and well-made. Learning to spot the difference and spending money on the latter is the way to get the most out of a home improvement budget.
Brighten up tired furniture with slipcovers. If your furniture is worn or stained, or you just want to change the look of your room, use slipcovers. They come in a large variety of fabrics, and are available in solid colors or patterned. A great feature of slipcovers is that they are washable, which is very handy if you have kids or pets!
If you are looking to add some value to your home, you can create a new looking kitchen by resurfacing your cabinets. By simply sanding down the old cabinets in your home and staining them with a fresh new finish, you can increase the value of your home fairly dramatically.
If you are putting in new counter tops, or just doing surface fixes in your kitchen, add a decorative back splash. This area behind your counters and between the cabinets is often just painted the same color as the walls. Adding tile, or other decorative touches will really make a dramatic statement in your kitchen.
Know where the water supply shutoff valves are located before you begin a project, especially when working near pipes. You never know when you may need to turn the water off in a bathroom or kitchen, and you should be prepared to prevent a flood if need be. Knowing where the valves are ahead of time will mean you don't have to frantically look for them later.
When you are replacing your siding with veneer some positive things to keep in mind about that material are the functional advantages to other sidings. The veneers can protect your home quite well from damages, they are very easy to install, and require little to almost no maintenance which is very important.
Replacement Windows
One energy-efficient improvement you can make to your home is to replace your windows. Older-style single-panel windows don't insulate the inside of your home nearly as well as the newer double-panel style. New windows will increase the aesthetic beauty of your home while saving you money each month in electricity bills.
If you are renovating a small space, and you have the ability, install larger windows. Even if you cannot expand the window size, use a style of window that has more glass than wooden frame. More glass in the window will mean it lets in more natural light, which makes a small room seem much brighter and larger.
As much as a fifth of all heat and cool air in homes is lost through windows. Glazing the larger windows in the home can reduce the amount of loss. This will reduce the utility bills and make living in the home much more comfortable throughout the year.
Window modifications can make a ceiling seem higher than it already is and add some spice. You can make your ceilings seem higher by positioning your window treatment a good distance above the windows.
Put in windows that have secondary glazing. They are costlier, but they lower energy bills and reduce noise significantly. Switching to them at the time of renovation can save you money and time. These energy efficient windows make it easier to heat and cool your home, as well as keeping it nice and quiet.
The windows in your home are important when dealing with home improvement. Revamping you windows can add value and save money on your electric bill. One good option is double glazed windows. This may cost more initially, but it will save you money in the long run. These windows will also make your home more secure. If your budget can't stretch to include brand-new windows, you can still spice up your existing ones by adding new curtains, drapes, or blinds and by giving the frames a new coat of paint.
It is important to work on your home's exterior appearance. Add edging around trees and bushes. You may also want to plant some well-placed shrubs. Your walkway should be swept, free of clutter and dirt. Get the the exterior walls and roof power washed. Get your windows sparkling clean. All of this could make a good impression as someone initially sees your house.
A home workshop is useful for successful home improvement projects. It's important to make sure your home workshop has the proper lighting and safety features. If there are few windows make sure to install good lighting and ventilation in your work areas. Equip the space with a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit. Also, other safety items like leather gloves and proper eye protection can be helpful.
If you do not want to spend the money on impact resistant windows and you are in a wind borne debris zone, consider adding a laminate film to the exterior windows. This laminate has been shown to protect the home as well as impact resistant windows and acts much in the same way a car windshield does when broken.
Improving your home and saving money at the same time is as easy as choosing ENERGY STAR approved replacements for everything from your kitchen appliances to your windows right down to your light bulbs. Not only will this save big money on your utility bills, but many of these investments also qualify for tax credits.
Home improvement is indeed a thing of great variety with so many strategies and plans and that is both its gift and its curse. It's a gift because it has many options that are customizable and it's a curse because, oftentimes, too many options make it difficult to decide. These tips should have made it a bit easier for you.
