home improvement: Five Bad Home Improvement Ideas - 05/16/10 03:28 AM
When considering adding value to a home, you consistently hear from the real estate industry that updated bathrooms and quality kitchens stand out in a home sale. Those are proven sale closers. There are certain other improvements you can make to your home that will beautify it or create convenience for your family. When it comes time to selling, however, those improvements may do nothing to increase the value of the property and may even turn off potential homebuyers.

Over-the-Top Renovations

Au contraire mon frère, not all renovations will raise the value of your home. Just `cause it's … (5 comments)

home improvement: Avoid These Mistakes When Flipping a Home - 02/01/10 02:02 AM
Experienced home flippers know that there are pitfalls to any promising piece of property, and avoid the most obvious ones. You can, too. Learning from others' mistakes can result in huge rewards if you find you are ready to start a home flipping business.
The following are pitfalls and mistakes to avoid and how to work some of the situations to your advantage.
1. If your financial situation is not healthy, don't start flipping just yet.
If you do not have the following necessities in place, put flipping on the back burner for now:
* Full-time job.
* Income that allows … (3 comments)

home improvement: Home Remodeling: Lavish Bathrooms - 06/04/09 11:50 PM
Nowadays people are spending upwards of $10,000 on a total bathroom remodel. Homeowners are opting for more spacious and ornate bathrooms complete with natural stone floors and multiple showerheads. But, if your budget can't quite handle the expense of a jetted tub or marble shower, there are plenty of options that provide heightened style without a heightened credit card bill.

The best place to start is with paint. Adding a splash of color can do wonders for your bathroom. Start by changing the color of your walls to a light and airy hue. The best options are blues, light … (0 comments)

home improvement: Easy Home Improvement ideas to Add Value to your Home - 05/14/09 04:00 AM
With spring and summer just around the corner, home owners may want to spruce up their home. Whether you want to add value to your home to sell it or just to update your home for your own pleasure, here are a few low cost ideas that anyone can do.

Custom details can add dollars and character to your home. If you want to do a face life on a room, instead of crown molding, try using wainscoting instead. It is less expensive to use and comes in a variety of styles and you can easily install it yourself!
… (3 comments)

home improvement: Latest Pool Trends Make A Splash - 04/15/09 03:56 AM
Today's homeowners have a myriad of options to choose from when it comes to pool selection. The above ground pool remains one of the cheapest construction options available and one of the easiest to build, but it also remains one of the less durable designs and over the years has become less attractive than some of the other options out there. Still, if you are planning to move and want the security of knowing that you can take it with you, this type of pool is worth considering.

Fiberglass pools are unique because they are made in one piece … (0 comments)

home improvement: Don't Overlook Downspouts and Gutters - 04/10/09 12:07 AM
When the rain starts to fall, the downspouts are there to whisk away the threat of leaks and damage to your home. They provide a fundamental service to your home that can minimize the risk of damage to basements, crawl spaces and even foundation shifts. Faulty gutter and drainage systems can also damage your roof and erode your landscaping. By regularly maintaining and inspecting your gutters, however, you can minimize the risks of damage.

The best place to start is with a simple cleaning to make sure your gutters and downspouts are operating properly. It is a good idea to … (2 comments)

home improvement: Gardening Care and Tips - 03/15/09 12:29 AM
With spring just around the corner, many Texans will be getting spring fever and will begin to til the land preparing for a garden. Having a garden is not only fun, it can be handy during hard economic times.

Growing your own vegetables and fruits not only cost less, but they taste much better than what you can buy in the grocery store.

You cannot have a successful garden unless you know when to plant and what to plant. Many gardeners begin planting in late March. The average last frost day in central Texas is March 15. … (8 comments)

home improvement: How to Hire a Contractor - 06/12/08 12:57 AM
There are some home renovations that really should be left to a professional. Finding a good contractor that is trustworthy and dependable can sometimes be a challenge, but with some preparation it can be done.
Before accepting to work with a contractor, ask for a list of references. Ideally, the list will be fairly long, and not rigged towards a few happy customers. Call these references, skipping around from recent customers to older ones to see how the work has held up. If possible, visit one of the remodel sites in person. Ask about the quality of the work, and … (0 comments)

home improvement: Changing The Look Of A Fireplace - 06/04/08 02:01 AM
A fireplace is meant to be the centerpiece of your living space, the heart of your home. Sometimes, however, this focal point is less than impressive and more than lacking in the drama factor. If your fireplace is bland, plain or simply unattractive, a quick color change can do wonders. The secret is using multiple coats to build up depth and create a faux finish, rather than just painting on one flat color.
You will need three complimentary colors for this project in progressively darker shades. Natural stone and earthy colors, such as grays and browns, are ideal. A quart … (4 comments)

home improvement: Removing Countertops - 05/30/08 11:05 PM
One of the most cost effective ways to renovate your home is to “do-it-yourself.” From sanding and painting to digging and planting, there are many projects that a determined homeowner can accomplish. There are some jobs, however, that are better left to the professionals. These jobs are too heavy, too labor intensive or require specialized tools and skills.
Case in point: installing new granite countertops. The weight of the granite alone is enough to send anyone running to a phone to call for professional help. If you have new countertops on the way complete with the manpower do get it … (1 comments)

home improvement: How To Properly Hang A Picture - 05/21/08 04:16 AM
Are your pictures too high? Too low? Are there extra nail holes behind those family pictures on your wall from when you tried to “eyeball” it?
If you don’t have the faintest idea how high a picture should be hung on the wall, or know anything about grouping pictures or designing an arrangement, don’t despair-- there is hope.
Hanging a picture sounds easy enough, but the reality is there are many elements to this deceptively simple process that can make it frustratingly difficult and leave you with a ridiculous number of holes in your wall from failed attempts. Luckily, … (4 comments)

home improvement: Exterior Renovations - 05/11/08 11:47 PM
Many people consider home renovating to be an inside affair, but there are also many exterior renovations that can help beautify a home and encourage spending more time outdoors. Like interior renovations, with the proper planning, and research, fixing up the exterior of a home and its surroundings can be accomplished by the do-it-yourselfer while also saving money.
If a major renovation, such as replacing siding or roofing, is not urgent, taking the time to search for the best deal is advisable. Putting up siding, and replacing a roof might be best left to a professional contractor, unless the homeowner … (0 comments)

home improvement: Home Improvement Tips : Bathroom Renovations - 04/29/08 05:17 AM
One of the most popular areas of a house to renovate is the bathroom. There are many different ways to renovate a bathroom, from small surface changes to completely gutting the room. With some forethought and elbow grease, there are renovating techniques the do-it-yourselfer can accomplish, while saving money at the same time.
The first rule in any renovation is to start with a budget, and stick to it. After a budget is set, one must decide on how serious of a project the renovation will be. Surface alterations can be done fairly quickly and cheaply, while rearranging the layout … (3 comments)

home improvement: How to Refinish Hardwood Floors - 04/17/08 05:14 AM
Several homes, especially centrally located homes, have hardwood flooring. A pristine hardwood floor is beautiful, but to restore one back to its original 60 year old elegance, the floor will need to be refinished.
Refinishing hardwood floors can be a challenging job for the do-it-yourselfer, but with some preparation and research, it can be done without the help of a professional.
Many older homes have gone through fads, and one that became a norm was wall to wall carpeting. If wood floors hide under a carpet, it will have to be removed. After all furniture has been removed, pull … (1 comments)

home improvement: How to Reduce Your Heating Bill - 03/06/08 04:27 PM
While Austin is known for its warm sunny weather, there are those few months where every year, when the temperature drops, it begins to get cold and we watch our heating bills rise. During the winter season, nearly two-thirds or your electricity (or gas) bill is devoted to heating spaces, often during times that they are not being used. Austin is a city that is turning green and though most of the efforts are concentrated on reducing energy consumption and our carbon footprint during the peak summer months, there are several easy and relatively inexpensive things you can do to lower … (1 comments)

home improvement: How to Fix a Hole in a Wall - 02/29/08 02:19 AM
Perhaps the most common home repair is fixing a hole in the wall. When I was young, my grandfather would baby sit my brothers and I while mom and dad were of earning a living. What our parents called child care, my grandfather interpreted as napping and most afternoons we had the run of the house. Now on more than one occasion, something was said and something was thrown, and some how we ended up with a hole in the wall. It happens to the best of us. Not wanting to risk losing our afternoons of freedom or our grandfather’s reputation, … (3 comments)

home improvement: Cabinet Installation - It's Easier Than You Think! - 02/04/08 05:20 PM
You've just moved into a wonderful new home and you cannot wait to start making it your own. One of the easiest home improvements the first time home owner may encounter is installing new cabinets. While the thought of such a major addition to a room may at first seem daunting to all of us who have never consider ourselves carpenters, installing a brand new set of cabinets is easy enough for almost anyone with a few tools to accomplish in a very short amount of time.
You want to start out by making sure that you have all the … (0 comments)

 

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