improve: How to Save 20% to 40% on Your Kitchen Remodel
- 06/05/17 06:12 PM
The national median cost for a complete kitchen renovation is a nothing-to-sneeze-at $60,000, according to the "2015 Remodeling Impact Report" from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Still, you can get the job done for less — much less — without forgoing anything on your wish list.
Below are seven great recommendations for ways to shave costs off your kitchen remodel. Each recommendation includes a percentage of the savings you can expect to trim off the overall cost of your kitchen remodeling. Because of variables, such as the price of materials in your area, the percentages are given as a range.
If you do … (0 comments)
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improve: Should You Be Paid for Housework?
- 06/04/17 07:15 PM
Do you think husbands should pay stay-at-home wives for housework?
It’s a burning question in India, where its Ministry of Women and Child Development is considering a draft bill that would require men to pay a percentage of their salaries to compensate wives for the work they do around the house.
The feminist in me says, “Yahooo!” It’s about time someone put a price on the housework I perform every day. Hey, the dishwasher doesn’t empty itself.
But second thoughts raised several questions.
How do you price each chore? Is mopping floors more valuable than doing laundry? Deep cleaning more than regular dusting? If … (0 comments)
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improve: Stink Bug Invasion! It’s as Bad as You Think
- 06/01/17 09:03 PM
An army of stink bugs has marched into 38 states, and the federal government is scrambling to find ammunition to take them down.
Brown marmorated stink bugs, a Chinese import, are invading homes, orchards, and vineyards; eating fruit, buzzing overhead, and staying warm until they can emerge and lay eggs in spring.
If last year’s stink bug invasion wasn’t bad enough, this fall’s invasion is the second one this year — which presages an even bigger onslaught in 2013, says Tracy Leskey, an Agriculture Department entomologist.
“This has been a very good year for the stink bug,” Leskey told the The Examiner in Washington, … (0 comments)
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improve: The Ultimate in Fireplace Bling
- 05/31/17 07:35 PM
Has the romantic charm of your gas fireplace cooled off? Has the crackle of the flames (okay, gas fireplaces sort of hiss) lost their je ne sais quoi?Have we found the fireplace for you.The LHD50SS direct-vent gas fireplace by Napoleon includes an elaborate necklace of cut crystals made by Swarovski, internationally renowned producer of precision-cut crystals for the jewelry and fashion marketplace.Stretched out across the bed of the firebox in luxurious display, the crystal necklace is intended as the ultimate in fireplace bling. In the words of the LDH50SS brochure: “The results captivate, thrill and create the desire for absolute elegance.”But it’s … (0 comments)
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improve: Bricks Made With the Blood of Slaughtered Cattle
- 05/29/17 07:33 PM
If the idea of wasting natural resources gets your blood boiling, we’ve got a building material that’s in just the right vein.London architect Jack Munro has developed a low-cost brick made with discarded animal blood.
Munro’s experimental process combines the blood of slaughtered cattle with sand and antifungal, antibacterial preservatives. The mixture is poured into a mold and baked at moderate temperatures until it hardens.
But why, you ask?First, the process takes advantage of blood’s natural coagulating properties, producing a tightly bonded brick that’s impervious to moisture.More importantly for Munro, the experiment makes use of a plentiful material that’s otherwise going to waste.“Animal … (0 comments)
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improve: Get the Kitchen You Want for Less
- 05/28/17 07:30 PM
1. White KitchensWhite kitchens are classic and clean looking (at least in pictures). And if Pinterest is an accurate gauge, white kitchens, white cabinets, white marble counters, and white subway tile backsplashes are swooned over as much as white wedding dresses. But, there's no need to redo the whole kitchen.
Get the trend for less:
Paint the walls white. A fresh clean coat of pristine white paint may be all you need to make your kitchen feel shiny and new. Avoid a stark “builder white” and go with a slightly warmer white instead.
Paint the cabinets white. The real question is, to DIY or not to DIY? Painting cabinets is a time-consuming job … (0 comments)
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improve: The Biggest Air Leak in Your House You Don’t Know About
- 05/25/17 08:38 PM
Have you caulked windows and replaced weatherstripping on your doors? Good for you. But if you think you’ve sealed up air leaks, you’re in for a shock.
The biggest air leak in your home is right under your nose.
Or, underfoot, more accurately.
It’s the hole that a plumber cuts in the subfloor to make room for the drain assembly at the bottom of a bathtub. Because the drain assembly is big, plumbers make way for it by cutting a generous-size hole that gives them some “wiggle room” when connecting plumbing pipes. This big hole often is left open to the space below.
How You … (0 comments)
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improve: Should Your Grass Clippings Go Up in Smoke?
- 05/24/17 07:17 PM
What’s going up in smoke in California these days?If you answered “grass,” you’re right — although in this case it’s the kind you cut with a lawn mower. Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service in Albany, Calif., have come up with a way to turn ordinary grass clippings into environmentally friendly fireplace logs. The goal of the ARS has been to find a way to use the tons of clippings from yards, ballparks, schools, and golf courses that every year go into landfills instead.ARS chemist Syed H. Imam says the clippings are abundant and available free of charge, and that using them … (0 comments)
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improve: How to Insulate a Garage Door
- 05/23/17 07:22 PM
Garage door insulation can make your life warmer, cooler, and quieter. It lowers energy bills, acts as a barrier between you and street noise, and brightens an otherwise dreary space.
Garage door insulation is an easy DIY project; it’ll cost you about $200 to insulate two 9-foot-wide doors.
Types of InsulationAny insulation type will increase the energy efficiency of your garage door. Here are the most popular types to apply to the back of garage doors:
Batt insulation. This flexible insulation, often found stuffed into exterior walls, is commonly made of fiberglass. It’s usually backed by paper or foil, which act as vapor and … (0 comments)
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improve: Easy, Budget-Friendly Ceiling Ideas
- 05/21/17 07:25 PM
It’s common to upgrade floors and walls to give rooms more appeal, but ceilings (sometimes referred to as the fifth wall) are often overlooked.
“Treat the ceiling with the same attention you would a wall,” says Minneapolis architect Petra Schwartze, project manager for TEA2 Architects. “Too often ceilings are an afterthought. The ceiling treatment should enhance and support the rest of the room décor and intent."
Here are some affordable ways to beautify your home’s ceilings.
Paint
At just $12-$50 per gallon, paint is one of the most cost-effective tools for dressing up ceilings. Lighter paint colors on the ceiling expand space, while dark colors … (0 comments)
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improve: How to Pick Paint Colors to Fix Any Room's Quirks
- 05/18/17 07:23 PM
Every home suffers a few negatives, but not every solution requires pricey structural changes. Paint is a frugal remodeler's go-to solution to perk up a problem room.
Here's how to pick paint colors to give any room a facelift:
Choosing Paint for a Room That's Too SmallPainting walls white, cream, pastels, or cool colors (tinged with blue or green) creates the illusion of more space by reflecting light.
White or light colors on walls lifts the ceiling, bringing your eyes up, which makes you feel like you're ina larger room.
How to use paint color to make a room seem bigger:
Paint trim similar to … (0 comments)
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improve: Save Money With a Fireplace Insert
- 05/16/17 07:19 PM
Sitting before a crackling fire may be your favorite winter warm-up, but an old-fashioned fireplace isn't only an inefficient heating source, it also can create high levels of smoke inside and outside your home.
But an energy-saving wood or pellet insert lets you transform your existing hearth into a super-efficient heater that can cut your energy bills — by as much as 40%, says Leslie Wheeler of the Hearth, Patio, & Barbecue Association.
Beware: Savings vary greatly depending on the insert's efficiency, your climate, your home's layout, the R-value of your insulation, the height of your ceiling, and regional differences in fuel costs, … (0 comments)
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improve: 15-Minute Home Makeovers
- 05/10/17 06:36 PM
Caught between your lack of time and the urge to give your home some spit and polish? Never fear.
These ideas will add panache in no time at all.
1. Switch the Plates.Upgrade your drab, plastic switch plates with snazzy covers that match or accent your décor. Even the most expensive brass switch plates cost less than $20 each. Or, spend a buck for a plastic plate and decorate it yourself. Use craft paint, or cover the plate with decorative paper. You also can switch outlet covers, but don’t get too fancy. Outlet covers should blend with the wall.
2. Touch-Up Boo-Boos.A bit of new paint gives … (0 comments)
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improve: How to Create the Garage Workshop of Your Dreams
- 05/09/17 07:14 PM
Garages often harbor a not-so-secret second life: heroic home workshop. They’re well-suited to the task, with a tolerance for the noise and dust of do-it-yourself projects.
But if a garage workshop isn’t comfortable and convenient to use, you’ll avoid projects rather than enjoy them. Here are the essentials:
Adequate work space. Ideally, you’ll need room to work even when your cars are parked inside. Figure a minimum area of 10 ft. long and 6 ft. deep. Appropriate storage. Places for tools and supplies are mandatory — the top of your work surface doesn’t count! Excellent lighting. Both task and ambient lighting help … (0 comments)
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improve: How to Remove Old Caulk
- 05/07/17 06:33 PM
How to remove bathroom caulk? With patience — and plenty of it. It’s not hard to do, but if you rush it, you’ll regret it. Plus, a little patience pays off by making the job much, much easier.
How to Remove Old Caulk in 4 Easy StepsStep 1. Apply a caulk remover, such as 3M caulk remover or McKanica silicone caulk remover gel. Then be patient. Very patient. The directions say to wait 2 or 3 hours, but the longer you wait, the easier it will come off. Overnight is good. If it’s a particularly tough job — such as very old, hardened … (0 comments)
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improve: An Unlikely Place to Find Free Seeds for Your Garden
- 05/04/17 07:07 PM
Free seeds and starter plants for your vegetable garden happily live in your refrigerator and pantry. Plant a potato and you’ll harvest a bagful; plant a single horseradish root, and you’ll grow a field of the eye-watering spice.
Theoretically, every fruit or vegetable seed in your kitchen can germinate and deliver baby produce. But some store-bought veggies are hybrids and produce offspring that look nothing like their parents. Others are irradiated to prevent insect infestation, or sprayed with anti-sprouting chemicals to prevent spoilage, which wrecks their ability to go forth and multiply.
Your best bet is to shop for produce in an organic market. Seeds (and tuberous … (0 comments)
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improve: How to Fix Tomato Problems?
- 05/02/17 06:43 PM
By now your tomatoes are in the ground, growing tall, setting fruit, promising a bumper crop of luscious fruit … or not.
Maybe your tomato plants are yellow and wilting, their leaves full of holes, their fruit half-eaten or marred with ugly brown spots. What’s a backyard gardener to do?
Take a deep breath, and let me help you. Here are common tomato problems and their cures (tip: prayer helps).
Blossom End Rot
Symptoms:Large, sunken, leathery brown spot on the bottom (blossom end) of the fruit.
Cause: Calcium deficiency or too little water.
Cure: Apply calcium sulfate (gypsum) or crushed eggshells to the planting hole. Water about 1 inch … (0 comments)
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improve: Which Light Bulbs Won’t Burn You Cost-Wise?
- 05/01/17 07:07 PM
Although the old-fashioned incandescent bulb is on its way out, you have more lighting choices than ever before. And that means making decisions about price and energy efficiency. But don’t forget aesthetics.
If you wind up with lighting that’s harsh, flat, or unpleasant — like when you’re trying on bathing suits in a retail dressing room — it won’t matter that you got that LED on sale or that it lasts forever. You’ll wish it didn’t.
For most home lighting, your choice boils down to three options, from most to least expensive:
LEDs Fluorescents (including CFLs) Energy-efficient (halogen) incandescents, which meet the government’s … (0 comments)
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improve: How to Prevent Water Damage
- 04/30/17 06:13 PM
Water damage is the No. 1 culprit that weakens your home’s foundation and the very core that holds your house together.
You’ve heard about core strength for your body. Well, water damage hits at the core strength of your house, eventually causing serious structural damage. Damp wood invites termites and carpenter ants; plus, it causes mold and mildew.
Here’s how to prevent water damage using three easy strategies that will give you peace of mind the next time heavy storms hit.
#1. Ensure Good DrainageWhy it matters: Poor drainage weakens your foundation, causing cracks, uneven settling, and pathways for water to enter your home.
How to … (0 comments)
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improve: Do Swimming Pools Add Value to Homes?
- 04/26/17 07:03 PM
You can picture it now: cocktails in hand as you sit by the pool, grill fired up for an al-fresco dinner so it'll be easy to dive back in before dessert.
But you're getting an inkling that the cost might be a bit more than you thought, and now you're wondering, is this going to be dream that'll end up drowing in regrets? Maybe not, but maybe, yes. Depends on your expectations — because in most cases it's like buying a car, once it's yours, you'll never get the full cost back. Here's what you need to know.
When a Pool Makes Financial … (0 comments)
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The national median cost for a complete kitchen renovation is a nothing-to-sneeze-at $60,000, according to the "2015 Remodeling Impact Report" from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Still, you can get the job done for less — much less — without forgoing anything on your wish list.
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