Home improvement

Home improvement can be defined as modifying the existing structure of one’s home by making additions and making changes. Mostly a professional technician is recruited however, sometimes; the home improvement is done on a non professional and an amateur basis by the home owner.

As mentioned above, there are two ways of going about the process of home improvement. The first id the professional and the second is the do it your self (DIY) method. In the professional method you could hire a general contractor to be in charge of the whole home improvement project. On the other hand you could do away with the contractor and ‘do it yourself (DIY). You will need to hire the plumbers, electricians, roofers etc yourself.

There are endless types of works in home improvement that you could do. To begin with the walls could be wall papered, or painted. Wood paneling can also be installed on it. New flooring, such as linoleum, hardwood flooring, and tiling can be installed. The kitchen and bathroom sink, cabinets, and pipes can be replaced with new ones. The electrical and plumbing systems could be upgraded. As also the heating and the air conditioning systems.

Similarly other home improvement projects that could be undertaken are the tearing and replacement of the roof, repairing the foundation and the chimney if required, waterproofing the basements etc. these are only a few of the home improvement projects mentioned here.

By: Tej Sharma

Who Needs Workbench Plans?
Today my knees are really killing me, again. Even after promising myself that I would never try to build something on the floor, last night I was in the basement, back down on the concrete trying to replace the belt on a vacuum cleaner. I tried to make the job more tolerable by tossing down one of those foam pads you see for working in the garden. I even tried throwing down some old pillows and blankets, but nothing seemed to really work. Then I started thinking about those professional-style knee pads I always see at Lowes – which I always walk past because I think I’ll only use them once.

So today I decided that what I really need is a way to get my work up off the floor and keep it at a reasonable height…something that my back will appreciate. That’s an easy one. But where do I get one? I’m not even sure what “get” means at this point. I suppose I’ve seen a couple of workbench kits at places like Home Depot and Lowes, but I didn’t see much of a selection really. I could buy one of those bright-red, metal frame workbenches that have the particle board top and a pegboard back. Those workbenches would probably be easy enough to set up without too much trouble. That is, if I’m willing to pay the $100 bucks or so to buy it…and, also if I have a way to get those huge boxes into my car.

Build a Workbench or Buy One?
I guess I’m thinking that a simple workbench should be a fairly easy thing to build myself. And doesn’t it make sense to build my own…especially if I’m going to use that workbench to build more stuff? That makes sense. Besides, a lot of the workbenches I’ve seen in other people’s basements look fairly simple…like they’re put together with 2x4s. I could handle that. If only I could remember (or even understand) how everything went together. That’s kind of the problem. Even with my rough sketches of the kind of workbench I think I’d like to build, I’m still a little fuzzy about what kind of joinery I should use in the corners where the legs come together. I’m not an engineer after all, and I don’t want this thing to be wobbling all over the place after I get it set up.

A Little Help with a Plan
What I’m looking for is just a little help with the overall design of the workbench. So with a quick search on Google for “workbench design” and “workbench plans” I’m seeing lots of websites that say they can help me out with a plan… and most of these I can get for free. At first I’m pretty excited that there’s so much to pick from.

Woodworking or Just Work?
First thing I notice with my Web search for workbench plans is that the word “workbench” is mostly about woodworking…which might not be what I’m looking for exactly. Here’s the test: If you have no idea what a mortise and a tenon joint is, then most of the workbench plans that come up in a Google search are probably not what you’re looking for. Nothing against woodworking, really. In fact, I hope someday I can delve into the fine craft of building fine furniture. That would be wonderful. Maybe build a baby crib for a grandkid. If this is something you are leaning towards, then by all means you should consider taking the leap into building (or buying) a nice woodworking bench.

A workbench can be a beautiful pieces of shop furniture, actually. And experienced woodworkers take no greater pride in having a beautiful workbench to show off to their friends. It’s a very passionate kind of hobby, where serious woodworkers get all perky and excited from just a little whiff of sawdust in the air. That kind of thing. But believe me, serious woodworkers pay out the wallet for their woodworking passion. Most really nice woodworking benches (made from hardwoods like oak or maple) will cost you no less than about $500 for a kit (like at Rockler.com) or at least several hundred dollars in wood and materials just to build it yourself. Not to mention that you’ll also need some fairly sophisticated shop tools to build the really nice woodworking benches…like a planer, drill press, router table, that sort of thing.

Something Simple
But back to my original problem, what I need is simply something to get my work up off the floor and at a reasonable height – and not spend a lot of money doing it. The kind of bench I’m talking about goes together with really simple materials…like 2x4s and wood screws that you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes. And this is stuff I might even be able to fit in the back of my hatchback (and save $50 on a delivery charge). Heck, you can even slide 2x4s in the back trunk with some cars (if you have an open panel behind the back seats).

But I’m not ready to head off to the lumber store just yet. I still need to have a rough idea how the 2x4s should go together, and then how many of the boards I’ll need to buy once I get there. This is where at least some type of workbench plan can come in handy, especially if you want to get started right away on the project. Believe me, starting off with someone else’s design can remove a lot (and I mean a lot ) of the guesswork you’d otherwise be facing if you design your bench from scratch.

Finding a Simple Workbench Plan
If you haven’t already noticed, there are tons of websites on the topic of building a workbench. However, be ready to do some digging to find the kind of simple workbench design I’ve been talking about so far. Remember, most “workbench” plans you’ll find on the Web are designed for some pretty serious woodworking. They might look nice, but be prepared for instructions that want you to do work on a planer, a drill press, a router table, and some other tools I’ve never heard of.

Free Plans?
The next thing you’ll notice with your online search is that a lot of the listings advertise free plans. Believe me, I’ve meticulously gone through these “free workbench plans” websites and I can tell you without hesitation that this stuff is mostly junk. Like a lot of stuff on the Web, it’s simply a ploy to get you interested in looking at something else…like a new cell phone or a free credit report.

A Better Plan…under $10
My opinion in regard to workbench plans overall is that you’re better off to spend the $5-$10 and get something that more resembles what a real workbench plan should be-step-by-step instructions with nice illustrations, cutting diagrams, and shop tips and techniques. What I’m talking about here are plans that have at least five pages of content (unlike the photo-copied isometric drawings that some free sites have) and some reasonably good-quality photos of the finished product. The photos alone can be real life savers when you’re trying to put everything together the way it should go together.

By: Andy Duframe

If you are taking up home improvement project for the first time, it might seem to be a tough task to accomplish. However, you would be happy to know that it is actually not as tough as it sounds! You just have to be careful about the home improvement contractor you are hiring, the budget you are keeping aside for the project and most importantly, the improvements or changes that you want in your house.

Although there are quite a number of things that you might consider while taking up such project, here are some common remodeling considerations:

* Areas which sustain moisture or water throughout the year – like bathroom, basements, and often kitchens – should be considered for mold remediation and water cleaning.

* You can consider converting the spare spaces in the attic and basement into usable rooms. You could also remodel your interiors to make it spacious and airy. This might also help in increase the value of your property too!

* Consider the quality of materials you are using for the project. Use of good quality sinks, cabinets, appliances and other materials should be preferred even if you have to pay a few dollars more. Use of cheap items apart from causing inconveniences to the homeowners might even reduce the value of your home.

While these are some common considerations for home improvement project, there are certain things that you should keep in mind. Firstly, if you are taking on the remodeling project just to improve the value of the property and is considering a resale soon. In that case, you should avoid expensive home improvement projects and ask the home improvement contractor to do just the bit which would increase the value of your house.

It is also important to research to determine the average value of houses in your neighborhood. You should only do enough improvement of the house to match the average cost of houses in your area. The improvement project should never be so high so as to gulp down your profits in selling the house.

But, remodeling projects should never be tried based on the do-it-yourself tips you might find over the Internet. Ignorance about the home remodeling task and the ways to operate the machines and equipment might cause fatal accidents and other health hazards.

By: Alice M Shown

If you plan basement construction in an area that has clay in the soil, you need to take precautions to avoid structural damage to your home. So here are a couple tips to consider before you start basement construction in clay soils.

Before you start basement construction you need to know what type of soil you are building on. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has soil information on most of the United States. Soil testing can also be done so you will know what you are working with. Another important step is to make sure the ground is compacted. Failing to compact the ground properly can also lead to trouble in the future.

Expansive clay soils, such as bentonite and montmorillonite, can cause structural damage to basements and home foundations when proper precautions aren’t taken during construction. When deciding to build a basement in an area that has clay soil you need keep in mind the nature of the soil that you plan to build on. Clay holds moisture and as the seasons change the amount of moisture in the soil also changes.

If you build on clay when it is holding large amounts of moisture, you can have your basement sink as the moisture content of the soil decreases. If you build while the moisture content is low, your basement may be pushed up when the moisture content increases. This can end up causing structural cracks. There are several ways to deal with the seasonal changes in the moisture content in clay when you are constructing a basement.

Before putting in the basement, you need to be building on stable ground. With clay in particular, it is important to make sure you have the ground compacted properly so you do not end up with the ground shifting under the weight of your home. It is possible to treat the soil with a lime mixture to increase stability and control swelling. This is done by removing a layer of the soil and adding several trenches under the area you want to construct your basement or foundation. Once you have the trenches in place you fill them with a lime mixture. This treatment adds about a month on the time you are going to need for construction.

Basements that are built in clay soil need to be able to breathe or move up and down slightly with the ground water in the soil. Concrete floors are not attached to the concrete foundation so that this movement doesn’t cause structural damage. To allow for this movement, all internal walls in the basement need to be “floating walls” or raised walls. Floating walls are suspended from the first floor and have a gap between the wall and the concrete floor slab. When you build in some areas you are actually required to use floating walls in basement construction. When you obtain your building permit you need to find out of this is a requirement for your area.

When basement construction includes plumbing, a reverse of this floating wall process is required. The floating walls are attached to the floor to create a solid base and the space is at the top of the wall in these cases. Expansion joints and flex lines are used for basement plumbing when working in clay soil to allow for the natural movement with ground moisture changes. Space must be left for pipes to reduce the risk of pipe breakage.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

By: Christopher W Smith

Not all basements are finished basements, so if is the case with your home you need to read up on basement construction. If your basement just has the four concrete walls, then you have to start from scratch. It is easier to work with the existing walls than have to pour the foundation of your house. This is the best way when you put some thought into it as you can make your basement into anything your family needs. You can start your walls by using 2×4′s to frame it out. Always make these walls a little smaller than the concrete walls because the wood needs room to shrink and expand with the different seasons. If you make it exactly to measure, then you will have to force your walls into the cement when trying to erect them.

After you have all your walls framed out, then you need a good insulation to place between the spaces of the 2×4′s. This must be placed properly and covered with a vapor barrier, which will help in keeping your basement dry. After you get this done, then you should cover the walls with drywall or whatever material that suits your needs. Then comes a bit of the harder work and you have to plaster and sand the drywall that you have installed. After this is done you are ready for painting. Always use a good primer on new drywall. This will seal it for you and also help when you put on your final coat of paint.

The floor can be finished with whatever material you feel like using, such as tile or carpet but sometimes you will need to put in a sub floor before you do this. Next is your ceiling. If you have enough room in your basement the easiest way to go is put in a drop ceiling, which will cover all your pipes and things that you don’t want showing. You can use acoustic tiles or drywall it the way you did your walls.

By: Jim Poniente

A home improvement project is something that the whole family needs to get in on. Even though you want the opinions of each person in the home, sticking to things that work is your number one priority.

The difference between families that enjoy each other’s company is quite often as simple as a home that works for each of them. This article is going to talk a little about home improvements that work. With that said not all things will work for everybody. You need to look into what is going to work for you.

A family with kids may want a homework station close to the kitchen with computer access. Quite often mixing a desk with a breakfast nook works really well. Creating this area between your kitchen and your family room may be an option that a lot of people may not have considered. It works great for the children and the adults. This way you can go about doing your work or relaxing while being in the proximity to supervise the kids.

Your family room could even have a TV or game console if you want. Basements are great for theater rooms, laundry room and large play areas.

I’ve seen a lot of homes that have a living room that is far to small to be of any real use and they need to have that extra space in the basement. An extra room can easily be turned into a library or office that would give you the perfect place to get some work done without the distraction of the noise in the rest of your home.

As for the bedroom I suggest your master being as large as possible. This will be your get away. Set it up with a small seating area that you can enjoy a quite romantic space with your spouse.

Some people even prefer to add a small desk with a computer in the master bedroom. Though I’ve never been a fan of having a work area in my bedroom, you can easily hide it behind a screened area and never realize it’s there until you want to use it.

You can’t forget about your dining room it is one of the most important parts of the home. It has been proven that a family that dines together is more relaxed and gets along better in the long run. Make it a place you’ll all love to come together to enjoy each other’s conversation.

Work at creating a home that is as unique as your family. When everyone in the family is happy you’ll know you have a home that works.

By: Jack G Jones