Home improvement

Contractors can make the process of completing a home remodeling project quite pleasant…or a total nightmare. So choose carefully. And if you choose to hire unlicensed contractors, be sure to know the applicable laws in your state…as well as the potential risks and liabilities you are assuming.

Even if you prefer to do it yourself (DIY), there will be times when you need the services of outside contractors. One way to save money is to act as your own general contractor and deal with the subcontractors and skilled labor directly — although you should be prepared to handle lots of associated headaches. You can try beating the bushes for reasonably-priced, high-quality workers on your own. It has worked well for me. For example, I learned that our hard-working maintenance gardeners were also competent at simple fencing, plumbing, irrigation, grading, and brickwork. Ask around through your network of friends and neighbors. Also, I’ve met good workers by chatting up the crowd on my trips to the local home improvement store (be sure to ask for references, though!).

However, I wouldn’t suggest doing it this way on large renovations or new construction — it’s just too much for an amateur to handle. But it has worked for me on the smaller updating, upgrading and enhancement projects that I focus on (although I’ve had my share of bad experiences).

Beware that if the workers you hire are not licensed, bonded and insured or if they are not legal residents, you might run the risk of getting entangled in legal or liability issues — not to mention ethical questions. If you hire unlicensed workers, be sure to check out the laws in your state. For example, in California, any contractor who is paid more than $500 for a job technically must be licensed by the state board. Also, unlicensed contractors are not covered by state worker’s compensation. The California Contractors State License Board (cslb.ca.gov) recommends that homeowners get at least three bids, ask to see their license, and be wary of door-to-door solicitors.

You can certainly save a lot of money by acting as your own general contractor and hiring your own specialty subcontractors — licensed or unlicensed. However, when you use unlicensed workers, you might end up spending a lot more if you have to bring in people later to fix problems. So make sure you have confidence in who you hire — particularly for plumbing and electrical, in which the consequences of shoddy work can be catastrophic, and likely leave the liability squarely on your shoulders.

Let me leave you with one more tip. Try to avoid paying any contractor in advance — for construction materials or anything else. There is nothing worse than having a contractor start the demolition stage, but then leave your project idle for days at a time because another (ostensibly more important) client needs him to do a new project or repair an older one. You won’t be in a position to fire him and bring in someone else if you’ve already paid him a chunk of money upfront — and all the while your house remains a shambles from the demo. In other words, don’t give away all the leverage!

Seek simplicity, comfort and value!

By: Laura Martindale

Finally there is an adaptor that slides right in to your trailer hitch and transforms that normal receiver hitch into a super hitch. Introducing the Hitchet. Hand made in the good old USA the Hitchet works with any standard 2 inch receiver and with standard locking pins.

Tailgating
So how can this truck accessory help you? Well if you’re a tailgater you’ll be in the shade or out of the rain in just seconds with any standard size patio or beach umbrella. There is also a smaller bracket for golf umbrellas.

You are still able to open and close the tailgate when using a Hitchet on a pickup truck or suv. It works great for ATV, Side by Sides and Golf Carts.

BBQ Grillin
Do you have a hard time finding someplace to set up your BBQ grill? Well not after you get your Hitchet with the BBQ bracket attachment. Now its just a matter of seconds before you’re set up and ready to start cookin!

The generic BBQ pit bracket allows you to mount many different types of BBQ pits that are available at The Home Depot, Loews, or your local home improvement store. This bracket is pre-drilled, and comes with the mounting hardware that installs in minutes. Once the bracket has been mounted to your pit, you can handle burgers, dogs and steaks anyplace, anytime. This is the perfect tailgating accessory.

Hunters
For you hunter’s there is no longer a need to find the perfect tree with the perfect limbs to be able to dress out your kill. There’s a mobile game hoist attachment that comes with a six foot center section and a second Hitchet, with the pull of a pin it disassembles and stores easily. This unit comes complete with winch, cable, pins, it’s ready to use as an attachment on your existing Hitchet. The additional Hitchet that comes with this unit could even be used on another vehicle or for the fishing attachment.

Contractors
Life is not all fun and leisure and for those of us that have to work out of our trucks life just got better with a Hitchet. Now you have the means to mount and use different tools easily. Each bracket can be used for multiple applications and you can switch between applications in seconds! Use the Small 8″ x 8″ steel plate brackets to mount smaller items like a vise. Use the large 16″ x 24″ steel plate brackets to mount bigger items like a chop saw.

You can drill and bolt or weld attachments to the bracket and they are ready to be used with any standard class 3, 4, or 5 receiver hitch using Hitchet.

By: Ivan W Smith

If you’ve moved into a new home, or new neighbors have moved into a home next door, you may be finding that things are no longer as quiet as you would like them to be. You can’t rebuild your home from the ground up with soundproof construction, but you can use some after-the-fact soundproof construction materials to insulate the rooms in it from the noisy surroundings. Depending on the seriousness of your noise problem, you can expect to shell out from less than $100 to thousands of dollars.

Windows Could Be The Key

The thousands of dollars in soundproof construction expenses will only happen if your situation is so bothersome that you decide to soundproof everything in a home–floors and ceilings, doors, and windows. But here’s a tip: start with your windows, if your noise problem is coming from outside your house. You can install soundproof windows using your existing window framing, and immediately eliminate as much as 95% of the problem.

If you just want soundproof construction which will keep noise from one part of your home from disturbing those in another part, consider soundproofing your doors. But don’t immediately run to the home improvement store and bring home the heaviest soundproof door you can find. Because soundproof doors are so heavy, your room’s existing framing may not be sturdy enough to handle one.

Heading for the home improvement store to first get some door seals and applying them is the best way to begin. The price of door seals will be a small fraction of that of soundproof doors, and while they might not completely deaden the noise getting into the room, they may do a good enough job to keep its occupants happy. And your room’s framing can remain as it is.

Floors Before Ceilings

If you’re considering soundproof construction to solve au upstairs/downstairs noise issue, soundproofing your downstairs ceilings or upstairs floors, or both, will take care of it. The easiest solution in terms of labor logistics is to add a layer of sound-dampening insulation to the upstairs floors; and it might be all you need to do. But performing some soundproof construction on your downstairs ceiling as well will ensure that the problem is fixed for good.

To add a finishing touch to all you heavy soundproof construction efforts, you can give your home’s interior a coat of soundproof paint. It will not only help deaden any sound traveling through thin walls; it will provide an insulating factor.

Save money by starting small with your soundproof construction and adding only what you need to until your home’s noise level is acceptable again. And do some comparison shopping online; you’ll be amazed both at the wide variety of soundproof construction options now available, and the wide range in their pricing!

By: David Faulkner

How should I spend my home-improvement budget? – It seems now days everyone has an interest in home improvement, just flip through cable TV channels and you will probably find a home improvement show to watch. It is not hard to understand why home owners are interested in home improvement, the right improvements can increase a homes value tremendously and give the home more enjoyability to the home owners. The question that always seems to pop up is “how do i spend my home improvement budget?”

The average American will move every 4-6 years so always take resale value and home appeal into account when planning any home improvement project. People all have varying tastes so avoid doing anything to extreme that may hurt resale value and is to difficult to undo, but it is your home so express yourself just keep it within reason.

No matter where you live a kitchen or bathroom remodel will add the most value and appeal to your home. These are expensive projects to undertake and many bathroom and kitchen remodels will cost over $10,000. Although small cosmetic improvements like faucet upgrades and new cabinet hardware can increase the appeal of a kitchen and bathroom for little money.

New flooring is also a nice home improvement that adds value, however new carpet will not add as much as value and appeal as adding hardwood floors will. Many of todays laminate hardwood floors can be installed DIY by the homeowner relatively easily. If you are unsure how to install hardwood flooring check with your local home improvement store, many offer classes on hardwood floor installation.

Not all home improvement projects have to be expensive or large to make a difference. Some smaller projects can include improving or adding landscaping, interior and exterior painting, resealing a driveway and upgrading lighting fixtures. These are small projects that can be done in a weekend or a few hours. These home improvements all will add curb appeal and increase the value of your home at the same time.

The things you will want to avoid are adding items that require maintenance and ongoing expense such as hot tubs, saunas and swimming pools. While one of these items may appeal to you they may not appeal to a large percentage of buyers and will not increase your homes value by much, in fact they may cause your home to sit on the market longer if you ever decide to sell A swimming pool is a good example of a negative home improvement , swimming pools require additional homeowners insurance due to liability for injury/death, they are expensive and complicated to maintain and can be dangerous to small children and some pets.

With the proper planning and research spending your home improvement budget correctly is an easy task to accomplish. By using the Internet, television shows and your local home improvement stores as references and you are almost guaranteed to choose the right improvement for your home.

By: Darin Sewell

DIY Home Improvement Idea #1

Install handmade shelves. Rather than purchasing typical cookie-cutter shelves, consider visiting a local craft fair or woodworker for customized shelves. Everything from style, color, design and cutouts can be customized with handmade items. Shelves are ideal for storing tools in the garage or knick-knacks in the family room.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #2

Replace vinyl flooring or install new tiles. These days, convenience is everything. It’s easier than ever to replace vinyl flooring or install tiles with simple self-adhesive backing for easy placement. This will literally give you a new floor surface within a few hours.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #3

Install carpet. Before making a purchase, be sure to measure the area that you need to carpet. If you need to cut carpet, it’s not a problem and special cutting tools can be purchased at any home improvement store. Simply roll it out and secure it to the floor for an easy DIY home improvement project.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #4

Install a ceiling fan. Not only will this add beauty to the room, but it will also help to circulate the air. Just be careful during the installation process and when climbing up or down a ladder.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #5

If you are a big fan of wallpaper, then you already know that it can start to peel from time to time. It’s inevitable. At some point, wallpaper will need replacing and it’s arguably one of the easiest home improvement projects that you can do. Wallpaper is sold at any home improvement store and can be cut to fit any room in your home. During installation, be sure to smooth the paper as you go in order to avoid bubbled areas.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #6

If you like the idea of sitting out on the porch or deck and watching fireflies light up in the night, consider adding an outside addition to your home. Plans can be purchased online or at some home improvement stores, along with the materials needed to complete the job.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #7

Painting your home, either inside or out, is a very popular way of improving it’s overall appearance. Always be sure to read the instructions and use paint in a well-ventilated area.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #8

One of the more sensible DIY home improvement projects includes the installation of a dusk to dawn lighting system outside of the home. This type of lighting will automatically turn on if there is any movement outside of your home and is ideal for anyone, whether you live out in the country or in a larger area.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #9

As winter time rolls around, many people begin to consider replacing their windows to ensure that they are protected from the elements. Many people think of windows as simply something to look through but, in fact, they are much more than that. Windows can actually help to keep warm air inside your home and the cold air out during those harsh winter months, which will make it more comfortable for your family and also your wallet where heating costs are concerned.

DIY Home Improvement Idea #10

Install wall paneling. If you don’t like the idea of painting or simply prefer the look of paneling, a visit to your local home improvement store could be the answer to your next DIY home improvement project. Wall paneling is sold in sheets, is pre-cut and ready for installation. All you need to do is place it in the desired location and secure it.

By: Steven Briesemeister

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) logged almost 10,000 complaints last year against contractors showing that many Americans have difficulty finding reputable contractors. Of the almost 4,000 different categories of complaints accepted by the BBB, those against contractors rank 13 in terms of prevalence.

Despite the volume of BBB complaints logged against some contractors, most contractors are honest and operate within the law. Following are tips for finding a contractor you can trust with your home improvement project:

1. Ask for referrals.

The best way to find a good contractor is through a direct referral from someone you trust, such as a family member, friend, or neighbor, who has successfully completed a similar project. Or, consult your local hardware store or home improvement store for a referral to a contractor.

2. Get a quote.

Yes, this may sound silly and obvious but some contractors will give a quote for a home improvement project over the phone – sight unseen! Although this is frequently done with electricians and plumbers for work that is done frequently, a home improvement project is a different story.

3. Contact references.

Before committing to a contractor, talk to past clients to determine how reliable, speedy and reasonably priced they think your contractor candidate is. Were they pleased with the work but thought it took too long to complete, or did the contractor deliver on-time and on-budget? Reputable contractors will provide a list of satisfied customers who have agreed to act as references. Consider it a ‘red flag’ if your potential contractor can’t provide the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of past satisfied customers.

4. Verify liability insurance.

Liability and medical insurance for contractors may or may not be required in your state, but it should be for anyone working in your home! Require that your contractor presents a certificate of insurance prior to signing any contracts, and call the agent to verify that the policy actually exists and what it covers. The contractor’s general liability policy, at a minimum, should be 100 percent of the value of your home.

5. Perform a background check.

The contractor won’t be offended if he has nothing to hide. Also, find out if he intends to subcontract some work, and do a background and financial check of those contractors as well.

6. Insist on credit and bank references.

Most contractors keep accounts with local suppliers making it unnecessary for you to make large, upfront payments. Avoid contractors with no credit. Many consumer complaints arise from “fly-by-night” contractors, promising to do work but end up taking your money and disappearing. Such pseudo contractors keep these scams going by constantly moving their base of operations. Consider hiring locally-based contractors that have a reputation to uphold.

7. Get it in writing.

Good contractors will give you a binding estimate in writing and won’t work without a written contract. The contract should clearly spell out exactly what the project will cost, what will be accomplished and the anticipated time frame for completing the job. If you are dealing with a high-price-tag project, don’t hesitate to get an attorney to review the contract before you sign it.

Never rush into any home improvement project since doing so relinquishes control to the contractor.

By: Hilary Basile

Once you have put in your soundproof construction, for example, you can boost its sound-deadening properties by finishing the walls with a coat of soundproof paint. Soundproof paint, used alone, will not be adequate to prevent unwanted noise from penetrating the walls of your room, but it will definitely help reduce that noise. Even better, it can help insulate your room against heat and cold.

Soundproof Doors Versus Door Seals

Every kind of soundproof construction will be more effective with the appropriate kinds of doors. But when you are planning your soundproof construction, keep in mind that soundproof doors are exceptionally heavy, and require that the frames form which they are hung to be reinforced. You can avoid the cost of a soundproof door with a reinforced frame simply by checking your local home improvement store for door seals. They won’t complexly block sound from entering your rooms the way soundproof doors would, but they nonetheless will provide satisfactory results at a fraction of the cost.

Don’t get carried away during the process of soundproof construction and decide that you have to rebuild your room from the ground up. If you both have the money and don’t mind the inconvenience, a complete rehaul of a room during soundproof construction is fine, but no matter what you do, keep your room’s existing windows. You can’t soundproof your windows unless you they are already in place, because the soundproof windows are simply inserted on top of the existing ones, and will block as much as 95% of the sound trying to enter your home through its windows.

Soundproofing Your Ceilings

Having a multi story home will meant that your soundproofing construction should include the floors of its upper stories, because doing so is much quicker and less expensive than soundproofing its ceilings. You will, of course, eliminate more noise if you soundproof both, but doing the floors will probably be perfectly adequate.

You can tackle soundproof construction of a ceiling either by simply adding a layer of acoustical ceiling tiles, or by using resiliency bars, which will separate the new ceiling form the existing one and allow you to place your soundproofing materials between them. Both of these soundproof construction methods, however, will require you to work upside down and will reduce the height of the room in which they are used.

A complete job of adding Soundproof
construction to your home, including its walls, floors, ceilings, windows, and doors, will of course be extremely expensive and time consuming. But you can cut your costs by doing comparison shopping for the cheapest soundproofing materials, and the results will be worth your time and money!

By: Eric Henry

Home remodeling consist of many things such as laying new tiles, adding new rooms, renovating bathrooms and kitchens, remodeling rooms, painting and landscaping, just to name a few. Before developing a design concept for your home remodeling, it is important to write out a budget and work within that budget you have estimated.

Improvement

Every year thousands of home owners do major renovations on their house in order to improve the value as well as enjoy their improvements. Some home improvements are very costly and many do not have a good return for the money spent. The kitchen is another key area in your home and making improvements in this room will add value to your house if you plan on selling it. Time and money or expenses are two of the primary requirement in conducting home improvement.

Home improvement is the process of renovating or making additions and repairs to your house. There are plenty of websites on the internet that will give you instructions and tips and your local home improvement store will be happy to advise you (especially if you are buying supplies from them. As the number of colorful home-improvement magazines and TV shows increases, so do home owners wishes for the fancy things they see. A professional repairperson may be hired to perform the improvements but typically, the owner does most improvements.

There is variety of proposed home improvement projects, which includes very promising and breathtaking results when successfully done. Proposing a home improvement project is not as easy as doing household chores at home. One should also consider the budget for home improvement especially since a home improvement project might involve much money depending on how sophisticated or simple the planned renovation is. Well if you are out of budget, the most practical way is proposing a home improvement or renovation project. Take into consideration what portion of the work you can realistically do yourself before hiring someone to do the entire job for you.

Remodeling

Remodeling can be done in a wide variety of ways around residential or commercial properties. Kitchens have long been essential to home life; however they have now branched out to encompass a much broader range of duties. Function is the leading word in kitchen design and kitchen remodeling. Part of creative home remodeling involves knowing what you’d like in a kitchen. Sophisticated styling and luxurious details make creative home remodeling. In fact, many consumers purchase the retro-style refrigerators as the main element in their creative home remodeling whether it for recreational rooms, pool cabanas or basement bars.

Communication is very important more so, it is crucial to establish good communication between yourself and every party involved in your home remodeling project. Good communication ensures that every one is being carried along during the period of the home remodeling. You also need to consider important pointers or guidelines to follow to make your home improvement project into success and can save you a lot of money.
Let your creative home remodeling reflect the originality you have by decorating your living areas like no other person.

By: Clarisse Brown