Saturday, April 7, 2012

How To Make Changes To Improve Your Home

By Steve Brian


Most people are very fearful when it comes to the topic of home improvement. Whether the physical requirements of the job seem great or the task too complicated, many people are beaten before they begin their home improvement task. This article is meant to provide you with the requisite knowledge to take on those around the house jobs that you would otherwise hire someone to do.

Choosing paint over wallpaper is a great home improvement tip. Wallpaper may seem like it's easier to clean, and it is for the most part, but if you ever want to redecorate it's going to be difficult to remove. There is much more involved with removing wallpaper, whereas with paint, you can just paint right over it!

How sustaining is your house's insulation? Maybe your attic has never been insulated. Insulation has everything to do with energy cost and efficiency. Fully insulating your home significantly adds to the value of your home as well as reducing the operating costs. Have an insulation check done, and improve the areas that are not fully insulated.

Having the right lighting in a room can make a huge difference. Having a bright room will feel warm and inviting to members the house. Installing a second light fixture can also serve to brighten a room. By brightening a dark room one will make the over all feel of the house improved.

Landscaping can easily add value to your home by creating curb appeal. Shrubs and hedges are generally affordable and easy to maintain. Trees, on the other hand, are not recommended for many reasons. Foremost, immature trees do little to enhance the attractiveness of a yard, while mature trees are often very expensive.

One important aspect of doing home improvement projects is measuring. Three must-have, measuring tools for projects are measuring tape, a ruler and a level. The measuring tape allows you to get dimensions of space and of the parts you may use. A ruler allows you to measure and create straight lines. A level allows you to make sure a surface is flat and not inclining or declining.

Making your ceiling appear higher than it is can be accomplished using two very simple tips. You can paint stripes on your wall or add a tall floor lamp. Adding this to your rooms will create an optical illusion for your eye to follow. Your eyes will be focused on following the lines which will make your ceilings appear higher than they actually are.

One of the best home improvements for your house is a wood deck addition. Not only is it a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors, it also offer a great return on your investment when you re-sell your home. Most homeowners recoup 81 percent of the money that they spent on this home improvement. Just remember to do proper maintenance each year to the deck to optimize it's return potential.

When planning your kitchen, make sure your stove and your refrigerator are not right next to each other. If you set them side-by-side, they will both have to work too hard. You will waste energy and get less life from your appliances with this arrangement, and neither will perform optimally.

Analyze your reasons for remodeling before you begin any project. If you are remodeling to increase the likelihood of a quick home sale, focus your efforts on the kitchen and bathroom. These two remodels typically have the highest return on investment. If you are remodeling solely for personal reasons, you can begin anywhere you like.

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.

If you are planning on improving the exterior of your home by adding a deck, make sure to check on local laws and ordinances before putting out any money. Local codes can vary from city to city, and may affect the size and height of your deck, or how close you can put it to the property line. Also, be sure to check with the local homeowners' association as they may have policies regarding decks as well.

In order to properly renovate your kitchen when taking on a home improvement project, it is important that you shut off the water. If any accidents happen such as accidentally hitting a pipe, the mistake of flooding the whole kitchen can be prevented. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Make a simple and inexpensive back-splash for your kitchen using wallpaper and varnish. Buy wallpaper in the design of your choice. Measure your wall space and cut your paper a little large. Apply paste and let it stand a few minutes until tacky. Hang the wallpaper and use a squeegee to smooth out any bubbles. Trim edges for a perfect fit. Brush on varnish. Enjoy your new and thrifty back-splash.

Home improvement really is a creative endeavor, but that does not mean it is only for professional or serious home improvers. This creative endeavor can be enjoyed by anyone of any improvement skill level. These tips were constructed to help those of all levels find their way into home improvement.




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