Home improvements are the simplest way to increase the value of your home while adding comfort and style. There are a number of factors to consider when thinking about the best ways to improve your home to meet your needs. In this article, we present a number of interesting home improvement tips to assist you in creating the best home environment for everyone in your household.
Improving the air quality inside your home can be an invaluable home improvement for both your health and the resale value of your house. The first step would be to replace any old carpets or have them professionally cleaned, as they could be hiding contaminants, allergens and unpleasant odors. Secondly, if your budget allows, install an energy efficient air conditioning system.
Want to save a coat or two of paint? When you paint wood or drywall that needs to be primed first tint the primer to match your final paint color. By tinting the primer you will reduce the amount of coats you need to paint the surface by a coat or two.
Use a sponge to do your drywall. Avoid sanding the seams, try to stick with sponging. Once you’re used to it, you can smooth out drywall seams with a damp sponge just as well as you could sanding. The advantage is that sponging doesn’t kick up all of the dust that sanding does.
If you’re one of the many people who are suffering from lack of space in their closets, have no fear. You can easily build simple shelving inside of your closet to create more space for your clothing and accessories. Hang your purses on pegs and put your shoes in small plastic boxes to be able to later stack them on the bottom of your closet. Whatever you’re not using and is out of season, consider moving them to storage or storing them under your bed.
Prior to staining or painting any wooden items, always use sandpaper in order to smooth out the wood’s surface. Once you do this, wipe off the item with a wet rag. Sanding smooths the finish. The damp rag removes the dust and will also help create your desired smooth finish.
Free up some cabinet space in your kitchen by using a metal desk organizer to store cutting boards, jelly roll pans and cookie sheets. This will not only give you the much needed cabinet space, but keep you from having to open every single drawer in your kitchen to find one item you could use.
Do you want to gain a little closet or floor space in your next home improvement project? Relocate your water heater to your attic! Modern water heaters are produced in efficient, reliable “low-boy” designs that you can tuck safely between your ceiling and your roof. This allows you to gain a little extra storage space.
If you have been itching to buy a new home because your current home needs help, consider giving your home a face lift with simple home improvement projects first. A home renovation allows you to set up your home exactly as you want it, rather than moving into a new home that someone else designed. All the tasks that come with new home purchase are often more costly and time consuming than simple home improvement projects that pack a big punch.
If you are improving your home to increase its sale value, focus on the important portions first. Trying to renovate the whole home will become overly expensive and provide a diminishing return on investment. Items such as exterior siding, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and kitchen appliances, however, will be universally appealing as you try to sell the home.
If you are trying to remove wallpaper that has been painted over or has more than one layer, you may have to use a steamer. Using a steamer will assure you do not damage the walls while removing the wallpaper. You can usually rent a steamer or buy a do-it-yourself model.
Chandeliers have a place in even modest homes today. You can pick one up for less that 500 dollars, and install it in your den or dining room. If you want a chandelier that will stand out, try getting one that puts out 200-400 watts.
Never try to use makeshift solutions or inferior equipment to replace tools you need for your home improvement project. While you may be tempted to save time and money this way, the equipment you attempt to replace is expensive or hard to get hold of for a reason. Using stopgap measures can give you unsatisfactory results or even expose you to danger.
If you have decided to do your own repainting of your home’s exterior, remember to paint surfaces from the top down. Begin first with the gutters. The fascia boards, and the eaves of your house. When this part is finished, work your way downward to the main surfaces. You can save yourself a considerable amount of time by using a high-quality 4-inch brush. Check often for drips and streaks since they are more difficult to clean up after the paint is dried.
How many times have you looked at a house, and thought about how many bathrooms it has and whether or not it would work? There is a direct correlation between the quantity of bathrooms and the value of the property. By adding another bath to your home, your home’s value will greatly increase.
If you are using a tank style hot water heater and do not have the money to replace it take a trip to your hardware store. You can buy an energy saving blanket to wrap around your tank to keep heat in and save you money on your energy or gas bill.
As you think of making home repairs, you need to take money and your skills into consideration. As one of your most valuable assets, your home can be a comfortable abode for you, your family and future generations if you perform the necessary upkeep and improvements.
