Tag: home improvement

Home Projects – DIY or Call a Pro

Posted on Staff

You’re sitting on the couch watching your favorite home improvement channel, or you’re browsing the Internet and come across a great home project you’d love to create.

Maybe it’s a raised-bed garden, a beautiful built-in bookcase, or a wall tunnel for your cat.

Whatever it is, you’re probably saying to yourself, “That looks easy. I can do that.”

Hold up.

Before you make yourself into Tim “The Toolman” Taylor with your epic flub in home renovations, ask yourself if you’re really capable of getting the job done.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

tools laid out and ready to useDo I have the time?

Home improvement projects rarely go like they should, and can be more time-consuming than they first seemed.

Nothing is as easy as the pros make it look, so make sure you have a realistic time frame in mind, and that you are able to continue the project if something goes wrong.

If you don’t have the time (sorry, you really can’t finish your whole basement in a weekend), think about hiring a contractor.

Do I have the knowledge?

If you have vast experience in plumbing, feel free to change out that toilet or move your shower

You might want to take a class or call a pro if the answer is no.

If you know electricity really well, and understand codes and safety measures, then you can probably safely add lights or plugins without much concern.

However, if you find yourself thinking, “I need to YouTube this,” and it involves gas, fire, electricity or water, the safe bet is to pay someone else to do it, or really invest in a good class that can show you how to do it.

Don’t let your ego be the reason your house floods or burns to the ground!

Do I have the patience?

This aspect is often underestimated, but the reality is that many people get frustrated with home projects and tend to leave them unfinished.

If you’re a couple starting a project, keep in mind that this may either be a bonding experience or a “You’re sleeping on the couch” experience. There tends to be no middle ground.

If you have little tolerance for things going wrong, or for small injuries you may acquire, just hire the professional and relax while someone else does the work.

Which is more expensive: Doing the work, or hiring a professional?

Another important part of deciding whether to DIY or outsource your project is deciding if you can afford it.

Strangely enough, it often ends up being more expensive to do it yourself, as you may buy more product than you need, or you may mess up entirely and have to go purchase items again.

Also, you’re spending your time and energy, and time is money! Often, a contractor can get the job done in half the time you can, and they get discounts on products and appliances they need to get the job done.

While it’s maybe a little less exciting than doing it yourself, you may save yourself money in the long run. And you’ll be supporting local business by doing so!

 

How to Restore Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Posted on Staff

multi-story lake home on the waterfrontYou know that great curb appeal your house had when you first bought it? Is it looking a little haggard?

Maybe the paint is fading, or peeling. The gutters are bulging from dead leaves or this winter’s monsoon.

Maybe the porch has settled, and is drifting away from your house.

There are lots of things that can happen to a house that make it look, well, not so great. Here are a few quick tips to get your house back into curbside appeal mode.

Under Pressure

Power wash your house.

Rent a power washer, buy one, beg a friend or relative. Whatever you have to do, power wash the exterior panels, siding, or bricks and windows all the way around your house.

This removes the stuck on grime, and also gets rid of leaves, webs, and general yuckiness that tends to stick around.

Power washing is really quick fix to make your house sparkle on the outside.

Paint the House Red

Well, maybe not red unless you’re really going for a bold statement.

But if you notice your paint is peeling or fading, invest in a paint sprayer, or hire a professional.

Do touch-ups throughout the year, or just plan on one huge project in the summer when it’s nicest.

A fresh coat of paint has the power to make a house look brand-spankin’-new.

Get Your Head Out of the Gutter

Clean your gutters, people!

Stuffed gutters can cause structural damage, leaks and costly repairs if your gutters get so heavy they fall off. It happens.

Instead of letting it get to this point, clean your gutters out especially during spring and fall when all the new or dead leaves are falling from the trees.

If notice a bird’s nest or other blockage, get up there and clean it out. If you are not able to, hire someone that is.

Trim The Bushes

Landscaping is a great visual addition to a spruced up home exterior.

If you already have landscaping, maintain it. Trim the bushes, trees, or hedges and keep the flower beds weeded and grass mowed.

It’s amazing how much nicer a house looks when it’s got a well-kept yard.

If you have dirt instead of grass, think about investing in sod, grass seed, or having a landscaper do it all for you.

Clean Up

Don’t be that neighbor; get your car off the lawn, your trash bags off the porch, and your kids toys off the sidewalk.

Tidy up after you have a party on the lawn, and don’t let junk accumulate on your property.

It sounds simple, but so many people underestimate how much nicer their house looks from the outside when people aren’t greeted by a lot of junk at the curb.

Don’t Forget Your “Shore Appeal”

The term “curb appeal” refers to how your house looks from the street, or curb.

With a lake home many times the “front” of the house may be oriented towards the lake.

If this is the case make sure you make the appropriate side of the house your priority. Also, include your dock into the equation.

Make sure that any year-round furniture is secured, there is no clutter such as life vests or fishing supplies, and that your boat is secured and orderly.

Hopefully after reading these tips, you’re motivated to get out there and clean!

Do the easiest steps first, and build up to the big projects, like repainting or landscaping. Then, you can enjoy the view every time you pull into your garage or driveway.

 

5 Easy Home Maintenance Tips for Fall

Posted on Staff

Many people assume that major preparations are needed for winter, and every other season is mild enough that your house can wait until temperatures drop. However, if you want to keep your workload down and prevent expensive repairs or damage, here are some things that should be on your home maintenance checklist this fall.

Lake home on the water during autumn | Lake Homes Realty

Image courtesy of Cindy Etta via Pinterest.

Gutter Snipe

Fall is obviously synonymous with leaves falling, raking, leaf blowing and general yard upkeep.

While you’re focusing on your yard, the first thing on your fall home maintenance checklist should be to look up at your house and ensure that your gutters and downspouts are cleared of leaves, debris and any blockages.

If you leave the leaves in the gutters until it starts to snow, your gutters won’t be able to do their job.

Do yourself a favor, grab a ladder and some gloves, and clear the detritus from the gutters and downspouts.

Leaf It

Fallen leaves in front of home during fall | Lake Homes Realty

Image courtesy of Angie’s List.

When you rake up all those leaves, and feel like you want to scream, keep in mind that those leaves serve a purpose.

If you have a garden, you can chop the leaves and spread them as mulch, providing a lot of nutrients for next year’s soil.

If you don’t have a garden, and want nothing to do with the leaves that clutter your yard, put them on the curb or take them to a community garden.

Someone could use them!

Pack It Up

As the end of the season approaches, you won’t be needing to water your lawn, and there will be several times where frost coats your lawn and car in the morning.

The next thing on your home maintenance checklist should be to turn off the water spigot, unwrap your hose, and put it away.

Also make sure you blow your sprinklers out, or call the landscapers to do it. You don’t want water in the pipes when your area has its first freeze.

Heat Things Up

Lake home living room with burning fireplace | Lake Homes Realty

Image courtesy of OneKindDesign.

Before winter truly arrives, test out your furnace, and make sure nothing is wrong with it.

Few things are worse than waiting until it’s freezing outside, only to realize that your furnace is out of order.

If you have a fireplace, make sure it’s structurally sound, and make sure nothing is inside the chimney that would prevent smoke from clearing out.

Hunker Down

In general, use autumn as preparation for winter.

If you live in an area full of wildlife, make sure your house, and outbuildings, are sealed up tight as many creatures will begin seeking refuge when temps are still tolerable.

Stock up on food if you live in a very intense climate.

Make sure your windows and doors are sealed tightly, so you can conserve energy and heat!

Sure up the Shoreline

Vermont Lake Home on Shoreline during autumn | Lake Homes Realty

Image courtesy of BucketList127.

Many lakes have seasonal draw downs, meaning the water level will be significantly lower in the cooler months.

This makes for the perfect time to work on any seawall damages that may need repairs.

Many times this is best left to a professional, and since this is the optimal time to make repairs be sure to book their services ASAP.

While this list is far from exhaustive, it should serve as a good reminder to never leave your house unsupervised until winter.

By the time you realize there is a problem, it will be too late, and all the service pros will be booked until the beginning of spring!

Save yourself time and money now, and get ready for fall and winter the right way.

A Beginner’s Guide to Painting a Room

Posted on Staff

Painting a room yourself can be easy if you go about it the right way. It can also be a lot of fun.

Changing a room’s color, or simply applying a fresh coat can help a space look both clean and inviting.

This is also an alternative to buying new furniture or rearranging the furniture you already have if you are wanting to spruce up an area of your home.

If you have never painted before, never fear! Here are some tips to help ensure that you get great results:

green wall with ladder

  1. Begin with a clean wall. Make sure to wash off any dirt, grease, or anything that shouldn’t be there. If you are using soap to clean the walls, be sure to go back over those spots with plain water so that you don’t leave soap residue.
  2. Sand paper any previously puttied spots, and use putty in order to have a smooth wall. If your walls have any holes or broken areas, be sure to repair those before you begin painting.
  3. Use trim tape to save your floors and windows, or anything else you don’t want paint on. There is special painter’s tape made for this purpose; it is easy to apply and peel off. This tape can also be applied for a long time without peeling off any existing paint on your wall, like normal masking tape might. Paint tape helps to protect the paint from getting all over as well as assists you in creating the perfect line.
  4. Prime the walls for maximum coverage and the best look. Priming the walls means you are just preparing them for the actual color that you will paint them. If you are painting over a dark colored wall with lighter paint, will need primer to ensure you an enhanced, even color. It is advised that painters use primer for lighter colored walls as well.
  5. Use a brush AND roller. In the smaller and hard to reach areas, you will need to use a paint brush. This is where the paint tape comes in handy as you are painting in those crevices and corners. Tape and brushes are also handy when it comes down to painting along trim. For most of the wall, use the roller brush to cover large areas in a shorter amount of time. Roller brush strokes also come out much more smoothly and evenly, if done properly.
  6. Lay the roller on the wall with sweeping strokes. Start in the middle of the wall, and roll upward and then down at a slight angle while applying pressure. Be sure to not touch the ceiling or anything you don’t want paint to be on. While you are painting, make sure to do it quickly, as you don’t want the paint to build up or create roller marks.
  7. Don’t forget to wrap your brush and cover paint if you take a break, even for just 10 minutes. Be sure to use a plastic bag, or plastic wrap, in order to keep your brush from drying out. Also, be sure to put the lid back on the paint can when you aren’t pouring it in order to avoid drying as well.

Painting a room may seem like a daunting task at first, but follow these tips, and you will be perfecting your painting techniques in no time!

And don’t forget to check out our article about selecting the right paint pallet for each room!

 

 

5 Indoor Decor Ideas For Your Lake Home

Posted on Glenn S. Phillips

Living on the lake is a wonderful place to live. However, it is important to the appeal of the home to be decorated in a proper manner. Depending on your personal style, you can choose from a list of different styles. Here are 5 decor ideas that are bound to suite every taste.

Bright White Lake House Theme

bright white decor ideasThis type of theme offers a crisp and clean area to relax in. It is bright and inviting. Create this by adding in white chair covers, table clothes, and more. Other pieces of furniture that are not white should be black metal.

For example, if you are decorating your dining room, the chairs should be black metal and the table should be covered with a simple white tablecloth. This theme gives a soft, yet clean feel to any room of your lake home. It is often used for the family room, dinning room, or guest room.

Playing Up the View

You can make the most of having the lakeside view by keeping your windows and sliding doors free of drapery. Purchase furniture that matches the serene lakeside view.

For example, if you have location that provides many trees, then the best furniture type is made of wood and not metal or other unnatural colors. Keep the colors to a natural tone and it will add to the amazing view that your property has to offer.

Durable Furniture and Matching Scenes

There are many people who choose wicker furniture to offer a homey scene. However, wicker furniture will not stand up to vigorous usage. There are other options for this like rattan furniture. It offers a wicker pattern using a more durable material.

These come in different colors like grey, black, and brown. In order to mesh the scene the outside and inside has to offer, purchase brown rattan furniture. It will help the flow of view and offer cozy seating for you and your family.

Modern Style with Earth Tones

Earth tone decor ideasIf you like the more modern styles, then you can still have this. If you use earthy colors, you can still offer a mesh of the surroundings from the outside and in.

Shades of greens and browns are great. You can purchase pillows and other items like table clothes that includes a modern pattern, but still sticks to the earthy tone of the lake home surroundings.

Unique and Cozy

If you want more color when it comes to your décor and furniture, then paint your walls white. Having red pillows with any other color of wall will offer chaos to your eyes.

Keep the walls white should you choose a more exciting and busy theme. For a cozy appeal, you can purchase a comfortable brown sofa and place mixed pattern pillows on it for a unique and personalized style.

No matter what you choose for your lake home, it is important to keep in mind that you can use the outside to add to your theme. If you use drapes to add color, then keep them open to include the outside view, while you relax on the inside.

Home Improvements – Where Should You Start?

Posted on Glenn S. Phillips

Sometimes you get into a house and you start to tinker.

You make a change here, an improvement there. After a while, it starts to take on a new personality, one that matches yours.

Home Improvement: DIYOther times you may be on a tighter budget, and you wonder what will make the most impact on your home, and what will raise the resale value the most.

Here are some of the best home improvements you can make that will pay off whether you are trying to sell your home or not.

Some investments in your home go beyond financial. Some will make your house more comfortable to live in every day. These are investments like new windows and a new roof, to prevent air and water leaks.

A new furnace will be energy efficient and pay for itself in the long run thanks to lowered utility bills each month. It will also keep you warm every day, especially if the one you currently have is very old.

New siding or insulation in an older home can stop leaks and provide a more comfortable living space. Adding a bathroom in a home that currently only has one, opens up your possibilities to home buyers with families.

The fundamentals of a house are actually more important than features are. Everyone has their own idea of beauty, so a new buyer of your lakeside home can customize it to their own vision. They will be more likely to buy if they can step into a home that will be warm and safe, allowing them to take more time on the rest.

While you might think that adding travertine tile or granite counters is the best idea, what actually will get you the most return for your investment, should you choose to sell, is making those rooms functional. If the layout is clunky, no matter how gorgeous the kitchen is, no one will want to gather there. Something as simple as replacing the cabinets or extending the counter space could make a huge improvement.

Many times a buyer will want to have a move-in ready home. This is because after the stress of buying a home, they will want moving to be easy. They can change things, like paint color, as their time permits, but they don’t want to have to worry about whether the roof will leak on their head in the first storm of the year.

They also want to have a nice looking but easy to care for yard that looks good from the street. Maintaining landscaping is much easier for the buyer than starting from scratch.

Something else to consider is what your neighbors are doing in terms of home improvements. Are they just doing the basics, or are they going for extravagant things like a fancy chef’s kitchen or a bi-level deck leading down to the dock? Improvements like this could cause your home to be overlooked by potential buyers.

In the end, you should evaluate how soon you plan to sell your home, or if you plan to stay there for the long term. That will determine what you should do and when.

Having this timeline and knowing that the best improvements you can make are those that shore up the infrastructure, can help you keep tabs on the financial investments you’re making to your home, and make it easier to calculate the potential return you could gain by selling your home.

The Many Options of Putting a Roof Over Your Head

Posted on Glenn S. Phillips

If you are building a new home or replacing your existing roof, there are several factors that you should take into consideration. These factors include options, such as the color of your roof, roofing materials, and the type of roof design.

Metal Roofing

The color choice of your roof is perhaps the most important factor that you need to consider. No matter your choice of material, the color of that material is paramount to its functionality.

If you decide to install metal roofing, for example, choosing a lighter color would be superior to choosing a darker one. Lighter colors reflect heat and light whereas darker colors absorb it. Most of your metal roofing materials are made of painted galvanized metal. One of your better choices of which, would be galvanized aluminum.

Galvanized aluminum comes in a natural metal finish. It will reflect heat much better than a painted, darker, galvanized roof. If you can sacrifice color, this is a great choice because of the heat reflective properties. You will save on your energy expenses cooling your home. Metal roofing materials usually come with a 50 year warranty which makes it a great long term choice.

Fiberglass Shingles

Another popular choice in roofing materials are fiberglass shingles. For a shingle roof, the color options vary. If you choose a lighter roof color, you need to consider the plant life surrounding your home.

Oak trees tend to stain lighter colored roofs a rust color over time. This can be very difficult to remove, but it is mostly a cosmetic issue.

A dark color fiberglass shingle will heat up and get very soft. This is important to note, because when a fiberglass shingle heats up during the hottest part of the day, and then cools off quickly (during a possible rainstorm), the shingle could develop cracks and leak over a period of time.

This is worth paying attention to if you are considering fiberglass shingles and live in an environment that has mildly unpredictable weather patterns, and is prone to high heat. These shingles come with up to a 25 year warranty at the time of purchase.

Cosmetic Factors

Another option of roof color/design would be to match the exterior of your home. If you have a brick home, for example, that consists of a blend of different colors, you need to consider which color of brick you want to bring out the most.

Different roofing colors will bring out different colors in the brick, so you must consider taking a look at surrounding buildings in your neighborhood to see how your choice of roofing color will affect the homes surrounding it. Roof color is an important factor in any construction project. Make sure you make a choice you will be happy with.

roof contractorOne of the last things to think about when you are replacing the roof is the cost. You need to get in touch with your local roofing contractor to get an estimate on each type of roofing material.

For example, the metal roof will be more expensive, but you will get a longer life from a metal roof than you would with a shingle roof. Your local contractor will be glad to help you with this decision, as their knowledge of what materials will perform best in your area is experience based.

In the end, it’s all about what is best for your home!

Easy and Inexpensive DIY Options to Refresh and Rejuvenate A Room

Posted on Glenn S. Phillips

Nothing will boost your spirits or improve the look of your home quite like a new decorating project will. Many people have the notion that decorating has to be an extensive project in order to make a difference. The truth is that there are plenty of easy, do-it-yourself techniques you can use to liven up any room of your home.

Here are five inexpensive DIY options to use the next time you need a pick-me-up for a room but don’t want to spend a great deal of time or money on home improvements: Continue reading “Easy and Inexpensive DIY Options to Refresh and Rejuvenate A Room”

Waterfront Home Renovation for Dummies

Posted on Glenn S. Phillips

Basic tools to help build a tree house

Waterfront home renovations give you the opportunity to convert it into a business, increase property value, improve appearance, or simply live more comfortably. Many times homeowners are not sure where to begin with renovation, but it all depends on your intentions.

If you are trying to sell the home, then you need to do a lot more research and conform to market demands. This guide will help guide you in deciding how to improve your waterfront property. Whether it’s for personal, or profitable reasons.

Architects, Designers and Builders

Naturally, you will need to decide if you’ll use your own DIY skills or hire architects, designers and builders to remodel your home.

Many homeowners who try to save money on home renovations have either carefully learned these crafts and produced successful results, or wound up in an unfinished dilemma that doesn’t meet building codes, leading to higher expenses than expected.

Careful planning is necessary, which is usually best handled by professionals. There are some things you may want to do yourself to cut costs, such as interior painting, while leaving the more advanced home renovations to experienced experts who can produce results to exact specifications.

Scenic View Considerations

Regardless of your remodeling goals, you should first assess the probability of improving your views of the water and surrounding scenery.

Natural settings can be much more effective than manufactured waterfronts, although artistically designed water fountains can be just as pleasant as lakes and rivers.

One way to add charm to your view is to build a covered patio or deck that also encourages gardening.

Adding a sun room to a garage or other parts of the home serves many purposes beyond cosmetic appeal. Purposes such as reducing consumption of electric lighting and heating, as well as providing opportunities for indoor plants to grow.

Improving Utility

Photo via Forbes.com

An important point to think about is how waterproof your existing home is and how much flood protection it needs.

If you live near a river, for example, is the levee system secure? Some levees leak and can cause severe damage, which is why you should be aware of levee history, especially during storms.

This information can be gathered from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who can provide a wealth of data on flood planning, sewage overflow, water conservation and many other issues in regard to your property.

You may also want to improve electrical and mechanical functions of the home. If you live in an area that is prone to floods, you should consider renovating your drainage system around the home’s perimeter.

Increasing Property Value

Photo via dsnews.comYou can increase your property value by ten percent or more, simply by modernizing it to be more energy-efficient and eco-friendly. Methods for cutting energy costs include sealing or replacing leaky doors, windows, ceilings, walls and pipes.

Another way to increase property value is to remodel your bathrooms and kitchen with durable cabinets made of oak, maple or cherry wood.

Upgrading an old HVAC system with a modern heating, ventilation and air conditioning system should further cut energy costs as well as improve indoor air quality. Installing a brick fireplace is another way to cut down on heating bills.

The more glass your waterfront home has, the more you can use natural sunlight to replace electric heating while adding to your scenic views at the same time.

Sustainability 

Merging with the environment as much as possible will bring authenticity and value to your home, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

If your region gets plenty of sunshine, consider installing a solar thermal water heating system, which is a much cleaner, cheaper way to produce hot water.

Since energy from the sun is free once you pay for the equipment and the government may provide tax credits, you may also consider a photovoltaic system (PV) that converts sunlight into electricity to power the entire home.

PV systems can provide electricity either as off-grid standalone systems or can be used as a backup system.

Replacing toxic materials such as asbestos ceilings with eco-friendly materials will add even more authenticity and value to your home.

Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) contain mercury, a dangerous material that is found in older thermostats and electronics.

Other toxic building materials you should consider replacing include those that contain lead, polyvinyl chloride, dioxin and foam products known as halogenated flame retardants (HFRs). Some of these materials can cause cancer and other illnesses.

In order to enjoy a healthier and more sustainable life, invest in lead-free faucets, copper pipes and mercury-free lighting such as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).