Easy Renovations for Your Home
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Article by: Ailsa Forshaw Renovating should be a fun and exciting process (really!). The key is to plan , Why The Best Flooring Idea Is To Install Hardwood Floors the project out in advance, hire the right people, allot the appropriate amount of time, and make provisions for delays. Try not to make the completion date coincide with your birthday or anniversary. Begin waaaay before that date, if you're planning a special party, and even then, have an alternate location , Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money in mind. Don't impose a time frame on yourself , Decorate Your Home with Custom Prints and Posters or your contractor , Home Building Plans that will create stress. At the same time, get a clear understanding of how long the project will probably take, and when it will begin. If it's a three month job and the work won't begin until November, your house , Ordering Parts For Your Plumbing Through The Mail will not be ready for a New Year's Party, unless you're celebrating Chinese New Year"¦ This is a surprisingly common problem - how much time the home , Solar Energy Use In Design owner thinks a project will take and that actual work time required. There are no Contractor , The Right Furniture Fairies (and I refer here to the magical ones! Ha,ha,ha!) who can slip in the middle of the night and have the project done by the morning, although that would be good! (I'm guessing that there'd be some really loud dance music, anyway, which would just keep you awake"¦!) Have your Contractor , The Benefits of Fiberglass Flagpoles include a probable time frame with the quote. Have a clear idea of what you want before your contractor , Electric Pressure Washers comes over. You don't have to sketch out the changes, , Feng Shui Interprets Homes in the Hills but you should be able to tell him or her what changes , Outdoor Fireplaces and the Best Ways to FInd them you would like to see. Many good contractors , Window Shutters On A Budget will have done so many renos that they will immediately know what needs to be done, the approximate cost and time-frame. When a contractor , DIY Conservatories & The Home Owner tells you that 'the little bathroom' will cost about $3,000.00, don't think that your job will secretly only cost about $20.00, maybe a little less"¦then be shocked and dismayed when your bill comes in at"¦$3,000.00. You'd be surprised how many people have notions like that. Try not to fall , The Benefits of Fiberglass Flagpoles into this trap, or to think that any changes , My New House Homepage.com - Start-up online pixel advertising website targeted to homeowners you make once the job has started won't affect the price or the amount of time of a project. Always get written quotes for any work you are having done, that way you'll both be clear about the expectations for the job. If you're really stuck trying to figure out how to , The Unfitted Kitchen: Why Bother? improve an area in your home, , Wholesale Hardwood Flooring Isn't That Just For Retailers? consider hiring a Designer. , The Unfitted Kitchen: Why Bother? Keep in mind that they can work within your budget, but if your budget is really tight, it's probably better to spend the consultation fee on new drapes or a toilet"¦ If decision making is a problem area for you, and you're able to relinquish control, then a designer , Vacuums The Value of the Wet Vac might be the clear solution. Shop around the same way you would for a contractor , Decorate Your Home with Custom Prints and Posters until you find someone you're really comfortable with, someone who will listen to what you want. Remember, it's your house, , Pool Maintenance so do what's right for you. If you say, "Absolutely no red" and the designer , Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money says you need all red if you're going to be 'cutting edge', then choose another designer , Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money - one who is more interested in catering to your needs. Is there a quick fix? Often, there is a quick fix. If you aren't dealing with structural changes , Chairs: Gotta Have Them or a complete makeover, then consider a coat of paint, , Home Appliances, Select Them on Price or Energy Efficiency? new flooring, , Pool Maintenance new baseboards, and/or new window , How Bad Is The Air In Your House? treatments. There are lots of things that you can do yourself, , Solar Energy Use In Home Design now. You might want to up-date your bathroom , Window Shutters On A Budget or kitchen , Chairs: Gotta Have Them with new flooring. , Vent-free Gas Heaters Pose Multiple Risks There's a new glueless laminate , What you should know before you choose wallpaper 'wood' flooring , Feng Shui Interprets Homes in the Hills that you can tackle on your own, if you are so inclined. Tiling , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub is an excellent option, too, and you can learn how to , Tips For Choosing The Right Bathtub do that on our site (click on the Tiling , Some Questions to Ask When Buying an Air-Purifier page), or attend a seminar at your local , How to Keep Your Bathroom Looking Showroom Perfect hardware store. A really nice throw rug , Home Appliances, Select Them on Price or Energy Efficiency? can change , Lighting Up Your World the look of a room , Options In Basement Waterproofing and add new life to an old carpet. , Vent-free Gas Heaters Pose Multiple Risks Installation of new carpet , Kitchen Sink Manufacturers: Where To Find The Very Best should be professionally done, unless it's a small area and you are skilled at that. Sometimes a simple change , Home Improvement Costs for 2006 like up-dating your hardware , 3 Steps to Picking out Your Dream Paint (the knobs in your kitchen , DIY Conservatories & The Home Owner - no, not your husband's friends! Ha,ha,ha! ) can make a huge difference in the overall look of a room. , The Unfitted Kitchen: Why Bother? You may be able to paint , The Right Furniture your cabinetry if you don't want to replace it. If you are replacing the cabinets, Check out your Local , Vacuums The Value of the Wet Vac Hardware Stores selection. You can check for price, availability, installation fees (don't try this alone!), and for some ideas in general that you like. They will provide you with a computer printout of what your completed kitchen , Enjoy Your Outdoor Patio! will look like, if you arrange to meet with a Kitchen Designer , Chairs: Gotta Have Them and draw one out together. If you have an old brick fireplace that you don't care for anymore, or want to give it a fresh look, consider painting , Technicians Tool Kits - These Aren't Your Father's Tools it. This is not a crime"¦painted brick looks great! Generally, creamy shades work well, but you can choose what you like. Brick really soaks up the paint, , Wholesale Hardwood Flooring Isn't That Just For Retailers? so use a good primer, first. You can also put a marble tile , Decorate Your Home with Custom Prints and Posters (slate works well, too) around the fireplace. Use the correct tile , Solar Energy Use In Home Design adhesive (ask at the store) and choose a nice grout. You can actually buy a Fireplace Surround pre-made, or you can build your own Mantel with Crown Moulding and some nice lumber. You may want to bring in some help for this. While you're looking at the Fireplace Mantels, check out the cool 'Fireplace Overmantels' -- they're gorgeous! You can have mirror custom cut to fit in the center and make your house , Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money look fabulous, darling! Changing the lighting can create a whole new look in your home. , Technicians Tool Kits - These Aren't Your Father's Tools If it's not too complicated, you can do this on your own. If it's too tricky or dangerous, bring in an electrician. Changing the light , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub switches and switch plates can make a huge difference, too. You can go from the past to the present in a flick of the switch! Ha,ha,ha! Doors have a huge impact on how a house , Vent-free Gas Heaters Pose Multiple Risks looks. Painting , Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money old wooden doors , Window Shutters On A Budget (the ones from the 60's and 70's) can add new life to them. Change , Tips For Choosing The Right Bathtub the hardware , Is Your Fireplace Keeping You Warm and Cozy? - Tips for Better Heat while you're at it, and you'll have a nice new door! , Clear Wax Candles vs. Gel Candles Switching to French Doors , How to Keep Your Bathroom Looking Showroom Perfect (the ones with the glass , How Bad Is The Air In Your House? inserts) can add extra light , Deck the Walls with Christmas Wall Displays to a room. , Picking A Kitchen Countertop You Can Live With You can get the glass , Lighting Up Your World with many different looks, if privacy is a concern. If your budget will allow, consider changing all the doors , The Benefits of Fiberglass Flagpoles to the new white , The Unfitted Kitchen: Why Bother? colonial style - that looks nice in just about every home. , Traditional Interior Design They're clean and neat, and will brighten up a hallway. Replacing your front door , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub can give the house , The Unfitted Kitchen: Why Bother? a real boost and probably add a bit of safety, , To Frame or Not to Frame... That is the Question too, since many of the new doors , To Frame or Not to Frame... That is the Question are made of steel. Sometimes adding a lovely screen door , Window Shutters On A Budget can create more interest at the front entry. When you change , To Frame or Not to Frame... That is the Question the doors, , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub you will probably want to replace the baseboards, too. If you are trying to make the job as easy as possible, consider using Rosettes for the corners, then all the cuts will be straight ones. Use Dap to fill in any little gaps, or wood , Installing landscape lighting filler if you've gone with a wooden , How to Keep Your Bathroom Looking Showroom Perfect finish. Also, Changing out the Garage , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub Doors in an Older Home , Age Old Question: Buy New or Remodel Existing ? to Update the Exterior look of your house , Chairs: Gotta Have Them is a great idea. Garage , Picking A Kitchen Countertop You Can Live With Doors are a very reasonable price, these days -- some things become more reasonable as time goes on -- go figure! But changing out the Garage , Deck the Walls with Christmas Wall Displays Doors can create an incredible new look for your house. , How to Keep Your Bathroom Looking Showroom Perfect And maybe add some nice neat Trim around the Doors, , Harnessing the Sun for Your Home Key Components too! Did you know that you can paint , Vent-free Gas Heaters Pose Multiple Risks your appliances? It works, too. You can hire a painting , Chairs: Gotta Have Them service to do this if you're worried about the outcome. If you are getting new kitchen , How To Open Your Swimming Pool This Spring cabinetry, you can order matching covers for the appliances. Ask at the cabinet place , Solar Energy Use In Home Design for details to see if that is feasible in your kitchen. , 3 Kinds Of Wood Used In Real Wood Furniture Sometimes your best bet is just to bite the bullet and buy new appliances. My favourite new appliance (who knew you could have a 'favorite appliance?!) is the Upright Freezer. I'm putting one in the new house, , Lighting Up Your World it's sooo cool! It looks like a refrigerator -- some the same height and almost the same size, and some a little shorter. You can arrange to have the door , Electric Pressure Washers open from the left, if you have the fridge and upright freezer side by side, so access is even easier. Anyway, it saves , Chairs: Gotta Have Them 'losing' all those items at the bottom of a regular freezer that you can't remember and find a couple of years later"¦ Also, there are some really neat new small appliances that will add more efficiency to your kitchen. , How To Open Your Swimming Pool This Spring There's a roasting oven that that just plugs in and sits on your countertop - great for big dinner events when you could really use another oven. If you have a small space with a closet (front entry, bedroom), consider changing the regular doors , Feng Shui Interprets Homes in the Hills to mirrored doors. , Home Building Plans That really opens up a room , Some Questions to Ask When Buying an Air-Purifier and provides more light, , Kitchen Sink Manufacturers: Where To Find The Very Best quickly. Window Treatments can make the world of difference in a room. , Carpet Tiles Are A Great Source For Flooring There's a huge selection of gorgeous curtains, most of them reasonably priced. Shop around - there are some great deals, out there. On-line shopping is perfect for this. At the very least, it'll give you an idea of what's available on the market. Adding a beautiful , Vacuums The Value of the Wet Vac Valance will have a huge impact on the room. , How to Install a Prehung Door You can make them out of Crown Moulding if you like the wooden , Options In Basement Waterproofing look, or you can build them out of plywood, cover with cotton batting, then material to suit your room, , Wholesale Hardwood Flooring Isn't That Just For Retailers? and staple them at the back. Be sure to get help hanging them on the wall , Technicians Tool Kits - These Aren't Your Father's Tools as they will be quite heavy. Be sure to attach it where there's a stud, too. (Are you making your own stud jokes?! Ha,ha!) The relatively new wrought iron curtain rods with all the cool attachments are really attractive, too. They are much easier to install and generally less expensive than a valance. You can buy ready-made material valances, too - they're usually offered with the set of curtains that you choose. Tie-backs can make a real difference, too, so have a wee look at them, as well. Furniture plays a key role in the look of your house. , 3 Steps to Picking out Your Dream Paint There are some gorgeous slip covers available, if you don't want to replace your extra comfortable stuff! You could try your hand at reupholstering your furniture. , Is Your Fireplace Keeping You Warm and Cozy? - Tips for Better Heat It's not as hard as it looks, but it does take time and skill, , Feng Shui Interprets Homes in the Hills but if you're a willing participant and plan , How Bad Is The Air In Your House? it carefully, it should work out all right. Get a staple gun to make the job a little easier. Maybe you're in the market for a new head board? You can make your own out of a nice door, , The Right Furniture with an even pattern, some nice Crown Moulding, and some legs. You can purchase these at any lumber store. Turn it on its' side to create the look you're after. If you'd like a softer headboard, try covering a sheet of plywood with a fair bit of padding, then cover with material and staple. If it's big enough, you may be able to just sit it behind the head of the bed, , Wholesale Hardwood Flooring Isn't That Just For Retailers? or you can attach it to the frame. Let go of your old notions about painting , Clear Wax Candles vs. Gel Candles wooden furniture , Vent-free Gas Heaters Pose Multiple Risks - it can really bring it into the present (especially if it's that really dark wood , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub so very popular in the 70's"¦). If you are painting , Window Shutters On A Budget a hutch, remember to paint , How Bad Is The Air In Your House? the interior , Some Questions to Ask When Buying an Air-Purifier to keep it looking light. , DIY Conservatories & The Home Owner Adding additional lighting is easy with the new 'stick on lights' available at regular retail outlets. Smear Vaseline on the windows , Tips For Choosing The Right Bathtub of the unit before you paint , Window Shutters On A Budget it to make clean up faster and easier. You can replace the hardware, , Picking A Kitchen Countertop You Can Live With too, or paint , Feng Shui Interprets Homes in the Hills that, as well. If you really want to be adventurous, you could tile , Why The Best Flooring Idea Is To Install Hardwood Floors the top of your dressers and end tables with a nice marble or ceramic tile. , Deck the Walls with Christmas Wall Displays Check my'Tiling Page' to learn how to , Things to look for when buying a new mattress do this. New Bedding , How to Keep Your Bathroom Looking Showroom Perfect can really change , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub the feel of a bedroom. If you don't already have Bed , Solar Energy Use In Home Design skirts, try adding these. An easy and inexpensive way to create you own bed , Vent-free Gas Heaters Pose Multiple Risks skirt is to take a flat , Installing landscape lighting sheet that is a size larger than your bed. , Why The Best Flooring Idea Is To Install Hardwood Floors Place , Kitchen Sink Manufacturers: Where To Find The Very Best it carefully on the bed , Home Appliances, Select Them on Price or Energy Efficiency? to reach the floor , Poster, Print or Painting. Where Are You Going To Put It? around the bed, , Tips For Choosing The Right Bathtub then make pleats at the corners. You can pin it, or just arrange the top mattress over the sheet to hold it in place. , Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money Try adding a Duvet Cover over an old comforter for a different look. You can get matching Pillow Cases, too, that'll really complete the look. Speaking of Tiling, , Feng Shui Interprets Homes in the Hills if your Kitchen , Home Appliances, Select Them on Price or Energy Efficiency? Countertop has seen better days, you might want to consider tiling , The Benefits of Fiberglass Flagpoles it. This is actually a surprisingly inexpensive venture, especially if you can do it yourself. , How Bad Is The Air In Your House? Many arborite countertops have a little 'lip' at the outer edge, which you will probably have to plane down to create a smooth and square surface in preparation for the tile. , Is Your Fireplace Keeping You Warm and Cozy? - Tips for Better Heat You can also remove the old countertop and replace it with ¾ plywood (have it specially cut to fit), then tile , Home Appliances, Select Them on Price or Energy Efficiency? on that. There are so many beautiful tiles , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub to choose from, that the possibilities are endless. Look at all the different sizes of tile, , Is Your Fireplace Keeping You Warm and Cozy? - Tips for Better Heat too. People often think of the tiny tiles, , Tips For Choosing The Right Bathtub or the 4" tiles, , Window Shutters On A Budget for a Countertop, but you can go much larger. The tile , Kitchen Sink Manufacturers: Where To Find The Very Best we chose for our next kitchen , Options In Basement Waterproofing (you can watch this process by clicking on the Tiling , How to Install a Prehung Door box) is a 13" X 13" Green , Poster, Print or Painting. Where Are You Going To Put It? Marble Ceramic Tile , Ordering Parts For Your Plumbing Through The Mail - gorgeous. Real marble tile , Why The Best Flooring Idea Is To Install Hardwood Floors is fantastic, too. There is a special grout to use for countertops, so be sure to tell your retailer what your project is. Also, using a thin grout line will make a real difference. If your bathroom , Poster, Print or Painting. Where Are You Going To Put It? is in need of an up-date, a coat of paint , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub might do the trick. Many people have successfully painted their tile. , The Unfitted Kitchen: Why Bother? Ask your retailer what type of paint , Solar Energy Use In Home Design and finish you'll need for this. The bathtub can be painted, too - there's a service that specializes in this, so check your local , What you should know before you choose wallpaper papers. Tub Surrounds are not a bad idea if there's no water , Home Improvement Costs for 2006 damage on the walls. , Home Building Plans Tiling , Options In Basement Waterproofing is always a good option. If you're doing it yourself, , Harnessing the Sun for Your Home Key Components and you have to tear down the existing walls, , The Right Furniture remember to use waterproof drywall before you complete the wall , Carpet Tiles Are A Great Source For Flooring finish. Replacing the countertop, sink, toilet, tub or fixtures will really improve the look of the bathroom. , Vent-free Gas Heaters Pose Multiple Risks Call , Harnessing the Sun for Your Home Key Components a professional before you 'get in too deep', though, and by that I mean before you end up in a foot of water , Options In Basement proofing - outside , Lighting Up Your World of the bathroom! , Solar Energy Use In Home Design Shelving can make a tremendous difference in the feel of you home , 3 Kinds Of Wood Used In Real Wood Furniture if space is an issue. Check your closets to see if there's a space at the very top where a shelf could be added. That's usually wasted space, and you could store your 'opposite season' clothes up there. Can you build shelves into your Pantry to make more room , Poster, Print or Painting. Where Are You Going To Put It? for canned goods? Stackable baskets and boxes are useful for storing all the extra little things that cause clutter around the house. , Vacuums The Value of the Wet Vac There are lots of shelving 'kits' on the market, now. They are often less expensive than buying all the materials to build your own shelves, so check these out first. A really simple way to change , Why The Best Flooring Idea Is To Install Hardwood Floors the look and feel of your home , Why The Best Flooring Idea Is To Install Hardwood Floors is to rearrange the furniture. , Decorate Your Home with Custom Prints and Posters Sounds painfully simple, but it can breathe new life into a room. , The Right Furniture Also, the addition of some nice big tropical plants, , Harnessing the Sun for Your Home Key Components some hanging plants, , Traditional Interior Design and/or some potted flowering plants , Decorate Your Home with Custom Prints and Posters will add life and colour , The Right Furniture to a room. , Pool Maintenance Hanging some nice prints or other artwork will do wonders for your décor, too. Major Renovations Generally, major renovations , Pool Maintenance would encompass Remodeling a portion of your home , Things to look for when buying a new mattress or the whole thing. The important stuff to remember is not to get in too deep. A very common problem is taking on more than you can chew, usually right after watching your favourite renovation show on television! It always takes waaaay longer to do a renovation than what is accomplished with the magic of TV! Ha,ha,ha! For one, they have all kinds of professional help (free - yours probably won't be"¦), and note how the camera , Poster, Print or Painting. Where Are You Going To Put It? carefully avoids any close-up shots of the finished work. If you race through a job, you'll have lots and lots of time afterward to look at all the mistakes. Take your time, plan , Some Questions to Ask When Buying an Air-Purifier it out carefully, and do one area at a time. Sounds obvious, but it's surprisingly easy to start ripping out all the stuff you don't like, then realize later that it takes forever to actually fix any given area. Much better to decide what needs to be done, write out a list, then prioritize. If you have the Walls , Poster, Print or Painting. Where Are You Going To Put It? and the Floors , Window Shutters On A Budget on the same list, do the walls , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub first - it'll be less stressful when the paint , decorating transit areas splatters! If it's a huge remodeling job, consider how you will cope with all the mess. Do you have an alternate location , Home Appliances, Select Them on Price or Energy Efficiency? where you can live during the renovations? How about a little area of the house , The Unfitted Kitchen: Why Bother? that you can keep as a sanctuary? Give this some serious thought before you get started. It can be surprising how difficult life can be during a reno project. If you happen to have a House , Technicians Tool Kits - These Aren't Your Father's Tools Trailer, this is probably a good time to 'camp out', if only for a little break from the chaos. Read through the Building , Kitchen Sink Manufacturers: Where To Find The Very Best Information on www.buildyourownhouse.ca for a really big project, since much of the information , Carpet Tiles Are A Great Source For Flooring is applicable. Don't forget the Permits!Ailsa Forshaw is a Writer, Builder, Website Owner & Manager, Teacher, Mother... all in Alberta, Canada. She is Married with Two Lovely Children, and one gorgeous wee dog. Her Website, http://www.buildyourownhouse.ca, is chock full of all sorts of useful & fun information , Home Improvement Costs for 2006 to help anyone become Financially Successful, Slim, Trim, and Happy... what more could you want? Pop in for a wee visit! http://www.buildyourownhouse.ca http://www.theScottishDiet.com |
  
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