When you do home improvements yourself, you can save money and have a really nice, custom home. This article provides a host of ideas and tips that will be useful to you no matter how far along you are in the planning process.
Fix the leaky faucet in your house. The water wasted from leaks can add up to hundreds of gallons per year, leading to a higher water bill for you and an unnecessary waste of a natural resource. Fixing a leak can be as simple as replacing a washer, so there is no reason not to do this simple improvement for your home.
When selecting a contractor for a home renovation, don’t be tempted to simply take the lowest estimate. There is no guarantee that it will be cheaper to use a lower-cost contractor and simply fix any poor work later. Lower prices usually mean that the quality of the work and the materials is also lower.
If you have a tear in your screen-door or window-screen, here’s a quick tip you can use that will save you money. For tears that are small, use a bit of clear nail polish. For a slightly larger tear, apply a bit of cling wrap to each side of the screen. This quick patch will do until you decide to replace the screen.
Fix a nail that’s popped partially out of your wall covering with a couple of drywall screws! Insert a drywall screw a few inches above the offending nail and another a few inches below. This will pull the drywall or other wall covering back into the wall stud so that you can hammer the nail back into place without blemishing your wall. Paint the visible nail and screw heads and you’re done!
Avoid making expensive renovations based on personal tastes. Spending $1,000 a tile on your bathroom may seem like a good plan but the odds are if you eventually sell, you will not recoup that money. If the change is not something that can be appreciated by someone other than you, consider doing something different.
If you are going to do an remodeling on your home, make sure that your maintenance issues are fixed first. Don’t put in granite counters if the plumbing or wiring is outdated and needs fixing. You could end up having to rip out what you’ve done in the near future. Furthermore, buyers in today’s market want to know that the property they are buying is in good condition. And, you never know when you might need to sell up.
There are two ways to replace or change a lock: replacing the assembly itself, or only the cylinder. The part that does the locking is the cylinder. When you lose a key, a cylinder replacement is a great way to re-key the lock. If you are replacing a lock for cosmetic purposes, you will need to replace the whole unit.
If you live in a hot climate, replace your original glass windows with low-E glass, which can make it easier and more affordable to cool your house in the boiling summertime. Although the installation can be a bit pricey if you pay someone to do it, you will recoup your costs in energy savings by the end of the summer.
The advice shared here can help you save money that you don’t always need to give to a professional. They will help give your home a personalized touch and improve its resale value. The more work you put into it, the more you get out of it. Doing a job well is its own reward, plus your home will look great.