It’s important to keep your home functional and looking good whether you plan to stay in it or sell it. Many projects, no matter the simplicity, increase the value of a home. The following article will guide you through your next home improvement projects.
Before beginning home improvements apply for the appropriate building permits. Any home improvement that involves plumbing, electricity, or structural changes can require a permit. Check your local laws. If you proceed without a permit then you can be fined or it could make the house harder to sell in the future.
Use paint made for touching up appliances to cover up flaws on ceramic tile. Did you chip one of your tiles moving furniture? This type of paint will make it look almost as good as new. It dries hard with a glossy color that is hardly distinguishable from the surface of the tile itself.
A great thing about home decor is that oftentimes it doesn’t have to match. You can buy a great dining room table and mix and match chairs. This is great for cottage and country-styled homes. Buying a table second hand and adding chairs from different places actually creates a great design element, as well as a sense of accomplishment. Give those used chairs a chance to shine!
You can create a designer spa feeling to your bathroom by incorporating some simple home design ideas such as installing dimmer light switches, candle wall sconces, burning fragrance, and using decorative baskets to hold fluffy towels. You can opt to paint your wall warm colors such as beige, brown or light green which give it a nice spa like touch.
While most people enjoy the traditional feeling of a conventional, wood-burning fireplace, there are better options. While a traditional fireplace looks great, it is an inefficient heat source. Most of the energy is lost through the chimney. Not only that, but you may also experienced unusual air circulation with a chimney in place.
Couch cushions can loose their bounce over time and flatten. If you want to “fluff” up those cushions, and give them new life, use the sun. The sun drys out the stuffing in the cushion and restores the bounce. Flip the cushions and don’t leave them out in the sun too long, since they may become faded.
Install smoke detectors in every room of the house. Smoke detectors are cheap, and they can save your family’s life in the event of a fire. All you need for installation in most cases is a screwdriver. At a bare minimum, make sure you put one in the kitchen and one near the door of every bedroom.
When you are selecting a paint color for your home, be sure to make use of a light box or the sample cards at the hardware store. Many paint colors appear different under natural lighting, fluorescent lighting (common in most retail establishments), and incandescent lighting. You will be happier with your final choice if you make sure the color is what you expect once you take it home.
Concrete
Resurface the concrete walkways and driveways around your home for a new look. Replacing concrete can get incredibly expensive and doesn’t add much to the curb appeal of your home. Consider resurfacing with cobblestone or brick which will cost a fraction of replacing concrete and will look like a million bucks.
If you have a lot of dirt in your backyard or garden, you can easily make your own pathways using pavers and stones. You don’t need to use any concrete, just lay your stones in a nice design or pattern in the area you need it to cover. This can provide a nice and balanced look to your garden, as well as keeping your shoes dirt free.
Ugly driveways and concrete can be repaired without having to spend the time and money to replace them. Concrete refinishing has become a new alternative for that cracked driveway or walkway. They can apply a new topcoat, stains, imprint patterns or other design elements that will give your home a whole new look for less.
A total floor replacement, whether tile, wood or carpet, can run a steep cost. One alternative that might be appealing to you is to remove the flooring and stain the existing sub-floor. This is especially effective with concrete. This is a very cheap and versatile way to remodel the floor and also it gives a modern look.
Before starting any home improvement job you should make sure you have all of the necessary tools available. A missing tool can hold up a project. The effect of such delays can range from minor annoyance all the way up to serious expenses. Many home improvement projects (pouring concrete, for example) can be ruined if you lack the right tools at a critical point.
When having new carpet installed, do not forget to factor in the cost of new tack strips. You can save some money by removing the old carpet yourself, but leave the tack strips intact, if possible, to reduce the final cost of professional carpet installation. Installing new tack strips over concrete is more expensive than installing them over wood floors.
When building walls, always build away from concrete. When the wood foundation in walls comes in contact with concrete, moisture bleeds through the concrete and goes straight to the wood. The moisture from the concrete caused the wood to grow and mildew and ultimately rot, causing major problems in the future.
For an awesome impact on your homes curb appeal, think about resurfacing the concrete in the driveway and entry walk. Replacement of concrete can be very expensive, but for a fraction of that cost you can have it resurfaced in a multitude of colors and patterns which adds significant value to your homes curb appeal.
Don’t underestimate the power of a good home improvement project. Just spending one weekend can make your home look different to people. Now that you’ve read this article, you’ve got lots of ideas on where you can start improving your home. Just choose one and begin!