Category Archives: ASHI Certified Houses

Four Easy Home Energy Audit Areas

Before installing bathroom fixtures, be sure to take down the exact measurements. Not all bathrooms are of the same size. Some will require small toilets, showers, and faucets. This is why you need to measure the area of your renovation project. Do this before purchasing anything. This will ensure that you only purchase the correct size.

If you are hiring a contractor or landscaper to work on your home improvement product project, make sure that they are licensed. If a contractor has a license, it means that they are a legitimate businessman who is skilled in the type of work you require. It also indicates that the contractor follows and is informed about the latest updates in the industry.

Lay down tarps in front of wall being worked on. Tape the baseboards. If the wall connects to another wall or ceiling that is not being plastered tape the adjoining surface. Make sure you press the tape edge firmly to prevent bleed-through.

Kids love actual interaction, which is why dads seem to have more fun with their kids than moms do. Dads will get out there most of the time, eating it while running up the slide and teeter-tottering with 8 kids piled on the other end. Dads are the merry-go-round go-tos to make it go super fast, the ones who can make the swings go so high you think the kids are going to swing right over the bars. Moms stand by with snacks and band-aids when they could be having a blast, too. If only moms knew how much they were missing. It’s fun out there.

Once you have finished laying your tile and given the mortar time to dry, it is time to seal the marble. Sealing is best done by a professional and is very important since marble is so easy to stain. Remember to have the sealing reapplied every nine to eighteen months.

If your cordless tools were acquired a long time ago, the battery and charger were of an older technology. The new generation batteries are more efficient and can be charged very quickly. That can be a slight problem with the older charger. The newer chargers have a smart sensing circuit that will cut down the charge rate as the battery is close to getting full. But for older chargers that do not have such smart circuits, they can overcharge the battery, making it hot when it’s left on the charger for extended amount of time. So it’s worth the time to investigate if a newer type of charger should be in order when getting a new replacement battery.

Another hint to saving money, especially if you are good with a hammer and nails, is to purchase home shed plans for a basic model. Then, you can use the skeleton of the plan to get the structure up and ready, and use your handyman skills to make additions or alterations to the original blueprints. Obviously, this works much better if you have some skills and know-how under your belt.

How To Stay On Budget When Making Home Renovations

Around Puget Sound, each municipality has permit requirements and related costs. Even small energy appliances like water heaters require permits. Not all contractors take the time to get permits, leaving you on your own to obtain it.

I bought a twelve-ounce can of Dow GREAT STUFF Insulating Foam Sealant at my local hardware for about five bucks. Builders Square, Amazon.com and even eBay has this product listed for around seven bucks a can.

As you build relationships with employees at the larger home improvement stores they will let you know when the best deals are coming out on home improvement product. You might be lucky enough to find some incredible deals that you can even make money on at times.

Arguably this is one of the most important objectives when doing any landscaping work to your front yard or backyard. There should be balance in the yard itself, and balance between the yard and house. And while you’ll want the landscaping to be eye-catching, you’ll want to complement, rather than overpower, the house. So consider how each component of your yard helps to create the balance.

Updated homes typically sell faster and for a greater amount of money than those that have had little or no renovations. Updating dark and dated kitchens is by far the best thing that you can do to improve the value of your home. It also is the most sure way to get back the most of your investment.

Can the contractor provide me with references that i may contact for similar projects? Anyone who has had a contractor nightmare wishes they had done this first. It’s great if you have a friend or neighbor who can recommend their contractor, but in many cases that is not an option. Reading online reviews is not the best indicator of real performance. You never know what incentive the reviewer was paid, if it’s an employee, or if the disgruntled commentator was one versus the one hundred who were satisfied. Talking to another customer or even seeing photographs of other work that was performed can help.

Kids love actual interaction, which is why dads seem to have more fun with their kids than moms do. Dads will get out there most of the time, eating it while running up the slide and teeter-tottering with 8 kids piled on the other end. Dads are the merry-go-round go-tos to make it go super fast, the ones who can make the swings go so high you think the kids are going to swing right over the bars. Moms stand by with snacks and band-aids when they could be having a blast, too. If only moms knew how much they were missing. It’s fun out there.

Small Changes Can Add Up. These Ideas Will Improve Your Home Value

To get more details about loan quotes and interest rates related to this loan, you can serve online and search the whole process of availing loans. Even if you are suffering from any bad credit ratings such as CCJs, IVA, default or arrears, it is possible for you to avail quick loans for people with bad credit without any hassle.

Coming up with the right project can rely on what you hope to accomplish. There are a number of types of home improvements to consider. First you want to take into thought if this will be a project for the within of your home or outside. Will you need a home improvement product for summer or winter? Let’s observe both choices in additional detail.

This is an easy and inexpensive tip with a big impact. A senior or family member can do this one by themselves and it will only cost a few dollars. Buy some double sided tape and put the double sided tape on the backs of area rugs, or loose carpets. Falling is a big risk to seniors living alone. As we age our bones become more brittle increasing the possibility of a breakage. Loose rugs and carpets can be a safety hazard so secure any that you have with some double-sided tape.

The best way to find these good deals is to make some friends within the departments. If you have some local home improvement stores in your area you should start visiting them fairly regularly checking for closeout deals. When you visit make note of the people who work there and start building relationships with them and get suggestions. Allow them to be experts at what they do.

Make sure that you make a realistic budget before you start making any improvements to your home and you do your best to stick to the budget. While there are many factors that can make things cost a bit more than expected, you should not be spending thousands of dollars more than you can afford.

Choosing local restaurant coupons helps customers in two ways. If they have a favorite place to eat nearby, they can find a discount voucher for it and save money on each visit. This means they can go there more often or just spend less. On the other hand, this is an ideal opportunity for people to try new places. Rather than pay full price, this is an opportunity to try a restaurant they might otherwise not have visited. A discount makes it less of an economic risk. If they don’t like it, they have spent less for their trouble. If they do like it, they have a new place to frequent. The coupons are available for some time, so they can purchase more and eat for less.

The time can easily escape you if you are laboring outside in hot weather. Just like safety issues are important, hydration is incredibly important on a hot day. Always take breaks and relax during your work. You will be more effective and have a chance to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Some people like to repair a dead battery instead of buying a replacement. There are instructional ebooks sold online telling you how to resurrect a non-working cordless drill battery. It’s wonderful that someone can be so interested as to try making a DIY repair. And it can be a very good science project for budding student scientist. Just type “repair battery” on eBay and you will find plenty of people selling the instructions.

Why Home Improvement Loans Suck

Make sure that you make a realistic budget before you start making any improvements to your home and you do your best to stick to the budget. While there are many factors that can make things cost a bit more than expected, you should not be spending thousands of dollars more than you can afford.

“If you are a person faced with a possible layoff, you aren’t going to buy a boat, but you might buy a log splitter,” says David Therrien, Timberwolf’s chief executive.

Another hint to saving money, especially if you are good with a hammer and nails, is to purchase home shed plans for a basic model. Then, you can use the skeleton of the plan to get the structure up and ready, and use your handyman skills to make additions or alterations to the original blueprints. Obviously, this works much better if you have some skills and know-how under your belt.

But the borrower may not worry about choosing the best option for the need of money. There are very smart finance providing websites who offer the complete information in detail about every kind of loan and offers. The present market is offering several kinds of loans. The major types are, debt consolidation loans, home-owner loans, home improvement product loans, bad credit loans and much more.

Initially, you must be able to find a good contractor. Once you have one, tell him all your plans so he can plot it out. Everything you have in mind will all be incorporated to come up with the right design for your house. Of course, this plan would have to be according to the building codes which are implemented by your local government. Remember this is a construction project so you there are permits to be secured before doing the job.

The battery chemistry has 3 types: NiCad, NiMH, and Lithium-ion. NiCad, or NiCd, battery is used in older cordless drill tools. They are the least expensive, so almost all inexpensive cordless tools use this type of battery. There is one problem with this battery. It’s toxic to the environment. So when it’s time to dispose the dead NiCd battery it’s a problem.

Kids love actual interaction, which is why dads seem to have more fun with their kids than moms do. Dads will get out there most of the time, eating it while running up the slide and teeter-tottering with 8 kids piled on the other end. Dads are the merry-go-round go-tos to make it go super fast, the ones who can make the swings go so high you think the kids are going to swing right over the bars. Moms stand by with snacks and band-aids when they could be having a blast, too. If only moms knew how much they were missing. It’s fun out there.

Updated homes typically sell faster and for a greater amount of money than those that have had little or no renovations. Updating dark and dated kitchens is by far the best thing that you can do to improve the value of your home. It also is the most sure way to get back the most of your investment.