Sell Your Home Faster with these Small Remodeling Ideas

Vanity Updated Through Paint

If you are remodeling to help sell your home, you need to pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms.  These are the most expensive remodeling projects, but if you plan to sell your home, they will be the most important to do right.

There are smaller remodeling projects that can improve your bathroom, add style and help you sell your home.  A few inexpensive improvements include changing the knobs or pulls on the vanity or installing a new and updated light fixture.  If your vanity is really outdated, painting it could be the remodeling trick that can bring it back to life.  All of these simple improvements can be done by yourself, further reducing your investment.

A good way to find new looks for an older bathroom is to attend a home improvement show, look in magazines, or tour model homes in your area.  If you’re only planning minor remodeling, don’t get worked up about the amazing spa tub in that model home.  Instead, use your time to look at the smaller items such as lights, pulls, and faucets.  All of these smaller things will also help you sell your home.

In remodeling in an effort to sell your home, it’s really important to pay attention to detail and to put your money into the rooms that matter to buyer most.  With a couple hundred dollars, you can’t add square footage to your master bedroom or add a bathroom, but you can update the look and feel of your house.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/goldyohia/2768331072/)

Sweaty Toilet in the Bathroom: a Plumber isn't Needed to Fix it!

Sweaty Toilet

A sweaty toilet is a common bathroom problem for many homeowners.  Fortunately, a plumber is not needed to remedy this bathroom problem.

Moisture on the outside of a toilet tank is formed by condensation from warm air that forms on the water-cooled tank. To correct this bathroom problem you will need to insulate the inside tank walls of your bathroom toilet.  Then follow these steps:

• Shut off the water supply,
• Drain and dry the inside of the tank, 
• Cut ½-inch-thick foam rubber to line the insides and bottom of the tank,
• Don’t let the foam interfere with moving parts or you will end up needing a plumber.
• Use silicone glue or rubber cement to hold the foam rubber in place.
• Do not refill the tank for 24 hours.

By following these simple steps, you should be able to cure the bathroom problem of having a sweaty toilet without the help of a plumber.

If in your area water is delivered at less than 50 degrees, you may have to install a tempering valve to mix hot water with the cold that flows into the tank.  Installation of a tempering valve may require that you hire a plumber, depending on your skill and confidence level.  Most people only find this problem to plague their bathroom in the winter months.

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Remodeling by Adding and Staining a Deck

Beautiful Deck Addition

Adding a deck onto your house is an excellent remodeling idea.  It will add usable living space and value to your home.  There are endless deck designs ranging from square or rectangular with rails to octagonal and open.  Some people build in seating or hot tubs and decks can even surround trees which add shade and privacy to your new outdoor space.  Staining a deck protects it and adds beauty to the wood.

Choosing a decking material may be the least thought about aspect of deck remodeling, but you live with your choice for  a long time.  There are basically three types of materials for use as a deck that is not covered by a roof: 

• Synthetic composite materials,
• Natural wood, or
• Pressure treated wood.

Pressure treated wood is the least expensive choice.  Staining a deck made of this wood will require a lot of pigmentation to make it look good and frequent care and remodeling will require a lot of pigmentation to make it look good.  Natural wood for decks is usually redwood.  It will naturally resist rot and and insects, but it will still require sealing and staining.  A deck made of redwood can be lightly stained to reveal its natural beauty and remodeling chores will be less frequent than with pressure treated lumber.

Synthetic materials are a newer choice and require no staining.  A deck made of these materials will last a lifetime and beyond.  It will require virtually no maintenance or remodeling beyond washing.

(Photo Credit:  www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzygalore/769119277/)

Remodeling Your Landscape: Handyman Tips

Fence in need of remodeling

Many wood fences and wooden gates will have warping or wear and tear problems over time.  The first handyman tip is to do annual maintenance or remodeling to try to prevent or postpone problems.  make sur that the wood, even cedar and redwood, is sealed at least annually.  Before the wettest season, inspect the wood’s condition and seal it again if necessary.  Remodelingn and handyman experts suggest using a power washer or deck wash product before applyingn a new coat of sealant.  There are clear sealants available or you can choose one with various levels of pigmentation.

A wood fence generally has the boards or slats fastened to the framing with nails, staples, or screws.  After a few years, the fasteners can work their way loose.  Another handyman tip and good remodeling idea is to periodically check for loose boards and tighten things up where needed.

Posts can also work loose if they were not originally set in concrete, as recommended by a good handyman.  Wood posts, whether they are set in concrete or not, can rot and become weak.  If your remodeling plans don’t call for replacing the post, which is really the proper way to fix this, you could temporarily support the wooden post with a steel one.

This handyman tip is to drive a steel post deep enough for it to be stable in the soil.  use wire to tie the wood post to teh steel one for support.  This will hold your fence firm until a more ascetically pleasing and permanent solution fits in your remodeling plans.

(Photo Credit:  www.flickr.com/photos/conquest97/204588199/)

You Don't Need a Plumber to Use a Plumbing Snake

Tending to a slow drain takes time and perseverance, but it does not always take a plumber to fix the problem.  Before calling a plumber or using a plumbing snake on a slow drain, there are a few things you can try first.  Some of these tips are for slow drains only, not for completely clogged drains.

•  Clean the drain stopper of hair and buildup
• Use drano or other chemical drain cleaner
• Pour boiling water through the drain

If all of that failed, the problem is likely in the drain trap.  That’s the “S” shaped piping under the sink.  There are two ways to clear this part of the pipe.  A plumber will recommend trying a plumbing snake first.  A plumbing snake can be purchased at any hardware store.  The plumbing snake will break through the clog and as it beats the sides of the pipe, with hot water running, will move some of the buildup into the sewer.

The other method is harder or more likely to require a plumber.  You can remove the trap completely and replace it.  If your pipes are older and not made of PVC, there is a chance that teh fittings will be stuck together enough that you could break the pipe trying to get them loose.  Then you will definitely need a plumber and that is a good reason to try the plumbing snake first.

(Photo Credit:  www.flickr.com/photos/gcbound/118752848/)

(Photo Credit:  www.flickr.com/photos/gcbound/118752848/)

Remodeling and Fixing a Window that is Painted Shut

Windows that may be Painted Shut

Buying a home only to find out that the windows are painted shut is really frustrating.  Equally frustrating is remodeling and painting them shut yourself.  There are a few remodeling tips for getting that window working correctly again.

There are a couple things not to do when trying to get a window unstuck.  Don’t pound on the window or push and pull on the frame too hard.  You could knock the frame out of square, which will only compound the problem.  you could also end up damaging the glass itself, leading to yet another remodeling project.

For slider windows, look at the runners, usually made from aluminum, that the window should be sliding onto.  If there is paint on those, remove it by scraping.  Then take a utility knife and carefully cut the paint at the seems where the window is painted shut.  Be very careful when remodeling projects call for using a utility knife.  They are extremely sharp.  Never cut in the direction of any part of your body.  You may then need to use a putty knife at those seems to further pry the window from the frame.

Of course, the cure is really prevention.  if remodeling calls for painting an old window, open the window slightly and paint the areas that are not touching the frame, then just before the paint dries, close the window and paint the rest.  Be careful to not apply the paint too thickly and don’t paint the runners.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/9190235@N08/575571074/)

Lawn and Garden Remodeling Outside: Setting a Fence Post

You may be seeing a few signs of spring and start thinking about your spring-time to do list in your lawn and garden.  Here is some remodeling help with setting fence posts.

Fence posts can be set in concrete or directly in the ground.  Setting posts in concrete adds strength.  If you are not using metal, be sure to use treated, or rot-resistent wood.  This is true for all your remodeling projects for your lawn and garden.  Setting the post in a gravel bed will help with water drainage and further prevent wood decay.

Some woods are naturally resistant to decay.  Redwood and cedar have a built-in chemical resistance to rot and are often used in lawn and garden remodeling.  These materials are expensive, so if you are only purchasing them for their rot-resistance properties, you may consider a cheaper option.  Pressure-treated lumber is wood that has been coated with a chemical that prevents rotting and also deters certain wood destroying insects.

Posts you are remodeling that will be bearing weight, such as those for gates or corners in your lawn and garden, should definitely be set in concrete for added strength and stability.

After digging the post hole to the proper depth, set the post and pour the concrete around the post.  Don’t pour the concrete first and then try to push the post into wet concrete.  As the concrete begins to set-up, plumb your post and maintain its position.  Trowel the conrete so that water will run away from the post.

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No Need for a Remodeling Handyman to Replace Interior Doors

6 Panel Bi-Fold Doors

Instead of just replacing interior door hardware, your remodeling could be more extensive by replacing the door itself.  This too is a job where you can be your own handyman.  Most houses build in the mid-1900’s could use new interior doors.  The standard door at the time was a hollow-core birch veneer.  By now the finish has faded and the style is out.

Replacing interior doors is a relatively easy remodeling project that can be done without hiring a handyman, but because of the number of doors involved, it can become time-consuming and expensive.  If you are replacing just the door, using the existing doorframe, the cost per door will be around $60 per door, depending on the style and quality you choose.  I’m assuming a primed 6 panel hollow-core stock door.  A door with doorframe will cost about double that.

The reasons you may choose to replace the door and frame could be that the current doorframes are in bad condition, or you feel that your existing doorframes may not match the new door as well.  You also may be replacing the molding at the same time for this remodeling project.

Replacing only the door is cheaper, but it also may require more work.  If the existing door openings are not square, either because they were built that way, or because of warping, more work is going to be involved.  Also the new doors may have to be trimmed if the standard sizes are not the size of your opening.  So, in these cases, maybe a handyman would be worth your money and could save you a lot of frustration.

Whichever way you decide to go to replace your interior doors, and whether you need to hire a handyman or not, this remodeling project will certainly add value and appeal to your house and be very noticable in ways that other changes are not.

(Photo Credit:  www.flickr.com/photos/jeld-wen/3588963713)

Remodeling by Replacing Door Hardware without a Handyman

Time to Replace This Doorknob!

Remodeling can be as easy as sprucing up the look of your interior doors, and you can be your own handyman in this update to your house.  There are several remodeling ways, varying in cost, to update your interior doors.

Do the hardware, doorknobs and hinges, look worn? Sometimes through the years, in remodeling and painting  houses, hinges and doorknobs end up with paint or dents on them, the finishes can dull over the years, or maybe the finish on the hardware is just not what works with the rest of your decor.  

New doorknobs and hinges will cost around $20 per door depending on what style you choose. They are easy to change out, so the cost of a handyman does not need to be figured in.  Most new doorknobs have an adjustable set-back. If not, you need to measure the set-back, which is the length from the edge of the door where the latch will be, to the center of the doorknob hole in order to choose the correct new doorknob.

Look also at the latch.  There are three possibilities, there is no latch plate, the latch plate has square corners, or the corners are rounded. Try to find the same style in your replacement doorknob. If you don’t, it okay, you will just need to chisel the appropriate area out of your door. The same goes for the hinges, you are will have much less work to do in chiselling, fitting, and other handyman work, if you find new hinges the exact shape and size of your old hinges.

Installing new doorknobs and hinges takes very little time.

• Take the door you are remodeling off the hinges by removing the hinge pin.
• Lay the door on a pair of sawhorses. Remove the hinges from the door frame and the door.
• Install the new hinges.
• Re-hang the door.
• Adjust the screw tension of the hinge against the door frame to change how the door swings and hangs. For example, if the door slants inward at the top, tighten the screws in the top hinge.
• It is important to replace the hinges first in case the door hangs slightly differently.
• Now remove the old doorknob and follow the instructions that came with your new one to intall it in the door.
• You may need to adjust the strike plate so that the latch hits it in the right place.

There, no need for a handyman for remodeling your door hardware.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/hjmadigan/1459049200/)

Kitchen Remodeling: Reface the Cabinets if You Plan to Sell Your Home Soon

In the Process of Refacing

Refacing kitchen cabinets is most often done as a kitchen remodeling project if you are planning to sell your home in the next 5 years.  The look and feel of the kitchen is one of the most important features buyers consider, and therefore should be high on your list when you want to sell your home.

Refacing your kitchen cabinets can make the cabinets appear new and the kitchen will feel updated, without the cost and time required for installation of new cabinets as part of a larger kitchen remodeling effort.

Before deciding on refacing over replacing, ask yourself whether your existing kitchen layout works and if you have enough storage and counter space.  If the answers are yes, and if your cabinets are in good structural shape, then refacing may be the answer to this kitchen remodeling question.

Refacing means that you will cover the existing cabinet surfaces with new laminate.  Door and drawer fronts are also replaced to match the new laminate.  Side panels of end cabinets are also refaced.

When you reface your cabinets, you can completely change the style and feel of your kitchen, which is at the core of kitchen remodeling.  You can go from a dark walnut wood to light oak with glass doors, for example.  Adding new hinges will put a spring back into those cabinet doors and new handles and drawer pulls can be chosen to finish off the desired look.

The reduced cost of refacing cabinets makes it easier for you to see a return on your investment when you sell your home, but it is also a substantial enough kitchen remodeling project for you to enjoy in the meantime.

If you aren’t planning to sell your home soon and want to invest in new cabinets, an upcoming blog will give you some ideas.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/donabelandewen/4105718749/)