Remodeling your Floors by Being Your Own Handyman: Sticky Tiles

Sticky Tiled Floor

Sticky tiles, or self-adhesive floor tiles, offer an economical alternative to other floor remodeling options.  One immediately obvious benefit is that you can do it yourself and be your own handyman.  Self-adhesive tiles usually come in a box of 20 and are significantly cheaper than other floor remodling options such as ceramic tile or hardwood.  The sticky tiles are also slightly cheaper than sheet linoleum, but they are much easier to install for even the novice handyman.  No need for a contractor, means a less expensive remodeling project.

There are different qualities of sticky tile.  In a room that gets moderate use, the tiles will last from three to five years.  Manufacturers promise an optimistic 20 years.  The better the initial product the longer the life of the flooring.  Look for a thicker tile that is more pliable with a thick top sealant coat.  As with linoleum, any texture to the surface will tend to hold dirt.

To install sticky tiles like a handyman:

• Make sure the floor surface is clean, dry, and even.
• Measure to the center of  the room from each wall.  Make an L shaped square to line up your first tile.
• Lay out the tiles for a “dry-run”.
• Adjust the tiles so that you do not have just a sliver of a tile left at the doorways.
• Go back to the middle and begin peeling the backing and sticking the tiles down.
• Use a rolling pin and press hard to make sure that the tile is completely glued to the floor.
• Cut tiles as necessary with a standard utility knife or box cutter.
• Keep an eye on your lines to make sure they are straight.
• Wait one day before moving furniture onto the tile.

When cleaning your handyman installed flooring, be sure to not use too much water.  Too much water can get in between the tiles, loosen the adhesive, and ruin your remodeling project.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/younghouselove/3760323392/)

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/)

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/)

Hiring a Handyman: The Remodeling Contract

Now that you’ve gone through the process to find a good, reputable handman, it’s time to consider a written remodeling contract.  Sometimes it seems that a remodeling contract may be overkill for your situation.  It’s not.  A remodeling contract will prevent misunderstandings during the job and will help you enforce your verbal agreements.  The complexity and amount of detail in the remodeling contract will depend on your comfort level with the handyman, and the complexity and dollar value of the job.

A remodeling contract should, at the minimum, contain:

• What is expected of each party
• Who is responsible for acquiring any necessary permits
• A statement affirming that appropriate insurances and licenses are held by the handyman
• Price and payment schedule
• Detailed list of materials (if the handyman is supplying them)
• Timetable for completion

Some experts say that you should never give a handyman a down-payment, however it may be acceptable if the handyman is purchasing the materials.  A handyman is different from a contractor and may not have all the credit accounts needed for your job.  Another alternative would be to set up an account at a lumberyard against which the handyman can charge.  If you do this, be sure to carefully monitor receipts.

Many nightmare remodeling stories can be averted by having a good understanding with your handyman and then entering into a written remodeling contract.  It makes sense for you and is also good business for any handyman.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/30157413@N08/3567036023/

A Contract Will Help Make Sure this gets Finished

Hiring a Handyman: The Search

You’ve decided your remodeling project is more than you can handle alone and you want to hire a handyman.  This decision will lead you to many questions about who to hire and why.  In a later post, I will talk about the need for the remodeling contract itself.  Before you get to the remodeling contract phase, you need to decide who to hire.

You can find handyman through web searches, recommendations from friends, newspaper ads, or fliers at home improvement stores.  There are some specific things that you need to know about your handyman:

1. If there are employees involved, does the handyman carry worker’s compensation insurance?
2. Does the handyman carry sufficient liability insurance?
3. Is the handyman licensed according to the requirements of your area?

If the handyman has employees and does not carry worker’s compensation insurance (calls the employees independent contractors), any on-the-job injury claims could be filed against you and your homeowner’s insurance.  Liability insurance protects you from negligence on the part of the handyman, and allows you to collect damages.  Knowing that the handyman is running a legitimate business will help keep you out of court if things go wrong.

Proof of all of these should be provided to you with no hassle.  If there are excuses and delays, that might be a red-flag that this particular handyman may not be operating a legitimate business.  Recommendations from friends are a great place to start, as they obviously had a good experience, but be sure to check out the legitimacy of the business before making a deal.  It could save you many head-aches in the future.

Now that you’ve found someone with good recommendations and a solid business, it’s time to put things in writing and enter into a remodeling contract.  Check out tips on this in my next blog entry.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/yes2art/2515713408/)