Helping With Home Improvement

Home Improvement

Value To You in DIY Home Improvement Projects

I enjoy several home improvement programs on television and I really learn from many of them. The problem that can be frustrating sometimes, my inability to experience the same success. Why does something that appears so simple, turn out much more difficult? They make it appear easy. I am pretty handy and do much of my electrical, plumbing, gardening, car maintenance and yard maintenance. One thing I have learned is to use the right tool. I am not suggesting that we go out and buy every tool we see Norm use on his show. His workshop will remain out of reach for most of us. You should have some prpoer basic tools though. Those basic requirements will depend on the difficulty level of the projects you plan to engage in. Your patience and personality may be a factor. Most of the experts we see on TV, seem educated about their tools and procedures and they are very deliberate and patient with their plan. I think we should at least have a basic plan beforehand to guide us along and to keep us on track. I think we need to be patient with each step and we try to not move too fast. This leads to chances of a better end result. Will there be value in your home improvement project?

Well there is the obvious - saving money. But there will be more than just financial savings as benefits. You will experience more pleasure from that garden bench if you managed to build it yourself rather than from one you bought at the local Lowes store. There is much more that is not so obvious. Have you ever worked with your kids or grand kids on a project? It's fun and they learn to do things for themselves in the process. My own children have saved very much money by doing things that others pay to have done. I get a little personal pride from that. I like to think I was a small factor in that ability.

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There is probably something to be said for "saving money". I know I said this was a benefit! Well, maybe you weren't quite as handy as you thought. Maybe you encountered a few little stumbling blocks and it cost you more than you planned. That can happen. I wouldn't consider that all bad. Experiment and see what you can accomplish. Sometimes your project just doesn't work out. You have still learned something in that.

Are home improvement projects for everyone.

I know some people would quickly answer "no" to this question. I wouldn't be so quick to make that judgment. Whether you are very successful or the project is a dismal failure - you are going to learn something.
Maybe you will only learn that you need to be very careful in selecting which projects you will undertake. Maybe you will learn that you are pretty handy. However, we will all learn something by taking on some sort of home improvement project!
Why not give it a try!

 Professional vs. do it yourself

A homeowner can hire a general contractor to oversee a home improvement project that involves multiple trades. A general contractor acts as project manager, providing access to the site, removing debris, coordinating work schedules, and performing some aspects of the work. Sometimes homeowners bypass the general contractor, and hire tradesmen themselves, including plumbers, electricians and roofers. Another strategy is to "do it yourself" (DIY). Several major retailers, such as Home Depot and Lowes, specialize in selling materials and tools for DIY home improvement. These stores even host classes to educate customers how to do the work themselves.

Types of home improvement

• Wallpapering and painting walls or installing wood paneling.
• Adding new flooring such as carpets, tiling, linoleum, wood flooring, or solid hardwood flooring.
• Upgrading cabinets, fixtures, and sinks in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Repairing or increasing the capacity of plumbing and electrical systems.
• Upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC)
• Roof tear-off and replacement.
• Concrete and masonry repairs to the foundation and chimney.
• Waterproofing basements.
• Soundproofing rooms, especially bedrooms and baths.
• Replacing siding and windows, both as a cosmetic improvement and as a way to save energy.
• Turning marginal areas into livable spaces such as turning basements into recrooms or attics into spare bedrooms.
• Reducing utility costs with:
  • Energy-efficient insulation, windows, and lighting.
  • Renewable energy with biomass pellet stoves, wood-burning stoves, solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal exchange heat pumps (see autonomous building)
• Extending one's house with rooms added to the side of one's home or, sometimes, extra levels to the original roof.
• Improving the backyard with sliding doors, wooden patio decks, patio gardens, jacuzzis, swimming pools, and fencing.
• Emergency preparedness safety measures such as:
  • Home fire and burglar alarm systems.
  • Security doors, windows, and shutters.
  • Storm cellars as protection from tornados and hurricanes.
  • Bombshelters especially during the 1950s as protection from nuclear war.