The art of home improvement is so much more than just putting in a new sink. It takes a great deal of research, a lot of hard work, and careful attention to detail to really make sure that things look nice and that they are safely installed. The home improvement tips below can help you improve your home improvement skills as well as the value of your home for resale.
Pay attention to your location. If you live in an area where most homes have pools, then it is definitely a sound investment for your home. However, if you live in an area where having a pool really is not feasible, such as North Dakota or Alaska, ask yourself if it is really worth it to have something you will not be using that often.
If you can’t recoup at least 75 percent of the cost when you sell, you should consider the advantages of investing in some other features and improving parts with higher resale value. On average, you should recoup 92% on what you spend, according to Remodeling magazine. To achieve that a good rule of thumb is to spend less than 15 percent of your home’s market value.
Think about whether to start at the top or the bottom for your home-improvement project. The inclination may always be to start at the bottom, but in some cases, it is smarter to start at the top and work your way down if you’re going to be replacing the floors anyway.
An inside home improvement project may seem bothersome to those that dwell in the home. The best way to go about this would be to work on your project at designated times or when no one’s around. You don’t want to put all that added stress on yourself when you’re already working hard enough!
Always communicate with anyone that shares responsibility for the project, whether it is a business partner or a spouse. Understanding what the project consists of right from the start by ensuring everyone knows their roles, helps eliminate finger pointing when something isn’t done on time during the project. Ultimately, it takes the pressure off you because you have a clear idea of what areas are your responsibility.
If you are renovating your bathroom, consider installing a steam shower. Steam showers have many health benefits, as well as being more comfortable to use than a standard shower. Steam showers are great after exercise, to soothe tired muscles, or for people with asthma and other breathing difficulties. There are even steam shower products that can be added to your current shower unit.
When removing cabinets as part of a kitchen remodel, make sure you don’t just unscrew and yank them off the wall. You will more than likely end up taking some or all of the drywall off with you. Take time and care to remove each and every screw, and use a utility knife around the edges to break the caulking that was most likely used to seal between the cabinet and the wall.
Look for the line of nails! If you need to snug up a protruding piece of paneling or drywall you can normally tell where to add a new nail or screw just by closely observing the surface of the panel. It was installed by nailing it to the underlying wall studs and evidence of those studs will likely still be visible.
The art of home improvement is something that can be enjoyed by nearly everyone, but only those very serious will try to perfect their home like a true professional. Now with more home improvement knowledge to add to your “bag of tricks,” you can easily become a great home improver too.
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