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Home Repairs You Need for the End of Summer

July 29, 2013adminhome improvement, home remodeling, Summer Tipshome improvement, home repairs, summer33 Comments

When the end of summer is finally in sight, it is always a good practice to start looking at your home and see what repairs may need to be taken care of. Acting early on repairs can ensure that you are well equipped to handle the dog days of summer, while also preventing potential home calamities in the fall and winter. Here are some summer home repairs you need to make to prevent serious problems for your home.

1. A Leaky Roof

If you notice a small drip from the roof, now is the time to fix it. Roofing repair can be a bit of challenge if you do not know how to get started. It is in your best interest to hire a professional roofing company to inspect your roof and repair problems. Not only do they have the right knowledge, they have all the safety equipment. Falls from roofs can be fatal and seriously injurious.

To find out if you have a roof leak, look at the ceilings. Do you notice any water-stains on your ceiling? Check inside the attic for signs of wetness or water stains rolling down the boards. While you are in the attic, turn off your light and look for any signs of pinholes allowing light to stream through. This will show you exactly where you have some small roofing repairs to make. Check on the insulation level in your attic, as is might be time to add new insulation to help keep your heating and cooling costs under control.

2. Gutter Repairs

Using a ladder, climb up next to the gutters and clean out all the debris. Mud will accumulate in the gutter over the summer as a result of sudden storms and unexpected rainfalls. Wear gloves to protect your hands as you scoop out the mud and debris. You should also use a small hand trowel to scrape out any additional remnants. If you need to, use a hammer to nail the gutters back in place. A lot of homes will have the gutter system start to bend or pull away from the home due to large icicles that pull on the gutter during the winter. Secure the gutters using nails approved for a gutter system. A clogged gutter system can cause flooding problems, as the gutters are unable to properly remove water from the roof and away from the foundation.

3. Service Your HVAC

Ideally, you would call your local HVAC expert in the early spring to come out and service your unit. But for many busy homeowners, your AC unit and its potential problems don’t become readily apparent until summer has arrived. Older units may be hanging on by a thread, and as the temperatures climb, they risk breaking down. Having an expert service your system will let you know to plan on a replacement in the near future. They can also re-charge your Freon so your home will stay nice and cool during the summer. Plan on changing the filter on your HVAC system to keep fresh air circulating in the home.

4. Repair Air Leaks

A simple air leak from a door or window can increase your energy costs. You need to detect air leaks to look for problems that need repairs. Add a new layer of weather-stripping around the windows and doors. If you have an older home, consider having the windows completely replaced. New windows can insulate your home and reduce your energy bill significantly.

Byline: Lana Velasquez is a Texas-based freelance home improvement blogger. Having completed many of these end-of-summer repairs, she is now enlisting help from wood crafters and pavers in Houston to cap off her home renovations this year.

Focusing on Interior Design with a Home Remodel

June 19, 2013adminhome remodelingDIY projects, home decor, home improvement, home remodeling, remodeling tips3 Comments

Photo Courtesy of: (http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2191/2270050591_04dae84ed5_z.jpg?zz=1)

Maybe you are looking to redo the kitchen and get rid of those gaudy cabinets – or perhaps you are appalled by the color of the walls in your living room – or you hate that carpet in your dining room…maybe you want to remodel your whole house! Remodeling is common these days as styles and trends constantly change. What may have been appealing in the 90s may not look so great anymore and that is why homeowners across the country are looking into complete home remodels. When one goes on such a venture, it is crucial to keep interior design in mind.

What does interior design cover? It is a very wide field that extends from the pattern of the kitchen tiles to the placement of the television in the living room to the types of lights in the bathroom. Essentially, you are trying to lay out and decorate your whole home to the fullest extent.

Here are some key things to keep in mind as you go about designing your home:

· Space– You will need space to move around, so any congested areas of a room should be cleared up.

· Color– The color of each room should be taken into consideration. Many psychologists believe that the wall colors affect moods. For example, green fits a bedroom because it is calming, red is best for a dining room because it encourages an appetite, and blue for an office because it encourages productivity, et cetera. Colors within rooms must be paid attention to as well. No homeowner would want the couches to severely contrast the walls; colors are meant to complement or match one another.

· Furniture– Looking at how tables match the room matter too. What type of wooden table or table material would best match the floor and walls?

· Flooring– Certain rooms, such as those that have a lot of moisture, need tile and others need laminate flooring. Since each room is different in color and settings, flooring needs to be viewed uniquely for each of them.

There are so many things to consider when enduring an interior design project that many homeowners decide to call in an interior design specialist, someone who has specifically trained to format rooms well and match colors properly. The expertise of an interior designer can take a lot of weight off the shoulders of the homeowner and it can lead to some great results! Remodeling a home is no easy project, but it can be rewarding in the end as long as you take the proper considerations beforehand. It takes work to make your house beautiful!

Guest Post By:
About Emily Porter:

I am an interior designer based out of Houston, Texas. I love to provide and share knowledge on home interior design and improvement. I own my own interior design-focused blog, “Floors by Emily” and also do some freelance blogging for Floor & Decor, a factory direct flooring company.

Budget Home Improvements: Seeing Home Repair as an Investment

June 14, 2013adminhome improvement, Home Improvement Tips, home remodelingbasement renovation, bathroom remodeling, home addition, home improvement, home remodeling, kitchen remodeling, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

It may be that your house hasn’t seen any home improvement for quite some time: the bathroom is covered with wallpaper, the kitchen appliances are avocado green, and the shag carpet in your living room keeps asking you to a Gloria Gaynor concert. It just may be time for renovation.

Renovating your home not only makes it a more enjoyable and comfortable place to live, but it is a wise investment. However, not all renovations are worth the time, the effort, and the cost of improvement. According to a report by US News, there are certain renovations that offer larger returns than others.

Kitchens and Bathrooms

Most realtors will tell you that bathrooms (specifically the master bathroom) and the kitchen are typically the most important rooms of the house. The kitchen, in particular, is the first area potential home buyers notice. This is where people tend to congregate, thus it needs to be both welcoming and modern.

Bathrooms, on the other hand, aren’t really known for crowds. Instead, they are known as places where people can relax and pamper themselves. When a bathroom remodel is done correctly – with a custom shower, dual sinks, stellar lighting, or granite countertops – they can yield an average investment return of 62 percent.

Additional Notable Areas

Other renovations that are worth the investment include adding more livable square footage and new windows. When it comes to the former, more is definitely better. Turning an attic into a bedroom or finishing a basement can have a positive effect on the selling price of your home. People are drawn to homes that offer larger areas in which to play, rest, or simply hang out.

Adding windows can also be quite profitable. New windows may be expensive, but they add value to your home in several ways. They are aesthetically appealing, but they are also practical. Old windows tend to leak, letting in cold air in the winter and warm air in the summer. This leakage can sky rocket the cost of heating and air conditioning.

Home Offices and Sunrooms

On the flip side, home offices and sunrooms aren’t typically the best investments. While working from home has become commonplace in the job force, most people don’t require a full office to do it. Usually a computer and some storage cabinets can suffice. Home buyers often find that there are other things they would rather do with this space.

A sunroom renovation may be equally futile. This is particularly true in areas where the weather is extreme. In states with winter weather, sunrooms are usually too cold; in states with hot summer weather, sunrooms can get way too stuffy to be comfortable. Thus, they are really only good investments in areas where the weather is mild for most of the year. There’s no point to a sunroom if you can’t use it.

To Build or Not to Build

Making the choice to remodel, modernize, or build an addition is a big decision. It takes a significant amount of commitment and money. However, as demonstrated above, certain updates may well be worth it. Renovating may also be necessary.

According to CNN, remodeling is surging among homeowners, who are hopeful with the surge in home values. In fact, spending on home improvements reached $131 billion in 2012. This was the highest mark since 2006. With so many improvements, homeowners might have to renovate merely to keep up with the Joneses.

This article was contributed by Chase Roberts, home & garden connoisseur, personal decorator, and all-around handyman. Chase recommends Remedy Roofing for homeowners in Dallas looking to make a great long-term investment in their home.

Bruzzese Home Improvements specializes in kitchen and bathroom renovations, additions, window replacement and pretty much all your home improvement needs. Give us a call or shoot us an email to schedule your free in home estimate! ~Gary B.

Renovation Planning

March 22, 2013adminhome remodelinghome remodeling, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

Every project needs a plan and this is especially important in the case of home renovations. It is not only recommended but mandatory since reconstruction requires you to juggle many details and, without a good plan, you will likely get lost in the process and forget the essentials. Without a detailed plan in mind, chaos may ensue and cause you stress and possible damage to your property.

Although planning may sound like a daunting task, you can easily deal with all the small details with some careful and deliberate preparation.

While you are wondering what to do, you can start with the concept of what you want to see as the final result and how many people you may need for this project. Try to separate your renovation efforts into smaller stages and decide if it is necessary to hire people for each of the tasks. Alternately, depending on the scale of the project, you can do some of the tasks yourself. The best way is to combine the help of your construction workers and anyone assisting you with things you can only do by yourself. It is necessary to deal with small aspects of the reconstruction. Small details of a personal nature are something only you can see better than than the rest of your helpers or workforce.

Once you have the full vision of your renovation, you may start planning the budget for it. You will probably have part of the money already, but for significant reconstructions a bank loan will be likely required to fund it completely. Make sure you use common sense when you plan the magnitude of what you have in mind as you may need to pay off a loan over a period of a few years.

If you are planning to use the help of a project manager and designer, now is the time to interview and hire one. Be sure you have signed a contract with the staff you will use for your home renovations. Read every part of it carefully and make sure it doesn’t have any particular conditions that you are not happy with. It is strongly recommended to include insurance in the papers you will be signing for your project.

Once the construction begins and you have hired a man for every job, you should keep in mind your part is not over yet. You may have to visit the spot occasionally so you can check on the progress and quality of the work. It is also good to keep an eye on individual tasks. If something has to be changed, it should be addressed on time before the completion of the project.

When the project is complete, you should do the final inspection yourself. Be there and be very careful as you accept the renovated place or section of your house. Be sure you have received all documents and that all work has been done in compliance with the law.

Guest Post By:

Bio: Ella Andrews is passionate about home renovation and home organizing. She’s been writing about and researching similar topics for the past few years. Ella is always on the lookout for new trends in decoration, renovation and all things domestic.

How to remove wallpaper properly

October 19, 2012adminhome improvement, home remodeling, UncategorizedDIY projects, home improvement, home remodeling, remodeling tips, wallpaperLeave a comment

BIO: This is a guest post on behalf of national tool and equipment hire supplier HSS Hire who specialize in DIY equipment including Wallpaper strippers.

Doing your own decorating is a great way to save money and can be a good household bonding experience too. But unless you do it right you can make mistakes that are expensive to correct, and create more discord than harmony.

It is probable that one of your first steps will be to strip away existing wallpaper. Although some choose just to paper over it, this is usually a bad idea, because new coverings stick less well to old wallpaper than to the basic wall surface.

Preparation is the key!
Don’t neglect to cover up the carpet and anything else in need of protection, and tape your covers in place. You should also cut off the electricity to the room, and tape covers over all electrical outlets. Gather together all the equipment you’ll need before you begin.

Check what your wall is made out of
Most walls are either ‘drywall’ (this is made out of a soft kind of plaster called gypsum sandwiched between paper layers) or plaster that has been laid over a wooden or metal mesh. You can tell by feel which one you have. Plaster feels cooler to the touch, and is smoother and harder. If in doubt, try tapping it. Drywall sounds more hollow.

You need to be particularly careful when stripping wallpaper off drywall, because as the name suggests, it is particularly susceptible to water damage.

Check what kind of wallpaper you’re dealing with
Some more modern wallpapers are dry-strippable. These are much easier to deal with. To see whether this applies to yours, get a putty knife and carefully ease off one corner. If it peels then you’re dealing with dry-strippable wallpaper. If that’s the case, you shouldn’t need any further tips – just remove the wallpaper carefully from the wall. If not, you’ll have a harder time of it.

Using a stripping solution
This is the traditional method of wallpaper removal, and perhaps the messiest and most time-consuming, though the good news is that it doesn’t require any expensive special equipment.

First either score or sand your wallpaper to help the water soak through, then fill a bucket with very hot water and stripping solution – there are lots of alternatives for this including vinegar and unscented fabric softener as well as products sold specifically for the purpose of wallpaper stripping.

Use a sponge, roller or large brush to soak small sections of wallpaper at a time. The key is never to soak more than you can remove in about ten to fifteen minutes. Let it soak for a few minutes then start stripping, using a plastic putty knife. Don’t neglect to wash away the residue once you’re done.

Using a steamer
You can make your life much easier by renting a steamer. The process for removing wallpaper with a steamer is very similar to using a stripping solution, but instead of painting anything on, you just have to hold the steamer against the section you want to remove.

Here is an interesting video about uploaded by Kulppainting about how to remove wallpaper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb7_lOmdSjQ

BIO: This is a guest post on behalf of national tool and equipment hire supplier HSS Hire who specialize in DIY equipment including Wallpaper strippers.

Image reference: http://www.flickr.com/photos/varresa/1127789331/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Home Renovation: The Various Dangers

October 17, 2012adminhome improvement, home remodeling, Safetyasbestos, DIY projects, home improvement, home remodeling, Mesothelioma, remodeling tips, Safety3 Comments

Guest post courtesy of:

Brian Turner
Toxic Substance Safety Advocate

Home renovations can be a lot of fun. When a home needs a face-lift it can be more affordable to use the DIY approach. While there are many advantages to a DIY approach, it’s also important to acknowledge the many dangers. Understanding that there is the potential to stir up asbestos, breath in vapors and even damage eardrums will make it easier to recognize the importance of the proper safety equipment.

Perhaps the most dangerous chemical that can be exposed in home renovation is asbestos. Exposure to asbestos can lead to a cancer known as mesothelioma. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides information about asbestos and where it can be found and how to avoid it whenever possible. As long as it’s not disturbed it doesn’t pose a threat. However, when it is disturbed in a DIY project, it can expose everyone in the home.

Just as it’s important to wear a dual cartridge respirator when sawing and sanding because of the various fibers, it’s important to do so with dry wall, insulation and anywhere else that asbestos is suspected. There are tests that can be run by professionals to test for the presence of asbestos. This can be a good idea to determine whether it’s best to let professionals handle the renovation or if it is still a good DIY project.

The various respirators can be purchased at any home improvement store. There are cartridges that go into them and they have a finite life span. It’s important to know when the cartridges have to be replaced to ensure they are doing the job they are supposed to.

When it comes to breathing in vapors, such as those of paint thinner, polyurethane and other chemicals, there are precautions to be taken as well. A respirator can be worn but that only protects the lungs. The eyes should also be protected, which means wearing goggles.

Many of the chemicals also warn about the product being a skin irritant. Gloves should be worn as well. There are some gloves that cover more than just the hand and can be advantageous to offer the highest level of protection.

Some home renovation projects include using some very loud equipment. Holding an electric saw, a jack hammer or anything else can cause damage to the eardrums. There are various earplugs and headpieces that can offer ear protection. Each different plug will say how much protection it offers so it’s important to buy the right level.

Accidents happen during DIY projects all the time. It’s critical to stay informed about all the risks before getting started. Reading about asbestos and checking out the MSDS sheets on all chemicals can go a long way in preventing any unnecessary exposure. A DIY project can save a lot of money but if it puts everyone’s health at risk, there wasn’t actually any saving involved. There are ways to protect one’s self against the dangers but it involves knowing what to wear and when. Safety gear was created to be used, so that’s all one has to do.

Guest post courtesy of:

Brian Turner
Toxic Substance Safety Advocate

Brian Turner has been working with the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance as an environmental health and toxic substance safety advocate since June of 2007. Brian brings a tremendous amount of research and awareness experience in environmental health risks, environmental carcinogens, and green building expertise. Brian is very interested in all types of cars; his favorites are classic, muscle, and imports. Brian is commonly found playing and watching various sports with his friends.

Stay Connected with Brian Turner

Decorate With Intention: 12 Remodeling Sanity Savers

June 11, 2012adminhome remodelinghome improvement, home remodeling, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

When the idealistic visions subside and reality sets in, these tips can help keep your spirits up and your work on track

Contemporary Entry design by New York Interior Designer MuseInteriors

It’s easy to get excited about a home project at the beginning, when the work seems theoretical and you hear yourself saying things like, “Oh, we could just knock all of these walls out, no problem!” Then reality sets in. The workers you hired go AWOL, your budget is blown and you can’t find your good shoes under the pile of scrap wood and duct tape. It’s time to take a deep breath and make a plan. Read on to find a dozen ways to stay sane while you are creating your dream home, no matter how long it takes. Read more…

Source: Houzz, By Laura Gaskill

Housebound in America

February 12, 2012adminhome remodelinghome improvement, home remodelingLeave a comment

“Staying put it is far closer to the American tradition of the family home as being part of what a family is.”

There are over 80 million single-family homes in America, and it’s estimated that 18 million of these are “under water,” where the mortgage is larger than the value of the house. Millions of families feel trapped, living a life sentence of domestic frustration in homes that do not work for them but unable to move to solve the problems they confront on a daily basis. Please click here to continue reading…

Article courtesy of Staying Put, Remodel Your House to Get the Home you want

Basement renovations

February 9, 2012adminBasement renovation, home remodelingbasement, basement renovation, home remodelingLeave a comment

Most of us have basements in our homes that are completely under utilized. Your basement tends to become the place where you put stuff that you don’t know what to do with. Our basements are usually disorganized and, frankly, kind of a mess.

I recommend you start by sorting through all the stuff down there and start purging! If you haven’t used it or missed it, you probably don’t need it. Have a yard sale, give it away to your favorite charity or just put it out by the road (I’m sure we’ve all heard the expression “One man’s junk is another mans treasure!”) and it will most likely be gone the next day.

Organize: Section off an area of your basement where you need to store essentials (Holiday decorations, gardening supplies, tools, etc.).

Now we have an area to work with. What I love most about remodeling basements is that we can provide an area where you and your family can gather and have fun together! Here are two idea’s for your new basement:

Remember those New Year’s Resolutions to get fit and healthy in 2012? Well, we can help you with that! Why go to the gym when we can bring the gym to you?

Imagine how much fun you and your family can have in your newly remodeled basement that we’ve converted to a hockey rink! (Yes, these are actual remodeling jobs that we’ve done)

These are just some idea’s to get you started. We’d love to meet with you and discuss how we can transform your basement into vision!

We’ve changed our website in order to serve you better!

January 12, 2012adminexterior painting, home improvement, home remodeling, interior painting, Uncategorizedhome improvement, home remodelingLeave a comment

We have a new look and feel for our website and will be adding more information to assist you with your home remodeling and home improvement projects! Let us know what you think!

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