Home Improvement - Remodeling - Fixing - Painting

Remodeling - Tips for Installing A Tile Floor

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 11:07:43 -0500

Installing a tile floor is one of the more difficult home remodeling projects. But with care, it's within reach of anyone.

Start off on the right foot by acquiring one of the many home design software packages. Most will have a section on laying tile. It can't prepare a floor or apply glue, but they're terrific at helping you visualize the result and avoid mistakes. They provide design alternatives, measurement help and tips on dealing with glue, cutting tile and so forth.

Basement Problems Turned Around

Sat, 02 Sep 2006 21:41:42 -0500

Remodeling your basement presents several challenges, which can all be turned into advantages. Here's how...

Basements can be cold. Easily solved by turning the latest rage - radiant floor heating - on its side. The grids used underneath tile or wood floors can, with very little adaptation, be hung rather than laid.

Do It Yourself Bathroom Remodeling

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:18:03 -0500

Few spaces in the home are as personal, and as practical, as the bathroom. Bathrooms are a place to refresh, re-group and prepare for the coming day. They're also a place to wind down from a day just past and prepare for bed.

Serving so many functions, and often for multiple individuals, makes bathroom design a challenge. But it's also an opportunity for tailoring what is often the smallest room in the house to suit the most important needs.

Adding A Bedroom

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 22:41:16 -0500

The average cost for a room addition in the U.S. runs between $50,000 and $65,000. You may want to save that outlay by undertaking the effort yourself. But, be prepared.

Most room additions should be carried out with the help of professionals. But if you're good with tools and have the time and patience, there are projects that can be completed with minimal help.

Replacing Doors

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:28:57 -0500

Replacing doors falls into two categories: (1) replacing just the door, (2) replacing the door plus the frame. The first is easy, but the second is within the skill set of the average do-it-yourselfer as well. Here, we'll cover the first case only.

Choosing Countertops

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:05:26 -0500

Choosing a material for your countertops involves considerations of cost, appearance and use. Some are as inexpensive as $10 per square foot, others as high as $100 or more. Which you choose will depend on your taste and budget, as well as how you plan to make use of the surface.

Insulation

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 21:08:37 -0500

A riddle: which one of the important 'systems' of your home has no moving parts and is spread throughout the house? Answer: insulation. Insulation helps keep homes cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Temperature control is one of the chief reasons houses were invented, after all.

Replacing Screens

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 21:11:23 -0500

If carried out correctly, replacing your screens can be a snap. Be careless and you really will have to replace the whole screen, frame and all.

Most screens come in two basic types: standard window screens and screen doors.

Fixing Clogs

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:13:19 -0500

Modern chemistry has created both friend and challenge. Hand soaps, shaving cream and other concoctions make life a lot more healthy and convenient than it was a hundred years ago. But some traditional problems are still with us: clogs.

Correspondingly there are traditional ways and some modern, that help overcome the problem.

Judging Construction

Sat, 26 Aug 2006 21:16:27 -0500

Beyond the basics of grading, foundation and floors, and walls and roofs, there are a host of smaller - but still essential - elements to inspect.

A house has an amazing number of distinct systems: electrical, plumbing, insulation, siding and/or paint, air conditioning and heating, windows and doors and several others. If defective, or poorly built or installed, headaches can run from expensive repairs to life-threatening conditions.

TV Stand Design Ideas

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 21:18:19 -0500

With the new HDTV sets coming onto the market the shape and weight requirements (not to mention the price) of stands has changed. If you don't want to shell out a few hundred dollars for a stand, increasing the TV's total price by 20% or more, here are a couple of alternatives.

Steel kits are available for around $100. They're strong, come in various sizes and can be constructed in an hour or less even by those without superior 'do-it-yourself' skills. They typically will hold a DVD, cable box and the TV itself. Many of the newer HDTV sets come with a slot for a cable card, sometimes eliminating the need for a separate, external box.

Fixing Your Sink

Thu, 24 Aug 2006 21:19:49 -0500

Whether kitchen or bathroom, fixing a sink can be straightforward or it can be a nightmare. Much depends on the condition of the valves and hoses leading to them.

Gardens for Profit and Beauty

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:22:05 -0500

Gardens provide a healthy, relaxing hobby and give beautiful results, enhancing the appearance of any home or business. But they can also be profitable.

It isn't necessary to produce flowers in abundance and market them in order for your efforts to pay off. An investment of a small amount of cash and a couple of hours per week for a few weeks can substantially raise the value of your home.

Judging Construction – Ground and Walls

Tue, 22 Aug 2006 21:26:11 -0500

Even when a homeowner doesn't have the advantage of watching the progress of construction from the beginning, it's still possible to judge the final result. Professional inspectors do it all the time, and they have extensive lists of what needs to be checked.

The site needs to be graded properly, in order to provide adequate run-off after rains or even from simple lawn watering. The house doesn't need to be at the peak of a high hill, but the ground nearby should be at worst flat, preferably with at least a slight slope away from the foundation.