Whether you’re gutting your kitchen or building an outdoor oasis, every big remodeling project can get waylaid by making avoidable mistakes. Some of them are obvious, while others are often only learned through experience. Thankfully, we’re here to ensure you don’t have to learn the hard way. 1. Don’t be impulsive. Do your research. This…
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Project Planning & Checklists
Planning the Perfect Outdoor Kitchen
Whether you’re lounging around the pool or telling stories around the fire pit, you love entertaining outdoors. So why wait? Now is the time to design and build that outdoor room you’ve dreamed about. But where do you start to make sure you have the best entertaining space? These tips will help you with project…
Interior Painting Prep
For any home improvement project to be successful, you need proper preparation. There’s nothing worse than skipping a crucial step, taking multiple trips to the store, or making stupid mistakes because you’re in a hurry. The job will go faster if you simply take some time and make a thorough checklist. This is especially true…
House Painting Tips
While homeowners often hope they can put off repainting their homes just one more year, such procrastination can end up being a costly decision in the end. An excessively wet winter, for instance, will increase paint failure, damage to siding, and internal water damage, that can require far more expensive repairs in the long run….
Recommended Questions to Ask a Basement Contractors
Basement professionals run the gamut of home improvement contractors. You can find a company who offers comprehensive basement finishing services, or you can find a handful of contractors to complete the project piecemeal, starting with a waterproofing contractor and then plumbing, electrical, and flooring contractors. No matter what route you choose, basement professionals are anything…
Semi-Annual Home Maintenance Checklist
Semi-annual home maintenance is composed of a dozen or so vital maintenance tasks that need to be completed at least twice a year to ensure a safe and efficient home. Many of these tasks focus on home systems and appliances that combine subtle deterioration with a consistent threat of failure. This type of home maintenance…
Checklist: How to Hire a Landscaping Contractor
Landscaping contractors are one of the most vague and most easily misunderstood contractors in the home improvement industry. Small, independent contractors might focus on small projects like delivering and spreading mulch, helping out with your spring planting, installing lawn drainage, or a sprinkler system. Larger companies are more commonly referred to as design/build firms, and…
Working Well with Contractors: 15 Questions that Prevent Fraud and Ensure Satisfaction
Knowing there are plenty of important questions you need to ask potential contractors isn’t a startling revelation to homeowners, but exactly which ones are crucial to the hiring process might be a bigger mystery.
Checklist: Interview Your Deck Builder
Considering adding a deck to your home? Ask your candidate the following questions to ensure you hire the right pro for the job: Questions about the builder: ☐ How long have you been building decks? Make sure your pro has experience constructing decks similar to yours. Smaller, single-level decks don’t require a master builder. But…
A Worry-Free Vacation: Preparing Your Home for Your Time Away
Going on vacation is supposed to be a time to take a break from the usual worries of life and enjoy being away.
Planning for a Basement Bathroom
If you have a large basement, the temptation to convert your extra space into a livable area can be overwhelming. In addition to making your home more enjoyable, a finished basement will increase the overall value of your home should you decide to sell.