Feeling Handy? Try These Home Improvement Tips!

TIP! Many lampshades are plain and boring. You can spice up your lamp shades by painting them using stencils.

You can accomplish home improvement projects without the added costs of paying a professional to do it. The next few paragraphs describe some basic home improvement projects that even a novice can do without hiring a contractor. You’ll find that handling the work yourself can be a lot easier if you heed the following advice.

TIP! Consider the character of your neighborhood when planning home improvement projects. A Victorian home on a block of saltbox cottages is going to stand out like a sore thumb.

Always keep your air filter clean. If the filter is clogged, it will make it hard for the unit to cool your home. This could lead to longer than necessary running time and costs. To prevent buildup, think of changing the filter monthly.

TIP! Try to determine in advance the amount of paint you will need for any painting job. Avoid looking at a job and guessing as you will spend too much money.

Think about putting a fresh coat of paint on your porch area. Make sure you apply a high quality exterior paint product. Make certain to use paint of an identical base to the prior paint used. The unparalleled durability of oil-based paint makes it ideal for trim, but it’s inappropriate for decks or porches themselves (precipitation makes it slippery).

TIP! Nearly all supplies and tools involved in home improvement can be the objects of desire to thieves. Building supplies should be kept secure whenever work is not in progress.

When the time comes to replace your roof, opt for white or other light colored tiles or material. Lighter colors reflect the sun more efficiently, lessening the build up of heat in your attic. Simple tips like the color of your roof can add up to big savings over the lifetime of a roof.

TIP! If you feel you want to take on major landscaping projects, make sure to plan your style in accordance with what will best complement your home. When a garden or patio area matches the style of the rest of your home, then this brings cohesion to the whole property, where clashing styles may look unattractive or unplanned.

The commercially available shades for your lamp tend to be mundane and lack creativity. You can use a few stencils and a little paint to liven them up. You will add instant personality to your room, simply by brightening up your boring lamp shades.

TIP! Individual solar lights may not be the best possible investment for your home. For powerful lighting that makes walkways bright and highlights the best features of your landscaping, you need traditionally-powered lighting.

Use a nail and poke holes in the paint can rim. The channel into which the lid fits typically fills with paint, and when you make an attempt to replace that lid, paint spills onto the can sides. With a nail, several holes can be made in the perimeter allow the channel to stay clear.

TIP! Don’t overload a room with too much furniture. Too much furniture will make a room look cramped.

For the best quality home improvements, consider what you want to accomplish before you begin. Once you begin, you will be able to focus on accomplishing the real gritty work, as the design details are already accounted for. Talk to friends and family before you engage in a home improvement project.

TIP! The best time to invest in home improvement projects is when real estate is in a slump. When homes aren’t selling, it often means that contractors are not as busy as they would like, and they may discount their services.

The kitchen is a great place to start a new home improvement project. Look first to the walls, cleaning them up from any grease or other unsightly stains with appropriate detergents. This will spiff them up and have them quickly ready for repainting. Re-paint your kitchen in a color you love; you’ll be shocked how great the heart of your home looks when you’ve finished.

TIP! As you hire a home improvement contractor, be certain to verify their insurance coverage. If they damage your home and have no insurance, your only recourse may be to take them to court in order to obtain the repair money.

When you are thinking about doing any remodeling, you should always consider the landscaping. The lawn in the front of the home is the very first thing that people will see; if it looks good, the entire house seems impressive. Keep your grass neat and tidy, and add a border of flowering plants and shrubs to add additional beauty and dimension to your yard.

TIP! Give any room a new look easily by changing the window treatments. Curtains do not cost a lot and offer an easy way to redecorate a room through new textures, patterns and colors.

If you want an improvement idea that can add value to your home and can also increase your living area, think about finishing your basement. By making a basement finished, you are creating extra room for you and your family. Purchase the materials needed from the different discount stores in your area. Actually finishing your basement can up the value of your home by 30 percent or more.

TIP! When you finally make it to the kitchen, install some new cabinets and tie the entire house together with a bang. Locate and mark all wall studs before beginning the installation so you know exactly where to place your screws.

Hire an electrician to put an electric outlet in your cabinet above the microwave. This will make it easy to plug in without the cord being visible. This simple forethought will prevent that cord from dangling where you don’t want it to.

TIP! Get yourself a stainless steel taping knife if you plan to do sheetrock taping. This type of taping knife is a lot easier to clean and it will help your jobs that you tackle in the future.

When remodeling a bathroom, remember to add sufficient lighting. Lighting is often overlooked when it comes to bathroom remodeling, as people are focused on the fixtures. Put lights around your medicine cabinets and mirrors, or put in ceiling lights with easily replaceable bulbs.

TIP! When outsourcing your home improvement project to a contractor, the reputation of the contractor is more valuable than the discounts offered. If you hire a contractor that is going to do the work for a low cost, and has a bad reputation, you will probably wind up with careless work being done.

Do you have an older bet set? If so, you might want to consider building bed furniture yourself. Though the job can be tough, if you are diligent, you can end up with something you really love.

TIP! Determine how you will get handle debris. Home improvement projects, especially those that require significant demolition, can result in a mountain of debris and trash that will likely get in the way if you do not have a plan to deal with it.

Drain your hot water heater every six months. If your water heater is well cared for, it’ll run better and last much longer. This process couldn’t be simpler. Your water heater has a drain valve that operates just like a garden spigot; all you need to do is locate it and attach a hose.

TIP! If your kitchen cabinets need refreshing and your budget is tight, consider refacing them instead of completely replacing them with new ones. Totally replacing kitchen cabinets can cost quite a bit of money.

Measuring properly is the most important part of adding beauty to a room with new blinds. Ill fitting blinds will not hand properly and will not look good. With the many available sizes and styles of blinds, it is important to find out whether your chosen set is installed inside or outside of the window frame.

TIP! One excellent money saving home improvement tip is to join up with your community to boost your effectiveness and build your collective toolbox. You could also borrow tools form your neighbors instead of buying new equipment for your projects.

Take inventory of your water usage before deciding on your home improvement project. You can decrease the amount of water used by installing low-flow shower heads, water heaters and commodes. Updating fixtures and appliances to more efficient ones not only improves the value of your home but it looks more attractive too.

TIP! When you are fixing up a house that is to be sold, keep in mind that the appearance of the exterior is of primary importance, and should be addressed prior to dealing with items on the interior of the home. For this reason, improving the exterior of your home should be your first priority.

When performing a sheetrock taping job, a quality taping knife made of stainless steel can be beneficial. Using a high quality knife is better because it is simpler to clean plus it can last for many years. Take good care of your tools. Clean them and store them properly, and they will last longer.

TIP! A great home improvement project for your home’s exterior is a new coat of paint. Not only does it increase your home’s curb appeal, paint is also the first layer of protection your home has against the elements.

You don’t have to just settle for the current paint job within your home. However, they could choose themes that really do nothing for their home’s value. Look online for some inspiration.

TIP! If you’re planning on painting a room, make sure the weather is dry. This is an essential thing to know when it comes to painting at home.

Hopefully, this article has given you some great information to help you get started on your home improvement endeavors. The fact that you have read this article shows that you are considering making some improvements around your home. You can get the results you hope for without hiring an expensive contractor to do the work for you.

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