Thursday, May 17, 2012

Extreme Home Makeover Goes Green - Reduce, Reuse And Recycle

By Lola Wheeler


Home improvement is often a daunting task. This is because of the time and the amounts of money required. However, it doesn't have to be so bad. If you have several projects in your house, divide them up into several smaller DIY projects. For example you may want to redo the entire living room. Start simple, by just replacing the carpet, and before you know it, your living room will be like new.

Roll roof your floor for a practically indestructible finish! Buy roll roofing without the adhesive strip. Glue it in place either in long strips as it comes off the roll or cut up into irregular geometric shapes. Coat thickly with paint and use a brush to work the paint evenly into the surface.

Wooden Fence Panels, Outdoor Light

Improve the outside of your home by landscaping with plants native to your geographical region. Native plants are proven to do well in your climate, so the long-term results are predictable. You can plan your landscape with confidence that the look you want to achieve will be the look you get. If you choose non-native plants instead, there is a risk that the plants may not thrive in your climate.

Is it cheaper to do it yourself or pay someone else? If you decide to completely re-do your bathroom, but know nothing about plumbing, it might be beneficial to pay a plumber to come in. Also, you can check out the self help books at your local building supply. Don't be afraid to ask. A simple project shouldn't cost more because of inexperience.

If you are considering the use of a conventional wood fireplace for heating your home, understand that this may not be the best route. Apart from aesthetic reasons, this type of system is also quite inefficient because most of the heat ends up going through the chimney. In addition to this, the fire requires plenty of fresh air, which will be provided from within your house, essentially eating up much of the oxygen inside your home.

Rotting decks, chipping paint and ceilings that have water damage are things that you can easily see when looking through the home you are considering buying. There are things like electrical problems, structural damage, roof defects, poor ventilation and many others that can only be found by a professional inspector. Invest some money prior to purchasing a home and save a lot of money in the future on repairs.

When renovating your kitchen, avoid tiled counters. Tiled countertops are less sanitary than granite or mock-stone countertops, because food and other contaminants can build up in the spaces between the tiles. Tile countertops can also crack or even shatter if a heavy dish is dropped onto them, unlike countertops made of more modern materials.



No comments:

Post a Comment