If you are like me you enjoy doing home repair and improvement projects. It's very satisfying to, say, finally get that leaky faucet fixed or fix that closet door that never shut. You get to sit back, look at it, then look at it some more and say to yourself "I did that!". As a home owner it seems like there is always something to fix, improve or install around the house. As a pro I see people everyday that want to know how I do stuff. It's funny how the customer will sometimes stand behind me to see what I'm doing or linger in a conversation a little too long while I'm working. I still knew the process would be difficult to repeat because they can't see the thoughts: "Watch out for this" and "Remember that". Sometimes they come right out and ask me to tell them how to do a project on another part of the house. It was difficult for me to tell them since that is how I earned my living! However I did get a certain satisfaction from showing my helpers, with some understandable anticipation, how to do certain things. College students wanting summer work, mostly. I actually had a "pseudo" training program for them and I know they took that knowledge with them for the rest of their lives. I can imagine them in later years answering the primordial call: "Honey, can you do something for me today?" Its satisfying to me to be able to tell people how to do what I do. Install a new front door, make a new counter top or install a new wood floor. Imagine having free instructions on how to do just about any project around the house. It's nice when you have someone directing and coriographing you on how to do certain projects that might otherwise seem undoable. It makes your project that much more fun and satisfying! I am a 51 year old handy man who has been in the business for 25 years +/-. I have had a framing business, a trim and finish business and worked as the general contractor on many different projects. I love my work and I also enjoy helping people do thier own home repair and improvement projects. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1587655
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Insulated garage doors help you save on cooling and heating costs. How do you know if the entrance to your garage needs insulation? Properly insulated entrances will not conduct the outside weather to the rest of your house. Most homeowners do not realize that doors need insulation just as much as any other wall in the home. Garage doors are big, and if they are not well insulated, they can be a big waste of electricity. If you have a garage that connects in any way to your home, through the kitchen, foyer, living room, or any of the bedrooms, you need to insulate it or you will feel loss of heat and cooling in the connected areas. In addition, if it is your main work area for handyman projects, woodwork, etc. then you had better get it insulated. Also, garage areas also make a large play area if you have children in your family. How nice it is to have a warm space for them to play when it is cold outside. Metal is a fantastic conductor of both heat and cold. While metal doors are more troublesome than wooden garage doors when it comes to insulation, wooden ones also need to be insulated. When you feel a definite chill or heat wave when you walk out to get your car, despite the heating or cooling that you are pumping into the rest of the house, you need to insulate the entrance. There are dozens of easy DIY insulation kits that you can use, but the time and effort it takes for you to figure it all out is not always worth it. Be careful adding insulation to old doorways. The added weight can cause your door opening mechanism to fail. This can be dangerous, as it could suddenly fall, injuring you and causing damage to your vehicles. Check with the manufacturer of your door to see how much weight can be added to insulate it. Proper insulation is more than tacking on pink fluffy strips. To make sure where you keep your car is well insulated; check the seals on the bottom and the sides. Well insulated garage doors have new seals that prevent outside weather from blowing inside. Try a reflective surface in insulating wooden garage doors in hot climates. Screw or glue the panels of insulation on the back of the door. Then use an adhesive to stick reflective sheeting facing the outside of the garage to the door. The space you have created will help to block out the heat the door would otherwise conduct. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5807376 Converting a garage into a new living space will add value and comfort to your home. You can either entrust the job to construction companies doing renovations or take it up as a do-it-yourself project. There are some important details to take care of while implementing garage conversions: 1. Determine the utility of the new room: Find out what utility the new room will serve and this will determine the cost of conversion. For instance if the new room is going to be a bed room you need to build up space for closets while making renovations. 2. Consider the locations of doors and windows- Consider the location of exterior door, interior door or any windows. Decide on what to do with garage door. You might consider installing French doors or a sliding glass door or you can construct a new wall. This is easy if home frame is made of wood rather than concrete. A window on the new wall is easier as it eliminates the need for exterior siding in making renovations. 3. If there are breaker boxes, dryer/ washer hook ups or a hot water tank in the garage, consider hiring professionals to move them or else, build a closet to conceal them. 4. Consider wiring and plumbing: Draw a scaled plan of your garage conversions project while making renovations. Examine the location of power boxes and light switches. Hire an electrician to get the wiring of the room in order. If you have finished walls and ceiling it will cost less and save time. If you are adding a bathroom, find out the space required. Account for sink, toilet and walk in shower in the bathroom. For pipes you need the services of a plumber. 5. Pay a visit to the home improvement store- If you need to build the walls and ceilings check out the prices and pick up some dry wall point compound, drywall tape, Drywall saw and insulation. Choose flooring for garage conversions from the many options-wood, carpet, laminate, tile or vinyl. Also take a look at the window/ door section and decide what will look good in the place of your garage door. If you are putting up a wall, check out the lumber you will use for siding and framing. Lumber prices of closets or bathrooms also need to be checked out. 6. For heating and cooling, call a professional company and determine a quote. Be sure of the square footage of the room and tonnage of your current HVAC system. A licensed professional must be hired to run ducting into the room for heating and cooling. The central air system may need to be replaced when the new room has to be added. The above steps if properly followed will help to plan and implement your garage conversion work easier. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3268551 |
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June 2019
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