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Renovating a Bathroom: DIY vs Hiring a Professional

Renovating a Bathroom: DIY vs Hiring a ProfessionalThe bathroom is one of the most important and frequently used spaces in a home. Over time, it may start to show signs of wear and tear or become outdated. If you’re considering renovating your bathroom, one of the first decisions you’ll face is whether to tackle the project yourself or hire a professional. Both options have their pros and cons, and it’s essential to weigh them carefully before deciding.

DIY Renovation:

One of the most significant advantages of a DIY bathroom renovation is the potential cost savings. By doing the work yourself, you eliminate the labor costs associated with hiring a professional. You have control over the materials and can find budget-friendly options to stay within your desired price range.

Taking on a DIY bathroom renovation also gives you complete control over the project. You can choose the design, materials, and timeline that suit your preferences and schedule. This level of flexibility allows you to customize your bathroom to your exact specifications.

Completing a DIY bathroom renovation can be a rewarding experience. Seeing the transformation unfold before your eyes and knowing that you accomplished it on your own can provide a great sense of pride and satisfaction. It can also be a learning opportunity, as you’ll gain new skills and knowledge throughout the process.

Hiring a Professional:

Professional bathroom renovators bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. They are well-versed in all aspects of bathroom renovations, from design to construction. Their expertise ensures that the project is executed efficiently and to a high standard, resulting in a beautiful and functional bathroom.

Hiring a professional allows you to save time and effort. They have a team of skilled workers who can complete the renovation quickly and efficiently. Professionals also have access to specialized tools and equipment that can streamline the process and deliver excellent results. Professional bathroom renovators take pride in their work and strive to deliver exceptional quality.

The decision between a DIY bathroom renovation and hiring a professional depends on your skills, budget, and personal preferences. DIY projects can be cost-effective and rewarding, but they require time, effort, and a certain level of expertise. Hiring a professional ensures expertise, efficiency, and high-quality results but comes with a higher cost and limited control. Whichever option you choose, thorough planning, research, and realistic expectations are essential for a successful bathroom renovation.

Save Money On DIY Projects Around The House

Save Money On Your Cost Of Living With DIY Tips Around The HouseIt is not exactly a secret that inflation is a significant issue. With inflation continuing to increase the cost of living all over the world, there are many people who are looking for ways to save money. Home improvement and renovation projects have been popular during the past few years, but many homeowners are starting to put them on hold because of how expensive everything has gotten. What are some of the ways you can save money on your home repair and renovation costs?

Know What You Can Do Yourself

First, you need to think about home repairs that you can complete on your own. It has gotten exceedingly expensive to call the contractor for help. There might be some small issues that you can handle on your own. This might include broken cabinet pulls and slanted doors. On the other hand, you need to think about your safety. For example, you should never work on a gas line yourself unless you are properly certified.

Scale Back The Price Of The Renovation

You might also need to scale back the scope of the renovation project. For example, if you were going with a specialty company for those beautiful kitchen counters, you may want to go with a less expensive option. You might even be able to find a single company that can handle everything for you, which means that you may enjoy a significant discount. 

Consider Going With Used Options

You might be able to save even more money if you go with a used option. For example, if you are looking for a way to save money on kitchen cabinets, consider looking for the second-hand often that someone is trying to get rid of. This is also a great way for you to protect the environment. When you work with a kitchen contractor, see if they know somebody who is looking to get rid of kitchen items. They might give you a discount if you take them off of their hands.

Save Money On Your Repairs And Renovations

These are a few tips you may want to follow if you are looking for a way to save money on repairs and renovations. Make sure you know what you can do yourself and when you need to reach out to a professional. 

Increase Your Home’s Value By Handling Minor Repairs

Increase Your Home's Value By Handling Minor RepairsA house is an investment, and it is important to treat it as such. Homeowners must capitalize on the value of their homes when they go to sell them. One of the best ways to do so is to handle minor repairs before listing the house. Minor repairs do not take that long, so homeowners don’t have to worry about delaying their timeline. Furthermore, they are not that expensive to fix, but they can have a significant impact on the value of the home. Why is this the case?

Repair Broken Items in Rooms

Even though broken items in certain rooms might not be a big deal, they can send the wrong message to a prospective buyer. For example, if there is a door that doesn’t latch well, try to repair it. If there is a drawer that doesn’t close properly, fix this issue. If homeowners see that there are no broken items, they will immediately realize the house has been well taken care of.

Ger Rid of Annoying Noises 

Annoying noises can be incredibly distracting as someone walks through a house in which they might be interested. If there are creaky stairs, try to figure out where this is coming from. If the ceiling fan rattles, try to tighten it. Annoying noises can detract from the value of the house by distracting potential buyers. 

Fix Any Leaks in the Home

Small drips and leagues can have a significant impact on the value of a home. If someone believes they are a sign of bigger plumbing issues, they might not make an offer. Inspect all faucets, toilets, and outdoor spigots to make sure they work properly. If anything is dripping, try to fix it before listing the house. 

Maximize the Home’s Value

Ultimately, the biggest reason why minor repairs can make a big difference is that they can drive up the amount of money someone is willing to pay for a home. A lot of people steer away from houses that require repairs because they don’t know if something more serious is lurking underneath. When homeowners address minor repairs, they increase their chances of making a positive first impression on a buyer. This can make the difference between someone walking away and someone making an offer. 

 

Making Repairs And Upgrades To A Home: DIY Or CAP

Making Repairs And Upgrades To A Home: DIY Or CAPThere are many people who are thinking about listing their homes, but they need to make sure they get as much money for their homes as possible. This could mean making a few upgrades and repairs around the home. There are some situations where it might be possible to DIY these projects, but there are other situations where it is better to call a professional, or CAP. When should homeowners take which path? Learn more below.

Painting And Light Work Could Be DIY

First, anything that is simple or easy around the home needs to be a DIY project. For example, if there are a few spots that need to be touched up with a fresh coat of paint, then this could probably be a DIY project. If there are easy plumbing fixes around the house, such as swapping out a toilet flapper, this could probably be a DIY project as well. It might even be easy to swap out some handles or drawer pulls. Ultimately, everyone has a different comfort level, but these are a few examples of easy DIY projects around the home.

CAP For Issues Of Safety, Time, And Money

There are larger projects that should require a professional. For example, anything that has to do with the electrical system needs to be handled by a professional. It is possible for someone to shock or electrocute themselves, which is something that needs to be avoided. Furthermore, any major carpentry projects need to be handled by someone with the right tools and training. Finally, if there is a major leak in the home somewhere, then this is something that requires the attention of a trained plumbing professional. If these projects go wrong, they can go very wrong, so they need to be fixed correctly on the first attempt.

Cosmetic Is DIY, Structural Is CAP

In the end, everyone has their own comfort level, but a great rule of thumb is that anything cosmetic should be DIY, well anything structural should be CAP. Remember that everyone has to put safety first. When in doubt, call a professional for help. That way, everyone can maximize the value of their home when they go to list it.

Easy Repairs To Do At Home

Easy Repairs To Do At HomeDuring the past few months, many people have been stuck at home. Whether this involves working from home or going to school from home, many home appliances are receiving more use than usual.There might be more breaks, clogs, and leaks than most families are used to dealing with.

Many families are tired of spending money on technicians and mechanics and might be looking for a more cost-effective way to deal with home repairs. There are a few key home repairs that homeowners can handle on their own.

Stopping A Leaky Faucet

Leaky faucets are among the most common issues homeowners deal with. There are two shut-off valves under the sink that need to be turned off first. Then, make sure there is nothing coming out of the faucet. Remove the handles from the faucet using a screwdriver and look at the cartridge, ceramic disc, and ball underneath. Remove these parts and replace them with new parts (in the reverse order) and the faucet should stop leaking.

Repair The Window Screen

If there is a tear in a window screen, this is a great way to let bugs in the house. The screen is usually held in place by tension springs or small clips. Remove the screen and locate the cord that runs on the outside of the screen, which is called the spline. Pry the spline up using a screwdriver. Then, remove the old screen. Finally, cut a new piece of screen that is slightly larger than the frame and secure it in place by pushing the spline back into place.

Unclog A Drain In The Bathroom

If the water level keeps rising during the shower, then this can be concerning. While many people are tempted to use chemical cleaners to unclog the drain, this could be dangerous for the pipes themselves. Instead, use a reliable hair snake (which looks like a zip tie with edges) to pull out the gunk. To access the drain, you may need to remove the stopper or unscrew the drain itself. Pull out the material with the snake and discard it.

Handle Repairs At Home

These are a few easy home repairs that homeowners can handle themselves. This can save a lot of time and money.

Fixing Up An Historic Home : The Three Rs

Fix up an historic homeIf you enjoy both history and fixing things, then you may have trouble driving by historic homes for sale in Corpus Christi without feeling the urge to buy and fix one up.

Before you do, however, you should know the three R’s of fixing historic homes — Restoration, Renovation, and Repair.

Restoration
“Restoration” is the process of returning a home to its original state. Restoring historic homes often requires city and state permission. It’s essential that you check to see whether your home is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP); or, whether it’s located in a historic district. If either is true, there may be a specific set of rules to follow while renovating.

Restoration can be an expensive endeavor. For a home to keep its historic value, the materials used must match the home’s original materials, including furnishings. This can be costly because of antique value.

Renovation
Renovating is less complicated and less restrictive as compared to restoring. However, via a renovation, a home often becomes a more “modern” living space, which can lower the home’s historic value. Be sure that your home is not listed in the NRHP or located in an historic district before beginning renovations.

Depending on size of the project(s), renovations can be expensive, too. However, it’s easier to find great deals on modern appliances as compared to the antique appliances required for a restoration.

Repair
Repairs are often less intensive than a restoration or renovation. For repair, be sure to use materials which fit the home’s character, which may include plaster walls and wooden floors, for example. Matching original materials is not important in the home repair process..

The cost of a repair project will depend on the size and volume of required repairs.

The differences between a restoration, renovation and repair of an historic home may be minor, but those small differences will change your costs, your timeline and your procedural red tape. Speak with an qualified architect if you’re unsure of your obligations as the owner of a historic home.

Tips To Keep Your Home Cooler Without Turning Down The Thermostat

Energy-saving tips

The typical U.S. household “loses” up to 30% of its annual heating and cooling bill to energy inefficiencies, according to ENERGY STAR®.

The good news is that there are dozens of ways to help your home perform better.

As the calendar turns to July, and as temperatures warm in Texas and nationwide, implement even one of the following cost-saving moves and you can expect your home’s energy bill to drop. Implement two or more, and you can expect your bill to drop by a lot.

Keep it simple at the start. When the sun shines through a window on a cloudless day, it can raise a room’s temperature by as much as 20 degrees. Therefore, the first energy-saving move to review is the easiest one — simply close your home’s window blinds and shades to block out the sun. 

With the shades drawn and the sun blocked, your rooms will stay cooler, and so will your home. This is especially important during the mid-day hours when the sun is at its strongest so, before you leave for work, make sure you’ve closed your blinds.

The next step is to change your home’s air filter.

Air filters are meant to be changed quarterly, or monthly if your home has shedding pets. When your air filter is clean, the HVAC unit won’t have to work as hard to push air through your home’s air ducts, saving up to another 7% off your annual energy costs.

Next, replace your home’s incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient ones.

This step can be costly up-front, but over the long-term, savings are big. Not only do energy-efficient light bulbs such as CFLs and LEDs last for years, but they don’t pump heat back into a room like an incandescent bulb will.

Incandescent bulbs are shown to convert 97.5% of their energy into heat, meaning just 2.5% of their supplied energy is used for light. This 97.5% then warms up your house, which costs money to cool.

And, lastly, if your home has ceiling fans, use them.

When a ceiling fan is running, it can make a room feel up to 8 degrees cooler. Just remember that ceiling fans cool you and not the room. Be sure to turn them off when you leave the room.

Small Repairs That Can Raise Your Sales Price

Leaky faucet

If you’re actively preparing to list your home for sale, resist the temptation to make major home improvements. Nationwide, home improvement projects recoup just 58 cents on the dollar, says Remodeling Magazine.

Rather, for a better return on your time and money, focus on the minor projects instead. It’s the smaller projects in North Padre Island that tend to have a bigger, long-term payoff.

So, how do you determine which projects are the “smaller ones”? It’s obvious when you think like a buyer.

Consider : Home buyers don’t always notice when your home is in working order. In fact, they expect it to be that way. What they do notice, however, is when things are “broken”. When a buyer sees torn screens in your windows or burnt out light bulbs, it makes him wonder what else in the home has not been cared for.

This is one reason why — especially during warmer months — it’s sensible to hire an exterminator prior to selling your home. If a prospective buyer uncovers bugs in your bathroom, it can leave a lasting, negative impression — one that won’t likely lead to a purchase contrast.

So, with “small repairs” in mind, here are 5 simple projects that you can tackle in a weekend, and that will help your home show better. Each is low-cost and high-impact:

  1. Repair or remove torn screen doors
  2. Fix all leaky faucets and toilets
  3. Touch up holes and cracks in paint, interior and exterior
  4. Apply a lubricant to squeaky doors and cabinets
  5. Get “clutter” into storage and physically out of the way

In addition, you’ll want to pull weeds from your yard, seed any bare spots you find, and lay down fresh mulch, where appropriate.

You won’t need to spend big bucks to get your home ready for sale but the time spent on repairs will have a pay-off in the end. Homes that show better often sell much faster, and at higher prices.

How To Replace Cracked, Dirty Grout

How to replace groutTile is among the most versatile home surfacing materials. It can be as functional and good-looking on your home’s walls as it can be on counter tops, adding a polished look to your kitchen or bathrooms.

Tile is also easy-to-clean — so long as it’s well-maintained.

Proper tile cleaning is more than just a daily wipe-down. Cleaning tile requires a periodic resealing of the tiles themselves, as well as a re-grout for when the existing grout cracks, or stains.

Replacing grout is a job that’s low on skill but large on elbow grease. You can hire it out to a handyperson in Corpus Christi , or you can handle it in-home. If you choose to replace your own grout, here are the steps you’ll want to follow.

First, you’ll need some tools :

  • Hammer and screwdriver
  • Grout scraper
  • Putty knife
  • Damp sponge
  • Dry cloths
  • Grout
  • Grout sealer

Start by using your screwdriver to loosen bits of the damaged and/or dirty grout. Tap the screwdriver with the hammer gently to avoid scratching your tile. Once you’ve loosened the grout, use the grout scraper to remove the remnants. 

Next, pour new grout into the crevices between the tiles and smooth it into place using the putty knife. The motion is similar to that of buttering a slice of bread. Scrape up the excess grout as you work. Continue spreading the grout until you’ve finished a several-foot section.

Before the grout has dried, use a damp sponge to wipe the tiles clean and neaten the grout lines. You can also use your finger to smooth and remove excess grout from between the tiles.

Repeat the grouting and cleaning process until all of the grout has been replaced. Allow the grout to dry for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer.

Next, using the dry cloths, buff the tiles, using a forceful, circular motion to remove any remaining grout residue.

Then, as a final step, for long-lasting protection, seal the grout using a commercial grout sealer from a hardware store.

Keeping grout in good condition does more than just make your kitchen or bathrooms look great — it protects the surfaces beneath the tile, too. Re-grouting tile is a basic home improvement task that can pay for itself many times over.

How To Clean An Exposed, Interior Brick Wall

How to clean exposed interior brickExposed interior brick can add a nice, decorative touch to your North Padre Island home, but because brick is a porous material and prone to staining, it can be cumbersome to clean.

Standard household detergents alone are rarely enough to clean brick properly, so if your home features exposed interior brick, plan to use alternative cleaning methods instead.

Here is how to do it.

First, find a pair of sturdy rubber gloves to protect your hands from the harsh brick surface and from your cleaning agents. Then, with a dry dish cloth, gently wipe the entire surface of the brick wall to remove loose dirt and dust.

Next, pour a grease-cutting dish detergent into a small bucket. Do not add water to the detergent. Add a small amount of table salt instead.

Mix well.

Next, apply a thin layer of the soap-and-salt mix to the bricks using a cloth and allow the mix to sit on the bricks for 10-15 minutes. Then, with a hard-bristled scrub brush, gently scrub the brick to remove the stubborn dirt.

Lastly, dip a clean dishcloth into a warm water-filled bucket and use the dishcloth to remove the detergent mix from the wall.

Allow the wall to air dry.

Cleaning exposed interior brick is more complicated than cleaning other household surfaces but a clean brick wall can help reduce in-home health hazards and keep your brick in its best possible condition for the long-haul.