San Diegp Home Improvement Projects

Home Improvement Projects That Really Pay Off
By: Scott Gray



Many of us watch TV shows and see the miraculous transformation of homes and gardens by professionals and amateur do-it-yourselfers. Is it really that easy, we ask ourselves. Could I do it? Where do I begin? What improvement projects will generate the biggest increase in the value of my home?

What Do You Want and What Can You Afford?

There are several good reasons for wanting to redecorate or remodel (http://www.all-about-home-rugs.com/oriental-rugs.html) your home. If your residence no longer reflects your changing tastes and lifestyle but you don’t want to leave a desirable neighborhood, maybe all you need to do is make one or two basic changes. Altering a color scheme, converting a bedroom into a home office, or upgrading the kitchen and bathroom are practical improvements that add esthetic appeal and financial value. If a move is in the future, you want home improvement projects that will give you the biggest bang for your buck when it’s time to sell.

Whatever your motives for improving your home, make a wish list with three categories:

Must have
Would like to have
Dreams can come true
When your list is complete, consider the amount of money you have available or are prepared to borrow. Unless you have unlimited funds, make a realistic estimate of what you can afford. Are you planning major renovations that will require the services of an architect or a contractor? Will you need an electrician, a plumber, a carpenter, a painter, or all four? How much work can you do yourself? All these factors must be taken into account as you pare down your list into affordable home improvement projects.

How Do You Begin?

Every project starts with a plan. Itemize everything you want and think you can afford, and include a design of rooms to be remodeled. If you are going to require professional help, now is the time to talk to contractors, plumbers, and other tradesmen, and to ask for estimates. Comparison-shopping is a must. If you are an accomplished do-it-yourselfer, price materials and tools needed. If you can’t afford to do everything on your list, reassess your prime needs and make a new plan.

What Projects Are Key?

The best projects for improving the value of your home are, happily, the most affordable and the easiest to do yourself, even if you are a super klutz. Ask any real estate agent for tips on how to prepare a home for resale and you will be told that the house and yard should be cleaned and all clutter removed. Creating suitable home storage facilities and cleaning and painting the interior and exterior of your house, therefore, are the jobs that top the list of desirable improvements. The premium projects that usually require professional help are kitchen remodeling first and bathroom remodeling second. These particular upgrades will provide the best return for your money, and the real estate industry has statistics to prove it.

Clean Everything in Sight

Cleaning your home and yard is a great improvement project, and if you are remodeling, it will be the final step after the dust has settled. You will need something heavy-duty like tri-sodium phosphate or its equivalent to wash most surfaces inside and outside the house. There are also special cleaners for glass, tile, porcelain, stainless steel, and wood, and for getting rid of unpleasant molds and mildew. Visit your friendly hardware store and read labels. There are cleaners for almost every material and for solving almost every cleaning problem. Make sure rooms are well ventilated whenever you are cleaning, carefully follow directions, and wear gloves and a mask.

Removing clutter is another worthwhile project and requires adequate home storage with a combination of cabinets, shelves and bins, and sufficient strength of mind to discard all junk, no matter how much you love it. You can buy easy-to-assemble shelving and cabinets in a great variety of sizes and materials at affordable prices. Small, decorative containers can be used to organize and conceal the ongoing accumulations of such items as incoming mail. In the yard, removing clutter means getting rid of dead trees, dead branches, broken slabs and stones in patios and walkways, and tidying up the garden and lawn. When faced with clutter, ruthlessly throw it out, recycle it, hold a garage sale, donate it to the charity of your choice – get rid of it.

Interior painting and exterior painting should be next on your list of preferred home improvement projects. Fresh paint helps make your home look clean, bright, and spacious. When selecting colors for the exterior, don’t forget to do something about that bland front door. Have fun! Fresh, harmonious colors add beauty and personality to your home both inside and out.

Put Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling High on the List

Although remodeling a kitchen seems like a daunting task, a complete overhaul pays great dividends if and when you sell your home. Purchasing new cabinets and appliances are worthy goals, but you can also make minor changes that will create impact. If you can’t replace the kitchen cabinets, replace the cabinet doors at least. If that is also beyond your means, add molding to the cabinet doors, paint them, and replace the hardware. It’s not that difficult or expensive to replace an outdated sink, and if you can’t afford a new stove, fridge and dishwasher, don’t hang on to those gold or avocado monstrosities – buy attractive reconditioned replacements.

Bathroom remodeling

(http://www.all-about-home-improvement.com/bathroom-accessories.html) is the next most important improvement and the biggest dividends come from installing a new sink, bathtub, toilet, and shower stall, as well as attractive tiles and custom cabinets. Again, if you can’t manage a complete makeover, replace the tired old taps, faucets and showerhead; add shelves; and paint and redecorate the cabinets.

Other Projects to Consider

After you have decided on and planned for the most important home improvement projects, new window covering and upgraded flooring should receive your attention. You can choose from a large array of window dressings and styles, or simply buy fabric, turn hems with iron-on tape, and dramatically drape the material over attractive curtain rods. Shutters are another possibility and lend themselves to many different decorating styles.

Your choice of flooring is limited only by your taste and budget. Rip up the old carpet and replace it with contemporary hardwood flooring or laminate flooring. If you already have hardwood, simply sanding and re-staining it or giving it a clear finish may give your rooms the lift they need. Other flooring replacements that can transform a room include tile, vinyl, linoleum, or textured rubber.

Finally, save a little energy and money to improve the appearance of your yard. Maybe all you have to do to improve the landscape (http://www.all-about-home-improvement.com/garden-supplies.html) is trim, mow, weed, and then plant a few flowers. Adding or upgrading an existing patio, deck, or walkway can also be very worthwhile.

Choosing the best modeling and redecorating projects will not only increase the long-term value of your home, they will also provide satisfaction and pleasure for you, the smart homeowner.

About The Author


Scott Gray is the owner and operator of SG Home Improvements which is an excellent resource for Home, Decorating and Information. For more information go to: http://www.all-about-home-improvement.com and http://www.all-about-home-rugs.com/ .

Cleaning Tile Grout

Grout Cleaning Made Easy
By: Bobby Walker




Have you ever tried to clean tile and grout yourself? If you have, you know how time consuming and labor intensive it can be! If it is within your budget, I would seriously consider letting a trained professional handle this chore for you. However, if you simply can't afford the .50 sq. ft. that most companies charge, there is a way to effectively clean your own tile and grout without breaking the bank.

Your main focus should be on choosing quality products to make your job as easy as possible. Having these materials will literally save your hours of time and labor. Hopefully, you already have some of these items tucked away in your garage somewhere just waiting to be found. Of course, anything that you don't have can be purchased at your local Home Depot store.

Sulfamic Acid
Citrus Degreaser
Chemical Pump Up Sprayer
Grout Cleaning Brush w/pole
Mop and Bucket
Masking Tape
Shop Vac w/attachments
Brass Bristle Toothbrush
Latex Rubber Gloves
White Vinegar
Disposable Shop Towels

Before cleaning, you should measure the sq. ft. of the floor you are cleaning as you will need this information so you buy enough sulfamic acid to clean with. Cover any stainless steel appliances with several rows of masking tape or plastic wrap to keep the acid from etching the stainless and ruining the cosmetic appearance of your appliances. Dust mop and sweep your tile to remove large debris and dust from the floor. Mix your mop bucket with 4 oz. of white vinegar for each gallon of water used. Make sure your mop head is brand new, so you won't smear any dirty water on your clean floor. You will use your mop to help clean up the acid after scrubbing the grout.

Mix your sulfamic acid with water in your pump up sprayer according to directions, wearing rubber gloves. You should have at least a 2 gallon sprayer as this will cover around 700 to 1000 sq. ft. of tile when mixed 50/50, We recommend the powdered crystal acid from Home Depot. I have personally used this on many of my jobs when my chemical supply company was out of my regular brand. You can also use the brand I currently clean with called StoneTech Restore. Either way, you want a 50/50 mix ratio, half water and half acid as this is most effective.

Set your pump sprayer nozzle until it becomes more of a mist than a stream. Do not pump up with too much pressure, it will splatter on everything if you do. Just enough to make a mist when you squeeze the trigger. Spray about 50 sq. ft. completely covering all the tile and grout lines. Do not spray a larger area than this when cleaning, the floor must stay wet or you will have to repeat the process if it dries before you are finished cleaning.


Using a grout cleaning brush w/handle, start at one side of the tile cleaning all the vertical grout lines with a back and forth cleaning motion, using short strokes, while slowly walking forward. Then clean all the horizontal grout lines using the same method. Cleaning the grout lines this way is less confusing and will prevent you from missing some of the area. You may need to scrub dirty areas longer or use a citrus degreaser in a spray bottle using a brass bristle toothbrush to help remove stubborn areas that aren't coming clean right away. Make sure your brush is on a handle to keep you off your hands and knees.

After the area is clean, use your shop vac to remove the dirt and acid from the floor before it dries. Make sure you vacuum very well and don't leave any dirty residue behind. Once you have cleaned up with your shop vac, you are ready to mop with your vinegar and water solution. This rinses off any of the remaining acid and dirt from the tile. Placing a fan on the floor after you have finished will help the floor dry faster. You may not notice a huge difference in the grout lines until they have fully dried, which takes a few hours sometimes because of how porous the grout is. You are now ready to repeat the process on your next 50 sq. ft. of tile and grout.


About The Author

Bobby Walker is a 14 year cleaning industry veteran who owns and operates Carpet Cleaning of Dallas, a carpet, tile and upholstery restoration company. He is also a webmaster for 4 websites, including 2 do it yourself sites. His passion for helping people has been his motivating factor for his love of the service industry.

http://www.groutcleaningtips.com

http://www.spotcleaningtips.com/

Granite is Tough

; Taking Correct Care of It Isn't
By: Edward Green



Crystal like granite countertops and spa type bathrooms built with natural stone are all the rage in home interiors, but not surprisingly it will lose its investment value fast if not properly maintained.

Up to now, only ammonia based cleaners were the granite cleaning choice outside of soap and water for homeowners, regardless of the fact that these products in reality damage natural stone.

Marble Master’s stone cleaning product line safely cleans and conditions countertops, floors and wall surrounds made of granite, marble, travertine and other natural stone. For more information, visit www.marblemasteruk.com

"Ammonia-based products remove the seal of natural stone, allowing stains to penetrate the surface and set more easily," said Edward Green, Technical Director of Marble Master. "The damage caused by these products increases the chance that the stone will have to be refurbished or replaced, which is a costly undertaking."

Natural stone is hard-wearing, but still needs appropriate care to continue its inherent beauty. When treated correctly, it is a low maintenance surface that will hold its gleam longer than any other surface known to man, and can enhance the value of your home.

Marble Master's set of non ammoniated, inexpensive products features its Daily Cleaner, Daily Cleaner Wipes, Polish/Protector, Stone Soap and Penetrating Sealers. The line protects and extends the life of stone countertops and gives customers high quality cleaning power. The line is non toxic, safe on all food preparation surfaces, features a streak-free formula and is easy to use.

Marble Master Products are also effective when used on natural quartz surfaces and engineered stone and can be safely used on ceramics or porcelain tile and grout. This exclusive product line, which contains the highest grade of quality ingredients, is user friendly, non toxic and safe for the environment.

The Marble Master Stone Care System is specially formulated and developed by stone care professionals with more than 40 years of experience in the natural stone industry. For more information or to purchase the products, visit www.marblemasteruk.com or call 020 8807 8889.

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as the byline is included and the article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to: support@marblemasteruk.com

Website: http://www.marblemasteruk.com

About The Author


Edward Green owns and operates the highly successful Marble Master Ltd company. Marble Master specializes in Restoration and Refinishing of all types of natural stone and consultancy services to Architects, Restoration Companies and Interior Designers.

Fixer Uppers In San Diego

Things That Add Value To Your Fixer-Upper Home
by: Sarah Miller

http://homebuyerguide.blogspot.com/ http://houseideas4u.blogspot.com/

Things that add value to your fixer-upper home

Fixer-upper homes apparently need a lot of work to increase their market value. What things should you do to really make the most out of your renovation efforts thus increasing the value of your fixer-upper home?

Pristine walls – Fixing up your walls is an inexpensive way to increase the value of your fixer-upper homer. You can do the paint job yourself. Choose colors that will make the house “look expensive”.

Renovate the bathroom – It is known fact that a great bathroom will increase the value of any house. Homebuyers tend to take a look at the bathroom first so focusing on renovating this part of the house is a must. Adding another bathroom in the house can further increase its value.

Renovate the kitchen – Aside from the bathroom the kitchen is another part of the house that can increase its value. Home buyers, especially the ladies, take this as a major factor when considering buying a home.

Improve landscaping – Taking care of the lawn and making it look attractive will add to the value of your fixer-upper home. You don't need to hire professional landscapers to improve its appearance.

Don’t overlook the garage, closets and laundry – These three parts of the house are most of the time overlooked. As simple as them may seem, they can increase the value of the fixer-upper home because it adds convenience. Bedrooms with spacious closets are always attractive. Garage and pathway maintenance is also important. Lastly, a house with a laundry room will also increase its value.

Maintain windows – Cleaning your windows every now and then will help maintain its good condition. This won't increase the house’s value but it will help in maintaining its current value.

Change carpets – Nothing is more unappealing than dirty and stinky carpets. Carpets tend to acquire a lot of dirt and cleaning old carpet may not do the trick. What you want to do is change the entire carpeting for the house. This will make a big difference.

Remove clutter – Throw away excessive things that are eye sores. Excessive junk can make a house less appealing and lower its value.

In general, you should fix up the exterior first because this is what people see first and it will give them an impression that your house is a keeper and is of high value. This doesn’t mean that you should ignore the interior. Bottom-line, the most important part of the house that you should focus on to increase a fixer-upper home’s value are the bathroom and the kitchen.


About The Author

The above article was written by Sarah Miller on behalf of a buzzing online Home Improvement community where homeowners easily and painlessly find the right contractor for their home improvement projects and in turn, contractors can find the right Home Improvement Leads! Also check out the http://quotecity.com/ Blog for more related Home Improvement Articles and Ideas.

Drywall Finishing

Drywall: Taping and Mudding
By: Lynn Solana




Want to learn tips and techniques for basic drywall finishing from professional drywallers?

This article will give you trade secrets that will make your drywall taping and mudding job much easier.

If you're a home owner and want to save money on a drywall remodeling job by doing the finishing yourself or if you're new to the trade and need to learn professional tricks that have been developed after years of practice, then you've come to right place.

Below are the basic steps to any drywall taping job laid out in the manner that we usually approach a project.

Always mix mud throughly.

Always make sure all nails and/or screws are recessed slightly below the paper surface of the sheetrock

Spotting Nails and Screws Step 1. Using un-thinned but throughly mixed joint compound, get a small amount of mud on the knife and push into the small recess around the screw or nail, completely filling it.

Step 2. Holding the knife perpendicular to the wall, scrape the excess off. Be sure the recess is completely covered.

Step 3. Allow to dry and repeat coat twice.

Note: If, when wiping the excess, you can feel a slight snag, it means the nail or screw is not recessed enough. The recess should be slightly bigger than the head of the screw and only enough to slightly "dent" the paper layer of the sheetrock.

Taping Beveled Seams and Butt Joints

For taping beveled seams (any place two manufactured ends of sheetrock meet) and butt joints (where cut ends of sheetrock meet), always thin the mud with water. Use enough water until the texture is thin enough to work with easily, but still thick enough to stay on your knife. About 2 cups of water per 5 gal. bucket of joint compound is good to start. Add a little more if needed.

Apply a smooth and even coat of mud to the seam using at least a 5" knife. Make sure there is enough mud under the tape to avoid air bubbles and also fill in any beveled joints.

Lightly lay tape on the joint, being sure the space between boards is covered, and cut tape with knife to within 1/2" of the length of the seam.

Starting at the middle of the tape, and holding the knife at about a 45 degree angle, use even pressure to draw the knife down tightly against the tape all the way to the end, while wiping the blade often. Repeat this same procedure on the other end of the tape, starting around the middle, from a spot where the tape is securely applied. The purpose is to squeeze out all the excess mud while tightly adhereing the tape to the sheetrock. Be sure there are no bumps or pockets of mud under the tape.

Allow all taped joints to completely dry before applying the next coat.

Taping Inside Angles

Precut and crease the paper tape the length of the joint. We do not recommend the metal-backed inside corners available, since they are notorious for improperly adhering and causing air pockets if the corner is not perfectly uniform. We prefer using plain paper tape.

Using a 4" or 5" knife, apply thinned mud on both sides of the corner in an even coat, making sure there are no bare spots. It should be at least 2" wide to be sure tape is applied properly.

Apply the pre-creased tape (creased side down) to the corner by hand, making sure to press the crease into the corner tightly.

Holding the tape at the top, draw the knife down each side of the corner while applying pressure to squeeze out mud from under the tape. Hold the knife firmly into the corner but try not to tear the paper tape. Repeat this procedure at the top of the corner starting at a spot where the tape is firmly applied.

Wipe any excess mud that has been squeezed from under the tape off of the wall.

Setting Corner Bead

Outside corners get a lot of wear and we highly recommend metal corner bead is used. First, make sure all joints and seams coming into the outside corner are taped and dry. Cut bead to length of corner and apply snugly using slightly recessed screws or nails about every 6 inches on both sides of the bead. Make sure that the bead is not twisted as you apply it.

This next step is best for the beginner to do only after all taping is dry. Using un-thinned mud, apply an even coat to both sides of the corner about 5 or 6 inches wide, being sure to fill in the recesses along the bead and not scraping off too much mud. We use an 8" knife for this. This area is quite a bit lower than the sheetrock surface and the purpose is to build it up here.

After you have a thick even coat on both sides of the bead, use the 8" knife to draw down the mud while using the outside corner of the bead as a guide for your knife. Don't worry about small scratches and imperfections in this coat as you will catch them in later applications.

To "feather" the outside edge of mud, hold the 8" knife slightly twisted so that only the outside edge of the knife is being used to apply pressure. Draw it down the coat of mud to remove build-up on the outside edge while being careful not to take off too much mud from the corner of the wall. Remember, the main purpose is to fill the recess in a smooth coat.

Allow this first coat of mud to completely dry (usually around 24 hours) before starting second coat.

The same procedure as above is used for windows and archways, cutting bead to properlength of corners.

Applying a Second (Bed) Coat to Flat Taped Areas

Again using at least an 8" knife and un-thinned mud, apply a second or "bed" coat smoothly and evenly to seams and joints. To "feather" the outside edge of mud, hold the 8" knife slightly twisted so that only the outside edge of the knife is being used to apply pressure. Draw it down the coat of mud to remove build-up on the outside edge while being careful not to take off the built up area.

Note: Seams where manufactured edges of the sheetrock meet will be beveled and this recess should be completely filled. Cut edges of sheetrock or butt joints need wider coats of mud to level the surface of the wall. This can be accomplished by using a wider knife (10" or 12"), or by applying wider coats after the bed coat dries. Usually, the mud on a butt joint should be at least 18 inches wide.

Bedding Inside Corner Angles

Inside corners only need one coat of mud after the tape is dry. Using un-thinned mud, and a 4" or 5" knife, it's probably best for newbies to coat one side of the angle at a time, allow to completely dry, then coat the other side. Again feathering the outside edge, as above.

Third (Skim) Coat to Flat Taped Seams and Joints

After the bed coat is completely dry, sand all areas lightly removing all excess mud and ridges.

Using mud thinned slightly with water, and at least an 8" knife, again apply a coat to seams and joints, being sure to completely cover the dried mud. This time you should not need to build up the low areas much so more mud can be scraped off the seam. This is accomplished by holding the knife more at a 90 degree angle. The purpose of this coat is to fill in any scratches and imperfections. Feather the edges again.

Applying Second and Final Coat to Corner Bead

Corner bead usually only requires 2 coats of joint compound. First it's recommended that you run the knife blade along the very edge of the corner to remove any small dried bits of mud. These will get into the fresh mud and cause excess scratching. Sand dried coat especially around ridged edges.

Again, using at least an 8" knife and slightly thinned mud, apply a second even coat to the corner bead. Remove excess mud by again holding the knife more at a 90 degree angle. Feather outside edges.

After complete drying, sand all areas and touch up any scratches and imperfections.


About The Author

Lynn Solana has been involved in the drywall profession for many years and has survived numerous home remodeling and building projects. From hiring contractors to working hands on, she has experienced the entire spectrum of home improvement. These tips are just among hundreds more that she shares on her website. If you have a remodeling project involving drywall, check out Drywall Finishing Tips now! http://www.drywallfinishingtips.com/