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Everyone could use some home improvement tips and advice for their next remodel or repair project. Whether you are looking to fix a sink, spruce up a bathroom, remodel the kitchen or maybe even add an entirely new room to your current home. This article will help you discover many home improvement tips and advice resources available online and at your local building supply stores that you may not have thought of. Can you say Google? By visiting the search engine giant, Google - simply type in the words Home Improvement Tips and Advice and you will find a few thousand results. You could even narrow your search down a little and find several thousands more results, but this should give you a great start to begin with.
Now let's see what there is available for your next project. Perhaps you have never considered making home improvements that are theme based. I know of many people who have specifically used home improvement tips and advice to redo an entire room in an outdoor theme, or antiques only themed room. This is more common than you may think. Perhaps you do not want to do anything too radical at this time. Some home improvement tips and advice are specially designed for those not so glamorous projects; like unplugging drains, sewer lines or gutters. You might add a door to the spare bathroom and then some paint to make a substantial value increase to the over all homes value.
Think of it like adding new tires to a car. You might be surprised how a few little home improvement tips and advice projects can make a huge difference in your home value. Visiting your local building supply store may be one of the easiest ways to get some good home improvement tips and advice. I personally like to visit my local building supply stores, and simply explain to them what I need or maybe I should say what I want to do. They usually offer some very valuable tips on how to repair or fix up something that I had not even considered. Last but certainly not least you need to consider the tools to do the job right. By doing a few searches on line using the terms home improvement tips and advice you will find many pages to see the various tools and ideas used. Now you have some basic knowledge when visiting your building supply or hardware store. Between the two sources you should have a winning project next time you need to do some work around home.
Bay windows, especially new or custom bay windows are much trickier than a regular window replacement. Be sure your remodeling contractor has the experience you need for your home improvement project. Just as you thought all the decisions for your bay window was complete, there are even more options - the exterior options. The floating bay windows - the windows with no foundation can be supported above with steel cables bolted to the overhead framing. These cables are completely hidden and are functional only. Not every window has the option of the support cables. So choose well and double check all the options before purchasing your new bay window.
Up to this point we have concentrated upon the customization of your bay window. Another one stop shopping option exists - a pre-assembled bay window. Most window manufacturers offer great pre-assembled bay windows. You can design your own bay window or simply choose a design from one of the leading window manufacturers. Copper has always been the mark of quality. Today with copper prices rising, this added feature has dramatically increase in cost. If you are seeking that old world charm, you might wish to consider the new architectural metal roofs. These roofing materials come in a variety of colors to simulate slate or Spanish tile. These are a great alternative to the basic looking asphalt or the expensive copper roofing.
Remember your bay window is front and center in your design and likewise so too is your roof skirt. What material you use for this part of your project will play an important role in your overall exterior look. Just came across this option and had to share with you. Oftentimes, we want what we cannot have and the bay window is particularly challenging. If you are dealing with established construction and you wish to consider all options. Do consider an inverted bay window. The inverted bay window allows the interior of the window to offer you that unprecedented charm but without the structural responsibilities and extensive fees.
This may be an option to consider when speaking with your contractor. Storage or no storage - that is the final question on your bay window. Even if you have a window seat, you don't necessarily have to provide access to added storage. And if you do decide you want storage to be a part of your home improvement, there are several different choices. If you do choice storage, you can consider a number of pre-assembled storage options. From cabinets to drawers to simply a faux front across the front of the window seat - pre-assembled cabinets to provide double duty to this space can be simpler for installation and less expensive than custom cabinets. The access to your storage may be kitchen cabinet fronts, drawers or a simple lid on top of the unit. The angled bay window has angles, where the squared bay window seat is 90 degrees.
The angles will look different from the outside and more importantly, your window seat and the cushion will need a customized form if the bay window is angled. Do take into consideration the shape of your storage unit and the shape of the cushions on the window seat do need to match completely. A good example is given to the right where an angled cushion would be needed for one option and square and rectangle cushions will be needed for the other. A custom upholstered cushion can break the budget - do your homework and you can forgo a major headache and expense.
Clad windows are typically the most expensive but offer a low-maintenance solution. Vinyl are affordable and maintenance free but some people are not completely satisfied with the look of vinyl. We installed vinyl on the Victorian home with the 11 windows and the interior wood was stained and those windows looked great. Typically you will pay a premium for the exterior of the window to be anything other than white. Insulated glass is much better than single pane. Options include triple glazing (three panes and two air spaces) which is better than two pane glazing. Another option is the argon gas or low-e glasing that admits solar heat in winter and reflects heat in summer. 800. Prices vary based upon size and construction. Take your time, enjoy the home improvement journey.
If you are patient, do your research your project will surely be a great success - offering you and family and possibly future families the enjoyment of your design choices with your new bay window. Sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account. 0 of 8192 characters usedPost CommentNo HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites. I have been wanting to learn more about feng sui. I am so glad you mentioned this. I will definitely have to read up on this feng sui. I will also have to check out that sofa!
Thank you so much for contributing! Ba Gua Windows because it resembles the ba gua of feng sui. Currently I am re-designing a few rooms, I love the interior seating for bay windows, so cute! The pictures and tips are just amazing. There are lot of really great ideas that I learned from this hub. I really fell in love with the architectural details you showed on the very last portion. What a great idea for the master bedroom! A real sitting room - a truly private retreat! Thank you so much for sharing and stopping by! Man o man, those windows are something special. Thanks for such a good sample of windows. Smart suggestion about having a few non functional windows to save money. I have pleated shades on my bay windows and I do think it looks simple and nice.
Updated on June 14, 2015 Ken Kline more My favorite room to read and enjoy - a family room with a fireplace and wood beams. Be still my heart with a stone fireplace and wood beams above. Nothing conjures up the ultimate in comfort as that combination. Add to the decorating cream sofas and chairs and we are ready to curl up with a great book or a couple of reading hours with Hub Pages. Whatever your choice for delight, these rooms with their wood beam are sure to please. Home improvement is an investment in your future. Deciding upon a classic design will help your resale value in the end. Enjoy the visual delights as we journey through over 14 different design ideas for your wood beam project.
View the videos of the do it yourself installation and see how cost effective this home improvement project might be for your home. The dividends paid back to you by this project will in today's market be more than your bank account or stock market investments. Carefully consider the many design options. A cozy fireplace with wall to ceiling stone combined with wood beams creates the centerpiece for this Midwestern home. The cathedral ceilings combined with wood beams make a dramatic statement for this grand family room. This room is further enhanced by the exquisite carpet and almost white chairs and couches. This family room beckons for friends and family to retreat for a long and comfortable conversation.
The notched and slotted beam with the mitered joints are an architectural gem. Secured with ebony pegs, this Craftsman architecture is from The Lodge at Torry Pines, northern San Diego County, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This resort offers the preservation of fine craftsmanship and also is the home to some of the rarest native pine trees in the United States. The quality of the wood along with the craftsmanship on these wood beams are simply spectacular. Why do I love wooden ceilings? Because our Wisconsin home has redwood with large rustic beams (shown below in the next photo). The combination with the fireplace (crafted of Wisconsin flagstone but of course!) lends a feeling some might attribute to the Frank Lloyd Wright style called Praire Style.
For me, it simply means the room is a gathering place for our family. The wood makes the room feel more attuned to nature. While typically a wood beam is seen in the family room, the billiard room is also ideal. The contrast of a jukebox in the corner is an interesting juxtaposition against the triple play of wood in the room. Often in the world of fashion and design the play of a theme of "three" lends a sense of refinement and/or confidence to a dress or an outfit. The world of fashion is very particular. So too, in interior design.
The coffered ceiling and the wood beams compliment well the wood of the billiard table and the triple play is completed with the wood blinds over the double hung windows accented by wood mullions. This room is centered around a bay created with a vaulted ceiling and wood beams. The windows have the added architectural interest of the mullions and notice how the wood on the windows is different from the floor and the ceiling beams. The woods compliment each other beautifully. The window woodwork very smooth and formal and the flooring and ceiling beams rough hewed and rustic. Restoring life to old beams is often accomplished with a glazed stain.
This room to the right benefited form the sanding and glazing, showcasing once again the fine grain and beauty of the natural woodwork on the ceiling beams and grooved wood panels. The light wood beams showcase yet another color variation. All of the stains detail the wood grain. The height of the ceiling, the over sized french doors detail the room could handle the dark woodwork but yet look how inviting the light wood stain is even in this immense room. The oversized windows/doors let the light in and the wood readily welcomes the brightness. The rustic wood beams are not reserved solely for rustic rooms, family room or billiard rooms.
Look how this modern kitchen is transformed to a new level of comfort with the rough wood ceiling beams. A great compliment to the natural color tile underfoot. Suspended wood beam installation demands new skills. Check out the helpful video to the right for great tips on this special wood beam installation. Another charming option for wood beams is white paint. Painted wood is often hated by many naturalists, however, it does have it time and place. Remember this is your space - choose your personal delight. Do consider the resale value - this is not the current decorating trend. My rule is always to have the home ready to sell IF needed. No major changes that cannot be completed in one day. This means keeping up with maintenance making sure decorating is kept "marketable". This does not rule out painted wood or one small wall in your favorite color - just something to consider in your decision-making process.
As the seasons change and our tastes become a little more defined, many people get tired of looking at the same-old-same-old in their homes. Not everyone is out to completely remodel their dwellings, but most are going to tackle a home improvement project or few. Make sure you're doing it right by following the tips below. Many tenants who are renting an apartment or home are in a pickle when landlords don't allow tenants to paint the walls in a different color or take off the wallpaper that doesn't suit their tastes. A great way to get around this is by purchasing flat bed sheets (the unfitted kind) and tacking them in a pleasing design on the wall.
This will not harm the underlying wallpaper or paint and can add a touch of personality that won't displease the landlord. Be sure to consider the type of material you plan to use before building an addition to your home. Using wood may increase your insurance premiums because of the added risk of fire. Steel and concrete are more durable and fire-resistant, so choosing one of these options can help keep your annual insurance premiums low. Replace your air conditioning filter from time to time. If your filter is clogged your air conditioner will not be as efficient. It may also stay on for a longer period of time.
You need to replace the filter once a month before it gets clogged. In order to save money on air conditioning costs during the summer, try installing ceiling fans. Ceiling fans recirculate air within a room, cooling it down without the need for turning on a central air system. They are relatively easy to install and can be installed in place of your lighting fixture. Improvements to your home will not pay you back right away. Don't make any upgrades or improvements to your home if you will be moving in less than three to five years. This is now the time frame that it takes in order to recoup the costs of the upgrades that you make. If you are in need of space in your bathroom, you know that the two things taking it up are usually the bathtub and the sink.
Opt to install a pedestal sink in a small bathroom instead of one with cabinets on the bottom. It not only gives your bathroom an expensive appearance, but also frees up much needed space. Organize your closet by purchasing some designer paper boxes. You can usually find paper boxes with a nice patterned design at your local store. Use these boxes to organize your seasonal clothing, hide winter accessories, purses you aren't using or shoes you won't need for a while. Using patterned paper boxes makes the layout of your closet appear more organized and provide a hiding spot for things you're not using. Soak your hands in salad oil after completing an oil painting job.
The oil will help release the paint from where it has splattered on your hands. Salad oil smells better and is a lot safer than the typical cleanup choices of mineral spirits or kerosene. If you have an elderly parent living in your home, you need to plan home improvements and renovations with an eye to mobility, safety, and accessibility. Sometimes it's important to put in a shower to replace a bathtub, for example. Easy additions like grab bars also make your home safe and more comfortable for your parent. What you have just learned from the tips above might not be as specific as you need for any one particular project, but you should get a good idea of how you need to prepare for a home improvement project. It's not just something you should leap into. Use what you've learned here to act as your guide.
Sure, Paul, there are a few different considerations; often we find people use individual interlocking pavers on back patios or porches. If you don't have an existing slab, then the good thing about pavers is that they are a hard, sturdy surface, and are very decorative. They're more durable than building a wood deck, which can dry, crack, deteriorate, and rot very easily, attracting termites. So if you use the pavers, you have a couple of options to keep them from moving or shifting over time. One option is that you can pour a slab and then put half pavers on top. If installed properly, the pavers usually do not shift. But using a regular paver is a lot less expensive.
A concrete slab with a thin layer of pavers is nearly twice as expensive, because you're really laying two areas instead of one. A second option is to use full pavers. Just note, I see people make mistakes when using only pavers; they don't do the right ground preparation first before they put the pavers down. Here is what I recommend you do: dig down a little bit, put a layer of crushed concrete down first, and then put the full pavers on top of it. Then use an edging around the outside of the pavers; if you do the proper ground preparation, then the pavers should not move at all. For example, when we remodeled my dad's house back in '98, we used pavers as his driveway, down the side of his yard, and then made a whole back area where pavers are.
There has been virtually no movement to the pavers - but we did a really good job in ground preparation first. Ground preparation is important, especially for driveways. I recently had a radio caller who had two driveways, one was a normal driveway, and the other was a paver driveway he installed for his work truck that weighed approximately 22,000 pounds. He used thick pavers on the work driveway, first laying clay and six inches of crushed concrete, but he is still getting some settling after two months and two redos. Normally I would tell people that six inches of crushed concrete would be fine, but perhaps he had some softer sand issues there than other parts of Central Florida. There are reinforcement fabrics that you can use as a base, but I don't think this was a normal situation, having settling issues that fast.
To go through that kind of expense and amount of work, I think it's just better to go ahead and pour a slab. He ended up having to redo the driveway with a six-inch concrete slab with rebar, and then lay the pavers over the top. Home improvement stores offer these spiked-in guides for positioning the pavers, but I recommend that you go to your local paver manufacturer or paver store and get the ones that they have. As long as it's a good guide and it goes down far enough, it should do the job. But you want to do enough ground preparation. I'd recommend putting down some crushed concrete and really making sure that ground is solid so that you don't get any separation in the pavers.
You are probably wondering when is the right time to have your house remodeled or renovated. You are thinking when should you go ahead and consult or contact a remodeling contractor like the California remodeling contractors to restore your house back to its original form. If up until now you are unsure on whether to have your house remodeled or not then you should take the time to know the benefits of having a home restoration. It could be mean a little strain on your financial state but you should realize advantages and the rewards of hiring a team of experts to renovate your home.
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