Home Remodeling

Basement Finishing – Make it Better

Basement Finishing - Make it Better

Remember those old BASF commercials? The ones that proudly announced: “At BASF, unfortunately, we cannot produce a large amount of these products you purchase.” It got you thinking, why on earth would they inform me that. Then they finished: “We come up with lots of the products you acquire better.”

Well, as it pertains to basement finishing time, you are not making any of the items that you buy, nevertheless, you may make sure the merchandise you get is better than the other.

One overlooked merchandise that became a personal pet peeve of mine way back when is closet shelving. Wood was traditionally used by shelving, then for a time wire shelving was applied, and today, for the most part, it’s time for wood shelving.

Well, for some basement finishing projects, shelving material is an afterthought. So contractors turn out with all the most elementary particle board shelving material they can find. No one usually values the cheaper material until after it’s painted.

Particleboard shelving is a low-density product with multiple chip pieces inside it. The problem with it is the numerous pits that cover the rounded front edge. When painted, these pits suck within the paint leaving a tough, almost unfinished look.

Admittedly, early inside the basement finishing business, we were using what everyone else was using. I never liked the finished product, and the customer comments echoed my feelings over it.

We immediately switched to MDF shelving and the difference was dramatic! If you’ve ever dealt with MDF, it paints beautifully. Not only did the painted shelves look 1,000% better, but our customers haven’t been unsatisfied with their shelves since.

MDF shelves increase the cost of each closet by a few dollars. Even if it cost more we might still include them with no additional cost for the customer. They’re simply that much better. If BASF were within the basement finishing business, they’d be saying: “At BASF, and we don’t make closet shelves for the basement; we result in the closet shelves to your basement better.”… READ MORE

Choosing Home Building Materials From a Home Appliance Store

Choosing Home Building Materials From a Home Appliance Store

To build a house, repair or remodel, you need the right building materials and tools. With the materials and tools available today, you can complete projects in less time and possibly with less money than you think.

You can download packages from the internet. You can even customize it to suit your own taste or to make your dream home.

When you are there, you can start thinking about how you want your outdoor living room to look. You can do multiple virtual landscaping, just for fun.

Of course, right now, you need the basics. So what does it take to build a house?

Wood, nails, hammers and saws, aircraft, partner boxes and levels, measuring tape, rulers and blueprints. Those are some basics. Drills, screws, walls, insulation, roofing materials, doors and windows are some of the others, all of which you can get from a home improvement shop near you. But, the first two things you need are a plan and a list.

Every experienced builder starts with a plan. A list of required items is made. A builder will often have many tools needed. You might have several of them too. So, you look at what you have and then decide what home building materials you need. That’s part of the plan.

Another part of your plan is the budget. You will want to try to get an idea of ​​how much all this will cost. Depending on your experience, your estimates may not be exact. Even the most experienced builders sometimes “over budget.”

You may be tempted to take shortcuts, if you have a tight budget, but you will save money in the long run by buying high-quality, more energy-efficient materials. Skipping luxury items such as more expensive tiles or designer floors isn’t a problem. But, your basic home building materials must be of the quality needed to do the job.

Think about the future. If you buy lower quality wood, you may need to replace it more often. May not be resistant to insects or mold. Something like that can cause you a lot of problems and spend a lot of money in the future.

Functionality is the most important thing here. So when you compare available material and make your budget, focus on the functional aspects. That way, you will get durable home building materials.… READ MORE

Victorian Decor Doesn’t Have to Break a Budget

Think about Victorian decor, one of the mainstays of the “new vintage” trend, and what comes to mind? Rich-looking, ornate styles, with big price tags attached, right? It doesn’t to be expensive if you know how to make the most of what you already have, along with fabulous finds from other sources.

Victorian Decor Doesn't Have to Break a Budget
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As always with decorating on a budget, start by thinking about paint, one of the most economical yet striking changes you can make in a room. Vintage decor of the Victorian era is lush with deep, jewel tones such as emerald green, sapphire or ruby. It isn’t necessary to paint all the walls in these colors; in fact, it’s not a good idea to do so if it’s a smaller room you’re decorating in vivid vintage. If that’s the case, pick one wall as an accent, then paint the other walls in a light, but complementary tone. You’ll be surprised at how much an accent wall like this can convey.

Next, think as the Victorians did and get a brilliant Oriental area rug for the floor. Not only were the Vics fond of its ornate patterns, the vivid colors added more depth to the overall intensity of the room’s colors.

With a good rug on the floor, it’s time to think furniture. One way to keep to the budget is to get distressed tables and drape them with single-size white or floral sheets. You can tie them up here and there with ribbons (another Victorian touch) or let them pool onto the floor or area rug and top them with lace doilies.

For the larger furniture, wicker makes an economical and stylish option to the heavy carved (and expensive) walnut furniture common to Victorian decor. The trick with wicker is that it requires frequent maintenance to remove dust and dirt that collects in the curves of its woven pattern. Because of this, it’s essential to know what kind of wicker you have.

Wicker comes in three types: paper, reed and resin. Paper wicker is made by twisting paper into strips that are then woven. Reed comes from natural fibers that are soaked until pliable and then woven into the familiar crisscross pattern. Resin wicker is actually made from molded plastic, and is the most durable of the three types. All three types can be cleaned gently with a damp, but not dripping, cloth. Reed and resin wicker also can be hosed down if they get extremely dirty, but don’t hose paper wicker. As you might guess, paper wicker will soak up the water and rot.

With wicker you’ll also want plenty of cushions and pillows in floral patterns, as well as linens with embroidery, ribbons and lace in white or natural. Thrift stores, yard sales, even flea markets can be good sources for vintage linens with handmade embroidery. Linens with less expensive machine-embroidered patterns can be found at discount stores. Embroidered linens and fabrics are used on tablecloths, curtains and even upholstery in Victorian decor.

Speaking … READ MORE

Points to Consider to Improve Your Property

For most people, a home is the largest purchase they’ll make in a lifetime. Since a home is such a major purchase, it’s so important to make sure that you’re intentional about improving the property on a consistent basis. It’s easy to open the door, move in and get complacent. Instead, it’s always wise to create a plan for your home. Consider the following ways you can improve your property and increase its value.

Points to Consider to Improve Your Property

1. Make a list.


Sit down to think about the various upgrades you can do. Take an honest look at the home and how you can improve. Depending on the time of the year, you might want to adopt gardening as a new hobby. You can add grass, plant flowers and include a small water feature. A fresh coat of paint If your kitchen cabinets don’t look amazing, you might want to consider different ways to improve it.

2. Consider the costs.


Consider the costs involved in upgrading your property. If you want to get the best return on your investment, you’ll want to think long-term. Take a look at how much it’ll cost to hire someone to do a landscaping project. If it’s cheaper for you to maintain the property yourself, try it out. However, you’ll also want to think about the time it takes. If you’re considering your kitchen cabinets, you might need to replace them altogether. Take a look at the condition of the cabinetry. You might realize that the cabinets need to be sanded and given a fresh coat of paint. While it’ll take time to complete the project, you’ll be able to keep your costs low and increase the chance of profit in the long run.

3. Stay on top of repairs.


There are plenty of people who wait until an appliance breaks down before they purchase a new one. However, there are many people who will learn how to work around a broken appliance. So even though a person might have a broken dishwasher, they’ll let it sit while they hand-wash their dishes. Stay on top of all of your repairs. If your garage door breaks down and you’re in need of garage door repair in Austin, this is a repair you don’t want to wait on. If you prolong the phone call to a company like Austin’s Greater Garage Doors, your homeowner’s association might give you a hefty fine.

When you’re able to increase the value of your home, you’ll be able to sell it for more and profit when you’re ready to move. Take a look at the homes in the area. You don’t want to have the most upgrades on the block. Instead, it’s great to be in the middle. When you make the right investments in your property, you’ll end up saving money in the long run. h.com�… READ MORE

Ways to Transform Your Garage

A garage can be just a place to leave your car when you’re not driving it, but it can also be the perfect place to host gatherings, act as a workshop, or become a mechanic’s paradise. Often to make this happen, you may need to do some remodeling to make a drab space comfortable and convenient. Here are a few ideas to help spruce up your garage into the space of your dreams.

Ways to Transform Your Garage

1.      Flooring

Floors take the greatest beating of any part of your garage. If you’re looking into remodeling it’s likely that your original concrete is cracked and worn or stained from oil and salt. While resurfacing can temporarily fix these problems, you’ll still be susceptible to the same issues. Epoxy floor products can spruce up your floor in style and durability and make it much easier to clean and maintain for the long run.

2.      Insulation

If your garage was built to literally just keep the elements off your vehicle, it might be brutally hot in the summer and icy cold in the winter. Installing insulation in the walls and ceiling may help transform this room from just the place to store your car into an active part of your house, whether as an empty space for a party or a comfortable area to tinker on projects alone. This isn’t to mention the cost-savings that sealing up those gaps have on your wallet!

3.      Lighting

Whether adding additional windows or simply upgrading existing systems, adequate lighting might make the difference between an uninviting space and a welcoming room where you can while away the hours. Consider where you want adjustable lights for detailed projects, or larger and more energy-efficient smart lights to brighten the garage for visiting company. Decide the color ambiance that will be most beneficial for your specific needs and keep an eye on where shadows will be cast.

4.      Storage

Many garages serve a secondary purpose of being a catch-all storage space. When remodeling your space, look into shelving units, pegboard, and movable counters to hold tools, sports equipment, and keep projects at a comfortable height when you’re working. Drawers and small parts compartments may help keep you organized instead of digging through a large pile for one specific piece of equipment.

Remodeling doesn’t have to be complicated and may quickly transform a space from a scarcely-used area into the heart of your home. With just a few small changes, you can make your garage into a durable and fresh workspace.… READ MORE