Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Quick Tips From One Handyman To Another

By John Brien


Home improvement can be great for the do-it-yourself homeowner, or the homeowner who likes to hire a professional to take on the project. Either way, you can't go wrong with making repairs and doing some upgrading as long as you follow these tips and advice on how to avoid pitfalls and make the best decisions possible.

Store your paint cans upside down. A skin forms inside used cans of paint. When you open the can it's a mess to remove. One solution is to put the used paint cans in your storage area upside down! That way when you turn the can over and open it, the skin is underneath the paint where it can't cause a problem.

Replacing your carpets can be a breath of fresh air. Carpets can be a hotbed of allergens making your own home hard to live in. Consider replacing your carpets with hardwood, tile, or laminate floors for a healthier living environment. Hard surface floors will also provide an updated look to your home.

Pour bleach into the toilet bowl to keep it clean. The bleach may have an unpleasant smell, but it will reduce the spread of germs and your risk of getting sick, in addition to giving you a clean and shiny toilet. Scented bleach can also help keep the odor at bay.

To avoid costly mistakes when painting a room, make a small investment in the paint samples that many retailers offer. You can get 8 ounce sample sizes in any available color. For a small cost, you can apply paint to a big enough area to really get a feel for how the paint will look, much more accurately than with paint chips alone.

If you have tiles in your bathroom, make sure to use bath rugs in front of your toilet and bathtub. Adding bath rugs not only adds a touch of personality to your bathroom, but also keeps you from slipping and falling; try rugs with different patterns and designs for a look that is uniquely your own.

Ask for references from any contractor you hire. Think of it as if you were hiring any other employee. You want to investigate background, and also ensure that others have been happy with the work they do.

When replacing a lock in your home, you have the choice of removing the whole assembly, or just the cylinder. The cylinder being the lock's mechanism that completes the lock action. If you misplace your key, you can replace the cylinder. If you are replacing a lock for cosmetic purposes, you will need to replace the whole unit.

Whether you are improving your own personal residence or an investment property that you will use for resale or renting, the tips we have discussed in this article will set you well on your way to higher property values as well as hassle free and financially responsible remodeling projects.




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