What You Can Learn From Bill Gates About HOUSE & HOME IMPROVEMENT

My husband and I tried to install our new over the range microwave. However….he insisted I mount the bar slightly lower than the template so he has room to place the microwave on the bracket. We also feature a Home Improvement Forum where you can ask questions pertaining to your home improvement or repair issues. It’s totally free, just click the Forums link in the top navigation bar. Home improvement was popularized on television in 1979 with the premiere of This Old House starring Bob Vila on PBS.

  • Refinancing is a low-interest way to get tax-free cash for remodeling your kitchen, finishing your basement or anything you choose.
  • But the problem with an aging housing stock is that a lot of people can’t.
  • If the wall you want to remove isn’t below one of these beams, it’s much less likely to be a load-bearing wall.
  • Position the screw eyes so that you slightly compress the weatherstrip when you latch the hatch.

Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete co-host the nationally syndicated The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. Aggregators are companies that bundle home improvement service offers and act as intermediary agency between service providers and customers. While there is a fairly large ‘grey market’ of unlicensed companies, there are those that have membership in a reputable association and/or are accredited by a professional organization. Homeowners are recommended to perform checks such as verifying license and insurance and checking business references prior to hiring a contractor to work on their house. Perhaps the most important or visible professionals in the renovation industry are renovation contractors or skilled trades.

To calculate how much equity you have, simply subtract your mortgage balance from your home value. If an overhead rack isn’t the right fit for your kitchen, consider installing a pegboard. Popularized by famous chef Julia Child, use a pegboard with hooks to hang pots, pans, and other tools.

Hidden Home Improvement Hacks That Only Contractors Know About

Add natural light in a dark room or hallway with a skylight.Velux Sun Tunnels funnel a diffused glow into any space; it’s a day job for a pro. Sharpen up.If you don’t love your everyday knife, get one you do — stat! Try an eight- to 10-inch chef’s knife from Wüsthof, Shun, or Zwilling to make prep work joyful for a lifetime. Switch up your switches.Screw on stylish new switch plates and you’ll lighten your mood every time you enter the room.

Stain Wood Cabinets

Replacing carpet or repairing flooring is an improvement that 26% of homeowners make, according to Zillow. If you’ve got lots of rooms with many types of flooring, you might want to bite the bullet and invest in new flooring for all, to create a seamless feel throughout the house. Wood floors, or even faux-wood floors, are preferable to carpeting even though those options can be more costly, Matke says. If, however, you can’t afford to upgrade to wood, new carpeting is still a major selling point.

Inject elegance into your daily life with a faucet that ups the ante in looks and quality. Just make sure the configuration matches your existing sink, or you might end up replacing that, too. If you’re planning on buying a new sink, it’s easiest to install a faucet and other hardware on a new sink before the sink is put in place.

Dimmer switches quickly give your dining room the atmosphere of a swank restaurant. You can use fluorescent lights or special dimmable LED bulbs. A rotary dimmer switch is the most common type of dimmer switch. As you rotate the knob clockwise and counterclockwise, the intensity of the light changes.

Buying a new sink allows you to customize the number of holes to fit your preferred faucet. For an impactful weekend update, swap out the surface of your kitchen island. Give outdated floors a refresh with our step-by-step guide to painting and stenciling ceramic tile. All you need are a few basic supplies and a free weekend to totally transform the look of a laundry room, bathroom or anywhere in your home that’s plagued by old or dirty tile.

Decorative ceiling medallions are available in all shapes, sizes, and styles. If it’s time to replace your dated mantel, choose one with enough depth to let you display pictures or other decorations. If you buy a ready-made mantel, don’t be afraid to paint it or add moldings. A simple fireplace makeover can begin with items you already have in your home. Shop your existing inventory of accessories and display a few on your mantel for a quick, no-cost refresh. If you’re looking for a quick way to change the look of your room, hanging a new light fixture is your best bet.

By sambo