Remodeling your home’s key spaces can be a very good thing, if you do it well. Wisely choosing projects that provide the highest return, and projects in keeping with surrounding property values, are ways to get the most out of the experience. Refinish the kitchen cabinets to affordably upgrade the space. Replace the front door […]

Deer are not discriminatory eaters. They want to taste it all. Whether it’s a few veggies from the garden, a few berries from your vines, or several leaves from your shrubs, deer can leave your yard trampled and ragged by the end of the summer. Consider three effective ways to keep your plants safe: 1) […]

Don’t have 10,000 dollars to spend on a bathroom remodel? Great! That means you’ll be able to use the following ideas to spruce up your baths beautifully, and keep a whole lot of money in your bank account. Try these five helpful ideas: 1) Refresh your space economically with fresh paint and patterns. 2) Unique thrift […]

Expensive, luxurious kitchens and baths are great selling features, but not worth breaking your remodeling bank. You can see a high return on your investment if you are practical and intentional. The “bang for your buck” you really need comes from careful planning, and an eye on high-impact projects accomplished on a frugal budget. Renovate […]

A working knowledge of physics may be the key to helping you get to the bottom of what ails your furnace blower or air handler. Air flow or rising energy usage are generally the result of two root issues: friction and turbulence. Both must be reduced to increase the airflow through ducts. Friction creates slow […]

Powered Attic Ventilators (PAVs) are ineffective and inefficient, despite what you may have heard. There are a couple of significant problems with theses types of attic fans. First, the only way a PAV pays for itself is if a house has problems with ceiling insulation or attic venting. Cooling only happens because conditioned air is […]

There is nothing like opening the windows of your home to allow the summer breezes in. But old, sticking frames may make that difficult. New windows may be in order. What do most homeowners look for when purchasing windows? Sometimes energy efficiency is a priority. Often buyers are looking to resolve old maintenance issues. Wood […]

According to the National Association of Realtors, home construction is not on the rise. Why? Unlike markets of the past, new jobs are not adding up to new home purchases. This means that soon homebuyers may see a housing shortage and higher housing costs. There are several factors at work. Small construction companies have less […]

Salvaging brick and stone is a cost-effective way to provide texture to a project. Consider the following preservation factors: 1) Maintain brick or stone in visible places. 2) Dispose of material impacted by settling. 3) Determine whether the brick/stone is integral to how the home was built. 4) If the mortar is crumbling, scrap the […]

According to hot trends in manly home design, the “man cave” is all the rage. How much will guys pay for the cave? Generally, renovations for a multipurpose space runs about $16,500. What kind of design features does the average American male crave for his very own basement hideaway? Usually the list is simple: just a […]