Edmonton Real Estate Blog

Whether you want to build a shelving unit or a deck, intsall a dimmer switch or a dishwasher, you needn’t be intimidated by the idea of doing some minor repairs around the house on your own – especially since it can save your some money in the process. Thanks to the internet, home repair and installation instructions are no longer limited to the product manual. There are plenty of self-help videos and web logs (blogs) to walk you through just about any do-it-yourself projects, and help save you money in the process.

Two popular websites are DoItYourself.com and DIYnetwork.com, but there are many others that can be easily found online via your favourite search engine. A word of caution: always refer to a new product’s manual, or the manufactor’s and/or retailer’s website before you begin.

They are more likely to provide item-specific instructions, and make you aware of any warranty limitations that may be casued by using third party instructions.

Source: Serge’s Preferred Client Update – No. 5, 2012

Have you seen the television show where the host –an experienced contractor – comes to a home to fix a bad renovation? Episodes typically feature leaking bathroom showers, fallen decks, creaky flooring, and other examples of shoddy workmanship. For the homeowners, it’s a nightmare. That’s why it’s so important to select a reputable renovator – one who has the experience and track record to do the job right.

How do you do that? Here are a few tips:

Make sure the contractor can give you the full name, address and phone number of his company. If he only has a truck and a cell phone, that’s a red flag.

Ask him to provide you with the names of at least three customers he’s done work for in the area.
(Then phone those references!)

Some specialty contractors, such as kitchen and bath renovators, are certified or licensed by a professional trade association. Ask the contractor for credentials.

Beware of contractors who offer you a lower price if you pay cash. They’re probably trying to avoid taxes, which suggests that they’re not entirely honest.

Make sure the renovator has experience with your specific type of project.

Search for the company on Google.com. If there are any customer complaints online, you’ll find them in the search results.

Don’t hire the first contractor you meet, regardless of how impressed you are. Speak to at least three. Ask lots of questions. Take your time. Finally, use your common sense. If you don’t have a good feeling about the contractor or if they don’t give you clear answers to basic questions about pricing, schedule, and warranty, then move on.

WASHINGTON, March 10 – As spring approaches, many home owners grow eager to start remodelling projects to update and refresh their surroundings. Before getting started, it’s a good idea to hire a professional remodeler for a workable plan and better results, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

“A professional remodeler knows how to translate a home owner’s dreams and budget into a beautiful reality,” said Donna Shirey, CGR, CAPS, CGP, President of Shirey Contracting in Issaquah, Wash. and 2010 chairman of NAHB Remodelers. “They have the expertise and skills to satisfy a customer while keeping the budget in check.”

 
Here are five tips for planning a successful home remodel that you can enjoy for many years to come:

1. Compile a list of home remodelling ideas and draft a budget for the work. You likely have some projects in mind, such as modernizing the bathroom, renovating the kitchen, replacing windows or repairing the roof. Prioritize your wish list: Maybe you don’t have the budget for your dream remodel, but professional remodelers can maximize your dollars by doing the work in phases, suggesting budget-friendly products and materials, and implementing creative design solutions.

2. Look for a professional remodeler to help plan the project. Start by searching NAHB’s Directory of Professional Remodelers at www.nahb.org/remodel. You’ll get a list of nearby remodelers to contact. Asking friends and neighbours for names of qualified remodelers will also help you find a match for your project.

3. Check the references and background of the remodeler. After you start speaking with remodelers and find one or two who match your project’s needs, be sure to conduct some background research by checking with the Better Business Bureau, talking to their references, and asking if they are a trade association member (such as NAHB Remodelers). Remodelers with these qualities tend to be more reliable, better educated, and more likely to stay on top of construction and design trends.

4. Agree on a contract. Talk over the details of the home remodelling project and begin reviewing the contract. You’ll want to check the remodelers’ insurance coverage, ask about any warranties on their work, know who is responsible for obtaining any building permits, and understand the process for making any change

5. Take advantage of the energy efficiency tax credits. If your remodel includes replacing windows or doors, adding insulation, installing new roofing, upgrading heating or air-conditioning units, updating the water heater, or installing energy generating products (such as solar panels, heat pumps, or wind turbines) then you can take advantage of federal energy efficiency tax credits through 2010 that will help defray costs and maximize your remodelling budget while reducing home energy bills. (Learn more at www.nahb.org/efficiencytaxcredit.)

For more tips on planning a home remodel or hiring a professional remodeler, visit www.nahb.org/remodel.

Source: HGTVPro.com

Replace the sink: $75
These days you can buy a nice sink for under 100 bucks. The stainless steel and acrylic (some look just like white porcelain) are the cheapest, while real porcelain may be out of your range.

Refinish your kitchen cabinets: $100
This means either sanding them down and restaining them, or just painting them in a semigloss or glossy latex paint. For a bold change, ditch the white and try a pale blue, a coral red, or even glossy black for a modern look. All you need is sandpaper, paint, and equal parts elbow grease and patience.

Make your own fabulous hardware: $1 a piece
If the hardware you want is out of your range, transform the stuff that’s in it. “One woman wanted brass switch plates in her kitchen but they were $8.00 each, and she needed 27 of them and she couldn’t justify paying all that,” explains Paul Ryan, host of Kitchen Renovations on the DIY Network. “So, we got her metal switch plates for 47 cents each, and some shiny Krylon brass paint.” So instead of spending $216 on switch plates, she spent $22 for the switch plates and a can of paint. The savings: almost $200.

Buy inexpensive under-cabinet lighting: $50
If you can’t afford new lighting, consider lighting you can attach under the cabinets, suggests certified kitchen designer Judy Scott, an associate for Home Depot.. Ikea sells a number of affordable types and sizes — like the Grundtal ($49) and the Didoder (just $39) — that plug into wall outlets instead of the electrical wiring in your kitchen.

Add a kitchen lamp: $40
For a cost far less than permanent track lighting, add a flea market find or pop-bright colored table lamp or a hanging kitchen chandelier, to change the whole look of the room. “I put a lamp in mine,” says L.A.-based interior designer Jennifer Delonge, “and it really warms up the kitchen and makes it feel like a whole new room.”

Replace the countertop: $90
Not all countertops are made the same — or cost the same. “You can buy a 10-foot piece of laminate countertop for $89,” says Scott. (You also need a saw, which you can rent from a local hardware or big box store). It won’t add value to your house, but it can do wonders as a short-term solution.

Paint the refrigerator: $60
If you can pull that ’70s-style olive green fridge out of its hole, you can transform it, explains Scott. Clean it, then degloss it by sanding it down with a piece of $1.49 sandpaper so that the primer will stick. Finally, prime it and spray it with a high-gloss spray paint. Voila! A brand-new fridge! (It’s tempting, but you can’t paint the gas range too. Ranges get too hot and will cause your paint to peel; the only high-heat paint you could use is the black matte they use for unshiny barbecue grills. In other words: yuck.)
Get more renovation tips from the experts at The Nest
Photo credit: Ellen Silverman

— Amy Spencer of www.TheNest.com

Taking a DIY approach will save you on labor costs and the mark-up contractors charge for materials. If you’re feeling handy, here are some doable fix-ups:

Refinish or Reface Kitchen Cabinets
Consider either refinishing existing cabinet doors with paint, stain, or laminate; or reface them, which means putting new doors on existing kitchen boxes. Hint: Order one door and one drawer front before ordering the whole set so you know they’ll really work. Check out more budget-friendly kitchen renovation tips.

Buy New Knobs for Cabinetry
Replace wood knobs with modern stainless ones, or swap cold metal ones for antique colored glass knobs (Anthropologie always has a great assortment).

Add Track Lighting
Because these are lights that go on the surface of the ceiling, as opposed to “pot” or “can” lights that are recessed, you can install these yourself.

Insulate the Attic and Other Energy-Sucking Areas
Caulk around windows and spaces between the floor and baseboards. Service your furnace so it produces the most for the least, and insulate your visible pipes for heat loss. Buy a “draft stopper” or “draft guard” for the bottoms of your doors (a cheap fix from $10 per door) so wind or heat doesn’t slip through. 

Tile the Bathroom Floor or Kitchen Backsplash
Make sure your surface is flat and dry surface — like a cement or plywood subfloor, an even wall, or a tiled surface you want to cover with new tiles. Use spacers between tiles and the notched trowel to create even ridges on the mortar under the tiles.

Replace Faucets and Fixtures
A new, modern faucet can make a sink in your kitchen or bathroom look brand new again. As long as the new fixtures don’t require a smaller hole in the furniture or sink than the one that’s already there, it’s an easy upgrade. 

Add Wainscoting 
What looks like an intricate wall design is actually a straightforward DIY project, provided you’re working with even walls in good condition. Basically, you just need to purchase the wainscoting (according to your measurements) along with a coordinating baseboard and rail, and some glue or nails to put it up. For tips, click here.

Paint
Is it obvious? Yes. Is it an easy solution to changing the entire look of a room in an instant? Yep, that too. Paint a whole room, add a bold accent to a wall, or do some fresh, glossy white trim for the cost of a few gallons of paint.

Nestperts Judy Scott of The Home Depot; Tom Silva, general contractor for This Old House; Jennifer DeLonge, an LA-based interior designer

— Amy Spencer of www.TheNest.com

Planning on building, buying or improving your home this year? Chances are you’re thinking smaller, smarter and more family-centric.

“We continue to see a ‘cents and sensibilities’ approach when it comes to buying or improving a home, said Eliot Nusbaum, Better Homes and Gardens‘ executive editor for home design.

Nusbaum made the comment while presenting the results of the magazine’s Next Home Survey at the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders Show in Las Vegas last month.

Price, energy-efficiency, organization and comfort are top priorities of potential new home buyers and homeowners who are planning improvements in the next few months, he said.

“Today’s homeowner is also looking for a home that fits the entire family-from a multi-tasking home office, to expanded storage space, to a living room that can adapt to advancements in home entertainment and technology,” said Nusbaum.

Later, speaking by phone from his office in Des Moines, Iowa, he said: “When someone says their highest priority is an efficient HVAC system, you know we’re not living the same dream as three years ago. That dream was having a showplace home-a McMansion with the emphasis on two stories, big public spaces and an expensive fit-and-finish kitchen.

“Now, those things have drifted to the back burner. Today it’s ‘what I need’ versus ‘what I want.’ People are being sensible and practical. They want low-cost improvements that pack a big punch,” he said.

There were no major surprises in the survey results, “Though I thought it was interesting the number of people-85 per cent-who expressed a desire to have a separate laundry.”

And Nusbaum was mildly surprised that 70 per cent of those surveyed wanted low-maintenance landscaping, “when gardening is supposed to be America’s top hobby.”

NEW-HOME TRENDS

Here are some of the results of Better Homes and Gardens’ Next Home Survey, and some of the trends that may influence new-home building and home-improvement projects in 2010:

87 per cent of respondents said a greener, more-energy efficient home is a priority.

68 per cent wanted an outdoor grilling and living area.

59 per cent wanted a home office.

36 per cent said their next home would be “somewhat smaller” or “much smaller.”

75 per cent said the economy has impacted their home-improvement plans.

52 per cent said now is the time to spend on needed repairs and maintenance, rather than major home-improvement projects.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Find the right fix-it pro for those jobs you can’t (or don’t want to) do yourself

The number one rule in hiring any service professional: Get references. Word of mouth from friends and neighbors is the best way to find a good worker who’ll deliver great results. You can also search user reviews on Websites like servicemagic.com (free to use, because prescreened member contractors pay to belong) or angieslist.com (subscription-based, but with no sponsor companies).

Ask anyone you hire about minimum charges, and what might cause the price to go up from the quote. Inquire about insurance (in case of injury, or damage to your or others’ property), and about professional affiliations and accreditation. Read contracts carefully. Here, some specifics to ask a prospective…

Plumber

• Do you specialize in repair work or remodeling? Some may do both, but you’ll get better rates and results if their expertise matches the job you need handled.
• Do you charge for travel time? Plumbers spend a lot of time on the road; their hourly rate may include driving to and from your house.
• Are you likely to have the necessary parts handy? A plumber worth his or her salt should be fully stocked; you don’t want to get stuck paying for multiple supply-gathering trips.

Electrician

• Do you need a permit to do the work? They’re usually needed only on larger jobs, and require that the wiring be inspected by your town (this can protect you against shoddy work). Discuss who’ll be filing for the permit, and what it will add to the cost.
• Will you buy the fixtures or parts for me? It’s generally preferable, because the electrician will then be responsible for the product warranty and any breakage or missing pieces.

Exterminator

• Will we need to leave the house? Are there any risks to people or pets? All pesticides should be EPA-certified, but there may be safety steps you or the exterminating crew need to take.
• How soon will the critters be gone? Total eradication may not happen after just one visit.
• Are return visits covered in the cost? Many firms offer 30- or even 90-day guarantees.

Housepainter

• What is included in the service? From masking off of unpainted areas to moving of furniture (for interior jobs), priming, and multiple coats of paint, all should be delineated in the contract, as well as what supplies and tools (brushes, rollers) are included.
• Can you get a discount on paint? A good painter has a relationship with a supplier to get you the best price on the best product for the job.

Roofer

• Should I repair or replace? Leaks are often difficult to diagnose, and a repair in one spot may not fix the whole problem. Recommendations will vary, so get three estimates.
• Will you be roofing over existing shingles? If the basic structure is sound and leaks will be easy to patch, a cover-up job is far more cost-effective; if you already have two layers, most building codes require removal and replacement. This should be factored into the quote.
• Is there a warranty or guarantee? There should be both: The manufacturer backs the materials for defects, while the work may be covered for up to 10 years by the roofer.

Source: Amy Roberts GoodHouseKeeping.com

What You’ll Need

• Drop cloth
• Stepladder
• Level
• Measuring tape
• Metal straightedge
• Utility knife
• Paste (specific to your paper type)
• Foam paint roller
• Wallpaper brush
• Sponge
• Work surface (such as a dining table)
• Wallpaper (try vinyl-coated with a free match pattern – no design to line up!)

BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Make a date: Wallpapering is a two-person job, says Frank Fontana, a designer on HGTV. Measure the length of the wall and multiply that number by the room’s height to determine how many rolls you’ll need. (A standard roll is 15 feet.) Remove everything from the walls and spackle any holes. Then give the entire wall a wipe-down with a damp sponge.

Step 1: Cut

Measure your wall and divide its width by the width of the paper to determine how many strips you’ll need. Cut paper into strips six inches longer than the wall’s height, to allow for shifting to match patterns. Use a level to make a plumb vertical line at the wall’s midpoint – you’ll align the paper with this straight line rather than your likely uneven ceiling.

Step 2: Paste

Lay your paper pattern-side down and use a paint roller to apply a thin, even layer of paste to the back, making sure to completely cover the entire surface, including all edges.

Step 3: Book

Gently fold the strip into thirds by bringing the two ends toward the center (don’t overlap them), being careful not to crease the paper. Allow to set for 10 minutes. This technique, known as booking, will help the paper absorb the paste and make it easier to manipulate on the wall.

Step 4: Hang

Unfold the top half of the booked strip, lining it up with the plumb line and overlapping the edge at the ceiling by about three inches. Smooth the paper outward and downward with a wallpaper brush to remove air bubbles. Once you reach the middle, unfold and smooth down the bottom half.

Step 5: Trim

Paste doesn’t stick immediately, so you can shift the paper until the seams match and the design is straight. Then, trim excess paper at the top and bottom with the utility knife.

Step 6: Dry – and you’re done!

Clean off any visible paste from the seams and surface of the paper using a damp (not wet) sponge. Let dry for at least 48 hours before hanging anything on the wall. Our pick: We used Thibaut’s Julian wallpaper in the cream and metallic color scheme (thibautdesign.com for store info).

Source: Lara Robby of RedbookMag.com

You don’t have to renovate your entire pad to experiment with some of this year’s hottest trends in home décor. Jennifer Brouwer of Décor by Jennifer reveals some simple ways to add a fresh – and stylish – splash to your humble abode.

Grey is the new beige

“Grey is the new beige” says Brouwer, whether it’ paint, furniture or accessories for your home. “In the past honey tones were designed with a very monochromatic approach with calm spa-like qualities,” she says. “Greys can be used in the same way; however you often see them with pops of colour and bold patterns to have fun with an otherwise calm quiet palette.”

Bohemian is back

“Bohemian is bright, bold and funky and adds interest, colour and flavour to a room,” says Brouwer of 2010’s comeback trend. She suggests channeling this bold style by using flavoured fabrics, eccentric accent pieces, wall hanging tapestries, jewel-toned accessories that add a bright pop of colour, chaise lounges with contrasting throw pillows or painted mirrors, which help also to reflect light in a room.

Wallpaper should be dancing on the ceiling

“Wallpaper continues to be huge,” says Brouwer of the trend that recently made a comeback after years of exile. “Big, bold, fun patterns are used often in design plans but the big difference for 2010 is wallpapered ceilings,” she says. While Brouwer notes that many people are scared to take the wallpaper plunge because there is a misconception that it’s going to ruin your walls, she suggests clients start in a powder room to get some inspiration before papering a larger room. “Be brave in 2% of the space of your house,” she says.

Less is more

“Space savvy, modular furnishings, or multi-purpose furniture is a trend that’s here to stay,” says Brouwer. “We now live in smaller spaces so investments need to be versatile. Less is more.” She points to coffee tables, ottomans and storage benches which can be used for extra seating, storage cubes which can be used as foot rests, or sofas that can be converted to beds when entertaining overnight guests.

By Jackie Burns Msn.com

Is your closet an overflowing disaster? Clothes packed tight, shoes in a hodgepodge on the floor, purses, scarves and sweaters piled high on the shelves?

Some tips for organizing your closet in 10-minute chunks:

1. Plan. Decide what sizes you are going to keep, what is going to be stored in the closet, where you are going to take things that you no longer want, said Standolyn Robertson, certified professional organizer in Waltham, Mass.

2. Take the dry-cleaning bags off, said Lisa Zaslow of Gotham Organizers in New York. “It takes up space, makes it harder to see your clothes and is actually bad for fabric,” she said in an email. Remove empty hangers.

3. Organize clothing by type – blouses, pants, skirts, jackets, suits, etc., said Zaslow. Then spend another 10 minutes arranging by colour. As you go, get rid of anything that is worn or stained, that doesn’t fit, that isn’t flattering or that you just don’t like. Store the things you wear most often in the most accessible parts of your closet.

4. If you have a lot of short-hanging items, use a closet doubler that hangs from the top rod to increase your hanging space, said Zaslow. Put your slacks, blouses, jackets and skirts on the bottom rung.

5. Hang all of your fall clothes backward, said Ecker. As you wear them, put the hanger back on the rod the traditional way. At the end of winter, if an item is still hanging backward, it’s probably something you should get rid of.

6. Tackle the shelves. Use dividers to create cubicles, said professional organizer Erica Ecker of The Specialist in New York. “They slide right in a shelf and make perpendicular barriers so your piles of sweaters, shirts and jeans don’t avalanche into each other.”

7. Put like with like in terms of shoes, said Robertson, immediate past president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Stick all the tennis shoes together, the sandals together and so forth. Put a magazine in the boots to get them to stand up. Remove shoes that are too small or need to be repaired.

8. Take advantage of unused space. The dead air between the floor and the bottom of a skirt or dress can hold clear plastic bins on wheels for shoes, belts and other accessories. The back of the door can have hooks or over-the-door pocket-type organizers.

Source: Megan K. Scott     YourHome.ca