Currently operating a home repair and DIY consulting service, he empowers his clients to be self-sufficient in their home repair and remodeling endeavors. Earlier, we talked about repairing your own plumbing. Part of the trick in plumbing is to avoid scratching fragile chrome or brushed nickel finishes on faucets or exposed drain parts. Plumbers use smooth-faced pliers and wrenches to achieve perfect results. You can avoid buying special tools for one-time use by wrapping your soft-leather work glove around the fitting and using your standard pliers or pipe wrench over the protective cover. It also comes with a long list of things to do to keep the home in working order or improve our surroundings.
- Installing hardwood flooring can make a dramatic improvement to any room in your home!
- The median home size in the U.S. is 1,650 square feet, but homes come in all shapes, sizes, and layouts.
- Expand your storage space and learn the basics of home improvement woodworking by building and hanging custom shelving in your garage.
- These weather-resistant lights are perfect to light up your patio or deck for outdoor dining and relaxing.
Create extra storage in a snap with kits for bookcases, shelving, or cabinetry that you assemble yourself. Try a combination of open shelving and cabinets for a mix of storage and display space. Arrange wall-mount shelves above a desktop framed by cabinets or file drawers to fashion a home office or a kid’s homework station. Choose a low-flow showerhead and you’ll get virtually the same sensation of water flow while saving money on your water bill. If your showerhead flow is already low (and shouldn’t be), check to see if hard-water deposits are clogging the holes. Many new showerheads provide more options for control—multiple spray styles, pivoting angles, temperature settings—and they’re more efficient.
10 Jill Versus Tim
It should take less than an hour to replace the current fixture, to the tune of about $100 for installation. Blue is as calming as the sky, silver reflects light, jewel tones are bravely bold — and just might work. Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our experts–straight to your inbox.
Begin by removing cabinet doors and hardware, then wipe cabinet fronts and doors with mineral spirits to remove any dirt, dust, and grease. Apply a gel-type stripper per manufacturer’s instructions, and then remove the stripper with a plastic putty knife. Next, sand the wood with sandpaper, and you’ll be set to begin staining. Whether an art-arranging project went awry or you’re tired of looking at dings around the house, concealing wall blemishes is a weekend-worthy project. With a putty knife and surfacing compound, you can easily repair nail holes and other minor wall imperfections. For larger holes, place an adhesive patch over the area and spread an all-purpose drywall compound over it with a trowel.
You Can Do Some Plumbing Repairs
The best time to get a skylight installed is when you’re getting a new roof. “Nobody will install a skylight on a roof that’s not brand new,” explains Pacific-Northwest agent Dawn Rushton in HomeLight’s guide to the added value of skylights. Put recessed lighting under kitchen cabinets to illuminate the countertop and reflect light into the rest of the room. Nvesting in a home renovation no matter the size is an important decision that will affect the value of your home as well as your quality of life. In House Home Improvement does not take that decision lightly.
Hang a Medicine Cabinet
Hosted by Bob Vila, Steve Thomas, and Kevin O’Connor, the series follows the remodel of a house — typically in the New England area — over the course of several episodes. The longer timeline allotted to each flip allows for an in-depth look at different aspects of the process and lends the show more of a how-to feel in comparison to many of its competitors. You’ll more than make your money back with a loft conversion, too, but it’s not quite as lucrative as other means of extending because of the costs involved. You’ll need to add some windows and a staircase, too, which can rob you of space elsewhere. Grab bars are one of the simplest ways to make an existing bathroom more accessible.