Simple Steps To Preserve the Value of Your Home

If you're like most Americans, then your greatest asset is your home. But with recent declines in home values, it may be time to consider options for preserving your home's value. Since the value of your home is directly tied to its condition, Handyman Matters suggests following the steps below for ways to help preserve that value.

Step 1: Where to Begin — Indoor vs. Outdoor
Preserving the value of your home can be achieved in many ways, but your home's exterior should be your initial focus. Remodeling Magazine's annual Cost vs. Value Report shows exterior and replacement projects bring the biggest return. Before you decide where to begin, you should consider the following:

• Budget — set one and be realistic. 
• Goals — narrow your scope by determining exactly what you want to achieve. 

Step 2: Do Your Research
Depending on the region of the country in which you live, the value you gain from exterior home improvement projects can vary widely. Consider this: a midrange siding replacement recovers 92 percent of its cost in the Northeast but only 77 percent in the Midwest, according to the Cost vs. Value Report. Exterior projects that typically recover cost will include a roof replacement and the addition of a deck.

The cost recouped on a given remodeling project also depends on the value of similar homes nearby and the rate at which property values are changing in the surrounding area. Even the availability and cost of new and existing homes in the immediate vicinity can be a factor.

Step 3: Pick a Project
Now that you've set a budget and completed your research, it's time to select your project.

A great place to start is your roof. A roof used to be nothing more than protection for your home from the elements. Today homeowners look to their roof as a way to increase their home's curb appeal and overall value.

When selecting a roofing material it is important to remember the following:

• Performance is as important as curb appeal. 
• Select a product that is backed by a solid warranty. 

A majority of homeowners prefer asphalt shingles because they perform well and are typically the most cost effective option, but many alternatives are now available. One alternative growing in popularity, which could potentially increase the value of your home, is composite roofing.

Another potential exterior project is the addition of a deck. When selecting a decking material that will help preserve your home's value, it's important to think about the following:

• Durability — you want a product that performs well and will last. 
• Maintenance — deck maintenance can be costly. Consider low-maintenance materials like composite (a combination of wood and plastic). 

A natural wood deck can lead to costly, time-consuming, annual maintenance. Composite decks, which may cost more initially, generally never require painting or staining. After all, you should spend more time enjoying your deck than caring for it.

No matter what project you choose, maintaining the value of your greatest asset, your home, should be a top priority. The professionals at Handyman Matters also believe in keeping your greatest asset at its highest value. For all of your home maintenance needs, Handyman Matters is here to help. To find a location near you, click here.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

10 Projects You Need a Handyman to Do For You

Here is a great article we came across and wanted to share with all our readers. Please click here to read the article. Then if you need any of these things done at your home, give us a call at 281-358-6666 or visit our website at www.HandymanMatters.com.

Why Your Handyman Should Be Bonded and Insured

Why Your Handyman Should Be Bonded and Insured
Great article on safety assurance in our industry. We at Handyman Matters are, of course, bonded and insured for your protection as well as ours. Give us a call at 281-358-6666 or check us out on the web at www.handymanmatters.com when you need home repairs performed by a company that you can feel good about.

Create an Outdoor Patio that's Fit for the Cover of a Magazine

Summer is officially here and there's nothing better than expanding your living space to the great outdoors. Luckily, it's easy and affordable to create a comfortable and chic outdoor room that's perfectly put together. Use these quick tips and inspiring ideas from Handyman Matters to transform your deck, porch or patio into one you'll be proud to show off.

Planning perfection

Simply putting furniture on a deck or patio doesn't create an inviting outdoor living area. Instead, be sure to look at the bigger picture. Start by viewing your patio as an extension of your home.  As you would an interior room, be sure to incorporate a theme and color scheme into your new design.

Whether you have a lot ... or only a little room on your patio, arrange the furniture so that it is inviting for you and your guests to socialize. And, no need to buy new furniture to make your outdoor space look new. Instead, apply a fresh coat of stain or spray paint to your existing wood or metal furniture for a stylish and updated look.

Once your furniture is finished, use your revamped pieces as a focal point, along with some significant accessories - layer color, textures and heights to give the space a pulled-together appearance. Incorporate colorful placemats and an interesting centerpiece on your table to set it apart. Place coordinating water-resistant pillows on a bench or chairs to bring the comfort of indoor living outside.

And don't forget about under your feet; by adding an outdoor area rug or mat, you'll have a cohesive and stylish space.

Plants please

One of the greatest parts of having an outdoor living area is being able to include natural elements. Just like the indoors, nothing cheers up a room like strategically placed fresh flowers. To keep your space functional and clutter-free, look for pots and planters that work with the overall layout of your space. If you have a balcony or long railing, try using flower boxes that can affix to them. Or, if you have the space for oversized pots and unique stands, simply place a few flowers in key spots to create a space that will make your neighbors green with envy.

In addition to flowers, fresh herbs can be a fragrant, beautiful and useful addition to your patio - especially if you enjoy cooking.  They are extremely easy to grow and care for, so add a few decorative herb pots to spice up the look of your patio - and your summer dishes.

Extraordinary extras

Next, get cozy in your outdoor space by adding an outdoor fireplace or a fire pit. You can snuggle with that someone special, roast marshmallows with friends or curl up with a good book on a cool night. If you love to lounge, install a hammock to enjoy those lazy summer days. Finally, don't forget about lighting. Stringing lights or lighting candles can make your patio seem magical at night and help create a great atmosphere when entertaining.

When updating your outdoor living space, remember to decorate like you would the indoors, for a pulled-together, chic appearance. By using a few of these ideas, you'll create a picture-perfect patio in no time.

Handyman Matters professionals can help you create the outdoor patio you’ve always dreamed of. It’s time to get outside enjoy the weather with good friends and family. Why not start now? To get more information and find a Handyman Matters location near you click here.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

10 Tips for the Perfect Bathroom Remodel

Giving an old, tired bathroom a makeover is one of the best things you can do to increase your home's resale value. While bathrooms are frequently the smallest rooms in your home, they're often the most used and valued spaces, and are among the smartest remodeling investments in terms of return of investment.  Beyond the practical, day-to-day routines, for many people bathrooms are a sanctuary - a place to escape the stresses of daily life, even if only for a few moments at a time.

However, since most homeowners are working with small spaces and because there is a fair amount of water involved (sink, toilet, shower and bathtub), there's a lot of potential for a bathroom remodel to go horribly wrong so having a professional service is advised. Here are 10 tips from Handyman Matters on how to create the bathroom of your dreams:

Get ideas. Start with a visit to a premium tile or cabinet store that offers bathroom displays.  These can give you an idea of the types of designs, tiling, and fixtures available for your remodel.  Another good plan is to visit model homes to see the latest in bathroom design from today's homebuilders.

Have a plan. Whether your bathroom remodel involves some light fix-me-ups or is a down-to-the-studs project, it's important to consolidate your ideas and create a remodeling plan and a budget. If you're going to remodel it yourself, don't be afraid to get help and seek out information on the latest in remodeling standards.
 
Bring it up to code. Check your town or city's website to review or download building code requirements related to bathrooms - in particular codes related to plumbing, electrical and windows. Remember, building codes mean meeting the minimally allowed standards required by your city or state. It may not matter now, but it can be a big deal when you try to sell your home. Spending the extra dollars to bring your bathroom up to at least code, especially in the areas of electrical and plumbing, versus doing simply cosmetic changes, will bring peace of mind, enhance resale value, and avoid problems down the line. Handyman Matters professionals can help make sure your bathroom is following the city standards – one more reason to use a professional for all of your remodeling needs.
 
Include popular features. Including popular features in your bathroom remodeling project will help at resale time, and make your bathroom feel more contemporary. Second sinks, decorative glass and stone tile and accents, replacing tubs with showers, more storage space, better lighting, extra-wide wall tiles, and heated floors are among the most popular features in today's new home construction and upscale remodeling projects.
 
Make it easy to clean. No one likes cleaning a bathroom, so why complicate matters by making it difficult? For example, avoid vanities with space underneath the cabinet that attracts dust. Don't place vanities, toilets and other items too close together to create tight spaces that are difficult to clean. Use large wall tiles to eliminate grout lines. Invest in shower doors that keep water in a shower or tub and don't show soap build-up. Consider adding storage to free up valuable counter-top space.
 
Keep it elegant. Your bathroom is not the place to express your secret passion for Star Wars with movie-themed wallpaper. Focus on using materials and fixtures that exude quality, offer an intimate, contemporary feel, and are timeless. To create an elegant look, consider downscaling a crowded full bath to a comfortable half-bath; mix tile textures, sizes, colors, types (natural stone, ceramic, porcelain, glass) and embrace neutral colors and whites.
 
Water is the enemy. Water and moisture are the greatest enemies of a bathroom. Make sure to adequately ventilate your bathroom to vent steam and humidity generated from showers. Add a window, if possible, and replace an old fan with a more powerful, quieter version. Replace traditional sheetrock with water-proof cement board and use tile and stone materials to further reduce the risk of water damaging wood.
 
Create ample light. Out of all of the rooms in our homes, it's in the bathroom where we take care of our grooming needs as well as life's little medical emergencies. When remodeling, pay close attention to the lighting of your bathroom and if necessary, add more lighting options, especially around the vanity to reduce shadows and glaring.
 
Make it safer. Slick surfaces in a bathroom pose a serious risk for falls. Shower stalls and bathtubs should be outfitted with slip-resistant finishes on floors, rubber mats, and grab bars. Consider rounded counter-top finishes versus corners with sharp edges. And keep electrical outlets away from water, such as bathtubs.
 
Make it greener. Green is in and is here to stay. When remodeling your bathroom, consider using fixtures that save water, replace old windows with new energy efficient windows, and consider counter tops and flooring made from recycled materials, such as recycled glass mosaic tile. Natural stone products act as insulators -- keeping cool in and hot out during the summer, and keeping your bathroom warmer longer during the winter.
The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the house. Easy updates will make sure it's more enjoyable for both you and your guests. These projects do not need to be completed all at once; in fact if you take it slow and upgrade little by little the room will come together exactly how you want it. The great thing about Handyman Matters is that there is no job too small or too big for our craftsmen. Don’t hesitate to call the professionals today, CLICK HERE to find a location near you!

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Simple Accessory Switches Can Lighten Your Decor for Summer Days

With winter a fading memory, it’s time to let your home decor fully embrace the light, upbeat spirit of warm weather. Discard those darker hues in your home, and brighten things up a bit! Incorporating lighter-colored accessories is a fast and easy way to brighten the mood in your home. Switching out heavy winter curtains with sheers or replacing a hunting scene wall hanging with something botanical themed is a cost-effective, effortless way to welcome light and nature into your household - and cast out the lingering chilly effects of winter.

Re-accessorize the right way - spend your redecorating dollars on items that will give you the most impact for the lowest monetary investment.  Handyman Matters has a few tips to help get you started:

Switch up wall decor
Giving a room a whole new look can be as easy as taking down a picture and replacing it with something different.

If you're looking to create a brighter, lighter feeling, forego heavy canvases or tapestries, dark colors and large, heavy frames. Opt for nature-inspired wall accents in simple materials like metal and simple styles like lightly framed floral prints. Look for bright colors that bring in the outdoors - grass green, geranium red, marigold yellow and sky blue will accomplish this beautifully. These colors give a complementary pop to virtually any neutral background, plus they'll evoke the upbeat feeling of being outdoors.

Fabric fun
Abundant sunshine is one of the most joyful aspects of warm weather. While heavy drapes can help keep out the cold and dreariness of gray winter days, in summer, they have the opposite effect--they just block your slice of sun. Doff the drapes and give windows a light, airy and optimistic feeling with sheer, frothy fabrics in light hues.

You can find styles and colors to match virtually any taste and decor theme. The key is to choose lightweight fabrics that won't weigh down the windows or block the welcome sunshine. This type of window treatment has a practical side, as well - when the summer sun is so hot that you need to close the blinds, lighter window treatments can help balance the innate visual heaviness of blinds.

Think outside the firebox
It warmed your home and created great ambiance on chilly winter evenings, but come June and July, your fireplace doesn't have to sit idle. It's easy to dress up a wood-burning fireplace and make it fit into your lighter, brighter summer decor theme. Clean the firebox of ash and debris, and place a lush, green fern inside the fireplace. Or you can incorporate the light-hearted feeling of running water by placing an electric-powered fountain inside the fireplace.

Great outdoors
Spending time in your outdoor living space is one of the best treats of summer. The right accessories, furniture and decor can make the time you spend outside feel restful, relaxing and easy - even if you're preparing for a big barbecue feast for friends, family and neighbors.

Outdoor furniture in materials like wicker, accented by colorful cushions, can make your environment feel light and bright. Create movement and a cool atmosphere with fans, misters and fountains. Think beyond the deck or patio and create separate seating areas in attractive spots throughout your landscape. A resin bistro set, designed to mimic the look of white-painted wrought iron, nestled beneath a tree or near a flowerbed can turn an unused spot into a great place to take your morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Cost-effective, simple and easy-to-do changes can make all the difference in how well your decor reflects the easy, breezy days of summer. Click here or call 281-358-6666 to find a location near you and start accessorizing and decorating your home for summer!  

Courtesy of ARAcontent