Lower Costs Make Now a Great Time for a Bathroom Remodel

Have you outgrown your small home, but you're staying put for financial or economic reasons? Or maybe you recently bought a house in foreclosure that was a great deal, but needs fixing up.If so, you're part of the re-energized remodeling market. For the first time since 2006, home-improvement spending is up, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

Most homeowners aren't going for dazzle in their bathrooms, they're just looking for a more livable space. Typical bath projects today reflect practicality and a desire to control utility costs. Although people tend to add or improve bathrooms with comfort and convenience in mind, these projects are also smart values.

Creating a new bathroom is one of the most solid investments you can make in your home. Reports estimate that a midrange home bathroom remodel will recoup 71 percent of its cost, while a bathroom addition recoups nearly 60 percent.

If you're thinking about a remodel, here are some suggestions from the professionals at Handyman Matters - these will add value and save you money in the long run:

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  Federal tax credits: Energy-efficiency improvements to existing homes can net you big tax credits.  Visit http://www.energystar.gov/ to see if your project qualifies. Examples include HVAC improvements, insulation, storm windows and certain water heaters.
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  Up flush toilets: One savvy idea is to choose an up flush toilet for your new bath project.  Because this type of technology - macerating plumbing - doesn't require digging, a completely new, full bathroom can be installed quickly and for a lot less time and money than conventional plumbing. What's more, an "up toilet" can go anywhere in your home. Even in the basement. With up flush technology, there is no need for digging up cement floors. The unique technology pumps waste and water upward, through small-diameter piping, directly into your sewer or septic tank. And unlike sewage ejection systems, up flush toilet waste is removed with every flush, so there is no need for undesirable waste storage. For smaller homes, nothing could be easier than adding a bathroom with an up flush toilet. These systems can be installed in any room and are ideal for small spaces. An unused closet or the area underneath a stairway can easily be converted to a bathroom.
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  Save water: Water-saving toilets are one of the five most popular bathroom products. 
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  Use LED lighting: Long-lasting light-emitting diode lighting can use 75 percent less energy than incandescent lighting.
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  Go door-less: A walk-in shower saves space and requires less cleaning. Depending on your design, you may even save money with this option.

Completing a bathroom remodel can be a daunting task, but don't worry, you've got the professionals at Handyman Matters to help you out! They can work with your schedule and budget to ensure you're getting the most for your money. Click here  to find a location near you or call our local office at 281-358-6666. 

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Affordable Ways to Make Your New House Feel Like Home

You know that moving into a new home can be one of life's biggest stressors - the packing, the paperwork, the unpacking, finding the nearest coffee shop ...  even though numbers are down, 35.2 million Americans changed residences in 2008, according to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau. Yet there are many ways to make your new house feel like home sooner than later.

One of the easier and inexpensive ways to create your own sense of space is to bring items from your previous residence to your new home, but adapt them for a different or a new use in the process. This has come to be known as “adaptive re-use."

This “adaptive re-use” can be something as simple as placing a coffee table or end table that previously was a part of your living room in the old location into the family room in your new dwelling.

On a slightly more involved level, you can use the fabric from a window treatment in your original home to upholster the dining room chairs in the new place.

Adaptive re-use also involves using items from local design consignment shops or thrift stores. Shops such as these often carry high-quality, gently-used items, available at a fraction of their original cost.  Not only are you finding affordable ways to claim your new space as your own, but you are doing so in a “green,” ecologically responsible way.

There’s a subtle “comfort level” that comes with bringing items from your previous residence; it helps ease the psychological stress you and your family may not even realize has begun affecting you as you settle into a new and unfamiliar place.

There’s an additional concept called “biophilic design,” which recognizes the inherent need of humans to interact and affiliate with nature.  This helps individuals to maintain optimum health and well-being.  Bring a bit of the outdoors inside; don’t neglect a good view you may have to the outdoors.  In fact, find a way to accentuate it, perhaps by placing a couch or chair near a window that affords a comforting look at your favorite section of yard or garden.

This may seem overwhelming, but making your house feel like a home sooner rather than later will help you enjoy time in your new home instead of worrying about it. Your local Handyman Matters can help you hang pictures, mirrors, paint or anything else to make your new house feel like a home. Contact Handyman Matters today to start enjoying your home, click here to find a location near you or call our local Office at 281-358-6666..

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Unexpected Uses for Ceramic Tile in the Master Suite

Ceramic tile has held a hallowed place in bathroom renovations for generations. Durable, easy to clean, and available in a wide range of color, format and design, tile just makes sense in a bath. But some enterprising designers and homeowners are finding a new spot in the home where tile not only works well, but can take center stage - the master bedroom.

Homeowners are choosing to incorporate ceramic tiles into master bedrooms for many of the same reasons the material has been popular in bathrooms and kitchens:

• Tile is more durable than other materials, lasting up to four times longer than carpet or wood. Unlike wood, it will never need refinishing, restaining or sanding. It holds its luster better than vinyl, and requires no special chemical treatments, the way many natural stone products do. Because of this easy maintenance and durability, consumers can realize lower costs over the life of the product.

• It's naturally hypoallergenic and releases no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. It doesn't collect dust, dust mites, pet dander or other irritants and microbes.

• Tile is readily available in a wide range of colors, sizes, shapes and design themes. In fact, you can now find ceramic tile that even mimics the look of other popular, more costly or less durable materials like wood, glass or even metal.

So how can you use tile in your master bedroom? Here are some ideas from the professionals at Handyman Matters:

Creating a headboard

Fabric, wood or metal headboards can make a powerful design statement, and solidify a bed's stance as the centerpiece of a room. Ceramic tile, now available in large formats and in designs that mimic the look of other materials, is a sensible, cost-effective and healthier alternative to some popular headboard materials. Creating a fabric headboard, for example, can be a costly, time-consuming process, yet you can get virtually the same look with ceramic tile made to look like fabric. And this is fabric that won't harbor germs and microbes.

General design touches

If you love the look of wainscoting, wood paneling or bead board, but prefer a more durable, hypoallergenic material, ceramic tile can offer the same look without the disadvantages of wood decorator touches. Some manufacturers produce tiles that look like wood design elements.

Extending the life of a paint job

Paint is one of the easiest things to change in a room and can be one of the most difficult to clean and preserve. One way to extend the life of a paint job is to tile walls to the level of the chair rail - the portion of the walls that gets the most exposure to unsightly dirt, dings and scuffs. While some paints may require special cleaning solvents to remove dirt without damaging the finish, tile requires nothing more than hot water and some elbow grease.

Creating cohesion between rooms

In master suites with large, open floor plans, using tile in the bedroom portion of the suite can help create a seamless transition between the sleeping and bathing areas. Or it can help create cohesion between indoor and outdoor spaces - tile is one of the few interior design materials that can flow from inside to out.

Achieving a look with added durability

You may love the look of hardwood, but know that wood doesn't hold up well in rooms where it's exposed to a lot of moisture on a daily basis - such as in a bathroom - or to a lot of wear and tear, such as in a bedroom. While wood that's exposed to water will eventually warp and wear, ceramic tile designed to look like prized hardwoods will stand up to moisture and water - even if the bathtub overflows. And ceramic tile that looks like wood will never develop the "worn path" appearance of wood that bears heavy foot traffic.

When it comes to interior design, sometimes the unexpected makes perfect sense - such as finding creative ways to use ceramic tile in the master bedroom. If you’re contemplating tile installation anywhere in your home, your local Handyman Matters location would be happy to assist you with your remodel. Click here  to find a location near you or call our local office at 281-358-6666.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Effortless Ways to Conserve Water in the Home

The summer months are upon us, and water conservation will undoubtedly be brought to the forefront for those who are impacted by seasonal droughts and water usage restrictions in their towns. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), at least 36 states anticipate local, regional or statewide water shortages by 2013, even under non-drought conditions.

Simply by making small changes around the house and to our daily routines, we can make a significant impact on our water supplies without feeling as though we're sacrificing our comforts or experience.

A good place to start is with the home bathroom, where the water-saving potential is great. The EPA estimates that Americans use roughly 3.3 billion gallons of water each day just for showering. Handyman Matters believes it’s easy to bring that number down by taking a slightly shorter shower or using a water-saving showerhead.

It seems to be abundant, but water is a relatively scarce resource. Less than 1 percent of the world's fresh water is readily accessible for direct human use. Here are a few tips that Handyman Matters professionals have put together for you to follow in order to help reduce your water consumption in the bathroom:

• Install a water-efficient showerhead. By installing a water-efficient showerhead, the average four-person household can potentially save an estimated 11,000 gallons of water per year. Here's an example:
  • 8-minute shower x 2.5 gallons per minute (standard showerhead) = 20 gallons used per shower.
  • 8-minute shower x 1.5 gpm (water-efficient showerhead) = 12 gallons used per shower.
  • 8-gallon savings x 4 people per day x 365 days yields approximately 11,680 gallons of water savings per four-person household, per year
• Fix a leaky faucet. According to the EPA, a leaky faucet dripping at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year.
• Learn to reuse and recycle. Don't pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it, such as watering plants or cleaning.
• Turn off the water. According to the EPA, a bathroom faucet usually runs at 2 gallons of water per minute. By turning off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving, you can save more than 200 gallons of water per month.
• Take showers instead of baths. The average bathtub can hold up to 70 gallons of water when full. By taking an 8-minute shower instead of a bath, each person can save approximately 50 gallons of water per day.
• Switch to a high-efficiency toilet. A high-efficiency toilet uses less than 1.3 gallons per flush, leading to an average of 20 percent less water per flush when compared to the industry standard of 1.6 gallons.

In March 2010, the EPA established its WaterSense specifications for showerheads to promote water efficiency in the shower, and product performance and quality. To earn the WaterSense designation, a showerhead or handshower must flow at a rate of no more than 2.0 gpm, tested at a flowing pressure of 80 psi, and is tested against the following attributes to ensure performance and user satisfaction:

• A consistent flow rate across a range of pressures
• Spray force
• Spray coverage

As the world’s population increases, the conservation of water has moved from being more than just a good idea; now it is an imperative. Handyman Matters professional craftsmen can help you take some of these water conserving tips and apply them to your home. Click here to find a location near you and information on kitchen and bathroom updates and remodels that include water-sensible features and fixtures.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tips for Painting Your Home from Handyman Matters

Painting the interior of your home can be one of the most rewarding and cost-effective ways to completely transform your living space. Handyman Matters has prepared these tips to ensure that your painting project goes smoothly. However, if you do run into problems the professional craftsmen at Handyman Matters can help you out. There is no job too small or too large, but we specialize in small projects around your home like painting.

1.     The most important step to getting a great look is preparation. As a general rule, walls should be clean, dry and dull. If your existing surface was painted previously with semi-gloss or gloss paint, the surface should be lightly sanded to a duller finish and all sanding dust removed. For previously painted walls, thoroughly wash them with a mild soap and water solution, then rinse with clean water and allow them to dry. If there is loose or peeling paint, scrape and sand the area. Be sure to apply appropriate patching material to cracks, nail holes, or other surface imperfections, then sand smooth and remove sanding dust. Pay close attention to drying times for patching materials before priming or painting.

2.     A base coat of primer should always be used to protect bare, unfinished drywall. Applying primer to your walls can ensure that the paint will last longer on your walls. If paint has previously been applied to the walls using primer can help cover the color so that you can get the color you really want on the walls.

3.     Use high-quality paint, brushes and rollers. Using these items always saves you time and money in the long-run. If you are using the wrong tools for the job it can take twice as long; make sure you are using high-quality rollers so there is no residue (fluff) from the rollers left on the walls. If you have additional questions, the professional craftsmen and Handyman Matters at knowledgeable on the best tools to use when applying interior paint.

4.     Create a clean, open working space. Be sure and remove all furniture possible from the space. If large furniture items can't be removed from the room, be certain to cover them and the floors with a canvas drop cloth or plastic sheeting. Avoid using sheets or newspaper, as they can allow paint to soak through and could be a slip hazard.

5.     Tape it off. Using painter's tape to keep paint off the trim and windows will help provide clean, straight lines. Be sure to press the tape down well along the edge to prevent paint from bleeding under. Also, be careful when taking the tape off after your finished painting. If you pull too hard the paint will stick to the tape and leave a place on your wall that no longer has paint on it.

6.     Have a painting strategy. The ceiling should be painted first, followed by the walls, then the trim, doors and windows, and lastly the baseboards. After painting the ceiling, paint the edges of the walls where it meets the ceilings. It's important when cutting in ceilings or walls to feather out the paint to avoid a common painting problem known as hat banding, where the paint you cut in dries before the paint you roll onto the walls. Painting one wall at a time will also help eliminate the problem of hat banding.

7.     Apply two coats of paint. Don't rush the process by applying a second coat too soon. If you're using latex paint, wait at least four hours before you apply a second coat. Wait at least 24 hours between coats with oil paint. Allow freshly painted surfaces to cure for 30 days before washing with a mild, non-abrasive cleaner and water.

8.     Clean it up. If you're only taking an overnight break don't bother to clean the brush, just squeeze the excess paint out and wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. Use a rubber band to secure the foil at the base of the handle. If it will be a few days before you resume your project, toss the wrapped brush into the freezer. But, don't forget to defrost the brush for an hour before you start painting again.

These tips can help make sure your interior paint is applied properly if you’re completing the project yourself. However, all of the craftsmen at Handyman Matters are knowledgeable about interior and exterior painting tactics. If you’re looking for something in particular, Handyman Matters can customize to fit your needs. Click here to visit our website or call our local Office at 281-358-6666.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Ten Simple Ways to Make Your Home Safe for Every Generation Who Lives In It

Most of us start life depending on our parents to take care of us. But as they age, chances are the roles will reverse. And, whether you provide additional help in their own homes - or move aging parents into your home - how do you prepare to meet the new needs of aging adults? Luckily many simple, quick, affordable - and even stylish and savvy - updates can  make homes safer and more enjoyable for you, your family and your parents. Here are some tips from Handyman Matters:

De-clutter

Both kids and older adults have reduced reflexes and balance. Spruce up the look of your home - and avoid tripping hazards - by removing clutter and items you no longer use (especially obstacles in walkways).

Safe shower

Showers can be an enjoyable and luxurious part of anyone's day - if they are safe. While you probably don't want to renovate the shower, simple additions of bath safety products can make it safer and more enjoyable. Start by adding rubber grips to the bottom of the shower to avoid slick surfaces. Next, take a seat with a comfortable shower chair and enjoy a shower massage with a multi-function hand held showerhead. You might also want to consider adding some grab bars around the shower to ensure entry and exit from the shower are safe.

Save resources, save money

Eco-friendly adjustments not only can make you feel good about preserving natural resources for your family, they can also help lower energy costs (ideal for tight budgets). Simple steps can include replacing standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, insulating doors and windows and swapping faucets and showerheads with new water-saving models.

Handy handles

In the course of a day, you grip many objects - from cups and pens, to door knobs and faucet handles. Swapping out door knobs or faucets with knobs for lever-handle models can make these everyday tasks a bit easier - especially for smaller or arthritic hands.

Get a grip

For any age, stairs are a falling hazard in homes - whether it's one step or 20. To increase safety, add hand rails or decorative hand grips in high-traffic doorways where there may be a step, such as the garage or front entry.

Let there be light

Did you also know that by age 60 the average person requires 15 times more lighting than when they were 10 years old? Brighten up the home with additional reading lamps in bedrooms and family rooms, under-cabinet task lighting in the kitchen, motion-sensor lights near entrances and nightlights in hallways.

Safe and secure

Your home is your safe haven ... so make sure it is protected. In the bathroom where slick surfaces can be falling hazards, add functional - yet fashionable - grab bars. And, in case of unforeseen falls or other home accidents, home security systems can give you peace of mind to know that fire-, medical- or emergency-response is available for you and your loved ones at the touch of a button.

Flat flooring

According to the Home Safety Council, falls are the leading cause (66 percent) of all nonfatal home injuries. To help you - or your loved ones - avoid becoming a statistic, remove throw rugs or ensure that they have a non-slip backing to provide more firm footing.

Low-maintenance lawns

With busy lifestyles, it's tough to keep up landscaping. Making a few modifications to the yard can help ease the burden. Replace large grassy areas that require frequent mowing with rock gardens or mulch beds. Additionally, choose drought-resistant perennial plants and shrubs to save time and money on watering - and ensure you don't have to plant new each spring.

Be prepared

Are the washer and dryer in the basement? Are the bedroom and bathroom upstairs? Since stairs can be difficult to navigate for children or aging parents, having all the necessities on one floor is ideal. While it may not be in the budget to move everything to the main floor now, gradually start getting ready by wiring a closet or small room for the laundry - or planning to expand a half bath to a full bath.

With a few minor updates, you can breathe easier knowing your home is safer for your loved ones - both young and old. For more information on safety products and other helpful tips or assistance in  “safe-proofing” your home, contact your local Handyman Matters location today.Click here to find a location near you or call our local Office at (281) 358-6666. 

Courtesy of ARAcontent