KITCHEN FIXES AND UPGRADES ON A BUDGET – FRESH PAINT, STAIN, NEW FAUCETS, & CABINET HARDWARE

” …today’s American kitchen — no longer a place to simply cook and eat, it’s now the “real” living room — a place for living, working and entertaining.

Given the current recession, it’s no surprise that consumers are saving rather than spending. And when they do spend, they’re doing so from cash on hand; rather than credit,” said Jack Suvak, senior director of research and insights, Moen. “This change in spending behavior has had a dramatic impact on remodeling projects. Most homeowners are choosing to perform ‘room lifts’ — small updates to personalize a room — rather than undertake major remodels.

…Plus, homeowners are choosing to personalize renovations to fit their needs, rather than update a room for the next family that will be living in the house. In the kitchen, this might include everything from creating solutions that better integrate the management of electronic devices…to creating ‘kid level’ storage areas…to adding safety features for aging boomers.”

Except from: MOEN… New Research Finds Homeowners are Renovating to Create “Live-In Value;” Rather than to Sell – April 26, 2011

Here’s a Handyman Tip: Whether you Do-it-Yourself or decide to hire a professional handyman, carpenter, plumber, electrician, painter, tile installer or general contractor…

Create a Plan and a Realistic Budget.

The plan should be influenced by your lifestyle and your personal style (Look at images in publications for ideas until you have a heartfelt “yes. that’s it!”) Creating a realistic budget does not necessarily mean sacrifice… often it means being a smart shopper. ( Shop sales in stores in person or online as well a internet sites such as ebay.com, Amazon.com, lowes.com, homedepot.com and more).

If you plan to Do-it-Yourself ( DIY) be honest with yourself about your skills and do what you can and get help with the rest.

 

This Winter Keep the Heat Indoors with Five Easy Energy Star Tips

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_homes.hm_index

With winter quickly approaching, U.S. homeowners are looking for ways to heat their homes while reducing their energy bills to save money. Five easy energy saving tips can help keep families warm while keeping money in their wallets. The average family spends $2,200 a year on energy bills, nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. In addition to saving money, reducing energy use at home can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help fight climate change.

Heat Smartly With ENERGY STAR

Winter is almost here and homeowners are looking for ways to heat their homes without breaking the bank on energy bills.  The average family spends $2,200 a year on energy bills, nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. Depending on where you live, replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with equipment that’s earned the ENERGY STAR can cut your annual energy bill by more than $200.  In addition to saving money, reducing energy use at home can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help fight climate change.

ENERGY STAR offers the following five tips to help you save money on heating bills, keep your home comfortable, and protect the environment:

1. Assess your home @ energystar.gov. Start with the Home Energy Yardstick to see how your home’s energy use measures up compared to similar homes across the country. Then, use our Home Energy Advisor to get recommendations for energy-saving home improvements for typical homes in your area.
2. Seal air leaks in your home. Sealing air leaks with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping will have a significant impact on improving your comfort and reducing energy bills. If you are adding insulation to your home, be sure to seal air leaks first, to ensure you get the best performance from your insulation.
3. Maintain heating equipment. Dirt and neglect are the number one causes of heating system failure. Maintain heating equipment by checking your system’s air filter every month and changing it if it is dirty. At a minimum, change your filter every 3 months. Also, schedule pre-season checkups of your equipment with a licensed contractor to make sure your system is operating at peak performance.
4. Use a programmable thermostat. Regulate your home’s temperature while you’re away or asleep by using one of the convenient pre-programmed settings on a programmable thermostat. When used properly, programmable thermostats can save you up to $180 every year in energy costs.
5. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products. Whether you are replacing light bulbs or appliances in your home, ENERGY STAR qualified products can help you save energy and reduce energy bills. The label can be found on more than 60 types of products ranging from heating and cooling equipment to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Also, look to EPA’s ENERGY STAR program for advice on other ways you can save at home such as using power strips as a central ‘turn-off’ point for electronics and office equipment, making sure computers  and monitors are “powered down” when not in use and reversing the blade rotation on ceiling fans to help spread warm air around a room.

If every American household serviced their heating and cooling systems, changed their air filters, sealed and insulated heating and cooling ducts in unfinished areas, and programmed their thermostats for energy savings while they are away or asleep, we would save $14 billion in annual energy costs and prevent more than 160 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, equivalent to the emissions from 14 million cars.

Excerpt from: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.es_at_home

 

 

 

Home Sells Quickly at a Good Price with an Inexpensive Face Lift

Stage for Sale Tip: A Simple Face Lift Adds Value and Help Sell Quickly

A little imagination, effort, and money can go a long way to helping you get your best price.

What was done in this condo for example was the following: 1) worn dry looking cabinetry was renewed by light washing and then cleaning and polishing with a non toxic product called Howard’s Furniture Polish available at Home Depot 2) the old dated oak stock cabinets that had no hardware were given a further face lift by adding beautiful pewter ones 3) two key walls were painted with a no VOC soft sage green paint. 4) a simply focal point was created with a colorful hand painted Italian ceramic plate 5) under counter task light and track light were added for more drama and function 6) the old worn sheet vinyl flooring was replaced with a rich looking snap and lock laminate floor that extended into the front entry foyer.

Flooring: Manufacturer: http://www.lamett.us/

Available at:

Fast Floors: http://www.fastfloors.com/lp_26691,0,182422/Lamett-Laminate-Flooring/_/Santorini-Collection-Palissandro/product.htm#NAV

Floor One: http://www.floorone.com/product.asp?pn=LAMS052&name=Palissandro

Floor Mall: http://www.floormall.com/laminates/lamett-laminates/lamett-laminate-santorini-black-bevel/

Under Counter Lighting: http://www.homedepot.com/Kitchen-Kitchen-Lighting-Under-Cabinet-Lighting/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhcZbn5uZ1z115eqZ1z1153m/R-202103072/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Paint:

Benjamin Moore Paints:  Aura Interior – Green Promise

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/bmpsweb/portals/bmps.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=fh_aura_hiddenPage&NodeUUID=%2FBEA+Repository%2F518032

Wood Polish: Orange Oil or Feed-n-Wax

Available online at: http://www.howardproducts.com/links.asp

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhc/R-100592963/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Note: A gentle product that works great in my experience. Use at your own risk. Always test first.

See My Pro Handyman Can on: http://www.trulia.com/myprofile/