Archive for the ‘Home Improvement’ Category

With so many colors of the rainbow, the combinations are limitless. Choosing a color for your house can be a daunting task; and one requiring multiple decisions at that. Most houses are painted using more than one color. Aside from the base color of the siding, you’ll also have to consider which colors you’ll use for the door, paint, trim, and accents of your house.  Consulting a professional painting contractor can help you in this process but you may want to get an idea before they arrive.

The color you decide to put on your home is a decision that will greet you when you put your key in your door at the end of each day, and when you first open your eyes every morning. Your home plays an important role in conferring your personality, style, preferences, and even your general nature. Warm colors (reds, oranges, and yellows) cause us to feel psychologically active, while cool colors (blues, greens, and purples) make us feel relaxed. As you walk throughout your house, consider the type of feeling you want each room to elicit to help you choose your palette. Choose complementary colors and avoid extreme contrasts between rooms to provide balance throughout your home.  Want to add a little drama and flash? Go for darker colors, especially for trims, window sashes, and rails. Want to let your other possessions shine? Choose light, mellow tones that will take a back stage to your belongings.

Deciding on the colors for the interior and exterior of your house takes some varying approaches. After all, everyone sees the outside of your home; only a select few see the inside. Here are some ideas to keep in mind when choosing your paint colors:

Choosing Colors for the Exterior of Your House

•    When painting the outside of your house, try to match the age and architecture of the structure, and stick with the general style of your home.
•    Also take a look at the other houses in your neighborhood and consider what colors would help create cohesion between you and your neighbors.
•    Take advice from nature and select house colors that complement your natural surroundings. Keep in mind that exterior color schemes tend to be softer and more earthy than interior schemes.
•    Consider all four seasons and how your paint color will shine during each season.
•    Look at the other features of your home.  Look at your fences, your yard, any brick structures, and your roof, and take those accents into consideration when deciding your colors.
•    Remember that light colors make things appear larger, so choose a pale shade if you want to help your abode portray a grander presence.

Choosing Colors for the Interior of Your House

•    Play up architectural features and choose colors that will nicely complement your larger pieces of furniture.
•    For small rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens, keep the palette light to amplify the space.
•    Decide what you like and what you dislike, and base your choices on your personal preference, not simply modern trends. Look for colors that will endure the changing tides of latest fashions. Not that you shouldn’t do some research by looking at design magazines and websites, but do so by keeping an eye on which color schemes are pleasing to you, not just popular.
•    Most importantly, practice your colors first by buying samples and painting a large swatch of each color on your walls first.
•    The finish of the paint also plays a big role in the final outcome. Glossy finishes reflect more light and are also washable and more wear-resistant. Eggshell and Flat finishes are good for large areas and those that have flaws and blemishes.
Think about which colors make you feel most at home, and which ones seem to fit your personality. Choose warm colors for social areas like living rooms and dining rooms, and calming, cool colors for bedrooms and study rooms. Many paint manufacturers also have online tools that allow you to practice different colors on virtual walls. Some even allow you to upload your own photos and play around with different colors on your walls.

Take a mental note as you drive through neighborhoods and visit other homes. Remember that just about anything can be color matched, so look around for inspiration in anything and everything. The right color palette can last a lifetime and see you through years of change.  If you are interested in getting some help, contact a local painting company to get you started.

When taking on the challenge to move away from that old, dated wallpaper and into fresh coat of paint, it is important to keep in mind a few tricks of the trade to strip hours off of your endeavor while preserving the state of your walls.  You may find that it is easier to hire a professional for wallpaper removal but some small jobs may make sense to handle alone.

There are many different types of wallpaper that have been used over the years. The first step in assessing your wallpaper removal job is figuring out which type of material you are working with.

•    Common wallpaper can be found in the dining, living, and bedrooms of older homes.
•    Vinyl coated wallpaper is an all-purpose and more modern type of paper. Its more durable finish lends its use in bathrooms and kitchens where washable materials are important. Newer vinyl wallpaper is “strippable”, and is designed to be easily peeled off of walls.
•    Foil wallpaper is made of a metal foil and is unique in its flashy appearance.
•    Flock wallpaper is a classic touch, and is easily distinguished by its raised velvet patterns.
•    Grass cloth wallpaper is made from weaves of grass and is often found in low-wear areas.
•    Fabric wallpaper is a retro touch and is often held on only by starch. If you have this type of wallpaper, try simple warm water removal.

If you are still unsure, contact a painting contractor with experience in this area to help determine what the best course of action is.

There are many approaches that can be taken when removing wallpaper. Some claim that home remedies including warm water mixed with vinegar, dish detergent, or even fabric softener are the best approaches to wallpaper removal. But professionals agree the most common means of removal are warm water mixed with a powdered solvent, or use of a steamer.

Steaming
Previously popular, steamers have been used to soften the adhesive and dampen the wallpaper before removal. But this approach comes with the added risk that you could scald yourself with hot steam, and the moisture it creates makes it less preferable than more modern methods.

Solvents
Powdered solvents mixed with warm water actually break down the wallpaper adhesive. The concentrated solvent is mixed in warm water and sprayed over the wallpaper to loosen its hold on the wall. Taking this preferred approach, here’s how to prepare your walls for paint without wasting a week knee-deep in wallpaper.

Tools You’ll Need
•    Patience! Removing wallpaper is a hefty task, so take your time and keep your cool. Your careful diligence will pay off in the end and minimize damage to your walls.
•    A large bucket, sponges, a putty knife, a ladder, drop cloths (to protect the floor and furniture), rubber gloves, a scoring tool (scoring tools such as the Paper Tiger can be bought from your local home improvement store), and optionally, a garden sprayer (such as a 2-gallon plastic pump).
•    Wallpaper solvent (such as DIF), and trisodium phosphate (TSP).
Removing the Wallpaper

1.    Mix the solvent in a bucket of very warm water.
2.    Score the wall with with your scoring tool.
3.    Start by testing a 3’’x3” area to determine grain of glue (this will help you determine whether to strip up, down, left, or right).
4.    Turn off all the power in the room and remove the faceplates on the power outlets. Cover exposed outlets with painter’s tape or duct tape to avoid moistening electrical wires.
5.    Remove all wall accents, nails, and wall light fixtures.
6.    Lay down your drop cloths.
7.    Don your rubber gloves and place the solvent in your garden sprayer, or dip your sponge in solvent and soak a large section of wallpaper, about three feet wide and from floor to ceiling.
8.    Let the solvent sit for 20-30 minutes before stripping.
9.    Begin in one corner by gently pulling the paper while scraping with your putty knife. Scrub off the remaining glue with solvent and sponge.
If there is more than one layer of wallpaper, remove only one layer at a time.
10.  Once you have removed all the paper, mix some TSP with warm water and sponge any remaining glue off of the walls to leave a smooth surface for painting.
If you find that the wallpaper is really hard to remove, it may be glued directly to the drywall. In this case, it is best to simply primer or texture over it so as not to damage the drywall behind it.

Although it may take time and patience, successfully removing your old wallpaper is possible with the right preparation and the appropriate tools. Let the walls dry for one to two days, and they’ll be ready for a brand new coat of paint.  Once you have finished, you can always contact a professional to handle your interior painting job!

Painting the exterior of your home always increases the value, whether your planning to keep or sell your home. In addition to the fresh, new look you create with new paint, an exterior paint job also forces you to make necessary repairs to your home that can actually decrease its value if left unattended.

An exterior paint job when keeping your home will still raise your property value, as well as the property value and satisfaction of your neighbors. Especially if you ever plan to take out a second mortgage or home equity line of credit, you will be putting increased equity into your home by raising its value with a paint job.

When you have your home appraised, peeling paint and rotting wood will lower its value; therefore, eliminating these problems will raise its value in the eyes of an appraiser. Refinishing the outside of your home can increase its value by as much as $25,000 or more, depending on the size of your house. Since the cost of painting your home is significantly lower than the increase in value it creates, this is a very effective way to make an investment that provides an immediate return.

Whether or not to paint your home before you sell it is a question that many sellers are asking in the current buyer’s market. Since fresh interior paint is often the first thing a buyer will do to personalize their new space, it may seem like a waste of time and money to make such an improvement. Although a fresh coat of paint and the clean look it produces will certainly help sell your home, if a buyer plans to repaint in his own choice of colors regardless, he may not consider your efforts a selling point or a factor that warrants an increase in your asking price.

A new exterior paint job on a home for sale is another story, however. The condition of the outside of your home is the first thing that any potential buyer will see, and first impressions are extremely important. If a potential buyer sees that the outside of your home is rundown with peeling paint, rotting wood, or missing trim boards, his first  impression of the house will be that you haven’t taken very good care of the inside either. You can use a fresh exterior paint job to draw people inside to see more, rather than causing them to turn down a showing.

Exterior paint means making necessary repairs too. Before you can paint the outside of your home, there’s usually a lot of prep work to be done. Exterior prep work can include any or all of the following:

• Scraping off old, peeling paint
• Sanding and primering any bare wood
• Caulking any cracks in the woodwork or spaces between the siding and trim
• Replacing rotten wood or missing trim
• Fixing any damaged or loose siding or trim

While this sounds like a lot of work in order to get ready to paint a house, it should be considered a good thing because it forces you to make repairs that will not only make your home look nicer, but also keep it in solid condition. One of the worst things you can do to the exterior of your home is fail to treat any raw, bare, or exposed wood, since the elements will quickly cause that part of the house to rot. It’s much easier to treat bare wood now than to replace it later.

No matter what kind of climate you live in, both the constant and changing weather conditions cause wear and tear on your house. A hot, sunny climate will cause paint to fade and peel on the south and west facing sides. A wet climate causes wood to rot at a much faster rate than a dry one. And a climate with lots of freezing and thawing weather will do the most damage to a wooden house (and paint job) as the materials expand and contract with the changing temperature. Depending on your climate, you may need to repaint your home’s exterior every five to ten years in order to prevent permanent damage.

Stucco versus Siding. One way around the dilemma of the regular paint jobs that are necessary with a wood-sided house is to have it stuccoed. Although stucco can crack over time, it is repairable. Stucco lasts longer without needing repairs and can sustain more wear and tear caused by the weather and other elements. Stuccoing your home increases the quality of its insulation, keeping it warmer inside in the winter and cooler in the summer. Stucco will also increase the value of your home even more than an exterior paint job.

Thousands of flyers make their way into your mailbox advertising lower rates, insured businesses, and quality work. But, if you take a closer look at all the offers you will realize there is one important qualifier that needs to be taken into consideration; are they licensed by the state? Choosing to do things the right way the first time will help you save time, money, and peace of mind over the long run. Don’t fall for the gimmicks that promise everything and deliver nothing. Here are the top ten reasons why you should hire a licensed contractor for your next interior or exterior painting job or home renovation.

1. Insurance: The number one reason for hiring a licensed contractor is to make sure you, your house, and the contractor are insured throughout the process. Workman’s comp is vital if the contractor has employees working for them because if an accident happens and they are not licensed, you will be responsible for the costs. Liability insurance is just as important because the contractor may accidentally damage your neighbor’s property or some other part of your home and leave you to pay for repairs if they are not licensed and insured.
2. Customer Rights: Every licensed contractor is backed by their state government and if something were to go wrong in the process, you as a customer have certain rights you wouldn’t have if they were not licensed. If for some reason the construction job was faulty, you would have insurance through the state to fix the problems. The customer can also file a proper complaint against a licensed contractor that other people will be able to see before they choose to use that contractor. You as a customer will have many more rights to protect you than if you went with an unlicensed contractor.
3. Experience: In order to receive a state license as a contractor, they must first pass a management and skills test and provide proof of extensive experience. This step helps to weed out the millions of wannabe contractors who proclaim their expertise but aren’t half as capable as a licensed contractor to do the job right. A license in hand means the state approves of their knowledge and experience for your project.
4. Identification: Every licensed contractor will have a license from their state certifying that they are in fact legitimate. Requiring that your contractor has a license will help prevent fraud and give you a way to track them down later in case something happens. Although it does not happen every day, there are fraudulent contractors out their looking to scam you for a quick dollar and a state license is one extra layer of security against scams.
5. Work Warranty: Although it is not mandatory, almost every licensed contractor will provide a warranty for their work. The care and quality of workmanship is insured by them for several months after the completion of construction. This will help the customer feel more comfortable with their contractor, knowing in advance that if something goes wrong later down the road that someone will help them fix it.
6. References: Every licensed contractor can provide legitimate references that you should follow up with and look into. Be sure to take the time to assess the quality of work the contractor completed for their previous customers. This is a great way for you to judge their quality of work and customer service. Always check for references through the Better Business Bureau for both praises and complaints to get a good idea of how long they have been in business and how many unhappy customers they have had.
7. Standard Down Payments: State law requires that a licensed contractor not request more than a 10% down payment. Many construction scams involve asking for a lot of money up front and then never returning to complete the job. Prevent fraud by hiring a licensed contractor knowing that you will not be asked for more than 10% up front.
8. Dependable Estimates: Both estimated time of construction and total project cost should be fairly accurate up front, giving you a clear picture of what the project entails. Hiring a licensed contractor insures you will receive estimates that will be as close as possible to the actual time and cost it takes to complete the project. Unlicensed contractors will be pressured to give you an estimate undercutting the competitions’ price and construction time but once they begin work you will realize their estimates were not close to actual time and costs.
9. Quality and Proper Paint: Paint is not a one-size-fits-all product and it is important that your contractor applies the right type of paint for the material your house is made out of and paint that is both environmentally friendly and long lasting. An inexperienced painter will quickly apply a cheap coat of paint to your house and leave you having to replace it within a few years. Quality contractors will use paint that will keep your home vibrant for several years before you ever have to think of re-painting.
10. Record of Complaints: Since the contractor is licensed by the state, the state will keep track of all official complains within the past few years. This is a very useful tool for you to screen contractors before you commit to using them for your project.

It is good to know how to be able to fix your own home since damage will inevitably accumulate over time in any house.  Most homes are full of cracks and cracked walls due to stress fractures; doorknobs punch holes in walls, towel rods get pulled loose, and general wear and tear abounds from bumping into the walls.  Fortunately, you can fix all of these problems yourself with a little bit of drywall expertise.  In case you are not already familiar with it, drywall (also known as plasterboard or gypsum board) is a panel made out of gypsum plaster that is pressed between two thick sheets of paper.  Drywall is used primarily to make walls and ceilings. While it can only take a limited amount of abuse, drywall is actually relatively easy to repair.  With a drywall repair kit and a few other tools, you can easily patch up any small damages in your house.  Drywall is a simple process once you get the hang of it, so with the help of the following guide you will hopefully never have to call a handyman for minor drywall repairs again.

PART ONE

• If the damage is a crack, then take a pointed tool and scratch the crack open, removing on both sides all debris that might be sticking out.  Scrape the surface until it is completely flat.
• Next you will need a paper tape and pre-mixed drywall joint compound (available at most hardware stores and home outlets).
• First, put a thin layer of compound on the wall (like the thickness and substance of peanut butter on a sandwich) and place the paper tape over the seam of the crack.  Now take two fingers and hold them over the tape and press down.
• Then, as the tape is pressed down, take out a four to six inch drywall tool called a drywall knife.  Grasp the knife so you can apply pressure to pull over the top of the tape where your fingers are stationary.  In a smoothing sequence, remove all excess material from underneath the paper tape so that you flatten it out and make it look like it is sticking to the crack.
• Let it dry out until it is dry enough to touch (if residue sticks to your fingers, then it is not ready yet).  It must dry until it is hard.
• Now apply a generous load of drywall compound over the dried crack or hole.  Wipe off enough material until it looks smooth and is covering the tape below.  Let the drywall compound dry for at least eight hours.
• If the crack looks like it is sealed and you can take a sheet of 100 grit sandpaper and sand it down to the surface of the existing wall, then you can prime it and paint over it, using drywall primer.  Let the drywall primer sit for two hours and then apply the finish color.
• If you have sanded down the crack or damaged area and it still appears unsatisfactory, then apply another layer of compound, which should be a pre-mixed drywall joint compound.  Repeat the above instructions of using 100-grit sandpaper to smooth out the damage.

PART TWO

That takes care of the basic instructions; however, there are a few other points you should keep in mind when performing any sort of drywall repair work:

• If the area of damage is in plaster or drywall and it is greater than a regular crack in the surface of the wall, then remove all decayed and flaky material from this damaged area.  Once you have removed the decayed and flaky material, install some material that will fill the void, such as cloth, Styrofoam, newspaper, etc.  If you do this, you will have a backer for the above steps of applying materials like drywall compound.  With a backer, it will be thinner and not take so long to dry.
• You will want to make the damaged spot as cosmetically perfect as possible before adding the finishing touches, which are the final coats of drywall compound and paint. If there’s ever a time to be a perfectionist, this is the time. Even a bump that appears minimal in the early stages can stick out like a sore thumb once you apply the final paint coat.

Painting a home is often overlooked and is underrated for its benefits. It is one of the best and cheapest renovations you can do for increasing the value of your home. Whether you decide to stay in your house for the next five to ten years or put it on the market and want a high sale price, a fresh coat of paint on the interior and exterior can work wonders for you.

Keeping the House

Visual Appearance – If you are planning on living in your home at least throughout the difficult financial times, take some interest in the appearance of your home. You will be there for a few more years and having it look and feel like a new home will make it more comfortable for your family. Painting your house is a low cost renovation that will make a huge difference in your family’s day-to-day happiness.

Deterioration – A fresh coat of paint usually has a lifespan of up to 10 years. After a while, the paint will begin to fade and chip away, giving your home an unkempt appearance. Homes with an old and worn-out look to them that aren’t properly taken care of can decrease the home’s value in the neighborhood and also attract thieves. People looking to break into a house usually will choose the home that is not taken care of and leave the new homes alone.

Saving Money – Although it sounds like painting your home is only going to cost money, it will actually save you money in the long run if you plan on living there for a while. The weather takes a toll on your house; in addition to paint color fading, your caulking will dry and crack. This will leave new holes in your house, letting energy escape and helping pests find a new home. Save time and money in the long run by repainting your home and replacing the caulking to seal up any cracks and holes that the weather created. Repainting your home will save you money on your energy bill and prevent any pest control expenses.

Making it Your Own – When people first move into a house, they will take action on the repairs that need immediate attention. Often, the exterior and interior paint is left on the backburner until all of the important projects are finished; which is usually never. If you plan on staying put for a while, take a second to make your house your own by customizing the paint job. It is a cheap way to express your style and have something more pleasant to drive home to everyday.

Selling the House

Preparing for the real estate market – You finally decided to part ways with your home and put it up for sale on the market. There is a lot that goes into preparing your house for the real estate market and one of the often overlooked upgrades is to paint the exterior and interior of your home. By hiring a San Diego painting contractor before you sell your house, you can quickly increase the overall value of the home. Any upgrade that helps you to sell your house fast and at a higher price is a great idea during our economic slump.

• Exterior: If you put a fresh coat of paint on the exterior within a few years of selling it, the potential buyers will appreciate the fresh appearance and the fact they won’t need to repaint the home for several more years. When people are in the market to buy a home, they drive by hundreds of houses before they make a final decision. They won’t even go in most of those houses if the exterior is not up to par, so make sure your house passes the buyer’s drive-by test and elicits a second look. When you decide to paint your home, think of how many buyers will be attracted to that paint job. Make sure that the colors you use are neutral and high quality to really bring out the best of your new look and get more people interested in buying.
• Interior: Once your home passes the drive-by test and the buyers decide to come inside and take a look around, you need to make sure to seal the deal, and an old or shoddy paint job is not the way to do it. Put a fresh coat of lighter, more neutral colors to make your space seem new and larger than it actually is. The interior paint might even increase the value of your home more than the exterior, so take it seriously and use quality contractors, designers, and materials.