Archive for the ‘Article’ category

Home Handyman

June 18th, 2010



Home handymen are professionals who do varied kinds of jobs in domestic households related to electrical installations, plumbing, house renovation, house cleaning, and small construction works. Many home handymen are self-employed and are paid on an hourly basis whereas others work for a contractor or organization that pays fixed monthly salaries.

Home handyman provide assistance in carrying out small to medium level household repair and maintenance jobs such as remodeling the kitchen or bathroom, finishing the attic or basement, installing drywall or ceramic tile, hanging shelves, and building a deck or fence. These jobs are too small for hiring a full time contractor and are normally completed with the assistance of a handyman.

Home handyman use different types of tools and equipment for carrying out their activities. These tools may include insulated tools for carrying out electrical works that can withstand voltage in the range of 1000 volts to 1500 volts. Other tools may include pliers, screwdrivers, knives, scissors, bolt cutters, cable cutters, and hammers. Bags that carry these accessories are made from a combination of cotton cloth, leather, and other strong material to make it long lasting.

People wanting to avail of the services of home handymen can either contact a handyman contractor or find an experienced self-employed handyman who can perform the required job. Contractors usually charge a fixed rate whereas self-employed handyman quote their own hourly rates after assessing the type of work and the labor involved. It is better to hire self-employed handyman as their payment terms can be negotiated.

It is important to assess the work skills and experience of handymen before hiring them. An unskilled handyman can ruin the proposed construction or maintenance work and adversely affect the budget of the homeowner. People can take help from friends and associates in hiring a handyman who has all the required skills and experience for completing the required job.

By: Ken Marlborough

Seasonal Home Maintenance

June 17th, 2010



Buying a home is a good investment opportunity and in the years to come you can see the value of your home rise. Many people buy a home with the intention to sell it in a couple of years for a profit. However, some people who put their property out for sale complain that they are not getting the price that’s suitable to their property. Why does this happen? Reason buyers are complaining is the bad housing conditions and this makes them want to lower the price.

Such situations won’t happen to your home if you have taken steps to maintain it all through the year. Every season entails its own home maintenance requirements and as a California homeowner you need to keep tabs on such things, to have a home that’s in top condition, at all time. Here is a look at some useful seasonal home maintenance tips:

Fall and Winter

• Clean all your windows and use weather-strips to seal air leaks as this will enable you to make less use of your heater and furnace

• Check the motor between bricks of your fences and chimney.

• Clean up your gutter and down spouts. Use a gutter filter to prevent debris from falling into it.

• Check all your GFCI outlets. These outlets must be present in all wet areas such as kitchens and bathrooms as they help to protect against shocks.

• Make sure that all your home electrical appliances are working properly as you will need heating devices to function as winter time proceeds.

Spring and Summer

• Check your home’s exterior paint and foundation for any cracks and signs of deterioration.

• Look around your house. Do you notice water settling around the house rather than draining away? If so, fill up the soil area in such a way that it slopes away from the home.

• Check the homes attic and crawlspaces for water leaks, mildew, fungus growth and pest. Clean these areas thoroughly.

• Check out on all concrete areas of your home for cracking. If you notice any, fill them up with a concrete-patch to prevent any further deterioration.

By: Paul Escobedo

Age Old Question: Buy New or Remodel Existing Home?

June 16th, 2010



Your house doesn’t have enough storage space, bathrooms, or counter space! Not too mention your kitchen is old, small and poorly ventilated. Now you are trying to decide between remodeling your current home to address some of these needs and buying a new bigger home. This is a question many homeowners find themselves trying to answer. There are a few key factors to consider as you try to decide what will be best for you and your family.

First think about the location of your current home. Do you like this area? Do you have kids in local schools? Is there a low crime rate? If you like your current location, then you need to determine if you are able to buy a new bigger home in this same neighborhood or would you be forced to buy in a different less desirable area? If you can’t afford a bigger home in your current area and you want to stay local, then you should consider remodeling/adding more square footage on to your current home.

Another factor to consider when deciding between remodeling and buying a new home is the disruption caused by remodeling. If you are remodeling your kitchen this means you will be without a fully functioning kitchen for a couple of weeks. Even if you are not working in a key area like the kitchen you can still expect disruption from any remodeling project. Construction materials, dust, noise, and additional trash will be sure to accompany any remodeling project. If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea then maybe you should buy a new house and leave the messy, inconvenient remodeling to someone else.

Finances obviously need to be taken into account when making such a large decision. If you don’t have the cash on hand then you might want to tap into your home’s equity. When remodeling you can leverage the equity you have in your home to pay for the upgrades. If don’t have a strong equity position in your current home you might be better off selling you home and buying a bigger home for a similar price in a less desirable neighborhood.

When thinking about adding more square footage to your existing home you need to consult your local zoning laws. In some areas you might not be able to add-on due to zoning laws so be sure to do your research before starting construction.

All of these factors need to be considered before making a decision on whether it makes more sense to remodel your current home or buy a new home. The home is often our largest investment so when making decision about remodeling or buying a different house it is important to consider all factors.

By: Gregg Hicks