Posted on Mon, Apr 12, 2010
Prepping For a Last-Minute Showing
It's nearly impossible to keep your home in a "show-ready" state day in and day out. In many cases you may find that your home will be shown to a prospective buyer with very little advance notice.
Even if you're keeping things as clutter-free as possible, a little preparation for the actual showing is probably in order. Here are some short-term ways to get your home looking and feeling its best.
Step 1: Cleaning Frenzy
- Scrub tile in the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Thoroughly clean hardwood floors.
- Vacuum carpets. If time permits, rent a steam cleaner to shampoo carpets, particularly in high traffic areas.
- Dust all wood furniture, TV screens and computer monitors.
- Clear counters of all clutter. If time permits, move unnecessary appliances and decorating touches into storage areas.
- Clear the kitchen sink and counters of all dirty dishes.
- Pick up all dirty laundry. Avoid over-filling any open air hampers - laundry is better kept out of sight inside your washer or dryer.
- Remove stains from bathtubs, toilets and sinks.
Step 2: Critical Eye Test
- After doing the first round of cleaning, take a walk through the house with the perspective of a buyer. Look for clutter, excess furniture or highly personal touches that might turn off prospective buyers.
- Try taking pictures of main rooms with a digital camera for an "instant review".
Step 3: Curb Appeal Checkup
- Sweep the entryway, porch and walkways.
- Mow and water the lawn.
- Store any toys or garden equipment.
- Clean up pet droppings.
- Clean gutters and downspouts.
- Add potted plants to the porch or deck.
Step 4: Closing Touches
- Turn on all lights.
- Open drapes and blinds.
- Open windows to let in fresh air.
- Burn scented candles or open jars of lightly scented potpourri. If you don't have either on hand, you can always bake cookies (the oldest trick in the book) or simmer a few drops of vanilla extract on the stove.
- Turn off all TV's, stereos and computers.
- If possible, relocate pets to a friend or neighbor's home during the showing.
- Clean the litter box thoroughly to rid your home of smells. If pets can be temporarily relocated, remove the litter box entirely.
- Hang fresh towels in every bathroom.
- Put fresh liquid soap or bar soap in each bathroom.
- Remove rugs to showcase hardwood floors.
- Put out fresh flowers and fill candy dishes.
Posted on Fri, Apr 09, 2010
Re-Painting? Know the Essentials
Painting interior walls is relatively easy and cheap way to transform the rooms of your home while protecting overall resale value. Aside from adding personality and drama, re-painting protects the surface from moisture and fading. Here are a few things to know before you start planning your DIY masterpiece.
Sheen/Luster - A paint's "sheen" classifies its degree of shine. Flat paint is the dullest of the sheens and is best uses in low activity areas such as hallways and dining rooms, or on ceilings. Eggshell (sometimes "low-luster") has more shine that flat and is easier to wash. Eggshell finishes are appropriate for bedrooms and living rooms. Semigloss and glossy sheens reflect light for a brighter look. Both are durable and easy to wash, although glossy sheens will highlight any imperfections on a wall or surface. Semigloss sheens finishes are good choices for bathrooms and kitchens, while glossy finishes are often reserved for trim, railings, cabinetry and doors.
Quality - While it may be tempting to save money by buying cheaper paint, you will likely end up paying for it in the long run. High quality paint has higher pigment levels and a higher percentage of titanium dioxide, which increases coverage ability and improves durability. Their heavier bodies will go on smoother with less splattering and fewer applications, and will resist fading over time.
Color - Darker hues are known to add interest or warmth to a room, while lighter colors can open up a room and make it seem more spacious. Painting one wall with a rich color can add new drama to the space. In terms of durability, colors such as white, brown tend to fade less than brighter greens, yellows and blues.
Testing - Paint chips and samples can help you whittle down color options, but the best test of a paint color is to see the hue on the intended surface during different lighting conditions. Purchase quart or sample sizes of your top paint choices to get the best feel for the paint's affect on its surroundings.
Amount - 1 gallon of paint will typically cover 350 square feet of surface. Multiply the width of your walls by the height of the room to determine the total square footage you need to cover. Some manufacturers provide coverage calculators that will help you determine how many gallons of paint you will need.
Preparation - Paint adheres best to clean, uniform walls. Scrape clear any flaking paint and spackle in holes and cracks. Wash walls with a trisodium phosphate solution. Use plenty of painter's tape on baseboards, moldings and windowpanes. Applying a primer will conceal stains and ensure uniform color and absorption.
Equipment - Latex paints are best used with nylon brushes (or rollers), while natural brushes 9or rollers) work best for oil-based paint. 3-4 inch wall brushes work well on large, flat surfaces. Angled sash brushes are ideal for detailed areas, and trim brushes are perfect for doors and window frames. Paint rollers work well on rough or textured surfaces. The rougher the surface, the longer the roller nap should be.
Posted on Tue, Jan 05, 2010
Houston weather experts predict some freezing weather this week, in particular, Thursday; the coldest in 10 years (according to the Houston Chronicle). Here are 10 tips to get your home winter weather ready.
1. Clean the Gutters
Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home's gutters -- by hand, by scraper or spatula, and finally by a good hose rinse -- so that winter's rain and melting snow can drain. Clogged drains can form ice dams, in which water backs up, freezes and causes water to seep into the house. As you're hosing out your gutters, look for leaks and misaligned pipes. Also, make sure the downspouts are carrying water away from the house's foundation (at least 10 feet away from the house), where it could cause flooding or other water damage.
2. Protect those Pipes
Probably the most problematic in the Houston area, a burst pipe caused by a winter freeze is a nightmare. Prevent it before Jack Frost sets his grip:
- Insulate all exposed outdoor and attic pipes with weather-resistant material. Insulating-foam tubing designed for pipes is easy to install and inexpensive. Make sure all surfaces of the pipe are covered.
- If an extended and deep freeze is expected, insulation alone may not be sufficient. Consider installing electric heat tape or cable with a built-in thermostat. Be sure the heat tape bears an Underwriters' Laboratories (UL) seal and is in good condition. Do not overlap the tape when wrapping it around a pipe.
- Use insulating faucet covers, or wrap rags, paper, trash bags or plastic foam around outdoor faucets. Installing pressure-relief valves on outdoor faucets also helps prevent bursting of pipes that freeze.
- Temporarily cover any vents around your home's foundation.
- Bring water hoses indoors.
- Open the cabinets under the sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms to allow heated indoor air to circulate around water pipes.
- If you normally set back your thermostat at night or when away from home, change the setting to keep some heat on until the severe freeze is over.
- Insulate your outdoor water meter box and be sure its lid is on tight.
- Protect outdoor electrical pumps.
- If you have a swimming pool, either drain the circulation system or keep the pump motor running. (Run the pump motor only in a short freeze. Running the motor for long periods could damage it.)
- If your home has exposed pipes and a severe freeze is expected, let faucets run at a slow trickle, but don't run a big stream of water. Too many running faucets in an area can cause drops in community water pressure and problems for fire-fighting emergencies.
- If you plan to leave town, consider turning off your water at the shut-off valve while faucets are running to drain your pipes. (Make sure the faucets are turned off before you turn the shut-off valve back on.)
- If you drain your pipes, contact your electric or gas utility for instructions on protecting your water heater.
- Finally, be sure everyone in your household knows where the main water shut-off valve is and check it to make sure it isn't stuck.
To winterize a house that will be vacant in frigid temperatures without heat, it is recommended to drain pipes. For hard freeze conditions, many recommend adding nontoxic antifreeze (RV or boat antifreeze - NOT auto antifreeze) in the toilet bowls (about 1/3 gallon) and the p-traps of sinks and drains (about 2 cups) - or having a professional plumber drain and winterize the entire system.
3. Block those leaks
One of the best ways to winterize your home is to simply block obvious leaks around your house, both inside and out, experts say. The average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall, according to EarthWorks Group.
First, find the leaks: On a breezy day, walk around inside holding a lit incense stick to the most common drafty areas: recessed lighting, window and door frames, electrical outlets.
Then, buy door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors, and caulk those drafty spots. Outlet gaskets can easily be installed in electrical outlets that share a home's outer walls, where cold air often enters.
Outside, seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk. For brick areas, use masonry sealer, which will better stand up to freezing and thawing. Sealing small cracks will be beneficial; they could get bigger, and you will prevent small insects from entering your home.
4. Insulate yourself
This will cost a little money, but you get the money back quick. Adding insulation to the existing insulation in the attic will definitely be worth it! Regardless of the climate conditions you live in, you need a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic. A simple trick to delineate whether you have enough: go into the attic and if you can see the ceiling joists you know you don't have enough, because a ceiling joist is at most 10 or 11 inches.
A related tip: If you're layering insulation atop other insulation, don't use the kind that has a paper backing, or "kraft face" finish, because it acts as a vapor barrier, and can cause moisture problems in the insulation.
5. Check the furnace
Throughout the winter you should change the furnace filters regularly (check them monthly). A dirty filter impedes air flow, reduces efficiency and could even cause a fire in an extreme case. Toss out the dirty fiberglass filters; reusable electrostatic or electronic filters can be washed.
It's a good idea to have furnaces cleaned and tuned annually. Costs will often run about $100-$125.
6. Get your ducts in a row
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if ductwork is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces. That's a huge amount of wasted money, not to mention a chilly house. (Check out this audit tool for other ideas on how to save on your energy bills this winter.)
Ducts aren't always easy to see, but you can often find them exposed in the attic, the basement and crawlspaces. Repair places where pipes are pinched, which impedes flow of heated air to the house, and fix gaps with a metal-backed tape (duct tape actually doesn't stand up to the job over time).
Ducts also should be vacuumed once every few years, to clean out the abundant dust, animal hair and other gunk that can gather in them and cause respiratory problems.
7. Face your windows
Now, of course, is the time to take down the window screens and put up storm windows, which provide an extra layer of protection and warmth for the home. Storm windows are particularly helpful if you have old, single-pane glass windows. But if you don't have storm windows, and your windows are leaky or drafty, you should update them to a more efficient window.
Of course, windows are pricey. You should budget to replace them a few at a time, and in the meantime, buy a window insulator kit. The kit is plastic sheeting that's affixed to a window's interior with double-stick tape. A hair dryer is then used to shrink-wrap the sheeting onto the window. (It can be removed in the spring.) It's temporary solution and it's not attractive, but it's inexpensive (about $4 a window) and it's extremely effective. You can get these kits at any home improvement store.
8. Don't forget the chimney
We forget about these in Houston, but ideally, spring is the time to think about your chimney, because chimney sweeps are usually busy at this time of year obviously, so if you don't want to wait, plan in advance.
Don't put off your chimney needs before using your fireplace, however, a chimney should at least be inspected before use each year; you never know what might be lodged in there - anything from tennis balls to animals!
Ask for a Level 1 inspection, in which the professional examines the readily accessible portions of the chimney, most certified chimney sweeps include a Level 1 service with a sweep.
Woodstoves are a different beast, and should be swept more than once a year. A general rule of thumb is that a cleaning should be performed for every ¼ inch of creosote wherever it may be, because if it's ash, then it's primarily lye a component that was once used to make soap, and it's very acidic. It can cause mortar and the metal damper to rot.
Another tip: Buy a protective cap for your chimney, with a screen; it's probably the single easiest protection, because it keeps out foreign objects (birds, tennis balls) as well as rain that can mix with the ash and eat away at the fireplace's walls.
One other reminder: make sure your chimney's damper closed when the fireplace isn't in use. This will help keep the cold air out. And for the same reason, woodstove owners should have glass doors on their stoves, and keep them closed when the stove isn't in use.
Check out Chimney Safety Institute of America's Web site for a list of certified chimney sweeps in your area.
9. Reverse that fan
Reversing your ceiling fan is a trick that people don't often think of. By reversing its direction from the summer operation, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to recirculate, keeping you more comfortable. How do you know the fan is winter friendly? As you look up, make sure the blades turn clockwise.
10. Finally, check those alarms
This is a great time to check the operation -- and change the batteries -- on your home's smoke detectors. Detectors should be replaced every 10 years, fire officials say. Test them -- older ones in particular -- with a small bit of actual smoke, and not just by pressing the "test" button. Check to see that your fire extinguisher is still where it should be, and still works.
Also, invest in a carbon-monoxide detector; every home should have at least one.
Posted on Sun, Nov 29, 2009
Most homeowners dream about getting a bathroom that's high on comfort and personal style but are concerned about making the right decisions on materials, fixtures, and amenities that will have lasting value. Fortunately, there's good news.
A bathroom remodel is a solid investment, according to Remodeling magazine's annual Cost vs. Value Report. A $15,000 bath remodel will recoup almost 75% of those costs when it's time to sell your home, and a more extensive $50,000 job returns 70%. In addition, you can maximize the value of your investment by using smart strategies to help you to get the bathroom of your dreams while keeping costs under control.
1. Create a plan, and stick to it
"The biggest issue in a bathroom remodel is adequate planning, no question," says Jeani Lee, a certified kitchen and bath designer and president of the Iowa chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). "You need to thoroughly evaluate how you plan to use the space, what kinds of materials and fixtures you want, and how much you're willing to spend. Don't begin your project until have answers to every aspect of your plan."
In fact, the NKBA recommends spending up to six months evaluating and planning before beginning the actual work. That way, you can be confident of your priorities and won't make decisions under duress. Once work has begun-a process that averages 2-3 months-refrain from changing your mind. Work stoppages and alterations add costs. Some contractors include clauses in their contracts that specify premium prices for changes to original plans.
If planning isn't your strong suit, consider hiring a designer. In addition to helping establish style and effective use of space, a professional designer makes sure all aspects of a project are harmonious so that contractors and installers are sequenced in an orderly fashion. A pro charges $100 to $200 per hour, and spends 10 to 30 hours on a bathroom project.
2. Keep the same footprint
No matter the size and scope of your planned bathroom, you can save major expense by not rearranging walls, and by locating any new plumbing fixtures near existing plumbing pipes. You'll not only save on the demolition and reconstruction that moving walls and pipes require, you'll greatly reduce the amount of dust and debris your project generates.
3. Make lighting a priority
When it comes to adding creature comforts, your first thoughts might be multiple shower heads and radiant-heat floors. But few items make a bathroom more satisfying than lighting designed for everyday grooming. You can install lighting for a fraction of the cost of pricier amenities.
Well-designed bathroom task lighting surrounds vanity mirrors and serves to eliminate shadows on faces. The scheme includes two ceiling- or soffit-mounted fixtures with 60-75 watts each, and side-fixtures or sconces providing at least 150 watts each distributed vertically across 24 inches (to account for people of various heights). Four-bulb lighting fixtures work well for side lighting.
4. Clear the air
Because bathroom ventilation systems are basically hidden, they usually don't appear on a must-have list. Nevertheless, bathroom ventilation is essential for removing excess humidity that fogs mirrors, makes bathroom floors slippery, and contributes to the growth of mildew and mold. Controlling mold and humidity is especially important for maintaining healthy indoor air quality and protecting the value of your home-mold remediation is expensive, and excess humidity can damage cabinets and painted finishes.
A bathroom vent should exhaust air to the outside-not simply to the space between ceiling joists. Better models have whisper-quiet exhaust fans and humidity-controlled switches that activate when a sensor detects excess humidity.
5. Think storage
"Adding storage to the bath is a challenge, and should be a top consideration in the planning stages," says Linda Eggerss, editor of Kitchen and Bath Ideas magazine. To add storage:
• Think vertically. Often, upper wall space in a bathroom is underused. Freestanding, multi-tiered shelf units designed to fit over toilet tanks turn unused wall area into storage. Spaces between wall studs can be used to create niches for holding soaps and toiletries. Install shelves over towel bars to use blank wall space.
• Think moveable. Inexpensive woven baskets set on the floor are stylish ways to hold towels. A floor-stand coat rack can be used to hang drying towels, bath robes, or clothes.
• Think utility. Adding a slide-out tray to vanity cabinet compartments gives you full access to stored items and prevents lesser-used items from being lost or forgotten.
6. Contribute a little sweat equity
You can shave labor costs by doing some of the work yourself. Again, discuss this with your contractor; the agreement you both sign should specify what projects you'll assume responsibility for. Some easy DIY projects:
- Install window & baseboard trim; save $250
- Paint walls and trim, 200 s.f.; save $200
- Install toilet; save $150
- Install towel bars and shelves; save $20 each
7. Use low-cost design for high visual impact
If you'd like to add visual zest to your bathroom but are concerned about going too far or creating a one-of-a-kind look that might put off a future buyer, try a soft scheme. A soft scheme employs neutral colors for permanent fixtures and surfaces, then adds pizzazz in items that are easily changed, such as shower curtains, window treatments, towels, throw rugs, and wall colors. These relatively low-cost decorative touches provide tons of personality but are easy to redo whenever you want.
With good planning and budget-savvy strategies, your new bathroom will provide years of satisfaction.
John Riha has written six books on home improvement and hundreds of articles on home-related topics. He's been a residential builder, the editorial director of the Black & Decker Home Improvement Library, and the executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. His standard 1968 suburban house has been an ongoing source of maintenance experience.
Source: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
HouseLogic.com
Posted on Sun, Nov 08, 2009
When you work from home you help keep cars off the road, but you also likely increase your utility bills.
With roughly 34 million telecommuting adults in America-a number slated to double by 2016, according to Forrester Research-adjustments to your home office power consumption, lighting, and heating and cooling can impact the environment and your wallet-up to about $200 per year in energy costs.
Down-shift your power consumption
1. Activate power-management settings. Home office electronics have multiple power modes: active (or "on"), active standby ("on" but consuming less than 100% power), and passive standby (or "off"), according to the nonprofit American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, which promotes energy efficiency to consumers and government policy makers.
You can instruct your computer to move into lower-consumption modes automatically when you've stopped using it temporarily-during a lunch hour or phone call, for instance-yet also wake up when you're ready to resume working. Such tactics can reduce your computer-related electricity costs by $25 to $75 per machine annually, says Energy Star.
Energy Star-rated power management features are available on Macintosh and Windows platforms (XP, Vista, 2000). Energy Star offers tips for how to adjust settings on different platforms.
Other providers offer help, too: Software vendor Verdiem offers a power management set-up tool called Edison and EnergyStar offers a similar tool called EZ Wizard, both of which guide you through the process of setting up power management.
If you're uneasy launching power management protocols yourself, you can pay software companies' IT pros to log on to your computer remotely and adjust your settings. Symantec, for instance, charges about $20 for its "Green PC" service.
2. Use a power strip for your computer, printer, copier, and other peripherals. If you plug office electronics into a power strip, you can switch all of them fully off (versus leaving them in "standby" mode) with one button. Power strips cost around $3 to $12 from online retailers. Standby power-the energy that's wasted by electronic devices that are plugged in, but not in use-represents about $100 per year in the average household's electricity costs, says Energy Star. Assuming your home office equipment represents about 4% of your electricity bill, you could save up to $4 a year.
3. If you're investing in new computer equipment, look for Energy Star-rated computers, small servers, copiers, fax machines, and adapters. Energy Star estimates that using these rated electronics in your home office can save $115 over the products' lifetimes.
4. Consider a laptop over a desktop. Laptops use one-third the power (22 watts) of a typical desktop (68 watts) when in active mode, according to ACEEE. Annually, a laptop could save you about $19 compared with a desktop.
5. Opt for a flat-panel vs. CRT monitor. A cathode-ray tube monitor consumes about 70 watts of power, while an LCD or flat-panel eats only 27, according to ACEEE data. That's about $1 in savings over year.
Reduce lighting costs
6. Replace traditional bulbs with compact fluorescents. By replacing one 60-watt incandescent bulb with an equivalent compact fluorescent in a home office where lights are on for eight hours per day, you could save up to $15 per year, according to Energy Star.
7. Buy CFL versions of halogen lights. If you like the look or brightness of halogen or torchiere lamps, the The Edison Electric Institute recommends buying compact fluorescent versions that consume less than 25% of the power (55 to 65 watts) of conventional versions (300 watts) and cost about the same.
8. Consider task lighting. Opting for a desk lamp versus whole-room lighting lets you use fewer bulbs concurrently, according to The Institute.
9. Locate lamps in corners. The adjoining walls will magnify the light across the room.
10. Turn off lights when leaving a room.
Keep heating and cooling costs at bay
11. Lower thermostats 10% during the day (to 62, for instance, from 68). This can save up to 10% on annual heating and cooling bills, according to the DOE, or about $100 per year. Supplement with thick slippers and sweaters in winter and keep windows open in summer, with shades down in the afternoon.
12. Use a space heater in winter and a portable or ceiling fan in summer. Both room-specific solutions cost far less than running whole-house systems at maximum capacity. Using fans or space heaters will eat into your savings for lowering the thermostat, but not nearly as much as using a central heating or cooling system throughout the house. Fans can run $25-$150; space heaters, $10-$80 at online retailers.
If your office is one-third the size of your house or smaller, you can safely estimate that space heating will be more cost-effective than heating the entire home just for the sake of the office, according to NYSEG, a utility company in Rochester, N.Y.
Optimizing your home office for maximum energy efficiency requires little effort, but can help lower your home's overall energy consumption and annual utility bill without hampering productivity.
Jane Hodges has written about real estate for publications including The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC.com, and The Seattle Times. In 2007, she won a Bivins Fellowship from the National Association of Real Estate Editors to pursue a book on women and real estate. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, CBS's BNET, and Fortune. She lives in Seattle, in a 1966 raised rancher with an excellent retro granite fireplace. Latest home project: Remodeling a basement bathroom.
Source: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
HouseLogic.com