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Hiring a Contractor: Our Tips and Tricks
While the husband and I are both DIYers, sometimes it’s good to know when we’ve reached our limits, when it’s time to put down the paintbrush and hammer and call in a professional. Tackling drywall and paint is no issue and while hanging trim isn’t my strong suit, I can still do that with some degree of comfort. But neither of us are trained or licensed in plumbing or electrical work beyond the occasional outlet swap or tightening a joint on a leaky pipe, nor would either of us attempt to add onto our house on our own. Often hiring contractors is due to time constraints. For us, the turning point…
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Tips for Buying a Home in Today’s Market
Need vs. Want: Focusing on what’s important to you! Before you feel that itch to start browsing what’s on the market, pump the brakes and take a moment to start by making a list of the features you’re looking for in your new home. Odds are, that list will likely outgrow your budget. But don’t worry, the key to this exercise isn’t to focus on what lies outside your means but rather to hone in on the necessities of what you do need for the daily overall functionality and comfort of your home. I’ve realized that my own ‘would like’ list is quite substantial, whereas my ‘must haves’ list may equate…
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Painting Wood Paneling
When we bought our house 5 years ago, I was 100% certain the last time it had a makeover was sometime in the ’70s. It’s horrible really. There is dark, wood-veneer paneling all over the second and third floor and really it pains me to look at it. I don’t know about you but I am not into the whole ‘retro but not in a good way’ vibe. After discussion and a bit of research, we decided that painting would be the best and most cost-effective way to update the rooms without having to remove the paneling and then drywall after. The bedroom was the easiest starting point as there…
