November 12th, 2008 — Book Review, Handy Man, Project
If you’d like to get the whole family involved in your next DIY project, this book by Eric Stromer is the best place to start. Repairing and renovating your home can be a great bonding exercise with your spouse or children and this book actually makes most of the projects a lot of fun to complete. The overall tone of the book is aimed towards family, and although it can be a bit “cutesy” in spots, don’t let the language throw you off. It’s well worth the read and contains some terrific projects the entire family can enjoy.
The whole book is around 200 pages and it is not an intimidating read at all. If you like a book that makes it very easy to understand the task at hand and doesn’t try to impress you with overblown terminology and difficult wording, this is the perfect solution. Each one of the projects contained is easy enough that a family with little DIY experience can take them on and not end up with a total disaster.
There are about six different sections in the book and each one contains around four projects. You’ll be able to pick the ones that you want to try first, and they are all quite functional, so while you’re having fun you’ll actually be adding to the value of your home, which is a nice bonus. You’ll get a complete list of necessary tools for each project and this is great if you don’t have everything you need on hand. You can pretty much take the book with you to the hardware store and use it as a shopping list.
While the main downside of the book is the lack of color photography, the plans are well illustrated and easy to read. If a lack of color is the only thing lacking in this book, that’s a pretty small complaint. It would have been nice to see some before and after shots, especially so that the family could get an idea of the scope of a project, but overall, this doesn’t really hurt the book’s value all that much.
Each step you’ll need to take in a project is numbered, which is great if you’re trying to assign specific tasks to your kids or loved ones. The instructions are very easy to follow and broken down so well that everything seems easier than it really is. Keep this in mind before you get in over your head. We recommend starting with the smallest projects first until you’re positive that the whole family can tackle the other projects and still have fun.
This book has all of the main ingredients necessary for success - an engaging writing style, materials lists, step by step instructions that are incredibly easy to follow and well thought out diagrams. While color photos would have been nice, this book is still well worth the money. If you’ve got a family and you’d like to involve them in the process of fixing up the home, this is definitely the perfect book.
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September 25th, 2008 — Cabinets, Curtains, Deck, Handy Man, Safety, Windows, locks
Children
are a blessing, but if you are expecting a new arrival, there are quite a few things that you will need to do to your home to make sure that it is childproof. As soon as they are able to crawl, they are able to get hurt, so it is vital to take necessary steps to secure your home. Luckily, most of these fixes are very simple and practically anyone can childproof a home. You don’t need to bubble wrap everything, but it is a good idea to really use a sharp eye around your home to see where the trouble areas are.
1. Outlet covers.
The first place to start is your outlets. They are right at infant/toddler level and electrocution is devastating. You can simply cap outlets to prevent children from sticking their fingers inside. There are also plug protectors available that will prevent children from unplugging a device and getting hurt.
2. Installing cabinet locks.
While it may not be feasible to remove all dangerous cleaning products, medicine and other dangerous items from your home, it is easy enough to install cabinet locks. We highly recommend these for any home with children and they can easily divert a disaster.
3. Sharp edges.
If you have tables, counters, or anything with a sharp edge, it is vital to either replace them, or purchase end covers that will provide a softer surface. Kids fall, especially when they are learning to walk, and a sharp edge may cause a head trauma. In a pinch, foam tape on these corners will work wonders.
4. Child safety gates.
These are very important, especially for children that are able to crawl or just starting to walk. They should be placed in doorways to rooms where children should not enter, and at the top and bottom of stairs. We highly recommend adding one to kitchens since this is an area where injuries frequently occur.
5. Securing decks.
Your deck may look safe to you, but imagine if you are only a few feet tall. Could you get your head stuck between the railings, or worse, fall through? Purchase sturdy lattice that can be nailed in or consider adding a steel mesh around these areas to prevent these accidents from occurring.
6. Curtain and Blind cords.
Every year, thousands of children die as a result of improperly secured curtain and blind cords. It is absolutely vital to make sure that they cannot reach these cords. Remove them from reach and secure them so that there is not enough cord for a child to play with.
There are also a few other considerations to think about. One accident that is unfortunately highly common is a problem with countertop fryers. If they are placed to close to an edge, or a cord is hanging down, it is all too easy for a child to pull it down on themselves. By taking steps to avoid a tragedy, you can rest assured that your children are protected.
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August 25th, 2008 — Contractor, Handy Man, Renovate, Repair
There are times when even the best of us may not have the qualifications needed to fix something around the house. Every year, there are thousands of disaster stories where homeowners thought they could do the job on their own, only to end up causing costly damage to their property. If you are not certain that you can handle the job on your own, you may want to consider hiring a contractor to help you. However, before you do, there are a few questions that you will need to ask.
1. Are they licensed?
The average handyman won’t have a license, but commonly, contractors will need to be licensed and certified. It is a good idea to ask them for their qualifications and find out if they are licensed in your state. This can be very helpful when you are trying to pass an inspection after the work is done. A qualified contractor will already know everything that needs to be completed to pass that inspection.
2. How do they calculate pricing?
Most contractors should offer you a free estimate of the work that will need to be done. However, this estimate may be completely off depending on the availability of materials or if anything goes wrong. It is important to find a contractor that will offer you a guarantee of some sort, or at least some sort of pricing threshold. If they won’t you will need to make sure that they come to you for approval for anything that will put you over your budget. Staying on budget isn’t easy, but it helps when the contractor is working in your corner.
3. Do they have a particular specialty?
General contractors can usually do a variety of different tasks, but that doesn’t mean that they should. For example, if you need help with your wiring, it may be best to hire an electrician, rather than a general contractor. It is a good idea to make sure that they are qualified to handle the exact job you need done. You can save a lot of time and heartache by going through this step first.
4. How do they plan to stay on schedule?
Repairs and renovations can take months to complete and it is vital to find a contractor that can stay on schedule. Try to get as firm of a completion date is possible and then ask them what they will do if they go over on that time period. These extra days, weeks or months can completely destroy your budget, so it is very important to find out how well they work on a schedule.
5. Do they have references?
A good contractor will be more than willing to provide you with references. You need to follow up on these and make sure that the homeowners are happy and satisfied with the work. Some may even allow you to see the work that was done so you can form your own opinion on the quality of the job.
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