Handy Man Fix Home Repair

There is nothing that hits the wallet as hard as when you have a home improvement project. The most important thing on the home owner’s mind is how to minimize the costs of the project. The balance that needs to be maintained is how to reduce the cost of a home improvement project without compromising quality. That balance can be easily maintained, as there are a number of things that you can do to reduce the cost of your project, without cutting into the quality of the project.

Preparations

The first step should be to plan a budget for the project. It is important that every possible expense for the project is planned out, down to every screw and nail. With a plan in mind, make a trip to the hardware store, and price every item that you will need for the project. This step is to give you a rough idea of the costs. At this point, you can start to shop around and see if you can find better prices on items for your project. Once the budget is in place, do not stray from it. Make sure to keep it on hand at all times.

Another way to reduce costs is to look around for different methods of doing your project. You can fix your wall by replacing the whole wall, or you can patch the wall. The true experts will know how to finish a project for the lowest cost. By looking online and asking at the home improvement store, you can find the cheapest way to finish your project.

Finding the Best Deal

With a good idea of what you will need for a given project, the next step is to shop around for the best prices for each component of the project. One important facet to this is to take advertisements for the locations, as well as use a digital camera to take pictures of the price stickers. Not only will this serve as a form of note taking, but many locations will offer some sort of price matching. Being able to get all of your purchases in a single trip will save in gas and time. You should also check out the internet for surplus sites and business websites. There could be many good deals available, able to be delivered right to your door.

Keep your eye out for sales adverts for online retailers as well as for home improvement and hardware stores. It can sometimes be the case that in a week’s time, a item you need can go an sale. It can also occur that an item advertised as being on sale will be sold out when you go to shop. Staying on top of sales will allow you to get the bargain before they sell out. By using some planning and timing, and by shopping around, you can easily cut a project’s cost in half by shopping around; all it takes is a little time.

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Window boxes add charm to any home and they are so easy to install that anyone can do it. You’re going to need to get a few things together before you get started. Your tools will include:

• window box
• brackets
• a level that is longer than the window box you are installing
• a power drill
• a screwdriver
• a measuring
• some extra screws just in case

You’ll also need to have your window box and its brackets. Remember, never install a window box that has soil in it. It’s far too heavy and unwieldy. Add that soil AFTER you’re done.

Ok, let’s get going. First, you’re going to need to measure the window where you want to put the box. If you have double hung or normal windows, make a mark about an inch below the sill. If you have windows that open outwards, make a mark around six to eight inches below the sill. Please note that the height of your window box may vary. Allow enough space for your window to open. Measure out the width of your window box and make a second mark below your sill that is the appropriate amount of space under your window.

Now, take your first bracket and line it up evenly. Use that level to make sure that the bracket is plump. (turn the level so that it is facing up and down instead of sideways.) Put the bracket back down and drill the hole into your house first. Now, put the bracket back up and put in the screw. It will bite down into the material under the siding or facing, don’t worry. Check to make sure it’s plumb and add in the remaining screws for the bracket.

Now, grab your second bracket and place it over your second mark. Make sure it’s plumb first, and then turn the level on its side to make sure that both brackets are level. Repeat the above process to attach it to your house. Check one more time to make sure that everything is level before proceeding. It is important to make sure that you are using screws that are rated to carry the weight of your window box.

Once both brackets are in place, take your window box and place it on the brackets. Now, run in the house and open the window. You should not have any trouble opening it. If you do, lower the brackets before proceeding. This makes it a lot easier than testing after you’ve attached the box. Go back outside and make sure that the window box is level.

Attach the box to the brackets and you’re almost done. If you need to paint or stain the window box to fix any holes, do so now. It’s probably best to make sure that most of the staining or painting is done before you hang the box to avoid painting your house by mistake. Fill the box with soil, plant your flowers and you are done!

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If your showers are starting to feel more like a bath, thanks to the amount of standing water you have in your tub, it’s definitely time to address some clogs. Bathtubs and showers have to deal with a lot of hair on a daily basis and it doesn’t take much for a clog to appear. Even with the best maintenance, chances are you’ll have to fight one or two every year.

There are a lot of different methods for cleaning a clogged drain, and we’ll cover the ones that are most effective. However, since using drain cleaners is not only bad for the environment, but also for your health, we won’t be covering that method. It is possible to end up with drain cleaner coming back up into your shower and the health risks from breathing the fumes are injurious to the health of your whole family. There are plenty of other easy ways to clean a clog that don’t involve harmful chemicals.

Now, before we get started, you’re going to need a few tools. We recommend:

• a screwdriver
• a pair of pliers
• a coat hanger
• a plumber’s snake (for serious leaks - they’re available at most hardware stores)
• some gloves (if you don’t want to get slimy)

First, you’re going to have to remove the top part of your shower drain. Most are screwed in, so gently loosen that screw with the appropriate type of screwdriver. You’re not going to want to crank on this since you can damage your tub. If it won’t budge, try a little WD40 if necessary.

Once this top part is off you should be able to get a better idea of the kind of clog you’re dealing with. Most clogs will be in this part of the drain, so you can simply pick the hair out until the area is cleaned up. If you don’t see much hair or anything else clogging this area, you’re going to have to go a little bit further. Most modern drains have a pattern inside that is made of hard plastic, so you can’t exactly go sticking your hand down there. We don’t recommend prying this part out since you can permanently damage your tub.

Unwrap that coat hanger and try feeding it gently down the drain. Probe around until you feel like you’ve hit the clog. You can try to pull it back up towards you or push it down further until it reaches a larger area of the pipe where it can be flushed away. For serious clogs we really recommend a plumber’s snake since they are easier to use than a coat hanger. Get rid of the clog and then put the drain back together again and you’re set.

If you have frequent clogs there’s an easy little recipe that you can use to make safe drain cleaner. Get some baking soda and put it down the drain. Then, grab some white vinegar and pour it in. The chemical reaction will clean out the pipe and keep it clean for you. You can do this once a month as a preventative. After you use the mixture, run some hot water down the drain to flush away any excess power.

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Interior doors are usually not made of the best materials, and even the nicest homes may have simple hollow core doors. Since these doors are in high use areas, they can frequently have issues, such as hinge wear, and even in many cases, holes where something fell against it. If your interior doors have seen better days, it’s time to get cracking and get them fixed.

First, let’s tackle the issue of hinges. It is a good idea to inspect all interior door hinges every year. Try picking a holiday like Memorial or Labor Day to make it easy to remember. They should be properly oiled during this time and you should check to make sure that all of the screws are present, tightened and that the hinges are not coming apart.

If you notice a few hinges that are loose, you’ll need to get an appropriate screwdriver and tighten them in. It may be necessary to get some help to make sure that this is done properly. Have a friend or family member push the door up and in until the hinge is flush with the wall. Tighten the screw and then ask them to release the door. This is the easiest way to make sure that a hinge is properly tightened.

For high traffic areas, wood stress is very common, especially in older homes. This occurs when a door is opened to swiftly or too hard, and over time, the wood starts to give way. After awhile, the hinge no longer has a strong anchor and it may come loose. You may need to rehang a door, especially if the wood is severely damaged. For a quick fix, insert a shim that is thicker than the screws for the hinge. You’ll need to attach this to the area where the wood is rotting, and then attach the hinge to the shim. It may be necessary to cut into the door jam to get the shim and the hinge to sit flush.

For interior doors that are starting to show signs of wear and tear, a good cleaning is essential. Start with Murphy’s Oil or a similar wood cleaning product and carefully scrub away any dirt and grime that is present. If the wood is not too old, the soap and oil should restore the former shine. You can also take some olive oil on a rag to restore wooden doors.

However, if this does not help, you will need to take the door down, sand it down completely and either paint it or re-stain it. This doesn’t take too long, and can really bring a lot of life back to an old door.

For interior doors with holes or cracking, the best solution is a replacement. The integrity of the door has been compromised, and there is no point in patching it up. When you purchase a new interior door, consider getting one that has a solid core. Although they are more expensive, they will usually last much longer, especially in high traffic areas.

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