Questions to ask before embracing DIY to take frequent breaks, cost if homeowners do it which can delay projects. themselves.
Home improvement projects are as popular as ever. In its 2017 True Cost Survey, the home improvement site HomeAdvisor found that, between February 2016 and February 2017, homeowners spent an average of just over $5,000 on home projects. That marked a nearly $1,900 increase from the year prior, indicating that homeowners are increasingly opening their wallets to transform their homes. In addition to spending money to improve their homes, many homeowners are spending their time on projects as well. While DIY projects can provide a
sense of fulfillment and personal attachment to one’s home, prospective do-it-yourselfers should ask themselves some questions before picking up their hammers and getting to work.
Do I have any physical limitations? No matter how much home improvement television shows may simplify projects, prospective DIYers should know that such undertakings are typically very difficult and oftentimes physically demanding. Homeowners with existing health conditions or other physical limitations may not be capable of performing certain tasks or may need
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Do I have the time?
Can I go it alone?
Many home improvement projects require a significant amount of time to complete. Homeowners whose time is already stretched thin with commitments to work and/or family may not be able to complete projects within a reasonable amount of time. That’s fine if working on a part of the home that won’t affect daily life, but can prove stressful or problematic if the project is in a room, such as a kitchen or bathroom, that residents of the home use each day. Novice DIYers should be especially honest with themselves about the time they have available to work on the project, as such homeowners are bound to experience a few time-consuming missteps along the way.
Many home improvement projects require more than one set of hands, and it’s risky and even foolish for firsttime DIYers to assume they can begin a project and see it through to completion entirely on
Can I afford it? While DIY might seem more affordable than hiring a contractor, that’s not necessarily true. Novice DIYers may need to buy or rent tools, costs that can add up. Contractors already have the tools necessary to begin and complete projects, so the cost savings of DIY might not be as significant as homeowners think. Before going the DIY route, homeowners should solicit estimates from contractors, comparing the estimates to how much a project will
their own. Homeowners whose spouses, partners, friends, or relatives are willing to chip in may think that’s enough. However, the DIY skills of those who volunteer may be a mystery until the project begins. Novice DIYers should enlist the help of a friend or family member with home im-
provement experience. If no such person is available, it may be wise to hire a contractor instead. Home improvement projects may seem simple on television. But prospective do-it-yourselfers must make honest assessments of their skills, time and budgets before taking on a DIY project.
Signs it is time for new windows Windows help regulate the temperature in a home, let in natural light and keep insects, weather and outdoor elements outside where they belong. The right windows also can add value to a property by providing aesthetic appeal and increasing curb appeal. Although homeowners can typically get many years out of their homes’ windows, ultimately windows will need to be replaced. Homes that are more than 20 years old and still have their original windows could be due for an upgrade. Aluminum- or wood-framed windows also may be ripe for changing. Here are some signs that it’s time to replace windows, courtesy of Good Housekeeping, Centra® and the real estate website Redfin.
• Drafty feel in the home: Window frames can begin to shrink as they age, allowing air to flow from the outdoors in and vice versa. Homeowners may notice drafts when standing near windows or hear whistling on notably windy days. • Rising energy bills: If energy bills are inexplicably on the rise, then old windows could be to blame. Aging, drafty windows can make it necessary to run HVAC systems more often and at higher or lower temperatures in order to keep homes comfortable. • Windows are difficult to open or close: Homeowners may get used to the quirks of their win-
dows, but those that are difficult to open or close may require replacement. In addition, if windows need to be propped open, it’s time to replace them. • Water infiltration: Warping or decaying window frames can make it easy for rain or snow to get into the home. Wood frames are particularly prone to moisture decay. If frames are warping or allowing water into the home, it’s time for an upgrade. • Condensation on windows: Fog or condensation buildup on windows can occur if the seal between panes is broken. In this instance, replacement windows are necessary.
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Simplify your kitchen with smart home gadgets (BPT) – As the heart of the home, the kitchen is often the busiest room of the house - a perfect space to install the latest smart home gadgets. With “smart” sidekicks, you can solve kitchen challenges and simplify the overall cooking process.
all with a simple voice command. To simplify everything from a quick breakfast on the go to a healthy family dinner, consider investing in devices like a smart oven and connected coffee maker to allow users to preheat and schedule brewing from a mobile device.
Avoid cooking messes
When cooking with raw meat or messy ingredients, otherwise mindless tasks like opening the trash and turning on the faucet can become a challenge. Home cooks risk spreading the mess and germs - in the cookIncrease cooking Track your kitchen ing process. Consider efficiency upgrading your Touch2O inventory Whether cooking Delta faucet with VoiceIQ for one or hosting an Intuitive devices can Technology to pair with elaborate dinner party, help you shop smarter Amazon Alexa or Google smart kitchen solutions and reduce food waste. Assistant to turn the wacan lend a helpful hand Instead of sniffing out ter on and off. Not only in a busy kitchen. The mold and sour scents, do you contain the mess, faucet has evolved from a apps help track pantry but you also practice standard two-handle to a inventory. Simply take single handle that can be pictures of your grocercleanliness in the kitchen turned on and off with a ies and input expiration while keeping the faucet simple touch. This neces- dates. When the next spotless. Voice-controlled sary kitchen assistant can shopping trip comes trash cans are also handy streamline cooking tasks around, have a list of investments, encouraging what items need to be for seasoned chefs and the rest of the family to tossed and which foods novices alike. join in on the cleaning should remain on the Today, Delta VoiceIQ shelf. If looking to make process. Technology takes this to Next time you’re in the next level dispensing a substantial kitchen upthe kitchen, consider the exact measurements and date, consider investing filling custom containers in a refrigerator that lets latest “smart” advances like baby bottles, dog you view the inside of the that can solve your kitchbowls or pasta pots, fridge from your phone. en hitches.
How to build your home bar Many people enjoy opening their homes to friends or family. In fact, according to the National Eating Trends survey and custom research by the NPD group, in 2016 the average person ate 38 meals at other people’s homes. Knowing how to cook, set the mood and entertain is increasingly important for many homeowners. Installing and outfitting a home bar can provide guests with the features of a night out, only without the crowds or bar tabs that come at the end of the night. A home bar is a place where hosts and their guests can gather and enjoy great conversation. Such a spot also can serve as a neighborhood hangout — a smart choice for those who want to indulge safely and not have to drive home afterward.
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Creating a home bar need not be a difficult project. By investing in basic equipment, stocking up on preferred liquors and gaining some mixology expertise, hosts can impress and entertain their guests.
Wet bars are ideal in dens, renovated garages and finished basements.
Stock up on equipment
A new home bar requires barware and glassware. Various drinks are best served in Establish a bar requisite glassware and setup prepared with the right Home bars can range equipment. A home from rolling carts to bar will benefit from a built-in wet bars to a sin- muddler, jigger, cocktail gle tray of items. Space shaker, strainer, ice cube in a home will dictate the trays, and bar spoon. kind of bar homeowners Glassware can include can have. Rolling bar short glasses, tall glasses carts are popular and and wine glasses with versatile, and they can be stems. Martini glasses kept stationary or rolled provide a chic look and in and out of a room are practical for those as needed. If a bar cart who prefer cosmopoliis open, organization is tans and martinis. key, as you don’t want it Fill it with spirits to look unkempt. No bar is complete A full-blown wet without alcohol and bar will require more mixers. Homeowners can construction, including plumbing and electricity buy the types of spirits they love and complete if you need outlets for their bars with the basics plugging in appliances.
for mixing. When stocking a bar, keep in mind that everything does not have to be top-shelf. Vodka, gin, tequila, rum, and whiskey are some of the more popular spirits. Simple syrup, fresh fruit,
club soda, cola, and bitters are examples of versatile mixers. Entertaining guru Martha Stewart says to have enough supplies on hand for guests. Expect each person to have
three drinks (requiring three glasses), use a pound of ice, and three cocktail napkins per twohour party. Don’t forget to also have nonalcoholic items on hand for those who don’t imbibe.
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