Handyman & Home Improvement

Sharpen up.If you don’t love your everyday knife, get one you do — stat! Try an eight- to 10-inch chef’s knife from Wüsthof, Shun, or Zwilling to make prep work joyful for a lifetime. Revive a dated fireplace.Have the brick painted white, stack birch logs on the firebox floor, and purchase a hot new hearth-tool set. Dress your windows.The Shade Store can install anything from ripple-fold curtains to wood blinds just 10 days after you order. Blue is as calming as the sky, silver reflects light, jewel tones are bravely bold — and just might work. Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our experts–straight to your inbox.

Filled with a lush display of flowers, they add charm to any exterior window. Not only do they give windows a nice finish, but they also bring gorgeous flowers up and into view from inside the home. Plus, you can build the popular curb appeal element yourself. Do you love the look of old shiplap walls and ceilings, but live in a new home? Add a gorgeous shiplap accent wall in any space for $50 or less by trimming down plywood into planks, then attaching the boards to your wall using construction adhesive and nails.

All I need is a good quality storm door to go on back door. I don’t want to pay a fortune, just need something decent that will last. I thought I found a good one but it has so many bad reviews so am scared to…

  • You can also contact your gas, oil, or electric company about budget billing programs or new payment options especially for customers with disabilities who are on Supplemental Security Income .
  • Shop your existing inventory of accessories and display a few on your mantel for a quick, no-cost refresh.
  • If there are vaulted ceilings or a lot of detail work, it could be more.
  • To apply for a disabled facilities grant, you need to fill in a form which you can get from your local authority.
  • For most of us, renovation means modernising our home, adding more “functionality” to it or increasing its value.

Good levels of insulation can make room interiors more comfortable as well as dramatically reduce your energy bills – by up to as much as 90 percent. A relatively small investment can pay back quickly, and add to the value of your home when you choose to sell. Samantha is an editor who covers all topics home-related including home improvement and repair.

top tips for improvements to sell a house:

She edited home repair and design content at websites like The Spruce and HomeAdvisor. She also has hosted videos on DIY home tips and solutions and launched multiple home improvement review boards staffed with licensed pros. Get expert advice on your home, design tips, how much to pay for pros and hiring experts, delivered to you daily.

But there are often good deals to be found at places like Ikea, Home Depot, Lowes, and other stores that cater to the DIY crowd, where some fixtures can cost under $100. The outside of your house is a buyer’s first impression when they pull up. Anything that’s dead should be removed, and anything that’s overgrown should be cut back. You can make sure the lawn is refreshed and green by re-sodding or planting grass seed, and you may want to do edging to help define spaces. “A few newly planted shrubs and perennials tucked in for good measure will make your house feel much more finished and inviting,” Matke suggests. For example, if you’re resetting your term to 30 years, or if you’re getting a lower interest rate, your payment won’t necessarily go up.

This Old House

You can either have someone spray foam it or you yourself can install batt style insulation. In this article I will explain to you how to install batt insulation or as sometimes referred to as fiberglass insulation. So its finally time to replace that old inefficient dishwasher with a new energy efficient model. Every manufacturer has many different models and all different price ranges.

Of the interior of an entire 2,500 square foot house can be anywhere from $2,000-$4,000 depending on the market, according to Norris. If there are vaulted ceilings or a lot of detail work, it could be more. Like any refinance, a cash-out refinance changes the terms of your loan. You’ll get a new loan with an updated interest rate, and your payment will change to reflect the change in your loan. The best time to refinance your mortgage is when interest rates are low. The lower the interest rate you secure, the bigger your savings will be over time and on a month-to-month basis.

Maintenance and repair

A rotary dimmer switch is the most common type of dimmer switch. As you rotate the knob clockwise and counterclockwise, the intensity of the light changes. Inject elegance into your daily life with a faucet that ups the ante in looks and quality. Just make sure the configuration matches your existing sink, or you might end up replacing that, too. If you’re planning on buying a new sink, it’s easiest to install a faucet and other hardware on a new sink before the sink is put in place.

HHI have now grown into a multi branch company, covering all Northern Ireland with six branches province wide. If you rent your home and apply to your local authority for help with home improvements, you’ll need to get your landlord’s permission before the local authority will agree to help you. If you’re disabled and the changes are to do with your disability, your landlord shouldn’t refuse permission unless they have a good reason. In some cases, your landlord might be responsible for making the changes. Your local authority will have its own rules about the conditions you must meet in order to get help.