Handy and Sons presents helpful information that can make your life simpler while allowing you to maximize your greatest asset - your home. We're here to help!
Can Do-It-Yourself Actually Cost More?
In an effort to save money, many homeowners adopt a "can-do" attitude and decide to tackle home improvement projects on their own. Often, however, this might actually end up costing more money in the long term. Before tackling any home improvement project, homeowners should always consider total dollar cost, safety, and convenience, in addition to the amount of time they will have to invest and their expectations of the level of quality of the finished product, to help determine if they should hire a professional. They should ask themselves these questions:
| Do you have the knowledge and skill to do the work? |
| Be realistic with your skills and knowledge, and consider the end results. If you lay concrete for a new sidewalk, will it look as professional as you would like? Do you know enough about the chemical composition of concrete to end up with a sidewalk that will last? |
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| Can you make the situation worse? |
| If you find you're in over your head, you may wind up calling a professional to bail you out. Not only will you pay a contractor to fix the initial problem, you run the risk of having to pay even more to fix what you messed up. |
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| What is the value of your time? |
| Your time is valuable, and likely your spare time is even more valuable. While you may be able to handle painting the outside of your house, ask yourself if it is worth paying someone to scrape the old paint off, apply primer and two coats of paint, and then clean up (likely in less than a week) versus you spending a month or more of evenings and weekends to do the same job. |
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Doing-it-yourself isn't always a bad thing, just to remember to step back and assess the situation before tackling that mysterious fuse box or introducing a pipe wrench to your bathroom plumbing.
| Cleaning Your Garden Tools Is A Snap |
With spring fast approaching, now is the time to get out your gardening tools and give them a good dust-off.
To give your tools a thorough cleaning, fill a five-gallon bucket with builders sand (available at home improvement stores). Add about 32 ounces of mineral oil. Stir just enough to moisten the soil. To clean the tools, knock or scrape any excess dirt off them, then push them down in the sand. The sand will scour and the oil will leave a protective film on the tools. You many leave the tools in the sand until you need them. Otherwise, wipe off the excess sand and put them away.
To clean the handles, sand them with sandpaper or steel wool to get rid of splinters. Use a cloth to rub linseed oil over the handle. The oil will soak into the wood and help keep it from drying out.
Even if you completely neglected your tools all season and put them away filthy, these efforts will help preserve them for the next gardening season. |
| Home Equity Loans Are Valuable Tool |
In today's interest rate environment it makes sense to tap into the equity in your home for major expenditures, such as home improvement projects. Home equity loans also are a great way to finance the purchase of motor boats, recreational vehicles or vacations. Debt consolidation is another common use for home equity loans. But there are a few things to keep in mind when borrowing against your home.
Financial experts agree that home equity loans should not be used to cover current living expenses or to increase your standard of living beyond your means.
Home equity loans are not for everyone. Make sure you borrow only what you need and what you can pay back in the reasonable amount of time.
Also, avoid interest-only payments. They encourage perpetual debt and you may be faced with a large "balloon'' payment in which the entire loan balance is due at the end of the revolving period.
Before you acquire a home equity loan, be sure you understand:
• What the annual percentage rate is. Is there an introductory rate or "teaser" rate? If so, how long will it last?
• How is the interest rate established and how often will it be adjusted?
• What kind of up-front fees there are. Is there an annual fee? Is there a minimum draw requirement?
• The length of the loan? What are the repayment terms? Will I be subject to a balloon payment?
• How you access the funds in the loan or line of credit.
• A home equity loan is an important, yet complex, financial tool. Talk to your personal banker to determine whether a home equity loan is right for you.
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| Cutting Energy Costs |
When the thermometer drops each winter, the monthly cost of energy increases. You are not powerless against increasing energy costs. There are many practical ways to improve your home's efficiency.
• Replace and recycle your old refrigerator and purchase energy-efficient models. Units only 10 year's old can use twice the electricity as a new model.
• Caulk windows, doors and anywhere air leaks in or out. Do not caulk around water heater and furnace exhaust pipes.
• Weatherstrip around windows and doors.
• Wrap heating and cooling ducts with duct wrap, or use mastic sealant.
• Install energy-saver showerheads.
• Put an insulating blanket around your water heater.
• Set the furnace thermostat at 68 degrees or lower. Three to five percent more energy is used for each degree the furnace is set above 68 (and for each degree the air conditioner is set below 78).
• Use compact fluorescent lamps. You can lower your lighting bill by converting to energy-efficient low-wattage compact fluorescent lighting and fixtures.
• Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters regularly, following manufacturer's instructions.
• Close windows when heating or cooling.
• Wash only full loads in a dishwasher and use the shortest cycle that will get your dishes clean. If operating instructions allow, turn off the dishwasher before the drying cycle, open the door and let the dishes dry naturally.
Plan meals so you'll cook and bake several items at once. Preheat as little as possible.
• Do only full loads when using your clothes washer and dryer. Be sure to clean your clothes dryer's lint trap after each use.
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This web site does not contain legal, accounting or other professional advice. Although it is intended to be accurate, neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material. |
