Home Builders Edition 2022

How to cut costs on home renovations

Doyoustillhave anavocadogreen kitchen?Isyour livingroomdank anddark?Perhapsthere isonlyonebathroomfor afamilyofsix?Answering yestoanyofthesequestionscouldserveasthecatalystforahomerenovation project.

Homeimprovement projectscomeinallshapes andsizes—somewith hugebudgetsandothers thataremorecost-conscious.Regardlessofwhat homeownershopeto achievewiththeirrenovations,acommongoal

acrossanypricepointis adesiretosaveasmuch moneyaspossible.Home renovationscanbeexpensive,buttherearewaysto cutcosts.

·Assessthemeritofthe project.Remodelingmagazineannuallypublishes a“Costvs.ValueReport” thatliststheaveragecost andreturnoninvestment homeownerscanexpectof varioustypesofprojects. Ifyou’replanningtosell yourhomesoon,itmay bebesttofocusonrepairs andrenovationsthatwill generatethemostsubstantialROI.

•Hireacontractor.Even aviddo-it-yourselferscan sometimesbenet roma contractor’sexpertise,particularlyforcomplextasks.

Don’twastemoneyby tryingtoughjobsyourself; relyonanexperienced contractorwhocanget suppliesforlessmoney andwilldothejobright the rsttime.Compare bids romseveraldiferent contractorsand gureout thebestvalue.

•Refurbishexisting features.Ratherthana completegutandrebuild, gureoutwhereyoucan revitalizeexisting xtures

andmore.Forexample, renishingexistingcabinetscansaveyouupto 50percentcomparedwith thecostofnewcabinetry, accordingtoAngi(formerlyAngie’sList),acost comparisonandbusiness reviewresource.

•Choosemidgrade materials.Certainmaterialsmaybealltheragebut theycomewithahigher pricetag.Angireports thatgranitecounters couldbe$60to$100per squarefoot.However,a compositeorlaminate thatlookslikegranite andwearswellmaybe

$10to40persquarefoot. Figureoutwhereyoucan choosemiddle-of-the-road materialsformaximum value.

•Avoidpeakseasons. You’llpaymoretoinstalla deckorapoolrightbefore theoutdoorentertaining season.Therealsomay beapremiumtogetwork donerightbeforeamajor holiday.Therefore,consult thecalendarto ndanof timeforarenovationand bookitthentosave.

•Dosomeprepwork. Youmightbeabletosave bydoingsomeofthe demolitionandprepara-

toryworkyourself.For example,youcantearup oldcarpetingbeforethe installationofnewtile oors.Perhapsyoucan mendandpatchupwalls beforeapaintjob. •Buyadisplayitem. Formershowroomkitchensandbathsoftenare sourcedatafractionof theirrecommendedretail prices,accordingtoReal Homes,ahomeremodel guidebasedintheUnited Kingdom.Retailersoften updatetheirdisplaysand youmayscoreexisting showroomitemsata discount.

Planningaheadisvitaltoasuccessfulrenovation

Remodeling projectsare significant undertakings. Homeownersmustconsiderahostofvariables beforeanysuchproject canbegin.

Whileplanningahead maytaketime,itis essentialtoensuring successfulcompletion ofarenovationproject. Considerthesepre-renovationplanningpointerstohelpanyjobgo smoothly.

Determine your motivationfor renovating

Renovationprojects ofteninvolvebalancing needsandwants,and determiningifaproject isanecessityoraluxury cansetthetimelineand courseoftheproject.Is theroofleaking?Ifso, immediateactionisnecessary. Couldthekitchenbea bitmorefunctional?Ifthe kitchenisstillmanageable,ahomeownermay beabletowaitalittlebit togetbetterpriceson appliancesorcontracting services.

Separatingneedsfrom wantshelpshomeowners mapoutaviabletimeline thatmaximizesproductivityandaffordability.

Get professional advice

Manyhomeowners areundertheimpressionthatdoingthework themselvescansavea considerableamountof money.

Thismaybethecasefor homeownerswithreno-

vationexperience.Butby andlarge,professional contractorsareanasset toanyrenovation.They canprovidearealistic overviewoftheproject, mapoutprojectedcosts, pointoutareasthatcould betroublesome,andmay haveindustrycontacts thatcankeepsupply costslow.Evenifahomeownerwilldoaportionof thejob,acontractorcan dothebulkofthework andkeeptheprojecton budget.

Get necessary permits Permitsaredesignedto ensuretheworkisbeing donetocodeandinasafe manner.However,they arenotwithoutadditional costsandprocessingtime,

andthatcancausesome homeownerstoskipthis step.Accordingtothe homeinformationsite TheSpruce,buildingpermitscostanywherefrom $400toabout$2,200 fornewhomeconstruction.Buildingpermitsfor smallerprojectscancost $100orless,andtypically arebasedonapercentage oftheanticipatedcostof theproject. Apermitmaybeissued thedaytheapplication issubmitted,whileother citiesandtownsmayissue permitsuptotwoormore weekslater.Factorpermitfeesandprocessing timesintotherenovation plan. Ifitcomestolighta homeownerdidwork withoutarequiredpermit, heorshemayfacepen-

alties;mayhavetotear outworkdonetohaveit inspectedorredone;some maybeunabletosella homeuntilpermitshave beenobtainedandwork hasbeendonetocode. Homeownersinsurance coveragealsomaybe affectedifhomeowners donotobtaintheproper permits.

Otherconsiderations whenplanningarenovationincludewritingout astrictbudget,gathering inspiration,drawingup to-scalerenovationplans, pouringovermaterial reviews,andgettingrecommendationsforreliable professionalstodothe job.

Whilenoteveryobstacle canbeavoided,planning isagoodwaytostart successfully.

Doloris Dalton’s Spicewood Cabinets

DolorisStokely wasbornto JessandVerlie Stokelyinacabin besidetheriverinDelRio. Shewasraisedthereand hasneverwantedtolive anywhereelse.HergrandparentswerethelateRoyal andMaggieStokely,whose lineagecanbetracedto JehuStokelyanddirectly descendedfromtheQueen ofEngland.Hermaternal grandmotherwasEsther Kelly. Dolorisbecameacquaintedwiththewoodworking businesswhensheworked atBenningtonPine.While shewasanemployeethere, sheworkedineverydepartmentandgainedawealth ofknowledgeand,asshe states,“Loveofthewood.”

Herbusinessstartedto evolvein1975whenshe builtahouse.Sheaskedher brother-in-lawtobuildher kitchencabinets,andhis answertoherwasthatshe couldbuildthem. Doloriswashesitantat rst,butshedrewadiagram onherwallsastowhereshe wantedthecabinetsplaced, andherbrother-in-law helpedheratthatpoint. Hercabinetswerebirchand plywood,andshewashappy withthe nishedproduct. Twoyearslater,theowner oftheformerSlabCafein DelRioaskedhertobuild cabinetsforarentalhome. Sheobliged,andsoonthe wordstartedspreading aboutDoloris’talent. Shequicklydeveloped acustomerbaseasshe constructedcabinetsand hutchesforthosewho asked.Shedidnothavea buildingtoworkin,soher earlyworkwasdoneonher frontporch.Shequickly realizedshewasdoing somethingthatshelovedto doandwasmakingmoney doingit,soitbecameher full-timecareer.

In1982,Dolorisbuilta shopandcreatedSpicewood Cabinets.Latertherewas enoughbusinesstobuildan addition.Customersstarted bringingtheirideastoher onhowtheywantedtheir cabinets,andshewasable to ullltheirdreams.

Allhercabinetsaresolid wood,andthedetailandintricatedesigndemonstrates herdedicationtosuperior qualityworkSheisextremelypleasedthatshehas neverhaddowntime,even duringthistimeonancial instability.Herdaughter, Marcelle,andnephew,

ShannonStokelyareher part-timeemployees. Dolorishasnowbeen acabinetmakerforover 30years.Itisherlove, andithasalsobeenan educationalexperience inthatshehasbecomeso involvedinlearninghow tomeetthedemandsof

hermarket.Theworkalso keepsheractivementally andphysicallyandhas afordedherthewaytobe independent. Dolorishasfourchildren, whohavebeenbyherside throughouttheyears.They areJessB.Parton,Doloris MarcelleReed,DavidM.

Parton,andAnthonyG. Norton.Theyarealsovaluableassetswhenitcomesto runningherbusinesses. In1984,Dolorisfound herselfwithextratimeon herhands,andshewanted somethingconstructiveto helpherpassthetime.In 1994,shebegangoingto

Hillbilly’s,alocalmusic placeownedbyPaulStinson,wherewomencouldgo andfeelsafe. Shelovedthemusicand dancingandwentthere often.Shealsoplaysthe uprightordoghousebass, andsheandseveralfriends formedagroupthatwent togethertopickandsing. WhenHillbilly’sclosed,her son,Jess,foundabuildinginNewportnextto WoodProductsthathe,his siblings,otherfriendsand familyrenovatedandthat nowistheTennesseeMountainMusicBarn. Allherchildrenhavecontributedtothesuccessofthe businesslocatedat870E. Hwy25/70.Theyareopen onSaturdaynightfrom 7p.m.until10p.m.Itisorientedtowardfamiliesand concessionsareavailable. Sheisparticularlythankful thatthemusictradition willcontinuethroughthis business. Formoreinformation aboutSpicewoodCabinets orthemusicbarn,contact Dolorisat423-487-2655.

ACE Hardware meeting your lawn care needs

Signs a roof needs repairorreplacement

Manyhomeownersbelieve aroo isaonce-in-a-lietimeinvestment.Butroo damagecan orcehomeownerstoreplacearoo regardlesso howmuchtimehaslapsedsincethe roofwasinstalled. Theaverageliespano aroo dependsonwhentheroofwasinstalled andthematerialsitismadefrom.

AccordingtoCentralHomesRoong, three-tabshinglesmaylastbetween 10and15years,architecturalshingles canendure or15to20years,andtile maylastbetween35and50years.RPS MetalRoongindicatesametalroo maylastaslongas70years.However, climateandcoloro theroo alsowill aectitslongevity. Homeownerswouldbewisetoconsiderthese actorswhendeterminingi aroo isinneedo repairsorreplacement.

•Roo age:Theageo theroo isa major actorindeterminingi itwill needtobereplacedori repairscan bemadetoisolateddamage.Individualswholiveinneighborhoodswhere neighborsarenowreplacingrooswill likely nditistimetoconsultaroong company.Homeownersalsocancheck toseei theyhaveanyreceiptsthat indicatetheroo’sinstallationdateso theyhaveanideaaboutitsage.

•Grainingutters:Roongshingles aredesignedtooverlap,andsealant keepsthemsteady.Friction,weather

Tips for negotiating with contractors

Springistheseason or xingup ahome.Homeownerswhoaren’t interestedindoingtheworkthemselvesturntocontractorstoensure thejobisdonenotonlytocode,buton timeandefciently. Aterreceivinganinitialestimate rom acontractor,homeownersmaywonder ifthereisanyadditionalwiggleroomin contractors’costs. Certaincontractorsarewillingtonegotiatewhileothersare rmintheirprices. However,learningthebasicso negotiationcanputhomeownersinpositionto savemoneyondreamrenovations.

Do your homework

Gettingthebestpricetypicallyrequire shoppingaroundandnotsettlingonthe rstbid.Expertsrecommendgettingat leastthreeestimatesonthesamejob— andbesuretoleteachcontractorknow thatyouaresolicitingmultiplebids.This alonemayenticeaspeciccontractorto giveyouhisorherbestoerup ront. Avoidsimplychoosingthelowestbid. Lookatqualityo work,reputationand reviews.I youlikeacostlycontractor morethananother,seei thatcontractoris willingtomatchalowerbidtowinthejob.

Pick the right season

Aswithotherindustries,homerenovationworkheatsupduringcertainseasons

ortimeso year.Generalcontractorsmay bemorewillingtonegotiateforalower pricedependingonwhentheirbusyseason maybe.Jobsmayslowdowninwinter, or example.

Talk about supplies

Evenatergettingagoodbid,youmay beabletospeakwithyourcontractor aboutloweringcostsevenmorebychoosinglesscostlysupplies.Findouti contractorscansourcematerials romalow-cost supplier.Inaddition,discussi youcan purchaseyourownsupplies.

Ask to do a portion

Behonestwiththecontractoraboutyour budgetand gureouti thereisanyway oryoutodosomeo theworktolower costs.Thecontractorcangiveyoujobsthat arewithinyourabilities,whichcanshave dollarso the nalprice.

Know your rights and laws

Understandthelawsgoverningcontractlanguageinyourstateorprovince.Contractsshouldalsospelloutthe changeorderprocesssothatexpectations o changesandcostswillbeknownin advance.

Thesearejustsomeo thetacticshomeownerscanusewhennegotiatingtheprice ofhomeremodelsorimprovements.

andatmosphericchangescanimpact sealantandcausedegradation.Gutters withgrainymaterialinthemcould indicatewornoutsealantandshingles.

•Ridgedamage:Ridgesarespots wheretwoseparateareasmeetand otenareimportanttothestructural integrityoftheroof.Iftheroofridgeis showingsignso wear,itcouldbetime torepairorreplaceit.

•Curledshingleedges:I shingletabs arecurledorcupped,theshinglesmay needtobereplaced.Buti curlingis extensive,awholenewroo mayneed tobeinstalled.

•Baldspotsorlostportionsofthe roo:Missinggranulesandmissing shinglesarereasonstoconsultapro or aroo evaluation.

•Leaksindoors:Homeownerswho nddarkstreaksormoistureinthe atticmaydiscoverthatwaterispenetratingtheroo underlay.Wateroten comesinaroundchimney ashing. Otherwatersignsareblisteringand bubblinginwalls.

•Incominglight:Lookupthrough theatticandseei anylightiscoming throughtheroo,whichmayindicate therearecracksorholesintheroo

•Aesthetics:I ahomeownerdoesn’t likethelookoftherooffromadesign standpoint,areplacementalsomaybe warranted.

Rooscanlastmanyyears,butthe presenceo certainsignsindicatesreplacementorrepairswillbenecessary.

County Utility District Tankless Water Heaters

The dierent ways to repair a driveway

Asphaltdriveways donotlastforever.Overtime, weatherandgeneralusagecandegradethe drivewaysurface,resulting incracks,pittingandmore.

Ultravioletrays,saltand automotive uidsalsocan afecttheappearanceand functionalityofadriveway. Anunsightlydrivewaycan adverselyafectcurbappeal andresalepotential. Homeownershaveto considervariousfactors whenitcomestorepairing driveways.Theymayhave theoptionofgettingthe drivewayresurfaced,resealedorrepaved,andeach projectisunique.

Resurfacing

Accordingtothehome improvementpricecomparisonsiteKompareIt, resurfacingissimplerand fasterthaninstallinganew asphaltdriveway.With resurfacing,anycracksare lledintocreateaneven base.Thenanewlayero asphaltisappliedoverthe existingone.Thatnewlayer canrangeinthicknessfrom 1.5to3inches.Aheavy rollingmachinewillthen smoothand attenthelayers together.Ifthedrivewayhas minorpittingorcracking, thenresuracingcanbea cost-efectivestrategy,asit maybea$3,000to$6,000 jobasopposedto$5,000to $10,000withrepaving.

Resealing

Resealingadriveway, alsocalledsealcoating,is anotherrepairstrategy. HGTVsaysresealingcanbe ado-it-yourselfproject.Resealinghelpsthedriveway lastlonger. Thedrivewayneedstobe cleananddry,withholesand cracks lledpriortosealcoating.Startatthefaredge ofthedrivewayandsealthat areaby“cutting-in”byhand foraneatedge.Afterward therestofthedrivewaycan besealedusingasqueegee orbroom.Thisprojectcan becompletedwithintwoor threedaysifnoprecipitation isforecast.

Repaving

Aprojectbestlettoprofessionals,repavingtypically involvestheremovalofan existingdrivewayandthe installationofanewone.The sub-gradelayerisessential intheprocessforasmooth look.Contractorsalsowill assesssoilandgradingwhen doingwork.Theconstruction blogMainInrastructuresays thenewasphaltdrivewaycan varyinthicknessbetween twoandsixinches,dependingonbudgetandneed.The contractoralsocanadviseif full-depthasphaltapplicationoranaggregatebaseis practical. Assessingthecondition ofdrivewaycangivehomeownersabetterideaabout whichtypeofrepairproject bestsuitstheirproperty.

Save time and money with material alternatives

Homerenovations arebigbusiness. Thehomerenovationresource HomeAdvisorstatesthat thenationalaveragecostof remodelingmultiplerooms inahomewas$41,784in 2018.

Whilehomeowners cannotchangethesizeof roomstosavemoney,they canmanipulatethematerialsusedtokeepexpenses down.Manyproductson themarkettodayaredesignedtoreplicatethelook ofmorecostlymaterials withoutthehigherprice

tags.User-friendlyDIY productsalsocanhelpcorralcostsbycuttingdown onlaborexpenses.

Resilient ooring

Resilient ooringis manufacturedtomimic thelookofhardwood,tile, stone,andothermaterials.

AccordingtoArmstrong Flooring,specializedmanufacturingprocessesand coatingscreateaproduct thatresistsstains,dents, moisture,andscratches. Mostresilientproductsare madeupofseverallayers

tocreatestabilityandabsorbsound.Theseproducts tendtobelessexpensive thanthematerialsthey replicate.

Laminatecountertops

Muchlikeresilient ooring,laminatecountertops areinexpensive,low-maintenanceanddurable alternativestostoneand solid-surfacecountertops. Theycomeinmanydierentstylesthatcanlooklike graniteormarble.Homeownersalsocanconsider solidsurfacematerials,tile,

concrete,andwoodblock whenlooking orcost-efcientcountertopmaterials.

Shower kits

Bathroomrenovations canincreasetheoverall valueofahome.Butsome homeownersdonothave thetimeormoneytodo acompletebathroom remodel.Replacinganold vanitywithanewerone andreplacinganoutdated tub/showercombination canimprovethefunctionalityofaspacewithout breakingthebank.Show-

erkitsandstallsenable homeownerstorenovate bathroomswithless hasslethancreatingatileorstone-basedshower enclosure.Kitpiecesdrop inplaceandmayonly requireminorplumbing work.Certainkitscan beinstalleddirectlyover datedshowersforaquick remodelturnaround.

Cabinet refacing Homeownerswhowant tokeepthelayoutofa kitchenintactbutsimply updateitslookcanturn

tocabinetrefacing.The KitchenMagicrenovation companysaysrefacingor resurfacingusesquality woodorlaminateveneer tochangethecolorand appearanceoftheexterior ofcabinetswithouthaving toremovetheexistingcabinetframes.Newdoors, drawersandhardware willcompletethetransformationatafractionof thecostofanewcabinet build. Low-costmaterialscan keeprenovationbudgets incheckandstillproduce beautifulresults.

Tips when painting shutters

Therearemany waystogivea home’sexteriora newlook.Though itmightnotbeasgrandas replacingsiding,repainting shuttersafordshomeownersachancetotryabold newcolororsimplyreplace fadingcolors,andeachoptioncanmakeahomemore appealing.

Homeownerswhohave neverbeforepaintedshutterscanconsiderthesetips astheypreparetobeginthe project.

•Don’tgoitalone. Themostimportantstep homeownerscantake beforebeginningashutter paintingprojectistoenlist thehelpofafriendorfamilymember.Someoneto holdtheladdercanmake theprojectsafer.Enlisting athirdindividual,working ontheground,whocan taketheshuttersfromthe personontheladdermay beawisemoveaswell. •Removetheshutters. Whenpaintingshutters, homeownerswanttoremovethemfromthehouse. Itmightseemeasierto leavetheshuttersonand thenpaintthemcarefully withabrush,butthat’s bothtime-consuminganda potentialsafetyrisk.Some shuttersareinstalledwith

fastenersthatlooklike screws,butthatappearance ismisleadingandshutters installedinthiswaycannot beremovedwithadrillor screwdriver.Homeowners shoulddeterminewhich materialtheirshutters aremadefrom,andthen lookforacorresponding removaltutorialonYouTube.Homeownerswho can’t ndonecancontact themanufacturerora contractortodetermine thebestwaytoremovethe shutters. •Cleantheshuttersprior topaintingthem.It’slikely beenyearssincetheshutterswerelastpainted,and overthattimethey’veno doubtaccumulatedalotof dirtandmildew.Homeownerscantryagarden hosetocleanthem,andif thatdoesn’tworkapower washermaybeneeded. Ifusingapowerwasher withwoodenshutters,be especiallycareful,asthe forceofthepowerwasher maydamagethewood. Vinylshutters,likevinyl siding,cantypicallyhandle astrongpowerwashing withoutbeingdamaged. Woodenshuttersalsowill needtohaveoldpaint removedbeforetheycan berepainted.Theexperts atTrueValue®notethat

paintcanberemovedfrom woodenshutterswitha sanderorbyapplyinga chemicalpaintstripper.

•Primewoodenshutters beforepainting.Though vinylshutterswon’tneed tobeprimedunlesstheold paintispeeling,wooden shuttersmustbeprimed beforethey’repainted. Primingcanbeatedious process,sohomeowners shouldleavethemselves ampletimeforthispartof theproject.

•Rentanairlesssprayer topainttheshutters.Many hardwareorpaintstores rentairlesssprayers,and thesecanbethequickest waytopaintshutters.Professionalstypicallyapply twocoatsofpaint,andthe rstcoatshouldbeallowed tofullydrybeforethesecondcoatisapplied.

•Re-hangtheshutters aftertheyhavefullydried. Onlyaftertheshuttershave fullydriedshouldtheybe placedbackonthehouse. Employthesamebuddy systemwhenre-hanging theshutters,havingone personholdtheladderand anotherpasseachoneup oneatatime.

Paintingshutterscan giveahomeafreshlook withoutcostinghomeownersalotofmoney.

Exterior lighting can add ambiance to a property

Thevalueofthe rightlightingin ahomeisundeniable.Lighting caninstantlytransform aroomandcreatethe ambiancehomeowners arelookingtoestablish. Thoughitmightbemostly seenasawaytocreate moodinsideahome, lightingalsocandomuch forlawnsandgardens. Backyardshavecome alongwayoverthelast

severaldecades.

Oncereservedasplay areasforchildrenand stompinggroundsforthe familydog,backyards havebecomeoasesfor homeownersandtheir families.

Outdoorlivingareas arewildlypopular,and nosuchareaiscomplete withoutexteriorlighting. Infact,arecentreport fromtheNationalAssociationofHomeBuilders

foundthat85percent ofhomebuyerswant exteriorlighting,makingitthesecondmost desiredoutdoorfeature (patiostoppedthat list). Exteriorlightingcan haveadramaticeffect onlandscaping,and estimatesfromtheonlinefinancialresource Kiplinger.comsuggest suchlightingisinexpensive,withinstallation

averagingroughly$67per fixture.

Wheninstallingexteriorlightingaroundtheir landscapes,homeowners cankeepvarioustipsin mindtocreatearelaxing,awe-inspiringmood ontheirpropertiesat night.

•Consideruplights.Uplightsareinstalledinthe groundanddirectlight upatatree,focusingon itstrunkorcanopy.This createsadramaticeffect thatmakesitpossibleto

enjoymajestictreesat nightjustlikeyoumight whenspendingtime intheyardduringthe day.

•Focusontrees.Many homeownersalreadyhave exteriorlightinglining theirwalkwaysandpatios, butfocusingontreescan createanentirelydifferentlook.Thoughit’s possibletoinstallexterior treelightingonyourown, landscapingprofessionals withlightingexperience knowwhichfixtureswill

pairmosteffectivelywith thetreesaroundyour propertyandhowtoarrangethemformaximum effect.

•Optforwarmlight. Warmwhitelightcreates aninvitingfeelaround theproperty.Theexterior lightingexpertsatUtah Lightsacknowledgethat choiceoflightingisupto homeownersbutalsonote that,insituationswith lowerlevelsofambient light,suchasinexterior lightsaroundaproperty, peopletypicallyprefer warmerlight.That’sbecausewarmlighttendsto beeasierontheeyesand directsattentiontothe featuresofthelandscape, whichismanyhomeowners’goalwheninstalling exteriorlightingintheir yards.

•Utilizeatimer. Modernexteriorlighting timersmakeiteasier thanevertocontrolthe lightsoutsideahome. Manysuchtimerseven adjustforthechanging seasonsandtheshifting hoursofdaylight.That meanshomeowners shouldn’thavetotinker withthetimeronceit’s set. Exteriorlightingcan addsignificantappealtoa propertywithoutbreaking thebank.

Renovation trends that gure to be popular in the year ahead

Homerenovationtrendsare ever-changing. Renovations thatmighthavebeende rigueur20yearsagomay seemdatednow.

Recognizingthepotentiallypopulartrendsof tomorrowisagreatway forhomeownerstogive theirhomesafreshnew lookandputthemselves inpositiontocapitalize onpopulartrendswhen theyputtheirhomes onthemarket.That’s especiallysoafterthen pandemic,whenmillions ofpeoplespentmore timeathomethanever before.

Allthattimeworking fromhomeandrelaxing athomegavemillionsof homeownersideasabout whattheylikeabout theirhomesandwhat theyhopetochange. Thefollowingaresome renovationtrendsthat variousexpertssuspectcouldemergein 2022.

•Eco-friendlyliving: Climatechange,andhow tocombatit,wasahot buttonissueduringthe presidentialelectionin theUnitedStates.Soit shouldcomeasnosurprisethaturdesignmag. com,awebmagazine thatshowcasescreative trendsindesign,architecture,art,technology, andfashion,predicts thateco-friendlyliving solutionsfiguretobehot commodities.Eco-friendlyappliances,furniture anddesignscanhelp toconserveenergyand reducewaste,which environmentalistsand governmentagencies liketheEnvironmental ProtectionAgencynote aretwocriticalcomponentsinthefightagainst climatechange.

•Largewindows:Large windowscanprovide stunningviewsofthe outdoorsandallowample naturallightintoahome. Itmaynotbeacoincidenceiflargewindows provetobeahottrend followingCOVID.The pandemicthatdominatedmuchof2020forced manypeopletospend considerablymoretime athome.

Darkerhomeswithout muchnaturallightcan adverselyaffectmood, especiallywhenpeople arespendingmoretime athome.HGTVpredicts thathomeownerswill seekwaystobringmore naturallightintotheir homes,andlargewin-

dowsnaturallybrighten homeswhilemaking roomsappearbigger, helpingpeoplefeelless cramped.That’sanespeciallybeneficialcharacteristicwhenspending moretimeindoorsat home.

•Minimalism:The anticipatedpopularityof minimalismmayalsobe connectedtothepandemic.

Asprofessionalswere forcedtoworkfromhome andmanyfamiliesspent moretimetogetherinside theirhomesthenever before,theymayhave recognizedaneedtocut backonclutter,including extrafurniture.Aminimalistapproachisboth simpleandclean,which canmakehomesfeelless claustrophobic.

•Multi-functional spaces:Homeownersaskedalotoftheir homesin2020,asrooms weretransformedinto multi-functionalspaces seeminglyovernight.

HGTVnotesthatspendingmoretimeathome showedhomeownersthat itmaynotmakesenseto dedicateentireroomsofa hometoasinglepurpose.

Renovationsthatcanhelp homeownerstransform roomsintomulti-functionalspacesfiguretobe hotcommoditiesinthe yearsahead.

What to know about outdoor living spaces

Hometrends comeandgo. Whatwaspopularasrecently asadecadeagomayhave lostsomelusterintheeyes oftoday’shomebuyers. Thoughthat’shistorically beenthecaseinregardto realestate,outdoorliving roomsareonerelatively recenthometrendthat gurestohavealongershelf life,especiallyintheaftermathofaglobalpandemic duringwhichpeoplewere encouragedtostayhome asmuchaspossible. Realestateprofessionalsandorganizationslike theNationalAssociation ofHomeBuildersnote thepopularityofoutdoorlivingspacesamong prospectivehomebuyers, andhowthatpopularityhasgrowninrecent years.Outdoorliving roomsnotonlyappeal topotentialbuyers,they alsoserveasameans forcurrenthomeowners togetmoreoutoftheir properties.Homeowners mullingoutdoorliving spaceprojectsshould considervariousfactors beforedecidingtogo

aheadwithaproject.

•Cost:Thehome renovationresource HomeAdvisorestimates thattheaveragecostof anoutdoorlivingspaceis around$7,600.Thatcost caneasilygoupdepending onwherehomeownerslive andthefeaturestheywant tohaveintheiroutdoor livingspaces.Forexample, includingabuilt-in re pitinanoutdoorliving spacewillcostmorethan purchasingastand-alone repitthatcanbepicked upandmoved.Butmany homeownersfeelabuilt-in repitmakesanoutdoor livingspaceevenmore special.

•Returnoninvestment: Returnoninvestmentis anotherfactorforhomeownerstoconsiderasthey trytodecideiftheyshould installoutdoorlivingspacesandhowtodesignthose areas.Muchconficting dataabouttheROIonoutdoorkitchenscanbefound online,butmanytrusted realestateorganizations reportthatsuchadditions donotmesmerizeprospectivebuyers.Datafromthe AmericanInstituteofAr-

chitectsindicatesthatoutdoorkitchensareroutinely rankedamongtheleast desirablehomefeatures, whichmeanshomeowners shouldnotexpectsubstantialROIwhensellingtheir homes.Butthatbuilt-in repit?Estimates rom theNationalAssociation o Realtorssuggest re

featuresrecoveraround 67percentofhomeowners’initialinvestment.In addition,83percentof homeownerssurveyedby theNARwhohadinstalled re eaturessaidthey hadagreaterdesiretobe homeaftercompletingthe project.

•Space:Anoutdoor

livingspacemayonlybe asrelaxingasthespace allows.Theproximity ofneighborsmayaffect privacylevels,whichcan makeithardtoenjoy movienightoutdoorsor curluptoquietlyreada goodbook.Inaddition, landscapingalsomay needtobeaddressedif

drainageisanissueinthe backyard.Thatcanadd tothecost,anddrainage concernsmaylimitthe materialshomeowners canworkwith. Outdoorlivingspaces arepopular.Homeowners mustconsidervariousfactorsbeforedecidingifsuch spacesareforthem.

Budget-friendly ways to upgrade a landscape

Aninviting, well-tended landscapecan addsignicant curbappealtoahome. Suchalandscapealsocan serveasapointofpride andwelcomehomeowners eacheveningastheyarrive homefromwork.

Landscapingprojects runthegamutfromsimple changesthatcanbeaccomplishedonaweekend aternoontomoresignicantandcostlyundertakingsthatrequirethework ofaprofessional.Budget-conscioushomeowners maybelookingforsimpler projects,andthefollowing aresomelesscostlywaysto upgradealandscape. •Addapopofcolor withplanters.Awe-inspiringcolorscanmake alandscapestandout fromsurroundingproperties.Flowers,bushes andplantsmaybethe rstthinghomeowners considerwhentryingto addcolortotheirlawns, butplanterscanprovide amoreimmediatewayto giveexteriorgroundssome color.Boldplanterswon’t losetheircolorinamatter o weekslikemanyfowers do,andhomeownerscan switchplanterssothecol-

orsalignwiththeseason. Forexample,somepastel planterscanevokethespiritofspring,whileorange planterscanbe lledwith mumstogivealandscape anautumnalfeel.

•Plantperennialsaround

theproperty.Well-maintainedperennialsgrow backeachyear,making themidealforhomeowners whodon’thavethetimeor desiretomapoutnewgardeningarrangementseach spring.Plantingperennials

alsoisagreatwaytoadd coloraroundtheproperty withoutbreakingthebank. •Upgradewalkways. Thoughit’smoreexpensivethanaddingplanters andplantingperennials, upgradingoldandcracked

walkwaysisagreatway togiveapropertyawhole newlook.Accordingto therenovationexpertsat HomeAdvisor,homeownerstypicallypaybetween $6and$12persquarefoot fornewconcretewalkway

installation.Homeownersworkingonabudget cantargetspotswhere walkwayshavealready crackedand xthoseareas rstbeorecontinuingthe projectpiecemealuntilall theoldwalkwayshavebeen replaced.

•Planttocreateprivacy. Homeownersspentmore timeathomethanever beforeduringthepandemic, andsomemighthavegrown tiredofseeingwhattheir neighborsareupto.Fencing mightbethe rstsolution homeownersconsiderwhen lookingtomaketheirlandscapesmoreprivate.But newfencinginstallationcan beexpensive,costinghomeownersbetween$1,667and $4,075onaverage,accordingtoBobVila.com.Amore costlyandnaturalsolution istoplanttreesaroundthe perimeter.Speakwitha locallandscapingprofessional,whocansurveythe propertytoseewhichtrees mightthriveandprovide theprivacyhomeowners want.

Creatinganinviting landscapedoesn’thave tobreakthebank.Varioussmallandrelatively inexpensiveprojectscan changethelookandfeelof ahome’sexterior.

Membersof4MLSDatabases

RaeMassey - Owner KarenMassey Owner,Broker,GRI,e-Pro,SFR,SRES

423-237-3779

YourCockeCountyResidentialSpecialist

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423-465-0712 driskilr@gmail.com 131Hwy.25E Newport,TN37821 www.MasseyRealty.com

RandyDriskill AffiliateBroker

ScenicRealty

30+Years'Experience

109WesternPlazaWay Newport,TN37821

Office:(423)623-1200

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MarieWood Owner/Broker

ScenicRealty

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COSBYREALESTATE,INC.

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4871HooperHwy. (USHWY321N) Cosby,TN37722

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GlenE.Beasley Owner PrincipalBroker Tim Thomas AfliateBroker CosbyTN.com

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Tips For Waterproong A Basement Or Crawl Space

Watercanbea homeowner’s worstnightmare.Few thingshavethepotential todamageahomeasmuch aswater.Fromleaksto oodingtomoistureproblemslikemold,watercan wreakhavoconahome. Basementsorcrawl spacesareareasofahome wherewatercandothe mostdamage.Basements andcrawlspacestendto bethelowest-lyingspots inahome,andtherefore primespotsforwaterto enter.Waterproblemsin theseareascancontributetothedemiseofthe structuralintegrityofthe foundation.

AccordingtoOlshan, afoundationsolutions company,watercanenter homesinnumerousways. Manybuildingmaterials, includingconcrete,that seemsolidatfirstglance actuallyarequiteporous. Asgroundwatercollects aroundthesematerials, theweightoftheaccumulatedwater,called hydrostaticpressure,can weakenthematerials, causingcrackswhere watercanseepthrough. Wateralsocanentersubterraneanspacesthrough basementwindowsand gapsbetweenfootings andconcreteslabs,or pushupthroughfoundationfloorswhenhomes

areinareaswithhigh watertables.

Remedyingwaterissues inahomegenerallybreaks downintotwomethodologies:exteriorwaterproofingandinteriorwaterproong.Dependingon thecauseandseverityof thewaterissue,oneorthe other,orevenboth,may berecommended.

EXTERIOR WATERPROOFING

Exteriorwaterproofing aimstokeepwateraway fromandoutofthehome. Thehomeimprovement inormationresourceDoItYourself.comsaysthat exteriorwaterproofing

generallyincludestheapplicationofawaterproofingagenttotheconcrete foundation.Inaddition, exteriorwaterproofingalsocouldinclude excavationsoadrainage systemcanbeinstalled aroundtheentirefooting ofthehome.Regrading apropertyandproperly relocatingguttersand downspoutscanhelpwith manywaterissues.

INTERIOR WATERPROOFING

Whenwaterinabasementorcrawlspaceneeds toberemediatedindoors, asystemtocollect,drain andremovewatermay

benecessary.Thiscanincludesumppumps,drains, gravitydischargesystems, andmore.Moisturebarriers,whichcaninclude specialpaintsorproducts appliedtothefoundation wallsand oor,alsocan helpkeepwaterfrom enteringthespace.

MOISTURE SOLUTIONS

Keepingwateroutis onlyonepartoftheequation.Homeownersalso needtomanagemoisture, likeexcessivehumidity. AmarriageofHVACand waterproongtechniques maybenecessarytoimproveair owandremove

humidityintheair. Whilemanyhomeownershaveattemptedto addresswaterissueson theirown,manytimes itisajobbestlefttothe professionals.Because waterpenetrationcan havemultifacetedcauses, aprofessionalcanbest assessthesituationand createsolutionsthat t withhomeowners’budgets andneeds. Thereviewandadvice siteAngie’sListsuggests ndingatleastthree waterproongcompanies thatoferbothinterior andexteriorwaterproong servicesthatcanprovide thebestideas or xingthe issue.

7 things to know before replacing windows

Thedecisionto replacewindows oftencomesdown toaestheticsand necessity.Draftywindows canreduceenergyefciencyinahome,requiring HVACsystemstowork hardertokeepinteriors comfortable.Theharder theHVACmustwork,the morehomeownerswillpay inenergycosts.

Oldwindowsalsomay bepointsofentryfor waterandinsects.Despite theimportanceofwindows,Moneymagazine advisesthatnewwindows makeuponlyafractionof thehome’stotalexterior “envelope,”resultingin onlyabout5%to15%of

totalenergysavings.

Buttherearestillplenty ofreasonstoinvestinnew windows.

1.Vinyloraluminum maybebest.Lumberis farmedratherquickly todayandsolidwood productsmaynotstand uptoelementsaswellas woodusedahalf-century ago.Toavoidrot,vinyl windowsoftenarean affordableanddurable choice.Homeownersalso havetheoptionofwood windowswithaluminumcladding,whichare long-lasting.

2.Moistureproblems indicatewindowsneedto bereplaced.Condensation thatshowsupasfogging

betweendouble-pane windowsorontheinside ofwindowsindicatesthat thewindowsarestarting tofail.Ifinstallingavapor barrierinthebasement orcrawlspace,ventilating properlywhenshowering orcooking,orusinga dehumidifierindoorsdoes notremedythesituation, itmightbetimetoreplace windows.

3.Windowsaddcurb appeal.Beyondfunctionality,replacementwindowsimmediatelyupdate thelookofthehomeand canimprovecurbappeal sincetheyareoneofthe mostprominentfeatures ontheexteriorofahome. Ifahouseneedsanup-

date,replacingwindows andcanbeaquickand affordableupdate.

4.Considerotherenergy-efficientupgrades. Sometimesolderwindowscanbesalvaged, especiallyiftheyare notdamagedandonly moderatelydrafty.Replacingpanes,sashcords, weatherstripping,and evenglazingmaybeless expensivethanreplacing awindow.Plus,older homeswithattractive windowscomplement oneanother.Tokeep energybillsdown,think aboutaddinginsulation totheatticandbasement —whichisagoodidea evenifyouarereplacing

windows.

5.Thewrongwindows canadverselyaffecthome value.TheNationalAssociationofRealtorssays homeownersgetabout73 percentoftheirreplacementwindowinvestment backwhentheyresella home.Butchoosingthe wrongwindowsmight lowerthevalueofthe home.It’simportantto matchthelookoftheoriginalwindows,including windowmaterialandthe dividedlightpattern(the numberofpanesineach window)withtheoriginal windows.

6.Thinkaboutsoundproofing,too.When upgradingwindows,also

thinkabouthowcertain windowscancancelout noisesandmakehomes moresoundproof.Some windowscanhelpreduce outdoordistractions likeleafblowersorlawn mowers.

7.Properinstallationis keytolongevity.Replacementwindowsareonly asgoodastheirinstallationinmanycases.Poor installationandorders ofstandardratherthan customsizedwindows couldresultinpoorfitting andseals.Homeowners shouldcarefullyvetand reviewwindowreplacementcontractorstofind thebestprofessionalsfor thejob.

Theseasonscanbe harshonhomes, andperhapsno seasonismore taxingonahome’sexteriorthanwinter.Harsh winterweathercantakea tollonroofs,gutters,landscaping,andjustabout anyotherpartofthehome thatmustfacethecold head-on.

Thefollowingareafew areasofyourhomethat mightneedsomehelp reboundingfromwinter nowthatspringhas nally arrived.

•Gutters:Guttersare

vulnerabletowinter weather,asstrongwinds mayblowdebrisintothe guttersorevenblowthe guttersofo thehouse. Guttersshouldbecleaned priortoandimmediately afterwintertoensure they’reworkingproperly andnotbackinguptothe pointthatwatercanbuild upanddamagetheroof.

Reattachanyloosegutters andclearthemofanydebrisleftbehindbywinter winds.

•Roof:Theroofisanotherareaofyourhome’s exteriorthatmayhave

beenbeatendownover thewinter.Examinethe roofforcracked,missing ordeformedshinglesthat canallowwatertoentera homeanddamageitsinterior.Someroofdamage isvisiblefromtheground, buthomeownerswhojust enduredespeciallyharsh wintersmaywanttoclimb upontheirroofsorhirea professionaltogetacloser look.Anotherwayto determineiftheroofwas damagedistogointoyour atticandcheckforwater damagenearrooftrusses. Waterdamageindicates

somethingwentawryover thewinter.

•Walkwaysanddriveways:Heavysnowfallor signicantaccumulation oficeoverthewintercan resultincrackedordamagedwalkways,driveways andporches.Someofthis damagemayhaveresulted fromaggressiveshoveling orbreakingupofice.Look foranycracksinareas thatneededshovelingover thewinter,assuchcracks canbesafetyhazardsand mayevenprovetobeentrypointsintoyourhome forwaterorcritters.

•Landscaping:Landscapingalsotendsto takeahitinareasthat experienceharshwinters. Winterstormsmaydamagetrees,whichcanput ahomerightintheline offallinglimbsorworse. Walkaroundyourpropertytoinspectfortreedamage,removinganyfallen limbsorcuttingdownany limbsthatappeardead orthatmighteventually proveasafetyhazard.In addition,checkthegrass foranydeadspotsthat mighthavefallenvictimto winterfreeze,andaddress

thosespotswhenthetime comestorevitalizeyour lawn.

•Appliances:Whensurveyingyourpropertyafter alongwinter,inspectapplianceslikeacentralair conditioningunitoreven dryerventstomakesure theymadeitthroughthe winterunscathed.Such appliancesmayhaveprovenanattractivenesting spotforanimalsoverthe winter,butdamagecan besignicanti verminor otheranimalsseekshelter fromwinterweatherinsideappliances.

ALLCLEANCARPET& UPHOLSTERYCLEANING

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DeepSteamCleaning(Doesn’tgetbackingorpaddingwet)

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NewConstruction/Remodeling

Cell:423-237-4462

Prepareadeckorpatioforentertaining

Fewthingsare betterthanhaving afunctionaland beautifuloutdoor spacetoentertainguests. Havingagreatoutdoor spaceenablesapersonto hostpartiesorintimate gatheringsallyearlong. Establishinganentertainingspaceandmaintainingthatspaceare essentialwhenplanning anotheryearoffuninthe sun.

Therearemanythings homeownerscandoto ensuretheirentertaining spaceissafeandfunctional.Astheseason approaches,includesome landscapinganddecoratingcomponentstoyour preparatoryplanstomake thespaceascomfortable andaestheticallyappealing aspossible.

Hereareafewkeytips

forreadyingyouryardfor entertainingpossibilities. Expandonthesebasicsto customizeanareaforyour uniqueneeds.

•Checktheareafor anyneededrepairs.Prior toyourfirstentertaining session,lookoverthe deckorpatiototakenote ofanyflawsthatmay presentsafetyhazards. Arethereanylooserailings?Areallscrewsand nailsflushsotheydonot causetripping?Arethere anycracksinconcrete orloosepatioblocks?Be suretoremedyallofthe repairsneededtoensure guestswillbesafe.Ifyou areunsureofanystructuraldeficits,consultwith acontractor.

•Hireareputable contractor.Ifyouarejust layingthegroundwork foranewpatioordeck,

itisimportanttogetthe necessarypermitsandthen hireapersonwhohasbeen properlyvetted.Check qualicationsandlicensing beforehiringacontractor andasktoviewaportfolioofhisorherprevious work.Word-of-mouth recommendationsfrom trustedfriendsandfamily membersaregood,and youcanalsodouble-check qualicationsbycontacting theBetterBusinessBureau toseeifanycomplaints havebeenlodgedorusea servicesuchasAngie’sList toreadreviewsofhisor herwork.

•Thinkaboutclosing inaportionofadeckor patio.Theuseofacanopy, nettingorevengreenery toprotectanentertaining spacecanhelpminimize weather-relateddamageto outdoorfurniture.Netting

willkeepagoodnumberof bitinginsectsatbaywhen theweatheriswarmand humid.Havingabitof concealmentalsomeans youcancreateaprivate spacethatisn’teasily viewedbyneighborsor passersby.

•Planwell-defined areas.Justasroomsserve differentpurposesinside ofthehome,outdoor areascanbeseparated accordingtousage.Establishasittingnookwhere guestscangatherand talk.Haveabarorserving areawhererefreshments aremadeandserved. Makesurethereisa shadedareaforwhenthe sunistoouncomfortable tomakesittingoutside enjoyable.Similarly,have asunnyareawherepeople cansoakupafewraysor dryoffafteradipinthe

spaorpool.Don’tforget toestablishaspotfor thekidstoconvergewith scaled-downamenities.

Considera replaceor repit.Forcenturiesman (andwoman)hasgathered around re orsocialization andameanstowarming up.Havingabackyard replace,pitorchiminea isaconversation-starter,a decorativefocalpoint,and afunctionaltooltoextend thenumberofseasonsin whichoutdoorentertaining cantakeplace.Placethe rewiselyandwithconcernforsafety.Itshould beoutofthewayoffoot trafc,butcentralenough sothatitcanbeagathering point.

•Investinquality outdoorfurniture.Today’s yardsareextensionsofa home’sinterior.Guests nolongerwanttositon

uncomfortablemetalor plasticfurniture.Thereare manydierentoutdoor sofasandchairsthatareas stylishastheyarecomfortable.Thesepiecescanbe matchedtothedecorinside yourhomeforacohesive look.

•Accessorize.Consider thecreaturecomfortsof indoorsandmimicthat outdoors.Don’tshyaway fromhangingartworkon anexteriorwallorusing urnsorpotterytodecorate thespace.Weather-resistantmaterialsensure everythingfromclocksto televisionscanbeused outdoors.Thinkabouthavinganentiresetofserving dishesandotherentertainingitemsfortheoutdoors. Whenrefurbishing outdoorentertainingareas, emphasizecomfort,safety andfunctionality.

Make the most of small bathrooms

Renovatingbathrooms iscommonlyatthe topofhomeimprovementto-dolists.

Thoughsomeroomsaround thehousemayremaintimeless,bathrooms,likekitchens, showtheirage(andera)much moreeasily,whichcouldbe whyhomeownersarealways onthelookoutfornewideas.

Althoughmanypeople maydreamaboutcreatinga spa-typeoasisintheirhomes, noteveryoneisluckyenough tohavealargebathroom, muchlessalargebudgetfor afull-scalerenovation.Small bathroomsarecommon,particularlyinolderhomes,but theyneedn’tforcehomeowners tocompromiseonstylewhen renovating.

Smallbathroomsmaybea half-bathonamainhomelevel orevenafullbath,dependingonthehome.Bythinking creatively,homeownerscan maximizetheirspacesand redobathroomsinwaysthat bringouttheirbestassets.

•Whenspaceisatapremium,it’sbesttolook or xtures anditemsthat twiththescale ofthebathroom.Althoughyou maywantalargevanityand cabinetinwhichtohideall ofyourtoiletries,thissimply maynotbepractical—taking upmostofthebathroomreal estate.Instead,lookforelegant pedestalsinksthathavea muchsmallerprole.They’ll alsohelpyoucontroltheclutterinthebathroombecause therewon’tbeanywhereto hideit.

•Useopticalillusionsto makethebathroomappear moreroomy.Forexample,lay tilediagonallytocreatethe impressionofspace.Alarge mirrorwillreecttheroom backandmakeitappearmuch largerthanitreallyis.

•Selectlighterhuesinpaint colorsandaccessories.Dark paintsand xturescouldmake theroomfeelcramped.Dark colorsaregenerallyusedto makespacesfeelmorecozy.In asmallbathroom,itmaymake thespacefeelclaustrophobic.

Instead,thinklightandbright andtheroomwillinstantlyfeel moreairy.

•Minimizewallhangings andkeep xturessmaller.Fillingthewallswithknickknacks maycontributetoclutterand makethespaceappearclosed in.Usedecorativeitemssparingly.

•Ifpossible,storetowelsina closetoutsideofthebathroom. Thiswayyouwon’thavetodevotespaceinsidethebathroom toacloset,leavingmoreroom forotherthings.

•Whilesomepeoplelikethe thoughtofaseparatebathand shower,insmallerbathrooms thismaynotbepossible. Instead,lookforacombined showerandbath,orselecta walk-inshowerwithamuch smallerprole.

•Windowsareoftenwelcomeinbathroomsbecauseof theventilationtheyprovide, buttheycouldbeahindrance insmallerbathroomsbecause theytakeupprimewallspace. Coverawindowinashower stalltofreeupspace.Just besuretoinstallaventing fantoreducemoistureinthe bathroom.

•Maximizewallspaceifyou needstorage.Findcabinets thatwill tbeneathwindows orbeableto tinthinareas betweensinksandtoilets.Over thetoiletisprimeareafor cabinetry.

•Consideraframeless shower.Thisisapartitioned areaofthebathroomthat’s setasidefortheshowerandis typicallyonlycordonedofby athinwallorpieceofglass.Or ashowerwithnowallsatallis theultimateinspace-saving. Theentirebathroom ooris deckedoutintile,andaportionisslopedtowardashower drain.

•Thinkaboutinstallinga skylightifyouprefernatural light,butthereisnoroomfora traditionalwindow.

Thinkingcreativelycanhelp turnacrampedbathroominto aspace-savingandwell-designedroomhomeowners desire.

How to improve your home’s curb appeal for a quick sale

Thosewhohave triedtosella homearelikely familiarwiththe phrase“curbappeal.”Curb appealissimilartogetting readyforabigdate,only you’renotdressingyourselfuptomakeastrong rstimpression.Instead, improvingcurbappealinvolvesdressingyourhome upinthehopesitmakesa strong rstimpressionon prospectivebuyers,many ofwhomwillhaveastrong opinionabouttheproperty beforetheyevengetout oftheircarstohavealook around.

Ahomewithstrong curbappealcanentice buyerswhoarelikelyto believethatahomewitha well-maintainedexterior islikelytohaveanequallyimpressiveinterior.

Homeownerswhowant theprocessofsellingtheir hometogosmoothlycan improvetheproperty’s curbappealinanumberof ways,manyofwhichdon’t necessitateasubstantialhomeimprovement budget. Cleanup. Themost eectivewaytoimprove curbappealistocleanup theproperty.Manyhomeownersaresavvyenough toremovetoysandother itemsfromtheyardbefore showingahome,but cleaningupgoesbeyond removingclutterfrom theproperty.Makesure allhedgesaretrimmed andremoveweeds,sticks andotherdebrisfromany owerbeds.Laymulch inthe owerbedsand garden,asmulchprevents weedgrowthwhilehelping

thesoilretainmoisture, resultinginmoreattractive gardenstocatchabuyer’s eye. Getan“edge”on othersellers. Edgingis anothereasyandeectivewaytoimprovecurb appeal.Edgedriveways, sidewalksandotherwalkwaysaroundtheproperty, removingortrimming anythingthatishangingoverthedrivewayor walkways.I theboundary betweenyourdriveway andlawnisnotdistinct, considerinstallingedging materialssuchasstoneor bricks.Theedgingcanbe levelwiththedrivewayor elevated,butkeepinmind thatelevateddrivewayedgingcanprotectthelawn, preventingkidsfromriding theirbicyclesontothelawn orcarsfromdrivingonto

it.Addingedgingisnota verydifcultdo-it-yoursel project. Taketothetrees. Manyhomeownersgrow accustomedtoovergrown treesaroundtheirproperty andmaynotnoticethat low-hanging,unsightly branchesarehidingthe homefromview.Buyers wanttoseethehouse,so taketothetreesandtrim anybranchesthathangtoo loworobscureyourhome. Cleanthegutters. Leavesandstickshanging fromtheguttersareared agtobuyers,whotendto associatecloggedgutters withroofdamage.Clean theguttersthoroughly beforeputtingyourhome upforsaleandkeepthem cleanthroughoutthe sellingprocess.I your propertyincludeslotsof

trees,installguardstokeep twigsandleavesoutofthe gutters. Makethehomeaccessiblethroughthefront door. Manyhomeowners entertheirhomethrougha sidedoororthroughtheir garage.I you allintothis category,keepinmindthat prospectivebuyerswill beenteringthroughthe frontdoor,somakethis areaaccessible.Clearany clutter,suchasovergrown hedges,awayfromthe frontdoor,andconsider upgradingthedoorhandle toamoremodernfeature. Inaddition,makesure thelockonthefrontdoor doesn’tstick,forcingthe realtorandbuyerstoimmediatelystrugglebefore enteringthehome.You wantbuyersandtheirreal estateagentstogetinand

outofthehomeassmoothlyaspossible. Makesureallplants, includingfowers,are living. Dehydratedor deadplantsand owers areeyesores,andtheywill givebuyerstheimpression thatyoudidn’tpaymuch attentiontoyourproperty. Makesureallplantsare aliveandthrivingandreplacethosethataren’t.You canreplantnew owersor plantsorjustusepotted plantsinstead.Whenpurchasingnewplants,choose low-maintenancevarieties thatappealtobuyerswho wantgoodvibrantplants butmightnotwanttoput inmuchworkintothe garden.Whensellinga home,homeownerscan employanumberoftactics toimprovetheirhome’s curbappeal.

Countertop options abound

Manythings inakitchen contribute togivingthis popularroomitspersonality.Appliancesandchoice ofcabinetsgoalongway towardcraftingthatlook, butperhapsnothingdenesakitchenmorethan ahomeowner’schoiceof countertops.

Countertopsarewhere theactiontakesplaceina kitchen.It’swheremeals arepreparedandwhere hungryhouseguestsor curiouskidswatchthe familychefwhipupthe night’smeal.Theoptions withregardtocountertop surfacesarenumerous, andthefollowingarejust afewofthemorepopularoptionshomeowners planningtoreplacetheir existingsurfacesmight wanttoconsider.

Laminate

Laminatecountertops

arepopularandaffordable.Madeofsheeting gluedtoplywoodor particleboardsubstrate, laminatecountertopsare water-resistantbutnot veryheat-resistant,so homeownerswillwantto placeanyhotspans,pots orbakingsheetsontrivets tomaintainthelaminate.

Manyhomeownersprefer laminatecountertopsbecausetheyareavailablein somanycolors,meaning theycanmatchanyhomeowner’spreferences,no matterhowcolorfulthose preferencesare.Cutting onlaminatecountertops isnotrecommended,but suchsurfacesareeasyto cleanandmaintain.

Quartz

Quartzisamongthe mostdurablecountertop surfacesavailable,asitis resistanttobacteria,heat, stains,andwater.Though quartzisnotavailablein

asmanyshadesaslaminate,itissimilarlyeasyto clean.Alsolikelaminate countertops,quartzsurfacestendtohaveeasily visibleseams,whichmay irkhomeownerswhofind suchminorimperfections aneyesore.Quartzcountertopscanbeexpensive dependingontheamount ofsurfaceareaakitchen has,sobudget-conscious homeownerswithespeciallylargekitchensmay findquartzcountertops busttheirbudgets.

Granite

Thenaturalbeautyof graniteiswhatdraws manyhomeownerstoinstallthispopularsurface materialintheirkitchens. Thankstotheirunique shadingandtone,granite countertopsareneverthe samefromonehometo thenext,andgranitecomplementsmanydifferent cabinetcolors.Granite

alsoisresistanttoheat, scarringand,whensealed properly,stains.Granite isnaturallyporous,soif itisnotsealedproperly, itcanharborbacteria. Somegranitecountertops mustbesealedannually, whilesomepretreated countertopscangoas longas15yearswithouta needforresealing.Unlike othercountertopsurface materials,granite,which isamongthemostexpensivecountertopmaterials, doesnotcomeinavast arrayofcolors,sohomeownersshouldexpectto choosefromjust20orso coloroptions.

Recycled glass

Homeownerswhowant

togivetheirkitchensa modernandeco-friendly feelmaywanttoconsider recycledglasscountertops. Recycledglasscountertops,themajorityof whicharenowproduced with80to90percent post-consumerglass,are madeofpiecesofglass thatareheldtogether withcementbinders. Somemightbeconcerned thatcountertopsmade ofrecycledglassare notverystrong,butthe cementbindersarevery hard,makingthecountertopsdurable,strong andunlikelytochipor crack. Recycledglasscountertopscomeinvarious colorsandareresistant

tobothheatandstains. Installationo recycled glasscountertopscanbe tricky,asimproperinstallationcanleadtostress pointsthatmaketheglass susceptibletocracking.As aresult,theinstallationof recycledglasscountertops isbestlefttoprofessionalswithexperienceon suchprojects. Recycledglass countertopscanbe quiteexpensiveas well. Ahomeowner’schoice ofcountertopsurface materialcangoalong waytowarddefiningthe personalityofhisorher kitchen,sohomeowners shouldconsidertheir optionsbeforemakinga finaldecision.

Why hiring a landscaper may befor you

Themajorityofhomeownerswanttheir propertiestoappearas appealingaspossible.

Whilemanyhomeownerswant tobeproudoftheirproperties andcomehometoawelcoming homeeachnight,thebenefits tomaintaininglandscapinggo beyondthenotionthatwellcaredforlawnsmakeformore comfortingretreats.

Becausenumerousvariables, includinglandscaping,influencepropertyvalues,it’sdifficulttoassessjusthowmuchthe propertyvaluesofhomeswith impressivelandscapesareinfluencedbythoseverylandscapes.

Indeed,studieshaveproducedvaryingresultsregarding theeffectofwell-landscaped homesonpropertyvalues.But whatmanystudieshaveshown andwhatmanyrealtorsindicate isthatimpressivelandscaping addsasignificantamountto

propertyvalues,withestimates suggestinglandscapingincreaseshomevaluesbyanywhere from5%to20%.

Suchestimatesaregoodnews forhomeowners,andtheyalso highlightthestakesinvolved whenmakinglandscaping decisions.

Homeownerswithgreen thumbsmayembracethe challengeofrevitalizingtheir lawnsandgardens,butmany, especiallythosepressedfor time,canbenefitgreatlyfrom workingwithprofessionallandscapers.

Why hire a professional landscaper?

Maintainingapropertyrequiresmorethanjustmowing thelawneverycoupleofweeks.

Evenhomeownerscommitted tomakingtheirpropertiesas pristineaspossiblecanruninto

problemswhenadverseweatherconditionsposeathreatto lawnsandgardens.Thefollowingarejustahandfulof reasonswhyhomeownersmay findworkingwithlandscaping professionalsisthebestthing fortheirpropertiesandtheir bankaccounts.

•Professionalsunderstand thelocalclimate.Experienced professionallandscaperswill understandthelocalclimate andthechallengesitpresents toyourlawn.Experiencecan proveinvaluableaslawnsbattle adverseconditionsthatthreaten itssurvival.Whilehomeownersgoingitalonemaystruggle throughatrialanderrorperiod astheytrytoaddressproblemsthreateningtheirlawns, experiencedprofessionalsare morelikelytoidentifytheproblemimmediately,providinga readysolutionthatcanprevent potentiallycostlyrepairsdown

theroad. •Professionalscanprovide inspiration.Inadditionto maintainingproperties,many landscapingprofessionalshave vastexperienceimproving propertiesthroughlandscape design.Professionallandscapersmayhaveahostofideasfor yourpropertythatyouwould neverthinkof.Homeowners withlittletonolawnandgardenexperiencemaynotrealize allthethingstheycandowith theirproperties,andthosewho goitalonemayendupwith unappealinglandscapesthat donotattractbuyers’attention whenthehomehitsthemarket. Professionalstypicallyhavea wealthofideasand,perhaps moreimportantly,theyunderstandwhichideaswillandwon’t workonagivenproperty. •Professionalscanremove someofthestressofmanaginglandscapingprojects.

Homeownersknowthathome improvementprojects,whether theyareaddressinghomeinteriorsorexteriors,canbestressful.Professionallandscapers typicallyhaveanetworkofprofessionals,includingcontractors,whotheyhaveworkedwith inthepast.Suchconnections canensuremorecomplexprojectsthatrequirebothlandscapersandconstructioncontractorsgoassmoothlyaspossible. Inaddition,homeownerswho receivecontractorrecommendationsfromtheirexperienced landscaperstendtoresteasier knowingthepeopleworkingon theirpropertieshavealready developedarapportandestablishedasuccessfultrackrecord workingtogether. Professionallandscaperscan bejustwhathomeownersneed toturntheirpropertiesinto appealingoasesnobuyercan resist.

at Wilton Springs Hardware