Tuesday, February 25, 2014

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Master Closet: DIY vs Custom

  • Published: November 04, 2010
  • By:                             
Personalize your master closet with special storage features that you select and install, or hire a professional to do the work.
  • Effort:Med 2-10 days
  • Investment:Med $800-$5,000
DIY Master Closet Renovations Custom Home Renovations                                    
You can buy DIY master closet kits, but make sure to measure and plan how you'll use the space first. Image: Elfa Closet/The Container Store
Every master closet — and probably every other closet you have — can use a facelift.
But deciding between a do-it-yourself closet system and hiring a professional to design and install your master closet storage isn’t only about budget. The time you have available, the desired appearance, special options, and quality all factor in your decision.
 
The DIY Option
At the low end of the price range are do-it-yourself master closet kits, made from melamine (laminate-surfaced fiberboard) or coated wire. Installation is fairly easy — you just screw the attachment brackets to the wall and attach the shelves and poles.

The hard part is planning the layout. You’ll need to measure your space, then choose modular components from the home center or at online sites like EasyClosets or The Container Store.

Easy DIY Design
A typical master closet is about 8-by-10 feet. Most closet modules are 1-3 feet wide and 7 feet tall, so you need to figure out the best combination of units to fill the wall. Check online sites for free tools that suggest the best combination of modules for your master closet dimensions and layout.

You’ll likely have four basic components to choose from: a shelf unit, a drawer unit, a unit with two closet poles — typically spaced about 42 inches apart — for hanging shirts and pants, and a unit consisting of a single closet pole for hanging dresses and long jackets.

Then add components that will accommodate your storage needs and fit in the space. For enough components to outfit an 8-by-10-foot master closet, expect to pay $800-$2,000.

Your Custom Master Closet
Hire a closet company, a contractor, or a kitchen and bath designer to outfit your custom master closet, and you’ll get a setup that uses every inch of space. Instead of fiberboard or coated wire, components will be made of high-density melamine or even solid wood.

You’ll also have a much wider range of storage options — jewelry drawers, tie and belt holders, shoe racks, hamper baskets — and accessories, like a fold-down ironing board, a lighted beauty/makeup station, or a full-length mirror that slides out from between the shelves and swivels open for use.
Plan to keep your master closet design flexible, so you (or a future owner) can change shelf and pole heights and compartment configurations as needs change.

The Cost of Custom
All those bells and whistles come with a big price tag, ranging from $3,000-$5,000 and up for a typical 8-by-10-foot custom master closet, installed. Luxury appointments can take the price to $10,000 and beyond. That’s a lot of money, but your deluxe closet is an upgrade you’ll use and love everyday.
 
Oliver Marks A former carpenter and newspaper reporter, Oliver Marks has been writing about home improvements for 16 years. He’s currently restoring his second fixer-upper with a mix of big hired projects and small do-it-himself jobs.


Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/closets/master-closet-diy-vs-custom/#ixzz2uMIsf9r4
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Tuesday, February 18, 2014


Should You Tornado-Proof Your House?


Here are six ways to tornado-proof your home. Warning: These aren’t cheap — nor foolproof — methods.



Man installing interlocking metal shingles
Interlocking steel shingles are one way to reinforce your roof against tornado damage. Image: RoofingCalculator.org
Ever been awakened by a tornado siren in the middle of the night? It’s plenty scary — tornadoes move fast and can tear apart your house in seconds.

To keep you and your family safe, the best defense is a tornado storm shelter — a rugged safe room or pod you can scurry into if there’s a big storm.

But there are other measures you can take to strengthen your house and prevent costly damage. These aren’t simple fixes — most involve major retrofit projects — but they might make sense if you’re planning a substantial remodel, such as replacing your roof, windows, and doors.

They’ll add to the cost of your project, but if you live in a tornado-prone area, you can probably justify the extra 20% or so premium expense for these beefier methods and materials.

Here are 6 tornado-proofing ideas suggested by our friends at Safer, Stronger Homes.

1. Extra fasteners for roof sheathing

The risk: Winds tear off roof sheathing, exposing the interior of the house to damaging rain and debris.

Fix: Use ring-shank nails or screws to fasten plywood sheathing to roof rafters. Use tighter nail spacing than required by code (typically 6 inches apart). Careful nailing is a must, especially at the edges of sheathing panels.

Cost above conventional practice: $450 (average)

2. Seal roof sheathing seams

The risk: Winds lift off underlayment (the protective layer directly below shingles), exposing joints in the roof sheathing.
Fix: Seal sheathing joints with bituminous peel-and-stick flashing tape. Cover sheathing with self-adhering membrane roofing underlayment (as opposed to traditional roofing felt).
Cost above conventional practice: $800-$1,200 (average)

3. Install wind-resistant roofing

The risk: Winds destroy roofing, your house’s primary defense against water damage.

Fix: Install a roofing type that exceeds wind ratings for your region:
  • standing seam metal roofing
  • heavy clay or concrete tiles
  • asphalt/composition shingles rate either Class G (120 mph winds) or Class H (150 mph winds)
Cost above conventional practice: $1,000-$3,000 (average)

4. Use wind-resistant siding

The risk: Even minor damage to siding can let moisture inside walls, where it can lead to mold and rot.

Fix: Use wind-resistant siding products that are nailed directly into wall studs, not simply into the wall sheathing:
  • vinyl siding should be rated to withstand 150 mph winds and feature a double nailing hem
  • fiber-cement siding is extremely heavy and wind-proof
Cost above conventional practice: $1,000 (upgrade vinyl) to $15,000 (all-new fiber-cement siding)

5. Add impact-resistant windows and doors

The risk: Windows and doors break or blow open, letting in rain and destructive winds that can lift off roofs.
Fix: Install impact-resistant windows and doors rated for winds at least 30% stronger than demanded by local building codes. Install out-swinging windows (casements) and exterior doors so that wind pressure tends to compress seals. Avoid double-swinging windows, doors, and sliders unless they are rated for high wind resistance.
Cost above conventional practice: 2-3 times more expensive per unit than comparable conventional windows and doors

6. Install wind- and rain-resistant roof vents

The risk: Roof vents are designed to exhaust hot, humid air from attic spaces, but they are weak points during storms with high winds, letting rain water inside your house.
Fix: Replace vents with wind- and rain-resistant models.
Cost above conventional practice: $1,000 replacement cost (average)

Have you ever been close to a tornado? Did you modify your home as a precaution?

John_Riha John Riha has written seven books on home improvement and hundreds of articles on home-related topics. He’s been a residential builder, the editorial director of the Black & Decker Home Improvement Library, and the executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.


Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/blog/tornadoes-severe-storms/tornado-proof-home/#ixzz2tgr5Sngv
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Wednesday, February 12, 2014

What You Should Know About Your Home and Your 2013 Taxes

It’s the last year for three sweet home tax benefits, but the first for a way simpler home office deduction.

These days few things start a fight on Capitol Hill faster than taxes. Despite the fact that three important tax benefits used by millions of American homeowners are days from expiring, Congress is unlikely to do anything to re-up them any time soon.

So if you’re eligible, tax year 2013 is possibly the last time to claim the private mortgage insurance (PMI) deduction, the energy tax credit, and debt forgiveness benefit, all of which all expire on Dec. 31, 2013.

At least there’s one piece of good news for homeowners: If you have a home office, there’s a new, simpler option for calculating the home office deduction for which you may qualify on your 2013 taxes.

Meanwhile, here’s what you need to know about those expiring benefits as you ready your taxes:

PMI Deduction

This tax rule lets you deduct the cost of private mortgage insurance, which is what you pay your lender each month if you put down less than 20% on a home. PMI protects the lender if you default on the home loan. Your deduction could amount to a couple hundred dollars depending on your tax bracket and other factors.


Energy-Efficiency Upgrades

This sweet little tax credit lets you offset what you owe the IRS dollar-for-dollar for up to 10% of the amount you spent on certain home energy-efficiency upgrades, from insulation to water heaters. On the downside, the credit is capped at $500 (less in some cases). But on the bright side, the right improvement could lower your utility bills indefinitely.



Debt Forgiveness

When you go through a short sale, foreclosure, or deed-in-lieu, your lender typically lets you off the hook for some or all of what you owe on your mortgage.

That forgiven mortgage debt is income, on which you’d typically have to pay income tax.

Suppose you’re in financial distress and your lender agrees to let you short-sell your home, say for $50,000 less than you owe on the mortgage, and forgive you for the balance. Without the protection of the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act, you’ll owe income tax on that $50,000.

It’s likely if you had the money to pay income tax on $50,000, you’d have used it to pay your mortgage in the first place.

New Simplified Option for the Home Office Deduction

This may be the last year for the benefits above, but a new one kicks in for the 2013 tax year. If you work from home, you may qualify to use a new, simplified option for claiming the home office deduction when you file your 2013 taxes.

How much simpler is it? It lets you claim $5 per sq. ft. for up to 300 sq. ft. instead of having to compute the actual expenses of your home office using a 43-line form. To calculate the square footage of your office, just multiply the length of two walls. For example, an 8-by-10-foot room is 80 sq. ft. And at $5 per, that’s $400.

Although using the simplified option is obviously easier, the basic requirements for claiming the home office deduction haven’t changed. Your home office still must be used for business purposes:
  • Exclusively, and
  • On a regular basis.


Why Might the Tax Benefits Not Be Renewed?

Although the expiring tax benefits were renewed retroactively in past years, that may not happen in 2014 because many in Congress would like to see comprehensive tax reform rather than scattershot renewals of individual provisions. This could delay a decision on the homeownership tax benefits until the big picture budget and tax issues are resolved.

So if you can, enjoy them now!


Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/blog/tax-deductions/tax-deductions-credits-for-homeowners-2013/#ixzz2t8HUyeZl
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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

February home-maintenance checklist

The transition between winter and spring is the time to get a jump on moisture damage and heat loss, make quick work of organizing storage areas and work in some garden prep before spring.

By Marilyn Lewis of MSN Real Estate

 
Don’t let winter slip away without using the cold, wet weather to help you detect where your home is leaking water and heat, giving you a chance to seal it up tight and develop a wish list for energy-saving improvements. Your first order of business inside your home is to make sure no water is getting in.
Carefully check every spot where condensation or water could enter your living areas and storage spaces. Take along a pad of paper and a pencil and take detailed notes as you scrutinize ceilings, under the roof, under the eaves and along window and door frames and ventilation seals. Be particularly careful to check under toilets, sinks, tubs and showers. Use a flashlight to check the crawl space or basement walls and floors and the underside of the first-story floor. You’re looking for visible moisture and for stains caused by moisture. When you find something, the remedy will depend on the source of the leak. You may just need to recaulk around a tub or window, or you may need to call a plumber to replace a leaking fixture.
 
Here are some other tasks to tackle inside your home this month:
 
Change the shower curtain. While you’re checking for leaks in the bathroom, see if the shower curtain needs replacing. Damp shower curtains can grow unhealthy mold and mildew and contribute to mold problems in the tub and shower, so swap yours out periodically and make sure to open and air out the shower enclosure when you’re done bathing.
 
Batten down the hatches. Find and seal energy leaks. Grab a pad and pencil to note any spots that you can’t address right away. Arm yourself with a tube of caulk to fill small cracks and a spray can of insulating foam sealer for larger gaps. Tour your home feeling for cold air entering through cracks in chimneys and window and door frames, and cracks around appliance vents, electrical and plumbing fixtures and furnace ducts. Remedies might include adding weatherstripping to a door frame or applying fresh caulk to window frames.
Run the numbers. Get an idea of how much energy a home the size of yours typically uses by entering detailed information about your dwelling into the Home Energy Saver tool. The tool lets you calculate your home’s energy use. It also lets you estimate the energy savings from a variety of improvements, such as adding insulation, replacing windows and purchasing high-efficiency appliances. Experts from the Energy Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and other state and federal agencies collaborate in sponsoring the site.
 
Conduct a home energy audit. If you’ve sealed the obvious leaks and your home is still inefficient, you’ll get more detailed information from a professional energy audit. The auditor can recommend energy-saving improvements and point out those that will most improve efficiency. Learn more about energy audits and how to find a professional auditor at the Energy Department’s Energy Savers site. Auditors use a blower door test, a thermographic scan and, occasionally, a perfluorocarbon tracer gas air-infiltration measurement technique to learn how weather-tight your home is. Tips: Check a contractor’s references thoroughly and check for complaints at the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general’s consumer protection office (find your attorney general through the National Association of Attorneys General). The Energy Department advises finding a contractor who uses a calibrated blower door and who does thermographic inspections. Expect to pay roughly $300 to $500. In some cities, utility companies or government agencies do the work or help with the fees. For example, in Austin, Minn., the city utility performs and subsidizes audits so homeowners pay only $50 or $150, depending on the type of audit. Austin screens and recommends contractors, too. (Bing: Find a repair profesional)
 
Clean out storage areas. Get a head start on spring cleaning by attacking a cluttered storage space. Whether you go after the garage, attic, laundry room or garden shed, your home benefits when you get rid of rusting tools, leaking fluids and household chemicals. Start by taking everything out of the space and piling it up outside. Clean the empty space, then go through the items, trying to let go of everything you haven’t used in the last year. Make four piles: stuff to keep, trash, donations and recycling, and hazardous waste. Open paint cans to dry the paint completely before disposing. Recycle batteries so the lead they contain doesn’t contaminate ground water. Rules for disposal vary by locale. Call your waste-disposal company or the county landfill to learn where and how to dispose of hazardous waste.

Get a fire extinguisher. Better yet, get several. Buy fire extinguishers for each type of fire you might encounter at home and place them where you’ll need them. For example, use the A-B-C class for living areas and in workshops and garages. For the kitchen, get a specialized extinguisher capable of putting out class B (grease) and C (electrical) fires. For living and sleeping areas and fireplaces, get a multipurpose A-B-C that also works on fires consuming wood, cloth, trash and paper. Inspect extinguishers regularly to ensure the gauges read 100%.

Outside
February is a transitional month in much of the U.S. Winter storms may continue to cause damage to home exteriors and landscaping, but spring is in sight and you can begin working in the garden to prepare for warmer weather.

Check for storm damage. While you’re outside, walk around the house looking for missing or damaged siding and shingles. Remove fallen branches and storm debris from around the house.

Clean the gutters. It’s easier to scoop up the leaves and debris in your gutters when the stuff is wet, so pull out your ladder and clean the gutters after a soaking rain. You should do this at least twice a year, but may need to do it monthly if your home is surrounded by trees.
 
Mulch garden beds. By the end of the month, the ground has thawed in many parts of the country and it’s time to start warding off weeds. If you didn’t mulch in early winter, now is the time to add a layer to discourage weeds.

Prune ornamental grasses. Clean up pampas grass and other ornamental grasses by cutting them in early spring, before new green shoots get tall. Cut the old grass about 2 to 4 inches above the new green shoots. Wear gloves and use a chain saw on big, unwieldy pampas grasses. Tackle others with pruning shears or hedge clippers. Cut straight across the top of the clump and rake away the dead stalks to clean up the plant.

Try corn gluten meal on weedy garden paths. Corn gluten meal, a yellow powder or pellet, is used in livestock feed but it also is an organic “pre-emergent” weed control. You’ll find it in garden supply or agricultural supply stores. Spread it on garden paths (find inspiration for garden paths from this slide show on 16 beautiful garden paths) or beds where you do not want seeds to take root. Read label directions for correct application. Corn gluten meal stops seeds from forming roots when they are germinating. It also contains nitrogen that feeds the established plants in your garden. Apply it early in the season: If you wait until weeds have sprouted, it will be ineffective. Avoid using it on beds where you have seeded ornamentals or where you are counting on plants to self-seed from last year. Learn more at Iowa State University’s Department of Horticulture Corn Gluten Meal Research Page.


Learn more at www.realestate.msn.com
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