So now that Memorial Day has come and gone, we don’t want you to get too sad. There are still two more long weekends this summer and plenty of days in between to enjoy the outdoors and some grilled meat (if that’s what you’re into).
But you gotta take care of your deck if you ever want people to come over. Seriously. You know you don’t like to go to your friend’s house with the gross yard and dirty deck. Or you could be smart and let your yard stay a little disheveled so your friends will host all summer long. Not that we do that. That’d be lazy…
Anyway. Before we get too off track, check out some of these stats that we recently acquired from a ServiceMagic survey:
• 54 percent of homeowners committed to a deck project within the last year
• 58 percent of homeowners will put money into their outdoor living space in the next three months by updating their patio or deck
• 79 percent hired a contractor to complete their outdoor project while 14 percent completed the project themselves
And while these are well and good – seems like there are tons of awesome decks and patios being built – here are the ones I was more interested in:
• 29 percent of respondents will be barbequing steak on their grill this Memorial Day Weekend
• 73 percent claim the male in the household holds the title of grill master
While I like steak as much as the next carnivorous girl, BBQs are for burgers, brats, and hot dogs. There, I said it. I feel much better now.
And as for the last stat, at first I got all feminist and annoyed, but then I remembered that I’ve never actually used my grill…and I know I’ve been eating plenty of delicious barbecued food, so…I can’t yell at you ladies for that. Again, maybe if you pretend you don’t know how a grill works, you don’t have to be the one to make dinner. Not that we would ever do that…
(I think I just accidentally raised my Lazy Flag.)
This winter was nuts.
It’s not just us, right? The mid-Atlantic has gotten pounded with one blizzard after another, the west coast is getting tons of rain, and we’ve actually heard the term “Snowpocalypse” in the news.
So not to get all, “the sky is falling”, but seriously, the sky could be falling. Of course we’re referring to the inside sky – your roof. Roof repairs jump by 66% in March. All that snow, rain, and fluctuating temperatures surely take their toll.
So now is definitely the time to get your roof inspected.
Here are the most common issues you might hear about:
Asphalt is especially prone to damage during spring and might need replaced. Metal roofing is susceptible to the changing temperatures. Natural slate, though extremely strong, is prone to cracks from bad weather so a couple individual tiles may need to be replaced. Look for uneven shingles, visible cracks, and wet spots on your ceilings.
The sooner you take care of any roofing problem, the better. A few repairs here and there are definitely cheaper than a new roof. And after Snowpocalypse 2010, surely we’ve all had enough excitement for one winter. Side note: We should send some shovels to the mid-Atlantic. Pretty sure they’re still skipping work. Slackers.
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a new rule, more commonly referred to as the lead paint rule, that will put some pretty stringent restrictions on contractors and could cause your remodeling estimates to go up.
Remodelers who work on homes built in 1978 or earlier will have to comply with new lead paint safety rules, get their company certified, and at least one employee of each company will have to get trained in these new practices by April 22.
According to Remodeling Magazine, contractors must “pay a $300 fee to register your company with the EPA, pay a few hundred more to train at least one employee as an EPA-certified renovator, talk with your insurer about coverage against lead lawsuits, and pay more still for gear including HEPA-filter vacuums and body protection.”
And if they don’t? Companies can face fines up to $30,000 per job.
So what do you think? Obviously we don’t want lead paint poisoning our families, but will you be receptive to higher remodeling costs due to new mandatory safety measures?
For more info: http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm
If rivers in Chicago can do it…
Then so can you.
Going green isn’t as ominous as it sounds. And we figure there’s no better way to inspire people to try something green than to wait until they drape themselves in green costumes and drink green beer by the green rivers.
So in the spirit of the springy shamrocks and looking for people to pinch, we’re here to offer you a couple quick ways to green your home today.
• Run your dryer or dishwasher early in the morning or at night when it’s cool. These appliances send heat into your home, working against your air conditioning. And while you’re at it, make sure it’s a full load.
• Pay attention to your blinds. If you leave them open during the day, you’re letting all the sun in, which is warming your home. This is good in the winter, but not so good when it’s hot out.
• Use green cleaning products. White vinegar or baking soda can clean just about anything.
Do these things and you’ll be the greenest person on the block. This time it’s a compliment.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
Surely this is everyone’s favorite topic. Nothing quite like brushing the dust off the ole squeegee and shop vac and giving all the germs and dust in your home a run for their money, right?
Relax, relax…it’s not so bad.
Spring cleaning is definitely important. It’s good to open up your windows, air out the house, and do a deep cleaning once the weather starts to get warm. As much as it sucks to do, you’ll appreciate it later. But a recent ServiceMagic survey proves that people dread spring cleaning just as much as we do (There I said it. Are you happy?)
From our poll, only 11% of people admitted to never doing spring cleaning. Yet 65% said that when the weather starts to warm up, they merely open a couple of windows and put away a few wintry items. Sounds like “I don’t clean” in code to me, am I right?
But the reason could very possibly be that a whopping 58% of people said that their spring cleaning regime took a full WEEK to complete. A WEEK. Yikes. You guys are crazy.
When you really break it down, spring cleaning is really just a normal cleaning on steroids. Instead of just vacuuming, you deep clean the carpets. You might poke behind some furniture; wipe down the baseboards; clean the drapes; and clean the windows. Sure, this is a lot. But if you just buckle down one weekend, you can get it done. Or do what I do, and hire someone. Cleaning my house for a whole weekend? No thanks. I’ll be sitting on my patio soaking up the weak spring sun and enjoying the first glimpse of warmer weather. It’s not as expensive as you might think — especially if you bundle up jobs or just pick and choose the things you don’t want to handle.
If you’re looking for some help, check out cleaning services here: http://www.servicemagic.com/category.Cleaning-Services.10205.html
Obviously no bathroom would be complete without a full chandelier of tea lights sitting right above the tub. Perfect for relaxation, and a snap to clean, I’m sure.
The HGTV Dream House winner won’t be announced until March 15, but in anticipation, HGTV has put together a little slideshow of their favorite bathrooms from Dream House past.
I found them all pretty underwhelming, actually, considering the stakes. I’ve seen HGTV put together some much cooler bathrooms on their own shows than in any of these homes, but maybe that’s just me.
What do you think?
http://blog.hgtv.com/dreamhome/2010/02/22/while-we-wait/
image courtesy of hgtv.com
Then you should probably give your walls a quick once-over.
Drywall cracks are common – especially in older homes or homes with moisture damage. But we get it. It’s unsettling (ahem) to see your house become a remake of Money Pit.
But before you go all Tom Hanks and Shelley Long and stomp around the house pouting about the damage until you fall through the floor, consider a simple fix.
If it’s a hairline crack around a window, then mix up some 20-minute drywall compound and simply apply it over the crack with your finger. Before the mixture sets, use a clean, damp cloth to wipe down any marks from the overfill.
This same process can work on bigger cracks, too, but keep in mind that it might not match the rest of your wall. So if you’re really looking for the payoff at the end, where that dream of a country mansion is realized, you might want to consider a handyman.
