If some or all of the rooms in your home are being remodeled, you’ll need to do a few things to get your home ready. Preparing your home inadequately before a remodeling project begins can make things significantly more difficult for you and those working on your house. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure your home is ready to be remodeled, whether you're installing new Kohler Bathroom Sinks or remodeling the kitchen. Here’s what you should put on your to-do list:
Organize
Remodeling your living room won’t be easy if the walls are lined with paintings and the floor is covered in furniture. You have to clear everything out of the rooms that are going to be remodeled. Before you clear everything out, though, you’ll need to organize it all and put smaller items into boxes. During this organization step, it’s a good idea to try to get rid of a few things you don’t use very often. Lightening your load a little bit will make packing and finding a place to store your belongings easier. After you’ve lightened your load, it’s a good idea to start sorting all of your small belongings according to type to help ensure that they stay organized as you pack them up.
Pack
Once you’ve organized everything based on type, you can start packing things up into boxes. Be sure to label all the boxes you pack up, so you’ll have an easy time finding everything you need when you unpack. Remember to label boxes that contain fragile materials with the word “fragile” as well, especially if other people will be helping you carry and transport the boxes.
Clear Out
Once everything’s packed up, you’ll need to clear it out and find a place to store it. You may want to consider renting a storage pod you can put in your driveway or backyard, especially if you want to store your things close to your home. You may also want to consider signing a short-term lease for a storage unit, especially if you’ll be storing antique furniture. You have the option of renting a climate-controlled storage unit that will keep all of your antique furniture and temperature-sensitive items like musical instruments safe.
Once you’ve successfully and efficiently transported everything out of the rooms that are going to be remodeled, the project can begin. You’ll be amazed by how great your old things look in your newly remodeled home when you transport them back out of storage!
Author’s Bio: Lisa is a writer at SelfStorageDeals.com, your price-focused search engine for finding deals on storage units in Colorado Springs and storage units in McAllen.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Build a Better Bathroom for Your Kids
Hi everyone,
Occasionally, I will allow a guest blogger to write here in the Craftsman Remodel blog if they have good information to share. Read this blog about bathroom remodeling.
==========
If you’re planning a bathroom remodel, you may want to take your children into consideration, particularly if they have their own bathroom separate from the master bath. However, kids’ bathroom ideas aren’t limited to décor; you need to take their needs into consideration when designing and remodeling the bathroom as well.
Smaller People: If you have several children and are planning to live in your house for a while, it pays to remodel with shorter arms and legs in mind. You can install towel bars, shelves, and cabinets at a lower height for easier reach and put more room around the toilet so parents can help children who are potty training. You may find a handheld showerhead more convenient for washing small bodies. Choose semi-gloss paint and fixtures that don’t show fingerprints. Plan for toy storage with holders in the shower or shower curtains with built-in pockets.
Design for Growth: By all means have fun by decorating with frogs and ducks or whales, but try to make this décor easy to change. When your children are ten, they may be embarrassed by frogs on the wallpaper. However, if you limit the childish décor to trashcans and shower curtains that are easily changed, you can update the look as they grow. Many manufacturers also make stick-on decals that are easy to hang on the wall and simple to remove. Remember, too, that as they grow children will need more drawer and shelf storage for things like hair dryers and acne medications, so plan accordingly.
Shared Bathrooms: If you have two children’s bedrooms next to each other, it’s great if they can be adjoined by a shared Jack and Jill bathroom with two sinks. It’s great if the décor in the bathroom is compatible with that in both bedrooms. Plus you want both children to be happy with the design choices. If need be, go with something neutral that nobody would object to.
Getting Kids Involved: Children will love to contribute to the design and remodel of their bathrooms, so you can consult them on colors and décor elements. They might even be able to contribute artwork or paint some of the tiles. However, remember that parental guidance is still important. If they want neon green, you might be able to talk them into a softer shade or substitute a Spongebob trashcan for Spongebob wallpaper.
Safety: The tub and shower should have a slip resistant surface. If you’re remodeling, think about smaller tiles on the floor; with more grout they are less slippery than bigger tiles. You can install a scald guard faucet in the tub to ensure that water doesn’t get too hot. If you have very young children, cover the bathtub faucet with something soft and put a lock on the toilet.
Themes: You can have some fun with the décor in a kid’s bathroom. However, this doesn’t mean that you are stuck with baby ducks. Think about a nautical theme, with ship-based designs and colors. Marine life is another option as is a beach theme. All of these decors can be updated to look more grown-up as the children age.
Author Joaquin Erazo Jr. leads all marketing, advertising, and public relations strategies for Case Remodeling and Design. His team handles all client acquisition and retention efforts for the Case brands. With an MBA from Averett University, Erazo has over 18 years of experience in senior marketing positions.
Occasionally, I will allow a guest blogger to write here in the Craftsman Remodel blog if they have good information to share. Read this blog about bathroom remodeling.
==========
If you’re planning a bathroom remodel, you may want to take your children into consideration, particularly if they have their own bathroom separate from the master bath. However, kids’ bathroom ideas aren’t limited to décor; you need to take their needs into consideration when designing and remodeling the bathroom as well.
Smaller People: If you have several children and are planning to live in your house for a while, it pays to remodel with shorter arms and legs in mind. You can install towel bars, shelves, and cabinets at a lower height for easier reach and put more room around the toilet so parents can help children who are potty training. You may find a handheld showerhead more convenient for washing small bodies. Choose semi-gloss paint and fixtures that don’t show fingerprints. Plan for toy storage with holders in the shower or shower curtains with built-in pockets.
Design for Growth: By all means have fun by decorating with frogs and ducks or whales, but try to make this décor easy to change. When your children are ten, they may be embarrassed by frogs on the wallpaper. However, if you limit the childish décor to trashcans and shower curtains that are easily changed, you can update the look as they grow. Many manufacturers also make stick-on decals that are easy to hang on the wall and simple to remove. Remember, too, that as they grow children will need more drawer and shelf storage for things like hair dryers and acne medications, so plan accordingly.
Shared Bathrooms: If you have two children’s bedrooms next to each other, it’s great if they can be adjoined by a shared Jack and Jill bathroom with two sinks. It’s great if the décor in the bathroom is compatible with that in both bedrooms. Plus you want both children to be happy with the design choices. If need be, go with something neutral that nobody would object to.
Getting Kids Involved: Children will love to contribute to the design and remodel of their bathrooms, so you can consult them on colors and décor elements. They might even be able to contribute artwork or paint some of the tiles. However, remember that parental guidance is still important. If they want neon green, you might be able to talk them into a softer shade or substitute a Spongebob trashcan for Spongebob wallpaper.
Safety: The tub and shower should have a slip resistant surface. If you’re remodeling, think about smaller tiles on the floor; with more grout they are less slippery than bigger tiles. You can install a scald guard faucet in the tub to ensure that water doesn’t get too hot. If you have very young children, cover the bathtub faucet with something soft and put a lock on the toilet.
Themes: You can have some fun with the décor in a kid’s bathroom. However, this doesn’t mean that you are stuck with baby ducks. Think about a nautical theme, with ship-based designs and colors. Marine life is another option as is a beach theme. All of these decors can be updated to look more grown-up as the children age.
Author Joaquin Erazo Jr. leads all marketing, advertising, and public relations strategies for Case Remodeling and Design. His team handles all client acquisition and retention efforts for the Case brands. With an MBA from Averett University, Erazo has over 18 years of experience in senior marketing positions.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Ceiling Tile Store is now OPEN!
Through our partnership with Decorative Ceiling Tiles, we are able to bring their entire collection of Faux Leather, Tin, Copper, Aluminum, and Foam Ceiling Tiles to the Craftsman Home Remodeling website.
Be sure to check out the Coupons/Rebates page to see if there are any deals to be had.
Be sure to check out the Coupons/Rebates page to see if there are any deals to be had.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Maintaining this House is Something Else!
I haven't written in a few months but that's not because I had nothing to write about. We have been in the house over 3 1/2 years now and there are certain things that need fixing. Some are regular maintenance items and others are just surprises. Let me give you a quick rundown of what's going on.
Exterior Paint - The South sides of the house start to fade due to the constant sunlight received throughout the year. On average, we have been needing to paint the South side of the house every 12-18 months at a minimum. For this we are using a clear coat of Varathane on the shingles and the bark-colored Cabot stain on the redwood trim. Just last year I had the garage door sanded down and refinished along with the house as it was fading bad with only a clear coat on the mahogany. I had it stained and recoated. Now it looks like a million bucks.
Tankless Water Heater - Once a year I have to flush the tankless water heater with vinegar. It's not difficult to do but just another thing to do.
Hot Tub Pump - I just had the hot tub pump replaced with about 3 months left on the warranty. Whew! Apparently, it's better to keep the water pH on the high side to prevent corrosion of the parts.
Stone Facade on Hot Tub Door - I built a wall surrounding the hot tub but needed to leave one side open so it could be slid into place. I had a 3-sided wall and wanted to close off the fourth side. We devised an extremely heavy two part door on heavy duty hinges. When I had to open the doors and put them back for the recent hot tub servicing, I had a problem getting the doors to shut. Apparently they weigh so much (maybe 200 pounds each) that the hinges were bending. With some finessing and a lot of brute force I managed to shut the doors again, however, some of the stone facade attached to the face of the doors fell off and now I have to fix it. Not only that but two fingers were crunched in the doors when they finally shut. Not fun!!! Note to self....get others to help shut the door so you don't create more work by having to replace stone.
Wood Deck around Palm Tree - Do you remember the palm tree in the backyard that we basically built the house around? Well, you may also remember that I had a wood deck built around it in 4 pieces to maximize the patio usage. It was a very nice fit but as the tree continued to grow about 18 inches per year, the base kept getting larger and the surface roots started to lift the deck. Last year I lifted the 4 panels, trimmed the roots around the tree, and enlarged the hole. Well, it's time to do it again. This looks like an annual event.
Now after all of these things, people always say "you wouldn't do it again, would you?" I would do it all over in a second! I love this!!!
Bye for now......Mike
Exterior Paint - The South sides of the house start to fade due to the constant sunlight received throughout the year. On average, we have been needing to paint the South side of the house every 12-18 months at a minimum. For this we are using a clear coat of Varathane on the shingles and the bark-colored Cabot stain on the redwood trim. Just last year I had the garage door sanded down and refinished along with the house as it was fading bad with only a clear coat on the mahogany. I had it stained and recoated. Now it looks like a million bucks.
Tankless Water Heater - Once a year I have to flush the tankless water heater with vinegar. It's not difficult to do but just another thing to do.
Hot Tub Pump - I just had the hot tub pump replaced with about 3 months left on the warranty. Whew! Apparently, it's better to keep the water pH on the high side to prevent corrosion of the parts.
Koi Pond - The koi in the pond are HUGE!!! I'm glad to see the pond thriving but that being said, I just got through my annual cleaning of the pond. It costs about $650 per year! They take out the fish, scrub all of the algae off the rocks, clean out the filters, check everything, and refill it. I'm sure there's more to it than that. It takes 3 guys about 4 hours. See the koi pond cleaning here. But wait, there's more. The lights in the pond are failing and I have been told that the new lights out now are the way to go and will last for 10 years or so. So there's another grand or so. Stay tuned.
Now after all of these things, people always say "you wouldn't do it again, would you?" I would do it all over in a second! I love this!!!
Bye for now......Mike
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Craftsman Home Remodeling Blog WINS!!!!
Thanks to all of you, the Craftsman Home Remodeling Blog has won the 2010 JDR Industry Blogger Award in the Remodeling category.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Craftsman Curtain Rod Bracket Installation
As promised, here are some installation pictures of the curtain rods. A previous blog post shows the manufacturing of the curtain rod brackets.
Rich Wright, the contractor of my house, made the curtain rods and brackets out of left over mahogany from the construction. He had to build a jig to hold the base bracket in place and ensure that it was aligned straight.
This picture shows the mounting really well. There are two screws that mount the base piece into the wall. The cover piece has a hole in the center where a 3-inch screw goes through the rod (not shown) and into the back support bracket. That hole is then filled with an ebony plug.
We ran into an issue with how to do a bracket for a corner window where each window had it's own curtain. Here is the solution, a corner bracket that takes each rod in at a 45 degree angle.
Test fitting a curtain rod into the brackets to make sure everything fits.
Now it's time to make the curtain rods. Each mahogany rod was custom cut to the length required for each window and door. I numbered the ends of the rods when finishing so I could remember where they went later. After some light sanding to bevel all edges, I sprayed on 3 coats of Varathane to seal them. This is the same finish I used on the curtain rod brackets.
Meanwhile, this block of ebony was cut into tiny squares to plug the holes in the brackets after installation.
And now for the final product. Well, almost final. I still haven't put in the ebony plugs but you can't really tell in these pictures. The rods extend one inch past each end of the brackets. The curtains have tabs with buttons so the curtain can be removed if needed.
Rich Wright, the contractor of my house, made the curtain rods and brackets out of left over mahogany from the construction. He had to build a jig to hold the base bracket in place and ensure that it was aligned straight.
This picture shows the mounting really well. There are two screws that mount the base piece into the wall. The cover piece has a hole in the center where a 3-inch screw goes through the rod (not shown) and into the back support bracket. That hole is then filled with an ebony plug.
We ran into an issue with how to do a bracket for a corner window where each window had it's own curtain. Here is the solution, a corner bracket that takes each rod in at a 45 degree angle.
Test fitting a curtain rod into the brackets to make sure everything fits.
Now it's time to make the curtain rods. Each mahogany rod was custom cut to the length required for each window and door. I numbered the ends of the rods when finishing so I could remember where they went later. After some light sanding to bevel all edges, I sprayed on 3 coats of Varathane to seal them. This is the same finish I used on the curtain rod brackets.
Meanwhile, this block of ebony was cut into tiny squares to plug the holes in the brackets after installation.
And now for the final product. Well, almost final. I still haven't put in the ebony plugs but you can't really tell in these pictures. The rods extend one inch past each end of the brackets. The curtains have tabs with buttons so the curtain can be removed if needed.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Craftsman Home Remodeling Forum Shut Down
Hi everyone,
Due to excessive abuse of the Craftsman Home Remodeling Forum by spammers, I have had to shut it down. Not only was the forum being blasted with inappropriate messages but somehow the spammers were using it send out SPAM emails.
I do plan on resurrecting the forum at a later date with much more stringent controls.
Sorry for the inconvenience,
Mike
Due to excessive abuse of the Craftsman Home Remodeling Forum by spammers, I have had to shut it down. Not only was the forum being blasted with inappropriate messages but somehow the spammers were using it send out SPAM emails.
I do plan on resurrecting the forum at a later date with much more stringent controls.
Sorry for the inconvenience,
Mike
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