DIY Life

Ask any real estate agent, and she'll tell you that when it comes to home equity and return on investment, the two most important rooms are the kitchen and the bathroom. Forget the fancy pool; it's nice, and it might close the deal at sale time, but prospective buyers are going to decide yea or nay in the kitchen.

The kitchen is a focal point for family gatherings and entertaining guests. So what are the main components of the typical kitchen? Well, there's the major appliances. They should match and be energy-efficient. Storage? There should be plenty of cabinets to stash food, dishes, pots and pans.

But what really stands out are the kitchen countertops. This is where the real work is done. Because of that, lighting should be focused on them, literally putting them in the spotlight.

Whether you're planning on building a new home or you're rolling up your sleeves for a remodel, you have a lot of choices when it comes to selecting the countertops. The things to consider are personal preference, aesthetics, matching the rest of the decor, and, of course, budget. Let's have a look at some of the choices.

Now that the weather is improving we've got a window of opportunity. That two month or so period between the cold and the absolutely scorching is the right time to get that serious landscaping done. And like any other DIY endeavor, the key is having your tools in tip-top shape.

What's on your plate for adding a little curb appeal to your property? Putting in a pond? Adding a new flower bed? Putting in a new patio? Whatever your aspirations, you'll be wise to inventory your tools. More than likely, some will need maintenance and some will need to be replaced.

Start with the basics
The tool most used (hopefully not abused) is the lawnmower. At a minimum you'll need to:

• Sharpen the blade.
• Change the oil; go with a synthetic and you'll only have to do it once a year.
• Clean or replace the air filter.
• Clean or replace the spark plug.
• Check for frayed or broken cables.
  

Do you need an energy audit? If your electricity and gas bills are higher than they should be, or if you have an older home, you probably do. You already know about insulation, radiant barrier, efficient windows, and Energy Star appliances.

The problem, of course, is that these are many areas to address, but you don't have pockets that deep. Things need to be prioritized here. And that's where the energy auditor comes to the rescue. After his inspection, he'll provide you with a report that tells you:

• Where you stand with your current cooling and heating system.
• Your home's efficiency overview. This details where your home is bleeding hot and cold air.
• The most efficient use of your dollars to save you money by saving energy.
• Bigger outlays of cash that will begin paying for themselves right away.
  

After the break, I'll describe how the tests are done, and the costs involved.

A few years ago I scored a contract to give a customer's home a face lift. The first basic thing I was doing was removing the old pine 1" X 4" trim and replacing it with Hardie plank trim. The second chore was repainting the siding, which was approximately three quarters of the home.

This particular house was a two story (plus a ground-level carport) so that meant a lot of ladder dragging. Because of that, I broke the work up into manageable chunks. Replace trim, caulk, paint, and then move on to the next section.Today I'll share some of the things I did to work efficiently and make the customer happy.

A new roof was one of the most important renovations that my house got last year. And no, I didn't do it myself, for a change. See, I re-roofed a house after a hurricane about – well, let's just say, a long time ago. Once was enough.

There were two layers of shingles on that house, and I stripped them both off before putting the new ones on. Not only did I have to handle the old shingles to get them into the bed of my pick up, I had to handle them all over again at the dump. What a headache!

So this week, I'm going to talk about how I went about selecting the material and the roofing contractor for my current home sweet home. Hopefully, my research will come in handy for you. A re-roof is a big investment, and an important one; if it lets the weather in, everything's hosed (so to speak).

As I mentioned in a prior post, I took this time to tidy up my fascia boards and soffits.

Types of Roofing Materials

I had initially wanted a metal roof. They're very storm resistant, and in some cases, they will outlive the homeowner. But they are expensive -- very expensive.

So, shingles were my choice. Shingles come in many grades and are available with some impressive features.

I didn't want a boring look, so I went with architectural (also called dimensional) grade shingles. Yes, they do cost more, but they sure look great. The raised layers give the roof a more three-dimensional look.

The next thing I decided to put on the upgrade list was a shingle that was algae-resistant. What is this, you ask?

Have you ever noticed those upside-down-ice-cream-cone shaped stains on roofs? They usually start where something is protruding, like a chimney or a stink pipe. Folks usually assume it's a stain from something washing off the protrusion, but it's not. It's actually an insidious life-form, out to make your home look shabby. It's called Gloeocapsa magma (just in case you want to throw the term out in conversation at your next cocktail party).

Anyway, I just didn't see any sense in having a new roof looking worn-out within the first year. Most shingle manufacturers eliminate the algae problem by incorporating a bit of copper into the shingle's surface.

Selecting a Roofing Contractor

Selecting a roofing contractor is the most important part of the process. The roofing industry is literally full of fly-by-night outfits. One obvious thing to do is to ask friends who have re-roofed who they used, and what kind of job they did. Also, check with the BBB and the local chamber of commerce.

Look for the big names, and look for companies that have been around for a while. Sure, the local handyman can do the job, but will he back it up?

Here in South Texas, it's easy to get a pretty inexpensive roofing job, because we're awash with, um, undocumented "guest workers". Well, I figured that if a company would skirt that little legal issue, what else would they compromise on? So, that was on my criteria list.

Conducting the Inquisition

Once I got my short list nailed down, I had them come and give me written estimates. These are some of the things I asked, and you should too:

1. Do you use nails, or staples? (Nails are much better in high winds; they have much more holding power.)
2. How long has your company been doing business?
3. Will you be liable for any damage to my home's rain gutters?
4. Do you ask for any money up front? (If they say "yes," send 'em packing. They're just wasting your time.)
5. What's the charge for replacing any bad decking/plywood? (This is one area where some contractors will take you to the cleaners.)
6. Can you give me a list of addresses where you've recently re-roofed? (Just so you can drive by and take a look.)
7. How long is the warranty for labor? (The shingles will have a standard warranty, but they rarely go bad: focus on workmanship.)

Finally, use your instincts when talking to the estimator. The company I selected for my home had an interesting set-up. The salesman was a guy who had come up through the ranks; he was in charge of two or three crews, and was very proud of their work, because he felt that it was his own reputation on the line, not the company's. I'm sure he also got a nice commission, but it just "felt" like I could trust him.

That made all the difference.

Ahh, it's getting to be that time of year again. Time to put away the sweaters and air out the t-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops. Well, I guess that depends on where you live. But if the spring flowers haven't caught up to you yet, never fear, they soon will.

With that nice weather comes the opportunity for hanging outside with friends and family. Barbecue, swimming pool, entertaining, gossiping about that weird couple down the street; the possibilities are endless. To get ready for all this carefree frivolity, it's time to protect your investment by refinishing your deck.

Your deck, like you, will age

Since the deck lives outdoors, it's going to age and change appearance (graying) because of the sun's ultraviolet rays (UV). The general effect here is the breakdown of the wooden surface fibers and lignin.

• For the curious – Lignin: A complex polymer, the chief noncarbohydrate constituent of wood, that binds to cellulose fibers and hardens and strengthens the cell walls of plants. OK!

This week, instead of talking about a particular project, I'd like to talk about one of the most important and versatile tools in the shop: the benchtop table saw. The fact of the matter is that although I'd love to have a contractor table saw or cabinet table saw sitting in the middle of my wood shop, that's not an option.

Sure, it's a two-car garage, but it contains everything else as well. Workbench, lathe, a pile of lumber, power stool storage, paint storage, and of course room enough to actually assemble a project.

The latest models have really come a long way from the earlier models. Manufacturers weren't born yesterday, and recognizing the huge market, responded with plenty of R&D. The newer ones have virtually eliminated vibration issues.

Benchtop saws spin 10 inch blades, so there's no problem with common hardwood lumber sizes or sheets of plywood. And if a chunk of stock happens to be just a hair too thick, you can always do the old trick of cutting half way through and then flipping it over and finishing the job. I'd recommend having a helper if you try this!

And along with that disclaimer, here's another one: always wear those safety glasses or goggles.

Read on to learn the advantages of a benchtop saw, accessories available for it and more.

Last year, when I was shopping for a top-drawer roofing contractor, I took advantage of the time I had to do some repair work on my fascia boards and soffits. It made sense to take care of this before the new felt, shingles, and flashing went on.

The first thing I did was to walk around the house with a notebook, and do a close visual inspection to see what I was in for. For the most part it was all in reasonable shape, but a few spots were begging for attention. I even found one spot where a bird had made or enlarged a hole, and was homesteading in the soffit!

I recently wrote a piece on keeping some of the summer sun's heat at bay with English ivy on the side of my garage. I got a lot of feedback on that post; a lot of readers e-mailed me about ivy's insidious nature. I should have pointed out that I sealed the grout first. I'll still keep an eye on it.

This week's PRS article is also about keeping the house cooler -- with a product called radiant barrier paint.

I've heard that you can buy it pre-mixed, but they had it in powder form at the paint store I deal with. The salesman told me it was cheaper in powder form, and you know how I like to squeeze those pennies... I want to hear Abe squeal.

I got it at a good discount because I have an account with them. At the time, I was operating a small remodeling company, so I enjoyed the savings. But here's a tip: when you go to the paint store, open an account, and you'll probably save money. I have a DBA, but in my neck of the woods you don't have to have one to get a commercial account. You can be "Joe's Painting Company".

After the jump: how to mix and apply radiant barrier paint, as well as details on why it works.

Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome (PRS) is brought to you every Thursday by Kelly Smith, who is hopelessly afflicted with this home-altering ailment. Remodeling can be a never-ending and contagious illness, so read on, at your own risk. Don't say we didn't warn you.

My home is a modest three bedroom model with a two car garage. It's about thirty years old, roughly speaking. The layout is nice and the construction is sound. One thing I like about it is the kitchen; I like to cook and there's plenty of real estate. The problem is that after all the plates, coffee cups, pots, pans, and small appliances have been put up, there's precious little room for canned goods and cereal boxes. I need a pantry!

Luckily, there's a door in the kitchen that leads directly into the garage (no cars allowed; it's my wood shop). This makes the pantry solution pretty much a no-brainer. I decided to just steal some space and build out a small room.

Pantry Layout

The beauty of this situation was that I could make the area just the right size and not affect the layout of my tools or the washer and dryer. There's a 3" step-down on the slab 5' from the door and an available 9' 6" between the garage exterior wall and the washer/dryer area. Using this space gives me 47.5 square feet – more than enough room for shelving on one long wall and one short wall.

Framing the Walls and Door

When I'm framing with wood (as opposed to metal studs) I prefer to frame the wall laying down and then stand it up. But the cramped quarters ruled that out; I decided to nail down the bottom plate with my Ramset, nail up the top plate, and then just fill in the studs. I shot the bottom plate down just past the step-down. There were three reasons for this: first, to maximize the interior of the pantry. Secondly, because I knew that if I shot nails right on the edge, it would most likely just chip out the concrete. Third, this would allow me to run the bottom plate straight through and not be discontinuous at the doorway. Lazy or smart? A bit of both!

Anyway, I framed it up on 16" centers and made the door's rough opening the right size for the door from the kitchen. The plan was to simply remove the door and frame and reinstall it in the new opening. But when I explained this brilliant concept to the wife, she sighed and slowly explained, "Noooo, that's where our daughter's art work has to be displayed." I just nodded my head in sober agreement. It's just not good karma to cross she-who-must-be-obeyed. No problem, I'll just pick up and install a prehung door.

Insulate for Energy Efficiency

I hung drywall on the interior of the wall first. I used drywall screw rather than nails. In my experience they simply grip better and make floating easier. Trivia: drywall and Sheetrock are often confused. Actually, drywall is a generic term for gypsum board. "Sheetrock" is a specific brand name of drywall. It's kind of like saying Coke for any type of overly sugared-up fizzy drink.

Then I maxed the wall out with fiberglass insulation. After all, this was a great way to put another barrier between mother nature's temperature and myself. I'm all about saving money. Not cheap, just wise. Right?

I didn't run any electricity at this point. I know I'll need light in there but I'll tie in from the house later easily enough. I didn't want to tie into the shop because I'm already hammering those circuits when I'm running lights, table saw, dust collection system, etc.

The next step was to hang drywall on the on the outside wall. Since this part went so fast I got right on taping and floating. I like the fiberglass mesh tape much better than the paper type. It's much easier to work with, and in my opinion it makes for a stronger joint. Some disagree but it just seems logical.

Once I got it just right (my wife says I'm a perfectionist) I textured it with the roller texture method. After a couple of days, my daughter and I painted the inside and most of the outside.

What Remains to be Done?

Well, I'm not quite done, I must admit. The next step is to lay the floor. I've got some laminate left over from when I re-did the bedrooms and my office. That'll go quick since it's just a small rectangular area. Then, in goes the door. Right hand swing is the way to go. I just have to decide if I want it to open into the shop or into the pantry. Baseboard is the next step.

Next, I'll install the shelving. And the last thing to do is fill it with food. I've got a special spot picked out for the hurricane stash. You just never know....

Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome (PRS) is brought to you every Thursday by Kelly Smith, who is hopelessly afflicted with this home-altering ailment. Remodeling can be a never-ending and contagious illness, so read on, at your own risk. Don't say we didn't warn you.

For the past few years I've been involved in what I have come to call PRS (Perpetual Remodel Syndrome). Ahh, the joys of home ownership. Since I do enjoy doing home improvement, I feel it's a blessing that my subdivision has no home owner's association. I know the argument; it keeps the standards up. But at least here, there's only one tacky house out of a few hundred.

That being said, today's topic is laying interior ceramic tile floors. Laying tile on a porch or patio has its own considerations.