The 9 Most Common Home Improvements

Table of Content

• Here’s How Many Real Estate Agents There Are in The U.S. (And How to Find a Great One)
• Honest Pros & Cons of Living in Los Angeles, California
• Construction Schedule
• B. Sometimes Requires a Permit:
• Things to Know About Living in Dallas, Texas
• Lakeville: Best Minnesota City for Buying a House and Raising a Family

“Sweating” and “soldering” are synonymous home improvement terms used to describe the process of using heat and solder to join copper pipe and fittings to one another. You can tell your neighbor you’re heading downstairs to “solder” a joint—but “sweating” makes you sound much more worldly and DIY home improvement hip. A monkey wrench is a tool with two parallel, smooth-face jaws. It’s one of those home improvement terms that sounds funny at first. The upper jaw is fixed while the lower jaw is connected to an adjustable screw mechanism that can create wider or narrower openings. Monkey wrenches were commonly used in carriage making and excel at gripping the parallel edges of 4-, 6- and 8-sided nuts and bolts.

We’re answering the most commonly asked questions about home improvement so you can start your project on the right foot. It is a common misconception that it can cost homeowners a lot of money. While new carpeting may improve the look of your home, it won’t increase its value. The value of your home is determined by the size and condition of the house and its location.

Here’s How Many Real Estate Agents There Are in The U.S. (And How to Find a Great One)

The spike can be used to line up bolt holes when installing pipe fittings, doing automotive work or—in the case of iron workers—for lining up bolt holes in girders and beams. Some have offset handles for better leverage or access to parts. There are other types of wrenches that carry the moniker “spud,” so make sure you know what you’re buying before plunking down your dough and know your home improvement terms. Medium-density fiberboard or MDF is an inexpensive option for woodworking and carpentry projects. MDF is basically sawdust and glue fused together under pressure.

A wood or steel beam positioned horizontally between the top sides of the wall frame. Finished ceiling material and rafters are nailed to these beams for support. Dictates that the work will be performed in accordance with set standards of the industry as established by professionals in the field. The description of a project that includes in-depth details and describes the work to be completed.

Honest Pros & Cons of Living in Los Angeles, California

All of these projects are high contributors to improving your home’s resale value. Speaking of a new coat of paint, that’s something that can change your room in ways other than aesthetics. Room painting costs depend on the size of the room and the type of paint used, but for $200 to $1,000 to paint a single room, painting your walls can be a cheap way to renovate your house. Using data from the 2019 Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report, Stacker curated a gallery of the 11 most common home improvements people have made.

The paste is then applied to the fitting and pipe with a small brush and then the two parts are fitted together. (Use a rag to wipe off any excess material.) Heat is applied to the joint, then wire solder is applied to the perimeter of the joint; the paste helps draw the solder in to create a water-tight joint. PEX takes its name because it is a form of polyethylene with cross-links, hence the X in PEX.

Construction Schedule

That weighted object can be as simple as a rock or as elaborate as the brass plumb bob shown. Some are bullet- or cone-shaped, but in the DIY home improvement world they’re often in the guise of a chalk box or chalk line. Now when you cut in along the top of the wall, the paintbrush bristles will slide into the groove, giving you a crisp paint line without getting paint on the ceiling. GFCI is an important acronym to know when doing electrical work.

A sheet used to cover and protect furniture, floors, and valuables during interior painting projects. A window unit composed of several window panels that form a bow shape; each panel is typically configured at a 10-degree angle. A bond is an amount of money which secures a contractor’s license with a certified governmental agency. A bond can be used to pay unpaid bills held by the contractor, or as a guarantee or contingency that a project will be completed as planned. Mechanical drawings, prepared by an architect, that show precise detail of a building or space.

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Homes built in this timeframe will likely contain aluminum wiring prone to overheating and failure. One of the easiest flooring types to install yourself are floating laminate floors. Laminate offers the look of hardwood floors, but the planks snap together easily, and they don’t require any adhesive or nails to hold them in place. Carpet, for example, is a multi-step project that requires the installation of tack strips and padding before you even get to the carpet. You’ll also need to do a lot of measuring, trimming (through tough-to-cut padding and carpet backing), stretching, and gluing seams together.

For example, if you have a broken light switch that you cannot easily access, it may not be worth the time and effort to fix it. It is essential to take the time to plan out your project. Before you begin, you need to know what you want and how much it will cost. This can be a very messy process, so ensure you have plenty of protection and wear proper clothing. If you plan to sell your home, you may want to avoid making any significant updates. This is why it is essential to get a professional appraisal before making any big purchases is important.

B. Sometimes Requires a Permit:

If that’s the type of wiring your home has, always hire a certified electrician. It is inevitable that as a homeowner, you will have to replace your refrigerator or oven. Sometimes, you have to—the coolant motor blows out, for example, or the insulation fails. Sometimes, you want to—perhaps you are interested in the newest features or you need more storage space for a growing family.

The term “pocket” comes from the design of the hole which contains an upper “pocket” for the head of the screw to push against; this pocket also hides the head of the screw. Particleboard is a manufactured wood product composed of sawdust, wood chips or wood shavings mixed with a resin. This concoction is layered, compressed, subjected to heat and cut to shape, resulting in a sheet material that can be used for a variety of things. It’s often used as shelving or as an underlayment for carpet. Plastic laminate may be applied to both sides to create a product that can be used to create everything from furniture to cabinets to wall paneling.