Fall / Winter Projects - Bathroom Remodels

There’s no better time than the winter to turn your boring bathroom into a spa retreat. While replacing a faucet, re-grouting tile, or repainting are relatively easy for the do-it-yourselfer, more ambitious jobs like replacing the tub or adding tile floor might be better left to a professional.

While a complete remodel might be a bigger investment, it’s worth considering.

Many older homes were not built using mold-resistant drywall, so if you’re going to make an investment in upgrading your bathroom, that’s one of the best places to start. Knowing what’s going on behind the walls is important before making expensive updates.

There is also a lot of plumbing involved with replacing bathtubs, sinks and toilets, which requires an expert to ensure it’s done right. Once the walls are closed up, a small leak can go unnoticed for a long time, resulting in serious damage and possibly a complete remodel.

Our philosophy is that if you’re going to invest in a project, do it right the first time.

Fall / Winter Projects - Classy Doors

With home improvement projects, sometimes it’s the things that are used the most that are noticed the least. Like all the doors in your home — in and out of rooms, to closets and utility rooms. But after a closer look, the scratches, cracks, old hinges and outdated style can be hard to miss.

Replacing interior doors is an affordable way to give your home an updated look versus an expensive remodel. Most of the homeowners that come to us are looking for doors that have a unique or more modern look than what they have.

There are a lot of options that many people might not even think about. For example, double doors are a much more functional and attractive alternative to sliding doors and bi-fold doors, while French-style doors can add natural light and architectural detail to a space.

A big thing with customers right now is not so much the door, but the hardware. Homeowners are choosing update hinges and doorknobs with more modern colors like brushed nickel or aged bronze.

While installing interior doors can be a job for do-it-yourselfers, it can quickly turn into a bigger job than expected, especially when replacing doors in older homes.

Most doors are not going to just fall into place. The jobs we do involve cutting, trimming and shaping the door to size, and sometimes replacing the molding.

We advice homeowners looking to replace interior doors is for them to do their homework, know their budget, and have an idea of what they like.

Fall / Winter Projects - Lighten Up the Room!

What better way to brighten and warm your spirits this winter than with new lights, lamps or ceiling fans. Not to mention it’s an easy and affordable way to update the style of any room.

We get a lot of customers during the winter who are shopping for new lights to get ready for the holidays or to accent kitchen and bathroom renovations. They are also looking to save on their energy bill with ceiling fans which push heat back down.

LED-style lights, which come in contemporary and bold styles, also provide a money-saving option. Installing dimmers in areas like the family room or dining room saves money, while allowing homeowners to customize the ambiance.

In addition to pendant lighting, another style that is growing in popularity is Steampunk, which is a cross between vintage and industrial designs. But for a softer more romantic feel, a crystal chandelier is still a timeless choice.

When it comes to installation and dealing with electrical issues my advice is to hire a professional so you know it’s done right. Especially with ceiling fans, you want to be sure they aren’t loose or wobbly.

Fall / Winter Projects - Give Your Kitchen A Splash of Personality!

For homeowners looking to spice up their kitchen without spending a pretty penny, adding a backsplash is a great solution, not to mention the perfect project for a cold winter weekend.

For several hundred dollars you can completely change the look of your kitchen, as well as customize it to fit your personality. Place like Home Depot offer classes to show you how you can easily do this yourself.

Just a few years ago The Home Depot had only about 40 tiles to choose from. Today, the store has more than 400 different styles and sizes, ranging from classic subway tile to natural stone to metal. While adding more functionality to a kitchen, a backsplash can also help accessorize and emphasize countertops, cabinets and appliances.

Installation is a relatively simple process, but it is very tedious and time intensive, we recommend making it a weekend project. Home Depot offer products like the Simple Mat and peel and stick tiles that save time and eliminate a lot of the mess.

Two pitfalls we warn you do-it-yourselfers about are not taking the time to prep and lay out a template which can result in irregular lines or spaces. And not cleaning off the grout completely, which once dry can result in a nasty haze that is almost impossible to get off.

Your Business Competition Isn't Competition At All - Business 101

Many of us who have their own business or company are always trying to think of ways we can get our name out there and get more clients. We sometimes feel a little threatened when we encounter someone who does the same type of work that we do. Our natural instinct is to find out what they are all about and figure out the things we do better, we’d like to think that no one does what we do but we all know that is far from the truth. 

In my many years of being the construction industry I have worked very hard to build my portfolio and set of skills. At New Earth we are particularly passionate about building and repurposing furniture. We have a saw mill on location in which we build all sorts of things like: tables, armoires, closets - you name it and we do it! That however doesn’t mean we have mastered all every single building skill there is out there. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and as a successful business we realized very quickly that we weren’t perfect. 

Our competition may have a better set of skills with certain things in which we may not as experienced or don’t have the tools to do. In our many years in business we’ve realized that some people perform better than we do in certain areas and that we can a lot of the times offer something that someone else can’t. We’ve built a network of business in which we relay work when we are not able to take it on ourselves. This keeps the integrity of our business and instead of helping us build enemies we build a friendly network of contractors that refer business back to us. Think of it as free advertisement and a way for people to talk about you through word of mouth in a positive light. 

Instead of shying away talking to other businesses because you think they pose a direct threat to you, think of them in a positive way and how you can help each other out. If a customer comes to me, I can’t perform the job and know of someone that can but don’t let them know, we all lose. 

Next time you talk to a business that lives in the same industry as you are, embrace them and ask them ways that you can help each other out.  

For more tips and tricks for all your home needs visit:
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Fall / Winter Projects - Walls That Wow!

Since you're stuck inside staring at the walls, why not give them a new look. Adding modern trim work, crown molding and a bold coat of paint can completely change the look of a room without the expense of doing a complete renovation.

Contrary to what many homeowners might believe, you can use paint in your home without opening up every window as long it’s an environmentally friendly and waterborne paint, which has virtually no fumes. Plus, the dryness of the colder months can actually produce faster results.

To really add visual interest to your walls, homeowners could go with a new or dramatic paint color or use painter’s tape to create stripes or patterns.

Wallpaper is making a bit of a comeback thanks to home improvement shows. It can definitely be a do-it-yourself project or you can get professionals to do it.

Replacing interior doors is an affordable way to give your home an updated look versus an expensive remodel.

A resonable investment of $500-$800, can get custom trim and crown molding which can really make a difference in the way that a rom looks. Wider baseboards are something that is pretty trendy right now. 

This is just one of the many projects we will be covering in the next couple of weeks that can be done during the fall and winter seasons. 

For more tips and tricks for all your home needs visit:
NewEarthVA.com

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