Spring Cleaning Checklist

     

It's that time of year again, folks!  Time to get some chores done.  Keeping up with house maintenance is ever so important during seasonal traditions because with each season brings different potential problems.  Like they always say, an ounce of preventions is worth a pound of cure.

  

     One of the major things to check for in the spring is water damage.  The wintertime is when the water table rises.  The snow and rain is stored in the earth and isn’t being evaporated as quickly into the atmosphere as it does during the spring and summer.  So investigate your house from the bottom, up.  Check for moisture under the house, any condensation in your crawl spaces can mean things like ill-fitting access doors.  Moisture in your crawl space can cause damage to floor joists, it can seep into your insulation and breed an environment for all sorts of things you don’t want in your home like mold, and bugs.

     Next check your basement for moisture.  If you see water seeping through your concrete block walls, deterioration of your carpets or floors, condensation on joists, blistering or peeling of wall coverings or if the air in your basement is humid, you need to start searching for a remedy.  Begin by airing out your basement.  You need to find the source of the problem.  It could be groundwater seeping into a settling foundation, a ventilation problem, or even inadequate grading from the foundation outward.  There’s a laundry list of problems and solutions to keep moisture out of your basement.  If you haven’t finished your basement but are thinking about it, its a good idea to address any potential water problems before starting the project.

     Next you want to make sure your air and rainwater are flowing efficiently through your house.  Check the gutters to clear any blockages.  Now is a good time to open all the vents in your house to air them out before it gets too hot.  Make sure there isn’t any condensation in your vents, either.  Check your attic rafters for condensation as well, any changes in color can also be a sign of damage.

  

     Last but not least, checking your windows for any air leaks can save you money on your energy bills.  Move a lighter around your windows, if the flame flickers, you have a leak.

     Just taking a quick look around your house, you’ll be able to tell what kind of shape it's in.  If you do find water damage, don’t fret, there are plenty of inexpensive solutions to try first, such as DIY sealants from your home center.  The key is to find it before any major damage is done, so you won’t have to shell out the big bucks for major repairs.

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.

5 Home Improvements To Do Now

Before you know the holiday season will be here, we're already starting to see all the Halloween decorations at some of our favorite stores and soon after it will be Thanks Giving and Christmas. Home improvement projects may not be feasible as the the holiday season approaches, so it may be smart to get those projects out of the way before it is too late to get them done.

Kitchen Remodel
Have you been thinking about redoing your kitchen? Well, it does take a little bit of time especially if you're thinking of expanding it and getting new appliances. The average kitchen remodel can take anywhere between eight to twelve weeks if you are doing an overall makeover which means you are already running late.

Bathroom Remodel
Want to impress your visiting relatives with a shiny new guest bathroom? This too can take sometime to get done, primarily because you need a contractor, a plumber and possibly an electrician to get this home improvement done. You can start doing all the shopping in advance and keep everything in storage until you have all the right contractors lined up to get this task done.

Carpentry (Doors, Crown Moulding, Casings)
Even though this isn't a project that is terribly time consuming or hard to do, it still needs to be coordinated throughout the house and requires proper planning. Some stores may not have everything that you need in store so you may have to special order some items adding to the projected timeline. You'd be surprised what a shiny new door can do for your home and how it can change the look of a whole space.

Roof Repairs
We've covered in the past how crucial it is to repair your roof is, but there is no better time to take care of this than now. If your roof does need repairing, waiting until there is a rain storm or even worse, a snow storm, is a bad idea. Repairs are much harder to do in damp weather and if there is structural damage it may even be impossible to do. So take care of that now before it ends up costing you more.

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This Neighborhood, Good or Bad?

(image courtesy of AreaVibes.com)

As a contractor and a Class-A builder, New Earth comes across different kinds of neighborhoods, if you're new to the area it may be a little bit overwhelming to figure out where is a good place to live. Even as a current resident of RVA, it may be difficult to keep up with all the neighborhoods that are up and coming and the ones that have deteriorated. For the most part, Richmond is growing, at an alarmingly exponential rate. This is great for anyone living here or considering moving to Richmond. The value of property is rising. This is especially important for a homeowner to know because home care and maintenance are more crucial than ever.

So what's the best way of knowing if your neighborhood or a neighborhood that you're interested in is worth living in? Thankfully the internet has a lot of different websites that offer all kinds of information including statistical facts about any particular neighborhood. One of our personal favorites is AreaVibes.com. They offer useful knowledge like: crime rate, average household income, property value and the amenities available in any specific area. The only problem that we find with Area Vibes is that you need to do preliminary research on an area that you're interested in since they want you to plug in the name of the subdivision, zip code or address.

Richmond.com breaks the different neighborhoods down for you, they tell you stories of what's happening in some of them so it offers a more personable perspective to give you a sense of what that place is like. They talk about upcoming areas and complexes, specifically what places are being built out. This is important because if different stores and shops see the value of building in a neighborhood, that means that others will follow and see the value in it too. This means more and better housing.

They also include Real Estate listings so you can check out what is available on the market, this allows you to make easy comparisons between properties and see what your competitors are doing if you are in the market to sell.

Even though we are partial to downtown Richmond and the Churchill area, we like knowing what is going around in the Richmond Tri-Cities area, so we find these two resources incredibly useful. You will probably find them useful too.

Are you working on home improvements? Check out what your neighbors are doing by reading about it online, see what works and what doesn't. Some properties will have better value than others and this could be a good way to find out why.

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DIY: Safety Tips

Whether you are making home improvements that require a contractor or not, safety should always be a priority in everyone’s list. Anytime that you are dealing with tools it is important to keep the following things in mind: 

Protective Gear

Tools are made to cut through hard materials like steel and wood, our skin is made of something that is much more fragile than that. There are areas of our bodies, like that eye, that is even more flimsy than our skin. This is why we must protect them with googles and gloves. If you are working with things that produce fire like soldering materials you may want to invest in clothing that protects you from burns. 

Clean Workspace

You’ll want to make sure that the space that you are working on is clear of any obstacles that could potentially lead to an accident. More specifically don’t leave tools laying around, watch out for nails and things like furniture that you could trip on. When you’re done working, put everything away, this can prevent you or others who may wander into your area to hurt themselves. 

Ladders are one of the biggest reasons for an accident in a workspace. People often don’t clean up their workspace or they don’t secure the ladder properly causing accidents. Make sure that your ladder isn’t shaky and that it is on solid ground before starting getting on it. 

Abilities 

Do you know how to properly and safely work your power tools? Do you also know yourself well enough to know how much strength you’ll apply when using these tools? These are two questions that you need to ask yourself before you start any major DIY project. Knowing and respecting your power tools is extremely important, you need to know how much damage they can cause if not used properly. Also giving them routine maintenance is important, a tool that is not properly greased or that has loose parts can have catastrophic consequences. 

The strength applied to a tool can also cause unwanted mistakes, apply too much pressure or strength and a project can be ruined. You can also lose grip on a tool if you put in too much strength into it leading to a potential risk of injury for yourself and/or others. 

Capability

Out of all the previous reasons why there are accidents when working on DIY projects, this the one that causes the most issues. People tend to be over confident on their ability to execute a project. We’ve talked about before how it is important to know one’s boundaries when working on a home improvement project, so don’t bit more than you can chew. If you’re not confident on a project then don’t be scared to ask for help or hire a professional like New Earth.

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4 Reasons to Hire a Contractor Vs. DIY

We’ve all been in a situation where we have debated whether or not calling a contractor is worth it or not. Here are the top reason’s why you’d want to call a contractor versus trying to do something yourself… 

1. Discounts on materials

When your contractor purchases materials on your behalf, they probably already have ties with the stores they are getting them from and they can typically negotiate prices in bulk. This is something that they can easily do because you are not their only client and have to typically stock up on materials anyway. Also, a lot of the contractors have credit or membership cards from supply stores that automatically give them a certain percentage off, these are savings that eventually get passed onto you.

2. Smaller Margin of Error

There are certain projects like finishing a basement, building an outdoor deck, or installing new doors that can be easily accomplished if you are pretty handy. There are many other things that people think are easy like taking down a wall, installing a new ceiling fan or redoing a bathroom that may not actually as simple to redo as expected. Taking down a wall for example has complications like electrical wiring running through it, whether or not it is a wall that supports weight or plumbing that runs through it. A ceiling fan needs to be installed under the right support beams and needs to run the correct electrical connections to it. Redoing a bathroom can have complications both in plumbing and electrical. If you make any mistakes in these undertakings that appear DIY, without consulting an expert first, they can end up being very costly. Ask to see if your contractor provides a free consultation and you might be able to see whether or not your home improvement project is doable on your own.

3.Time Efficiency

A contractor will know exactly what needs to be done and how long it will take them. If you do your research you might find out how long it will take you to complete a project as an individual, however it is nearly impossible for you to plan on additional time for unexpected issues if the complication is out of your scope of knowledge. You can also hold a contractor accountable for how long it will take, if you start a project and become unmotivated then the project might never reach full completion.

4. Level of Complexity

A simple project that does not require much attention to detail is something that the majority of homeowners or renters can do. However if you take on a project that requires attention to several details and has a lot of parts then it might be best to leave it to the experts. When you hire a contractor to take on a big project like making an addition to your home, there’s many parts to that they’ll take care of for you: electrical, plumbing structural, etc. All of those things may be too much of an undertaking and provide risks that you may not want to take. If one piece is missing because you forgot it or didn’t know how to execute it correctly, your whole project may come to a halt or fail completely. 

Each home project is going to be unique and every individual will have different levels of experience. Call a contractor when it doubt to get advice and to figure out costs. If what you’re saving by doing it yourself is not much it may really be worth it to call an expert, especially if they are insured. 

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12 Clever Uses for Old Furniture

Need some inexpensive home decorating ideas? HGTV.com shares some really cool ideas that you can do with items that can be easily be found around your home or through a quick trip to your local thrift store. New Earth VA will always be on board with concepts that are friendly to the environment and that give new life to an item that has been discarded, which in addition also adds character to your home.

Old Mattress Turned Into Multipurpose Message Board

(Via HGTV.com)

Home Office Made from Different Salvaged Materials

(via HGTV.com)

Repurposed Table with Wallpaper

(via HGTV.com)

Pros and Cons: Wooden Floors

As a Class-A contractor, New Earth gets often asked to install wooden floors in all types of homes. We have realized that people usually have quite a few questions about the process, the cost and some of the benefits and disadvantages of wooden floors. We've put together a list of things to consider when purchasing a new home or updating an old one to wooden floors. Let's start with the positive first:

Pro's

• Easy Clean Up - What makes this particularly important is that you can easily recognize dirt or dust and clean it up. There are plenty of ways to clean a wooden floor, from: items you can pick up at your local grocery store to steam mops that disinfect.
• Cost Effective Repairs - If a section of your wooden floor happens to be damaged, it is very easy to target the replacement of the floor. You don't need to replace the entire thing. 
• Environmentally Friendly - Wooden floors come from natural materials which means they are biodegradable and it is a resource that can be replanted. 
• Hypoallergenic - Suffering from allergies is no joke, wooden floors allow to measure the amount of dust and allergens that live on the surface. Other flooring options like carpet don't give you that level of control since carpeting is often considered a breeding ground for allergens. 

Con's

• Cost - It usually costs more money upfront to install wooden floors, although in the long run you might see the value because it is a low maintenance option. 
• Durability - Even though wooden floor tend to last for a long time, it can scratch easily especially if you have pets or kids in the house.

Although the our Con's list is not very extensive, price is something to consider that can be a major factor in your decision. Keep in mind that this is a long term investment and that you'll probably end up saving money in the long run. 

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Summer Insulation - 4 Tips

Insulation is not just for Winter, yes we want to stay warm during cold weather but just as heat can escape our homes or apartments over the winter so can cool air during the summer. Here are 5 things you want to look for in your home to ensure that you conserve as much cool temperature as possible while keeping your energy bill down.

1. Windows - A crack in the window, faulty seals, and lack of curtains can all contribute to increased heat in your home. Checking to ensure that there isn't any leaks of air can help keep the house a few degrees cooler which in turn will help with your electricity bill. Also, repairing and updating old windows can also affect how effective your cooling system is. 

1. Doors - They can expand and contract with the season's causing if they are made from wood, causing all kinds of gaps between the door frames, this can easily be fixed with door weather strips from your local home supply store. Also having a storm door can insulate better as well as allow you to have natural air flowing through the house during cooler days, this is an upgrade that is well welcomed by homeowners. 

1. Roof - Having little insulation in the roof can also have an impact because the roof receives so much heat during bright sunny days that if it is not properly covered, it can have some of that heat transferred indoors. We think of this especially during Winter because air rising but it is also important to keep an eye on it during the summer!

1. A/C Unit - Make sure your A/C unit is working the way it is supposed to, if you don't feel like the air it is pumping out is cool then check to make sure it has all the necessary fluids, that the unit has even properly maintained and that all the vents are cleared. A/C Units also have a warranty so make sure your warranty is active to qualify for free or reduced maintenance costs. 

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Waterfalls

Many homeowners enjoy the advantages of having a garden or outdoor space in which to relax. This is one of the perks of owning a home, you can customize it to look and feel like a place that you'd want to be in. A great project idea to add value and enhance your garden can be to install a waterfall. 

• Serenity - it provides a quite and restful space for you and your family, a place where you can get away especially if your home is located in a busy area of town

• Value Added - this can make your home more appealing to potential buyers

• Pest Control - moving water won't allow mosquitoes to breed

• Bird Watching - you'll find that your small sanctuary will attract different types of animals in nature, including birds. 

There are many benefits to adding a waterfall but one of the best reasons is because of the relaxing and soothing sounds and space that a waterfall can create. A lot of people might think this could be an expensive project that requires a lot of maintenance or a big space in order to be built. This isn't neccesarily true depending on the size of the waterfall and the type of landscape that your home has. 

Landscape Planet points out a few different reasons on why this is a great idea for your home:

These are just a few of the reasons why adding a waterfall to your home is a good idea. We definitely support the idea of home improvements and making your home as appealing as possible since it will add overall value as long as it properly maintained and cared for. 

Some of our ideas featured on this blog are ideas that you can execute yourself and can find different guides for online. For all your home improvement ideas that you need help with, call New Earth to get an estimate (804) 955-0257

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