Archive for the ‘Fix It Right’ Category

Mold is a type of fungus made up of tiny microscopic organisms that can grow practically anywhere, such as on ceiling tiles, wallpaper, wood, paints, carpet, and insulation. It multiplies via spores and shows itself in a variety of colors, from greens to browns to pinks, grays, blacks, and yellows. The most common mold growth area in the house is the bathroom, since mold grows on moist materials.

If you spot mold in one of your listings, you’ll first want to size up the problem, and then create a plan for safe and complete removal.

If the mold is found in a small area, less than 10 square feet, removal can be a do-it-yourself project. Here’s how:

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Prices are falling on building materials and on contractors’ fees, and that’s reflected in a 12 percent drop in consumer spending on home improvements, according to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“It’s hard for home owners to think about spending on their houses when real estate values are falling,” says Kermit Baker, a senior research fellow at Harvard. “But with contractors hungrier for business, you’ll be able to negotiate better prices, win other concessions and hire better-quality contractors than you could a year or two ago.”

In Remodeling magazine’s most recent study of returns on remodels, home owners recouped about two-thirds of their costs on a typical home improvement if they sold their home within a year after completing the job. That compares to 87 percent in 2005 at the peak of the housing boom.

Source: Money, Donna Rosato (12/01/08)

These are skills every home owner should master to save lots of money over the years. Most can be tackled without fancy tools, although it helps to have a variable-speed power drill.

• Replace a door lock.
• Change furnace and air conditioning filters.
• Find a stud in wall.
• Learn to install wall anchors.
• Hang a ceiling fan.
• Drive drywall screws (to repair drywall).
• Master a caulking gun.
• Replace the flapper ball in the toilet.

Here are some books you can read for more information on home do-it-yourself projects:

• “The Reader’s Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual.” First published in 1973, it was last updated in 2005. A great all-around book.

• “Home Depot’s Home Improvement 1-2-3″ (Meredith Books, 2003, $34.95). Clear, helpful visuals.

• “Home & Garden Television’s Complete Fix-It” (Time Life, 2000, $29.95).

Source: The News & Observer, Allen Norwood (05/17/2008)