As a family grows, often the needs of the family change, which is why many homeowners consider remodeling. By completing a Columbia SC home remodeling project, you have the benefit of staying in the home you love. But before you decide to take on a home remodeling project, here are a few questions you'll want to consider.
Your Columbia SC home improvement projects don't have to cost you a fortune, but neglecting them just might.
Summer is in full swing now, and it's time to be tackling those outdoor Columbia SC home improvement chores that you put off all winter. Here are some things to consider doing right now, and some ideas for places to find cheap or even free supplies…
Get complete Columbia SC home improvement tips and ideas by clicking the Columbia SC Home Improvements link to your right under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories.
Everyone knows about spring cleaning, although many never seem to get around to it. If you've sworn an oath to really get your Columbia SC home cleaned up this year, we have some things you need to include on your Columbia SC home spring cleaning list.
Columbia SC Home Spring Cleaning To Do List:
Sell Some Stuff
Now that the weather is warmer, it's time for a yard sale. Gather up all your unwanted stuff and put it out on the lawn. Might as well make some money on some of that clutter you no longer use.
Give Away Some Stuff
If you don't sell it in your yard sale, do NOT take it back in the house. Take your un-sold yard sale items to a local Columbia SC charity and get a tax deduction for it.
Throw Away Some Stuff
If you have large items that cannot be sold or donated, you don't have to keep living with them taking up space in your garage or storage shed. Haul ‘em away.
Clean Thoroughly
The idea of spring cleaning isn't about your normal vacuuming and dusting. It's time to get more serious. Move furniture and clean underneath and behind, including your refrigerator, and your washer and dryer. Pull back the blinds and clean the windows. And while you're at it, clean the blinds. They're probably pretty gross too.
Organize Your Stuff
Those closets you've been ignoring? It's time. Really. Plan your attack and go for it. You never know what you'll find in there that you've been missing (or forgot about). And cleaning out your closets are also a great way to find items to sell and donate (see #1 and #2 above).
Paint a Room
Paint colors stuck in a decade-old funk? It's time for a fresh coat. Check out your local Lowe's or Home Depot for the latest trends in paint colors.
Plant New Flowers
Spring is the time to get your garden in high gear. Flowers, bulbs, and certain veggies thrive in Spring.
Consider a Move
Now that you've done all of the Columbia SC home spring cleaning you've been putting off for years, maybe it's just time to sell and move! If you are thinking of moving, remember that all the same rules apply for getting your Columbia SC home ready to sell as they do for getting it Spring ready to live in yourself. So, basically, you're not going to be able to avoid getting that whole shower scrubbing thing done either way, staying or moving.
To get more tips on Columbia SC home maintenance and ways to save money by doing-it-yourself, check out our other articles by clicking on the Columbia SC Home Improvements link to your right under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories.
A growing number of homeowners are now hiring Columbia SC lawn services to help make their lawn look good. But guess what? Not all Columbia SC lawn services are legit, and not all of them really know what they're doing and could end up harming your lawn instead of making it look better.
Homeowners should drill potential Columbia SC lawn services about certifications, whether from a national industry group or state and local programs. Even though that doesn't guarantee quality, it does show some education in the field. You should also make sure that any of the Columbia SC lawn services you're thinking about using actually has a business license and is insured, so you won't be liable for injuries or damages.
What Some Columbia SC Lawn Services Don't Want You to Know
Many Columbia SC lawn services tend to mow too frequently and they tend to keep grass on the short side. That's bad for several reasons: It lets sun reach weeds, helping them grow; it can stress and kill your lawn; the grass grows unevenly; and it can make the lawn grow faster, adding to the number of mowings that you end up paying for.
Whether you do it yourself or rely on one of the Columbia SC lawn services, never cut more than a third of the length of the grass. Your yard is not a golf course green, and should not be cut short like a putting surface.
Get your soil tested at least every 3 to 5 years. Many Columbia SC lawn services don't do this, so you may need to contact someone at your local or state extension service to have this done. This will tell you whether your land is alkaline or acidic and what nutrients are lacking in the soil. Some Columbia SC lawn services just apply the same thing to everyone's lawn, regardless of what the soil may actually need. It's well worth the $20 to $40 a soil test may cost to pinpoint any potential problems that may be starting
Many Columbia SC lawn services tend to over-fertilize. Industry critics say four or five times a year is too much, and most professionals say there shouldn't be more than 2 feedings each year. Just know that if you hire one of the Columbia SC lawn services, they're probably going to put down as much as possible.
Consider the free fertilizer you can get by leaving cut lawn clippings in the grass as opposed to bagging them. Clippings will supply half the food your lawn needs a year. The perfect food for an American lawn is 10% nitrogen. Your lawn clippings are 10% nitrogen. There is no more perfect food for the lawn than the lawn itself.
Most Columbia SC lawn services also spray preventative fungicide treatments and other special herbicides, as well as add lime to counter an overly acidic soil. Too much of this stuff on your lawn can actually harm the lawn in the long run. Check around. Some Columbia SC lawn services offer an organic service that uses far less chemicals and pesticides.
One recommended treatment that may cut down on the amount of chemicals you need to put on your lawn and fight weeds the more natural way is aeration. Aerating the soil with a core aerator pulls out short plugs of soil that are left on the ground to break down, and creates space for grass to spread out on the lawn. Most legitimate Columbia SC lawn services will offer aeration, usually as an added cost.
These are just a few of the things that many Columbia SC lawn services won't bother to tell you. We hope you have gained a little more knowledge about your lawn, and more importantly, about your Columbia SC lawn service company practices and policies.
For more home improvement tips, visit our Columbia SC Home Improvements section of articles and information to your right under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories.
Solid growth is expected in the Columbia SC home remodeling market this year, but momentum should begin to moderate in the fourth quarter, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity index released recently by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.
Researchers say the housing recovery has temporarily lost some of its momentum and sluggish home sales may result in lower Columbia SC home remodeling spending by year's end.
Nationwide, home remodeling spending is expected to reach $153.1 billion by the close of 2014, up from $139.9 billion in the fourth quarter of last year, a 9.4 percent gain, the survey said. But compared to the projected spending in the third quarter this year of $158.9, spending is expected to drop by 3.6 percent by the end of 2014.
Columbia SC Home Remodeling Continues to Recover
Columbia SC home remodeling spending has already recovered a significant share of its losses from the downturn. Kermit Baker, director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center said in a statement, “As spending moves into the next phase, we expect to see recent double-digit growth tail off to its longer-term average in the mid-single-digit range.”
While Columbia SC home remodeling growth is expected to be solid, housing starts are expected to continue on slow growth pattern over the rest of the year. Privately owned housing starts in March grew by 2.8 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but at a slower rate than last year.
For more Columbia SC home remodeling tips and advice, visit our Columbia SC Home Improvements section of articles to your right under Columbia SC Real Estate Categories for more articles and information.