Even when you buy a new home, nothing is guaranteed and you could run into problems more quickly than you might expect.  Cracks in the bricks, plumbing issues or a stove that won’t work could cause you to become frustrated and disillusioned with your new house, not to mention cost hundreds of dollars in repair or replacement costs.  However, if you have a home warranty, the costs could be covered for you.

While home warranties may vary as far as what they provide coverage for in your home, they also vary from state to state, with some states requiring new home builders to provide buyers of their houses with a home warranty.  These statutory home warranty laws exist in:

• Ÿ  Indiana
• Ÿ  Maryland
• Ÿ  Minnesota
• Ÿ  Mississippi
• Ÿ  New Jersey
• Ÿ  New York
• Ÿ  Texas
• Ÿ  Virginia

You should check with your Realtor or with your state’s consumer affairs division to see if home warranties are required where you live.  Having a home warranty can save you a lot of money and frustration.  Statutory warranty laws usually cover the home for two to 10 years and you should find out from the realtor what it covers and how long the coverage lasts.

For home sellers, home warranty plans provide peace of mind that if something does go wrong, then the buyer will be covered and the seller probably will not be sued or have to worry about the buyer coming down on them too hard.

Warranty plans are not very expensive, costing between $250 to $400 per year.  The buyer usually has a deductible payment to make when repairs or replacements are needed, but that only may be as high as $100 per incident.  They are also available for homes that are not brand new, but you should shop around before committing to a home warranty.

You can review home warranty plans online as most companies have a website promoting their services and many consumer advocacy groups also provide information online about home warranty coverage and the companies who provide home warranty plans.  It is important to note that home warranties do not take the place of homeowner’s insurance policies as they cover different things.  Homeowner’s insurance covers incidents like fires, hail storms, lightening damage and theft, none of which are covered by home warranty plans.

Do your homework and decide if a home warranty service plan is what you need or find out what coverage you have if your home already has a home warranty plan.

Having steam-cleaning equipment would be an excellent choice to start your own cleaning service business.  For under $1,100, you could easily pick the best cleaning equipment on the market and be a successful, professional cleaner.  Here is an example…

• 2 Vacuums                                          398.00
• 2 Mops, Brooms                                    84.00
• 2 Steam Cleaners                                298.00
• 1 Steam Carpet Cleaner                      226.00
• Microfiber Cloths                                  50.00
• Trash Bags                                            14.00
• TOTAL                                       $   1,070.00

Okay, then what do you do?  Why would you be a better choice, than a well-established cleaning company would?  You are going to work harder and prove you can be the best, in your entire area.  In addition, most other companies use toxic chemicals to clean and you will not!

Why have a steam cleaning service?  First, you get a 60-day money back guarantee and one full year warranty.  Therefore, that is easy to answer… steam cleaners have the capabilities of the large heavy-duty industrial cleaners ($2000 to $3000).

Clearly, your cost is lower and you have five separate cleaners that will give you more cleaning power to help your business grow.  They are lightweight, easy to use, and can be quite profitable.

Imagine cleaning an entire house, office, restaurant, childcare center, or many other businesses in about an hour.  While you clean, you are killing viruses, bacteria, mold, mildew, dust-mites, pet dander, fleas, bed bugs, lice, pollens, and allergens.  You can do all this cleaning and sanitizing without any bleaches, harsh toxic chemicals, fumes, or residue.

Furthermore, there is no rinsing required, as the microfiber acts like a magnet and picks up all debris as you clean.  You could easily charge whatever you want such as: $100 to $200 per job.  You can easily complete 5 – 6 jobs per day.  This is a total of $500 to $1200 a day.  Two lower paying days of cleaning, can pay for your initial investment.

That is a profit of $12,000 to $28,000 25-days per month, or $144,000 to 336,000 for your first year!  WOW!  You would be able to retire after the first year and hire employees.

Your steam equipment will last for years and your employees will love you as your business continues to grow successfully.  Your customers will continue to come back, as you offer great customer service with a smile.  You can smile all the way to the bank!

Since you are cleaning with hot steam, your customers will never complain about the usual antiseptic smells that come with most sanitizing and harsh cleaning products.  It is a win-win-win situation!  You win, your customer wins, and your employees win with your steam cleaning service.

1)      Painting: The single-easiest way to boost your home’s value significantly (up to 300% ROI).

2)      Kitchen Remodeling: Can be an arduous process, but goes a long way.

3)     Bathroom Addition: An extra bathroom can give your house both convenience and value.

4)      Bathroom Remodeling: Replace your shower curtain with a sliding glass door.

5)      Finishing Unfinished Rooms: Why leave space unused in your house?

6)      Replacing an Entry Door: The first thing your friends and visitors see.

7)      Deck Addition: Huge boost to value, plus adds a more fun environment for outside hangouts.

8)      Adding a Room: Can be expensive, but highly recommended if you have the funds.

9)      Home Office Addition/Remodeling: Spruce up your home office a bit.

10)   Energy Efficient Additions – Cheaper additions include energy efficient insulation and furnaces while the more expensive investments are solar panels, tankless water heaters, heat recovery ventilators.

11)   Replacing Exterior Siding: Simple but effective

12)   Garage Door Replacement: Don’t wait until you need to.

13)   Upscale Vinyl Replacement Window Additions: Windows add character to your home.

14)   Updating Plumbing: Not fun, but it needs to be done.

15)   Updating Electrical System: Neglecting to address this can prevent damage, which will cost more than replacement.

16)   Basement Remodel: Another major way to gain value.

17)   Roof Replacement: Don’t wait until you have a leak.

18)   Outdoor Maintenance: Finish sheds, gardens, fences, etc.

19)   Boost Kitchen Storage: Add storage to prevent clutter.

20)   Upgrade Your Cabinets: Keep them looking modern and fresh.

21)   Fireplace Facelift: Adds to the “home” factor every house needs.

22)   Replace Light Fixtures: Many modern upgrade options.

23)   Add a Water Filtration System: Save money and never buy bottled water again.

24)   Have a Professional Clean Your Carpets: Instead of replacing your carpet, have a professional clean it every so often.

25)   Accentuate Crown Molding: The jewelry of your walls.

26)   Add a Landscape Walkway: Make your entryway fit for a king.

27)   Illuminate Your Deck Steps: Adds grandeur to your deck in the twilight.

28)   Install a Bathroom Vent Fan: Prevents mold and odors.

29)   Upgrade Your Appliances: More efficient and attractive.

30)   Install Outdoor Lighting: Light up your landscape walkway for safety and aesthetic appeal.

31)   Makeover /Replace Your Mailbox: No one likes a dirty, bland mailbox.

32)   Install Window Boxes: Make your windows more attractive.

33)   Add a Fence: Protect your home, keep your pets safe, and looks great.

34)   Add/Replace Window Shutters: They can be beat up or outdated, so pay heed.

35)   Replace Downspouts and Gutters: For both efficiency and aesthetic purposes.

The type of flooring you put in your home can make all the difference to how well the rooms flow together and how comfortable you feel in your own home. Making the wrong choice can result in years of regret. Two popular flooring choices for a home are ceramic tile and hardwood flooring. These types of flooring can be difficult to choose between for certain rooms in a home. When choosing between tile and hardwood, it is very important to take the following factors into consideration.

Intended Use

The room in which the flooring is being installed will have a huge impact on the suitability of the particular floor type. Kitchens, bathrooms and mudrooms all receive a good deal of moisture on a regular basis. Hardwood floors do not hold up to moisture as well as tile. They can warp and buckle in a very unattractive way. Tile is essentially waterproof as long as the grout remains sealed. It is easy to wipe spills away in a busy kitchen atmosphere.

Traffic

The amount of traffic the floor will receive should be considered when choosing between tile and wood. Hardwood flooring is susceptible to wear from heavy foot traffic. It does not stand up as well to the abuses from children and pets. Ceramic tile easily cracks and chips when heavy objects are dropped on the floor. Ceramic that is chipped looks unkempt. It can also be quite sharp and must be repaired immediately. The scuffs that hardwood accumulates simply add character to the flooring. Tile grout that is not refinished annually will become stained and is very hard to clean. Hardwood will muffle footsteps, but foot traffic on tile is alarmingly loud. Breakable objects that fall on tile will instantly shatter. It is not as forgiving of accidents as hardwood.

Style

Hardwood floors lend a warmth and charm to a room that ceramic tile just does not capture. Ceramic tile can seem cold and sterile in living spaces. A home that is floored entirely in wood is inviting for parties and is literally warmer in the winter. A wood floor often appears cleaner. Light ceramic tile will always show dirt and can be very hard to keep clean.

Overall Cost

When it comes down to the hard numbers, tile is far cheaper than wood at first glance. Materials and labor are less expensive in tile floors. Discount hardwood flooring can significantly lower the cost of wood floors. Wood floors also add to the resale value of the house, and ceramic tile does not. Discount hardwood flooring combined with a greater profit from resale can even out the cost of a wood floor and make it more on par with the cost of tile.  To explore hardwood options, visit http://www.flooranddecoroutlets.com/hardwood-solid.html.

If you are anything like me, you have been dying to renovate your kitchen for the longest time but feel like you simply cannot afford it or that the work involved would outweigh the benefits of having a more attractive or more convenient kitchen. However, if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking for family and friends and you enjoy entertaining there, it is worth considering a few easy renovations that can spruce up your kitchen without costing an arm and a leg. These projects will take a few hours at minimum and a few days at maximum, making them significantly less of an undertaking than a full kitchen renovation.

Since I was a child peeking through my grandmother’s glass tile kitchen window, I have always loved the look of glass tiles in a kitchen. A glass tile backsplash behind a stove is something that is actually very easy to do and does not require a lot of time or energy. You simply need to know the size of the glass tiles you want to use to create your glass tile backsplash as well as the area behind your stove where glass tile can actually be placed. With a little grout and a little know how from your local home improvement store, you can create a gorgeous new conversation piece for your kitchen.

If you are someone who has always wanted a kitchen island for more storage space and surface to work on, there is an alternative to actually having an island constructed in your kitchen that may be cheaper and is definitely easier. Search old antique furniture shops for a butcher’s block from the 30s or 40s. Old butcher’s blocks have a sturdy steel construction and can easily be topped with treated wood for use as a kitchen island. If none of the stores near you have one, look online or ask antique store owners, who frequently have a network of friends in the business that are able to track down a piece of desired furniture.

Do you have a glass kitchen door that you wish afforded you more privacy? If curtains get in the way and replacing the glass is too expensive of an option, consider investing in frosted glass paint, a simple tool which allows you to paint the surface of the glass to make it only slightly transparent and give it the look of a frosted glass pane. Your kitchen will still have beautiful natural light, but passers by will no longer be able to peek through your door and see that you were too tired to load the dishwasher or that the trash desperately needs to be taken out. By making small changes in your kitchen one step at a time, you can create a new look with minimal effort and cost.

Having worked as a contractor on many home renovation projects, I have seen my fair share of work that has not been up to code, has used shortcuts, and is just plain shoddy. Careless home improvement can cost a family thousands of dollars because of the initial cost of parts and labor and the added cost of getting everything fixed. I hope to inform my readers about the pitfalls of working with under qualified contractors on their next home renovation or improvement project to save them from the heartache of such a terrible experience.

During the demolition phase of a home renovation project is it easy to make big mistakes through what seem like inconsequential actions. Pipes can easily be damaged and electrical wiring can be harmed if the utmost care isn’t taken when taking down walls or ripping up floors. The first thing you want to do before gutting out a space is to make sure that the water being pumped through the plumbing is turned off and the electrical current being supplied to the area is shut down. This is very important in order to avoid possibly flooding a room in your home or even electrocuting yourself.

Also, in older homes, there is the risk of asbestos being used in the insulation. Inhaling asbestos is extremely hazardous and can cause very serious illness including lung cancer and mesothelioma. Before demolishing any walls in your home you should check to see what type of insulation was used. If by chance asbestos was used then it is highly advised that you contact a professional to remove it from your home before you continue with your home project.

The demolition phase of a home renovation project can be a very fun and rewarding experience for you to do on your own. It can help you save money, but it is important to go about this renovation phase with the same level of safety and care as any other phase of the process.