Home Improvement Cost Guides

What kind of water do you often drink at home? Many homeowners spend the extra dollars to purchase a bulk supply of bottled water at the supermarket. Others order purified water from local businesses to guarantee that they can rehydrate their bodies without being exposed to potential contaminants.

Pea gravel is a ubiquitous landscaping element. You’ve probably heard a lot about it already if you’ve been talking to landscaping experts about your yard. The practical and aesthetic benefits of using pea gravel are well-known and your household could find them useful as well.

The structural integrity of your home is dependent on numerous elements working together. For instance, the finished flooring you see all the time is just one element of a complete system. That system is also typically made up of joists, underlayment, and your subflooring.

The home you bought years ago may no longer be capable of comfortably accommodating your growing family. At the very least, it may seem that way given how cramped it currently feels. Before you put down money on a new home, you may want to consider modifying your current place of residence first.

A pressure-reducing valve (PRV) is an essential piece of your residential plumbing. It prevents a multitude of costly plumbing-related issues and should therefore be maintained and replaced as soon as a problem is observed. There are a few options you need to consider when you replace a PRV, but the first thing everyone wants to know is how much everything will cost.

Baseboards are underappreciated elements of your home décor. We all know they’re used to create aesthetic harmony between your floors and walls, but that’s not all. They also serve the purpose of shielding applied plaster from the effects of wear and tear.

Radon is a radioactive gas found across America. It is formed by the breaking down of uranium in soil. The gas escapes and enters the air you breathe. Not only is radon the second-highest reason for lung cancer, but it’s also the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers.

There are several popular home additions homeowners perform, making a home more livable and adding value to their home. Older homes with only one bath or no bath on the ground floor level beg for this kind of addition. One concern is how much does it cost to add a half bathroom to your home

For many people, nothing says elegance and quality like marble. For centuries, marble has been the choice of building material to symbolize wealth and power. Marble has been used to adorn some of the most well-known palaces in the world. It is no wonder that many homeowners want to evoke the same feelings in their bathrooms but wonder about the cost.

Asphalt is a remarkable material that can be repurposed and reused for different applications. The aforementioned material is commonly used for roads, but it also helps smooth out walkways and play areas. Even when the asphalt is old and starts to break down, it can still be turned into asphalt millings.

As a homeowner, you are the one who welcomes people into your humble abode. You host your family members, your friends, and maybe even some of your colleagues and share good times with them. Of course, there are certain house guests you didn’t invite who are making themselves at home anyway.

Propane is a versatile fuel that can be used to power numerous appliances in and around the home. You can use propane for cooking, heating water, and it can also help provide some warmth.  Many homeowners even purchase propane tanks so they can store that fuel and use it on-demand.

Preparations need to be made before the start of winter each year. The winter season can be harsh in certain parts of the country and your household must be ready to handle it. As part of your preparations, you may need to get some firewood, and buying by the cord is commonplace.

The blower motor inside your HVAC unit has an important role to play. That blower motor is responsible for moving the fan in your HVAC unit so the air will not circulate without it. Simply put, your HVAC unit will not be able to provide the comfort you seek if the blower motor is malfunctioning.

Insulation is generally considered a good investment because of the immediate and long-term benefits it can provide. Different parts of your home must be insulated if you want to capitalize on the available benefits. Your garage should not be an exception to that.

Accidents happen, and your bathroom suffers some damage. Or you notice the bathroom sink looks old and dated. The next step is to find a new bathroom sink and have it installed. Finding and purchasing a sink is only half the job. Installing the sink is the other half. How much does it cost to install a bathroom sink?

Not all issues that can affect a refrigerator are equal. Some of those issues may temporarily affect how the appliance operates, but you can fix them and return things to normal. An issue that involves your refrigerator’s compressor is more serious and will require more money and skilled labor to resolve.

Are you planning to renovate your home sometime soon? If so, the time may be right for you to consider removing some old or outdated fixtures. The placement of your chimney and fireplace, in particular, may require some further consideration.

Many homeowners consider a backyard swimming pool as the ultimate entertainment and relaxation. However, new advances in swimming pool design and the quest for something different led to lazy backyard river installations. You can now enjoy the summer fun in your backyard of what once was only to be found in expensive water parks. Many homeowners wonder how much it costs to install a backyard lazy river.

Idaho runs neck and neck with Texas as the current most popular state for relocation. Low population densities, low costs of living, beautiful landscapes, and many other positives make Idaho a haven for many people. In addition, the cost of building a home in Idaho is a favorable factor.

When maintaining a home shower, we tend to focus on the showerhead, its fixtures, and the walls. Don’t forget about the shower pan though because it’s an important element of the entire setup. Neglect that part of your shower and it could start presenting serious issues and leaking is among the possibilities.

Having your own sauna at home sounds like a dream doesn’t it? Staying inside a sauna helps you sit back and relax. The experience is invigorating and it can also serve as the perfect pick-me-up during the middle of the work week.

Buying your very first house is a huge accomplishment, and it’s also one of the most expensive purchases you’ll ever make. But closing day isn’t the finish line when it comes to home-ownership costs; it’s only the beginning. Many first-time homebuyers underestimate maintenance costs, which could lead to financial stress and buyer’s remorse.

Drain lines carry dirty water and other liquids away from the fixtures you have installed throughout your home. They handle a very unpleasant job for us and we need them in good shape all the time. If your drain lines are clogged or damaged, you will be able to tell quickly.

A swimming pool could turn out to be a fantastic addition to your property. In the short term, you can use your new swimming pool for having fun or even working out. Long term, potential buyers may find your property may attractive thanks to the presence of the swimming pool.

The garage door is tasked with consistently keeping your cars and that part of your home shielded from the elements. If your garage door is damaged, you will see it right away as debris and moisture will infiltrate that space. Hopefully, you aren’t keeping any of your expensive power tools in your garage because they will likely end up damaged as well.

The dryer is an underappreciated appliance in just about every household. Instead of waiting around for hours for your clothes to dry, your dryer can get them ready for storage relatively quickly. You always need a functioning dryer in your household and the vent attached to it must be in good shape too.

The chimney serves a vital role in your home as it provides an exit for the harmful gases produced during combustion. Instead of those gases lingering inside your home and potentially causing problems, they are just carried out by the chimney. Your chimney has an important job to do and you need to keep it protected.

We don’t talk enough about how important the dryer is to the typical household. Can you imagine working your way through your laundry pile without the help of a dryer? A job that typically takes less than an hour to finish may suddenly take up a big chunk of your day.

The furnace is an essential part of just about any home as it provides much-needed warmth during the winter months. A prolonged stay at home without a working furnace can get uncomfortable very quickly. Unfortunately, you could find yourself staring at that exact situation if you fail to maintain your furnace.

The walls that line the perimeter of your home present you with opportunities to indulge your sense of style. Treat them as blank canvases that you can beautify in any way you prefer. To beautify those elements of your home, you can consider installing some wainscoting.

Early morning showers are not everyone’s favorite, but they are necessary. Thankfully, water heaters make those early morning showers way more tolerable and comfortable. You don’t have to dread the thought of being splashed with ice-cold water so early in the morning.

Have you ever had dirty water flow back into your home via a toilet, sink, or other fixture? Saying that it’s an unpleasant sight would be quite an understatement. Dealing with backflow is a nightmare and that’s why you need to put measures in place that will prevent it.

Bathroom remodels are one of the most popular upgrades homeowners choose for their property. One consideration that any anticipated bathroom remodel should include is a conversion to a wet room bathroom. Often, the advantages of converting your traditional bathroom to a wet room bathroom far outweigh the major disadvantage, cost.

Air conditioners are considered essential appliances by many households as they supply comforting cooling on demand. The idea of an air conditioner breaking down in the middle of the summer is a nightmarish proposition for many households. Unfortunately, your air conditioner breaking down is possible especially if you don’t take good care of components like the condenser fan motor.

In 2019 US News ranked Vermont in the top five best places to live in the continental US. Vermont consistently scores high with families as a prime destination to make a home from scenery to education. Fortunately, the cost of home building in Vermont is reasonable and compares favorably with many other parts of the US.

Many homeowners dream of someday building a swimming pool, but it’s not always an option. Whether it’s due to cost or a lack of space, building a new pool may simply not be feasible for them. Before you give up on your dream of having a pool at home, you should first consider installing a plunge pool.

When you need something sturdy to serve as a long-term structural fixture on your property, you can turn to cinder blocks. Cinder blocks are prized mainly for their strength, but they are also eco-friendly options. If you want to build a strong supporting wall or erect one outdoors, using cinder blocks makes a lot of sense.

Building a swimming pool at home means taking on additional responsibilities. You shouldn’t build a swimming pool if you’re not willing to invest in its maintenance. Thankfully, pool pumps make the job of keeping swimming pools clean remarkably easy.

The air conditioner is crucial to maintaining comfort for many households. A malfunctioning air conditioner could make dealing with the sweltering summer heat next to impossible. If one of the coils inside your air conditioner breaks, you need to replace it as soon as possible.

Your garage door can do more than just improve security and protect some of your valued possessions. It can also be a decorative element that elevates the look of your property. Glass garage doors, in particular, introduce an element of styling that you simply don’t get from the other available options.

Do you want to take full advantage of the backyard space you have available? One way to do that is by building some structures that will help define and beautify that available space. Consider building a gazebo if your goal is to maximize that part of your property.

What’s the best way to refresh your interior home design? Some would suggest moving pieces of furniture around, making adjustments to the window treatment, or changing the lighting. We want to remind homeowners that refreshing the coat of paint over their interior doors and trim is also an option.

Once decide to invest in your home kitchen, it’s easy to go overboard with your purchases. By the time you realize that your kitchen may already be too cramped to move around in. Of course, you can always get around that problem by paying to bump out your kitchen.

A fresh coat of paint can revitalize the look and feel of almost any area of your home. This is particularly true of a kitchen. Painting can bring color and light to a space. Many homeowners choose the relatively less expensive option of fresh paint over a total kitchen remodel. Budgeting for fresh paint in your kitchen may not cost as much as you might think.

Family needs have changed, and many older homes place the washer and dryer where they no longer fit our lifestyles. Many homes have washer and dryer connections in out-of-the-way locations like basements. Many homeowners wonder what it costs to relocate washer and dryer hookups to more convenient locations.

Almost everyone dreams of a custom-built home. Getting exactly the amenities you want, on the location you want, with the finishes and colors you want is the goal. Many factors influence the overall price of a custom-built home in South Carolina.

Having a wide expanse of land available in your yard can be a good thing. All that open space allows you to explore numerous design ideas. Then again, the challenge of filling that much open space can be overwhelming and also quite expensive.

Gaslight fireplaces are a very nice feature to have in the home. They can provide an ambiance that sometimes can not be achieved with an electric fireplace. They also have benefits for those that might live in areas that are at risk for power outages.

Interior walls do a great job of defining the space you have available. You can use them to create defined areas and introduce more harmony into your home. Those interior walls can also be used to provide support and a decorative flourish, assuming that you’ve framed them properly.

Wear and tear will affect every element of your home at some point. One day, you may pull into your driveway and be greeted by a garage door that’s in rough shape. You cannot be surprised since even a sturdy garage door is susceptible to the elements.

Whether you’re building your shower for the first time or renovating it, choosing the right materials for it will be crucial. Your shower is going to be a prominent part of your bathroom. It’s understandable if you want to use some special materials to make it stand out.

Not everyone is aware that an invisible substance found in many homes can put us at risk of developing a disease. The invisible substance we’re talking about here is radon and the disease in question is none other than lung cancer. You must do what you can to keep your household safe from that potentially deadly substance.

Planning a major home improvement project is exciting, but it is also stressful and expensive. There are lots of moving parts to consider, which is why it is so important to hire a great and trustworthy contractor. Once you find a good contractor, you are hopefully a little less stressed. But when this contractor asks you for a whopping 30% up front, you might start second-guessing your decision.

The available housing options today are more diverse than they’ve ever been.  You can stick with a more conventional house if you prefer, but going with something different is an option for many people. If you are interested in unconventional homes yourself, then you should take a longer look at building a pole barn house.

If you own a grandfather clock, it’s likely something that has been passed down in your family through the generations. To ensure that the clock stays in good working order, it should be cleaned and serviced regularly. Oftentimes, some form of clock repair work may be required for a number of reasons.

We use our driveways on an almost daily basis, but can you even remember what kind you have? You should know which materials went into the construction of your driveway. Those materials can have a discernible impact on the quality and longevity of your driveway so making the right choice is crucial.

Whether you are aware or not, backflow can be a major problem that threatens the health and safety of you and all the members of your household. Because of this, it’s recommended that a backflow test be performed annually by a certified plumbing company. During the test, valves will be opened and closed to detect any irregularities in the prevention system. Then, a form is submitted to the local city to ensure there are no code violations and the preventer meets the proper standards.

Wild animals are constantly motivated by a need to seek shelter and sustenance. They are willing to head into any location in pursuit of those things and your home is not an exception. Once inside your home, a wild animal can cause a lot of damage and possibly even injure someone.

Certain parts of homes simply don’t get as much attention in terms of regular maintenance. Outdoor areas, in particular, are frequently overlooked because we don’t spend a lot of time hanging out on driveways or walkways. Eventually, those areas will be covered in dirt and debris and they will need serious cleaning.