Showing posts with label remodeling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label remodeling. Show all posts

How To Stock Your Home Bar For Your Next Party

"There can't be good living where there is not good drinking." -- Benjamin Franklin

Owning a home bar can be a very fun investment. For many people drinking is definitely on of the high points of their day. Having a safe, readily accessible supply of alcohol can increase anyone's enjoyment of their daily lives.

Home bars are the ultimate example of dedication and convenience. One can easily drink to excess while saving money and not having to find a way home. Men can avoid angering their wives, because a night at the bar would merely entail them staying home.

"Do not allow children to mix drinks. It is unseemly and they use too much vermouth." -- Steve Allen

Once the decision to purchase a home bar has been made, the shopping can begin. The purpose of the bar is the determining factor for which style to buy.



For small soirees and outdoor get-togethers, small portable bars are ideal. There are many styles of these types of bars. Some styles include wheeled carts, while others prefer lighter structures that can be more easily moved.

Those who like to entertain outdoors can also appreciate bars made especially for that purpose. Traditional Tiki bars and rustic looking wooden bars are common themes at poolside parties.

Traditional large bars are a common favorite amongst those with large enough houses to have room to spare. These generally take up a lot of wall space and are made to feel just like a public facility. They are usually composed of a wall unit for storing alcohol and glasses, a space for the bartender, and an actual bar for patron to sit.

"Beer brewers shall sell no beer to the citizens, unless it be three weeks old; to the foreigner they may knowingly sell younger beer." -- German Beer Law, 1466

When most people think of bars they tend to think primarily about liquor, but beer is such a fundamental aspect of the history of drinking that it is hard to discount the significance of being able to serve beer properly at home.

Many of the larger home bars come with easy to use draft levers. Drinking from a keg that is properly maintained can save an avid drinker a considerable amount of money. By the ounce, it is almost always a better investment to buy in bulk.

A properly stored beer keg can last from three to four months. Someone who has at least one beer a day, the cost of a keg easily makes up for itself when compared to the cost of a 12-, or even, 24-pack.

Small refrigerators are placed under the bar to allow the beer to maintain the proper temperature for maintaining its flavor. These are connected by a series of tubes to the draft valve, provided easy access to good beer all of the time.

"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." -- Dean Martin

After choosing the proper home bar, stocking it becomes the most important aspect of proper hosting. Some people start by purchasing a couple bottles of classic liquors, but ultimately, a much wider selection is going to be necessary for a well-rounded collection of alcohol.

When it comes to the basics, there are a few items that no bar should be without. Vodka, tequila, rum, gin, whiskey, bourbon, and scotch make up the foundation for any true attempt at a bar. Other common liquors include various flavors of Schnapps. The most common of these are peach, melon, apple, and butterscotch.

Kailua, Jagermeister, and brandies are also very popular bar staples. There are hundreds of varieties of alcohol to choose from and personal preference plays a large role in determining the amount and kind of alcohol to provide.

In addition to regular liquors, wine and beer are also common drinking requirements for any bar. Providing a solid selection of these is fairly easy. Most wines come in different colors. One red, one white, and one blush wine can provide enough selection for most guests.

Beer can be a bit more complicated than wine, but only because there are more options available to the average drinker. There are the basic regular beers that can be found at any gas station across the country.

It is always advisable to stock up on regular beer, more than any other type of alcoholic drink. Light beer is great if you are going to have a group that includes a fair amount of women, because it has fewer calories then regular beer.

Strong, stout beers are considered essential to some, but they are very much an acquired taste. Wheat beers and ales provide a well-rounded flavor that lacks the intensity of most stout beers. Many of these also include fruit flavors for an added incentive.

In addition to the basic alcohols, having mixers to add flavor or dull the burn of some drinks is essential for any drinking experience. Soda, margarita and sweet and sour mix, and assorted juices can provide endless ideas for beverage making.

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink, because when they wake up, that's best they feel all day." -- Frank Sinatra

Having a place to relax after a hard day can be one of the most significant improvements to the quality of your life and your overall health. Escaping the stress of daily life is essential to a happy existence. Home bars are a terrific way of ensuring that your home is not only a fun place for you, but also for your friends and family.

Maintaining a well-stocked bar and having people to share it with can be one of the most rewarding investments you can make for your home.

Home Seller - Make Needed Repairs

Before a buyer considers your home seriously, it must meet his needs in many ways. It must be a suitable neighborhood, commuting distance, size, layout, etc. If most of these needs are met, the buyer will move toward making an offer for your home. The purchase decision is an emotional and intellectual response, based on a level of trust in your home. So, it is logical that in preparing your home for sale your goal should be to enable the buyer to build trust in your home as quickly as possible. Your first step should be to address apparent and hidden repair issues. 

Make a Complete List

Keep in mind that potential buyers and their real estate agents do not have the fond personal memories and familiarity that you have with your home. They will view it with a critical and discerning eye. Anticipate their concerns before they ever see your home. You may look at the leaky faucet and think of a $10 part at Home Depot. To a buyer this is a $100 plumbing bill. Walk through each room and consider how buyers are going to react to what they see. Make a complete list of all needed repairs. It will be more efficient to have them all done at once. Use a handyman to fix the items quickly. If your house is  a fixer-upper, keep in mind that most buyers will expect to make a profit that is substantially above the cost of labor and materials. When a house needs obvious repairs, buyers will assume that there are more problems than meet the eye. Take care of  repairs before marketing your home. Your home will sell faster and for a higher price.

Get an Inspection

It is a good idea to have your home inspected by a professional before putting it on the market. Your may discover some issues that will come up later on the buyer's inspection report. You will be able to address the items on your own time, without the involvement of a prospective buyer. You do not have to repair every item that is written up.  For example, due to building code changes, you may not meet code for handrail height, spacing between balusters, stair dimensions, single glazed windows, and other items. You may choose to leave items such as these as they are. Just note on the inspection report which items you have repaired, and which are left as is.  Attach the report to your Seller's Disclosure, along with any repair receipts that you have. A professional inspection answers buyers questions early, reduces re-negotiations after contract, and creates a higher level of trust in your home.

Offer a Service Contract

A home service contract may be offered to the buyer for their first year of ownership. For a fee of  about $350 a third party warranty company will provide repair services for certain systems or components in the house for one year after the sale.  These policies help to reduce the number of disputes about the condition of the property after the sale. They protect the interests of both buyer and seller.

Should You Remodel?

Our clients often ask if they should remodel their house before marketing. I believe the answer to this is no - major improvements do not make sense just before selling a home. Studies show that remodeling projects do not return 100% of their cost in the sales price. Normally, it does not pay to replace cabinets, re-do kitchens, upgrade bathrooms, or add space prior to selling. There is a fine line between remodeling and making repairs. You will need to draw this line as you review your home.

Repair Decisions

Countertops are outdated: If other components of the house are up to date, the kitchen may be greatly improved by new, modern countertops. Although this is an upgrade, not a repair, it may be worth doing because the kitchen has a significant impact on the value of your home.

Carpet is worn or outdated: Carpet replacement almost always worth doing. Sellers often ask if they should offer an allowance for carpet, and let the buyer choose. Do not take this approach. Choose a neutral shade, and make the change yourself. New carpet makes everything in the house look better.

Wall texture is poor:  You may have an outdated texture style or acoustic ceiling. In most cases, it does not make sense to strip and re-texture the walls. Just repair any wall damage or minor texture problems.

Walls need paint: This is a must do! Freshly painted walls greatly improve the  perception of your home. Don’t forget the baseboards and trim. Use neutral colors, such as cream, sage green, beige/yellow, or gray/blue. Stark white, primary colors and dark colors do not appeal to a wide market, and may be a negative factor.

Bathroom caulking is dirty: Put this on the must do list. Cracked or stained caulking is a turn-off to buyers. It is easily replaced.  Make sure the tile grout does not have voids.

Drainage or leak problems:  Address any drainage issues or leaks in plumbing or roof.  Use professional help to correct the source of the problem and check for mold.  Fully disclose the repair on your sellers disclosure, but avoid giving a personal guarantee of the repair.

Structural and trim repairs:  Fix any sheetrock holes, damaged trim, torn vinyl, broken windows, rotten wood or rusty fixtures. Homes sell for more that show a reasonable level of maintenance.

Overgrown shrubs and weedy beds:  Repairs to the yard are some of the most cost effective changes you can make. Mow and edge the lawn. Add inexpensive mulch to flower beds. Cut back any shrubs that cover windows. Trim tree branches that rub against the roof. Buy new doormats. Replace dead plants.  Remove any trash.

Check HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems: These systems need routine maintenance. Have the heat/AC system serviced and filters changed. Check for plumbing leaks, toilets that rock, corroded water heater valves, and other plumbing problems. Replace burned out bulbs and electrical fixtures that do not work. Check your sprinkler system and pool equipment for problems.

Make Needed Repairs

If you are planning to sell your home, your first step should be to discover and make needed repairs. By making repairs you will answer buyers questions early, build trust in your home more quickly, and proceed through the closing process with fewer surprises. Your home will appeal to more buyers, sell faster, and bring a higher price.

Bay Windows Add Character And Space To A Home

It was the perfect spot. Our California ranch style house had a large picture window in the front room. The window extended from a few inches above the floor to only a few inches below the cathedral ceiling. The walls and ceiling were redwood stained knotty pine and the floor was a matching hardwood. The window looked out over a flower bed, shrubs and the expanse of front lawn. It was the perfect window to be replaced with a bay window.

The window was nearly square. It was 72 X 72 inches. We considered a bow window, but elected to install a bay window instead. We just felt that our particular house looked better with three panel bay window rather than the multiple panel bow windows. Our intent was to fill the seat board of the bay with potted plants we had sitting in front of the current picture window. The new arrangement would give us a little more space in the room and improve the overall appearance of the house. It was time to go shopping.

Scratch vs. Pre-built

When we first got the idea of installing the new window, I began gathering plans for building a bay window. Thumbing through books and magazines, and the Internet search engines, I found several plans for building a bay window from scratch. I also found that undertaking such a project was going to be unnecessary. Most of the major window manufacturers, such as Pella, Milgard and Anderson make both completely pre-assembled bay windows as well as pre-built components for bay windows.

These days very few contractors will take on the project of building a bay or bow window from scratch. It simply isn't practical when for the same or less money they can install a high quality pre-built window. If the contractors use pre-built windows or components for new house construction or renovation projects, then we could do the same for our remodeling project, we reasoned.

Installing a bay window can easily be a do-it-yourselfer project. Before you go the diy route, however, you may want to line up a contractor to help out if necessary. This is not going to be a job that you can complete during a Saturday afternoon. Chances are you are not going to finish it in a weekend, for that matter.

You are also going to want to line up some help. Bay windows and window components are heavy. At least they are too heavy for one person to manage.

Be sure and check out the weather forecast, including the long range forecast. Installing the window means opening a hole into your home. It can take a couple of days to get the new window in place and sealed. The last thing you want is for rain to come pouring in on your floor, walls or furniture.

Be sure and check your city or community construction codes. There may be special local requirements, such as having safety glass in low profile windows. You are probably going to need a building permit anyway, so that is also a good time to check the codes.

Tools and Materials Needed

The tools you will need for this project include a tape measure, a framing square that you can also use as a straight edge, a circular saw or miter saw, crow bars, drill and bits, level, stapler, utility knife, tin snips and a caulking gun.

The materials you will need include the bay window unit, the support brackets, nails, roofing paper, shingles, roofing nails, exterior grade silicone caulking and fiberglass insulation. You will also need 1X6 inch boards for the window skirting. If you are enlarging an existing window, or if you are installing the window in a space that was previously the wall, you will also need 2X4s for cripple studs and additional framing.

Basic Installation Steps

1.Establish window position in the wall. Remove the existing window. Measuring the bay window, mark on the exterior of the house the opening needed for the new window. Using your circular saw, cut the required opening.

2.Framing. Build the framing for the new window. This will likely include cutting through existing studs and putting in a new header, rough sill, jack studs and cripple studs.

3.Install the support braces. A window up to five feet wide will take a minimum of two support braces. A wider window will need three.

4.Set the window in place. Lift the bay window on the support braces and slide it into the rough opening. Shim as necessary to level the window. Anchor in place.

5.Build the window roof. Set the roof frame on top of the bay window unit and nail in place. Fill the space between the roof and the top of the bay window with insulation. Fasten the roof sheeting to the frame and cover with roofing paper. Install the drip edges and the flashing and then shingle.

6.Install the window skirting around the bottom of the window. Fill will insulation and then attach the skirt bottom to seal the underneath side of the window.

7.Seal the edges with silicone caulking.

This is a list of the basic installation steps and they have been abbreviated in the interests of simplicity and space. The window unit you buy will have complete installation steps. Take it from the voice of experience; it really makes the project go much more smoothly and it will be completed in much less time when you read and follow them.

In our case, I had two friends helping with the project. We have worked together on other projects and work together well. We had the old window out and the rough framing completed on Saturday afternoon. We buttoned up the hole with plywood overnight and went back to work the next day. By Sunday evening we had the new window installed and the roof and skirting completed. On Monday afternoon I finished sealing up the outside and completed the trim work for the inside.

And, we were right. It was the perfect spot for a bay window. It looked great from the outside. Inside, it became the focal point of the room and added a special charm to the house. The window gave the house added character and value.

When it came time to sell the house, it was one of the features that were particularly attractive to the buyers.

Relocate or Renovate?

Should I stay or should I go? Inevitably, most homeowners are forced to ask this question at some point in time. The decision to sell their house and move away or to stay in their home and remodel can be very tough indeed. Many factors certainly influence whether you decide to move or whether you stay and remodel your home.

MOVE OR REMODEL?

Location, location, location. It's usually the mantra of real estate agents, but it applies here as well. Where your home is located is usually the most important factor because a home improvement project will never change the location of your house. You may be forced to undertake a move because of external forces you cannot change, such as:

*    You may not like the quality of your local school system.

*    You may not have many local options for shopping or lifestyle choices.

*    The size of your current lot or piece of land may not handle an increase in size or expansion.

*    A neighborhood association may prevent additions or expansions because it changes the look of the area or subdivision.

*    Legal or zoning restrictions in your city might prevent any changes.

*    Your subdivision may only have identical housing plans ("cookie-cutter houses") and adding a second story or home addition could make it less valuable than the others in the neighborhood.

*    It may cost too much to renovate.

Because you cannot change these factors, you and your family may find that a move to a new location is absolutely necessary. Take a look at your home location and decide if it meets your needs, if it can be improved, whether or not it is too old, and whether or not you can deal with the stress of a remodeling project.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?

Another factor in your "relocate or renovate" decision could be that your house is already the nicest in the area. An extensive renovation or improvement of the best house in the neighborhood might be fine if you're planning on living there for an extremely long period of time. However, if you have plans of selling in the future, such a renovation might prevent you from getting a decent return on your investment. If your house is already the nicest, spending more on it won't make the value go up even higher.

TAKING THE PLUNGE?

If you've decided to stay put, you may have made the best choice. If you ask people to list the costs involved with moving, most will only talk about the price for a moving company to come pick up their furniture. It can actually cost more to move than to take on certain remodeling work. There are costs associated with selling your house, buying a new house (realtor fees, closing costs), cleaning services, transporting your family (hotels, meals, gas), repairs and renovations needed to sell the old house, and many, many more.

If you're going to renovate, keep these tips in mind to make sure your home improvement projects will go a lot smoother:

o    Decide whether you're improving your home for you or for a future sale - If you want to remodel your bathroom or paint your interior walls, the choices you make can affect the value of your home. You might love the color red or a modern sink design in your master bath. However, home buyers are not always fond of exotic designs and it may do more harm than good when you're ready to sell your home.

o    Decide whether you'll move out during construction - You and your family may not be able to deal with the noise, debris, dust, and extra workers in your home. You might need to temporarily relocate to a hotel, apartment, or house. However, it might be a good idea to stay. Some like to be close to the action and be able to oversee the work being done. It's also important for someone to be there to receive deliveries. If you stay, it's important to make sure you ask workers clean up at the end of each and every day. Make arrangements to replace the room being worked on (for example, set up your kitchen appliances in a spare bedroom during a kitchen remodel.)

o    Arrange for sufficient financing to be able to cope during any project - There could be many hidden costs in a home improvement project, so it's good to budget for surprises. Plan for problems that a contractor might discover during the renovation. Plan for extra time (which increases your budget), beyond your projected completion date. Plan for changes you might decide on, too - it might look good on paper, but you could change your mind during the remodeling job and those changes cost extra. Think about adding at least 15% to 25% to your expected budget... for emergencies. Consider the little things, as well - other hidden costs could include: ordering more takeout food during a kitchen remodel, paying for coin laundry services when your water is shut off for extended periods, or even hotel stays during heavy construction.

o    Plan to do it all-at-once or project-by-project - Many homeowners decide to remodel a kitchen and, while that job is underway, will then decide to add on a bathroom renovation. This can cause delays and extra expense. While it's true that there are already construction workers on the job site, it takes careful planning to arrange for permits, materials, designs, and the subcontractors' schedules to complete a project on time and on budget. It's best to plan for your kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel, and new patio installation to happen all at once or you should plan for them to take place individually, over a period of time. It will cut down on cost overruns, delays, and headaches.

MAKE IT HAPPEN

As the real estate market continues to slow down, and in some areas drop dramatically, it is an important time to consider staying put and remodeling your home. Housing prices may continue to level out so one sure way to improve property value is a proper renovation. Consult a designer or architect in your area to determine which changes will be best for your home in your neighborhood.

If you're planning to stay in your current house for a long period of time, make sure that any renovations you do are truly for you. It's your home and you've got to live in it and be comfortable. Whether you convert your basement into a recreation room or you want a spa tub installed in your master bathroom, go with the products and designs that work with your lifestyle. If your tastes are more exotic, you can always remodel or renovate again when you're ready to sell.

If you plan and finance your renovation appropriately, you should be able to "make over" your home to suit your needs with little or no problems. To find a reliable contractor you can use a referral service, like ConstructionDeal.com, because they can be a great resource for finding a local pre-screened expert to help make your renovation dreams a reality.

 
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