6 Tips to Prepare Your Basement for Finishing
Cincinnati, Ohio is a lovely area to own a house. Some houses are older and need home remodeling. If you have an older home that needs to have a basement remodeling project performed, then you
have come to the right spot! In this short guide, you will be informed of the top six tips to prepare your basement for finishing.
- Install a sump pump
If you are going to all the work of finishing your basement, you do not want a leaky water heater or washing machine to ruin all the hard work and effort you have expended. You can remedy this by using a sump pump. A sump pump is a pump that eliminates water in your basement due to dampness from a water table that is higher than the foundation of a home. It will assist in protecting your basement remodeling from flooding and will keep your basement dry even in times of power outages from severe storms. Sump pumps have battery backups to keep them functioning in the case of a power outage.
- Relocate any belongings until the project is complete
When starting your home remodeling project in the basement, make sure to move and relocate any personal items that could be damaged, get paint on them, or have dust covering them. Remodeling can be a messy project, but it always cleans up nicely, and you don’t want your existing materials to be damaged in the middle of a construction zone. The best place for them is in a spare bedroom until the time comes to start furnishing the basement. At that time, you can decorate the final project with your stored items.
- Make sure the foundation is sound
An essential tip in preparing your basement for finishing is to check the foundation. Over time, land can shift and settle, and this can cause issues to the foundation of your home. Be on the lookout for any cracks or signs of water damage. Both can cause excessive damage to your home’s foundation and will need to be repaired immediately before the home remodeling project can go any further.
- Verify windows are up to code and in good condition
Basement windows need to be a certain size and width to allow for an exit in case of a fire or other disaster. If your windows are not up to code, the basement remodeling project can and will be put on hold by a city examiner until the windows have been brought up to code. In addition, windows that are rotting, moist, or rusty may indicate water leaks. Make sure you verify you do not have a water leak around your windows before proceeding.
- Use finishing vapor barriers when painting
Another great tip when painting your basement walls on your finishing project is to use a vapor barrier, which will keep moisture from seeping in from the exterior walls. If seepage happens, dampness and humidity can occur, which can assist in the proliferation of mold and mildew as well as cause your new paint to crack and peel. Use a vapor barrier to keep your basement walls dry.
- Hire a professional
Just as you would call for a professional to perform HVAC maintenance, chimney repairs, power washing, roofing fixes, cleaning of the gutters, or exterior painting, you want to do the same when performing simple remodeling such as finishing your basement. This is especially true if you are not comfortable with the task or run into any obstacles. Remodeling can be stressful, and if you come across any issues with the project itself, you should call in the professionals. A local and professional handyman can perform the work if they are licensed and have insurance.
As you can see, there are multiple tips to finish your basement remodeling project. If you follow our advice on home remodeling and the top six tips to prepare your basement for finishing, you will have the nicest basement in all of Cincinnati!
- Published in Basement remodeling, Cincinnati Remodeling, kitchen remodel
5 Home Remodeling Projects to Leave to the Pros
Do you have some maintenance and home remodeling tasks to complete on your Cincinnati home? Are small projects piling up and need to be evaluated and accomplished? If so, you are not alone. Many homeowners have home projects they need to complete both outside and within the interior of their house, but some appear to be more difficult and dangerous than others. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top five remodeling projects to leave to the professionals.
1. Roof replacement
One of the hardest and most difficult home remodeling projects that you can take on is a roof replacement. This project is very detailed and dangerous. It requires the upper portion of your home to be removed and another to be attached. If you are off in any of your measurements or you do not have the knowledge or experience of replacing roofing or gutters, you can find yourself in a lot of trouble. You need to consider proper ventilation and insulation in the new roof as well as how to stay safely secured when working on the roof. Makes sure to leave this project to the professionals!
2. Plumbing tasks
Another home remodeling task that you should leave to the professionals is plumbing projects. Plumbing involves many dirty and unappealing tasks such as unclogging drains, dealing with backed up sewers, and correct installation of bathroom and kitchen hardware and appliances. This can be a difficult job to do and you want to make sure it is done right so no leaking occurs. If water were to leak from an installation or replacement project, you are looking at an expensive fix. Water and moisture can damage drywall, HVAC systems, insulation, and cause black mold to grow. This is a project that should be left to a professional plumbing team.
3. Electrical home remodeling
Anytime you are dealing with electrical lines and power you have to take extreme care. If you are not a licensed electrician and do not have any knowledge of electricity and power, please do not attempt to take on an electrical wiring or rewiring tasks. There are particular safety precautions that should be evaluated as well as city ordinances to follow when working with electrical lines.
4. Power washing your property
Power washing of your home and property can also be a dangerous undertaking. This seems as though it would be a quick and easy do-it-yourself project, but in actuality, it can cause a lot of damage to your exterior if not done correctly. If you have never power washed your home before, you need to have someone show you how to perform the task first. There are specific pressures that need to be used on certain materials as well as water temperature and cleaning solution. You could easily damage your painting, siding, or roof if too high a pressure is utilized.
- Tree removal
The last significant home remodeling project that is both dangerous and challenging is removing one or multiple trees from your property. Trees, especially large ones, have an intricate set of roots and can wind themselves around underground sewer lines and electrical lines and cause much disruption when removed if you did not know about the lines that were involved. This job needs to be left to the professionals to mark lines and remove the trees with care.
As you can see, experienced individuals and not the everyday person should perform certain home projects. Even though saving money by doing a job on your own sounds enticing, make sure to always call in the professionals when needed. Whether you are replacing a roof, installing new plumbing, performing electrical work, power washing your home, or removing trees, you and your family will be safe before, during, and after these tasks are completed when a professional team is doing the work. If you follow our advice on the top five home remodeling projects to leave to a knowledgeable handyman or the professionals, you will have much more time on your hands to spend with your family, rather than on home maintenance!
6 Kitchen Remodel Tips for Smaller Homes
Are you looking to upgrade your Cincinnati, Ohio, kitchen? If so, it is a great time to do it. A common problem of a kitchen remodel is that most people have a larger kitchen that they are redoing. However, not everyone has a big kitchen. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top six kitchen remodel tips for smaller homes this season.
1. Use space wisely
Just as you want to maximize your roofing space without the solar panels too close to the flashing or the chimney, which could require chimney repairs, you want to use your space wisely in your kitchen. Do not place the fridge farthest away from the stove or sink, as you will be running back and forth across the kitchen to get your supplies from the refrigerator.
2. Add extra storage where you can
The best method to make a small kitchen remodel really work for you is to design the space well with as much storage as you can. Add in a slender pull out spice rack next to the cabinets to maximize space. You can also add a built-in space for large items like cutting boards, cookie sheets, and muffin pans. Elect to have taller cabinets that go to the ceiling to use your storage space to the best of your ability.
3. Utilize proper lighting for your kitchen remodel
Another great way to perform a remodel on a small kitchen is to use lighting to your advantage. There are many kinds of kitchen lighting to choose from so make sure you know your options as well as the cost of each. It is your preference, but utilizing different kinds of lighting such as overhead lighting, ambient lighting, and under the cabinet lighting will all add space to the room while also providing you with the ability to see well when cooking.
4. Purchase smaller appliances
If you are trying to maximize your usable space when performing your kitchen remodel, an excellent way to do that is by purchasing smaller appliances. If you choose an 18-inch dishwasher rather than a 24-inch dishwasher, you are gaining quite a space savings right there. Continue that thought with a smaller oven as well as a small and slimmer stainless steel fridge to maximize your kitchen space.
5. Open the space by tearing down a wall
Another great way to make your small kitchen look significantly larger is to take out a wall. If there is a wall splitting the dining room from the kitchen and it is not a load-bearing wall, think about removing it to encounter a more open floor plan. You could use that extra space for the kitchen with a built-in breakfast bar as your dining room area. Call in the professionals or a local handyman to assist you with this remodeling task.
6. Ensure bright white colors
One of the best ways to make a smaller kitchen look bigger in a kitchen remodel is to use light colors when painting, especially white, to make the space look larger. You could choose white cabinets with a dark granite countertop for contrast. The white hue will make the space look larger and more open. You could even elect to go with a marble countertop for a more open look with a neutral paint shade and darker floors.
As you can see, there are multiple ways to remodel a smaller kitchen. Whether you add storage, use proper lighting, purchase smaller appliances, utilize an open floor plan, use space wisely, or ensure white colors, you will have a gorgeous kitchen remodel that you can be proud of. If you follow our advice on the top six kitchen remodel tips for smaller homes, you will have the best functioning, most beautiful kitchen in all of Cincinnati!
A Quick Guide to Refacing Cabinets in the Kitchen
Are your Cincinnati, Ohio home’s cabinets dull and dreary? Do they need a facelift? If you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen cabinets, specifically refacing cabinets in your kitchen, you have come to the right spot. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top four benefits of kitchen cabinets refacing explained.
1. Cost purposes
One of the best ways to keep a kitchen remodel expense to a minimum is to reuse your current cabinets. You are probably thinking, “I don’t want to keep the same cabinets in my kitchen when the rest of the space is being redone.” By refacing cabinets in your kitchen, you do not have to keep the same dingy, outdated cabinets. You will change the surface of the cabinets (the doors and drawer fronts), but keep your frames (the box) the same. This costs much less, approximately half as much than replacing all of your old cabinets.
2. Time
Another great benefit of refacing cabinets is that it takes far less time than a full kitchen remodel. If you have a busy schedule or if you need to do quick remodeling of your kitchen to sell your home, then you do not have the time to waste waiting for new cabinets to arrive and later on the time it takes to install those cabinets. Just like a roofing technician takes more time to replace an entire roof than only the shingles, so it is with the kitchen cabinets. The same principle applies to chimney repair, HVAC, and exterior painting as well. Time spent is always less when you do not have to replace the entire remodeling job.
3. Go green
If you enjoy helping the environment and trying to keep a small footprint, then you want to perform cabinet refacing over cabinet replacement. Refacing your cabinets keeps the frames out of the landfill and keeps your footprint minimal. With refacing, you can add new hardware such as knobs, hinges, pulls, or moldings to make the cabinets look brand new. You can then recycle the old hardware to be melted down and reused to keep the Earth healthy!
4. Less hassle
The last advantage of refacing your kitchen cabinets rather than replacing them is that it is much less of a headache for you and your family. Remodeling the kitchen with a demolition means no cabinets to use when you are living in the house during the remodel. As long as you are happy with the current design of your kitchen and you do not want to move the cabinets, then refacing the kitchen cabinets is much less of a hassle in the end. If you find that you do not have the knowledge or the time to perform your own cabinetwork, spend some time checking into a local and experienced handyman that could quickly complete the task for you at a very reasonable price!
Refacing Cabinets for Aesthetics and Functionality
As you can see, there are multiple advantages of refacing cabinets in your home. Whether you complete the process for cost purposes, lack of time, trying to go green, or just want less hassle, your new kitchen cabinets will look beautiful and be fully functional. If you follow our advice on the top four benefits of refacing cabinets, you will have an inexpensive kitchen remodel that will be both gorgeous and the envy of all your neighbors in your Cincinnati subdivision!
- Published in Cincinnati Home additions, Cincinnati Home repair, Cincinnati Remodeling
Basement Remodeling Budget – Where to Spend and Save
Does your Cincinnati, Ohio, basement need an overhaul? Do you want to do some basement remodeling and are focusing on the cost of it? Home remodeling does not have to be an overwhelming task or cost a fortune. In this short guide, you will be informed of basement budgeting and where to spend and where to save.
WHERE TO SPEND
1. Natural stone
One of the most beautiful upgrades to any home remodeling project is natural stone countertops. If adding a basement bar, you can use it for the countertop as well as in the basement bathroom. Stone can be expensive, but it is worth it as it adds so much character to the room. It also adds glamour to the area as well, especially if you are painting the basement a fun and vibrant color.
2. Lighting
A spot where you will definitely want to splurge in your basement is on lighting. If you have elected to purchase stone countertops, a basement bar, tray ceilings, or any other type of remodeling upgrade, you want to be able to see it. Basements are notorious for being dark, as they do not have as many windows as the rest of the home. Make sure to splurge on lighting to see those unique features you purchased!
3. Basement bar
Who doesn’t want a beautiful bar in their newly finished basement? An excellent splurge for your basement is to add in a pub. Whether you want to add columns to give your bar a distinctive feel, or you just want a countertop with stools, adding in a basement bar is a great way to spend your hard earned money as you know you will relax nightly at it once you arrive home.
WHERE TO SAVE
4. Less expensive tile
If you are planning to use tile for the basement flooring, in the bathroom, or any other spot in the basement, make sure to opt for a less expensive material. Tile can get costly, and it is a great way to cut costs. If you choose a $3 tile rather than a $15 tile, look at the savings you will be gaining. The tile will be just as good, last almost as long, and no one will know how much you spent on your flooring.
5. No guest bedroom
If you are thinking about adding a guest bedroom in your basement remodeling project, think again. How much will this room actually be used? Do you have family and friends that come and stay with you every month? If the answer is no, you need to reevaluate if you need to spend the money to add drywall and studs to enclose the area. You could purchase a futon or a sleeper sofa and use it as a guest room in your finished basement as needed.
6. Use standard sizes
When you perform home remodeling in your first-floor kitchen, you can splurge and purchase taller countertops and cabinets that go to the ceiling. When you are performing a basement remodeling job, it is best to stay in budget by using standard size countertops and cabinets in both the bathroom and if you add in a basement bar. By using the standard size and not upgrading, you will save yourself quite a bit of money in the end. You may even be able to hire a local handyman to assist you with the project from the additional money you will be saving.
As you can see, there are many ways to budget for basement remodeling. Whether you want to splurge on a basement bar or natural granite countertops, or you want to save the cost of a bedroom that will not be used, you will be getting the home remodeling style you like at the value that is right for you. If you follow our advice on the top basement budgeting ideas and where to spend and save, you will have the most well designed and functional basement in all of Cincinnati!
- Published in Cincinnati Home additions, Cincinnati Home repair, Cincinnati Remodeling
Cincinnati Remodeling “Tip”
Cincinnati Remodeling “Tip”
Learn how important your gutter is from the top of your house to the bottom and you will never take it for granted again! You may not have to hire that Cincinnati remodeling firm or landscaping firm if you take care of your gutters.
- Published in Cincinnati Home additions, Cincinnati Home repair, Cincinnati Remodeling
Cincinnati Remodeling
Best Cincinnati Remodeling is a full service home repair, improvement and maintenance company operated by a local private contractor who works and lives in your community. We specialize in projects around your home ranging from general repairs to complete remodels. There is no job too small for our professional craftsmen.
What We Do?
- Carpentry
- Bathrooms
- Kitchens
- Decks
- Drywall
- Electrical
- Fences
- Maintenance & Installations
- Painting
- Remodeling
- Shelves
- Storage Areas
- Tile & Flooring
- Published in Cincinnati Home additions, Cincinnati Home repair, Cincinnati Remodeling