Happy New Year.
We hope you had a long and relaxing holiday. 2008 promises to be an exciting
year and we look forward to supporting your goals for maintaining and enhancing
your home. In 2007 My Handyman grew in many
ways:
We redesigned our website. Now articles can be found in the Handyman Library when you want to refer
back to them.
We completed a
full year of Handyman News and now have a 2008 Editorial Calendar. We will be inviting
other professionals to contribute in their areas of expertise, such as last
months article about Dream Dinners at Home.
I co-founded 4 Walls 1 Roof, a network of women owned
businesses offering products and services for the home, that compliment My
Handyman services. If you would like to meet me (or take one of my Tomboy Tools
workshops), the 4 Walls website has an Event Calendar shared by all members.
As the
financial markets and mortgage industry sort out their problems, many home
owners face the dilemma of wanting to trade up, but recognize that now isn't the
right time. With a stagnant housing marketing, people aren't sure if putting
more money into their existing homes makes sense. The good news is the
fundamental principal of investing wisely hasn't changed. The top remodeling
projects in 2007 are almost identical to 2006. Smart investments include
replacing siding and windows along with bathroom and kitchen remodels. The only
real difference is decks and attic bedroom remodels have moved up in value,
while two-story additions have dropped in value. To help you develop a
strategy for 2008, we have included in this
eNewsletter:
Top Remodeling Projects in 2007
Tips for Remodeling Your Bathroom
Add More Living
Space in Your Existing Home
Solving Common
Water Damage Problems (Siding)
For those
dealing with significantly higher heating bills, I have partnered with a home
inspection company to offer you a workshop on "how to save on heating costs."
Information about the workshop is at the bottom of this email.
We need
your feedback and insight about today's market. Please take 5 minutes out of
your busy day to complete this survey. Everyone who completes
the survey has a chance to win FOUR (4) hours of My Handyman
services (or $100 gift certificates from Home Depot if you live outside
our service area). Tina Gleisner, My Handyman of Southern NH
Top Remodeling Projects in 2007
If
the housing market was better you
might move to a bigger home, but it looks like remodeling your current home is
the more practical approach. Thinking ahead to when you will sell the house, you
want to insure that the money you invest today will provide a good return later.
From a 91.7% return on replacement siding to a 74.8% return on
remodeling your bathroom, learn how you can optimize your home remodeling
investments for long term value.
When it's
time to update your bathroom, where do you start? People often replace one item
to solve a problem like a leaky faucet. They realize when the old faucet is
removed it is the perfect time to replace the sink, and maybe the vanity? When
the project is done, the toilet might look dated. What to do?
By taking
time to plan the project first, you are more likely to feel good about the
results and cost when it's complete. Here is a simple checklist to help you plan
your bathroom remodel.
There are many ways to add
living space in your existing home. Last year, finishing a bedroom in the attic
came out on top for interior remodeling projects. There are many choices for
using your attic, so the first step is evaluating what space you need to suit
your lifestyle. Movin' On Up offers some great ideas
while Hometime pros Dean Johnson and Robin
Hartl illustrate the numerous tasks and decisions involved in an Attic Conversion.
In the attic
remodels done by My Handyman, we've learned to check the following before
finalizing your budget, to insure you do not have surprises later: o Do not try to finish the attic without
getting a building permit. Things like a sprinkler system might seem cost
prohibitive, but will save you time and money when you go to sell your home.
o Do not assume that the structure of
your home will support adding dormers for more space. We use a structural
engineer (or licensed architect) to make this determination. o Access is critical and we often find the
stairs included by the builder do not meet code and must be rebuilt. o Generally subflooring should be 5/8" or 3/4"
plywood, so when the house only has 1/2" plywood you need to add another layer
of material to provide the necessary support.
Solving Common Water Damage Problems
(Siding)
While siding
replacement is at the top of the remodeling value rankings (highest payback when
selling the house), home owners don't always put new siding on their homes
because they want to. My Handyman frequently goes out to repair a small water
problem, which turns out to be much larger. The customer then needs to decide if
they want to replace the siding on their entire home (with a siding contractor)
or stagger the cost across multiple years, completing one side each year to stay
with in their budget. My Handyman can handle repair of all structural damage,
replace the siding as needed and install gutters and missing flashing over
windows and doors, to provide a water tight envelope.
We appreciate your business and look forward to providing you with the highest
quality handyman services in the future. Tina Gleisner, President of My Handyman of Southern NH ...e-Mail: tina@myhandymannh.com ...Author of a Marketing Blog for Small Business Owners ...Co-Founder of 4 Walls ONE Roof, Women Owned Businesses Enhancing the Home ...Distributor of Tomboy Tools, Helping Women "Do-It-Yourself"
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