Update Outlets, Light Switches and Plates

“Home Improvement” Doctor in the House TV Episode 1995

For married people, the numbers become more frightening when you assume a 3.5 percent annual increase in home prices and look ahead 10 years. By then, 15.9 percent of the homes in the New York City area could be in for a tax bill if they’re owned by married people, along with 19.6 percent of the homes in Los Angeles. A tax time bomb is ticking for an increasing number of people who have been lucky enough to see big gains in the values of their homes.

They usually involve setting a collector in your home for a week or so and then sending it to a lab for analysis. (One manufacturer is Pro-Lab and charges $40; includes a postage-paid envelope.) Conduct the test in the lowest livable area. Motion detector lights are a proven crime deterrent, and standard hard-wired models cost as little as $15. If running a power supply would be difficult, buy ones that run on solar power. Don’t stop at motion sensor lights; install a full home security system to match.

  • Their tax bills might also be higher if, like many people, they failed to realize that they should be keeping their receipts and closely tracking this potential tax.
  • These grants and funds can be used for a range of things, from infrastructure needs to housing rehabilitation.
  • Just make sure the style and shape of your extension fits in with the rest of your house.
  • Ask the managing agent about this, and require the building or community’s accountant to offer this per capita figure each year in a format that allows you to file it away and keep it.
  • According to her blog, she’s a licensed general contractor, artist, photographer and designer who aims to empower women to finish their own projects.

First of all my best wishes go out to the folks who stop and read my stuff. The Mighty House radio show has been a labor of love for over a decade (another number I should know… but I don’t… it’s been longer than that). If you are a listener or a viewer over this amazing internet thing, Your feedback House & Home Improvement is what keeps us going. Please comment on Facebook or call the show – you can say whatever you like – it’s your dime. These days “home improvement” spans a gamut of possibilities. So, as we all take shelter from the storm in our big house, little shotgun shack, trailer home or cardboard box….

For example, did you let your then-11-year-old daughter paint her bedroom hot pink 16 years ago? Adding more usable space to an existing home can make a lot of financial sense, and that’s especially true in areas with limited available real estate where land and space are finite. Seventy-one percent of homeowners with upcoming renovations plan to forge ahead with the projects despite supply chain and inflation challenges, according to a January 2022 survey from Nationwide.

How to Clean White Vans

We are also on facebook if you want to check out our fan page. Possibly the most classic move to make the Taylor home feel like a normal home were the mismatched dishes in their cupboards. It seems like a small detail, and it is, but it’s also an important one. This happens as kids break dishes and you pick up new ones, slowly leaving you with a strange melange of plates, bowls and such. Having these mismatched dish sets around was a key step in making the Taylor house feel like a home.

Decide if you should buy a second home (and get a second mortgage)

Whether you do it yourself or hire a service, all homes can benefit from having every nook and cranny scrubbed, especially the bathrooms and kitchen. Don’t forget to include cleaning the cabinets and drawers, too. This may also be a good time to install shelf liners and any drip-protectors to preserve the life of the cabinets. Grab bars are one of the simplest ways to make an existing bathroom more accessible. Stylish designs can be found at your local home improvement center.