3 Common Protests Women Make About Do-It-Yourself Project

3 Common Protests Women Make About Do-It-Yourself Projects

When I first started researching common complaints from women relating to DIY projects the search results were startling and sort of funny.  The first page of Google search results included:

·         Chainsaw complaint linked to “Sexiest Women on Earth”

·         A romance scam

·         Women and weight loss

·         Do It Yourself divorce

·         Tool Kits for Women

·         Pest control

·         Sunless Tanners

·         Bloating

·         Acne scar remedy

Now I am not a genius by any stretch but I’m detecting a serious gap in information availability for women in a changing environment.  I can understand the link between DIY home projects and DIY divorce.  If men would get off the couch and to their agreed upon DIY projects quicker undoubtedly the need for DIY divorce help would go down.  I can actually understand the “Sexiest Women on Earth” link because my wife doing my projects is incredibly sexy.  So I’m good there.  However, someone is going to have to help me with the link between DIY projects, bloating and acne ‘cause I’m not seeing it.

Further research did land me at BuildDirect™ and its August 19, 2010 blog by Tanya Tomson 3 Common Protests Women Make About Do-It-Yourself Projects.  To see what other great topics BuildDirect has discussed follow them at blog.builddirect.com or visit its website www.builddirect.com.

Today’s guest post is from Tanya Tomson; entrepreneur, mother, blogger, and former seminar instructor for women looking to tackle DIY projects at home. In today’s post, Tanya takes a look at three ‘protests’ that she’s heard and addressed from many women who have been  faced with those minor, but important, home improvement jobs that often remain undone.

Take it away, Tanya!

***

After working as an instructor for a DIY Women Seminar Series at a local building supply retailer, I began to notice that women from all walks of life were lacking skills in basic DIY handy work.  Whether married, single, widowed or divorced, women everywhere seemed to have their reasons for their lack of knowledge and skills.  I’ve compiled 3 common protests I’ve heard from women about why they chose to hire a contractor when perhaps they didn’t need to, or why they decided to abandon their project.  I’ve also included some great ways to overcome them.

1. “I’m not handy”

A common protest I hear among women is that they just aren’t handy.  In the age of the Internet, everyone is handy!  Researching your project on the Internet is the best way to discover the scope of the project, time it will take, tools required, and what materials you’ll need to use.

There are several sites dedicated specifically to empowering and teaching women how to tackle DIY projects.  One of my favourite sites is Be Jane.com .  This site lists common projects and how to accomplish them; everything from replacing a light-switch to repairing a large hole in your window screen.  They tell you specifically which tools you will require the supplies you will need and they walk you through the project step-by-step including detailed photos.

Another great Internet resource is Youtube.  There are hundreds of videos of regular women documenting their experience with every project imaginable. Be creative; do a Google search!

If you’re the more “hands-on” type of learner you can sign up for a seminar at your local building supply retailer. Often they run weekly seminars on common projects.  They offer hands-on learning, instructors with years of experience and help along the way.

A great way to find out about the materials you’ll require is to visit your building supply retailer.  They are a great resource for information on different grades of material available, what to look for when buying, common complaints about products, & how to maintain the material once installed.  Build Direct has a great online resource called Build Direct Learning Center.  Here you can find articles about everything from how to choose the right laminate floor for your flooring project to guides on how to install all kinds of flooring.

2. “I don’t have the right tools”

Another protest women commonly have about tackling DIY projects is not having the right tools.  The basic tools every woman should own, or can easily acquire from a friend or neighbour are:

·         12v cordless drill & bits

·         Measuring tape

·         Multi-head screw driver

·         Adjustable wrench

·         Small hammer

·         Pliers.

Because owning and storing large tools can be cumbersome many people turn to Tool Rental Centers for things like powered saws, larger drills, pressure washers etc.  Tool Rental Centers are located in every city and can be found in the Yellow Pages.

3. “I don’t have enough time”

Lack of time is one of those grievances all of us deal with.  Thoroughly researching your project before you begin will provide you with an educated estimate of how much time is required to complete this project, the materials and tools you’ll need, and the level of difficulty.

Sometimes your time is worth more than the money it takes to hire a professional.  In this case, another visit to the Yellow Pages will yield a list of contractors in your area who can help you complete your project.  Be sure to ask for contractor references & look the contracting business up with the Better Business Bureau.

But, after researching your project, sometimes the knowledge you’ve gained will empower you to Do-It-Yourself, realizing that the scope of the project and skill level is well within your means and schedule after all.  Doing it yourself can save you money, and brings you the satisfaction of helping yourself!

***

Thanks, Tanya!

You can find additional DIY project support at www.bejane.com, www.planitdiy.com and www.homefixated.com.  You can also listen to Michael King the Cajun Contractor at Home Talk USA by visiting www.hometalkusa.com 

Helpful Curb Appeal Exercise

My fiancé and I are in the market to purchase our first home and we have realized how important curb appeal can be in this process. This is not only in the point of view of the future home buyer but also the seller. I can honestly say that as we look through listings in the paper or scroll through photos online, we very rarely pursue houses that do not have proper curb appeal simply because they do not stand out. I wouldn’t doubt that we have bypassed some very nice homes that we should have taken a closer look at; however, without even thinking about it or seeing the inside of a home, it often times gets voted down or overlooked if the initial outside photo doesn’t meet the ideal look we want in a home. With a better understanding of the behaviors of future home owners and having the experience of going through the steps of what makes me look twice at a house, I will be sure to remember this when I actually go to sell my first home. Even if you are not in the market to buy or sell a home, there is a great little exercise for you to evaluate your own home to see if a potential buyer may overlook or decide to bookmark your house for more information.

Here is what can help:

Stand back away from your house, far enough down the driveway to get a good view of the house and its surroundings. Then ask yourself the following questions:

1.      What is your first impression of the house and yard area?

2.      What are the best exterior features of the house or lot? How can you enhance them?

3.      What are the worst exterior features of the house or lot? How can you minimize or improve them?

You can even park where a potential home buyer may park when evaluating your home then take a stroll around the home’s exterior. Grab a camera or your phone and snap some photos, you can refer to these just like a buyer would to see what needs some improvements and what elements would be most attractive to a home buyer.

Lastly, make a list of those areas that are either problematic or simply not appealing and start to check them off your list whenever you can. This will not only improve the curb appeal of your home but it will also boost the value which could potentially be the deciding factor of how quickly your house may move off the market.

Source

http://homebuying.about.com/cs/sellerarticles/a/curb_appeal.htm

Makeover Your Garage Door with Coach House Accents

Makeover Your Garage Door with Coach House Accents

Truth in Advertising:  This blog post is a complete promotion of our Coach House Accents line of decorative garage door accents.

I know that blog posts are not meant as the place for a company to make shameless plugs for its own products.  You the reader come here to find and digest information on a variety of topics in a place relatively free from the straight commercial world.  I offer my profound apologies up-front.

Now that you know what to expect I’ll get straight to the point.  The garage door is the largest single element of your home’s exterior accounting for roughly 30% of the front of a home.  The sole attention it usually receives is the kids banging balls off its face.  You can make a dramatic improvement to the curb appeal or general attractiveness of your home in about 2 ½ hours by outfitting your garage doors with Coach House Accents Signature Décor Windows and Signature Series Hardware. 

                              Before Coach House Accents Installation

                                After Installing Coach House Accents

                                                            Close-up of Garage Door

                

Our garage door accents provide a unique look with depth and dimension not otherwise available to you in today’s market.  Our décor windows provide the look and feel of a real window without cutting holes, sacrificing safety, or reducing door insulation properties.  They are paintable as well if you prefer a color other than white, sandstone or almond the three colors available directly from us.

Our Signature Hardware come it kits including 4 strap hinges and 2 handles.  Manufactured to the strict standards required for automotive exterior trim products they don’t rust or fade. 

All our products are made entirely in the US (West Michigan actually) and come with a 15 year warranty.

You can find Coach House Accents at reputable garage door dealers nationwide or online at Amazon.com and at our web store www.coachhouseaccents.com/products/

For additional information call 800-351-9776

Thank you for following our blog and I promise this is the last plug for OUR product line though you will find plugs and pans of other products here from time-to-time.

Ross

Home Improvement Projects for Women

If you are looking to sell your home or just do some updating around the house, we have found some great home improvement projects can boost the value of your home and are geared towards women.  Tal Boldo wrote an article discussing “80 Home Improvement Projects for Women,” we went through and found some great ways to enhance the beauty and character of your home. In tying in the three areas that we discuss on the blog, Curb Appeal, All Thing Women, and DIY Projects, we have pulled several of these home improvement projects from the site to share with all of you.

#31. Front Door Home Improvement Project
Discover the history of doorknockers and how you can add character and mythic beauty to your front door. Here are the tips for using doorknockers to spice up your front door.

#38. Backyard Landscaping Home Improvement Project
Here are a few cheap and imaginative ways to landscape your backyard and create a dream retreat for you and your loved ones. Here are the simple instructions for cheap and easy backyard landscaping, a home improvement project for women with green thumbs.

#51. Curb Appeal Home Improvement Project
Here are 12 ideas for giving your home unique and beautiful curb appeal. Each idea is easy. Just follow the easy instructions for your curb appeal makeover, a home improvement project for women who love to look at their home from the street.

Some of these projects are simple while others many take some more time and commitment, however these home improvement projects will enhance the curb appeal and look of your home. In going through the different projects, my fiancé and I found that the doorknocker idea was relatively easy to do while adding a unique touch. The knocker doesn’t have to be a standard one that you would pick up at the local hardware store but even something personal can work, this adds a custom feel and can bring in other elements of the home to make your house stand out among the rest. Have a cottage on the lake? Upon reading the doorknocker article we are looking to purchase one for my parent’s cottage which would do away from their current knocker which doesn’t tie in very well with the cottage theme. Some different ideas are below:

The simple steps include:

·         Finding the right doorknocker

·         Mark the mounting site

·         Place the knocker

·         Start the Screws

·         Install the door knocker

When going through the different projects, let us know if one stands out to you or even if you decide to take charge and complete one of these tasks. We would love to hear some feedback on previous projects you have completed to boost the value of your home or future projects that you plan to finish.

Source:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6122902/80_home_improvement_projects_for_women.html?cat=30

Curb Appeal: Can metal finish really make a big difference?

 In the never ending quest to find some thing different and improve my homes curb appeal I wanted to focus on some thing that is often over looked and under utilized; the use of metal finish on exterior elements of the home.
 
Now I have heard it over and over again…..black is a metal finish right? It has been around forever, right? Yep, it has and in my estimation it’s worn out its welcome.
My good friend Dennis Myles from Detroit gave me a great history lesson in just how long true metal finish has been around and what an impact it could have on my home.
 
Take a quick look below at the image that reflects the history, heritage and influence that the use of real metal finish has had through out the years.
We often over look the fact that the stone or other natural elements on our homes are a natural tie in to real metal accents.
 
Many of us have spent too long believing the plastic mail box, black powder coated lights and garage door hardware are part of our curb appeal package.
Take the time to research products that indeed cost more on the front end but bring unmatched curb appeal and long term quality for several years.
 
Mail boxes in a metal finish start the dramatic change where impressions start, the curb. Garage door hardware in a metal finish like bronze, pewter or copper add distinction to a transition zone toward your entry door and finally outdoor lighting completes the coordinated look on the front of your home.
 
Remember there is a metal finish that fits nearly every ones pocket book you just have to take the time to find what is right for you and the curb appeal of your home.
 
Links of Interest:
www.rockymountainhardware.com
www.twohillsstudio.com
www.chaenomeles.com

Enhancing Curb Appeal through a Stone Path Walkway

What a better way to kick start your weekend and even score some extra brownie points at home than by this weeks DIY project of a stone path walkway. This is a rather simple way to enhance the look of your home at a mild cost with a high impact. Laying a stone pathway can significantly change the look of your home and give your guests a welcoming feel; all for right around $150.00.

At my home I had an older style of stepping stones which were overgrown with grass and some were mostly buried under ground, my fiancé and I decided that it was more off-putting than appealing to walk up to the front of our home. We visited our local hardware store and purchased various stones which range from grey to tan and created a 3-foot by 5-foot puzzle to fit the look we wanted for our house. The steps for the project were simple:

1. Designed the Path: We marked out with string and stakes the area for the newly designed path
2. Created a Base: Dug out the marked area going 6 inches deep into the ground
3. Filled the Base: Laid down crush gravel for the base and to eliminate erosion
4. Set Stones in Place: Placed the pattern we designed in the marked area
5. Filled in the Gaps: We filled the joints with masonry sand that we just swept into the cracks

When all was said and done we spent about $125 and it took about 6 hours to complete. In a half of days work we were able to transform our outdated and unwelcoming entryway into a warm and attractive element to our home.

If you are looking to complete this DIY project at your home, keep in mind the design elements that would correlate well with the rest of your house. If your house has slate rock accents, look into making your walkway out of similar slate. Maybe you have a red brick home, bring the element of the bricks right into your walkway that ties all of the design elements and color together. Repeating these design elements of your home will create a cohesive look that will make your house stand out from the rest.

DIY Network:

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-construct-a-stone-path/index.html

Better Homes and Garden:

http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/exteriors/curb-appeal/enhance-front-entry/#page=9

Summer Flea Markets

As summer makes its run down the home stretch and back to school sales are in full swing I thought of a topic for today regarding that great summer right of passage passed down through generations of women in my family; attending a flea market.
 
Nearly all of you are looking for items to improve the unique features of your home and provide a visual impact regardless of where we place it in our home. It could be an item that offers instant curb appeal on the exterior or completes the look of a room inside your home.
 
An often overlooked event that is happening in an area close to your home in the days of big box stores and mega malls is the humble flea market. Wikipedia describes a flea market as a type of bazaar where inexpensive or second hand goods are sold or bartered. I beg to differ; it can be so much more than that.
 
A flea market’s offering are as diverse as those who attend them. Goods can be priced from the very cheap to the very expensive depending on the uniqueness of the offering. This is why I love the flea market; every trip has that unexpected outcome that I find refreshing these days.
 
Most flea markets are held on weekends with a few exceptions depending on location and how long they have been around. This creates the perfect opportunity to get away for a morning or whole day with the girlfriends or as a last resort; your spouse or boyfriend.  Many of us will soon be under the schedule that is our kid’s school year and thus limited free time. This is the signal that summer is over in most of the country.
 
Take a chance on finding an antique, talking piece or bargain item I just had to have. Oh and one more thing….what a great place to people watch and share a laugh with friends.
 
Enjoy what is left of the summer season!
 
A great source for information on a flea market in your area can be found at www.keysfleamarket.com
 

Curb Appeal Attracts Homebuyers

The first thing homebuyers will look at when they arrive at your home is your front yard.  The color of your home, the landscaping, walkways, and if the home is attractive from the outside, will determine if they stop.  Regardless of what you have done on the inside your home, if the curb appeal is not attractive, many homeowners will never make it inside. 

1.)   Color of your exterior home: Before you start on the yard, start on your physical exterior of your home. Look at neighboring homes and their paint scheme, primary and accent style and paint colors. While your house doesn’t have to be the same color, it should be within the same historic or aesthetic color palette as neighboring homes. Consider repainting your home, or pressure washing siding or brick.

2.)  Accentuate the accents of your home: Whether you have shutters on your exterior windows, or columns that greet potential homebuyers on the front porch, ensure they are all painted and in good upkeep. Ensure that low planters, brick walls, fences, exterior lighting, and garage entryways and doors are free of debris and all damaged areas have been repaired.

3.) Replace welcoming elements: Believe it or not, elements such as the mailbox, house numbers, door hardware and a damaged garage door can make a lasting impression on homebuyers. If you’ve lived in your home for a while, consider buying new elements and replace the old ones or refurbish with unique aftermarket items available at your local hardware store. These small elements can send a welcoming impression and are relatively inexpensive to replace or refurbish.

Curb appeal of your home doesn’t have to be difficult or costly.  Visit www.freshome.com to find more simple ideas for improving the curb appeal of your home.  

Brought to you courtesy of Freshome Interior Design & Architecture

Easy and Cost Efficient DIY Project – Coffee Table

Today’s topic on a DIY project was inspired by a recent home project and the fact that it seems we all need a DIY project that moves us inside to beat the recent heat across the entire country including here in my home of St. Johns Florida.

My wife has spent a great deal of time redoing our living room and the primary focus has been to restore a unique flavor and provide as she says “talking pieces”.

We have struggled with finding a coffee table that fits that criteria and has a price point that both of us our comfortable with. We have seen some very unique pieces that approach the $700.00 to $900.00 price mark and we both say the same thing; “that is not happening!”

So…that led us to have a DIY discussion based on some recent visits to shop for ideas on the outside of our home. We wanted unique features for the screened porch as well and came across some very unique items.

We settled on an idea that involved the use of a cement planter 16 inches tall and 24 inches in diameter. Our home has a modern feel so we chose a planter with a grey color that was very design neutral. We added a false floor inside the planter about 6 inches from the top; that allowed for placement of other items we had gathered on our various unique item gathering experiences. We topped off the planter with a 36 inch round table top we purchased from a local glass shop and have the unique coffee table Dana wanted at a price we both loved.

Cement Planter $70.00

Glass Table Top $ 125.00

Misc supplies $20.00

Unique talking piece in our home; priceless

Take the time to step back and look what you might have used on an outside DIY project and see how it can provide a unique look inside your home and give you a conversation piece with those who visit your home.

Must Have Power Tools for Women New to DIY Projects

Must-Have Power Tools for Women

What self-respecting new blog for DIY projects with a complete segment dedicated towards women DIYers would begin with anything other than tools?  I can state emphatically that the answer is NONE.  That being the case, we’ll start here with what are the essential tools that a women just getting into home repair projects should have on-hand.

As reported by the DIY Network:  More single women are buying homes and more women are deciding not to wait for their significant other to get around to a project and doing fix-it work around the house themselves. These power tools are must-haves for females who are beginner DIYers.

The first tool a woman should buy is a cordless screwdriver or cordless drill. Drill Bit kits are a good accompanying accessory to have because they keep all your drill bits organized. When shopping for a drill, make sure to handle them while the battery is attached to accurately assess their weight. Drills can be used to drill, drive screws and power accessories like paint stirrers.

Next look into detail and orbital sanders which are lightweight sanding tools for finishing. The detail sander allows access to corners that the orbital sander can't reach. Hook and loop sanding pads make it easy to change sandpaper when the job requires a more course or finer grit. Sanders are good to use for furniture refinishing or other types of projects that would concern wood finishing.

An 18-volt circular saw is a light power saw for odd jobs around the house. It has a laser guide to help make the cut in the right place. This tool is a good choice for making bookshelves or almost any job where basic straight cuts are involved.

Use a jigsaw to make curved cuts. Jigsaws come in either corded or cordless versions.

Most major power tool suppliers sell Combo Kits that typically but not always include:

·         Cordless drill

·         Cordless circular saw

·         Cordless jig saw or reciprocating saw

·         Work light

·         2 batteries

A quick stop at your local hardware or home improvement store is the place to start.

Remember to keep us informed of what you’re working on and how you’re project is coming along.

Enhancing Your Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is an essential part of owning or selling your house. A poorly maintained exterior can hurt the initial appeal of your home while spending a little time and effort on improving curb appeal can go a long way to increase the attractiveness and the value of your home. The outside of your house is the first and sometimes only thing that people will see. Therefore, paying attention to the first impression of your home is important and worthwhile.  

There are a wide range of improvements that can be used to increase the curb appeal of your home - from simple cleaning and routine maintenance to projects involving replacing and remodeling parts of your home’s exterior. However, whether it’s cleaning, landscaping or installing a new front door, adding curb appeal to your home doesn’t have to be a difficult or expensive task.

This article from Houselogic (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/adding-curb-appeal-value-to-home/) provides a good starting point for improving your home’s curb appeal. It highlights the important areas to focus on and the best and least expensive ways to enhance these areas. Check out the tips listed in the article to begin thinking about your next weekend home improvement project.

Social Media Scheduling

Good Afternoon,

My name is Scott and I am in charge of the social media here at Lacks Home Products. We are extremely excited about our growing online community and look forward to communicating with all of you through our various social media pages.

As we move forward in learning about the different aspects of what turns an ordinary house into an extraordinary home, we want to make sure we cover important topics that our community cares about. We have established a schedule of topics that we plan to discuss on a regular basis through our various websites; we don’t want to leave you out if you prefer tweeting rather than posting.

Facebook:           www.facebook.com/coachhouseaccents

Twitter:                www.twitter.com/chaccents

YouTube:             www.youtube.com/coachhouseaccents

Blogger:               www.chaccents.blogspot.com  (I didn’t think you would need this one!)

We have also teamed up with a newly developed forum board which is designed for home improvement enthusiasts; www.simplecurbappeal.yuku.com. We are one of the official sponsors of the forum and we will be posting on there from time to time when someone has a question relating to our area of work.  We will repost important topics and some of the neat projects that are being talked about on the forum through our different media sites.

Across all of our sites we have created a “topic schedule” where we will post information, articles, DIY projects, and hold open discussions about the theme of that day. This is open to anyone and everyone for discussions and to hear any success stories you have… or maybe some not so successful stories... so we can all gain better knowledge about issues dealing with being a homeowner. The schedule is below and please don’t hesitate if you want us to discuss a new topic, we want to hear your suggestions!

 

Beginning August 8, 2011:

Mondays:             Curb Appeal

Wednesdays:      All Things Women

Fridays:                 DIY Projects