How To Begin Home Projects

How do I start Home Repairs, Home Maintenance and Home Remodeling Projects?

In today's fast paced world many people are navigating the intense challenges of work, family and leisure and are packing it into limited time slots. You need to get the kids off to daycare or school, your work schedule is packed with more demands and meetings, you have to pick up the kids and get them to sports activities, you need to provide nutritious meals all while trying to carve out some time for yourself to relax and enjoy your hobbies and fun activities. Keener Handyman Solutions, Lititz PA can Help!

One day you take a close look at your house and wonder how it lost its glow and look of a few years ago. You find yourself overwhelmed because just about every room in your house, plus your deck is crying for attention. You find yourself asking, where do I start? I asked this question myself many years ago and the answer was to start a "To Do List" of items I wanted updated, repaired and renovated. I just walked around my home and property and listed the items that needed attention now and for the future needs of my growing family, especially the grandchildren. I kept the list handy as I went about my days and added to the list, even if it was not an immediate major problem. I actually started a spreadsheet due to the length of the list and I wanted the ability to sort by price and priority.

When you have a draft of your list begin prioritizing the items by their importance to you. How you do this will be unique because of our different lifestyles. I would however, recommend that any safety related items be a top priority for everyone. If entertaining guests is important you may want to start with kitchen and dining room items. If family time is more important those spaces will be at the top of your list. If it's curb appeal your entry door and lighting may be a top priority. Be as specific as you can on your desired end results. This will help you with the next step.

After you have a working "To Do List" document it is time to come up with a budget and time schedule. Your home's wear and tear or loss of its new look didn't happen overnight and it will not magically reappear. This is especially important if you are going to do the repairs and improvements yourself. Pick a project from your list and figure out the costs involved and about how much time it will take. Do this for all the items on your list to produce a working draft of time and materials to complete all of your projects.

Next, pick one project and schedule the time into your schedule to complete it. Buy all the materials ahead of time so you are ready to begin on your time schedule. You will always run into things you didn't account for so a good rule of thumb for most DIY projects is to add 20% overrun for materials and double your estimated time to complete it.

If all of this is overwhelming and/or you do not have the time or skills to complete your list, consider contacting your local Handyman. Keener Handyman Solutions, Lititz Pennsylvania is just a phone call away at 717-475-0392. I specialize in "To Do Lists" and can perform Home Repairs, Home Maintenance and Home Remodeling for you and your home. We can work out a plan to have your home's condition improved within your budget and time constraints. You can download and print a "To Do List" today here or directly from my website.