If your electrical bills are getting to be just too high for you, not to worry! Handyman Connection of Florida is here to provide you with a few tips on how to keep your costs low with some small home improvement tactics!

• Ceiling fans can greatly reduce the use of the air conditioning in your home. While using less energy they will also keep your home cool and improve on your bill! It’s usually good to consult with a handyman electrician to make sure that the installation goes smoothly and the fan of your choice is compatible with your home.
• Switch to either florescent or LED light bulbs in your home. While they are both pricier, they greatly reduce the use of energy as well as last much longer than your regular bulb. Florescent bulbs are the cheaper of the two and release much less hear than a regular bulb, allowing it to keep your home cooler in the warm months of the year. LED bulbs are the most efficient and can actually last around 100,000 hours!
• The easiest thing to do is to remember to unplug electronics and appliances when not in use. Computers and power strips will continuously use up energy even if they are not on. Make sure to unplug that charger and turn off your power strips when not in use.
• Replacing your old window panes can make a bigger difference in your bills than you might think. If your windows are not properly in place, around 30% of your air conditioning or heater’s energy can be lost through any kinds of gaps or cracks, creating the need for your home to use more energy to replace what is lost. Replacing panes and having a proper sealant can save you money in the end. When doing this, remember to consult with a professional handyman to make sure that this home improvement task is done correctly.
• Installing occupancy sensors can also decrease your energy usage. These will sense when a person is in the room and turn the lights on and off depending on the occupancy. Installing these in your kitchen and porch can definitely make a difference on your bills since these are the lights that get left on most frequently.
• Having a handyman install a thermostat that can be on a timer will also decrease your bills. It will automatically change the temperature so that while you are away from your home, it will not waste energy heating up in the winter and cooling down in the summer.

Are you considering adding molding or trim for your next home improvement project? This touch can dramatically impact the style and overall feel of a room. If your room feels plain and dull, adding molding and trim might be the perfect way to help re-create a vibrant new space. Molding can instantly update your look and create a classy, sometimes regal feel.

There are many styles you can choose ranging from traditional to contemporary. Hard wood is the most popular medium. Styles include crown molding, casing, window and door trim, baseboard trim, chair rail trim, picture rail and bar rail. Consult a home handyman for advice and installation help.

Molding and trim are solutions for drywall maintenance and repair because they cover and strengthen wall imperfections. Wood moldings are not just useful for decoration but protect the wall long-term from damage, drafts, and wood expansion and contraction problems.

It’s important to understand the process leading up to installing your molding or trim. You’ll need to estimate the quantity and size the wood pieces come in. Make sure to have correct measurements of your room’s perimeter and don’t forget closets and bathrooms. Continuity is key with trim and molding.

If you’re going with wood molding, you’ll need to decide what type of wood species you want. The most stable and water resistant choices include Oak, Mahogany and Cedar. Remember that you can always stain these woods to look like a more expensive species if you so desire. A remodeling contractor can help you choose a good quality stain that will last.

Painting your molding or trim to contrast with the wall color can really make a room pop. Go for a lighter trim and lighter ceilings to open up the room and then choose a bold color for the walls. The contrast will leave your room looking fresh and contemporary or vibrant and classic depending on the style.

If you want little to no blemishes on your molding or trim, a plastic polymer is a good option. It is a bit more expensive than wood but it is lighter and easier to install and it does not expand and contract like wood does. This medium is ideal for exterior trim.

Installing molding and trim is a very calculated process that requires a lot of pre-planning and skill. Don’t rely on the DIY guides online; hire a professional handyman to save yourself the time and headache. A handyman can help you pick out your molding or trim and give you professional advice throughout the whole process to ensure your room will look picture perfect!

Check out our exclusive interview on Fox 4 The Morning Blend. Our operations manager of the Ft. Myers & Naples branch, Matt Ross, discusses all of the home repair, home maintenance, and home improvement services that Handyman Connection can provide. Click the link below to watch the full interview and to find out the special discount that Handyman Connection is currently offering:

http://www.fox4morningblend.com/videos/128232938.html

Now that we’re almost back to the fall season, it’s important to get your home organized! Getting into the fall season with a house in disarray is just asking for a mess to clean come the holiday season. Get your home in order with these small home improvement projects and let the craziness of fall sweep you away knowing that your home will be in order with extra shelving and storage. If you don’t have the knowledge, time, tools or the desire to do it on your own, put your trust in the professionals at Handyman Connection of Florida to get the job done.

Closets – Whether they are in the bedrooms or in the hallway, the closets main purpose is to store your possessions. Make sure that your closets are working at their optimum level. Add shelves for clothes that need to be folded or for shoes. In hall closets install adjustable shelves so that you can change each shelf’s size!

Home Office – No home office is complete without bookshelves and filing cabinets. This room allows for a variety of home improvement possibilities. Bookshelves can be found in all shapes, sizes and colors. Many can be found at your local stores and can be brought home and easily assembled. If you want a sturdier option, opt for a professional handyman to install custom bookshelves and filing cabinets.

Bathroom – If all you are living with is the under the sink storage and a medicine cabinet in your bathroom, then it’s time to make some improvements. Try installing corner shelves that take up less space than usual shelves. Or, make use of that space above your towel holders and install a shelving unit that will allow you to store more of your items. If you are truly limited on space, try installing a second level of shelf under your bathroom sink. This is a more difficult home improvement job, but can be well worth it!

Kitchen – The best home improvement organization tasks you can do for your kitchen are installing rollout shelves, lazy susans and a pantry if one is not already there. These can be time saving and allow you to be organized in ways you never thought were possible. Imagine not pushing everything around to find that Tupperware top or that spice that you apparently haven’t used in ages. Unless you are in college, your dry food should not be mixing around with your plates and mixing bowls! Installing a pantry can make your life so much easier and really give that extra space that you deserve.

If these sound like your kind of home improvements but way too far out of your league, ask for some expert advice. Handyman Connection of Florida offers free estimates and our expert handymen can help you make the right choices for your home.

Don’t let your fear of home improvement tasks overcome your retiling needs! Upgrading your home’s tile in your kitchen and bathroom can create not only create a fresh look but improve the value of your home. Retiling alone can be difficult, which is why calling Handyman Connection of Florida can make this painful task into a breeze.

Not only can Handyman Connection of Florida help you install your new tile, but our professionals can help you choose from a plethora of tiling options. There are tiles within every price range and style to pick from.

Want ideas from the experts? Here are some things to think about when making decisions for these types of home improvement projects.

When retiling your bathroom, keep these ideas in the back of your mind:

• Choose tiles that have an iridescent finish so that they can effectively add sparkle to your room
• If your bathroom is bare, try adding some color by using aqua glass tiles or pink to create an accent color
• Take advantage of your glass shower doors and use colored tiles in your shower to add a burst of color
• If you really want a flashy home improvement idea, try creating a tile mosaic. These can create not only color, but a piece of art that can be appreciated for a lifetime.

Retiling in the kitchen? We think you should:

• Try and save some money by using the expensive tiles as accents
• Create a dashing backsplash to bring the focus away from solid color countertops
• Put tiles at an angle to create dimension
• Place the most intricate tiling around your stove to make a focal point in your kitchen

Contact a professional handyman to give you a free estimate and answer any questions you may have about this or any other home improvement needs. Now is the time to stop thinking about your dream tiling and make it happen!

Getting yourself organized is not the easiest task. We all have those moments when we look around and are suddenly overwhelmed with the clutter in our homes. Its summer now which is the perfect time to get a move on this important home improvement task: decluttering with shelving and extra storage. We at Handyman Connection Florida think that the following are the places in your home that shelving and extra storage could make a considerable difference.

1. Bathroom – For some reason it seems like the bathroom is the one room in the house that is constantly undergoing home improvement jobs. We tend to gather bathroom supplies – lotions, shampoos, extra soap, toilet paper, towels and more! The underside of the sink and the linen closets can get quite full and disorganized. Try installing roll-out bins under the sink and roll out shelves in your deeper linen closets. Use corner shelves to create space for in a small bathroom.
2. Kitchen – Organization is the key to having a successful kitchen. With all of your food, dishes, appliances, Tupperware and more, it’s important to keep organized. Roll out shelving allows for less tossing and piling of kitchen items. Lazy Susan’s can make a huge difference when it comes to spices and other dry kitchen goods. Mounting shelves can be not only for improving your organization but improving your kitchens visual appeal as well.
3. Home office – This is a room that extra storage and shelving can be added in so many inconspicuous ways. Add files to your desk drawers to create organization in your desk. If you are on a budget, try going to a local home improvement store and get a readymade or do it yourself kit for bookshelves.
4. Garage – Garages tend to be the catch all room for random unwanted and seasonal items that you just couldn’t find room for in your home. Many homeowners cannot even park their cars in their garages because this room has accumulated so much stuff. Shelving can make a huge difference in this room. Lining the walls with shelves can allow you to create a place for all of the stuff to go, instead of on the garage floor. Try adding a workbench or cabinets so that every item can have a ‘home’. This home improvement task may be too big for some homeowners, so do not hesitate ask for help by contacting Handyman Connection.
5. Closets – Adding shelves to your closet can make organizing easy. Shelves can hold shoes or folded clothes and still leave room for your hanging garments. If you can, using adjustable shelves can create optimized space specifically for your needs.

Getting the most out of your space can be tough. If you are looking for expert advice, Handyman Connection Florida can offer personalized ideas to help organize your home.

One of the overlooked finishing touches inside a home are the interior doors. Doors can add to the look of a room or house and provide privacy, yet most people overlook them and opt to focus more on paint, bathroom fixtures or even countertops (not that any of those aren’t important; we’re just saying don’t forget about doors.)

The best way to begin is to go over the common types of interior doors.

• Hinged Doors- These are the most common doors that every house has. They attach to the door frame via hinges and swing open and closed. While they are basic, you can get hinged doors in various styles so you can match the doors with molding and trim.
• Pocket Doors- These doors slide in and out of the wall itself. They are attached to a track that makes it easy for them to be opened and closed. These doors allow you to have closure in a room if you want, while giving you the option of keeping the doorway a completely open walkway. They are also good in tight spaces that might not accommodate a swinging hinged door.
• Folding Doors- These are doors with several sections. The sections fold and press against each other when they are opened. This type of door is good for large openings as they can be made with many sections. You commonly see them on closets and pantries.
• Bypass Doors- These are similar to folding doors in their use but are not always the best for large spaces. They involve multiple sections that slide on separate tracks. As you open one section it slides behind another. Sliding glass doors are the most common type of bypass door.

You will need to choose your doors based upon:

· The size of the doorway- If your opening is more than a traditional hinged door can handle you will have to decide which other type of door suites you best.

· The space around the doorway- If the doorway is in a hallway or a tight space you will probably factor in the area needed for a swinging door. You might want to look at a pocket door that won’t take up any more space than the doorway itself.

· How sealed you want the room to be- If the door is only in place for aesthetics or to keep pets or children out, you won’t need a very thick door. A folding or bypass door will be perfect. If the point of the door is privacy, you will need to think your choice out a little more. Likely you are thinking about a hinged door, but remember that they come in different thicknesses. Most interior doors are hollow core. This means that the door is made of two pieces of plywood that are spaced by either wood or thick cardboard, leaving the rest of the door hollow. While they do the trick, they are not that sturdy (if security is an issue) and they don’t block noise. If you want a thicker door you will be looking at engineered wood doors or solid wood doors. Engineered wood doors are made of compressed wood with solid wood support systems. They are heavier and stop noise effectively. Solid wood doors are a far more expensive and generally unnecessary option, so save that expense for exterior doors.

· Your personal preferences- Remember doors are functional finishing touches. Realistically you could live in your home without them, but they add function and aesthetics. Pick out doors that match your trim and molding to tie the room together. Also look into painting or staining your wood doors to match with the colors of the room.

Once you have picked your doors out, you are ready to have them installed. While this can be done by the adventurous homeowner, it may be better to call in a professional. Incorrectly framing a door can cause it to rub against the frame, wear and even stick.

Sources:

Home Interiors Zone
Bob Vila
Home Addition Plus

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Updates to your home make it more comfortable while you are living in it and add value in the event that you want to sell or draw equity. You can change the entire look of a room and add durability to your floor with properly installed tile. Making the remodel decision is easier than actually installing the tile, but following the right steps simplifies the process.

1. Gather your tools- Here are some of the things you will need:

1. Scrapers
2. Wedging tool
3. Sandpaper
4. Spacers
5. Level
6. Chalk string
7. Tile cutter
8. Knee pads
9. Measuring tape
10. Sponge
11. Grout
12. Tiles
13. Tile cement

2. Prepare the area- The underlying floor itself will need some work. Remove any old adhesives that may be left from the previous floor. Sealing cracks in concrete may also be necessary. You want your floor to be level all the way across, so that your new tile floor will be even and last for years. Also be aware of parts of the room that will require you to cut tiles. Thinking about this during the preparation stage will make the work more efficient during installation.

3. Find the center- The exact center of your floor is where you will begin laying the tile. First measure the center points of the walls of the room. Then stretch your chalk string from wall to wall, stretched from center point to center point. Now “snap” it down and it will leave chalk lines giving you an accurate center point of the floor.

4. Do a practice run- Lay tiles down without any adhesive. Use your spacers and make sure that you like the look and that the center has actually been found. A dry run is important because it easy to fix mistakes when you haven’t used any adhesive.

5. Install the tile- Once your floor is prepped, you know where center is and you have completed your practice run it is time to get started. You will be working on one small section at a time. Space out the section you will be working from (starting from the center of the room of course) and apply your chosen adhesive. Then carefully place tiles in straight lines. Use your spacers to help keep your floor uniform. Work quickly so that the adhesive dries against the back of the tiles, but don’t go so fast that you lay the floor unevenly. The corners of the tiles should be next to each other to obtain the look you want for your finished floor. When laying the tiles, place them in a downward motion in the place you want them to be. Do not slide them or wiggle them into place. Place them gently, apply some pressure to spread the adhesive and move on to the next tile.

6. Lay the grout- After you have installed the individual tiles, you will need to let the adhesive set. Your best bet is to let the tile set for 24 hours before you begin grouting.

1. Start by removing the spacers you put down during installation.
2. Next vacuum the crevices between the tiles to remove any excess dirt or pieces of flaked adhesive.
3. Next mix your grout according to the instructions.
4. Spread the grout evenly over the open portions between the tiles. Make sure you are using enough to completely fill the gaps. Like with the tile installation, work in one section at a time.
5. Once you have spread the grout, use a damp sponge or cloth to wipe any grout that may be on the tile itself. Do this right away so that the grout does not have time to dry. You only want grout in between tiles, not on top of them.
6. Look over the whole floor when you are done grouting to make sure you have been consistent in all areas. This will be the best time to fix mistakes because once the grout sets it is very difficult to fix mistakes.

Consulting with a professional is a good idea before you begin any home improvement project. We are available to provide tips for projects you decide to undertake yourself. We can also reduce your workload and do the installation for you, ensuring a professional finish.

Handyman Connection is proud to serve the home improvement and home repair needs of Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Lakeland, Orlando, Bradenton, Sarasota, Naples, Ft. Myers, Melbourne, Merritt Island & Titusville.