by Bassperformance | Sep 2, 2019 | Uncategorized |
If you’re a homeowner, its likely you’ve come across a project or two that you decided to tackle yourself. Whether you repainted your kitchen cabinets or simply redecorated a room, home improvement projects are an ongoing part of owning a home. While its fun to put your home design vision into action, sometimes you need a little extra inspiration or additional instructions on a particular project. These 10 home and DIY magazines will provide all the ideas, tips, and knowledge you’ll need to tackle any DIY project in the future. I always love when I go into a project and the customer has ideas and a direction they would like to go. Hopefully a few of these magazines will help you in deciding how to make your home exactly how you want it.
- Better Homes and Gardens One of the most popular home magazines on the market, Better Homes and Gardens is your standard home and DIY magazine. It’s great for homeowners searching for seasonal decorating ideas, home improvement inspiration, and gardening assistance.
- This Old House Whether you own an old home or not, This Old House magazine is a great choice for homeowners looking for DIY inspiration and practical instructions on common household projects. The magazine is full of great before and after renovation projects, as well as tons of educational information every homeowner can benefit from.
- Martha Stewart Living Home improvement is at the center of this amazing magazine. With features revolving around design and décor, DIY projects, gardening, and cooking, Martha Stewart Living is a great choice for homeowners.
- Good Housekeeping This popular magazine has been around since 1885 and for good reason. Every issue is packed with great advice centered around the home. While Good Housekeeping magazine features additional information, like recipes and parenting issues, its focus on the home makes it great for anyone looking for decorating ideas or fun craft projects.
- Family Handyman With a wide selection of how-to projects and some informative tool reviews and tips, Family Handyman should be the go-to read for well, the family handyman. This magazine is geared toward homeowners who love to tackle a good DIY project, so pick this one when you’re ready to gain some confidence to tackle that DIY to-do list.
- HGTV Magazine Fans of the HGTV cable channel will love this spin-off magazine. In addition to bringing viewers more projects and information from popular hosts, HGTV magazine also provides a ton of tips and how-tos that most homeowners will find useful.
- House Beautiful Get your interior design fix from this wonderful magazine. House Beautiful regularly features real-life homes with impeccable interior design, in addition to beautiful gardens that will inspire you to get outside and update your own yard.
- Do It Yourself With fun craft ideas, decorating ideas, and seasonal DIY projects, any DIY lover will find something interesting in Do It Yourself. On top of great step-by-step instructional pieces, this magazine also features home design inspiration and yummy recipes.
- Fine Homebuilding For do-it-yourselfers with a little more experience under their belt, Fine Homebuilding is a great choice. Each issue is filled with detailed woodworking projects, home improvement tips, and insight from leaders in the DIY field.
- Real Simple What homeowner doesn’t want to simplify their life? Real Simple can help by providing tips on home décor, family life, and fun DIY projects all centered around making life simpler.
by Bassperformance | Sep 2, 2019 | Tips |
Being a homeowner brings on new responsibilities, such as having to know how to find a reliable contractor when there are projects to get done. Whether you’re a new homeowner or have owned your house a long time and simply looking to find a general contractor to get that special project done, these tips for finding a reliable contractor will help make this experience a positive one.
Create a Budget
Before you even think about hiring a contractor you’re going to need to know what your budget is. Sit down with your partner to discuss finances and create a budget for hiring a contractor. This budget may need to be adjusted as you receive estimates for work from reliable contractors, but it helps give you a starting point so that you don’t overspend.
Ask Friends and Family
You may find that friends or family have a reliable contractor that they use on a regular basis. Ask your friends and family to see if they have a recommendation for a reliable contractor. If they don’t know of one, perhaps they have a friend who’s been able to hire a contractor with success in the past. Word of mouth is the best place to start when searching for a reliable contractor.
Get Multiple Estimates
Be sure to get an estimate from more than one contractor. Not only are you looking to hire a reliable contractor but you want to stay within your allotted budget. Some contractors may be clearly overcharging and you’ll realize quickly that they’re not reliable if they quote you much higher than the other estimates you’ve received.
Check License and Insurance
Most General Contractors are required to be licensed to do business in your municipality or state, ask the contractor for their license. This way you can check to make sure they have a license to do business in your area. Also, ask if the contractor has their own insurance to cover any loss of their own or damage done during the project on your home. Always see proof of both license and insurance.In the State of Arizona we are required by the ROC to be licensed, bonded, and insured. We proudly disply our ROC numbers so customers can call and verify our information.
Ask for References
Even though you may be able to find a reliable contractor through word of mouth recommendations or find reviews online, it’s important to ask for references. The references you ask for should be prior clients from projects that the contractor has completed. Ask questions like where they messy? Did they clean up their mess? Where they punctual? Was the project finished in a timely manner? Calling each of these references to speak with them directly will ensure you get honest references on the contractor before hiring.
Develop a Contract
Many contractors will work with a deposit down and money paid throughout the duration of the project. Because of this it’s important that you develop a contract to protect all parties involved. This contract should cite when payments will be made and how much. It should also state how often you’ll check in for a status update on the project that your contract is working on. Having everything spelled out is vital.
These tips for finding a reliable contractor will ensure that you know what you’re getting into when you pick the right contractor for your next home improvement project. Hiring a contractor to work on your home is a big deal, and that’s why these tips are here. Hopefully they help make this big deal decision a positive one for your future home improvement project.
Here at Bassperformance Construction we encourage all of our clients to do their research. We have many satisfied customers that are always willing to provide references. We also hold multiple licenses, bonds, and insurance to insure our customer is protected. Everything is spelled out in our contracts. This helps ensure we are all on the same page through out the duration of your project. Our goal is to make your dream a reality. We pride ourselves on respecting you, your home, and your time. We will do the best to earn and keep your trust.
