Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Squeaky Sub Floor -
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DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS
March 10, 2012
A remedy for a squeaky floor
Carpet replacement is perfect time to drive new screws into joists
By Bill and Kevin Burnett
Inman News®
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Q: Our floors squeak when we walk on the carpets. What can we do to remedy this problem before we replace the carpets in two weeks?
A: What perfect timing! You can put an end to the squeaking by screwing the subfloor to the floor joists after you remove the old carpet and pad, but before the new carpet is installed. You'll need to do a little work before the carpet layers show up, but you'll have a quiet floor when all's said and done.
Your first order of business is to expose the subfloor by taking up the old carpet and pad.
First, remove all the furniture from the room. Take a pair of pliers and pull the carpet from the tack strip in one corner of the room.
Tack strip is nail-impregnated 1/4-inch-by-1-inch wood strips nailed around the perimeter of the room. The points of the nails in the strip are angled toward the wall. The carpet is hooked on the nail points, allowing the carpet to be stretched flat. Once the carpet is free from a corner, it's a simple matter to pull the rest of it from the perimeter of the room.
The easiest way to remove old carpet is to cut it into strips. Roll the old carpet from the wall. Cut the backside with a utility knife into 2- or 3-foot-wide lengths, roll them up, duct-tape the rolls, and it's off to the landfill or better yet, the recycler. The carpet installers should dispose of the old carpet as part of the price of the new installation.
Next, remove the pad. Carpet pad is light. It's usually 5 feet wide, so there's no need to cut it. Just pull it up, roll it and carry it away. The pad is stapled to the subfloor. Remove the staples or pound them flat with a hammer. Removal of the old carpet and pad is usually part of the installation price of the new carpet. It's worth a try to ask your carpet layer for a credit if you're doing it yourself.
You're three-quarters of the way there. With the floors bare, it's easy to locate the floor joists. Simply look for the nail heads in the subfloor. This will give you the location of the floor joists. If the distance between joists (nail heads) is 16 inches or up to 19 1/2 inches for engineered joists, the subfloor is probably 3/4 inch thick. If it's wider (not likely, but possible) the subfloor can be up to 1 1/2 inches thick for a 36-inch span. The 3/4-inch-thick subfloor takes a 2-inch screw. A thicker subfloor takes a 3-inch screw.
Use a heavy-duty drill to drive Phillips-head wood screws through the subfloor into the floor joists. Drive the screws approximately 8 inches apart. To make the job easier for you and the drill, we suggest that you predrill holes before screwing the subfloor down.
Use a drill bit slightly smaller than the screw and keep the hole short of the length of the screw. In other words, if using a 2-inch screw, drill only a 1 1/2-inch-deep hole. This ensures that some of the screw gets full purchase on the joists. It also has the added benefit of making sure the screw is hitting the joist.
Test your job by walking on it before the carpet installers show up. Once the new carpet is down, you'll not only have a fresh look, but a silent floor.
DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS
March 10, 2012
A remedy for a squeaky floor
Carpet replacement is perfect time to drive new screws into joists
By Bill and Kevin Burnett
Inman News®
Share This
Q: Our floors squeak when we walk on the carpets. What can we do to remedy this problem before we replace the carpets in two weeks?
A: What perfect timing! You can put an end to the squeaking by screwing the subfloor to the floor joists after you remove the old carpet and pad, but before the new carpet is installed. You'll need to do a little work before the carpet layers show up, but you'll have a quiet floor when all's said and done.
Your first order of business is to expose the subfloor by taking up the old carpet and pad.
First, remove all the furniture from the room. Take a pair of pliers and pull the carpet from the tack strip in one corner of the room.
Tack strip is nail-impregnated 1/4-inch-by-1-inch wood strips nailed around the perimeter of the room. The points of the nails in the strip are angled toward the wall. The carpet is hooked on the nail points, allowing the carpet to be stretched flat. Once the carpet is free from a corner, it's a simple matter to pull the rest of it from the perimeter of the room.
The easiest way to remove old carpet is to cut it into strips. Roll the old carpet from the wall. Cut the backside with a utility knife into 2- or 3-foot-wide lengths, roll them up, duct-tape the rolls, and it's off to the landfill or better yet, the recycler. The carpet installers should dispose of the old carpet as part of the price of the new installation.
Next, remove the pad. Carpet pad is light. It's usually 5 feet wide, so there's no need to cut it. Just pull it up, roll it and carry it away. The pad is stapled to the subfloor. Remove the staples or pound them flat with a hammer. Removal of the old carpet and pad is usually part of the installation price of the new carpet. It's worth a try to ask your carpet layer for a credit if you're doing it yourself.
You're three-quarters of the way there. With the floors bare, it's easy to locate the floor joists. Simply look for the nail heads in the subfloor. This will give you the location of the floor joists. If the distance between joists (nail heads) is 16 inches or up to 19 1/2 inches for engineered joists, the subfloor is probably 3/4 inch thick. If it's wider (not likely, but possible) the subfloor can be up to 1 1/2 inches thick for a 36-inch span. The 3/4-inch-thick subfloor takes a 2-inch screw. A thicker subfloor takes a 3-inch screw.
Use a heavy-duty drill to drive Phillips-head wood screws through the subfloor into the floor joists. Drive the screws approximately 8 inches apart. To make the job easier for you and the drill, we suggest that you predrill holes before screwing the subfloor down.
Use a drill bit slightly smaller than the screw and keep the hole short of the length of the screw. In other words, if using a 2-inch screw, drill only a 1 1/2-inch-deep hole. This ensures that some of the screw gets full purchase on the joists. It also has the added benefit of making sure the screw is hitting the joist.
Test your job by walking on it before the carpet installers show up. Once the new carpet is down, you'll not only have a fresh look, but a silent floor.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Selling you home in this Market
6 tips for selling in today's market
Buying after relocating may not be best financial move
By Dian Hymer
Inman News®
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Some homeowners have been waiting for years for a better housing market and a good time to sell. Is it better to wait a few more years and see if you can realize a higher sale price, or sell now and move on with your life?
The motivation for selling is a key factor. Are you commuting to work several hours a day and the commute is killing you? Are your children grown and your home is now too big, in addition to being a burden to maintain? Is your home too small? Have you taken a job out of the area? Can you no longer afford to own your home? Or do you no longer want to pay the price it costs to own your home?
These are all good reasons for considering making a move. Not only do current market conditions enter into the equation, but making a move like this is usually more complicated than it was the first time you bought a home.
HOUSE HUNTING TIP: First, you need to find out the probable sale price of your home and access the state of the current home-sale market in your area. You also need to know what you can do to maximize the salability of your home. Then you should consider where you'll live next and how much that will cost.
If you don't already have one, find an experienced real estate agent who specializes in your area. Friends whose opinion you trust are the best source of agent referrals. Meet with your agent at your home and ask for a comparative market analysis. This will give you information about what homes like yours have been selling for in the current market.
You'll also want to know how long you can expect it to take to sell your home. How many homes like yours have sold recently? Are homes like yours in high demand? Or, is it located in a less desirable area that could mean a longer marketing time and, perhaps, a lower price than you were expecting?
Ask your agent to walk through your home with you and point out what should be done to make your home marketable. Homes that sell today are priced right for the market and are in move-in condition.
You want to make cost-effective improvements. If the kitchen and bathrooms are outdated, consider a cosmetic redo. Update paint, hardware, light fixtures and floor coverings, if necessary. Don't do a complete remodel unless you plan to stay in your home for years; otherwise, you won't recoup your investment.
Deciding where to move -- and when -- can be difficult. Some buyers can afford to buy a new home before selling, and prefer to make the move that way. Most repeat buyers can't afford to buy first. Others who can won't buy first due to market uncertainty and the stress of owning two homes at once.
The most prudent approach to making a move from one home to another is to sell first and rent if necessary until you find the right home to buy. By selling first, you will know exactly how much money you have to apply to a new home. Today's housing market is volatile. A dip in the market could shave tens of thousands of dollars, or more, off your selling price.
The other benefit of renting before buying is that you're under no pressure to buy the first listing you see. Interest rates are low and are expected to stay low through 2012. Prices are also low and aren't expected to move up much for the next several years.
THE CLOSING: This gives you time to find the home that will suit you for the long term.
Dian Hymer, a real estate broker with more than 30 years' experience, is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist and author of "House Hunting: The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers" and "Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide."
Buying after relocating may not be best financial move
By Dian Hymer
Inman News®
Share This
Some homeowners have been waiting for years for a better housing market and a good time to sell. Is it better to wait a few more years and see if you can realize a higher sale price, or sell now and move on with your life?
The motivation for selling is a key factor. Are you commuting to work several hours a day and the commute is killing you? Are your children grown and your home is now too big, in addition to being a burden to maintain? Is your home too small? Have you taken a job out of the area? Can you no longer afford to own your home? Or do you no longer want to pay the price it costs to own your home?
These are all good reasons for considering making a move. Not only do current market conditions enter into the equation, but making a move like this is usually more complicated than it was the first time you bought a home.
HOUSE HUNTING TIP: First, you need to find out the probable sale price of your home and access the state of the current home-sale market in your area. You also need to know what you can do to maximize the salability of your home. Then you should consider where you'll live next and how much that will cost.
If you don't already have one, find an experienced real estate agent who specializes in your area. Friends whose opinion you trust are the best source of agent referrals. Meet with your agent at your home and ask for a comparative market analysis. This will give you information about what homes like yours have been selling for in the current market.
You'll also want to know how long you can expect it to take to sell your home. How many homes like yours have sold recently? Are homes like yours in high demand? Or, is it located in a less desirable area that could mean a longer marketing time and, perhaps, a lower price than you were expecting?
Ask your agent to walk through your home with you and point out what should be done to make your home marketable. Homes that sell today are priced right for the market and are in move-in condition.
You want to make cost-effective improvements. If the kitchen and bathrooms are outdated, consider a cosmetic redo. Update paint, hardware, light fixtures and floor coverings, if necessary. Don't do a complete remodel unless you plan to stay in your home for years; otherwise, you won't recoup your investment.
Deciding where to move -- and when -- can be difficult. Some buyers can afford to buy a new home before selling, and prefer to make the move that way. Most repeat buyers can't afford to buy first. Others who can won't buy first due to market uncertainty and the stress of owning two homes at once.
The most prudent approach to making a move from one home to another is to sell first and rent if necessary until you find the right home to buy. By selling first, you will know exactly how much money you have to apply to a new home. Today's housing market is volatile. A dip in the market could shave tens of thousands of dollars, or more, off your selling price.
The other benefit of renting before buying is that you're under no pressure to buy the first listing you see. Interest rates are low and are expected to stay low through 2012. Prices are also low and aren't expected to move up much for the next several years.
THE CLOSING: This gives you time to find the home that will suit you for the long term.
Dian Hymer, a real estate broker with more than 30 years' experience, is a nationally syndicated real estate columnist and author of "House Hunting: The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers" and "Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide."
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Remodeling Projects Cost vs. Value
2011-2012 Cost vs. Value: Which Remodeling Projects Pay Off the Most?
On January 25, 2012, in Helpful Tools, Remodeling Adviser, by Melissa Tracey
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By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
When tackling home remodeling projects, you’ll find some projects pay off more than others at times of resale. Remodeling Magazine, in conjunction with REALTOR® Magazine, recently released findings of its annual Cost vs. Value report for 2011-2012, revealing which remodeling projects offer the biggest bang for your buck.
Overall, the trend right now is replacement over remodeling–swapping out the old for the new rather than doing a total gut job, which can be much more costly.
This year’s Cost vs. Value report found that exterior replacement projects–such as new garage doors and a new entry door–offer some of the best returns at resale, allowing home owners to recoup close to 70 percent or more of the costs of the project at times of resale.
The following are the top, mid-range projects from this year’s report, based on what home owners stand to recoup at time of resale:
1. Replacing the entry door to steel
Estimated cost: $1,238
Cost recouped at resale: 73%
2. Attic bedroom (converting unfinished attic space into a bedroom with bathroom and shower)
Estimated cost: $50,148
Cost recouped at resale: 72.5%
3. Minor kitchen remodel (including new cabinets and drawers, countertops, hardware, and appliances)
Estimated cost: $19,588
Cost recouped at resale: 72.1%
4. Garage door replacement
Estimated cost: $1,512
Cost recouped at resale: 71.9%
5. Deck addition (wood)
Estimated cost: $10,350
Cost recouped at resale: 70.1%
6. Siding replacement (vinyl)
Estimated cost: $11,729
Cost recouped at resale: 69.5%
On January 25, 2012, in Helpful Tools, Remodeling Adviser, by Melissa Tracey
Share|
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
When tackling home remodeling projects, you’ll find some projects pay off more than others at times of resale. Remodeling Magazine, in conjunction with REALTOR® Magazine, recently released findings of its annual Cost vs. Value report for 2011-2012, revealing which remodeling projects offer the biggest bang for your buck.
Overall, the trend right now is replacement over remodeling–swapping out the old for the new rather than doing a total gut job, which can be much more costly.
This year’s Cost vs. Value report found that exterior replacement projects–such as new garage doors and a new entry door–offer some of the best returns at resale, allowing home owners to recoup close to 70 percent or more of the costs of the project at times of resale.
The following are the top, mid-range projects from this year’s report, based on what home owners stand to recoup at time of resale:
1. Replacing the entry door to steel
Estimated cost: $1,238
Cost recouped at resale: 73%
2. Attic bedroom (converting unfinished attic space into a bedroom with bathroom and shower)
Estimated cost: $50,148
Cost recouped at resale: 72.5%
3. Minor kitchen remodel (including new cabinets and drawers, countertops, hardware, and appliances)
Estimated cost: $19,588
Cost recouped at resale: 72.1%
4. Garage door replacement
Estimated cost: $1,512
Cost recouped at resale: 71.9%
5. Deck addition (wood)
Estimated cost: $10,350
Cost recouped at resale: 70.1%
6. Siding replacement (vinyl)
Estimated cost: $11,729
Cost recouped at resale: 69.5%
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Kim's Yummy Chile
2 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 Tbl spn sugar
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb hot spicy ground pork
2 onions, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon juiced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water
1/2 cup chili powder
2 tbl spn cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tbl spn basil
2 tsp sea salt
1 tbl spn black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
16 oz beans cleaned and soaked over night or according to directions.
I used black eyed peas for New Years chile. Also pinto or black beans.
Saute the pork and beef in nonstick skillet until brown. Transfer to a large stockpot.
Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and jalapeno to skillet and saute until the onions are slightly translucent. Add to stock pot.
Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, bouillon cubes and 2 cups of water to the stock pot.
Mix together the spices in a bowl then add water to create a thin paste. Add to stock pot.
Drain and rinse the beans. Add to the chili.
Simmer for 3-4 hours.
Serve with Fritos, scallions, cheddar cheese and sour cream
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 Tbl spn sugar
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb hot spicy ground pork
2 onions, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon juiced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water
1/2 cup chili powder
2 tbl spn cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tbl spn basil
2 tsp sea salt
1 tbl spn black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
16 oz beans cleaned and soaked over night or according to directions.
I used black eyed peas for New Years chile. Also pinto or black beans.
Saute the pork and beef in nonstick skillet until brown. Transfer to a large stockpot.
Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and jalapeno to skillet and saute until the onions are slightly translucent. Add to stock pot.
Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, bouillon cubes and 2 cups of water to the stock pot.
Mix together the spices in a bowl then add water to create a thin paste. Add to stock pot.
Drain and rinse the beans. Add to the chili.
Simmer for 3-4 hours.
Serve with Fritos, scallions, cheddar cheese and sour cream
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