15 Best Home Improvement Shows

“A lot more people are focusing on their family, their homes, you know, the stuff in our immediate vicinity. People’s bubbles have shrunk.” He started building a fence but put the project on hold when he found it impossible to source new fence posts. Stacked neatly in his backyard is a minivan-size pile of gray lumber, all stuff Buhr salvaged from dumpsters and a fence demolition project. “Demand for outdoor living products is surging,” says Nancy Musselwhite, a building materials industry analyst for Principia Consulting.

  • Simple metallic hardware work best and is guaranteed to look great with any paint color for future cabinet makeovers.
  • Local authority loans are available to owner-occupiers towards the cost of necessary works to improve, repair or extend their existing houses.
  • Like a giant sticker, peel the decorative paper off the backing and adhere it to a primed and painted wall.

Home improvement was popularized on television in 1979 with the premiere of This Old House starring Bob Vila on PBS. Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete co-host the nationally syndicated The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show. Turning marginal areas into livable spaces such as turning basements into recrooms, home theaters, or home offices – or attics into spare bedrooms. In their latest HGTV series, Drew and Jonathan Scott help celebrities like Brad Pitt and Melissa McCarthy surprise their loved ones with amazing home renovations. This show had millions of viewers everywhere daydreaming of downsizing their homes. This mother-daughter duo has taken the world of home renovation by storm with their super popular HGTV show.

Hang Outdoor String Lights

Each one can be completed in just a weekend and increases the function—and style! Passive house designs enable us to build houses that save energy, improve air quality and reduce noise pollution. Samantha is an editor who covers all topics home-related including home improvement and repair.

If you have a window that faces frigid winter winds, replace it with a high-efficiency unit. If your home has single-pane windows, they could be wasting up to 25% of your energy costs. Improve your home’s energy efficiency by replacing single-pane windows with high-performance double-pane Energy Star-rated windows. Look for windows labeled low-emissivity (low-E) or spectrally selective—they have a coating that reduces thermal heat transfer. Set the perfect outdoor ambiance with string lights.

Remove a Popcorn Ceiling

Be sure to finish it with a waterproof sealant if you are installing it behind or around a sink. For a modern take on beaded board, try wider plank paneling. One of the first living walls, window boxes have been a longtime favorite of gardeners.

Additional space

They are relatively easy to install; all it takes is assembling and mounting the hardware and door to a doorway. With just a stud finder and a drill, you can install a medicine cabinet in less than an hour. A flush-mounted cabinet will probably be shallower than a recessed cabinet and will protrude into the bathroom space. For good looks, paper the back of the cabinet with adhesive shelf liner. Perhaps fitting a new kitchen or bathroom, or creating extra living space? For most of us, renovation means modernising our home, adding more “functionality” to it or increasing its value.

If you’re remodeling your home, you’ll likely have plenty to send to the landfill. You can rethink how you get rid of it, save some disposal costs and maybe make a few dollars selling reusable items. If you’re on a budget that won’t currently allow pursuing a home remodel, but you’re still in need of a change, changing a few light fixtures could save the day.

I had a family friend who is a contractor help me in renovating my basement. Looking back I’m not sure if things were done in the best way and I am concerned about the strength of th… The builder extended the floor joists over the grade beam to create the deck. There is then blocking between joists at the grade beam.

To create a curvy top edge, use your mirror to inspire the outline of your design. Tape the pattern on the decorative paper applied to the wall; use a crafts knife to cut around the template and peel away the paper above the cut. Inject elegance into your daily life with a faucet that ups the ante in looks and quality. Just make sure the configuration matches your existing sink, or you might end up replacing that, too. If you’re planning on buying a new sink, it’s easiest to install a faucet and other hardware on a new sink before the sink is put in place.

Try an eight- to 10-inch chef’s knife from Wüsthof, Shun, or Zwilling to make prep work joyful for a lifetime. Switch up your switches.Screw on stylish new switch plates and you’ll lighten your mood every time you enter the room. Season 21 of Ask This Old House brings back Kevin, Tommy, Richard, Jenn, and the crew, as they help homeowners tackle their most challenging home improvement projects.