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Every homeowner wants their home to look its best, and there are plenty of easy, effective projects you can tackle over a summer weekend to spruce up your home. These quick projects are ideal for the July 4th weekend or any long weekend when you want your home to shine. Why Do Summer Weekend Projects? Summer is the best time for outdoor home improvement projects. Longer days offer plenty of daylight to work with, and generally good weather permits outdoor work without difficulty. On the hottest days, it is best to start projects earlier in the day and take a...

A front porch can be a great addition to a home for many reasons, including enhancing its curb appeal and functionality. Updating or adding a new front porch can completely transform the look of a house and give it a fresh, updated appearance. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the ways a new front porch can update the look of a house. Enhanced Curb Appeal The front porch is often the first thing people see when they approach a house. A well-designed and attractive front porch can add to the overall visual appeal of a home and make...

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and replace your old windows. Doing so is one of the best investments you can make for your home --not only for the reduction in energy bills, but the increase in comfort, quiet, and ease of cleaning/maintaining. Additionally, replacing windows in your home can net a ROI of as much as 72% in terms their contribution to resale value, according to realestate.com. First off, it’s important to know the difference between replacement windows and new construction windows. New construction windows are more readily available and are priced comparatively to replacement windows. New construction...

A blanket of snow may be pretty to look at, but what is it covering up? The harsh winter weather takes a toll on the exterior of homes and yards, while much of the damage and debris is hidden until spring. Once the snow melts and the moderate temperatures are upon us again, it is a good time to take a walk around the property. Grab your jacket, a clipboard if you’d like, and a pair of binoculars (you’ll see why in a minute) before heading out for your stroll. Below, we’ll discuss what to look for on your spring...

On site, the accepted way to gauge and control water content is the slump test. To do the test properly, use a standard cone 12 inches high, 4 inches wide at the small end, and 8 inches wide at the big end. You fill the cone up about 1/3 full, rod it 25 times, fill it up to 2/3 full, rod it 25 more times, and then finally fill it to the top and rod it again. Then you remove the cone and measure the slump from the top down. This picture shows a 9-3/4-inch-slump concrete - a very pourable...