Update your kitchen and bath floors

If you have vinyl on either your bathroom or kitchen floors its time to bring things into the 2000's.
Ceramic Tile is very durable inexpensive way to bring new color into these rooms but also bring value. Ceramic tile is so cheap at Lowes and Home Depot there is no reason not to update.

Interior Designers are worth every penny

I encourage clients to use a, interior designer when painting more than 3 rooms. Most clients
have no idea what really matches their furniture. A designer can pull everything together. In the end, for the small amount a designer cost for picking new colors or just confirming what you have already in mind, they are so helpful. At, Advantage Handyman Services, we have a staff designer. who assists our clients so the final project is always a home run.

Basment are the best return on dollar

Basement finishing is without a doubt the best return on your money for a home improvement project. Where else can you get finished space for around 30$ square foot? With a little creativity you can add a theater, workout room, game area and endless storage in this space.

Make it look like you spent a furtune

I cannot tell you how many time people will show me previous projects they have gotten done at their house. They will say we got this kitchen remodeled for 20k. I think to myself, it looks like you spent 20k. The goal should always be to spend 15k and make it look like you spent 20.

Sean Castorina
Owner

Kitchen makeover for under 4k

Simple tips to a inexpensive kitchen makeover.
1. Paint cabinets white if they are old. Even million dollar houses do a lot of the kitchens in simple white cabinets.
2. Replace the counter tops with remnant granite.
3. New hardware on cabinets, brushed nickel , brushed copper
4. New sink to match cabinet hardware.
5. Buy a nice faucet, it will make it look you spend a lot on everything else.

Sean Castorina
Advantage Handyman Services

Easy way to add some extra space

It is amazing how a screen porch, which you will use 7-8 months out of the year, can add some great space to your home. It is a great good to eat, relax and read in. There is just something about being outside, without the sun beating down on you that is refreshing. A wicker sofa on such a porch creates the perfect reading area. Add a colorful plant on a table and it will be where you want to eat dinner.

Facelift

A simple front porch can give a house a total makeover. It gives the house a focal point.
I see so many houses that just need some thing going on in front. Most older houses could surely use a front porch. I find that even a small porch 6 feet wide by 6 feet deep can be dramatic.
A suggest gable on the front (a roof) to match your existing house pitch. Use a columns with some character and a whole new look is the outcome.

Open up the stairway

A simple, but one of my favorite basement ideas. When you are coming down the stairs to the basement, open up the wall. Above the banister cut out a triangle that flows with the natural opening. This allows you to look into the basement from the stairs. It is amazing how much light this ads. Stairways ae normally too dark going to a basement.

Storage is a must when finishing basement

There is never enough storage in a home it seems. When finishing your basement be very smart about storage. You can create storage spaces in many please. It is common to have calls that may recess under a fireplace that is on the floor above. These are great spaces for shelves. Finishing under stairs can be a great way to store toys or christmas decorations. It saving money not finishing a few hundred feet can save a lot of money, No carpet, electric, drywall, etc. Take a 10
by 10 foot areas and designate if for storage. It only take one wall and a door. It is also easy to build loft within this room to hold seasonal clothing, etc.

Its like a marriage

When choosing a contractor to do a project that will take more than 4 weeks choose someone you like. May sound simple even funny, but you need someone your comfortable talking to, trust and just like.
Projects are stressful and having someone doing the job or managing it that you like makes things better.

Inexpensive bathroom makeover

The lease expensive way to change the look of your bath is to change out old chrome fixtures for brushed nickel. Keep you vanity but paint it or re-stain it. It is also amazing how cheap granite counter top can be. If you have a small vanity it is not hard to get a piece of remnant granite. Also, if you have outdated tile color in your bath, they can be painted. These are all simple and pretty inexpensive.

Painting

If you have a home built before 1978 consider the possibility that you home may contain lead.
It is very possible. Choose a company with an EPA Cerftifed Renovators certification. This company is trained to identfiy, contain and dispose of lead if found. If not, the containment practices used will keep the mess to a minimum.

Interior painting

If you are planning on getting the interior of your house painted. Hire painters that specialize in interior painting. May sound crazy, but outside painting is not even close to inside painting. Inside painting requires the ability to "cut in". This means having straight paint lines from the ceiling to the walls. Being able to run straight lines from moldings. It also requires being aware of the homeowner. Loud workers who leave a mess each day will grow old quick. Quick tip, great painters will not use tape.

Exterior Painting

As the owner of Advantage Handyman Services, I constantly hear customers say they get cheap estimates to paint the exterior of their home. I tell them "unless you are going to sit in a lawn chair and wathc them, you don't know what your getting". There are too many short cuts that can be taken on a paint job. We always caulk, sand and prime needed areas. Also, if a company does not have a carpenter on staff, be careful. When this company find wood rot, which is common, they are just going to paint over it. We send a carpenter to the job to perform any wood rot replacement before the paint job if finished. You Get What You Pay For, Trust ME!

Bathroom Remodeling

Bathroom remodels are not near as expensive as you may think. If your bathroom is over 10 years old and has had no attention, its time.. Some easy fixes. Swam that vinyl floor for some ceramic tile. Second. lets update that tub with a higher one with some character. Lets put a ceramic tile surrounding the tub. You can just add a new top to that vanity and it will make a huge difference. Updating all your fixtures is also an easy way to make big improvement on a dime. Advantage Handyman Services 434-817-7222