A complete Single Mother's Guide to House Development

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by: donnawilson67
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Word Count: 734
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 Time: 6:35 AM
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When I bought my house nine years ago, my young man was about to turn 3 and I reveled in the protection of possessing my slice of the American dream. Becoming a single mom was (and is!) both complicated and rewarding, but I knew that acquiring a house to call my own was the finest point that ever happened to my son and me.

My household was ten years old when I purchased it, and it was in excellent state. Even now, as time passed, a variety of issues cropped up. I believe my method of handling (or not handling) home improvements is relatively common for single women who own their personal houses. Hopefully, my experiences will assist you to navigate the waters of home improvement. Here's what I've discovered:

1. You can go places with an excellent publication plus a tool kit. The Christmas of the year I moved in, my sister and brother-in-law gave me a toolbox filled with all the essentials: screwdrivers, wrenches, a hammer, nails, nuts and bolts, and so forth. They also gave me a publication on standard residence repairs. Their gift actually supplied me with the tools I desired, however it also gave me confidence that I could tackle minor home improvement jobs. My advice: invest in some resources and use a publication or online sources to guide you via the routine servicing that your household demands.

2. Inquire for advice. Being a solitary woman who is now 49 a long time old and has restricted information of much more complex home improvement problems, I'm generally afraid that I'll be taken advantage by a repair business. When my air conditioning equipment conked out on a 100-plus degree day, for instance, I had no means of understanding if I actually needed a brand new unit. I've realized to call on neighbours, family members members, and close friends - whose collective information exceeds mine - to obtain their impressions. They've steered me within the correct direction on many occasions.

3. Keep tabs on the neighbours. All of the houses in my immediate vicinity were built by the same builder at roughly the same time. Obtaining to know my neighbours and talking to them about home improvement has helped me get a sense of what to program for. For example, two many years back I began to see how the houses all around me were beginning to acquire new roofs. Even though I didn't possess a leaky roof, several months ago I made the decision to re-roof. I wanted to become proactive so I did not get stuck using the cost of drywall repairs in addition to the cost of a brand new roof.

4. Request for referrals, after which it examine them your self. By way of my neighbors' referrals, I've been ready to discover an excellent roofer, an impeccable exterior residence painter, plus a terrific tile guy. But I do not just rely on their word. I generally - repeat, usually - check with my state's contractor licensing board to confirm their licenses and with all the Much better Company Bureau to verify on past complaints. I get all estimates in writing, and ask for proof of insurance.

5. Do not set your head inside the sand. There has been more than 1 occasion when I've selected not to deal with a home improvement concern, and I've always regretted it. I knew, for example, that the exterior of my fireplace had some dry rot. Regrettably, by letting it go for so long it expense me very much much more than if I would have dealt with it immediately.

6. Make a list. This last bit of advice is simple, but essential. Start and continue to keep a home improvement list. Like a single mom, it is all as well simple to acquire caught up inside the hectic pace of everyday life and let regimen home maintenance fall by the wayside. I divide my home improvement list into three sections: a single for items that require attention inside the subsequent 3 months; one particular for home improvement work for the coming year; and one particular that maps out what I desire to achieve while using house more than the up coming 5 a long time. The short- and medium-term lists keep me motivated, while my long-term record assists me save the cash necessary for that big-ticket items.

About the Author

Donna Wilson is currently be utilizing the particular Single Moms Guide to supply her beneficial insight. To learn more visit Single Moms and http://www.singlemomslife.com