Antonio Piromalli Home and Art

Repairing A Rotted Soffit

If you don’t even know what a “soffit” IS, then chances are you’re not the best candidate to do repairs on it! Many older houses naturally start rotting at the weakness points, one of them being the soffit – or the underside of an arch, stairwell, cornice or overhang. Often times even newer houses need their soffits replaces because squirrels and birds tend to nest in the eaves, gutters or outer wall space next to the attic. The soffit, typically made of soft plywood, hardwood, or soft panels of vinyl and aluminum, routinely comes into direct contact with rain water, ice and snow from the gutters. If your gutters have been displaced or if a shingle tears, the soffit will rot out over time. Atlanta painting contractors often specialize in solving this external problem for you, thus preventing more serious damage to the interior as well.

To replace the rotted soffit, you would need to pry off the shingle mold running along the top edge of the fascia board and yank out all the nails that held the rotting board in place. Next, replace the board with a pre-measured or trimmed piece of hardwood, vinyl or aluminum. Remove any decorative trim beneath the soffit and remove the rotted soffit. Note that this part of the process is usually rather disgusting, since you never know what kind of dirt, dust, bee nest, squirrel nest, or debris will come off. Now you should be able to see the frame clearly and ascertain where the water damage and decay started. You may need to rip out additional plywood sheathing and use your saw to take out the section of rotted rafter or roofing. You’ll have to cut four or more inches from the decay, to account for stress fractures that may have left room for water to seep in. This is where the tools come in handy: you’ll need a powder-actuated nail gun with a .22 caliber blank to nail in the new section.

You’ll also be attaching a pressure-treated 1×4 or 1×6 onto the newly sawed rafter, fastening it with 2.5” galvanized screws going from the new into the old rafters. Now you can cut a new soffit from a 3/8-inch A/C plywood, first coating the front and back flat surfaces with an exterior primer and the edges with a wax emulsion sealer (like AnchorSeal) to protect from water damage. Apply sealer with a foam or bristle brush. Nail the soffit into place and replace the trim you’ve removed. Cut a new fascia board and replace it. (Warning: This requires careful measuring to get the right size!) Now prime all four surfaces of this board. Seal the end cuts and install it, then nail up the shingle molds along the fascia.

Sound like a LOT of work? IT IS! The process is extremely convoluted for anyone who isn’t a skilled tradesman. What might take a novice several days could be done in an afternoon by an Marietta Georgia painting contractor. Therefore, you may want to track down a contractor to meet your needs. Not only will your home look totally renovated and newer, but more importantly, you will be protecting your home from premature aging as a result of water and rot damage.

Manufacturers of range cookers are limited, and include Smeg, Rangemaster, Britannia, Stoves and Baumatic. If your budget limits you choosing a top-end cooker, then look towards the mainstream Italian brands like Baumatic, CDA, Indesit and Cannon. The prestige market has more choice than ever before, with Falcon, Britannia and Smeg offering a huge selection of range cookers in various sizes and configurations for fuel type and hob.

What should I choose – dual fuel or all electric? Dual fuel is the most common choice, providing the versatility of multi-functional electric cooking and the quick reaction of gas burners. All electric is an excellent option if no mains gas is laid on. However, you may also want to consider LPG – some manufacturers will adapt a range cooker for LPG and this saves you the hassle of arranging this yourself.

Once you have decided on your style of range cooker, chosen your colour (stainless steel is most popular) and opted for either a dual fuel or all-electric model, there are a number of other features to look out for.

Electronic programmers are ideal for those of you with hectic lifestyles, these allow you to programme start and/or finish cooking times. If time is really of the essence in your kitchen, look out for special features such as fast pre-heat which ensures less time is spent waiting for the oven to reach perfect cooking temperatures.

Oven size – especially secondary ovens can be relatively small. It may be worth going for at least a 100cm cooker instead of 90cm as the larger width will mainly benefit the second oven. Beware that some 100cm cookers have a relatively small secondary oven.

Stay clean liners or catalytic liners – these will help you to keep your oven interior in pristine condition. Look out for replaceable liners as they may need to be changed after several years of heavy usage.

Triple glazing – this will ensure the cooker doors remain cool when cooking (a must-have for families with small children).

Individual pan supports – these are easier to clean under the tap than large pan supports.

Triple ring burners – these are very useful for large saucepans, frying pans and woks. Depending on your cooking style, you may prefer to have two triple ring burners rather than one.

Separate grill compartments – great if you love your grills. However, many cookers have a grill in one or two of the ovens. A grill in a multi-functional oven will provide you with the possibility of fan assisted grilling, which is more suitable for grilling chops, sausages and mixed grills. Fan grills reduce spitting and splashing which makes for a clean oven and also reduces the number of times you have to turn or baste. These grills are usually used with the door closed which offers great safety to both cooks and their children plus very even cooking. Some ovens will also feature a rotisserie and this provides a great way to cook succulent pork, chicken, duck and game birds.

Griddle features – can serve as barbecues, frying pans and woks. The Chef Top is made of pure thick stainless steel and has remarkable heat storage capabilities. It is also durable and easy to clean.

Telescopic trays – these roll out the shelf or grill to help eliminate unnecessary lifting or reaching over when handling heavy dishes from your Range Cooker.

A efficiency rating – watch out for ovens that carry this rating (this is important for both ovens on double oven models).

No matter how new your home may be there are always improvements that can be made whether for necessity or sheer desire to better your homes’ appearance for your own satisfaction.

When mortgage rates are high purchasing a new home may not be economically feasible. However, remodeling your current home may reduce your urge to sell the home or until selling is more practical.

By determining a project budget, researching ways to do as many improvements yourself and shop around for fairly priced materials you will notice that some or all of your planned projects aren’t as financially devastating as you may have thought.

If money is no object when remodeling your home, it is still encouraged to do research to be certain that your chosen contractor is highly knowledgeable and seasoned in his or her specialty of remodeling. Research will also make you better aware of what going rates are for materials and labor so that you don’t fall victim to being taken advantage of by a contractor.

The list is nearly unlimited when conjuring up projects that can be done to improve a home. Projects range from changing a room’s paint color up to extravagant room additions. Below are 10 of many ways a home can be transformed by an experienced do-it-yourselfer to improve a home’s appearance and value.

1.) Modify paint colors

2.) Upgrade to tile

3.) Install wood window shutters

4.) Open the floor plan

5.) Update plumbing and electrical fixtures, cabinet and door hardware

6.) Replace old windows and doors

7.) Add switches, outlets and light fixture openings

8.) Remove undesirable ceiling textures

9.) Create sufficient built in storage areas

10). Refinish wood floors and cabinetry

Paint

Painting a room is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to improve the appearance of a home’s interior.

Interior walls that are painted undesirable colors well outside of the neutral color family may be used as a way to negotiate price due to so many rooms needing to be repainted lighter, neutral colors.

Exterior paint colors tend to weigh more on the value and curb appeal of a home when selling. Not every homeowner wants to paint the exterior of their new home right away due to the sheer size of the project.

Painting interior walls can be quite time consuming and bothersome for a homeowner. Many may consider painting the exterior a much more tedious, dutiful task due to needing long extension ladders, removal and replacement of storm doors and windows, and having to climb on roofs in some cases.

Tile

There are so many new flooring products that have come available over the years. Research shows that installing floor tile rather than linoleum in high traffic or damp areas is much more appealing and valuable to homeowners and potential home buyers.

Homeowners who have never installed or researched tile installation tend to think it will be too difficult to do themselves. This may ring true for those who just aren’t proficient at tackling new do-it-yourself tasks outside of the very basics like painting or spackling holes. However, if you are up for the new experience and can gain access to the necessary tile tools, you may be pleasantly surprised that tiling isn’t as hard as you may have thought.

You could potentially save yourself several hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars by tiling floors and back splashes yourself.

For instance, depending on the going rate for tile labor in a chosen state or city, excluding material costs

you can expect to spend $6 – $15 per square foot of tile to be installed when hiring a professional.

Floor Plan

Open floor plans help make the interior of a home appear larger than what it is. Aside from the open appearance having an open floor plan also adds possibilities when decorating, arranging furniture and when entertaining large amounts of guests.

There are a few things that can be done to open up a floor plan without costing thousands of dollars.

One way for a do-it-yourself homeowner to open up rooms throughout the home is by widening doorways

that do not require doors such as kitchens, dining rooms and kitchens.

You may not want or need to go to the extent of knocking down entire walls, but you may find it very appealing to simply widen walk ways 6 to 12 inches. Keep in mind that no matter how little you widen an opening, always be sure to extend the header above the opening to give adequate support over the opening.

Before attempting to open up a room or floor plan, be sure to consult with a contractor who is highly knowledgeable in framing and architecture of homes to help assure no structural problems arise later on.

Plumbing and Electrical

Updating plumbing, electrical fixtures, and hardware throughout the home are tasks that rank high with do-it-yourselfers due to the ease of completion in comparison to larger home improvement projects.

If you have basic plumbing and electrical skills, you have the potential to give your home a mini makeover. In just one or two weekends you could possibly replace all cabinet and door hardware, bathroom faucet and shower fixtures, outdated light fixtures, switches and outlets throughout the home.

Windows and Doors

Replacing old, inefficient windows isn’t only for aesthetic reasons but also to raise the home’s heating and cooling efficiency rating. Aluminum framed windows and sliding doors have the lowest efficiency rating of all windows and doors, especially if they are constructed with only single pane glass.

Well made double and triple pane vinyl or wood windows tend to be a bit pricey for the windows themselves. However, if you are able to replace windows yourself you will have the choice of replacing just a couple at a time rather than all at once. In the long run, you will not only feel more comfortable in your own due to higher efficiency, you will also see a decrease in your heating and cooling bills.

Receptacles

Not all homes, old or new, have a sufficient amount of outlets or ceiling lights throughout. Lack of outlets and ceiling fixtures can be quite an inconvenience for homeowners. Luckily, this is another issue that an experienced do-it-yourselfer can tackle on their own in many cases.

With basic electrical knowledge and experience it is fairly easy to run 12 or 14 gauge wire to and from an existing power source. Adding outlets, ceiling fixtures and 3 way light switches throughout a home will add a great amount of accessibility when using lamps, small appliances and the luxury of turning on 1 light from 2 or more locations.

Ceiling Textures

Popcorn texture was extremely popular years ago, but is rapidly loosing its appeal amongst homeowners now. On the other hand, “knock down” texture is the highly sought after for many homeowners, much more appealing than flat or popcorn textured ceilings.

Although you don’t need to be a professional to remove or add ceiling texture, it does take quite a bit of patience and preparation to do it properly. With the proper tools and materials it is possible for a homeowner to remove hard to paint, undesirable popcorn texture to either make way for a flat ceiling surface or prepare to spray a more updated knock down texture.

Storage

Storage space or lack thereof has been and always will be a key factor when updating or selling a home. When there isn’t enough adequate storage space throughout a home there tends to be a build up of unnecessary clutter where there doesn’t need to be.

With basic carpentry skills and planning, shelves can be added to most any closet, garage walls or ceilings. For the more experienced do-it-yourself homeowner, installing or building built-in cabinets throughout areas where storage space is needed will not only become home for non décor items but
also very appealing to the eye.

Floors and Cabinetry

All too often homeowners tend to think that old, scratched wood floors or cabinets simply need be replaced due to the poorly maintained finish. However, finish is one of the aspects of wood that can be fixed and made to look like new or close to it.

Before figuring out how many several thousands of dollars it will cost to replace wood floors and cabinetry check the quality and integrity of the wood itself underneath the scuffed paint or stain finish.

If there aren’t numerous broken or cracked pieces of wood throughout, consider sanding the surfaces down to bare wood, then apply fresh paint or stain to bring back the floor and cabinet beauty.

When tackling your own improvement projects as opposed to hiring a professional you could see potential savings of 2, 5, even an upwards of 50 thousand dollars, depending on the size of the remodeling project.

Typically homes increase in value by simply maintaining its current appearance and integrity.

By performing a number of improvement projects you can potentially raise your home’s value by 10 – 20 thousand dollars in just one or two years.

Whatever the task at hand, try not to jump the gun and commit to hiring a remodeling professional. First, assess the issues that need attention and determine if you are capable of performing said projects on your own.

Once you determine whether you can or can not complete the given task, then take the next step by either planning your do-it-yourself project or start contacting licensed remodelers and shop around for the best matched contractor.

Don’t get discouraged if you have a few projects around the home that you wish you could do yourself due to not having the extra money to pay a professional. With adequate research and the advice from friends or family who already possesses the knowhow, give that project a shot yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions.