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Finding & Hiring Home Contractors: Tips for Women

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Owning a home as a single woman is rewarding in many ways, but it can also be stressful—particularly when it comes to finding and hiring home contractors. This post is specifically targeted to single women homeowners who find themselves in need of the help of a contractor to do home repairs, but the information can help anyone. Here are a few preliminary tips:

  • Educate yourself thoroughly on the home issue you’re dealing with. Watch YouTube videos, read home improvement articles and consult with experts at your local home improvement store. Check out the various materials that will likely be used for your project (as well as their costs). You should be able to understand the issue when conversing with prospective contractors.
  • If possible, have a male friend or family member call the contractor to set up the appointment. As unfortunate as this may sound, working with a contractor can sometimes be similar to hiring a new mechanic. Some will try to take advantage of a woman who they don’t think is knowledgeable about home repairs.

Women Hiring Home Contractors

  • Be serious, firm and clear when communicating with the contractor you want to hire. Look at this as a business relationship—and you’re the boss.
  • Check sites like CostHelper.com to get a general idea of how much you will spend for the type of repair or home improvement you’re hiring for. This way at least you have a range, and will know if the quote you’re receiving is just ridiculous.
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to look for contractors. You want to have plenty of time to hire someone who will be reliable. When you’re pressed for time or desperate, they can sense that. Whenever possible, allow at least two to three weeks to find someone that’s just right for the job.

How to Find a Contractor

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One of the most challenging steps of hiring a contractor is finding a good one. Sometimes scrolling through the phone book and calling people just doesn’t work—you get a lot of voicemail pickups (no call backs) or price quotes that might not fit your budget. So sometimes you have to find the right contractor using other sources. Here are a few suggestions for how to find a contractor:

HomeAdvisor.com

I’ve found that HomeAdvisor.com is a fairly reliable way to get in direct contact with a contractor who is licensed and insured, and has a good reputation (starred reviews). When you call the number listed on the Home Advisor website, you’re connected with a representative who will refer you to a few contractors in your area who are currently accepting new clients.

Home Depot or Lowes Installation Services

Home Depot Home Contractors

The great thing about going to Home Depot or Lowes for installations and home repairs is that you can usually rest assured that the person you hire is licensed, insured, reliable and does good work. In most cases you’ll get a warranty on the work being performed, so that if a modification is necessary that turns out to be the worker’s fault, you won’t end up having to pay more. The downside of hiring through a major home improvement store is that it may be more expensive and they don’t offer all types of repairs. To schedule an appointment for an estimate call your local Home Depot or Lowes and ask for the installation department.

Ask Your Friend or Neighbor for a Recommendation

If you have a trusted neighbor or friend that is a homeowner in your area, ask him or her to recommend someone for your job. This may actually turn out to be the best way to find a reliable contractor.

Browse Home Improvement Stores to Find Contractors

Contractors spend a lot of time at home improvement stores picking up supplies, so you might find success by going to your local store and browsing the aisle that is related to the type of home repair you need (such as flooring or windows). See if you can find someone who’s wearing a worker’s shirt or covered in paint to ask about your project. Even if he can’t do your specific job, he may have a recommendation for someone who does or advise you on how to get it done. Keep in mind, however, that this doesn’t always yield a service provider who is reliable and licensed (only one who is working). Get his card and look up the business online for reviews.

Tips for Hiring a Contractor

Hiring Home Contractors

Once you have a list of possible contractors, sit down and call each one to describe your job and get a quote. It might help to email a picture of the problem for an accurate estimate. For larger jobs, an on-site estimate will likely be necessary. Ensure that the contractor is licensed and insured (this is for your protection as well as theirs). When you’ve finally settled on a contractor that fits your needs, here are some tips for how to manage the project:

  • Set a FIRM date and time for them to arrive for your job. Don’t leave it up in the air (“oh, just come when you can”), because some contractors will leave you waiting all day if you’re not 100% clear with them.
  • Sign a written contract with the contractor if this is a job that will take more than a few hours or a day. Clarify with the contractor beforehand how long they estimate the job will take and get this all in writing (due date). In cases where homeowners have problems with contractors, it’s usually because the workers left for the day and didn’t come back to finish the job.
  • Ask for a receipt that outlines the work that has been performed. Keep that and your money order receipt in your records indefinitely (or for as long as you own the house).
  • After you get a quote for the job over the phone, go to the post office to buy a money order to pay for the job. If additional supplies are required that you agree to, pay cash or credit for them at the store and keep the receipts (or pay when the contractor brings you the receipt for supplies he’s purchased).
  • Pay for the job after the work is completed. If the contractor insists on an upfront payment, the usual standard is to offer at least 30 percent down and the rest when the job is done. In this case you would get two money orders.
  • Clarify everything that you want done with the contractor BEFORE he begins work. If it’s a large job, you might want to write everything down on a piece of paper so that it’s 100% clear for both parties.
  • Ask a friend to come hang out with you while the workers are at your home—especially if it’s an interior job. If that’s not possible, open up all of the doors and windows of your home and always remain alert while the team is there doing work. Lock up all valuables.
  • Monitor the contractor’s progress as he works. You don’t have to hover over him at every moment, but you have every right as the homeowner to check in every now and again to see what they’re doing.
  • Maintain a very professional tone and attitude with your contractor throughout the entire project. Remember that this is a business relationship.

One more tip for hiring a contractor as a woman: try to maintain a positive mindset about the person you’re hiring. Some people believe that all contractors are “scammers” (and in some cases that has proven true), but if you’ve done your research and went through a thorough selection process, trust that you’re going to get a job well done and on time. When you find the right guy, stick with him or her for future projects.

Finally, try to put yourself in a home contractor’s shoes—they often work in hot (or cold) and uncomfortable conditions that demand a lot of physical endurance. Their jobs really aren’t easy, they just make it look that way!

Posted by Louise

Photo credits: Flickr/86639298@N02 , Flickr/34316967@N04, Flickr/jeepersmedia, Flickr/49364825@N02

 

 

How to Clean and Deodorize a Musty Carpet

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Whether you have pets or not, musty odors can find their way into your carpets or area rugs. The removal of these odors requires a little effort, but is well worth it compared to the cost of replacing your carpets. Here are a few ways that you can eliminate these odors before spending hundreds on a brand new carpet at your local home improvement store.

Vinegar Mist

Flickr/anneh632

Removing a stubborn, musty odor that has set into your carpet fibers can be a challenge, but it’s not an impossible feat. You can accomplish the removal of odors with a common household ingredient. Purchase an extra large spray bottle that has a “mist” setting. Add 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. Spray your entire carpet with this solution liberally and refill it necessary.

Your house will smell like vinegar for a while, but the smell will soon leave. Allow your carpet to fully dry for at least 24 hours. When carpet is fully dried you can add a fragrance easily in the same way. Add 1-2 tablespoons of either vanilla, orange or lemon extract to an empty spray bottle and fill the bottle with water. Spray the mixture over the entire carpet again using the “mist” setting. You want the carpet damp, but not soaking wet. Again allow the carpet to fully dry for at least 24 hours. You may be very pleased with the new scent.

Baking Soda Tip for Musty Carpets

Baking soda is a natural deodorizer. It absorbs bad scents from the carpet so that you can easily remove them. So just sprinkle baking soda onto the carpet liberally. Allow the baking soda to remain on the carpet for at least two hours to absorb the odors. Then slowly vacuum the entire area. Do this at least twice per month to keep the funk away. This product (Arm & Hammer Pet Fresh) is great for carpets if you have pets (I’ve seen a version of it at Dollar Tree).

Resolve Easy CleanFoam Carpet Cleaning Solutions

Foam carpet cleaners are also available on the market that basically do the same job as baking soda. Just allow the foam to totally dry and absorb the odor, and then vacuum. Running a hard bristled janitor’s broom over the carpet might help the process of pulling odor and dirt out of the fibers before vacuuming.

Resolve sells an easy-clean carpet system for about $20 that includes the foam and upright cleaning brush. It may take a while to clean a large carpet with it, but it’s a good way to get some exercise.

Carpet Shampooer

Flickr/flossyflotsam

The best way to thoroughly rid your carpet of a musty smell and give it a good cleaning is to use a carpet shampooer. The carpet cleaning machines that you might find at a department store are pretty expensive, but Amazon sells a few for under $100 (like this one and this one). You can also rent one at a grocery store once or twice per year. Use a vinegar solution or another cleaning solution to thoroughly clean and deodorize your carpet.

When the dirt and grime is completely removed from the carpet after shampooing, there is one last step. A “trick” to totally removing odors from your carpet and replacing them with a fresh scent, is to add a capful of your favorite liquid fabric softener to the cleaner reservoir and add warm water. Redo the carpet as if you are shampooing. By doing this you will not only soften the fabric of your carpet, but also create a long lasting fragrant aroma throughout your home. (You can also put 1/2 of a cap of fabric softener in a large spray bottle filled with water and spray it manually about 6″ away from the carpet.)

Flickr/jeepersmedia

Good luck getting that musty odor out of your carpet!

Posted by Lorraine

Photo credits: Flickr/anneh632, Flickr/flossyflotsam, Flickr/jeepersmedia

 

 

Staying Cool this Summer without an Air Conditioner

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Many people find it difficult to imagine staying inside in the summer heat without an air conditioner running on full blast. However, there are ways to keep you and your home at a tolerable temperature without the use of an air conditioner for much of the summer (in certain regions). Even if you do choose to use central air or a window AC unit, these tips will help you save some money on your monthly electric bill.

Keep the Blinds Closed

First, if you have large windows in your home and have gotten into the habit of opening your blinds and curtains in the morning, DON’T. Opening the blinds and curtains allows the sun to penetrate and heat up your home. You definitely don’t want to do that with or without an AC running. Keep all blinds drawn shut at the hottest times of the day. Doing this will help lower the temperature inside. Also, consider purchasing room darkening shades or heavy opaque blinds to help block out even more of the sun’s rays. If you want sun rays to enter the home, only open the blinds on small windows.

Shut off Unneeded Electronics

All electronic devices emit heat. This includes your TV, refrigerator, computer, laptop, computer monitor, gaming devices and even your light bulbs. Obviously, you must keep the fridge plugged in, but what about everything else? For example, if your computer is in “sleep mode” it will still emit heat. Try shutting off ALL unnecessary electronic devices in every room in your house. Use low-watt energy efficient light bulbs (the ones that are spiraled). You can even go as far as unplugging the devices from the wall. FYI, your electric company, may in fact charge you for having items simply plugged into the wall, even when off. It’s a minimal fee, yet, it adds up to money wasted.

Cover Your Seats With Cool Material

Cover your favorite sofa and seats with a 100% cotton cover or throw to keep things cool. Think about it — if you have leather or cloth furniture, your natural body heat will warm the seat and in turn raise your body temperature. The cotton fibers allow your body to remain at an more even temperature. It also helps tremendously if you take a cold shower before relaxing in your favorite seat.

More Simple Tips to Stay Cool this Summer

Staying Cool without an Air Conditioner
Ceiling fans are very cooling and help distribute air throughout the room.

Here are a few more simple tips for staying cool this summer without an air conditioner:

1- Have plenty of ice cold water around you at all times.
2- Move at a much slower pace when home (what’s the rush?)
3- Place floor fans facing the ceiling at the center of each room and turn on ceiling fans. Open the window (while keeping the blinds drawn).

Fans will keep the air circulating throughout your home and it will create a flow of air from room to room.

An air conditioning unit is a modern day luxury, but it isn’t always necessary. Use these tips to enjoy your time indoors during the summer and not feel like your house is a sauna.

Stay Cool!!!

Posted by Eve

Easy Organizing Tips for Your Home

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Organizing your home is essential, not just because you keep it clutter free but also because you can find the things you need easily and you feel better mentally when your surroundings are in order. You may even find ways to repurpose items that you have around your house that have just been collecting dust. Here are a few organizing tips for your home that you can implement this weekend.

For Your Kitchen

The more organized your kitchen, the more inspired you’ll be to create new recipes and pack school lunches like a pro. Start by sorting out your pantry to ensure that nothing has expired or has become unusable. Keep all similar food items in the pantry together — for instance, store all of your baking items in one area and all seasonings for food in another. All canned foods should be placed on separate shelf with the labels facing out. This will make it easier for you to locate exactly what you need for recipes. To declutter your counter space, get a few empty vases to store the large cooking utensils that you frequently use. Keep two or three appliances on the counter and put the rest away in storage until you need them.

For Your Bedroom

You can easily declutter your bedroom closet.  Begin by creating three separate piles — one is for clothes to donate, the other is for clothes to keep at hand, and the third is for storage until next season. Typically, you should donate all clothing items that you have not worn for a full year. Trust, you won’t miss them — just give them away, because you’ll feel so much lighter afterwards, especially with your newfound space. An added bonus is that you will be helping someone who could use the clothes. Purchase an over the door rack so that you can organize your shoes, belts, scarfs and ties. Store seasonal clothes under the bed.

The next place that usually gets a little crazy is the top of your dresser (both the inside and outside). First, assign a certain type of clothing to each drawer (underwear, socks, t-shirts, jeans) and stick to that plan going forward. If you have trinkets on your dresser that you are fond of, adding a small shelving unit for jewelry that will help keep them safer and better organized.  One shelf can be for makeup, another shelf for nail polish and yet another for manicure and pedicure accessories.

For Your Bathroom

Simply purchasing an over the toilet rack will take care of a lot of your organizational problems in the bathroom. An over the toilet rack is a place for your bathroom accessories, extra towels and more. You will enjoy a clutter free sink and shower (except for your most used items, like shampoo and conditioner). Organize your personal products into categories on the shelves — for example, put shampoos, conditioners and body wash on one shelf. Next, put lotions, shea butter and other skin conditioning items on another shelf. And finally, place colognes, body sprays and other scented items on yet another shelf.  Keep things tidy by making sure to replace all items used back to their proper location on the rack.

Maintaining ongoing habits is key to keeping your home organized. So after you dedicate a weekend to doing the initial organization, it’s okay to become particular about keeping things in its proper place.

Posted by Eve

Featured image: Rubbermaid Homefree Series Closet Kit (via Flickr)

Spring Cleaning Made Easy: 3 Must-Have Items

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I am also open to cleaning products that will make my spring cleaning much easier.  I found some cool new products that were affordable and will help me keep my home smelling good and clean.  For the first time, I am looking for eco-friendly products and cleaning products that would not require a lot of effort to complete the job.

Rotating Spin Twist Hurricane Spinning and Shout Mop

Rotating Spin Twist Hurricane SpinningWith each passing year, it seems more difficult to clean my floors on my hands and knees.  I am thankful that there are floor cleaning systems like this Rotating Spin Twist Mop that I can use, that don’t require me to clean like I’m living in the 1800s!  Instead of manually cleaning the mop with your hands, you just put it in the tub and press the pedal to spin away the dirty water and start again. This spinning mop will cut your spring cleaning time in half.

Slipper Genie Microfiber Cleaning Slippers

Slipper GenieI really like the idea of this micro fiber cleaning slipper.  When I just want to tidy up my bathroom floor in a hurry, I’ll put a few Lysol wipes on the floor and use my own slippers to clean the floor instead of bending over. It works like a charm. These Slipper Genie Cleaning Slippers pretty much have the same idea in mind. They’re also useful for corners that your broom or mop are unable to reach. They are machine washable and come in a variety of attractive colors.

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day All Purpose Cleaner, Lavender

Lavender CleanerThis lavender all-purpose cleaner is great for cleaning your entire house.  The scent of lavender has always been known to be a soothing scent — it fills your rooms and gives you a sense of peace during and after cleaning.  This product is eco-friendly and sold in a concentrated form.  Just add about a 1/4 cup to a gallon of warm water or a few capfuls to a water bottle. Amazon offers a better price if you purchase a set of two bottles — that should last you all season.
If you want your spring cleaning made easy this year, check out these three great products. They’re sure to make your cleaning experience quicker and more pleasant.

Tips for Mingling at a Holiday Party

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We all find it easy to talk to people we already know, but what about the ones you don’t. Here are a few tips for mingling at a holiday party that will help you have a pleasant conversation with a stranger.

First, enter the home with a smile, wipe your feet (shows courtesy) and openly state season greetings to all that can hear you. You should graciously bring the host a gift, showing appreciation for the invitation. When you are introduced, by the host, let’s say to the person’s brother, for the first time, say his name in every other sentence said. This helps you to remember his name.

When mingling at your holiday party, stick to light topics of discussion such as sports, kids, weather and such. Keep it simple. Leading in with a simple “it was a surprisingly a warm winter’s day wasn’t it?” gets the other person to respond and maybe inspire him to tell you a story related to the weather. Compliments are always good — you might also say ” your sister has a beautiful spirit.” That should get the conversation off to a good start.

Remember to not just talk about yourself. People can’t stand that and will quickly try to get away if you take it too far. Always avoid politics and religion at a holiday party with people you don’t know that well because you can easily insult or offend others when speaking of these topics.

Lastly, always remember to be polite and excuse yourself from another person’s presence. Don’t just walk away to refill your glass. When you excuse yourself you’ll feel more comfortable inviting yourself back into the conversation later.

If you follow these tips for mingling at a holiday party, you should have a pleasant conversation with a stranger who just might possibly become a friend.

Posted by Eve