Home improvement generally refers to building projects that change the layout of a home or alter the exterior properties of home such as the lawn, garden, garage or patio.
Home improvement projects usually have one or more of the following purposes:
Interior design for added beauty.
- Painting and wallpapering walls and ceilings.
- Installing flooring such as wood paneling, tiling, carpets, linoleum, or other flooring materials.
- Upgrading and repairing doors and windows.
- Installing new cabinetry for kitchens and bathrooms.
- Upgrading appliances such as sinks, bathtubs, fixtures for kitchens and bathrooms.
- Remodeling the backyard or front yard with patios, decks, porches or landscaping.
Repair
- Repairing electrical and plumbing.
- Roof replacement or fix-ups.
- Structural repairs caused by water damage or natural disasters.
Comfort Upgrades
- Installing new or improved heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
- Upgrading bathrooms, music rooms and bedrooms with soundproofing.
Safety
- Fire system repairs or upgrades such as sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and other fire safety appliances,
- Home safety upgrades such as burglar alarms, security doors and security windows.
- Shelter installation or set-up for protection from earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
Home Additions
- Adding rooms to the home or adding an additional floor to the home.
- Converting unused space into usable space, such as converting one's garage into a family room.
There are three ways to approach home improvement. The first way is to hire a general contractor who does the design plans, gets the appropriate workers to do the job, oversees the project management which includes coordinating schedules, ensuring the job is done properly and coordinating with the client to ensure the job is done as requested.
The second option is to hire the needed tradesmen to get the job done. For example if one wanted to do kitchen remodeling, they would contact an architect to draw up the plans, they would contact the construction works to do the necessary construction, and would contact the needed electricians, plumbers and other tradesmen necessary.
This second approach can work for small jobs like painting a room, etc., but isn't recommended for larger jobs such as home additions, kitchen remodeling, etc. For large remodeling jobs, it is usually more economical to hire a general contractor to get the job done from start to finish.
The last option is a "do it yourself" approach. There are several major home improvement retailers which provide all the materials and tools needed for self home improvement. These stores generally supply informative books which help a person by using step-by-step layouts on the different types of home improvement.
