8 A
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
Spring
A Special
Supplement to
Siuslaw News
Home Improvement
How to protect
coastal property
P I T C H
IN
AN D SA VE
M ON E Y
Do-it-yourself culture makes it
easier than ever to complete home
improvement projects on a budget
ome improvement
projects can be
expensive. While
the size and com-
plexity of a project will affect
how expensive the project is,
homeowners can expect to
shell out a pretty penny when
they renovate or remodel areas
of their home.
According to HomeAdvisor,
an online resource for home-
owners looking to connect
with home improvement,
maintenance and repair pro-
fessionals, the average bath-
room remodeling project costs
$9,348, while the average
home addition costs slightly
less than $41,000. But renova-
tion-minded
homeowners
need not reconsider their com-
mitment to remodeling, as
there are various ways to cut
the costs associated with home
improvement projects.
One such way is for home-
owners to pitch in and do
some of the work themselves.
Calculating labor costs can
be difficult, as such costs can
vary greatly depending on the
project, the contractor and the
amount of hired help that con-
tractor intends to employ.
However, some estimates sug-
gest labor will account for
anywhere from 25 to 50 per-
cent of the overall cost of the
project. So it’s no surprise that
homeowners can save them-
selves substantial amounts of
money by doing some of the
work themselves.
H
COURTESY IMAGES
Homeowners capable of pitching in on home renova-
tion projects can save substantial amounts of money
on labor costs.
Homeowners who intend to
do some of the labor them-
selves should discuss this plan
with contractors during the
vetting process. Before hiring
a contractor, make sure home-
owners’ expected labor contri-
butions are clearly defined in
the contract.
While it’s best to leave the
most complicated parts of a
project to the professionals,
homeowners can pitch in dur-
ing the following phases.
• Demolition: Demolition
involves more than picking up
a sledgehammer and swinging
any people dream of
owning coastal proper-
ties. Some aspire to have a
home away from home for
vacations or long weekends,
while others move to the coast
to be nearer to family or when
they reach retirement age.
Living close to the water
can be relaxing, and it’s hard
to beat the fresh air and the
relaxing sound of the waves.
However, coastal homes
require some unique upkeep
that prospective buyers should
familiarize themselves with
before buying a property.
S ALT WATER
Salt buildup is one of the
pitfalls of living close to the
ocean. Salt is corrosive to
metal components, so home-
owners are advised to avoid
metal parts in various areas of
construction on their homes.
Windows and doors are par-
ticularly at risk because they
face the constant onslaught of
Mother Nature. Fiberglass,
vinyl and aluminum are less
corrosive than other metal
parts and should be consid-
ered in window framing.
Homeowners may need to
apply lubricant to moving
parts, locks and fasteners to
keep them moving smoothly.
Consult with a lawn and
garden expert about which
coastal plants thrive with high
levels of salt in the air.
Professionals can make rec-
ommendations on low-main-
tenance landscapes that will
not be damaged by the sun
and salt.
Humidity and salt concen-
trations also can cause con-
cern indoors. Mold likes
damp, dark conditions, so
homeowners should do their
best to keep their homes dry
and well-ventilated. Rely on
dehumidifiers to take mois-
ture out of the air. Install more
vents to draw air outside and
create fresh air flow.
M
away. Some demolition proj-
ects are best left to the pros.
For example, any projects that
involve exposure to hazardous
materials are risky and there-
fore best left to experienced
laborers. However, many
homeowners are capable of
safely and effectively pulling
cabinets from walls, removing
flooring or knocking down
drywall. Homeowners unsure
of how to approach demolition
tasks can ask their contractors
to demonstrate the proper
technique so the demolition is
done right and on time.
• Salvage: Removing debris
and items that will no longer
be needed once the renovation
is complete is another way
homeowners can pitch in.
Homeowners remodeling their
kitchens may be replacing
their existing stoves and
refrigerators and hoping to
donate these items. In such
instances, driving the items to
the donation site or arranging
for them to be picked up rather
than taken off the premises by
the contractor or his employ-
ees can cut labor costs, as it
allows laborers to keep work-
ing toward the end goal rather
than requiring them to leave
the work site to drop unwanted
items off.
• Cleanup: Homeowners
also can save costs by cleaning
up after the contractors at the
end of each workday. Speak
with the contractor about
cleaning up the site each day,
asking him or her what can be
discarded and what must
remain on-site.
Investigating resource web-
sites might also help people
realize small- or large-scale
projects they are capable of
doing on their own, such as
painting walls or cabinets,
switching light fixtures, rip-
ping up carpet and more.
Home improvements are
costly. But homeowners who
are capable of pitching in can
greatly reduce the overall cost
of their next renovation proj-
ect. — Metro
C OASTAL FLOODING
Coastal flooding is another
concern for homeowners who
live close to the water.
Prospective buyers should
first determine if the house
they want to buy is in a flood
zone or an evacuation zone.
This is information that may
come up when applying for
homeowner’s insurance, as
flood insurance is a separate
policy.
Individuals may have to
take special measures to pro-
tect their homes from incom-
ing tides or high waters during
storms. The National Flood
Insurance Program provides a
flood damage simulator to
predict the total cost of flood
repair based on the height of
the water. For one to four
inches of water, the estimated
repair cost is $7,800. For nine
to 12 inches, the estimate is
$18,930. At 18 inches, the
estimated cost is $26,285.
Homeowners may want to
invest in lifting their homes or
taking other preventative
measures if coastal flooding is
common.
P RIVACY AND SAFETY
Living by the ocean can be
great, but coastal towns are
often a magnet for tourists.
Homeowners with seaside
homes or homes in popular
tourist areas may want to take
extra steps to create privacy
and security. Fencing and nat-
ural windblocks can block the
view of backyards and other
outdoor spaces. An alarm sys-
tem can offer peace of mind in
areas close to resort towns.
Adequate lighting can deter
trespassers as well.
Living by the ocean is a
dream for many people. The
increased upkeep required on
a coastal home is often a small
price to pay for such luxury,
but it’s something prospective
buyers should consider before
buying a home. — Metro
Tackle spring cleaning projects in a single weekend
S
pring cleaning is an annual
rite of passage in many
households. Because winter
weather tends to encourage peo-
ple to stay indoors more than
they would during other times
of the year, clutter can accumu-
late in a home over the course of
a typical winter. That makes
spring cleaning a necessity.
Few homeowners likely
enjoy spring cleaning. The
warm weather associated with
the arrival of spring makes
many people who have spent
the previous months indoors
less than enthusiastic about
spending a spring weekend
indoors cleaning and clearing
away a season’s worth of clutter.
But homeowners who organize
their spring cleaning projects
can ensure such efforts take just
a weekend or less.
1. Enlist the whole family.
Chances are, everyone who
lives in the home can lay claim
to some of the dirt, grime and
clutter that built up over the
winter. So it only makes sense
that everyone then pitches in to
clean the home come spring-
time. Parents and heads of
household can delegate tasks to
everyone, incentivizing cooper-
ation with the promise of
rewards if the cleaning is com-
pleted in a single weekend.
2. Clear your schedule.
Another way for homeown-
ers to ensure their spring clean-
ing projects are started and fin-
ished in a single weekend is to
clear their schedules for the
entire weekend. Schedule proj-
ects for a weekend when you
have no prior commitments or
plan far enough in advance that
you can avoid making plans on
a given weekend. It will greatly
increase your chances of getting
everything cleaned and cleared.
3. Do your homework.
Homeowners should do their
homework with regard to find-
ing local recycling centers or
charitable organizations to
whom they intend to donate
items. Many charitable organi-
zations will come to private
homes to pick up donations, but
such pickups often must be
arranged in advance. In addi-
tion, if recycling will be a part
of your spring cleaning efforts,
familiarize yourself with the
weekend hours of nearby recy-
cling plants so you can drop
items off on your cleaning
weekend instead of leaving
them lying around to be donated
later. — Metro
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Window Coverings • Supplies • Area Rugs • Binding
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