Articles about Home Improvement and Home Maintenance

Before You Finish Your Basement: 8 Plumbing Details That Are Much Easier to Fix Now

Finishing a basement can completely change how a home functions. An unfinished space that once stored boxes, tools, and seasonal items can become a family room, home office, guest suite, gym, laundry area, or even an additional bathroom. But before insulation, drywall, flooring, and cabinetry go in, there is one part of the renovation that deserves careful attention: the plumbing.

Photo of basement in Homearama House #5 - Before You Finish Your Basement: 8 Plumbing Details That Are Much Easier to Fix Now
Before you finish your basement, make sure you are happy with each space’s purpose.
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6 Keys of Flooring Installation Preparation

The success or failure of a new flooring installation can hinge on more than just the end result you see and walk on. Many of the most important choices a homeowner makes take place during the flooring installation preparation stage. From selecting materials to testing the subfloor, avoid these key mistakes to ensure the flooring installation process goes smoothly and the end result adds comfort and value to your home for years to come. Let’s look at the six keys of proper preparation.

Man installing wood floors - 6 Keys of Flooring Installation Preparation
Before you actually get the flooring put down decide each of the six steps in smart flooring installation preparation.
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6 Steps to Choose the Best Contractor for Any Major Home Improvement Project

Whether you’re boosting your home’s curb appeal or repairing worn-down parts, a home improvement project is best accomplished when a qualified contractor does it. You might save money by doing the job yourself, but when it comes to preserving your home and preventing unwanted structural issues, you need expert help. Here are the six easy steps to help you choose the best contractor for any major home improvement project.

Photo of a contractor installing drywall - How to Choose the Best Contractor for Any Major Home Improvement Project
Not every project is a good candidate for DIY. So how do you choose the best contractor for your project? | Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko
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How HVAC Maintenance and Repairs Affect Home Comfort and Resale Value

When considering resale value, homeowners often focus on kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, paintwork, and exterior aesthetics. While these updates are important, buyers also pay close attention to the systems that ensure a home is comfortable, efficient and reliable. One of the most important of these is the HVAC system. In this post, we’re looking at how HVAC maintenance and repairs should be a top priority for every home seller looking to optimize their selling price.

Photo of an HVAC tech performing maintenance on an AC unit - How HVAC Maintenance and Repairs Affect Home Comfort and Resale Value
HVAC maintenance and repairs is key if you’re looking for top dollar on your home sale.
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EIFS vs Stucco: Which Exterior Finish Adds More Value to Your Home?

As you decide what upgrades to make to your home, aesthetics is only part of the equation. While a nice-looking home certainly sells faster and for more, you have other considerations as you choose which home improvements to make, including energy efficiency. Keep in mind that you increase the value of your home even more and can entice more potential buyers when you improve your home’s efficiency and curb appeal simultaneously. In this piece, we’re looking at EIFS vs stucco when it comes to installation, lifespan, and more. Let’s begin!

Photo of a roof, window and stucco siding - EIFS vs Stucco: Which Exterior Finish Adds More Value to Your Home?
One of the most important factors for the EIFS vs stucco comparison is installation. | Photo by Tim Scalzo
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8 HVAC Maintenance Basics: Every Homebuyer Should Know

Buying a home involves much more than choosing the right layout or finding a neighbourhood that feels like the perfect fit. While buyers often focus on kitchens, bathrooms, and cosmetic finishes, one of the most important systems in any property is easy to overlook: the heating and cooling equipment. In this post, we’re looking at the HVAC maintenance basics that everyone who is looking to buy a home should know.

Photo of a house with two AC units - HVAC Maintenance Basics: Every Homebuyer Should Know
If you’ve owned a home for a long time, you might know these, but new home buyers need to understand the HVAC maintenance basics too.
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8 Affordable Home Improvements: Add Value Before You Sell in Louisville

Preparing to sell your home doesn’t always require a complete renovation. In many cases, a few strategic but affordable home improvements can make your property more appealing to buyers while increasing its perceived value. In Louisville’s competitive real estate market, homeowners who invest in cost-effective upgrades often find that their homes attract more interest and sell faster.

Photo of a family painting - 8 Affordable Home Improvements: Add Value Before You Sell in Louisville
Fresh paint will always be on every list of affordable home improvements before you sell.
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7 Essential Garden Maintenance Tasks to Complete Before Listing Your Home

Before potential buyers even step inside, they’ve already formed an opinion based on what they see from the curb. Your home’s exterior creates that crucial first impression, and a well-maintained yard signals quality and care throughout the property. Conversely, overgrown shrubs and patchy grass send the opposite message. 

Strategic yard work before listing can dramatically boost curb appeal and help you command a higher asking price. These seven essential garden maintenance tasks can transform your outdoor space.

1. Start with a Full-Scale Cleanup

Photo of some work gloves on a deck - 7 Essential Garden Maintenance Tasks to Complete Before Listing Your Home
First on our list of seven essential garden maintenance tasks might just be the hardest. | Photo by Jonathan Kemper
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How Can Water Enter a Home? Trouble Map

Water is one of the most common causes of home damage, yet many problems begin outside long before they become visible indoors. Rainwater follows predictable paths around a property, and when something disrupts that flow, moisture can collect where it does not belong. So, how can water enter a home? Once you learn how to spot warning signs, you’ll be able to reduce the risk of costly repairs. A simple exterior inspection can often reveal areas that deserve closer attention.

Photo of an older home with a modern addition - How Can Water Enter a Home? Trouble Map
How can water enter a home? This article shows you the five main ways. | Photo: Microsoft Stock Images
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5 Steps in Our Basement Comfort and Moisture Guide

A basement can be one of the most useful areas in a home, but it often needs extra attention to feel dry, clean, and comfortable. Because basements sit partly or fully below ground, they are more likely to deal with damp air, cool temperatures, musty smells, and water concerns. Following our basement comfort and moisture guide, homeowners can make a basement more livable while reducing moisture problems that may affect comfort, storage, and long-term home value.

Photo of a basement floor with water on it - 5 Steps: Basement Comfort and Moisture Guide
Nobody likes water in the basement. Keep reading to follow our basement comfort and moisture guide.
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Louisville’s Historic House Renovations Require Four Specific Strategies

Historic house renovations in Louisville, Kentucky, can be immensely satisfying when complete. But it’s often filled with some unusual considerations that don’t come into play in newly constructed suburban neighborhoods. Here are some of the most common renovation challenges you’re likely to face in old Louisville properties, along with how to manage them.

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Whether single-family or a large condo building, as you can see above, older structures require special care. | Photo: Tre Pryor
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How Smart Landscaping Enhances Home Resale Metrics

First impressions matter when selling a house. The exterior of a property shapes how buyers view the entire home before they ever step inside. Sellers focus on kitchens, bathrooms, and other interior upgrades. Investing in smart landscaping can provide an impressive return on investment. Buyers love properties that look manicured and ready for move-in day. A clean exterior builds immediate excitement.

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Smart landscaping requires that you understand how plants best thrive, especially as it pertains to your home’s location. | Photo by Annie Spratt
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The Homeowner’s Guide to Finding Roof Leaks: 5 Critical Steps

Roof leaks rarely stay in one place. Water can travel along beams, insulation, and drywall before finally appearing as a ceiling stain or wall discoloration. Because of this, the visible leak inside a home may sit several feet away from the actual roof damage. Finding the true source quickly helps homeowners reduce repair costs and prevent further structural problems. Here’s our homeowner’s guide to finding roof leaks. We hope it helps you!

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The first stop in the homeowner’s guide to finding roof leaks is the obvious one: look up! | Photo: Microsoft Stock Images
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5 Exterior House Painting Tips Every Homeowner Should Know Before Listing a Property

When it comes to purchasing a home, what’s on the outside matters. The first impression a prospective buyer receives of your property is from the outside when they first walk up to it, making exterior house painting a crucial aspect to consider as you’re making a to-do list before you sell. However, it’s not as cut and dry as slapping on a coat of paint. It takes knowing some vital pieces of information to do it or have it done right.

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Exterior house painting tips are all over the internet, but which are the most important? | Photo by Erik Mclean
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Upgrading a Resale House: Which Renovations Add the Most Value?

Selling a home in Louisville takes more than a fresh coat of paint and a tidy lawn. Buyers here — whether they’re drawn to the Victorian charm of the Highlands or the walkable streets of NuLu — come to the table with clear expectations and, often, a seasoned agent at their side. That means sellers who invest strategically in the right upgrades walk away with stronger offers and faster closings, while those who renovate without a plan may spend heavily and see little return. So, which renovations add the most value to help you get top dollar?

Simple Steps to an Amazing Kitchen Renovation - Upgrading a Resale House: Which Renovations Add the Most Value?
Updating the kitchen will consistently be on any list of which renovations add the most value when selling your home.
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