A few week’s ago I introduced you to the HomeAdvisor Report Card Quiz and you saw how by answering 10 questions you could determine what needs your home may need this Fall as well as learn maintenance tips you hadn’t thought of! Well this week I decide to choose a project for my home – and I chose to upgrade my thermostat!

Image via: McConell & Ewing

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The Gibson household is a small 2,000 sq. ft 1987 brick home and we’ve been told that the previous owner’s didn’t choose the most efficient thermostat. Although, when you move into a home the last thing we were thinking of was upgrading the thermostat! So… three years later, this was the perfect time to do it. Our last thermostat wasn’t automatic — Eek! It was very inefficient – we would just turn it up and down as we needed, and this in itself wasn’t good for our energy bill.

Before I show you my thermostat and a video to help you choose one for your home, take a look at the results of my quiz!

My Results: HomeAdvisor’s Home Report Card Quiz

Here are the results from my HomeAdvisor Home Report Quiz . You can take the quiz also to see how you rate in determining what Fall home maintenance tips are most beneficial, which can save you money and some energy conservation facts that may surprise you!

Installing & Learning what type of thermostat is best for your home

I decided to upgrade my thermostat and HomeAdvisor has a great tool to help you get matched with a thermostat contractor in your area. If you’re not sure what type, or how to install one, you can fill out the information and be contacted by a service professional in your city.

Watch this video on how to winterize your home – upgrading your thermostat can definitely help!

How to winterize your home video – by HomeAdvisor

Let HomeAdvisor help you with other fall tasks such as:

• Energy Audit
• Gutters cleaned out and replaced
• Fall lawn clean up
• Easy kitchen updates – *Kitchen Repainting * Kitchen lighting replaced/installed

For past HomeAdvisor posts on Stagetecture, click here.

Disclosure: I am a voluntary participant in the HomeAdvisor Blogger Network.  I have been asked by HomeAdvisor to review their products in exchange for compensation.  All opinions are my own. 

For more outdoor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Can you believe we have already finished 9 months of the year and we are headed into Fall already? By now you have probably started to think about cooler weather and enjoying a break from the record breaking heat of the summer. Depending on where you live – you could already be feeling the changing of the temperature, and that means Fall maintenance time is here!

Image via: Rob Karosis

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One part of Fall that homeowners forget about is maintaining their home to ensure home safety, energy conservation and to keep up with routine “wear and tear” on your home.

Autumn is the perfect season for checking in on your home systems and HomeAdvisor always has great resources to make the job easier. Make sure and see the past posts on Stagetecture for maintenance and DIY project ideas and vendor resources to help with your home project. This Fall – HomeAdvisor helps you get ready for the changing season with their Home Report Card.

HomeAdvisor’s Home Report Card Quiz

Take the quiz to see how you rate in determining what Fall home maintenance tips are most beneficial, which can save you money and some energy conservation facts that may surprise you!

See how I answered some of the quiz questions:

After 10 questions the quiz goes through your answers and helps you discover tips for saving energy and preparing for your fall maintenance schedule this season. Check back next time when you see how I scored!

HomeAdvisor Cost Guide

There is also vital information to help you determine the cost of your upcoming project. Fall is the perfect time to maintain your outdoor and exterior home, but also start any DIY projects before the holidays! Look to the HomeAdvisor Cost Guide to get an idea of how much your project or maintenance project cost ranges in your area.

This Fall your home will be ready for the cooler weather with the use of these handy tools from HomeAdvisor. Take the Home Report Card Quiz, try out the Cost Guide and see how you do!

Image via: Case Design Remodeling

Next week, check back with Stagetecture and see how I scored on the quiz and see what Fall maintenance task I chose to do in my home. There’s nothing better than getting tips for what you should be doing at your home, right?

Stay close, we will both get our home’s ready for Fall together!

For past HomeAdvisor posts on Stagetecture, click here.

Disclosure: I am a voluntary participant in the HomeAdvisor Blogger Network.  I have been asked by HomeAdvisor to review their products in exchange for compensation.  All opinions are my own. 

For more outdoor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Over the past week my outdoor home has been transformed with spring maintenance projects! If you missed the first post – ProjectHome – Spring Maintenance on My Home with HomeAdvisor you will see the 3 projects I chose for my spring maintenance with HomeAdvisor.

Image via: Peter Zimmerman Architects

My gutters, driveway, and dryer vent were all the subjects and were they in dire need of help or what?!

Last week I showed you the Profinder site helps you identify up to 3 professionals in your area based on the projects you choose. I was amazed to see all of the different options for spring maintenance. Here’s how I chose my service professional.

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Selecting a HomeAdvisor service professional 

The HomeAdvisor ProFinder is great because it asks you step by step what you need. What is your projects, what repairs are needed, what troubles are you experiencing, etc.. Once you enter your zip code it will start to filter through professionals in your area.

I chose the Zill Service, Corp:

The Window Gang (Zill Service Corp) were awesome! Very professional. They came out to give me an estimate and walked me through each of my projects:

• Cleaning out the gutters
• Pressure washing all of the sidewalks and driveway
• Cleaning out my dryer vent

Before & After pictures of the Gibson House:

1. Gutters:

For most homeowners that are trying to obtain a green roof – this is not what they mean! We live in a 30-year old neighborhood with mature trees all around. While it looks beautiful, the trees drop seedlings all season and so our gutters literally grow weeds and mini trees until we clean them out. So this was #1 on the list for us.

Before

After

Before

After

2. Sidewalks:

Since our sidewalks are older they have cracks, but worse of all – they are black in many areas due to age and all of the tree debris from around our home. We hope to get all the walkways cleaned to help the walkways and driveways look clean and refreshed.

Here are Before & After of our sidewalks:

Before

After

Before

After

3. Dryer vent cleaning – 

So as I told you before that they couldn’t find my dryer vent from the exterior. Well bad news, the Window Gang traced my dryer vent  into my attic where it isn’t vented to the outside of my home. Instead it is blowing into our attic! EEK This can start a fire!

I was so happy that they told me. I am now in the process of getting a heating/air conditioning duct professional out to my home to see what can be done.

In the meantime – the Window Gang was still able to dig out all of this lint from the lower part of our dryer vent duct…. EEEWWW!

Before

After

So needless to say – this home maintenance project could have saved me my home! I’m so glad we got it done. Thanks HomeAdvisor.

That completes my spring maintenance projects with HomeAdvisor. What spring maintenance do you need in your home? Get started at HomeAdvisor by hitting the ‘Get Started’ button below:

Start Here for your Spring Maintenance Project:

Want to win a chance for 3 months worth of free maid service?

HomeAdvisor’s Spring Cleaning Contest Information:

Use HomeAdvisor’s Cost Guide tool to find out the average cost of a maid service in your city. Submit that cost on our entry form found on HomeAdvisor’s Facebook page May 6^th-16^th to be eligible to win 3 months of free maid service.

Note: I am a voluntary participant in the HomeAdvisor Blogger Network. I have been asked by HomeAdvisor to review their products in exchange for compensation.  As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

For more HomeAdvisor projects on Stagetecture, click here.

Springtime is in full swing and it always seems like over the wintertime we completely neglect our outdoor homes! Even with me living in Florida where the winters are mild, for us we think it’s cold! So we still don’t keep up our outdoor homes as we should. Once the weather becomes warmer it’s officially time to get started on our spring maintenance checklist. So I was excited when HomeAdvisor asked me to pair with them in showing how their Spring maintenance services offered by professionals in your area are perfect to help you tackle your spring maintenance tasks.

The Profinder site helps you identify up to 3 professionals in your area based on the projects you choose. I was amazed to see all of the different options for spring maintenance.

Image via: HGTV

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Here are just a few of the spring maintenance options HomeAdvisor professionals offer:

• Give your home a good spring cleaning with a maid service (read below how you can win a chance for 3 months free maid service!)
• Clear gutters and downspouts
• Duct and vent cleaning
• Power washing your walkways/driveways, patio/porch
• Carpet cleaning
• Window washing
• Disinfect grout & tile
• Air conditioning servicing
• Weather proofing your home
• Prep your lawn for play – removing debris

 So I chose these 3 spring maintenance projects:

Clear gutters and downspouts
Duct and vent cleaning
Power washing your walkways/driveways, patio/porch

Before pictures of the Gibson House:

1. Gutters:

For most homeowners that are trying to obtain a green roof – this is not what they mean! We live in a 30-year old neighborhood with mature trees all around. While it looks beautiful, the trees drop seedlings all season and so our gutters literally grow weeds and mini trees until we clean them out. So this was #1 on the list for us.

2. Sidewalks:

Since our sidewalks are older they have cracks, but worse of all – they are black in many areas due to age and all of the tree debris from around our home. We hope to get all the walkways cleaned to help the walkways and driveways look clean and refreshed.

Here are pictures of ours:

3. Dryer vent cleaning – 

Dryer vent fires are on the uprise in many people’s homes. So we will be getting our dryer vent cleaned out too! I can’t show pictures because we can’t find the exterior vent. Once the professional comes out – we will let you know where it is.. he he!

Determining the cost of your project:

If you remember back in October I paired with HomeAdvisor to install wood flooring in my home. One of the great options is using the HomeAdvisor’s Cost Guide to help you estimate how much the average cost of your project could be in your geographic area in the United States. It gives you a range from low, middle and high and is a good way to get a feel if you are budgeting enough for your service to be rendered.

Next week you will see how I chose my professional for my gutters, pressure washing, and dryer vent cleaning! Until then – get started at HomeAdvisor by hitting the ‘Get Started’ button below:

Start Here for your Spring Maintenance Project:

Want to win a chance for 3 months worth of free maid service?

HomeAdvisor’s Spring Cleaning Contest Information:

Use HomeAdvisor’s Cost Guide tool to find out the average cost of a maid service in your city. Submit that cost on our entry form found on HomeAdvisor’s Facebook page May 6^th-16^th to be eligible to win 3 months of free maid service.

Check back next week as the Gibson house gets spring maintenance!

For other HomeAdvisor projects on Stagetecture, click here.

Note: I am a voluntary participant in the HomeAdvisor Blogger Network. I have been asked by HomeAdvisor to review their products in exchange for compensation.  As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

There is no greater nod from nature to help you sell your house than supplying your outdoors with perfect spring weather to welcome beautiful curb appeal! Whether you are considering sprucing up the front patio with planters, or you have your eye on some long overdue repairs needed on the mailbox and fence, curb appeal will make homebuyers want your home before they set foot inside. Here are helpful tips to help your some sell with fresh spring curb appeal ideas.

Image via: BHG

Beautify and freshen up with plants: After winter’s wrath of harsh winds and freezing temperatures spring is a welcomed season for brightening your outdoor home with planters, fresh foliage in your flower beds and a well manicured lawn. Walk around your home and assess what plants are dead and need replacing and which need tender loving care. Replace old mulch in flower beds; add gravel or decorative rocks in moisture rich areas such as under downspouts and walkways to ensure quality drainage. Add flower boxes and fresh flowers to your front entry for a burst of color to welcome in potential homebuyers.

Image via: Pinterest

Fix and repair outdoor amenities: When you consider sprucing up your spring curb appeal also look to architectural elements, fences, stepping stones, and even patio areas with barbecues and garden furniture. Check to make sure your mailbox, door numbers, and physical features of your home are not in disrepair and look welcoming. Walk around your outdoor home and check lighting around walkways and the garage too. Don’t forget curb appeal isn’t only for the daytime. Nighttime curb appeal is essential and will help homebuyers judge how safe your home is at night.

Image via: Houzz

Springtime curb appeal is the most important of the year, as homebuyers have been waiting all winter to hunt for homes when the weather is nice. Perk up your home’s curb appeal with these ideas for beautifying and repairing the old to make your home appeal boost up above the competition. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and most homebuyers will judge your home the moment they pull into the driveway! Get going on making a lasting impression with springtime curb appeal.

For more curb appeal ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

When I was visiting New York last week for New York Fashion Week, the ability to move around the city quickly and efficiently has always been a challenge. Many natives and tourists take to the underground subway system daily to avoid hopping in a cab…. or dreadfully – driving!

Image via: Trendland

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Today I ran across this article in Trendland about a concept to make a unused trolley terminal into a incredible green space. It’s an ingenious concept that will enable commuters to enjoy a ‘central park aesthetic’ below ground. Here’s more about this project:

‘Inspired by the amazing success of Chelsea’s High line, architect James Ramsey and Dan Barasch introduced the Delancey Underground project, aiming to convert an unused trolley terminal beneath Delancey Street (just under the Essex Street Market) into an extraordinary subterranean public park– nicknamed the “LowLine.” Local businesses, residents, community leaders, and political stakeholders alike have voiced considerable enthusiasm for the idea. They are now focused on increasing this broad public support, and are preparing in earnest to make this vision a reality.’

“…it also represents cutting edge design and a new generation of green technology. It is at the heart of a broader global discussion about the potential of remnant urban infrastructure, and the need for cities to re-invent the meaning of space– above and below ground.”… Trendland

What an exciting project, I can’t wait to see it come to fruition. It’s always nice to see out of the box thinking, especially in high density urban areas. There is no excuse not to bring a touch of green into every piece of the world… especially underground!

For more green living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

In a few weeks for Halloween little ghosts and possibly big goblins will be knocking on your door for trick or treating, and you want to make sure your walkways are safe right? From well lit walkways to pruning back shrubs and hedges that can block stairs, and other troubled areas, my Guest Blogger gives tips for lighting the way.

Image courtesy of Home Design

Original Entry, Guest Blog Entry #27, Entry #306, October 20, 2010

Halloween is less than two weeks away and the safety of your home’s walkway, garage, and front entry are important.

Today, I welcome Paul Gosselin from NightScenes Landscape Lighting Professionals he explains how walkway lighting is important for children safety at Halloween. This topic is so important for parents, and home owners trying to ensure the holiday is safe for all!

Lighting the Way for Those Little Monsters

Ah, those little ghosts, goblins and assorted other monsters will be coming around soon looking to score some goodies from their neighbors. We don’t want them getting hurt in their search for eye of newt or maybe some dragon tails so let’s make sure that they can move around your home safely.

Of course we all know that if you are expecting those trick or treaters, to show up and you want them to stop in, you need to leave your front porch light on. This is the signal to the keepers of the monsters (parents) that it is safe to approach and pick up some toad stools. But what about getting to and from the front porch?

A vital element in choosing your fixtures to light a path, sidewalk or driveway is to avoid glare. We are all familiar with glare – the driver on the road who fails to dim his bright lights makes us victims of glare. A fixture that exposes the source of the light (the light bulb or lamp) allows that light to shine into the eyes, almost blinding the traveler. Our eyes are naturally drawn to the spot of light instead of the path, making such a “glare bomb” more of a hazard than no light at all. A tiered pagoda light is one example of a poorly constructed fixture for this purpose.

Another poor choice is the solar path light. With its commonly seen dim bluish hue, these units are more of a marker than an actual illuminator. Not that marking the trail isn’t a good way to know where it is – but they offer so little actual light that you could actually stumble over the tricycle left out on the path to your door. It is also true that on cloudy days (which are common in the late fall and winter), the fixture will not be able to collect enough solar energy to operate the light when the sun goes down. When considering safety features for your home, you will expect it to function 100% every night.

We also do not recommend the use of the over-bright flood lights that can be mounted on the corner of your home. Glare shields are available for such lights to keep the light from blinding you on the walkway, but the fixtures themselves tend to be big and ugly. With so many other attractive choices for good path illumination, it’s difficult to think of flood lights as an effective option but if this is what you have, go with it for this ghoulish night.

So, what do you really need to move around your home safely at night? You need a fixture approximately 20” tall that has a cover eliminating glare from the light source, sometimes called a China Hat fixture. The light should be spread onto the ground lighting your way, not your eyes. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you can find this kind of fixture at the local home improvement store, though usually not in the box kits. You will want to buy metallic fixtures, avoiding plastic at all costs! Plastic fixtures disintegrate pretty quickly. Installing your fixtures in a staggered fashion will be more attractive than the predictable “runway” approach.

Lighting for safety means highlighting steps and paths, changes in elevation or obstacles. Remember that glare is your enemy; but a soft spread of moonlight on your walkway makes for safer stepping around your home or in this case, your mad scientist laboratory.

For more Halloween ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Happy DIY Saturday! Welcome to the first weekend in April and the front of your home has seen better days! The harsh winter has been rough on your lawn, plant beds, driveway and walkways, and it’s time to start thinking how you are going to improve your curb appeal. The good news? Your curb appeal is one of the easiest and least expensive upgrades you can make on your home. It actually requires more manual labor than “money” labor!

The beauty of improving your home’s curb appeal is once it is done, all you have to do is maintain it throughout the year with regular de-weeding, watering the lawn, and light maintenance. Today, we dedicate to ways to improve your outdoor home and show you 10 tips to better curb appeal that will instantly revive the exterior of your home.

Look at this video from DIY Network – Curb Appeal Upgrades:

These 10 curb appeal tips will help: Courtesy of  Tinman Inspections

1.) Tame planter beds and landscaping:

If your beds are overrun with weeds and unsightly growth, you’ll need to get them under control to give your home a well-manicured look. Prune, pull weeds and plant flowers to add color. Add a fresh layer of mulch and your yard will look as good as new.

2.) Replace old hardware:

It’s the little things that make a big difference. Update your dated or dingy house numbers, entry door lockset and overhead light fixture. Each of these elements can add style and interest to your home’s exterior, especially if you incorporate a great finish option like oil-rubbed bronze or brushed nickel.

3.) Make over your mailbox:

Your mailbox should complement the style and color of your house. Restore your existing mailbox with a fresh coat of paint or stain that matches the trim, color and woodwork of your house.

4.) Illuminate your walkway:

Adding low-voltage solar lighting to your front walkway can have a big impact on your home’s curb appeal. It also provides added safety and security. If you don’t have a walkway, string accent lighting in the trees for a whimsical-looking effect.

5.) Freshen up the front door:

The front entry is the focal point of your home’s curb appeal. To keep it looking free of abuse from the elements and use, clean off any dirty spots and remove any loose paint. If your door is beyond repair, install a new version that reflects the design of your house. Once you’re all set, be sure to add a piece of decorative flair, like a wreath or door knocker that showcases your personality to the outside world.

6.) Add shutters or accent trim:

Everything on the exterior of your home should be a reflection of what’s inside. To mirror the pulled-together appearance of your indoor rooms, install shutters and trim to provide an extra layer of interest on the exterior. Not only do shutters help control light and ventilation, but new materials such as PVC resins or polyurethane make them durable and low maintenance.

7.) Dress up the driveway:

If your driveway is cracked, stained or has weeds sprouting up from it, now may be time to show it some TLC. Upgrade it without completely starting over. Repair any cracks or stains and be sure to kill the weeds and then add some extra character by staining the concrete or affixing flagstone. For additional flair, add stone, bricks or pavers to the sides for a completely custom look.

8.) Renew paint and trim:

Give your home an exterior facelift by adding a new coat of paint or stain. You’ll automatically update the look of your home by fixing any obvious defects, like loose paint, fading colors or cracks in your trim and fence. Be sure to use high-quality painting tools to get a professional-looking finish, like the Pro-Extra brush from Purdy. The extra length and thickness of the filaments on these paintbrushes provide superior paint-holding capacity and are specially designed for all exterior paints and stains.

9.)Replace gutters and downspouts:

If your gutters are loose and worn out, not only do they look neglected, but they’re also a danger to guests. To prevent any injuries, as well as improve the overall appearance, install a new, snap-fit gutter system that go together with a few tools for an easy and important upgrade.

10.) Upgrade railings:

Porch and stoop railings deteriorate over time and can become loose. If yours are past their prime, look for quality wood or metal replacements. Make sure the color, scale, design and details coordinate with the rest of your home’s main features.

Watch Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel for more DIY ideas

Halloween is less than two weeks away and the safety of your home’s walkway, garage, and front entry are important.

Today, I welcome Paul Gosselin from NightScenes Landscape Lighting Professionals he explains how walkway lighting is important for children safety at Halloween. This topic is so important for parents, and home owners trying to ensure the holiday is safe for all!

Lighting the Way for Those Little Monsters

Ah, those little ghosts, goblins and assorted other monsters will be coming around soon looking to score some goodies from their neighbors.   We don’t want them getting hurt in their search for eye of newt or maybe some dragon tails so let’s make sure that they can move around your home safely.

Of course we all know that if you are expecting those trick or treaters, to show up and you want them to stop in, you need to leave your front porch light on.  This is the signal to the keepers of the monsters (parents) that it is safe to approach and pick up some toad stools.  But what about getting to and from the front porch?

A vital element in choosing your fixtures to light a path, sidewalk or driveway is to avoid glare. We are all familiar with glare – the driver on the road who fails to dim his bright lights makes us victims of glare. A fixture that exposes the source of the light (the light bulb or lamp) allows that light to shine into the eyes, almost blinding the traveler. Our eyes are naturally drawn to the spot of light instead of the path, making such a “glare bomb” more of a hazard than no light at all. A tiered pagoda light is one example of a poorly constructed fixture for this purpose.

Another poor choice is the solar path light. With its commonly seen dim bluish hue, these units are more of a marker than an actual illuminator. Not that marking the trail isn’t a good way to know where it is – but they offer so little actual light that you could actually stumble over the tricycle left out on the path to your door. It is also true that on cloudy days (which are common in the late fall and winter), the fixture will not be able to collect enough solar energy to operate the light when the sun goes down. When considering safety features for your home, you will expect it to function 100% every night.

We also do not recommend the use of the over-bright flood lights that can be mounted on the corner of your home. Glare shields are available for such lights to keep the light from blinding you on the walkway, but the fixtures themselves tend to be big and ugly. With so many other attractive choices for good path illumination, it’s difficult to think of flood lights as an effective option but if this is what you have, go with it for this ghoulish night.

So, what do you really need to move around your home safely at night? You need a fixture approximately 20” tall that has a cover eliminating glare from the light source, sometimes called a China Hat fixture. The light should be spread onto the ground lighting your way, not your eyes. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you can find this kind of fixture at the local home improvement store, though usually not in the box kits. You will want to buy metallic fixtures, avoiding plastic at all costs!  Plastic fixtures disintegrate pretty quickly. Installing your fixtures in a staggered fashion will be more attractive than the predictable “runway” approach.

Lighting for safety means highlighting steps and paths, changes in elevation or obstacles. Remember that glare is your enemy; but a soft spread of moonlight on your walkway makes for safer stepping around your home or in this case, your mad scientist laboratory.

For more Halloween ideas on Stagetecture, click here.