Home Related Questions and Answers

Monday, July 8, 2013

is there an inexpensive or free home design software out there for a normal homeowner?

Q. its just that I want to play around with some home design ideas with my house for a small addition, & I need some kind of basic program to use. Thanks!

A. I know they can be hard to find. I think Lowes has one on their website, I used it for a kitchen once, but it takes some patience. I have always done my design ideas in The Sims 2, because it is much more user friendly and quick. I never really get around to playing the actual game though. The only problem with this is sometimes the location of things isn't exactly where you want it, but it's a good way to get the idea of what you want to do.

what is the difference between interior design and professional home design?

Q. i am interested in becoming an architect. i know what kind of architecture i want to be. but i dont know what its call. i just want to draw a single homes w/ rooms, bathroom, living room and ext from foundation up. what is it call? interior design or professional home design?

A. That is called an architect.
An interior designer is a licensed professional (as is architect) who is the type of person who helps out on the show trading spaces. They "design interiors." They will usually be knowledgeable in fabric, color, material, and geometric organization.
A professional home designer is usually a person who is not licensed or registered and draws up house plans. They call themself home designer because they are not licensed and not allowed to use architect.
An architect is a registered professional licensed to practice architecture and design buildings (including homes)

What is the best home design/home fix-it show?

Q. Just bought a house and I want to do some work on it in the future. I would like to start watching a good home design/home fix-it show to give me some ideas. Can someone suggest a good one to watch that is on a basic cable channel? I only have 78 channels.

A. All of the best one are all gone now. all that is out there is like game show ones

So if you find one please let me know. I don;t even watch them any more. There are way to fofo and only decorating stuff. But before there was this old house, bob vilias home again, michal halagans, that guy and girl team that sells the cutting thing infomercial, I learn more from the tv show "home improvement with time the tool man taylor" then I do from all of the shows that are on now.

Can outdoor furniture be put on the grass?

Q. We don't have a patio and I have no idea how to build one without interferring with other existing structures. We'd like an outdoor sitting area, though. Can outdoor furniture be put just on the grass? If so, does it matter what kind?

Please don't suggest picnic tables. They're too hard on my husband's back.

A. You can put it on the grass that's fine. A suggestion would be to put down some patio blocks under them. Just make a sitting area so you don't have to move every peice of furniture every time you mow. I would suggest getting some lawn furniture with the comfy seats (oversized cusions) for your husbands back. My dad has a bad back too.

Where i should look for free outdoor furniture plans?

Q. Im looking for free outdoor furniture plans. Im relatively new to woodworking and looking for great place to start and building something on my own Where should i start.

A. TEDS is back here with self promotion again.

too bad TED, that YOU have to sink to such low crap, to get some marketing done.

FYI. teds plans does this every few weeks here, and these posts are just spam and against the YA TOS

this post has been reported

What's the best type of outdoor furniture for a rainy climate?

Q. I live in the Pacific Northwest which is famous for its frequent rain. We relish the few months of nice weather we have, but even in the summertime we can get some rainfall. I want to have some outdoor furniture in our back yard, but I don't want it to be ruined if it gets wet. I like the idea of padded chairs, but since we don't have a shed or covered patio, they are likely to get rained on and I don't want them to grow mildewy or whatnot.

What materials are the best for rain?

A. Enamel coated extruded aluminum will outlast both of us. In any climate. It is a bit pricey, but if you wait until fall, you will find great sales.

Starting a tile installation company?

Q. I want to start installing tile, and I am familiar with the process, but I have no "real" experience except for the DIY (peel and stick) tile. If I got a tile installation book and practiced on a few tiles on a small scale, how hard would it be to tile a floor good enough to get a positive referral from it?

A. I did a 20 x 18 foot room with 12 inch ceramic tiles. It was a snap really. I used a wide grout line because these were mexican tile. No spacers, just did it by eye.

Plan it so that you dont have "sliver" size peices on any wall , if possible. Rent a wet saw. Or buy one for $89, it will get you through the job.

Now if you are talking tiling a shopping mall thats something different. I have looked at some of that work , and man, those lines are straight for miles. But for homes, you will never see the errors after a week.

Cost of Ceramic tile installation?

Q. How much per sq foot should ceramic tile installation cost? I would like to get my kitchen and connected bathroom (260 sqft) done. I plan on spending 2 per sq ft on the actual tile.

A. Contact a ceramic tile installer or go to a showroom which sells ceramic, They will tell you the cost of material and the cost of installation. You can determine if you DIY.

Anyone know of a good place to find leads for tile contractors?

Q. I'm trying to locate tile installation contractors throughout the US, no matter how big or small, anybody have any good contractor refferals, or know where I can find them?

A. Yellow pages

Or find a trade organization for tiling. They would have a directory. Look in Yellow pages and see if any list membership of a trade organization

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Is exterior paint ok for painting interior walls?

Q. I accidentally purchased a 5 gallon bucket of exterior paint to paint my walls inside my house. I can't take it back because the color is already mixed. Am I screwed? What is the difference between the exterior latex paint and interior latex paint?

A. You shouldn't feel too bad.
This was your salesperson's
fault at the paint store. Unless you specifically asked for exterior paint, the salesperson should have asked you where
you were going to use the paint and would have made it
very clear to you, the kind of
paint you SHOULD BE using.
I would lay this problem at the feet of the paint store.
They need to take the paint
back or make an adjustment
on INTERIOR PAINT.
Do not put exterior paint on
the interior of your home.
It is a distinctly different
blend of paints and chemicals. Use only INTERIOR paints INSIDE
your home. Don't think of it
as being "screwed". We all
make worse mistakes than this...and I still say I would
not let your paint store OFF THE HOOK. IT'S THEIR
FAULT. ( I honestly believe
this has happened at the store before and they know just how to handle it. Give them a chance to make it right.)

How can i make a good exterior paint myself?

Q. i live in australia and paint here is very expensive compared to back home in america. I have alot of exterior painting to do some on stucco and some on metal. I know that some people know how to make paints them selves and i would like to find a recipe for paint please

A. with the word good you can't.

Can exterior paint be used to paint an interior room?

Q. I was wondering if I could use exterior paint to paint my son's bedroom? I want something that will be very durable. If I can't use exterior paint to paint his room then I would like to know why I can't and a suggestion for something else that can hold up to being in a child's bedroom. Thanks!

A. exterior paint is a bad idea. it is very durable for outside, but stays much softer than interior paint, so that it will give/flex with the expansion/contraction of your exterior siding. also, it will smell much worse when applied. the epoxy idea that someone suggested is really stupid. you cant put epoxy over regular paint, it will lift/melt the latex paint that is on the walls. bad bad bad idea!!!
my solution:
first: quality if key to a good paint job
use benjamin moore paint, it is very good. i would suggest either an eggshell finish, which is more durable than a flat. as an alternative, the best, most durable, washable paint you can buy is a product called Regal Matte finish. it is a scrubbable flat finish that will be more durable than any other paint on teh market. it is expensive, but VERY good. you can get the regal matte finish at your local benjamin moore retailer. find one at http://www.benjaminmoore.com

I want to start building a miniature house, how should I get started?

Q. I'm a psych major but have a guilty pleasure in designing homes and architecture. I have many sketches that I want to bring to life. How do I get started? Not only have I sketched homes but I've also dobe the interior layout. What type of wood should I use? Not anything super huge just a decent size and I plan on doing all this by hand and from scratch.

A. All my experience says to first have a good complete set of plans and secondly have a good complete set of plans. I honestly believe an arcetec is a good investment in this venture to finalize the plans and bring everything into conformity with building codes When it comes to wood you can save a small fortune by getting green or partially seasoned (recommended) wood from a small independent sawmill in fact many small mills can take the materials list from your complete set of plans and cut out your house for you at a tremendous discount over what a building supply will charge. Pneumatic nailers will also save you a great bundle of time

Photos/ideas for cottage or country themed landscaping?

Q. I want to do work on landscaping the and lawn and need to get ideas that would complemtnt with home architecture. links to websites, additional tips/ideas would be really helpful. thanks

A. Add a picture of the area that you want to work on please, and I will tell you, One set up won't work in two different places.

describe how mature boulevard trees add curb appeal to residential neighborhoods?

Q. how do they work together with old homes and architecture to make a neighborhood 'appealing' to a homebuyer?

A. A large percentage of home buyers decide whether or not to look inside a house or take it seriously based on its curb appealâthe view they see when they drive by or arrive for a showing.
Trees add value to a home as well as being essential to a healthy community. The well-placed tree can:
Cut utility costs in half
Protect a home from wind
Cause people to spend more time outside
Act as a sound barrier/buffer
Add dimension to a home's landscape
Contribute to a lower rate of neighborhood crime,it's actually been proven that adding trees to a streetscape lowers crime!

Also, trees in front of an older home evoke a snese of nostalgia...summer days spent playing, the lemonade stand you were sure was going to make enough to buy that bike. They give a sense of the amount of time the house has been there, and the family that must have grown there. People want to feel that the home they are buying has a history, that it has been lived and loved in. Trees do this.

Can you help me identify and locate an old home interior picture?

Q. I can remember almost 30 years ago my mother bought me a home interior picture that was in a very heavy metal frame with a rounded glass, the print was a small boy kneeling and praying into a beam shining down on him.
I know that I have seen the picture in some bibles and I would like to know the name of the print. I would also know how I might be able to buy the picture, frame, glass etc. that was purchased for me. I have tried the homeco and the home int. web site but without the name of the print I'm having no luck.

A. If you go to "vintage pictures.com" you may get the help you need. Lots of luck to you!

Looking for contemporary log home interior pics?

Q. My husband and I were looking to build a log home, but only if we can have a somewhat modern/contemporary look for the interior. Neither one of us are really into the primitive or Americana decor, but we do like the look of the lighter log home interiors like this one:

http://www.mhwood.com/images/image41.jpg

Anyone know of any log home interior pictures that have a modern look?

A. http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=contemporary+log+home+interior+pics&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8

Can you help me identify and locate an old home interior picture?

A. http://www.sonyaharrisgiftsandcollectibles.com/images/tn_Boy_Praying.jpg

is that the picture? You may also want to go to art.com and search praying

Whats worth more - changing an attic into a bedroom or finishing a basement?

Q. I hear that even if you finish a basement it doesnt add to your house living space size when you try to sell it. I can also turn my attic into a nice size child bedroom. So which should I do? Also, what exactly does it take to officially be able to call an attic a bedroom> My attic already has finished wood floors and walls, but no power outlets and it get hot as hell in their during the summer. Please advise.

A. In most cases, an attic can't be considered "living space" unless the ceilings are at least 6 feet high - you should probably check with a home appraiser or contractor in your area to see what the guidelines are. If your attic has a high enough ceiling, it would probably add more to the value of your home if you made it livable...add power outlets, run heat & air to it if possible...etc.
On the other hand, if your basement is easier to finish off - if it already has power and heat/air - it'll be more cost effective to do the basement instead.
Bottom line - figure out how much you want to increase the value of your home by and compare it to the cost of fixing up one of these two spaces - don't do either if you won't make the money back on the sale of your home.

What is the difference between I childs room and a teenagers room?

Q. I have to do a English assignment about the differences of a childs bedroom to a teenagers bedroom.
For example, the toys change and clothes.
Who ever comes up with the most answers get 10 points :)

A. perfume
deodorant
cologne
body spray
pornography
make-up
hair products
weights & exercise equipment
posters of celebrities
posters of cars
bikini girls
posters of vampires
novels & books in shelf
computer / laptop
newer & more clothes
less toys
cell phone
journals / diaries

All in a teenager's room that arent typically in a kid's room.

Is there anything I can do to the matte painted walls in my house to make the paint more resilient?

Q. I have matte painted walls in both my childs bedroom and our entryway, and the matte paint is not very forgiving and hard to clean. Im wondering if there is any kind of wash or clear paint coating I can put on it to make it more resilient. Also, any cleaning tips? Any input is greatly appreciated-I really dont want to have to repaint!

A. Buy yourself a good brand vinyl paint such as Dulux of Johnson's paint. Vinyl paint is washable and easy to clean after the children have drawn all over it. I was a decorator for nearly 20 years.
I hope that helps.