Welcome to the HouseFixer.Info blog!
This blog is related to the website www.HouseFixer.Info which offers helpful tips and information for homeowners, Do It Yourselfers (DIYer) and home service professionals throughout the US and Canada.
Update on Chinese Drywall — US Made Drywall also suspect
Researchers at the University of Florida tested both Chinese-made and US-made drywall and found most were emitting some level of sulfur gas. It is this gas being emitted from drywall in newer homes that has caused corrosion with copper wiring, copper piping and has made many individuals sick and their homes inhabitable.
See more at CBS
Learn how to organize and start a handyman business.
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Cash for caulkers!
A prospective new program aimed at making homes more energy efficient dubbed “Cash for caulkers” by some after the “Cash for clunkers” federal incentives for getting a more efficient automobile.
See more at this NY Times article.
Learn more about starting a handyman business or organizing a handyman business that you’ve already started.
Only 6 weeks left to get $1500 Federal Tax Credit and Save Energy in Your home
Only 6 weeks remain to take advantage of the up to $1,500 in Tax Credits for Energy Efficient Home Improvements
I wrote about this earlier this year but feel it bears repeating. Get federal tax credits for energy efficiency improvements to the your home. Improvements such as installing a storm door, new exterior door and windows and adding insulation can qualify.
For further details, please see the EPA’s Energy Star website
The highlights of the plan include:
- The tax credits that were previously effective for 2009, have been extended to 2010.
- The tax credit has been increased from 10% to 30%.
- The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for the two years (2009–2010). However, some higher ticket improvements now have higher maximums.
- The $200 cap on windows has been removed.
For installation of a storm door, exterior door, windows or insulation in the Triangle area, please visit www.CarolinaHandyman.com or in the Triad please visit www.GreensboroRemodelandHandymanSolutions.com
(The Triangle includes the North Carolina cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. The Triad includes the NC cities of Burlington, High Point, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem).
For discounts on home improvement products and services throughout the US, please visit our Special Offer page.
Additional home improvement tips can be found at www.HouseFixer.Info.
New Habitat Store
The new Habitat for Humanity Restore has opened in Durham, NC (see link).
This is a re-sale store serving both the Habitat for Humanity organizations in Orange and Durham Counties of North Carolina. I have been encouraging homeowners and clients to donate their reusable items (cabinets, fixtures, sinks, toilets, mirrors, lumber, building materials etc.) leftover from handyman, remodel and renovation projects for several years now. Now Habitat has much larger space to serve the community.
The new store is located at 5501 Durham – Chapel Hill Boulevard, Durham, NC 27707
Status of DIY
With the changing economy, the big box stores are changing the way they do business and cater to the Do It Yourselfer. Read more in the article on status of DIY from NY Times. Please see D.I.Y. Chains Adjust to Smaller Projects
Problem Chinese Drywall update
Here is a recent article covering problem Chinese Drywall that talks about developing protocols and standards to help contractors with remediating problems homes. See http://www.usbcinc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Building-Trend-Magazine-Article1.pdf
Contractors Wanted As Reviewers For New Handyman Start-up Publication
I am in the process of writing a guide book on how to start a handyman business and am looking for potential reviewers.
The working title is Building Your Successful Handyman Business: A guide to starting and operating a profitable contracting business. Helping contractors be better business-people is my main goal in writing the guide and the guide is comprised of three parts concerned with starting and growing a home improvement business and becoming a great business person.
The parts include:
• Marketing and Sales
• Operations
• Finance
This new edition is based in some part on my previous publication (see www.buildhandymanbusiness.com) However, I have added a lot of new material and have changed the format. I want to find some experienced contractors willing to review the book and offer their constructive feedback on the contents.
If interested in reviewing please
reply via email to — guide at buildhandymanbusiness dot com
Great Sale – $5 for Polo Shirt with logo
I have been shopping Queensboro for several years now and order my company polo shirts, t-shirts, fleece jackets and more from them. They have my logo on file and it is easy to log on and order new items. I think the embroidery stitched logos they produce look far better than the traditional screen printed ones.
Right now they have a introductory special for new customers that offers 4 polo shirts with embroidered logos for $5 each. Can’t beat that! They have many other offers each week so if you miss this one check out their “Sale” section
Keeping Cool In The Summer Heat
This post is a bit off topic from home improvement but I wanted to share what is helping us keep a bit cooler this summer. I have just tried some great new iced teas made from puer tea leaves. These have hit the spot in this hot summer we have been having in NC. I suggest giving some of these Numi Organic Iced Teas a try!
My favorite has been the Earl Grey Orange flavored thus far, but also enjoyed the Mango and Peach flavor too. There are a few other flavors I have yet to try. They contain an ancient Chinese tea called Puer that I have recently discovered that tastes great (hot or cold) and makes you feel great!
According to Numi– Puerh Tea is an ancient healing tea known for its vast health benefits and rich taste. Numi’s organic Puerh is picked from 500 year old tea trees that grow in the pristine Yunnan Mountains of Southwestern China. The age of these trees makes them optimal for Puerh’s “secret” fermentation process resulting in a bold, earthy and slightly sweet flavor while elevating levels of antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients making Puerh a highly effective healing beverage.
Enjoy!
Qualifying Leads
Nice article titled ‘Seven Steps to Qualify Your Leads’ by D. Lupberger at Qualified Remodeler magazine.
See link for full article.
For additional tips for homeowners, contractors and diy’ers please visit www.housefixer.info
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