HomeImprovementPedia™ - The Home Improvement Encyclopedia

Welcome to HomeImprovementPedia™ -- The Home Improvement Encyclopedia

Our Mission:
To create the most complete and definitive source of information about the past and present of Home Improvement.

Our Goal:
To be your source for Home Improvement related information. We will supply our visitors with up to date news, stories, and information in the Home Improvement News Links section below.

Home Improvement News Links:

Home Improvement:
Home improvement or home renovation is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home. Often, a professional handyperson is hired to perform the improvements but, typically, most improvements are done on an amateur DIY basis by the homeowner.

The TV sitcom "Home Improvement" used the home improvement theme for comedic purposes. American cable channel HGTV features many do-it-yourself shows, as does sister channel DIY Network and the competing Discovery Home.

Types of Home Improvement:
While it most often refers to building projects that alter the structure of an existing home, home renovation can include improvements to lawns and gardens and outbuildings like gazebos and garages.

Home improvement projects generally have one or more of the following goals:

Beautification and Added Features:
1. Wallpapering and painting walls or installing wood panelling.
2. Adding new flooring such as carpets, tiling, linoleum, wood flooring, or solid hardwood flooring.
3. Upgrading cabinets, fixtures, and sinks in the kitchen and bathroom.
4. Replacing siding and windows.
5. Improving the backyard with sliding doors, wooden patio decks, patio gardens, jacuzzis, swimming pools, and fencing.

Comfort:
1. Upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC).
2. Increasing the capacity of plumbing and electrical systems.
3. Waterproofing basements.
4. Soundproofing rooms, especially bedrooms and baths.

Maintenance and Repair - Maintenance projects can include:
1. Roof tear-off and replacement.
2. Concrete and masonry repairs to the foundation and chimney.
3. Repairing plumbing and electrical systems.

Additional Space - Additional living space may be added by:
1. Turning marginal areas into livable spaces such as turning basements into recrooms or attics into spare bedrooms.
2.Extending one's house with rooms added to the side of one's home or, sometimes, extra levels to the original roof.

Saving Energy - Homeowners may reduce utility costs with:
1. Energy-efficient insulation, windows, and lighting.
2. Renewable energy with biomass pellet stoves, wood-burning stoves, solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal exchange heat pumps.Safety and Preparedness - Emergency preparedness safety measures such as:
1. Home fire and burglar alarm systems.
2. Security doors, windows, and shutters.
3. Storm cellars as protection from tornadoes and hurricanes.
4. Bombshelters especially during the 1950s as protection from nuclear war.

Professional Versus Do-It-Yourself:
There are three main approaches to managing a home improvement project:
1. Hiring a general contractor.
2. Directly hiring specialized contractors.
3. Doing the work oneself.

A general contractor oversees a home improvement project that involves multiple trades. A general contractor acts as project manager, providing access to the site, removing debris, coordinating work schedules, and performing some aspects of the work.

Sometimes homeowners bypass the general contractor, and hire tradesmen themselves, including plumbers, electricians and roofers.

Another strategy is to "do it yourself" (DIY). Several major American retailers, such as Home Depot and Lowes, specialize in selling materials and tools for DIY home improvement. These stores host classes and carry numerous books to teach customers how to do the work themselves.

Home Improvement Industry:
Home or residential renovation is a $300 billion industry in the United States, and a $48 billion industry in Canada. The average cost per project is $3,000 in the United States and $11,000-15,000 in Canada.

There are several types of companies that contribute to the booming renovation industry. Supply businesses such as Home Depot, Lowes, Home Hardware and Rona Lansing provide all the materials and tools necessary to facilitate home renovations. Several media companies and online companies offer tips, guidelines and trends give homeowners ideas for design and décor.

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