While many people choose to tackle Do-It-Yourself projects for small things here and there (like reupholstering a chair or even painting the frame of a mirror for a quick update), others consider DIY-ing bigger projects with big payoffs—both to save money AND save the environment.  Go green and save money with DIY green energy projects like solar panels or a wind generator.

Creating and installing DIY solar panels are time-intensive and tricky, but with the right resources, it can be done; even in a weekend!  There are websites that breakdown the process (including what products and tools you need in addition to where to get them) in a simple, easy way.  Some use video, while  others are more like an instruction manual for putting a piece of furniture together.  Shop around, and find the guide that works best for you.  DIY bloggers have endorsed the guides GreenDIYenergy.com and earth4engery.com.

When getting started on your DIY solar panels, it’s important that you first understand the process and basics of solar energy (how it’s produced, etc.).  It’s also helpful to have an idea of what you intend to power with your solar panels.  This will guide you when selecting the products and tools to make the appropriate size, amount, and caliber of panels.

Another way to generate your own power is by harnessing and using the energy created by the wind.  As with solar energy, the first step to DIY wind generators is understanding how wind energy is produced.  Another helpful hint is having a good idea of where in your area you can generate the most power (in other words, finding the windiest part of your area).  This will give you an estimate of how much power the device will actually yield.

One really neat thing about making a wind generator is that while you can buy inexpensive tools to get the job done at a hardware store, a lot of times you can use items from around the house! 

Wind turbines consist of a few different parts (that are easy mini-projects to tackle separately before putting it all together): a set of rotor blades, a rotor assembly, a mounting plate, and a generator.  The blades and the rotor are probably the trickiest part because they require very specific dimensions and other specifications that will vary depending on what size you have in mind and your needs.  While some people make the blades themselves, most get them made.  Everything can be DIY, but don’t beat yourself up if it’s not!!!

In the end, your inexpensive—but highly effective—energy will be worth whatever work and money you put into it.

Most home improvement projects require a reliable, experienced contractor to do a job right.  But, sometimes, we might get careless and hire a contractor for the wrong reasons. Or, we might simply be complacent with background checks. This could result in a job gone wrong, which might cause you to lose money in the long run.  Before we begin to shell out beaucoup bucks on our home improvement savior, consider these steps to hire the right contractor.

• Interview more than one contractor; ideally, consider three or four to interview.  If they know they’re competing with other potential hirees, they might anticipate a bidding war and lower their rates to stay competitive.
• Ask for references.  A reputable contractor has nothing to hide and would, more than willingly, provide you with former clients who are knowledgeable about the person.
• If available, check for reviews.  Popular contractor review sites such as Angie’s list (www.angieslist.com) provide reviews and data about your contractor.  You can browse for individuals or companies and determine if they have any negative marks or potential issues that might affect your job. You can also reference national associations such as the phccweb.org for plumbers.
• For high cost projects, make sure that the contractor is licensed.  A licensed contractor can prove to be more than thorough in their work.  Morever, determine if the individual or company has a warranty if something goes wrong.
• Beware of the lowest contractor bid. If you interview more than one contractor, you’ll certainly obtain varying bids for your project.  If you find a person with an unusually low bid, chances are that the contractor may be desparate.  The person can be desperate because he or she is new or doesn’t have a great reputation. 
• Put the contract into writing.  Determine the payment schedule, start and completion date, and information about subcontractors.  By writing up a contractor, you make it clear about your intentions.

I’m sure I can list a lot more advice and information on how to hire contractors, but these points could be a great starting point.

Very few plans without a well thought out delivery can be succesful.  Like most pojects, the plan is the foundation of any project and without it, you’ll be at the mercy to the unknown.  Take some time to think about what you want first.  Once you have an idea of the floor plan, start measuring the walls, including the rooms

The Planning Sheet

A great place to write the floor plan is through a grid sheet. You can easily find grid sheets at your local office supply store or even online.   A common unit of measurement is 1 grid = 1 square foot.  Measure the floor plan by feet and determine the square footages with the measurement.   The square footage is especially important to gauge the amount of flooring that you need (e.g. carpeting, laminate, or hard wood).

Remember, walls also have dimensions.  With design, you need to give the walls dimensions such as thickness.  Finished walls typically have 4.5 inches in thickness.  Structural add ons such as doors and windows may also affect the measurements as well. 

The plan should also contain media points like telephone jacks, fiber optic cable, cable tv, switches, and power outlets.  It’s a general rule in the U.S. that the outlets need to space out around 6 feet.  If you have the final picture, consider where the furniture will be placed.  This will give you an idea of where the cable and telephone jacks need to go.

Bedrooms

For planning bedrooms, you’ll need to make sure that it has an egress window if there’s no functional window.  Fire safety requirements demand these windows are available inc case of emergencies.  Egress windows may require a good contractor since it may not simple to place. 

Bathrooms

In some cases, home owners want to make their basements more like a fully functional floor.  An enhancement could be a full or half bathroom.  Consider carefully the dimensions of the bathroom.  Moreover, placing the bathroom near a sewage and water pipes can have its benefits.

Posts

In most basements, the posts support the floor joists.  You’ll often see the metal post that emerges from the concrete floor to the top of the basement ceiling.  Although the post has a clear function, the post could look rather dull for the end product or decor.  If you don’t want to leave them  bare, consider other options such as premade encasings.  These are cylinder-like sheets that conveniently wrap around poles.  Other options include

With a good plan, you’ll make life much easier for your remodeling project. You’ll be able to create a step-by-step process that gets you to your final vision of your remodeled basement.

For more information or help, contact brian@phillydiy.com.

Recently the DIY network had a question and answer side bar that posed an interesting question: What is the average cost of a basement remodel?

Answer: $40,000.

Now that’s a pretty steep number. In fact, $40,000 could be a nice down payment for a house. How can the average family or household afford a grand project?

The solution is pretty simple. If you have someone in the family (that’s you), or even a team, you can easily trim those expenses quite dramatically by doing it yourself. The convention wisdom of always hiring an expert in big projects can be thrown out the window. Who needs the consumate professional if the same job can be done by an average person?

If you’re a determined and diligent individual, you can undoubtly turn a barren, stone-cold basement into a warm, stylish retreat where you can sit and watch your favorite movies on a home entertainment system.

For the next few months, we at PhillyDIY.com will go to a house in the philly suburbs and transform a cold concrete basement into a livable, multi-room floor with a full bath.

We’re so confident that we will save money on this project that we will do this in less than $10,000! The owner of this house has no experience in house remodeling or in any home improvement project. Anyone with effort can build this and we’ll show you how. Brian Hastings will only impart consulting knowledge to the house owner and show how to build the basement from frame to finish.

More to follow!

Home improvement costs can weigh down the average household budget. It’s important when it comes to self-starting improvement projects focus on money first. Even for the most seasoned home improvement experts, unexpected events could throw the budget ceiling out the window. Before you set out on your quest to remodel the kitchen or create the entertainment room of your dreams, plan out every detail of the project inventory.

This can easily be done with an Microsoft Excel application or even a piece of paper. Write out all of the materials that’s needed and find estimates on prices. Even if you don’t know what the cost are, you can go online or spend some time at Home Depot to get a sense of the cost. When you have the prices, you can categorize them into groups such as framing material, design, or electrical materials. Now, you may go over the budget that you’ve set from the start. That’s fine. In fact, many self starters go over budget. The key here is to prioritize. Take some time to figure out the overall goal of the project. Is it to create a new design? Is it to provide space? Is it for entertainment? Once you define your preference, you can itemize what’s the most important components and materials. And then budget or cut unnecessary items. By doing so, the budget can be more in line with your goals.

What’s budgeting without finding great savings and coupons? You’d be surprised that almost every single national chain has some secret savings or coupons for their loyal customers. For instance, Lowe’s moving coupon allowed people to save 10% on all of their purchases. These specials are not advertised in newspapers or on any major media outlet. They’re available if you join their mailing list or sign up online. Often you’ll find the best deals when you’re in their private club or email list. Just go to the store’s website and you might find a link for the special promotions. Remember, it’s not always the best to look for the cheapest material. In the construction industry, materials that are the most expensive are expensive for a good reason. If you’re set on the cheap materials, double check on the materials and ask for advice. Budgeting is crucial for a successful home improvement project. The first step is determining how much you’re willing to spend and then get a grasp of the materials needed for the construction.

Hello.  My name is Brian Hastings.  I have worked in construction and home repair for the past 20 years in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.  My father owned his own company, as my brother does now and I have for many years.  My entire life has been repairing, adding, modifying existing structures or creating entirely new ones for my customers.  I have a passion for restoring and refinishing wood to its natural finish and am able to envision the redesign of a room within minutes of speaking to a customer.  It is always my intent to maximize the available space while being cost conscious.  Quality materials do not have to cost a fortune and a good remodeler knows that. 

In this difficult economic times, home projects do not have to be forgone.  With phillydiy.com, I can assist you throughout the project through email, live chat, via telephone or even in person if necessary until the project is finished.  This leaves the majority of the costs for a home remodel in your pocket, while I assist you for technical advice, planning, budget concerns, materials or anything else that may come up!

On phillydiy.com, you will find links from quality suppliers that I have dealt with in the past and could be a great resource to you during your project.  These suppliers are all reputable companies that provide the best materials and the lowest price.  I pride myself in impressing my customers through high quality workmanship and superior quality materials.  The same is true for the suppliers on phillydiy.com.