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Dec 27 2022

What Are the Most Important Factors to Consider When Finishing a Basement?

The prospect of finishing your basement is both exciting and daunting.

If your next project involves finishing your basement, don’t get started just yet. First, let us clue you in on the factors that should be at the forefront of your mind.

Water Issues

If your basement is known for water issues, those should be taken care of sooner rather than later. Water damage is serious, and it can also be a hazard to your health. Address any mold/mildew issues before you get started.

Foundation Cracks

Foundation cracks are what you should look for first if you’re concerned about your home’s structural integrity. Cracks in the foundation can be caused by a number of things, including house settling, water damage, and subpar construction. If you find cracks, get their severity evaluated by a professional.

Radon

If you live in an area that’s known for radon issues, play it safe and get your basement tested. Radon is a gas found in soil, and it can seep into your house via cracks in the foundation. If there are high levels of it in your home, it could pose risks to your health.

The Wall Situation

Many modern basement projects entail adding or replacing existing drywall, and even adding new rooms. If you end up adding new construction instead of refinishing, look into whether you need a building permit, as you want all your bases to be covered.

The Ceiling

The height of the basement ceiling is the clincher during the design stage. Don’t forget that many basement ceilings include electrical, HVAC, and plumbing ductwork, and those things need to remain accessible in some places (where they can be covered).

Doors and Windows

If you have egress windows in your basement, you’re lucky enough to have natural light coming in already. If you don’t, consider finding places to add them. Your doors should also be in good condition and the right size for the needs of each room.

The HVAC System

Before you finish your basement, make sure that your HVAC system is capable of supporting the additional space. Depending on the size of the space and the climate of your area, you might need to upgrade your HVAC system or install a new one.

Insulation

Insulating your basement can save a considerable amount of what you’re paying for your energy bill. If your project includes drywall additions or other such updates, it only makes sense to add insulation while you’re in there.

Your Finished Basement

A finished basement is something that you and your family will be able to enjoy for years to come—but it is a big project that not everyone is prepared to do DIY. To get expert help on finishing your basement, get help from One Man & A Toolbox today!

Dec 21 2022

How a Proper Irrigation System Will Benefit Your Alabama Landscape

Are you sick of your dry lawn? The best way to spruce up your yard is to install a proper irrigation system.

Irrigation systems are meant to keep our Alabama landscapes lush and green all throughout the year. As a homeowner, you want to make sure that your lawn and garden are getting the proper amount of water—without wasting it.

Your Irrigation system

Here are a few benefits that come with your irrigation system:

It gives you the peace of mind that your entire landscape receives the water it needs at set intervals.

It allows you to water certain zones for a longer period of time, which gives the plants that require more water what they need to grow.
It prevents irrigation of the sections that don’t require water.
You can establish a timetable that will water each section according to the set schedule.

Professional Irrigation Design

Many businesses offer irrigation design, but in order to get the best system possible, you need to work with a credible company like One Man & A Toolbox. When you work with us, you can be sure of the following:

We have the knowledge and skills it takes to understand exactly what you need.
We will survey the available space and cater the irrigation design to it.
We will explore popular irrigation systems and set them up to ensure your landscape receives the water it needs to thrive.

High-Grade Irrigation Installation

Here are a few reasons why you should opt for modern and automated irrigation system installations:

Automation

No manual effort is required when it comes to your automated system. All you have to do is flip a switch!

Efficiency

Water conservation is important. Instead of watering your driveway and walkway, your automated system will give coverage to the sections of your landscape that need it—not the ones that don’t. You can also program your system to detect precipitation levels in real time and activate irrigation only when the soil has gone dry.

Cost-Effectiveness

Automated systems deliver water to your landscape only when and where it’s required. This can reduce your utility bills and offset what it costs to install the system. Automatic irrigation systems pay for themselves within the first few years, and they can also increase the value of your home.

Service and Maintenance

Many professionals often use a vibratory plow to install automated systems fast with minimal damage. After they’re finished, you won’t even know that the ground has been disturbed. Our skilled contractors can also provide top-of-the-line maintenance services—we’ll check your sprinkler heads for signs of damage/deterioration and fix them before the problem snowballs.

Your Healthiest Lawn

Installing an irrigation system is the best way to make sure that your Alabama lawn is the healthiest it can possibly be. To learn more, contact One Man & A Toolbox today!

Dec 01 2022

What Kind of Door Should I Choose for My Garage?

The garage door is the face of many homes, so a replacement is a big deal. Learn more about the kinds of garage doors to choose from!

Whether you’re looking to sell your home or refresh it for your own enjoyment, a new garage door is a great way to achieve a new exterior look for your house. Many homeowners only replace the garage door once, so it’s essential to find the perfect choice that is a balance of function, aesthetic, and affordability.

At One Man & A Toolbox, we want to help you make the best decision—one that makes sense for your home. In this article, you’ll find an overview of the types of garage doors and what to expect from them, so when it comes time to make a choice, you’ll have no problems at all.

Energy Efficiency

While wooden doors are beautiful, steel and fiberglass options are better for insulating. If you keep your garage at a certain temperature, this is important to know. You’ll want to look for Energy Star rated frames, as those will fit tighter and have a better energy-efficient core.

Types of Doors

Let’s get into the types of doors you have to choose from.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is a practical choice that is regarded highly by homeowners across the country. If the exterior siding of your home is smooth, then a fiberglass door will complement its aesthetics. Many fiberglass options are also embossed with a realistic wood grain texture as well!

This material resists wear and tear a lot better than wood can—and even better than steel too. You can paint or stain them to coincide with your exterior garage walls, and they are highly resistant to dents. If you’re looking for something that comes with minimal maintenance, fiberglass is for you.

Steel

Steel garage doors are very popular because they offer weather resistance and security at a lower price than wood or fiberglass. They are energy efficient, and they don’t call for much maintenance.

The one downfall to steel garage doors is the fact that dents are difficult to fix. If these doors get scratched, the scratch will rust if it’s not painted quickly.

Wood

While fiberglass and steel garage doors can mimic wood, there’s nothing quite like the authentic material. Solid wood garage doors are resistant to everyday wear and tear, but they are the most expensive of the three choices. In order to keep them looking beautiful, they need regular varnishing or painting.

A Choice to Make

Your garage door makes a statement about your home in general, so there’s no doubt you want it to be perfect.

Between these three choices, there’s not a bad choice to be made. If you’re stuck on which option is right for you, give us a call at One Man & A Toolbox. We’ll help you out

Nov 29 2022

Will a Kitchen Remodel Really Increase the Value of My Home?

Many people wonder if a kitchen remodel will increase the value of their home in the way that many remodelers promise it will—and we’re here to tell you that yes, it will do just that.

It’s a well-known fact among realtors that the kitchen is what sells the home, but increasing your home’s value and making a big return aren’t the same thing.

The fact is, you’ll rarely get a 100 percent return on a home improvement project, and that’s exactly why it’s important to analyze the cost benefits and determine whether it’s worth the tens of thousands of dollars to increase your home’s value on the market.

We’d like to remind you that, just as an updated kitchen can sell a home, an outdated kitchen can prevent a sale. So even if you can’t do a full remodel, there’s still something to gain from making smaller improvements.

Kitchen Updates

If a full-on kitchen remodel isn’t realistic for your budget, you might consider breaking up this renovation into smaller parts that can still benefit your kitchen as a whole.

The following five updates can increase your home’s value without a major, full-scale kitchen remodel.

1. Revamp your cabinets.

Working with the cabinets you already have can save you a good chunk of change. Instead of spending 30 percent of your kitchen renovation budget by replacing cabinets, you’d spend about five hundred dollars in total (on paint and hardware) to give your cabinets a makeover.

2. Replace your countertop.

The countertops are where people’s eyes go first. If your countertop is outdated, it could kill people’s interest even if the rest of your home is amazing. You can easily replace your countertop with affordable materials like laminate, Formica, or solid surface—most manufacturers have ways to make these materials look more luxurious than they ever have before.

3. Update your appliances.

A new fridge, range, and oven will add functionality and improved aesthetics to the space, and it will be easier for buyers to imagine themselves in the kitchen. This is one of the quickest upgrades you can make.

4. Replace your light fixtures.

The lights play a key role in your kitchen, so to make a good impression, replace your fixtures so they’re new and updated.

5. Install a new kitchen sink.

People spend a lot of time at the kitchen sink, and it’s yet another detail whose replacement adds value to the function and beauty of the room. If your current sink is outdated or unattractive, buyers won’t be as attracted to your home. But if it’s trendy and sleek, buyers will appreciate the modern touch.

Should I Remodel?

The choice is up to you. Whether you’re shooting for the entire renovation or a few individual projects, One Man & A Toolbox is the handyman company to call. Get in touch with us toda

Kitchen Remodeling 101: Does it really increase the value of your home?

Nov 27 2022

Nine Easy Ways to Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Here are 9 quick and easy tips to make your home more energy efficient.

In this article, we’ve compiled nine easy ways that you can improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Ways to Lower Energy Consumption

Keep reading to learn about nine super simple ways to get energy efficient this fall:

1. Update your thermostat.

Programmable/smart thermostats can be set to automatically switch off to reduce heating/cooling whenever you’re asleep or out of the house to save energy. On average, this can save you about $180 per year!

2. Seal your windows.

Add weatherstripping around drafty windows, put a bead of silicone caulk over cracks in your drywall, or apply a sheet of shrink film to your windows to keep that cold air out and the warm air in.

3. Don’t overuse your space heater.

Space heaters use a lot of energy, and they can also be a big drain on your utility bill. If you’re going to use a space heater, make sure you’ve got an efficient model. But as an alternative, layer up and use thick blankets whenever you can.

4. Unplug chargers.

You might think that leaving your charger plugged in while you’re not using it is no big deal, but if you have a couple for each member of your family, they can make up a good chunk of your energy bill! If you’re not using your chargers, unplug them and save energy.

5. Wash clothes in cold water.

Much of the energy of the clothes-washing process goes towards heating the water, and you can save up to fifty dollars per year by lowering the temperature at which you wash by just fifteen degrees.

6. Replace air filters.

If you change your air filters regularly, you could cut down on energy consumption by up to 15 percent! Clean air filters let you and your family breathe cleaner air, and they also put less strain on your system.

7. Wrap up the water heater.

If you have an electric water tank, consider wrapping it in an insulating blanket—that way, you can prevent heat loss.

8. Use a clothesline.

You can’t exactly dry your clothes outdoors during the winter, but it’s quite refreshing to do so in the summer. When it’s cold outside, letting your clothes air-dry inside is an option too. Since dryers account for about 6 percent of a home’s energy usage, this can be helpful.

9. Update your lights.

Energy-efficient light bulbs use 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs and last twenty-five times longer! They might be a bit more expensive, but the price will even out because of how long they last and how significantly they lower your electricity bill.

Staying Energy Smart

At One Man & A Toolbox, we care about the environment and your wallet. That’s why we’re big proponents of shifting into an energy-efficient lifestyle and teaching others to do the same. If you need help converting your home into a more efficient place to live, get in touch with us today.