Its the season for home improvement projects, and weekend warriors will soon be visiting home supply retailers to buy everything from paint to plywood. There are many advantages to making home improvements on your own, including the opportunity to test your mettle at projects big and small.

Many a novice DIYer has learned the ups and downs of home improvement through trial and error. But the following are a handful of lessons first-timers can heed before beginning their maiden voyages into the world of DIY home improvements.

Measure twice, cut once. Perhaps this is the best-known mantra of home improvement, yet many still ignore it. Whether youre eager to get started or simply because you still cannot convert metric to standard formula, you must take the time to measure twice before cutting. Learning that youre a hair too short later will prove frustrating and time-consuming and often necessitates a last-minute run to the store for more materials. Always measure multiple times before making cuts.

Enlist a helper. Having a partner helping with the work is the most efficient way to tackle a project. This person can assist you with heavy lifting or moving things or by holding the ladder or simply passing tools your way. He or she also can manage work while you make another run to the home center for more supplies. Having a helper around also provides companionship during tedious projects.

Lighten the load. You run the risk of injury, both to yourself and your belongings, if you attempt to move heavy items on your own. When moving heavy items, take steps to lighten your load. For example, empty or remove drawers from desks and dressers before moving them. Rely on sliding pads when moving furniture so items can be slid into place instead of lifted. Always ask a buddy to help move especially heavy items.

Prime before painting. Painting can be a time-consuming task. In an effort to save time, some people will look for painting shortcuts, and these may include skipping the priming portion of painting. Priming helps to cover existing paint color and prevent bleed-through of stains or darker hues to the next coat of paint. Failure to use a primer could mean having to paint coat after coat, which can become costly and take up a significant amount of time. Always rely on a priming product, or look for a paint that blends a primer within to achieve better coverage. And while you are ensuring a proper paint job, remember to use painters tape or an edging product to help keep paint off of moldings and trim.

Use the right tools. The right tools make work safer and easier. Think about how much faster you can cut through a tree trunk with a chainsaw rather than a handsaw. Improvising or using the wrong tools for the job can cost you time and increase your risk of injury.

Turn electricity off at the panel box. Be especially cautious when working with electricity, turning off the current. This means shutting down the power on the breaker box. A live wire can provide a minor shock or lead to serious injury. Take the extra time to ensure the power is off before working with any exposed wiring.

Expect the unexpected. Although many renovation projects go off without a hitch, you never know what you might uncover when you embark on repairs or remodels. Homeowners have come across all sorts of hidden problems when doing seemingly minor repairs. Removal of drywall may uncover insect damage in beams or indications of water infiltration. Some people take down old paneling, only to discover it was covering heavily damaged walls beneath. One repair project can run into another when home improvements are being made. Always leave breathing room in your budget and schedule extra time for unforeseen tasks as well.

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Home improvement tips learned the hard way

DETROIT - The families of Detroit's Brightmoor area are delighted that the day is finally approaching when bulldozers will arrive to level more of their neighborhood. After that, their community's future will be like the cleared landscape - a blank canvas.

For years, Brightmoor residents pleaded with the city to demolish vacant homes that scavengers had stripped of wiring and plumbing and anything of value. Some structures are already gone, and now officials aim to do much more, possibly tearing down as many as 450 empty houses each week across more than 20 square miles of this bankrupt city - a vast patchwork of rotting homes comparable to the size of Manhattan.

The huge demolition project holds the potential to transform large parts of Detroit into an urban-redevelopment laboratory like the nation has never seen. But community leaders here and in cities that have attempted similar transformations say Detroit's best efforts could still wither from lack of money, lack of commitment or harsh economic realities.

"What's the plan for lots to keep them from becoming a different type of blight?" asked Tom Goddeeris, executive director of Grandmont Rosedale Development Corp., a nonprofit community improvement group representing a cluster of five Detroit neighborhoods.

The ambitious demolition schedule was formally presented last month as part of the city's plans to emerge from bankruptcy.

The changes could be far-reaching: Unlike other cities where building space is almost always limited, Detroit will offer urban planners a rare chance to experiment with wide-open land. Neighborhood advocates are talking excitedly about creating urban gardens, farms, forests and other types of "green space." Brightmoor already has the Lyndon Greenway, which connects two large parks with smaller parks and bike paths.

No other American city has as many abandoned properties as Detroit. But smaller-scale successes with similar green initiatives have been engineered in places such as Philadelphia and Cleveland.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Philly Green program has converted roughly 10,000 vacant lots over the last two decades, making it the "gold standard," said Joe Schilling, who directs the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech.

Having a non-governmental organization manage and design the effort, is a huge advantage, Schilling said.

"To use a military metaphor, if you go in with your demolition forces and you're trying to get a stronghold in a particular strategic place, you have to be able to stabilize it before you keep moving on in your campaign," he said. "Otherwise, you're going to go back in ... five years and removing all the trash."

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Home demolitions create blank canvas in Detroit

Home warranty issues prompt complaints
Homeowners want stucco issues fixed; but KB Home says it #39;s not a warranty problem.

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Harrisburg, PA (PRWEB) March 26, 2014

Residential Warranty Company, LLC (RWC) - an innovator in the warranty industry and the nations leading new home warranty provider - is proud to celebrate a long track record of high home warranty ratings.

For the twelfth consecutive year, Western Pacific Mutual Insurance Company, a Risk Retention Group (WPMIC) has earned an A.M. Best rating of A- (Excellent). WPMIC is the insurer for new home warranties provided by RWC and its affiliated company, MHWC, and for general liability insurance provided to home builders through the RWC Insurance Advantage (RIA) program.

The A.M. Best Company is the oldest, most experienced rating agency in the world and has been reporting on the financial condition of insurance companies since 1899. As a full-service credit rating organization, A.M. Best is dedicated to serving the financial services industries, focusing on the insurance sector. Bests ratings represent the current and independent opinion of a companys financial strength and ability to meet obligations to its policyholders and are only assigned after an extensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a companys financial strength, operating performance, and market profile.

A.M. Bests Excellent rating is ascribed to companies that, in their opinion, have an excellent ability to meet ongoing obligations. WPMICs "Excellent" rating, current as of March 1st, 2014, reflects its sound capitalization, historically favorable operating performance, positive cash flow, and conservative reserve levels. Additionally, the rating recognizes WPMICs history of maintaining sufficient capital to support its ongoing obligations and the effective management of its long-term exposure to loss.

ABOUT RWC

Residential Warranty Company, LLC is a leading provider of insured home warranties to the building industry. Builders seeking options in coverage, sensible home warranty protection, and assistance in dealing with customer service, choose RWC. In business for over 30 years, RWC has warranted over 3 million homes. An extensive menu of choices in both home warranties and general liability insurance is available, enabling builders to reduce their liability and increase the marketability of their homes. Become a member today: http://www.rwcwarranty.com.

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RWCs Insurer (WPMIC) Celebrates 12 Continuous Years of "Excellent" Ratings by A.M. Best

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Fresno, Ca (PRWEB) March 27, 2014

Where time and money are scarce in this fast-paced world, information is a hot commodity and a powerful weapon to wield when shopping for the best do it yourself security system. Whether the client is a private homeowner or a small business entrepreneur, security concerns are still a big priority. It's important that the process of buying, installing and maintaining the system is easy to do on the client's part. Difficulties encountered should be addressed quickly and handy guides should also be accessible to any kind of DIY home security system.

In anticipation of the new advances in technology and how ready security companies are to face the new challenges and faster pace of tech, http://www.securitysystemreviews.com/ recently launched their Best of 2014 list for DIY security systems. This new comprehensive and updated list gives consumers a good launch pad in their search for the DIY system that's right for their home or business.

Security experts who have had extensive experience in the field and in system development have all weighed in and determined which system is the best among all others. At the same time, they have determined which systems are gaining popularity because of great features and advanced functions not found in more popular setups.

When choosing the best DIY home security system, good research is important. Clients should take the time to at least view SecuritySystemReviews.com and other resources found online on their laptops, smartphones and tablets. Consumers should take advantage of the free advice found on the Internet as long as reputable sources and real expertise was used.

SecuritySystemReviews.com makes sure that they get unbiased and expert-backed reviews on their featured companies. These service providers are the leaders in their industry and offer comprehensive, reliable and custom security systems for each kind of client.

But when people are looking at do it yourself home security systems, the watchwords are maintenance and self-installation. Homeowners or business operators should be able to set up these systems themselves and have enough competencies to maintain them on a regular basis. Keep in mind that basic IT literacy and knowledge on hardware is important for anyone who wants a DIY security system. Although the service provider can teach the client how to install the system, consumers are urged to research and understand the implications of installing their own system.

There are a lot of available tips and helpful articles on SecuritySystemReviews.com that cover the questions most frequently-asked by DIY junkies and consumers. In the age of free advice and information, it is possible to learn how to set up the security system on one's own but prior basic knowledge in IT and tech is a must.

Clients are also urged to understand the implications of using wireless and/or traditional security systems. There are big considerations like connectivity, network support and power sources in determining the integrity and stability of any type of computer system. In the end, whether its a do it yourself security system or a provider-installed setup, consumers are entrusting their property's safety to computers that have vulnerabilities and weaknesses. They should also find ways to boost and protect the systems from attack to create a comprehensive security measure for their home, business or property.

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DIY Security Systems Best of 2014 List Launched by SecuritySystemReviews.com

Old Floor Furnace Repair Los Angeles 800) 215-8151 Climate Control
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