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Home Improvement Blog - On the Level is a home remodeling & repair blog to keep you informed on the products and trends that we see in the field.
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Photo courtesy of Clarke Power Products, Inc. |
A new circular saw called the Crocodile was named on Popular Mechanics’ "Top 13 New Tools for 2008" from the National Hardware Show. This tool may be small enough to hold in one hand, but it still packs a punch. It is the first circular saw designed to cut wood, drywall, plastic and metal. This diversity makes the Crocodile a pretty handy tool on a remodeling job. Not to mention, it has a really cool name.
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Consider converting attic space into a bedroom to increase the resale value of your home. |
Preparing to sell your house can be an overwhelming time. One of the biggest worries is whether you'll get the sale price on your home. HGTV.com suggests four home updates every seller must do. They are:
1. Minor Bathroom Remodel
2. Siding Replacement
3. Minor Kitchen Remodel
4. Attic Bedroom
For each remodel, the article includes the cost of the project, the average resale value and the percentage of the cost recovered. Very useful information if you're considering a renovation and planning a future resale.
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EcoTimber Wove Bamboo This EcoTimber woven bamboo product, made with no added urea-formaldehyde, comes in six-foot lengths and is three times harder than traditional bamboo flooring. © 2008 EcoTimber, Inc. |
There are many choices for flooring. Even if you are able to choose the type you want easily, you still have several decisions to make. If you think that hardwood flooring is the way to go, try to think outside of the box a little bit. Remember that maple and cherry hardwoods aren’t your only options. Here are five reasons why bamboo makes a great hardwood floor:
1) The natural grains and patterns provide a warm finish.
2) Bamboo is extremely strong and durable.
3) It is environmentally friendly (it’s an easily renewable resource).
4) It still has great color and style. 5) Bamboo is the newest and coolest floor choice.
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I think I may have found the most energy-efficient home in America. In this video, engineer Michael Strizki of Hopewell, N.J., reviews the three power systems on his home that have allowed his family to live "off the grid" completely. In addition to using energy-efficient construction, the home has a battery of solar cells that provide electricity. The solar energy also powers the hydrogen fuel cell technology, which is used for more electricity for the home and fuel for his car. As if that wasn't enough, the home has a geothermal power system for heating and cooling. When all else fails, Strizki can always flip on a switch to reconnect to the conventional electrical power grid, but what fun is that?
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In the past, we've written about bamboo being one of the greenest building materials. Now, Slate.com investigates if it really is all that. On the pro side, bamboo grows extremely quickly (three feet in one day in one species), and it does so with a minimum of fertilizers. But, unfortunately, all these benefits can be offset by heedless growing and cultivation. Some producers chop down old woodlands to plant the tree and use lots of fertilizers to speed up the growing process. Homeowners considering bamboo should check with the manufacturer to find out how the source material was raised and whether the floors use low-formaldehyde glue.
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Instead of leaving them to rust in junk yards, more builders are re-using shipping containers to build innovative structures. Photo courtesy of bejnar.net. |
Still don't believe in using shipping containers to build? What if I told you the exterior of this youth center (click on the link to view photo) was built in one day? That might get your attention. Container City™ used seven old shipping containers to build this cost-effective structure in Mile End Park in East London.
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