Tag Archives: Improvement

How to Start a DIY Home Improvement Project: Tips & Tricks

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Do it yourself projects are efficient ways to minimize cost, and to a certain degree, tap into your creative side. Home improvement is just one area in the wide and complex world of Do- it- Yourself.

In a way, home improvement should be done by the homeowners themselves, because the property is theirs, and if something succeeds or fails, the homeowners take full accountability for what happens. How does one begin a do it yourself project? The following is a step by step guide in determining your general path for future DIY projects.

1. Examine your house- a house that has stood against the elements of nature for at least three years probably has suffered some form of damage. When was the last time that you stopped to inspect whether your house is still safe to live in, or if there is something that you can still do to improve it?

A thorough evaluation of your house and all its parts would definitely give you great ideas for your future DIY project. With you some paper and a pen, list down everything that you think must be repaired, replaced, improved or taken down completely. Be critical of how furniture and electrical wires are placed in your house.

After making your list, start sifting through them. What is it that interests you at the moment? Do you wish to make a new gate made purely of wood, and coated with varnish? Do you think that old door needs sprucing up? Whatever you might choose to do, remember that you have to take into consideration time and budget constraints.

2. Plan first, and plan well- do not commit the mistake of not being able to plan before you try your hand in DIY home improvement. Any project, executed without a clear plan in mind is bound to either fail or finish unsuccessfully.

How does one begin a work plan for a DIY project? First identify what needs to be done. Make a list of the things that have to be done prior to the DIY project. Then proceed to make a list of the things that you need to do. This includes even the smallest of implements in the DIY project, like nails and paint.

After determining the materials needed for the DIY project, begin to compute how much all this would cost. A good and reliable computation should not be based on estimates alone. If you can, make the computation when you’re at the hardware store.

If something seems to be too expensive, then try to find an alternative brand, or if it’s not possible to do this, try to find an alternative, material to replace that which you cannot acquire due to cost, a good example will be thinner gauge plywood for sidings and non load bearing structures.

3. Timeframe- never forget to make a timeframe for a particular DIY project. Failure to do so might mean the project might take too long to finish, or in some instances, it might not be completed at all. A timeframe would tell you what to do and what to complete in a day.

The author of this article was Benedict Yossarian. For home improvements Benedict recommends Dekorbeton Decorative Concrete as a cheap alternative to expensive bricks and Roof Bond Spray Foam Roof Insulation to reduce your heating costs.

Pros and Cons of DIY Home Improvement: An Assessment

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Interestingly enough, the idea of improving one’s home is attractive to the “experts” of DIY as it is to individuals who’ve had no prior experience in do it yourself projects. Though it is everyone’s right to alter features of a home that they invested themselves, there still remains the fact that if the DIY home improvement is not carried to its logical conclusion, then loss, and not gains would be the consequence.

The pros

* In many instances, building chairs, small tables and cabinets from scratch will save you a lot of money, provided that you have the patience to design and execute specific DIY projects for these articles.

* Plumbing? No problem. Many devices that handle hot and cold water connections, for instance, can be installed manually. What are manuals for? However, there is the risk that you might not get it right the first time. But this shouldn’t stop you from trying your hand at installing that brand new shower heater.

* Repainting the house is achievable. All you need is the basic know-how of painting and the right equipment. In this case, you will save money, but you will have to set aside a weekend or two to finish repainting the whole house.

* A sense of achievement of course would be the greatest reward for any DIY project. If you execute a DIY project beautifully, and your work lasts for years, you’ll definitely feel good about the whole attempt at being a professional craftsman yourself.

The cons

* If a DIY project is in its infancy, and you’ve just begun to get a hang of finding the materials and designs yourself, there may be times that what resources you spent in finishing a DIY project would be more costly than a finished product that can be bought in a shopping mall or a furniture store.

* Failure is not an option, but a possibility. There may be times that you lose vital components of any DIY project like time, patience, and sometimes even cash. Be prepared to accept that some projects might not be that great after you’ve executed what you’ve planned. It’s all part of “doing it yourself”.

* DIY electrical projects can be executed flawlessly. But there is a risk factor especially if it’s your first time to deal with the electrical system in your house. Replacing wires that run through walls, up the ceiling and into rooms is tricky business- so refer to the original plans of the house before proceeding to knock out the original installations. Electrical installations are often secured, so make sure that if you’re laying out meters of new electrical wire, you know how to safely attach the wires permanently against the walls, or within the walls.

* Time constraints are often the biggest killers for DIY projects. Many beginners are often discouraged by how difficult it is to complete a medium size DIY project. Sometimes, multiple projects are started, but none are finished. This sometimes causes problems, because unfinished projects may clutter the house and render some spaces in the home unusable.

The author of this article was Benedict Yossarian. For home improvements Benedict recommends Dekorbeton Decorative Concrete as a cheap alternative to expensive bricks and Roof Bond Spray Foam Roof Insulation to reduce y

Tips on Home Improvement

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Simple home improvements can have a major impact on how comfortable your home feels and how stylish it looks. Through steps like changing interior decoration and furniture, laying new carpets, repainting walls, and using new wallpapers, you can not only drastically improve your standard or living, you can also enhance the value of your property.

All these tasks do not always require professional help. If you are a creative person, and are ready to put in sincere effort, there is no reason why you cannot carry out successful home improvements.

Your home improvement plan should incorporate the requirements and preferences of all the family members and it is important to take their views into account before you start this exercise.

After you have considered the thoughts of your family members and your own ideas, you next need to prepare a plan. A detailed analysis of the changes required, the materials to be bought, and what kind of external help you will need, should be put on paper. This is very important because it gives a clear picture regarding how long the work will take to be completed and how much each improvement will cost.

The drawing room is usually the most important target for home improvement, since it gets visitors, and your family members also spend a lot of time there. Using stylish and comfortable furniture, a beautiful carpet, or changing the chandelier can significantly enhance how your drawing room looks and feels. Drapes and decorations also play a very important role in giving your drawing room a personal touch.

The bedrooms should be relaxing and clean. An inexpensive way of giving bedrooms an instant lift is repainting them. This can bring them in line with the current trends and give a feeling of freshness. Carefully chosen paintings can be used to further improve the bedroom. Building a new shelf or sideboards for arranging books and showpieces will also help.

The kitchen should never be overlooked when you are improving your home. You can replace the kitchen slab, which would have become dirty and discolored after constant use. You can choose a finish of your choice – laminex, wood or granite. Kitchen appliances can become seriously outdated with time as technologically advanced products become available in the market. Replacing appliances like the microwave oven, an old gas stove, electric chimney, and mixers and blenders, would not only give a new look to the kitchen, they will also make your life more convenient. But these appliances can be expensive so don’t overdo the changes.

Extensions and additional areas such as fireplace, swimming pool, gym etc. can be renovated depending on your budget. You can also work on your lawn space by adding new plants.

Home improvement is about ideas and not about spending excessively on new purchases. Always keep your budget in mind and avoid home improvements that are too expensive. Be smart about the purchases you make so that they don’t compromise on your family’s needs but at the same time they don’t hurt you financially.

For more information on bathroom renovations and basement renovations in Oakville, contact an experienced professional at Sharp Homes.

Measuring the Success of a DIY Home Improvement Project

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Gauging your success

How does one gauge the success of a do it yourself home improvement project? What level of expectations should we have upon their completion?

For a good many people, evaluation of a DIY home improvement project is out of the question. There is a general misconception that once a DIY project is done, it’s done. No need to further evaluate whether the project was really a success or not. The need to evaluate the success of a DIY project has two main goals:

* Establish whether the project had been executed according to plan.

* Establish whether you’re improving as compared to previous different projects that you have done before.

The criteria

1. Cost- how does one evaluate the true cost of a DIY project? Start with the basic raw materials. A central blueprint for any DIY project should have a list of the materials for the completion of a project. If the cost of the finished product and the projected cost of the project do not match, then this should be avoided in the future. A disparity of 25% from the actual cost can be acceptable.

The point of a DIY home improvement project is to basically save money. Saving money entails sticking to a budget- which has already been computed to be cheaper than actually hiring or buying finished goods.

In some rare instances, central plans have wrong computations- this is fine, as long as effort is given to remedy this problem in the future.

2. Finished product- whether you’re replacing floor boards or making a rocking chair, one particular consideration would be the finished product itself. Simply put, does it look good?

Of course, do not expect that a hand-made cabinet made with spare wood found in the garage can look as attractive as the ones you buy from a furniture store or a factory outlet. But at least, the finished product should look decent, in combination with other pieces of furniture in your home.

This criterion is especially important when you plan to make large-scale DIY home improvement projects, such as replacing walls or parts of the roof. Once you’re done, indeed, you’re done.

3. Timeframe- one thing should be made clear when we talk about DIY home improvement project timeframe: time does count. This issu can be discounted if you have a lot of free time in your hand: for instance, summer vacation or the like. But if you’re doing the DIY project on weekends, you have to make sure that you’re completing the phases of the project on time.

The reason for this criterion is that time is money when you think about it. If you spend three months creating a cabinet no bigger than a child’s table, then there is definitely something wrong with the project. Laziness should be eliminated in the picture- you can’t simply reason that you’ve been lazy. What would be the function of timeframe then?

Timeframe can vary from project to project. Try your best by sticking to a limited timeframe; indeed this will have its reward in later DIY projects. You can call it GOAL Setting.

The author of this article was Benedict Yossarian. For home improvements Benedict recommends Dekorbeton Decorative Concrete as a cheap alternative to expensive bricks and Roof Bond Spray Foam Roof Insulation to reduce your heating costs.

Usual Trouble Spots in DIY Home Improvement

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Many people want to get in on DIY home improvement. Curiosity might have killed the cat, but curiosity for individuals who engage in DIY home improvement is gold. The reason for this is that often, curiosity is the strongest “hook” in every DIY home improvement project.

Interestingly enough, this curiosity pushes people to pursue seemingly daunting tasks: replacing the electric gate closer, repairing faulty electric wiring, fixing broken furniture, replacing worn-out parts of the wall, etc. Though the general success rate for these attempts varies, there remains the fact that many people continue with their DIY projects, sacrificing time and cash just to complete a project.

The pleasure is in the making, as they always say. However, there would be less trouble ahead if common trouble issues are known and avoided.

The usual trouble spots

1. Willingness to finish- no DIY home improvement project would prosper if you are not willing to “attack” a project until its logical conclusion. DIY sometimes has a bad name because some people start two or three projects and abandon them midway.

What happens when a person treads on the dangerous territory of DIY home improvement laziness? The house will be in shambles, or at least will suffer from a lot of clutter.

One should not sacrifice the beauty of a home to do it yourself shenanigans. If you don’t have enough will power to actually replace the door that you just forcefully removed with your power drill, then perhaps it’s time that you put it back to where it was before.

Never begin a big project that you cannot finish at all. To do so would be a waste of valuable resources.

2. Lack of skill- let’s face it. Not everything in life could be achieved through sheer willpower alone. You should take time to learn and develop the necessary skills as well.

If you have no prior experience with carpentry, that can be remedied by studying the basics of carpentry. If you don’t know how to tinker with the electrical system of your house, then that’s okay, do your research first before you start pulling out the wires from their rightful places within the walls.

DIY or do it yourself is not guesswork- its far from it. In its best manifestation, do it yourself is the application of what you learned on your own so far. Though some people might consider it play, it really isn’t. DIY home improvement is not about messing around with a few pieces of wood and some nails, laughing about how horrible the finished product is and throwing away the product of your labor.

This pervading mindset in DIY is harmful in many ways- first, it tarnishes the very basic precepts of DIY, and furthermore, it defeats the purpose of “doing it yourself”. If you go about it like a simple school project, chances are you would be wasting cash on something that you should have just bought in a shopping mall or a department store.

The author of this article was Benedict Yossarian. For home improvements Benedict recommends Dekorbeton Decorative Concrete as a cheap alternative to expensive bricks and Roof Bond Spray Foam Roof Insulation to reduce your heating costs.

Expert Tips That Will Help You With Your Home Improvement Endevours

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When it comes to home improvement, many homeowners believe in an all-or-nothing approach. They prefer to wait for a total remodel rather than tackling a series of smaller, more manageable projects. Choosing the latter can save money and make your home a more attractive and enjoyable place to live. Here are some tips and tricks to get you started.

Consider the materials that you are going to use when building an addition or a separate structure on your property: Wood framed structures are going to cost you more to insure because of how flammable they are. Steel or cement framed structures will save you a good bit in home insurance premiums.

Synthetic building materials have a place in home improvement projects, and that place is usually outside. Synthetics tend to stand up to sun and weather better than the natural materials they replace. (Stone is a notable exception to this rule.) For wood in particular, there are a number of synthetic replacements that offer similar attractiveness and superior durability.

Pay for contracting jobs after they are completed only. If you pay before the job is completed, there is nothing much you can do if the job isn’t completed properly or if it isn’t completed at all. On the other hand, withholding payment until the job is complete will motivate contractors to do it right and in a timely fashion.

If your home lacks windows and natural lighting, consider replacing one of your solid exterior doors with a French door. A French door combines solid wood craftsmanship with a broad expanse of plate glass, to let in a great deal of natural sunlight. This will instantly brighten the look and feel of any room, making it seem airier and more spacious.

Painting is one of the quickest and least expensive methods to improve your home’s appearance. If you are contemplating repainting the exterior of your home, you should evaluate whether you can do the job yourself. Painting is a job that requires only a few basic tools and a moderate level of skill. If you do your own repainting, you can save a significant amount of money. When evaluating if you can do it yourself, you need to consider how much available time you have to do this time consuming job, your health and fitness level and whether you possess the skills to get the job done.

By redoing your driveway with a new method of surfacing or simply redoing the existing surfacing is a great home improvement job that will make your house look better. Not only will you be able to admire your house, but everyone in the neighborhood will as well.

To circulate the air in your home, install ceiling fans in your most-used rooms. The fans can reduce your reliance on the air conditioner in the summer and they can push warm air downward in the winter, making your furnace usage more efficient. Most fans can switch directions to draw air upward or push it downward, depending on your needs.

Paint is one of the most inexpensive and simple way to change the look of your home. Make sure you have all the right tools and the right type of paint for the area. By making a few preparations before you begin, your job will be easier and go much smoothly.

Choose wallpaper patterns carefully. Avoid using overpowering patterns in small spaces; conversely, using a bold design in a very large room will make it appear cozier. Never use a patterned wallpaper if you have patterned carpet or window coverings. For a room full of awkward corners and recesses, pick a wallpaper with a random design that the eye doesn’t tend to follow. This will help to disguise any imperfections in the walls.

Match your fire extinguisher to the room where it is being used. The color will be the same old red but fire extinguishers are classed according to function. Class B’s are most appropriate for the kitchen but Class A’s would probably work well in the rest of the house.

It is never a bad idea to purchase handheld fire extinguishers for your home. Before you buy an extinguisher, take a moment to read the packaging for information on intended usage. Some extinguishers are effective only against certain types of fires. Ideally, an extinguisher should be suitable for paper, grease, wood, electrical, and trash fires. This should also be under consideration as you determine which rooms will have extinguishers at hand.

Make visible changes. Invisible changes are great for your home, but if it ever comes time to sell, you do not want to have to explain why you installed fantastic heating systems but did not fix your shutters. Keep in mind that visibility sells. You want to be at the top of the market.

If your home tools are rudimentary, then protect the wood you are working with by lubricating screws first. Not only will this help you to drive new screws in more easily, it will also prevent the wood from splitting and the screws from stripping the hole, thereby defeating the purpose. A little vaseline, wax or dish soap is all it takes.

Even the simplest home improvement projects can seem overwhelming at first if you don’t have a good grasp of the basics. Once you know what you’re doing, though, any project is manageable. Just apply what you’ve learned from this article, and before you know it, you’ll be one step closer to turning your house into your dream home.

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Find Home Improvement Companies Online

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Home is a place where family and friends come together. It is the place where the most memorable moments of life happen. The décor of a house says a lot about the people living in it, so home owners often put a lot of thought into it. Over time, the interior of the house may go out of fashion, or the décor accessories and furnishings get worn out due to constant use. In order to maintain your home in perfect order year after year, it’s a good idea to consider home improvement services. Many home construction companies provide such services. With the help of these contractors, you can renovate your house to your exact taste and specifications.

When it comes to home renovations, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Often, home improvement projects can be done by the homeowners. However, in order to make sure the job’s done right, many people prefer to enlist professional contractors. These professionals will help you with meeting the proper specifications of the job, and their handiwork will last longer. Some of the renovation services offered by contractors include kitchen customization, bathroom remodels, repair and maintenance, energy upgrades, and more. You’ll find this approach highly beneficial as you’re guided through ensuring everything is to code and sticks to your budget.

With the help of professional renovation services, you can make the interiors of any house look classy and beautiful. In addition, these companies offer remodeling services that allow you to pay special attention to the bathrooms and kitchen, which can be customized according to your specifications. Beyond this, home improvement is beneficial not only for a new home, but also for your existing house before selling. You can also take care of the repairs and other maintenance that is needed in the house. Contracting companies believe in saving energy and offer services that will help to reduce your electricity bills significantly. A professional eye will help you to identify the products that consume the most energy, and they will suggest appliances that will consume less energy and save you more money.

These companies offer specialized services in home improvement and other services. They provide complete support according to the customer’s budget and other needs. Moreover, they give you many options for design and other remodeling that will benefit you and your home. The best part of utilizing pro services is that contractors will draw up blue prints for the designs, as well obtain safety permits and approvals that will make the house the best it can be, all to code. These companies offer highly experienced and skilled professionals that provide quality work. If you are considering such services, you can visit contractors’ websites for complete information. You will find contact details on each individual site. Your home is important to you, so it should be protected and taken care of in a timely, considerate manner. Take advantage of these service providers to redesign your home into the place of your dreams.

Remodeling is the author of this article on New Home Construction.
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Don’t Take Up A Home Improvement Venture Without This Information

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Home improvement projects can do much more than make your house more attractive. They can increase the value of your investment, make your home more energy-efficient, and improve the quality as well. In this article we will discuss some of the top home improvement projects together with tips on how to complete them included.

If you require the help of a home contractor for your home improvement project, make sure that you take the time needed to collect various estimates so you can do some great price-shopping. This will ensure that you are getting the best price possible for the contracting services that you need.

When hiring a contractor to do home improvements, do some research on them to make sure they are qualified and hold the proper licenses to do the work. Check the Department of Consumer Affairs, validate their licenses, and check to make sure they carry insurance so that if someone is injured in the home renovation, you do not get sued.

If you are considering the use of a conventional wood fireplace for heating your home, understand that this may not be the best route. Apart from aesthetic reasons, this type of system is also quite inefficient because most of the heat ends up going through the chimney. In addition to this, the fire requires plenty of fresh air, which will be provided from within your house, essentially eating up much of the oxygen inside your home.

If you don’t have enough space for a small office, you can use a small portion of your living room for that purpose. Buy a small privacy screen and place a desk behind it with a matching chair. You can purchase small shelves to install on your wall to store your pens, pencils, staplers and other important items.

If you are re-painting a small space, such as an undersized bedroom or living room, make use of light colors. Lighter colors on the walls will reflect more light, making the room feel brighter and larger. Also, consider using two shades of the same color in stripes, which can make the room feel longer or taller.

Before you begin painting the exterior of your home, it is critical to repair and prepare the surfaces you plan on repainting. Your paint job will not be durable if you do not prepare the surfaces properly. If your house has siding, any section that is damaged must be repaired. If the surface you are repainting is wood, remove any peeling, flaking, or blistering paint, before applying a new coat. This difficult job of removing paint can be done by scraping or sanding. Be sure to wear safety equipment, such as a dust mask and protective goggles, when removing the old paint.

Updated homes typically sell faster and for a greater amount of money than those that have had little or no renovations. Updating dark and dated kitchens is by far the best thing that you can do to improve the value of your home. It also is the most sure way to get back the most of your investment.

Prevent mold in your home by properly ventilating your kitchen and bathrooms. Vent fans pull moisture up and out of the room, reducing the moisture that mold and mildew needs to thrive. You will be rewarded with a healthier home and a shower that may be less prone to ugly mildew stains.

Find out where to turn the gas off before you begin any home-improvement project. You will need to know this in case of a leak when working around fireplaces, kitchens or anything else that uses the gas lines. Always be overly cautious when working around gas lines to avoid dangerous mishaps.

Home improvement has become a popular pastime in recent years, and if a homeowner is somewhat handy he can increase the value of his home more than just a little. Home improvement stores are common and most offer instruction in nearly every area of home improvement. Almost anyone can paint a room or put down flooring with a little guidance, and even those changes can increase the homes value.

To create a fun stenciled design on your walls, decide on a design that you like by either creating your own. or printing one from the internet. Have a few copies of the pattern laminated at a copy store, and cut out the patterns using a craft knife. Attach the stencil to the wall with painter’s tape, roll on your paint, and place a new stencil below the old, alternating as you continue the pattern around the room.

There are many tax credits that you can get as a home owner for energy saving improvements. Do some research, find out what they are and go for it. You will not only be increasing the value of your home but you will also be saving yourself on unneeded tax liability.

Fun fact, most dishwashers, when full, are actually more efficient than washing dishes by hand. The water consumed is likely less than the amount you use to wash your own dishes. Bonus, it is faster, and typically the washer will dry your dishes too. If you are looking into buying a new appliance for your home, consider a dishwasher.

Surely, you found the information that preceded to be helpful for many different projects around your house. A bit of knowledge about home improvement can go a long way in helping you transform your house into your home. Take on the challenge of making the improvements on your home with the help of the included information.

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DIY Home Improvement For Beginners: The Basics of DIY

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DIY or do it yourself is a goal-oriented hobby initiated and completed by individuals or small groups. The basic premise is that if a person learns reasonably fast and knows how to apply basic skills to projects, then the person doesn’t have to hire other people to do the work for him.

In recent years, DIY home improvement has made impact in television and in the hearts of interested homemakers and professionals. The idea of improving the looks of your home using your own basic talent appeals to a lot of people. If you wish to begin your own journey in DIY home improvement, certain things have to be taken into consideration so that you can increase your success rate in any DIY home improvement projects.
The basics of DIY explained:

1.Skill- the acquisition of skill in DIY is self-paced, and depends largely on your enthusiasm for the task at hand. Enthusiasm translates to willingness- the willingness to finish tasks and the willingness to learn. If you’re just beginning with DIY, stick to small, doable projects that you know would be fun for you. Sustaining interest is also one key problem, so if you’re improving your house with your own two hands, make sure that the part of the house that you wish to alter won’t make you miserable after a few days.

2.Knowledge- certain things cannot simply be assumed- and this includes electrical systems and cabinet designs. Read all that you can about what you want to do. Limit yourself to doable ones. Making a table is doable, but replacing your living room’s large chandelier on your own isn’t. Learn, have fun and then go to the next task. This is the formula to successful DIY home improvement projects.

3.Time- let’s face it. DIY home improvement projects need a lot of time. If you can’t find time for the project, then postpone your attempt first. You can reschedule next summer or during the holiday season. This would minimize clutter in your house and cut down waste materials due to expiration dates.

4.Finances- the aim is to save money and enjoy the DIY project. However, there are some DIY projects that require a lot of money. Never sacrifice the integrity and safety of your house by buying substandard yet cheap materials. It doesn’t matter if you save or not. Example, if your roof fails due to thin braces and support trusses then you would be spending a lot more in repairing the damage.

5.Help- sometimes, doing it alone can be difficult. Try to find people of similar interests and start collecting ‘tried and tested” formulas for DIY home improvement. On the World Wide Web, there are small yet reliable organizations that gives out DIY home improvement tips, through collaborations with companies that supply the materials to DIY enthusiasts.

6.Creativity- creativity will sustain your early attempts, and would push you to do better in future DIY home improvement projects. Being creative also means being able to go past boundaries in craftsmanship and design. You can customize if you want, being creative is a much prized quality for any DIY enthusiasts.

The author of this article was Benedict Yossarian. For home improvements Benedict recommends Dekorbeton Decorative Concrete as a cheap alternative to expensive bricks and Roof Bond Spray Foam Roof Insulation to reduce your heating costs.

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An Educational Process for Change and Improvement Efforts

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Article by Jim Clemmer

“Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject.” — Thomas Mann, early 20th century German novelist and essayist

Once a management team has established a change and improvement plan, there are many ways to help everyone in the organization understand what’s going on and why. These include one-on-one discussions, group presentations, workshops or seminars, videos, printed materials, and the like.

The best approaches are personal and interactive. Rather than just presenting the changes or improvement plan, effective education and communication engages everyone in discussions that deepens understanding and provides feedback, options, and further ideas to the team guiding the improvement effort. That’s why workshops or seminars featuring presentations and discussions by senior managers are such an effective educational tool in the improvement process.

Following are the key components in roughly the order they might be used in an educational workshop or seminar. Obviously those points that will be the most important to the audience, the organization’s culture, and the direction management is trying to move toward need to be stressed or highlighted.

Why Should We Change or Improve? — this is the first and most critical step. Changes and improvements that’s don’t seem to have solid reasons behind them look whimsical. They will (and should) be resisted. Those reasons should talk in terms of the audience’s interests.

Balancing Leadership, Management, and Technology — everyone needs to understand this critical balance. Managers might pinpoint where the organization or team is now, and what needs to change in order to move to a better balance.

Self-Leadership — leadership is an action not a position. The organization needs to be “leaderful.” In today’s fast-changing world, we need everyone to be proactive and take the initiative to continuously improve themselves, their teams, and the organization.

Focus and Context — the team or organization vision, values, and purpose need to be clear and compelling. We can also help everyone develop their personal Focus and Context and look for ways to align their own with those of their team and the organization.

Customers/Partners — understanding and drawing a customer-partner chain (with performance gap data if available) that puts the audience we’re working with into the middle of the big picture.

Organizational Learning and Innovation — outline and discuss how the organization is searching for deeper latent/unmet needs, exploring new markets, experimenting, and learning from clumsy tries. Then clarify the role and involvement of the audience.

Team and Organization Goals and Priorities — present and discuss team and/or organization’s strategic imperatives, improvement targets, and key measures. Outline and discuss the cascading goals and objectives along with the ongoing review process the audience will be involved in.

The Improvement Model, Plan, and Process — introduce, update, or clarify the improvement model being used and why. Walk through all the sub-components and the plans that have been developed (or are developing) for this planning period. These should include improvement structure and process, process management, teams, skill development, measurement and feedback, organization structure and systems, continuing education and communication strategies, reward and recognition, and plans for regularly reviewing, assessing, celebrating, and refocusing the improvement process.

Improvement Tools, Techniques, Principles and Practices — introduce or review the methods that the team and/or organization will be using. Discuss how this group will be trained and expected to use the improvement tools and approaches.

Next Steps — explain what’s going to happen next and how the audience can expect — and will be expected — to become further involved in the improvement effort.

Reprinted with the permission of Jim Clemmer whose practical leadership & personal growth books, workshops, and team retreats have helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide improve personal, team, and organizational performance. An international best-selling author, his latest book is Growing @ the Speed of Change. Visit http://www.JimClemmer.com for more information on his books, monthly newsletter, and leadership blog.