HomeAdditionPlus.com Monthly Newsletter

Home Improvement News for the DIY Homeowner

April 2009            Edition: 0040

HomeAdditionPlus.com April, 2009 Newsletter

Well spring is certainly in the air here in southern New Hampshire. The snow is all gone and the grass is turning green. As a matter of fact, after completing this newsletter I plan to rotate out the snow blower with the lawnmowers.  The process involves “summerizing” the snow blower by draining the gas from it, and then preparing the lawnmowers for use. Typically to prep the lawnmowers I change the oil and air filters, clean the sparkplugs, sharpen the blades, and sometimes even clean the carburetors if necessary.

Over the past month I have been busy having a new hardwood floor installed in our family room and a laminate floor in our kitchen.  Due to time constraints I decided to have the floors installed by local contractors. Besides saving me time, I figured I was also helping our nation’s economy by providing my own version of a small economic stimulus package. I did however go through the process of pre and post floor installation work, including the removal and replacement of baseboard molding and door trim, and the removal of old carpet and tile.  I saved myself nearly a quarter of the total cost of the floor installation projects by undertaking these tasks myself. I was also able to create another new video on installing baseboard trim. If you want to learn how to install your own baseboard trim and make coped cuts and scarf joints see my video on Installing Baseboard Trim.

I also wrote a short article on basement conversions and what three key features are necessary in determining if your home’s basement is right for converting into finished living space. Basement remodeling projects are still one of the best ways to invest in your home to gain more living space. They are also one of the most affordable home remodeling projects you can tackle, and are ideal for Do It Yourself homeowners. See my article on Basement Conversions to see if your basement is right for a conversion.

With the winter over, and the threat of errant snowplow blades gone, I also decided to replace our dilapidated mailbox post and mailbox. Take a look at my new article on “How to Install a New Mailbox Post and Mailbox” if your mailbox post is in need of replacement.

I also wrote a few new articles on interior doors and French doors. In these articles I provide some helpful buying guide and installation tips on interior doors and French doors. French doors are not only functional but are also an extremely nice way to accent the interior of your home.

Finally, over the past month or so I have been studying and upgrading my amateur radio license (call sign - WB1FXS). I held a Novice License for the past 31 years and decided it was time to upgrade. I decided to go all the way to the top and just passed the exam for the Extra license. With my new amateur radio privileges I went out and upgraded my radio station and installed a new GR5V multiband antenna. If you have any interest in amateur radio, check out my article on “Installing a GR5V Dipole Antenna”. It was a lot of fun installing the antenna and I have already worked 3 continents on it. 
 

As always, if you have any specific home improvement questions or would like to see specific new home improvement related content send your questions to me at mark@homeadditionplus.com.

Again, good luck with your DIY home improvement projects and the spring days!

Mark J. Donovan

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