You can get the iRobot Roomba 980 WiFi Vacuum right now on sale for $174.99 (reg. $249). The Roomba 980 is a wifi-enabled vacuum with a three-stage cleaning system and dual multi-surface rubber brushes. You can use the iRobot Home app, Alexa, or Google Assistant to control the Roomba 980, and it can run wirelessly for up to 120 minutes before it needs to automatically return to its charger. Once the Roomba is fully charged, it'll continue cleaning where it left off. This product is marked as "New Open Box," meaning its box had been opened but it's been verified to be in new condition.
You can get the iRobot Roomba 980 on sale for $174.99 right now (reg. $249), though prices can change at any time.
When you buy a house, chances are you’re going to find at least a few incomprehensible decisions made by your home’s previous occupant. When those decisions involve important infrastructure—what look like stopgap repairs, or projects that seem like temporary fixes that became permanent over time—the urge to just rip them out and do them over the right way is often overwhelming. “What were they thinking?” you might wonder as you swing that sledgehammer.
And then, disaster. You remove an oddly placed planter in your backyard that’s ruining the layout, only to discover it was diverting water from your foundation—and now you have a flood. You find a basement window well covered in ugly, thick plastic, which you tear out to replace with a more attractive mesh—and a few months later a small jungle is growing in that well. Assuming previous owners were dumb or lazy is an easy way to make a lot more problems for your house. The best way to defend against this is second-order thinking, or what’s known as Chesterton’s Fence.
What is "Chesterton’s Fence"?
First-order thinking is simple stuff: You conceptualize an action and an immediate consequence. Consider that weird planter: The first-order thought is, I’ll remove that planter and my yard will look better. Second-order thinking is more abstract, and takes into account where the consequence of that action will lead—sometimes called the “consequences of the consequences.” The second-order thought asks: What else happens if I remove the planter? Will the water drainage shift? Will something be exposed that needs to be covered up? Will I disturb an ancient grave and unleash evil forces on my home?
The concept of Chesterton’s Fence wraps this concept up in a mental exercise. The concept comes from G. K. Chesterton’s book of essays, The Thing: Why I Am a Catholic, published in 1929. In it he describes someone coming across a gate across a road that seems to serve no purpose. One sort of “reformer,” he argues, assumes that if he can’t see the purpose there isn’t any purpose, and removes the gate. A “more intelligent” person won’t do anything until they can understand why it was put there in the first place.
Understand why something was done before you do anything about it
The idea of understanding why something was done before you remove or reverse it is key if you want to avoid home renovation disasters. Homeowners often make quick, DIY repairs that become permanent—because they work, despite not being the correct material or not using the correct techniques. And that original homeowner might be the only person who remembers the why of something.
Consider the dripping valve in an unheated garage. You buy a house and discover that a loose valve in the garage is always dripping a small amount of water. It’s an easy fix, and you feel very capable and handy. And then a few weeks later the pipe freezes and bursts, because the previous homeowner learned to just let it drip all the time. Taking a moment to stipulate that the drip might not have been negligence or ignorance and asking yourself why it was left loose might have led you to at least investigate the reason—and possibly saved you a lot of trouble and money.
Next time you notice some strange decision made by a previous owner in your house, don’t immediately suit up and start ripping the offending bit. Stop and do some second-order thinking, asking yourself why the decision was made in the first place. Only when you understand that can you safely proceed with your own plans. Doing this will save you a lot of time and trouble over the years.
For most of my life, birds haven't interested me much, but sometime in the pandemic, I started adding bird feeders to my garden, and now I am completely charmed by my new visitors. The number one threat to bird feeders are squirrels—animals which, historically, I am quite fond of—but I’ve managed to create an environment where squirrels and birds can coexist on my property.
I have read every treatise on squirrel mitigation (and have tried just about everything), but here is what has worked for me.
You shouldn't try to keep away squirrels altogether
The single best mitigation strategy I have for squirrels is to simply give them their own feeder. Squirrels are trainable, like most animals, and if you give them food they like in an easily accessible manner, they’re not going to care much about your bird feeders.
This strategy doesn’t just protect your feeder; it also distracts squirrels from ransacking your garden. Squirrel feeders are also, for the record, delightful. They range from basic horizontaljar feeders to more elaborate squirrel saloon situations. I myself went for an English tea feeder.
Credit: Amanda Blum
Choose the right bird feeder
Once you have something that's enticing to the squirrels, you can move onto a better bird feeder. In my opinion, the best squirrel-proof bird feeders are those that are pressure sensitive, and will simply close the seed portholes when there is too much weight on the feeder. (Birds do not have enough weight, but squirrels do.) The best I’ve tried and keep going back to are produced by Roamwild. They have multiple kinds of squirrel proof feeders and the free-hanging versions work very well.
Window bird feeders, as much as I enjoy them, are just squirrel bait. They’re just too easy for squirrels to get to (either from your roof line or a windowsill) and unfortunately even my Roamwild window feeder ultimately failed the squirrel test. It’s not just that squirrels will grab the food, either. Their weight on the feeder, particularly as they leap to it, will be too much for the suction cups and cause the feeder to fall, eventually breaking it.
Use multiple squirrel mitigation strategies
Even with the right bird feeder, you still need a multi-faceted approach to squirrel management. This begins by choosing the right location, meaning that it's more than 10 feet from overhanging branches, roofs, or any sort of structure a squirrel could leap from, including hanging lights. This includes lower structures like patio chairs or raised beds. The pole for your bird feeder should be far enough away so that it stands a fighting chance. This isn't an option for every home, of course, but it is an important factor.
The bird feeder should also have a baffle over it, which is a clear dome that you hang the feeder from. The squirrels can’t climb over it, so it’s harder for them to access the feeder from the top. While squirrel baffles exist for under your feeder, I haven’t found them effective. What has been effective is a cheap Slinky. Attach one end to the feeder and let the other end fall to the ground, unwound. Squirrels seem to struggle with the mechanism of climbing the coils.
You can try squirrel-proof feed, too
It’s believed that squirrels can’t handle cayenne, while birds don’t care about the spiciness of the seeds, so bird food with added cayenne may help. I have had limited success with this, but as per the multi-faceted method, you should try a little bit of everything.
I think it also comes down to the fact that some people are just determined to see squirrels as the enemy. I’ve found far more success seeing them as part of the ecosystem rather than trying to exclude them from it entirely, which is a losing battle. I suspect that, like birds, once you start feeding them and paying attention to them, you’ll find the charm in them, too.
The moment someone builds a house, nature begins the process of destroying it. This can be a shockingly fast process, as when a natural disaster sweeps through the area and erases the house, or it can be a slow, grinding process of weather and time picking away at the structure bit by bit.
That’s why houses are always clad in siding of some sort. Siding keeps the sun, wind, and rain off the structural aspects of the home, extending its life. But siding isn’t cheap. The average cost of siding a house these days is $12,690, but the high end tops out over $20,000. The good news? It’s a terrific investment. Not only does siding protect your overall investment in the home, it has a very high return on investment (ROI) (typically between 75% and 85%). Plus, the boost to your home’s curb appeal that fresh siding provides can translate into an increase in property value of as much as 10%.
There are a lot of siding options for your house. Here’s a rundown of your choices and how to decide whether they'll work for you.
Vinyl siding
Vinyl siding is basically plastic, but don’t let that fool you. While early versions of vinyl siding were prone to cracking and looked kind of cheap, modern vinyl siding comes in a wide range of styles and colors and is one of the most durable siding materials around.
Pros: Vinyl siding is relatively affordable, averaging about $11,100 per installation. It’s also a flexible choice, as you can find vinyl in a wide variety of styles mimicking wood or other materials.
Cons: While vinyl can last decades with proper maintenance, it can also fade within a decade or two, and is generally considered to have a lifespan of about 20 years or so, which is shorter than other materials.
When to choose: When cost is a main consideration.
Metal siding
Metal siding, typically aluminum or steel (although other metals like copper can be used), is a durable siding material with a distinctive look. Costs range from $8,374 to $22,942 depending on the material and size of the house.
Pros: Most metal siding will last between 30-50 years, and it’s very low maintenance. It also offers a distinctive look to your home.
Cons: Metal is durable, but it weathers unpredictably. Dents, scratches, or some sort of patina aren’t uncommon, and while it won’t undermine the function of the siding, it might undermine your style. Metal is also a poor insulator and sound barrier and can conduct sound into the house.
When to choose: When durability and longevity are primary concerns, but you don’t want the look of brick or stone.
Wood siding
Wood siding comes in a lot of different forms, including old-school clapboard (which most vinyl siding seeks to imitate), split logs (for that cabin feel), board and batten (for a farmhouse look), and shakes and shingles (for that New England port town look). There are also manufactured (aka engineered) versions made from a combination of wood fibers and a resin binder. In general, wood siding will run you an average of $19,300, though it can go much higher depending on the specific style and type of wood you choose.
Pros: Classic, traditional look. Environmentally friendly, as its manufacture doesn’t require any toxic materials and it’s a renewable material.
Cons: Requires more maintenance. While wood siding can last decades, it often requires cleaning and sealing every so often, and is vulnerable to rot and insect infestation (like termites, a word that strikes fear into any homeowner’s heart).
When to choose: When you want a cozy old-school look, or you want to worry less about the environmental impact of your house.
Fiber cement siding
Made from Portland cement, silica, and wood fiber, like vinyl fiber cement siding can mimic the look of wood or other textures while offering superior durability.
Pros: This stuff lasts: You should get at least 50 years out of fiber cement siding. It’s also comparable to vinyl in terms of cost, with most installations running about $15,000. It’s also very easy to maintain.
Cons: Like vinyl, it can look a little artificial compared to wood or metal.
When to choose: If you’re looking for the same flexibility as vinyl, but you want a more durable material.
Brick and stone siding
When you think of “siding” you might think of the traditional planks of vinyl siding or wood shingles. But anything that covers your home’s exterior is siding, and that includes brick and stone facades.
Pros: Brick and stone siding offers a classic, traditional look. It’s also very low maintenance, and can last as long as 100 years if properly maintained.
Cons: Expense. Brick siding can run an average of $22,500 to install, while stone siding can go as high as an eye-popping $72,000, depending on the size of your house.
When to choose: When you want your siding to outlive you with minimal maintenance.
Stucco siding
Stucco is an old-school siding choice made by combining cement with sand or lime and applying it to a lathe of some kind (typically metal screening) attached to the exterior of the home.
Pros: It’s very flexible in terms of color, and provides superior energy efficiency because it forms a seal around the home, keeping the outside air outside. It’s also price-friendly, with an average cost of under $10,000.
Cons: Stucco is porous, and won’t do as well in cold or damp climates. It’s also maintenance-intensive, as weather and settling can create cracking that will need repair on a relatively regular basis.
When to choose: When costs or energy efficiency are the main thing.
Other considerations
Of course, part of choosing siding for your home will be your neighborhood. You may not want to have a dramatically different style of house (or you may not be allowed to have a dramatically different house if you have a homeowners association). Keep the look of your home as it pertains to the rest of the community in mind when choosing siding.
Another consideration is the installation process: If you’re looking to DIY your siding to save some money, you might choose vinyl siding (even if you don’t love the look) because it’s definitely something you can do yourself.
Whatever siding you choose will improve your home’s curb appeal, comfort, and longevity, so there’s no really wrong choice here. You just need to balance cost, durability, and aesthetics.
Better lighting can increase your home's safety—adding visibility will reduce trip hazards in dark hallways or stairwells, for example—and improve energy efficiency to save you money on your electricity bill. Upgraded lighting may also add value to your home when you go to sell. Here are six ways to improve your home's lighting.
Capitalize on natural light
Making your home brighter doesn't necessarily require adding a lot of artificial light (which will run up your energy bill). Natural light is free and good for your mood. You can capitalize on the natural light in your home by painting your walls lighter colors and your ceilings white, as well as placing mirrors strategically in hallways or corners and choosing sunshades or sheer curtains over heavy drapes. Keeping your windows clean helps, too.
If you have the budget for bigger renovations, larger windows and skylights as well as lighter floors and tiling can also increase how much light is let into and reflected around your home.
Keep light consistent from room to room
Having bright lights in one room and dim in another or frequent temperature variations from warm to cool requires your eyes to constantly adjust. You should consider lighting options based on the room's function and whether you need ambient, task, or accent lighting (or a mix of all three), but avoid sharp contrasts from one space to the next. Choose a consistent color temperature and wattage range—just make sure you choose the right bulbs (ideally more efficient ones) for your lamps and fixtures.
Light fixtures that point toward walls and ceilings as well as frosted glass coverings and lampshades can diffuse harsh light and reduce glare, which is easier on the eyes. Install upward-facing lighting on the tops of cabinets as well as lighting at a range of height levels, from table lamps to floor lamps to wall and ceiling fixtures. Recessed ceiling fixtures can also create softer lighting.
Brighten your kitchen and bathroom
Your kitchen and bathroom come with potential hazards, such as slipping while bathing and handling sharp or hot items while cooking, that can be mitigated with better lighting. Light strips or LED pucks work well under cabinets to illuminate your counters as well as cupboards and pantries. It's also a good idea to have a separate light fixture in your shower or above your bathtub.
Increase flexibility with smart lights and dimmer switches
Upgrading to smart bulbs allows you to control your lights from anywhere via app or voice assistant as well as set up routines that fit your changing illumination needs throughout the day, whether that's brightness or color hue. You can also install manual dimmers to increase or decrease brightness of overhead fixtures as needed.
As your electricity bills increase, you might consider turning to alternative energy sources to lower costs. With solar energy making alternative energy sources more accessible, and manufacturers of wind turbines (aka windmills) developing new technology that makes them more practical for an individual home, it’s worth looking into if wind-driven electricity is right for you.
The different types of residential wind turbines
Residential wind turbines essentially come in the same configurations that you might see in industrial and commercial applications, but scaled down for individual homes. The most common design is the horizontal axis turbine with two or three blades, but there are also vertical axis turbines with a variety of designs that can be installed in a residential application. The vertical axis turbines sometimes take up less space, so they can be helpful if you don’t have the space for a horizontal axis windmill.
How much you might pay for a residential turbines
The average household can expect to pay $50,000 for windmill installation, since the typical price per kilowatt is between $4,000 to $8,000 on average, according to the Colorado State University Extension Service. While this is definitely not a small investment, there are various tax credits that can save you up to 30% on installation through the inflation reduction act, and you might also be eligible for state or local credits towards the purchase of a windmill. Check on your eligibility for the US Department of Energy tax credits as well as for local programs that encourage solar and wind energy source installation.
If you are using a wind turbine as a backup power source to charge a whole house battery or to supplement another power source like solar panels, you can find a small, 1.5 kilowatt, vertical axis wind turbine for as little as $500.
Are residential wind turbines efficient?
While windmills can be pricey, they're extremely efficient. To compare them to solar panels, which are about 20% efficient, windmills are about 50% efficient on average and can reach up to 59% efficiency in optimal conditions, according to the World Economic Forum. This can mean a significant savings on your energy bill—a wind turbine can pay for itself between six and 20 years from installation.
How to estimate the size wind turbine you need
Most residential homes use between 800 and 900 kilowatt hours of electricity each month, according to the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. To make a dent in your energy bill, you’ll need a wind turbine that can generate between five and 15 kilowatts. To get a more accurate idea of how much power your home usually uses, you can take a look at your electric bill and average your monthly kilowatt hours usage per month. Once you know about how much power your turbine will need to produce for your particular home, an expert will need to assess wind conditions in your yard to calculate the size blades you will need for your turbine. Residential turbine blades can range from four feet to upwards of 50 feet depending on the wind speed, so a wind turbine probably isn’t for you if your average wind speed requires, say, a 100 foot windmill.
Drawbacks of installing a wind turbine
Because wind turbines have moving parts, they tend to require more maintenance than solar panels. Since the blades can be damaged by storms and even by winds that are too fast, they need to be serviced more frequently than solar panels. Wind turbines only work when the wind is blowing, and although they will continue to produce power in the dark and on cloudy days, they can’t generate electricity if there’s no wind. This unpredictability makes them an impractical option as a sole power source in most situations. Wind turbines can also be noisy and some people don’t find them to be visually appealing, so that can be a drawback as well.
One of the major drivers of monthly utility bills is the cost of heating and cooling your home. While insulating your attic or crawlspace can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system, there’s another step you can take to keep your home cooler during the summer months as well as reducing your overall energy usage: a cool roof. A cool roof is an addition to your overall cooling efficiency system that can save you money on your AC bill.
How a cool roof works
A cool roof is designed to reflect more sunlight from the surface of your roof than a traditional roof, making it more efficient to keep your home cool in hot weather. Similar to how wearing light-colored clothing in the sun can keep you cooler, a cool roof can reflect infrared as well as visible wavelengths of light to prevent heat from being absorbed into the roof and heating up your home. There are a variety of materials that can reflect heat from a roof, sometimes involving lighter colored materials, but also incorporating materials that reflect infrared wavelengths without changing the appearance of your roof much.
The pros of installing a cool roof
A cool roof can reduce the exterior temperature of your roof on a hot day by about 50 degrees, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Cool roofs can cool down a home to safer levels even without air conditioning, and can give your existing air conditioner a boost, reducing your energy bill. In some cases, the exterior temperature reduction of a cool roof can extend the life of your roof by reducing wear due to heat on your roofing materials.
The cons of installing a cool roof
If you live in a cold climate, a cool roof can cause an increase to your home heating costs. In climates where what’s known as the "winter heating penalty" outstrips the energy savings of your cool roof, you should avoid installing a cool roof.
If you have an existing roof that’s in good shape, replacing it with a cool roof can be costly.
The types of cool roofs
There are a variety of materials that can be used to make a cool roof. The options available can depend on the slope of your roof, the climate you live in, and aesthetic choices.
For steep roofs (more than 2:12 pitch):
Ceramic coated asphalt shingles
Lighter colored wood shingles or shakes
Composite shingles that are light in color or have IR reflective coating
Light colored or cool coated terracotta or clay tiles
Light colored of cool coated concrete tiles
Light colored or cool coated metal shingles or tiles
For low-slope roofs (less than 2:12 pitch):
Light colored or cool coated single-ply membrane
A built-up roof with a cap sheet that has a reflective mineral coating or an added layer of reflexive marble or gray slag
A modified bitumen sheet membrane with a mineral coating or an added reflective coating
A spray foam roof
For steep or low-sloped roofs
A standing-seam metal roof can be used on either a steep or low-sloped roof, and can be coated similarly to metal shingles or tiles with a light color or IR (infrared) reflective finish to make it cooler.
Green roofs
Green roofs can reduce the interior temperature of your home as well, and while their installation can be complicated, a modular green roof system can save you some money on your project and provide many of the benefits of a built-in green roof.
When is the right time to install a cool roof?
Once your current roof is due for replacement, a cool roof can be installed for a similar price to a traditional roof. Replacing a perfectly good traditional roof with a cool product will be more expensive than waiting, but if you have a metal roof or a membrane roof, you can likely apply a cool coating to your existing roof, even if it’s not time for a total roof replacement.
Living in an older house is, for many reasons, an experience. From architectural details you don’t see anymore, to layers of paint and wallpaper, to custom built-ins, there are features hidden everywhere.
Some quirks of older homes, however, are hard to ignore, let alone miss—like a leaky basement, teeny tiny closets, or flickering electricity—which relators routinely label as “character” and/or “charm.” Creaky hardwood floors also fall into this category.
It’s one thing for them to betray you at night, making noises as you attempt to sneak into the kitchen unnoticed to grab a snack. But older floors also have a tendency to make squeaking and cracking sounds even if no one in the house is up and about. And even though you know it’s not an extra set of footsteps, your mind can play some pretty mean tricks on you in the dark.
Luckily, you have options for how to address the problem and get your floors to quiet down.
Reasons your floor might be creaking
Over time, the fasteners that hold your subfloor to the joists or the hardware holding your flooring material down can become loose. In older homes, the nails holding things together can eventually begin backing out, allowing the floor to move. If space develops between the floor joists and the subfloor or between the flooring material and the subfloor, the wood will often make a creaking sound as it rubs against itself under pressure from footsteps.
How to stop wood floors from making noise
Lisa Kaplan Gordon writes in an article for Realtor.com, “Squeaks happen when a house settles and wood flooring dries and then expands. This causes the floorboards to rub against each other, or against the subfloor, or against the nail casings.”
Fortunately, she also has some ideas for how to stop the squeak. But first, you have to locate its source—something she says is a two-person job.
Have one person go down to the level of the house below the noisy floor (so if the creak is on the ground floor, head to the basement), while the other walks around on the squeaky floor. The person on the lower level should be able to pinpoint exactly (or approximately) where the sound is originating.
From there, you have several options, depending on whether you want a quick fix or something more permanent, and whether you want (or more realistically, are able) to tackle the problem from above or below.
From below
According to Gordon, a few of the ways to fix the noisy floor from below include:
Spreading some construction adhesive or carpenter’s glue on a thin wood shim, and then gently tapping it between the joists and subfloor, or two floorboards, “taking care not to pound so hard that you raise or buckle the floor,” she notes.
If there’s a bigger gap, you can use a caulking gun to fill it with construction adhesive between the subfloor and the joist.
From above
Meanwhile, here are some ways to go about quieting your floors from above, once again, per Gordon:
Sprinkle talcum powder into the noisy cracks, cover the area with a towel or cloth, and carefully walk over it so everything settles. “The powder works as a lubricant that stops the rubbing that causes the noise,” she explains.
“Drive ring-shank flooring nails (covered with little rings that prevent the nail from backing out over time) or cement-covered flooring nails into the seams between rubbing parts,” Gordon says.
If the squeak is caused by the floorboards being separated from the subfloor, you can drive two nails at opposite 45-degree angles into joists (which you can locate with a stud finder), then use wood filler on the holes.
Try supporting the subfloor
The hardware holding your subfloor to the joists can become loose over time. Nails can begin to back out and the boards are then free to rub against their neighbors, causing a creaking sound. If your floor is squeaking because the subfloor is moving against itself, there are a few more things you can try.
If the subfloor is accessible from underneath in a basement, you can try adding a support or cleat to the underside of the subfloor boards. Cut a piece of one-by-three or one-by-four to fit in between the floor joists of the problem area. Then use a pilot bit to drill two pilot holes to either side of the board. Using some short screw (1.5- or 1.25-inch), screw your cleat into the underside of the sub floor through your pilot holes.
If the subfloor is accessible, you can also try toe screwing the offending subfloor board into the floor joist. Drill a pilot hole at an angle through the joist neighboring the offending subfloor board. Then, using a two-inch screw, drive the screw diagonally through the joist into the subfloor board.
Try lubricating the neighboring surfaces
Because the creaks are caused by neighboring boards rubbing against each other, you can alleviate some of the problem by lubricating the areas where the boards are rubbing. While this is a temporary solution and will need to be redone periodically, it's a quick and simple way to address the issue.
Rub some beeswax into the cracks of your floor where the squeaking is coming from. Walk back and fourth on the area and then reapply your beeswax. Repeat this process until your beeswax has been well worked into the area. When you're finished, you should hear no squeak.
If you have engineered hardwood or vinyl floors laid overtop of an existing floor, it might not be held onto the surface below with adhesive. If that's the case, you can use a floor lubricant to address the problem area.
Every local government has a set of building codes on the books, and it’s the responsibility of every property owner to adhere to those codes. Building codes ensure that every property is safe to inhabit and doesn’t present a threat to the safety of people around it. It’s in everyone’s interest that you keep your home “to code,” which is why you need to pull a permit when doing major repairs or renovations to your house (and why you should look into the permit history of any property you’re considering buying).
Most regular, minor maintenance projects don’t require permits—but they can trigger erroneous code violations. Most municipalities employ code enforcement professionals who respond to complaints and who can—and often do—make visual observations of the properties in the local area they cover. That means that if a neighbor files a complaint about a perceived code violation or an inspector sees something from the street that looks like a code violation, you might receive a code enforcement notice, which could include a fine as well as a requirement to pay for retroactive permits, or possibly to have the work removed if it’s deemed a violation of the existing building codes.
Reasons for a notice
The specific laws governing code enforcement, inspections, and violations vary from locality to locality, so you’ll have to do some research to familiarize yourself with your local laws. In general, code enforcement inspectors can’t just enter your private property without a legally binding court order (e.g., a warrant). But if they see something from the street, they can issue a violation based on that.
Sometimes, maintenance work can be misinterpreted. For example, if you have concrete steps in front of your house and you patch some cracks or apply a top coat to both refresh and protect them, it might look like you’re doing masonry work without a permit. If an inspector—or a nosy neighbor—notices, you might get an erroneous enforcement order. Other commonly misinterpreted maintenance projects include any roof work, window repairs, or sidewalk repair.
Don't bother trying to sue
One thing to be clear on: Even if you feel like the code enforcement officer (or neighbor) is maliciously targeting you and citing you for code violations in bad faith, you probably can’t sue the inspector. Like most government employees, code enforcement officers are usually considered to have some form of qualified immunity against legal action.
You might be able to sue the county or city government, but proving a conspiracy to target your home with violations is going to be tough. Your best course of action is going to be going through the legal channels outlined below instead of calling your lawyer and vowing to salt the earth with your litigation.
Steps to take
If you receive a code enforcement notice concerning maintenance work that didn’t require a permit, or permitted work that you believe was done to code, take the following steps:
Gather documentation. First, get your ducks in a row. This is especially crucial if the inspector is incorrect about an aspect of your project. If the repair was a minor, superficial change (like a topcoat on a set of concrete steps), be prepared to show receipts for materials purchased and to describe in detail the work performed. Take photos, as the inspector may not have been able to get close enough to see what’s really going on (and if you have any kind of time-stamped “before” photos or video, even better)
Research. You should know the code you’ve been accused of violating. Decoding these can be challenging, so you might consider consulting a contractor or engineer if you know one. A good starting place to see your state’s building codes is here; although your local county or municipality may have their own code, the state code is a good starting place. You don’t need to be an expert overnight, but if you can speak intelligently as to the specific violation you’re accused of, you’ll have a better chance of getting the violation dismissed.
Contact the appropriate department. The enforcement notice will include contact information for the appropriate department in your local government. Use it. Armed with your evidence, respond in writing and clearly explain a) the purpose and scope of the work; b) why it did not require a permit (or evidence that you actually did pull a permit for it); and c) anything else that seems relevant. Following up with a phone call isn’t a bad idea—but don’t be angry or insulting.
If you truly didn’t violate any local building codes, this will usually be sufficient to clear up the problem. Sometimes the enforcement office will dismiss the violation if you make adjustments to your work even if you did inadvertently violate the building code.
Pull retroactive permits. If it turns out that you should have pulled a permit for your project, you may be able to apply for a retroactive permit, which is simply a permit issued after work has concluded, and scheduling the required inspections. This might require you to undo some portion of the work if the inspectors need to see inside something (and might possibly entail a small fine) but usually won’t require tearing everything out and starting from scratch.
Not all localities offer retroactive permits, however, so don’t assume you can do the work and apologize later.
Attend a hearing. If you can’t resolve the matter with a letter of explanation or other action, there will almost certainly be a hearing scheduled for your case (again, the exact procedure will vary depending on your location—here is how it works in King County, Washington as a random example; you should research the procedures followed in your area). Generally, though, this is just what it sounds like—you will usually have an opportunity to present your case, and a decision will be rendered regarding the alleged violation. You’re usually allowed to have an attorney if you want one, though it’s not required.
At the end of the hearing, a final decision will be reached regarding your violation. You might be able to appeal it, if you want to keep fighting, but at this point paying a small fine and cutting your losses might be your best option.
If you’re like me, you spend a lot of your time worrying about all the ways your house can literally disappear. Fire, for example, is exceptionally efficient at transforming your cozy house from the place where you play video games and make poor dietary decisions into a smoldering pile of insurance claims. And house fires aren’t exactly uncommon: In 2022 there were more than 374,000 residential fires in the U.S. alone. Wildfires are always in the news—and they’re getting worse (thanks, climate change!)—but you don’t need one to see your house go up in smoke: Nearly half of residential fires are started in the kitchen.
The good news is that you can take some pretty simple—and very affordable—steps to make your home more fireproof no matter how old it is, where it’s located, or how it was designed and built. By adding these components gradually, you can keep costs manageable while slowly reducing your risk of fire.
Paints, sprays, and coatings
Fire needs fuel to burn, and your home is basically made out of fuel. Just about everything in a house—especially a wood-framed house—will cheerfully burn once fire shows up.
Paint. One cheap way to at least slow down a fire is to use a fire-retardant paint. These paints are typically what are known as “intumescent paint.” They work by forming a protective coating (or "char") over their surface when they encounter flames. That protective coating prevents the fire from spreading—at least for a while. If you’re going to paint the house anyway, you can easily sub in fire-retardant paint and make the place more fireproof at the same time.
Sprays. You can also purchase a fire-retardant fabric spray that can make your curtains, upholstery, carpets, and other fabrics a little harder to burn, which can at least slow down a fire in your home. Just be sure to test it out before you just go spraying it everywhere to make sure it doesn’t stain or otherwise ruin your stuff.
Exterior. Choosing a fire-resistant siding will harden your house just a little more against flames spreading from exterior sources. Cement siding, stucco, brick, and metal siding will act as a firebreak. If you have wood siding, you can purchase inexpensive coatings that will improve its fire resistance substantially, though keep in mind you’ll need to re-apply every few years to maintain its fire-resistant properties.
Roof. Roofing materials are classified in terms of fire-resistance: Class A materials (which include clay, concrete, slate, and metal roofs) are the most fire-resistant. If you’re not looking to spend copious amounts of money on a new roof right now, you can also purchase roof coatings that can be applied DIY-fashion that will make your roof fire resistant in addition to protecting it from the sun, weather, and other damage.
Clear debris
Even if you don’t live in an area prone to wildfires, there’s one simple thing you can do to make your home more fire-resistant: Create a firebreak around your home. This can be as simple as clearing away any combustible debris, like dead leaves, branches, and other flammable materials. You can also trim back trees so branches don’t come close to the roof. Removing anything that could transmit flames to your home reduces the chances that a fire in another house spreads to yours.
Building materials
Fire-rated windows and doors. If you want to harden your home further against potential fires, replacing your front door with a 90-minute fire door like this one and swapping out your windows for fire-rated, heat-reflecting windows like these can make a difference. This isn’t exactly a cheap project (especially the windows), but these windows and doors will stand up to the intense heat of a fire a lot longer, preventing it from engulfing your house and potentially giving the fire department time to put out the flames.
Fire-resistant insulation. While most standard fiberglass insulation isn’t flammable itself, it’s usually backed by paper which very much is. Choosing insulation material like mineral wool can add a bit more fireproofing to your home if you’re already going to be opening walls or ceilings for other projects.
Spark management. Fires often spread when a spark or ember blows over to your home from another. Adding a chimney cap with a spark arrestor and ember-resistant vents to the exterior of your home can help prevent sparks from infiltrating your home. And cleaning out your dryer vent, which is packed with kindling, is an easy way to make your home slightly more fireproof than it was yesterday.
Welcome to "Best Summer Ever," your guide to making the most of the sunny season. Whether your idea of a perfect summer is embarking on epic adventures or blissfully doing as little as possible (preferably somewhere with good air conditioning), we've got you covered, because the best summer doesn't just happen. You have to make it happen.
There are two kinds of people: indoor people and outdoor people. With its interminable beach vacations, barbecues, and outdoor games, summer is definitely the season for outdoor people. But fear not, homebodies and agoraphobics: You can have the best summer ever too, if you invite summer into your life by turning your home into a cool oasis, marking the season with some new decor, and keeping yourself and your friends entertained until the blessed day when the fall comes back around.
Prepare your home for summer
If you missed the window for "spring cleaning" this year, don't despair—early summer cleaning works too. So transform your home from a dreary winter den to summer oasis by decluttering, deep-cleaning, and brightening the corners with some seasonal decor.
Clean and service your air conditioner: I'm putting this one up front because this summer will be global-warming hot, and keeping your air conditioner performing at peak efficiency is vital to a tolerable indoor summer.
You should clean your AC at least once a year. To clean a window unit, disconnect it from the power source, remove the cover, and get rid of dust that's accumulated on the coils, then use dish soap and water to get rid of the grime. Clean or replace the air filter in accordance with the owner's manual instructions, let everything dry, and put it back together. If you have central air, call a professional.
If you don't have an air conditioner, it's not too late to get one. Our sister site, PC Mag, recently did a guide to the best smart air conditioner of 2024, so if you're shopping, start there.
Create air flow: Air conditioning is king, but that doesn't mean you should hermetically seal your place until September. Open the windows and shades strategically during cooler summer mornings and evenings. Stick a fan in an upper window to suck the hot air out, while letting another fan circulate air inside. Nothing makes it feel like summer more than warm breezes blowing through.
Declutter: The beginning of summer is the perfect time to get rid of things you don't need anymore. So toss, donate, and store your junk and give yourself a clean summer-slate. If you find it hard to organize and declutter, Lifehacker's expert Lindsey Ellefson has laid out a ton of strategies to make it easier, so I won't belabor the point, but whether you use the Marie Kondo's famous KonMari method or the more indie rock ski-slope technique, it's the perfect time to get rid yourself of Winter-You's possessions so Summer-You can shine.
Deep cleaning: Now that's there's less stuff, it's easier to get in there and give everything a deep clean. Don't just straighten up—get in there and really do it. Clean the baseboards. Clean the oven. Be a civilized person. A clean house is a necessary foundation for enjoying everything else about your indoor summer. Plus, it's good for your mental health to have a clean place, and getting rid of dust, mold, and allergens is good for your physical health too.
Decorating tips for bringing a summertime vibe indoors
Now that your house is decluttered, cooled-off, and clean, let's talk about how to make it look and feel summery, because even if you're suspicious of the whole “going outside” part of summer, the power of the season's breezy vibe can’t be denied.
Summer decor: You can create a summertime feeling in your home without completely changing everything, going broke, dumping a truckload of sand in your living room like Brian Wilson, or surrendering to cheesy "life's a beach"-style decor that mars the season. Just getting a few new throw pillows, hanging some different drapes, and replacing your duvet cover with something season-appropriate will do a lot for making your place feel like an exotic bungalow in Tahiti. (Maybe that's overstating it a bit.)
The classic summer decorating style is bold patterns and sun-yellow, ocean-blue, or jungle green colors, but you can create a different, classy kind of summer vibe with serene linen fabrics and neutral colors. Or you can just go overboard and make it as ridiculous as possible; it's your summer.
Below are some pieces that might get your mind going:
Houseplants: Houseplants produce oxygen, improve your mood, and give your place an outdoorsy vibe. You can't go wrong with summer classics like a birds of paradise or spider plants—both are relatively easy to care for. If you want a really hardy plant, you could stick with hard-to-kill succulents or flowering cacti, and still project a summer vibe.
Make it smell like summer: Infusing your house with the scent of lemons or eucalyptus with essential oils makes it smell like summer too. Those are more idealized summer fragrances—if you want realism, you can make your house smell like summer in a tourist town by mixing a coconut-scented essential with the musk of stale beer. Thankfully, there is no essential oil for "New York Subway in August."
Indoor summer entertainment guide
To make the season feel like summer instead of warm-winter, you need to change up what you do as well as change how your house looks. Outside people take advantage of summer by traveling, going water-skiing, or participating in other interminable "activities" that can't be done in cold weather, but you can take a different approach and read books about people traveling, surfing, falling in love, and getting murdered instead.
Summer "beach" reading for shut-ins
You don't have to go to the beach to enjoy a "beachy" novel. I put together a list of summer novels below, but I must admit, the only one of these books I've read is Barbarian Days so I can't vouch for the rest personally. But they all have at least four stars on Amazon, and if you can't trust Amazon's readers, who can you trust?
People we Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry: Reading a book about a vacation while you're actually on vacation is way too on-the-nose, but if you're staying home, it's escapism.
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune: Romance at the beach is fun to read about, but way too sandy in real life.
The Trackers by Charles Frazier: This book is about an artist traveling during the Great Depression. I actually ordered it while researching this story.
One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole: Is there anything more beach read-y than a mystery novel?
Ultimate summer movie list
Along with reading trashy novels, you can spend your summer watching movies about summer too. I like classics, so here are the best summertime movies made before 1980.
Gidget (1959): The movie that introduced America to surfing, Gidget is a teen melodrama that is way better than it has any right to be.
Beach Party (1963): The first in a series of schlocky teen-sploitation starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, the breezy "ain't this fun?" vibe of Beach Party becomes deeper when you know that almost all the fun-loving teens onscreen are dead.
Lord of the Flies (1963): If you want a contrast to Beach Party that came out in the same year, check out this adaptation of Lord of the Flies. It's far superior to the more modern version.
American Graffiti (1973): George Lucas' first movie takes place over a single summer night in 1962 Modesto, Calif.
Jaws (1975): Spielberg's monster-shark movie invented the summer blockbuster. It is the GOAT.
Indoor socializing
Anyone serving time in prison will tell you that socializing is important even if you don't ever leave your house. You have to get your friends to come to you, of course, but now that you have a clean, breezy house with a summer look and a selection of classic summer movies to watch, it should be easy. You might find that your outdoorsy friends are only too happy to spend a low-key summer Saturday in an air conditioned house watching Annette Funicello movies and drinking margaritas. OK, maybe not, but you can sweeten the deal by serving up ones of these summer cocktails.
The mai tai: The mai tai is the best cocktail that has ever been invented, without a doubt, and no argument is possible—and it's even better in summer. Just don't order one in a bar unless you can trust the bartender to stick to the original recipe.
The classic margarita: The margarita is the drink most people associate with summer, but even though it's overly popular, the margarita is an undeniably great cocktail. It even stands up to variations (but the simple original is best).
Corona with lime: It's time we all admit that IPAs taste terrible. A light, refreshing Mexican pilsner like Corona with a wedge of lime in the bottle tastes great, and it's quintessentially summer.
The blue Hawaiian: The blue Hawaiian looks ridiculous, but if it's made correctly, it's not a syrupy sweet gross-out, despite it blue hue. Instead, it's a kitschy classic.
The ding-a-ling: In the 1983 movie Cocktail, Tom Cruise reels off a long list of gimmicky, vodka-and-schnapps-based cocktails that were popular at the time (sex on the beach, the Alabama slammer, etc.) But he also mentions a drink called a "ding-a-ling." No one knows how to make a ding-a-ling, or whether it ever even existed. I mention this because who doesn't like a summertime mystery?
The cucumber Collins: A mixture of gin, seltzer, cucumber, lime, and mint, the cucumber collins is a light, refreshing, sophisticated summer tipple.
Any cocktail made by the pitcher: What is summer if not the perfect time to mix up 10 drinks at once and share the pitcher until everyone is too sloppy to fill it up again?
Welcome to "Best Summer Ever," your guide to making the most of the sunny season. Whether your idea of a perfect summer is embarking on epic adventures or blissfully doing as little as possible (preferably somewhere with good air conditioning), we've got you covered, because the best summer doesn't just happen. You have to make it happen.
Summer is about to officially start, and that means it’s time to get your backyard into shape for the coming festivities. Every neighborhood has that one house with the banging backyard that’s comfortable, beautiful, and conducive to a chill party atmosphere—that one house everyone wants to be invited to. The secret to having the best summer hangout spot? Planning. You can’t just cross your fingers and throw something together. You have to make a plan and start executing it today if you want to have memorable hangouts all summer long.
Don’t worry, it’s not that hard—or even that expensive. All you have to do is supply comfortable seating, snacks and drinks, and some fun activities, and everyone will want to hang out in your backyard all the time. Just remember that with great power comes great responsibility; if you create the best summer hangout spot in the world, you’re obligated to share it with your friends and family on a regular basis. That’s international law. Here’s what you’ll need.
Seating and environment
Before you can host epic gatherings in your backyard, you need to make it an inviting place in a fundamental way. That means making sure people can hang out comfortably:
Seating. No one wants to sit on the ground, so bring in some comfortable seating. A flexible, modular seating area like this one from Wisteria Lane is a great idea because it can be arranged in various ways and includes a table for casual dining options. You could also go with a more formal option for outdoor dinners with a dining set. To encourage that sense of summertime laziness, a porch swing like this one that can also serve as a napping spot captures the vibe perfectly.
Rug. No matter how nice the deck, tile, or patio is back there, a high-quality outdoor rug makes people feel comfortable kicking off their shoes, and brings a needed dash of color and pattern to your outdoor space as well.
Lighting and shade. For daytime hangouts, a shade sail is a must unless you have a canopy or covered area to keep the sun off your guests on hot days. Alternatively, you could set up a geodesic dome tent like this or this in case of rainy or cooler weather. When the party stretches on into the evening you obviously need to light up the area—that’s where these smart lights come into play. You can program and schedule them to create any mood at any time, turning your backyard into a special place for any occasion.
Music. Every hangout needs some music to set the mood, but you don’t necessarily want to think about speakers all the time. These rock speakers are waterproof, solar-powered, and will blend right into your outdoor area seamlessly, creating a magical sense that the music is coming from everywhere at once.
Fire pit. Fire pits add visual interest to your backyard hangout area, but they provide a touch of warmth when the summer night gets a little chilly. This fire pit table runs on propane, so it can placed anywhere that works, and doubles as a table for drinks, instantly creating an intimate environment that encourages conversation.
Bug control. Finally, make sure your guests aren't swatting mosquitoes all night long with this rechargeable repeller from Thermacell. There’s no irritating zapping, scent, or smoke to get in people’s eyes—just a bug-free night.
Sustenance
Okay, you’ve got your crew over and you have a serene, comfortable spot for everyone to sit and chat. Now you have to follow the first rule of parties and feed them:
Kitchen. Sure, you have a grill—but why not upgrade to a full outdoor kitchen so you can whip up some truly memorable meals for your guests right there in the backyard?
Bar. Sure, a cooler full of cold drinks and a table laden with cocktail fixings will get the job done. But why not upgrade to an outdoor bar? Stock it with everything you need for some summery cocktails, and deploy the canopy if the weather’s proving to be uncooperative.
Beverage & snack tables. One thing about backyard gatherings: If you’ve done your job in terms of setting up a comfy spot for everyone to sit, no one’s going to want to get up just to get a snack. That’s where these folding and stake-able tables come in: They hold beverages and bowls of snacks and even come with a built-in bottle opener so folks can post up next to the cooler and not have to move.
Activities
Now everyone’s comfortably seated and enjoying their fave cocktails and some grub—the final piece of the puzzle for your world-class backyard hangout spot is entertainment:
Movies. A portable projector and a large outdoor movie screen are all you need to turn your backyard into the best movie theater known to man (or at least your neighborhood).
Yard games. Some classic yard games will keep everyone active and let them enjoy the sunny weather to the fullest. You can go classic with some cornhole or horseshoes, or go neo-classic with a pickleball court. Whatever games you and your friends are into, have them on hand to keep the party going.
Space is a big motivator when it comes to buying a house; sometimes it seems as if people start planning to buy a bigger house the moment they move into their current one. And yet, after years of growth, new houses have actually been getting smaller over the last few years, dropping from a median of 2,519 square feet in 2015 to just 2,191 last year.
The rule of thumb on square footage is that you need about 600 to 700 square feet per person living in a house, so if you’re a family of four you ideally want about 2,400-2,800 square feet. And adding square footage can pay off—every 1,000 square feet of additional space in your home can potentially boost your home’s value by 30%. There are several options for adding square footage to your home, but most depend on having space to expand into. If you lack outdoor space, can’t build up due to zoning laws or other barriers, and you have a shallow crawl space that’s not usable for any activity except crawling, you might ask yourself if you can solve your square footage problem by going down.
Can you? Possibly. Should you? That’s a more complicated question.
Digging out
Digging out a crawl space or shallow basement is just what it sounds like: You dig, removing the dirt and other debris currently forming the floor, lowering the floor until you have usable clearance above your head. It’s more complicated than that, of course: You also have to extend and reinforce the foundation and footings via underpinning or buttressing, and you have to figure out how to remove all that dirt.
There are many considerations involved when deciding whether it’s possible to dig out your crawl space:
Soil. The type and condition of the soil your house is built on is a big factor. Loose, sandy soil is more likely to collapse during the process.
Foundation. The type of foundation matters, too; older foundations made from bricks are less stable, especially if the mortar is sandy. Monolithic concrete foundations are better for dig outs.
If you consult with a structural engineer and decide it’s possible to dig out your crawl space and get that valuable square footage added to your house, you still have to decide if it’s worth it. And it very well may not be.
Considerations
There are a lot of potentially disastrous downsides to digging out your crawl space to create a basement you can then finish:
Cost: The total cost to dig out a crawl space and create a finished basement can be as much as $200,000. Even if you get that 30% bump in your home’s sale price, it’s going to be tough to get a solid ROI on that.
Risk: Homes can—and do—collapse when crawl spaces are dug out. Even when proceeding with extreme caution, digging out can weaken the foundation and cause it to shift, which can set off a chain reaction of failure that leaves you not only with no new basement, but also no house.
Cost, again: Because of that extra risk, you’d be well advised to buy extra insurance if you undertake the project—especially because catastrophic failure of your home’s stability can impact your neighbors on every side. You’d better be prepared for that kind of liability.
Time: This isn’t a quick job. It can take weeks to dig out a crawl space, and you may not be able to stay in the home during the process.
Bottom line
You’ve got a crawl space you try your best to never enter. You’re dreaming of a finished basement or accessory dwelling unit. Should you dig out your crawl space? Only if you answer "yes" to the following questions:
Do you have no other option to add square footage to your home?
Was your home built after 1950 or so?
Has a licensed structural engineer signed off?
Are you prepared for the cost and potential liability?
If your answer is "no" to any of these questions, put down that shovel and back away from your crawlspace.
A dog that likes to dig can pretty quickly destroy your yard. And though you can scold them when you catch them in the act, stopping the behavior entirely will likely require a bit more effort. With warmer weather on the way and yard improvement on the spring to-do list, here’s how to fix those holes (as well as a few ideas for stopping your dog from digging in the first place).
Why your dog might be digging in your yard
You can fill in the holes your dog has dug, but you'll be doing that endlessly if you don’t address the underlying reason your dog is digging holes in the first place. Dogs may dig up a yard for a number of reasons:
They’re bored and need entertainment or a job to do.
They were bred to dig.
They are searching for prey, like burrowing animals or pests.
They’re hot (or cold).
They’re trying to escape after or away from something.
How you stop the digging depends on the underlying cause, but in general, consider first what your dog might need—whether that's a toy to keep it entertained, or shade, or water. Frequent walks, minimizing unsupervised time and engaging your dog with tricks or commands can help, too. Punishing your dog generally doesn’t. And if you’re ferreting out pests, be sure to avoid toxic products that your dog could accidentally ingest.
An oft-repeated bit of lore suggests that filling holes with your dog's own poop will deter them from digging in the same spot again. It's worth a try—most dogs won’t go after their own poop, but some might. If it's a deeper hole, don't put their poop at the bottom. Add some soil first, then place the poop a few inches below the surface, and top off with more soil.
Finally, if the digging continues, you may be able to train your dog to dig in a designated area—say, a pit filled with soil or sand and your dog’s toys. Lead them to that area and reward them when they use their digging pit instead of digging in other parts of your yard.
How to repair holes your dog has dug in your yard
Filling in the holes your dog has dug doesn't sound complicated, but you shouldn’t just push the dug-out dirt back into the hole. (You probably wouldn’t be able to do this anyway, as dogs that dig typically make a huge mess by kicking dirt everywhere.) Instead, you’ll need to bring in topsoil and, if you have grass, add grass seed or a sod patch.
Follow these steps when repairing dog-dug holes.
If you're using grass seed
Fill the hole with topsoil, water it, and add just enough additional soil to bring it to the same level as the ground.
Add seed and water, following the instructions on the bag.
If you're using a sod patch
If you're using a sod patch, fill the hole with soil to just below ground level, leaving a gap equal to the thickness of your sod patch.
Roll out the sod over the hole, and cut the edges to fit.
Remove the sod and shovel out the hole as needed so the sod patch will sit flush with the surrounding ground.
Place the sod and water it daily until it takes root.
If you want to update your color scheme and get the look of some of 2024's most popular colors without painting your whole house, you’re in luck: There are plenty of projects that you can do to add some new color with just a gallon or even a quart of paint. If you’re looking for a simple DIY project to add some color to your home, here are a few ways to add 2024’s most popular colors.
Ever year, designers as well as color experts from major paint manufacturers choose a color of the year based on global trends. This year, the color palette seems to be nature-inspired, with a lot of blues, but also greens, darker black and brown tones, and some floral notes like yellow and peach.
Paint some trim
To add color to a room without needing much paint, consider painting your door frame or window frame. For smaller frames, you should only need a quart of paint, but if you have more trim in your room, a gallon should do it. Try adding some Renew Blue from Sherwin-Williams or some Cracked Pepper from Behr to your trim to make it pop and give your color scheme a refresh. When painting trim—especially trim that is likely to be touched, like window and door frames—it’s a good idea to use semi-gloss or gloss paint to avoid damage and make it easier to clean.
Paint a door
If you have doors that have seen better days, you can give them a facelift with a new coat of paint. Standard sized doors without much damage might be able to be painted with a quart of paint, but if you need to do multiple coats, or if you have an oversized door, you should get a gallon, just in case. Try painting a door with Blue Nova from Benjamin Moore or Dark Auburn from Sherwin-Williams. Remember that removing a door before you paint can often make it easier to mask and will make your project go faster.
Paint some hardware
If you have metal hardware that needs a refresh, you can try spray painting it with some Krylon Bluebird. Spray painting your drawer pulls, knobs, and handles for cabinets or furniture can give you a pop of color without spending much money—just remember to use your spray paint outdoors or in another well-ventilated area. If you have wooden drawer pulls or knobs, you can try adding some peach fuzz from Pantone's color of the year as a brush-on.
Paint a piece of furniture
If you have a piece of furniture that needs a new coat of paint, you can incorporate a color of the year easily into your space. For most furniture, you can use a spray paint like Satin French Blue from Rust-Oleum. Just scuff up the surface a little bit with some fine grit sandpaper to make sure the paint sticks well. If you have wooden furniture that could use a boost, you can try using a sky-inspired blue like Upwardfrom Sherwin-WIlliams to add a stripe or paint an edge. If you’re painting only a small piece, you can likely get away with just a quart of paint for this project.
Stencil on some color
With a relatively small amount of paint, you can add some detail to a floor, wall, ceiling, furniture, or really any surface big enough to hold a stencil. This project will work best on surfaces that are in relatively good shape already, and you might need to add a coat of sealer on top to make it durable for a tabletop or other high-touch areas. Use some Limitless, a buttery, floral yellow by Glidden, or any of the other colors we’ve listed and a stencil to add a colorful motif or pattern to your surface for an instant color pop that’s affordable and simple to do.
Buying a house—any house—increasingly requires a small fortune and a tolerance for high interest rates, and renting isn’t any less bleak, with prices through the roof all over the country. So if you’ve currently got a roof over your head, congratulations! It’s something of an achievement, even if it isn’t fancy.
But what if you want fancy? Maybe you’re tired of builder-grade everything (though not all “builder-grade” stuff is worth changing). Maybe you just want to feel that rush of pride when people come over to your place. If you want a house that looks fancy without having to get a second job to pay for luxe materials, you have a lot of options. Here are 11 ways to make your house look expensive without spending a lot of money.
But first, clean and declutter
The first step toward a house that seems more expensive and luxurious is to declutter and organize everything in it. A tidy house has been proven to be a more valuable property overall (homes that are kept neat are worth about $3,700 more on average), and rooms with clean lines and no mess can give even the most modest space a more minimalist, purposeful look that feels fancier.
Add garage hinge magnets
Do you have some pretty standard, low-rent garage doors? You can make them look a lot more expensive and luxe for about $20-30 with some simple handle and hinge magnets. These just slap into place to instantly make your cheap garage door look like a much more expensive Carriage House look. You can see the effect in this video, and it’s pretty dramatic.
Install deck tiles
Outdoor spaces increase our enjoyment of a property—and the property’s value. But if your outdoor space is a broken concrete patio, a weather wooden deck, or a bare patch of dirt it’s not exactly inspiring (or comfortable) to use. The good news is that it’s easy to quickly and cheaply upgrade that area as long as it’s structurally sound (if your deck is threatening to collapse in the next stiff wind, no amount of cheap solutions will save you).
Luckily, all you need are some outdoor interlocking wood tiles to instantly turn that patio, deck, or patch of dirt into a luxurious outdoor space that looks a lot more expensive than it is. If you have an IKEA nearby, you can get enough tiles to cover a 9x9 space for less than $200, and it’s a job that can usually be accomplished in just an hour or two.
Cover your appliances in stainless steel contact paper
One dead giveaway that your house isn’t exactly a luxury model is the busted old appliances in your kitchen. Buying all new stainless steel appliances might be outside your budget, but you can get the same look for just a little money using stainless steel peel-and-stick contact paper. This stuff is waterproof, and if applied with some care it will fool just about anyone, instantly transforming your old appliances into shiny new (looking) ones. You can see the process of applying it here (using these kits, which are designed for specific appliances).
Use peel and stick tiles everywhere
Peel-and-stick technology is the cheapskate’s secret friend. They make a surprisingly large range of peel-and-stick items, from “tile” backsplashes to faux wood planks that can be used for accent walls or to even make a faux shiplap ceiling, or contact paper that can be applied to your kitchen counters to transform cheap counters into expensive-looking stone.
Install new flooring over your gross carpet
If you’re stuck with a ratty old carpet in your house that you can’t remove or replace, whether because you’re renting or because you can’t afford a full-on renovation, a relatively inexpensive solution is to install laminate flooring over your carpet. Yes, this is possible—you shouldn't consider it a permanent solution, but it provides an instant upgrade from the pink shag your landlord insists is “fine.”
If your carpet is pretty low-pile, you might be able to put the new floor directly on top of it; if your carpet’s a bit heftier you’ll probably need to put down a thin plywood underlayment. Either way, this is an affordable project that can have a dramatic effect on any room.
Install molding
One reason your house looks kind of basic? Your bare walls. Sure, you can solve that with some well-chosen art, but you can also do amazing things using wood picture frame molding. With the right tools and some time, you can create striking patterns on your walls that combine subtlety with elegance, giving it a bespoke look for not much money. (For less than not much money, you can even use pell-and-stick molding, like this stuff. You can get about 10 feet for less than $20.)
Upgrade your knobs and pulls
Whether your kitchen cabinetry (or any cabinetry in the house, actually) uses knobs or pulls (and yes, there is a difference), you can transform their look for less a few hundred bucks, depending on what you choose. Combined with a fresh paint job on your cabinets (or even a vinyl wrap), fancy new pulls or knobs will make it look like you renovated when all you did was work a few screws.
Add floor to ceiling window treatments
Hanging your curtains as close to the ceiling as possible and running those curtains to the floor will make your rooms look bigger and draw the eye up, making the space seem larger, brighter, and more expensive. People like higher ceilings and associate them with a sense of freedom, and are often willing to pay more for homes they perceive to have higher ceilings. And all you need to accomplish this is some curtain rods and some fabric.
Get new lampshades
If your home utilizes a lot of lamps that you bought in bulk at a big-box store because you needed to light up your rooms without hiring an electrician or spending too much, they might be contributing to the sense that your house isn’t very luxe. The lampshades provided with your typical mass-produced lamp aren’t exactly stylish—or durable.
Luckily, the solution isn’t expensive: You just need some cooler lampshades. This could involve a few art projects to spruce up the ones you already have, or a few new lampshades (like this, or this) to give your sad lamps a nice sense of luxury.
Install DIY built-ins
Built-in storage units like bookshelves add to a sense that the home is expensive, and are generally thought to add value to a house. But adding actual built-ins to your house can be pricey, since it might require a carpenter to custom design and install shelving or cabinetry. Or you can get a similar effect for much less money by buying Ikea storage, combining units, and painting.
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