Top Spring Home Projects | How Are Your HOA Fees Being Used? | Keeping Paper Towels in Your Fridge | Ep #2297

TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles. This is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete.

TOM: And we are here to help you take on the projects you want to get done around your house, because that’s what we do. We love home improvement. We love it. We love doing it, we love planning it. We love solving problems that we run into while we’re doing home improvements. Because, yes, just like the rest of you, sometimes things don’t end up exactly like we planned.

But that’s part of the fun and part of the challenge, right?

LESLIE: I mean, that is true.

TOM: I did a deck last summer and I had this vision of just taking off the decking boards and recovering it with trucks. But then when I got the decking boards off, the frame was so rotted, I’m like, I can’t put good traction on top of that. So I’m having to build a whole new deck practically from the ground on up.

But you know what? It was okay, because I knew that it was the right way to do it cost a little bit more money. But because sometimes that stuff happens. So if you’ve got some projects that you’d like to get done, you like some advice on how to start. Maybe you’re stuck, maybe you find a surprise like I did.

Reach out to us with your questions. A couple of ways to do that. You can go to money twitter.com slash ask really cool feature at moneypit.com/ask is the blue microphone button. What’s special about the blue microphone button?

LESLIE: Well, you can, you know, press it and then it asks your question. It brings it right to us.

TOM: That’s right. You can record your question right there. It’ll come right to us and we’ll get back to you with an answer. Or, of course, you can call us at 18888-MONEY-PIT. Well, coming up on today’s episode, spring is officially here and it’s a good time to start thinking about the projects you’re going to plan for warmer weather.

TOM: So we’ll share the top products to tackle right now in just a bit.

LESLIE: And also ahead, if you buy a condo, one of the benefits is that the association is supposed to use part of your monthly maintenance fee to handle repairs. But increasingly, the associations are not doing their job, which is resulting in owners needing to come up with big repair fees. We’re going to explain why and the tough questions that you need to ask before you buy.

TOM: Plus, Leslie, where do you store your paper towels?

LESLIE: Sometimes in the laundry room, sometimes on top of the refrigerator, sometimes in a cabinet.

TOM: Well, you might be surprised to learn that your refrigerator is one place paper towels belong. We’re going to share.

CALLER: In it.

TOM: Like in it. That’s right. And we will explain why just ahead. Hmm.

LESLIE: I’m not so sure I’m buying that one, but I’m going to stick around. Well, I mean, I have to stick around, but I’m going to stick around for that, especially you guys, too. I mean, especially stick around. If you’ve got some home improvement questions, let us know what you are working on. We’re here to lend a hand. It is the spring season.

So I know there’s a lot of projects coming up on your to do list.

TOM: So let’s get to it. The number here is 1888-MONEY-PIT 80 886663974. Or post your question at money bet.com slash ask.

LESLIE: Head now to Cape Cod where we’ve got Sheri on the line. What’s going on in your Money Pit?

CALLER: Well, hi, I have an Anderson slider door. Okay. It never did it when it was new. It’s about 20 years old. Okay. That the bottom railing where the door slides, I think it ices and right by the door there’s plywood underneath the carpet. And what it does is.

LESLIE: Moisture.

CALLER: Turns the carpet a dark brown and I think it’s tannins from the plywood. But lo and behold, it’s that bottom rail, that ice. And I think that’s where the white is coming from because it’s never wet.

TOM: Well, I mean, first of all, Anderson makes a heck of a good sliding glass door. Of all the doors out there, that’s one of the most durable. The first thing I would do is I would check the alignment on the door and you’ll find it on the bottom of that door. There’s going to be two like plastic caps, one at one end of the of the sliding door and one of the other.

And when you pull those off, you’ll see that there’s you could put a screwdriver in there and rotated. And as you do that, there’s a wheel that will adjust the height of the door on that track. And my turning one or the other, you can adjust alignment. So I would check it to make sure that when that door comes into the jam that it is absolutely parallel with the door jamb because if it’s if it’s off a little bit, then that could be, you know, one of the reasons you’re getting some maybe some moisture or humidity or draft in that space.

And then also very often those doors are going to have an extra tiny piece of foam sort of glued to the edge of it. So when it closes, it pulls in real tight. You see this on sliding doors. You also see it on regular doors, too. It’s like an extra piece of weather stripping. It’s only about, you know, an inch and a half square.

And it’s adhered to the very bottom of the of the jam. Usually the jam not so much the sliding door, because it stays better that way. And so when that door comes in, it pulls tight and seals it. So I would look at the alignment there first and then I would try to determine whether or not there’s any gaps.

And the last thing I would do is I would go outside is is easier to do at night with a strong flashlight, hold it parallel to the bottom of the door, even under the door, and then on the inside have another person see if they can see that light streaming through because you may have some gaps under the door that are formed over the years.

And if you find those, you can seal those with an expanded foam insulation. Now there’s one great stuff makes a number of these you want to use the one that’s rated for windows and doors because it’s not quite as stiff and it won’t move that sill plate. It will just sort of fill up the space or you could caulk it, but I would check for gaps.

I would check the alignment for the door, and I would add that little tiny piece of weather stripping. Okay.

CALLER: Thank you so much. Thank you. Bye bye.

LESLIE: Heading out to Michigan where we’ve got Colin on the line. What’s going on in your Money Pit?

CALLER: I’m trying to figure out the best way, given that we kind of have an older house that’s seven years old, to to determine how to level the concrete flooring. It seems like there’s a certain amount of rise over a ten foot eight or ten foot ryan, I’d say in the ballpark of a quarter to a half inch anywhere in various spots of the basement.

CALLER: So I’m trying to figure out if I need to do any kind of leveling and how best to determine that, given that I’m going to be installed in a vinyl planking with the underlayment already attached.

TOM: Okay. So first of all, keep in mind that your basement floor is not part of the home structure. You know, it’s just there covering the dirt. It’s not interconnected with the walls. It’s really the last thing that’s added to a basement. And because of that, sometimes, you know, they’re not put in as well as, say, like a garage slab might be.

So the fact that you’ve got some rise and fall in that basement, do you see cracking or deterioration common in this or is it really just the uneven surface you’re dealing with.

CALLER: As a slight cracking? I would say the worst of it is maybe, you know, an eighth to a 16th of an inch.

TOM: I don’t think so. Very few.

CALLER: And it’s not getting worse. Yeah.

TOM: So here’s what I would do. You have the option of using a floor leveling compound on that, but I’m not so sure you really need it because it doesn’t seem like it’s got very much of a differentiation. I would work with the flooring company you’re buying this from. For example, if you’re purchasing flooring at Lumber Liquidators now called flooring, they have experts in the store that can check the specs for the product that you are purchasing and determine how much differentiation over what distance it’s rated for.

TOM: And if it exceeds that, then you would want to use a floor leveling compound to try to even that out. Now there are products that are designed to go on top of concrete. There are also concrete leveling products that you can use. You’ll have some choices now, but that would be the solution if it turns out, in fact, you do need to level it.

CALLER: Okay. Yeah, that’s great. That’s that’s kind of exactly what I was hoping for with this project because I am trying to do it all myself. So.

TOM: Well, congratulations. It’s a great project to take on. Good luck with the project. Thanks so much for reaching out to us and let us know how you make out.

CALLER: Well, do you have a great day?

TOM: Season two of the Profiles podcast is out right now. You can listen to all those episodes, especially if you are a pro, if you’re a builder, remodeler, designer. We talk to folks that are the best in the business and they share their secrets. I don’t let them leave before we figure it all out. You can learn two great ideas that will help your business.

TOM: Just go to l l for income. Slash profiles, l l flooring ecomdash slash profiles. You can listen online right there, or you can download Season two on your favorite podcast app.

LESLIE: Janet in New York You have got the Money Pit. How can we help you today?

CALLER: I’ve had a new countertop installed on a newly built house, and I my options were granite or granite and they put they installed the countertop in the kitchen. And I looked online and I’ve talked to several people and I get so many different options or different ways to keep it clean and to to maintain it. Right. My biggest thing is this granite seems to be more work than my may from like my countertop that I do.

TOM: You’re right about that. You know, everyone thinks, well, it’s granite. It’s going to be indestructible. Well, it is. But the finish needs a lot of work to maintain. I mean, the quartz countertops are a lot easier to maintain than granite, but granite is porous by nature. And so, you know, they milled the granite and then they they finish it.

TOM: And that sealer has to be redone from time to time, usually every few years. And you have to stay on top of it with cleaning and polishing. So you’re right, it is more work than a Formica countertop ever was, right?

LESLIE: Yeah. And you also have to make sure that whatever cleaning supplies you use, you know, are safe for a granite or natural materials surface because you don’t want to put something on that could deteriorate the protective coatings on top of it. And, you know, be careful with the edging that you select because an OG edge, while more decorative, is a little bit more delicate.

LESLIE: And when you’re washing the dishes and the buttons on your jeans or rubbing against it, it could eventually wear that away. You just have to be careful. But they look great and definitely worth the work.

CALLER: Oh, well, my other question is, is we have a there’s a drop sink in it. And I’m kind of concerned because the big thing everybody says is they’re the experts is to don’t let water sit, don’t let any liquids stay on it for any length of time. What about the the lip or the rim underneath the granite where the sink is?

It’s. Do you know what I mean? The sink is in underneath one, so there’s a little hangover.

TOM: It’s not going to deteriorate. It is granite. But, you know, and you’re not you’re not going to see that spot. So it’s just a matter of keeping it clean just so that you don’t get any any growth of any mold or fungus in there because that can that can smell sometimes. So I would just stick with good quality granite cleaners.

One we’ve been recommending for years is online by stone care. People seem very happy with that. There’s a cleaner, a polish. You can find that at Amazon and Walmart and places like that, but not too terribly expensive and and just try to stay on top of it.

CALLER: Oh, good. Thank you.

TOM: You’re welcome. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.

LESLIE: Well, now that spring is here, it’s the season when the home improvement bug awakens and we can finally get started on projects that just weren’t possible with all those freezing temps.

TOM: Yup. It’s also time to refresh and repair your home after the ravages of winter and get it ready for the warmer weather. So let’s talk about what you might want to take on for your first spring projects. So here’s what we think is really the essential list. Leslie, you want to start?

LESLIE: Yeah. First of all, some of us have not seen our roofs since the fall. So if you’re in an area with a lot of snow and ice, that could be you. So get out there with a set of binoculars and check out your shingles. You want to look at the valleys, you want to look at all those vulnerable spots in your roof, check out the gutters, check out the downspouts.

Just kind of get a look at everything and make sure it’s all in good shape.

TOM: Well, now that everything is thawing, we’ve also got spring showers to contend with. So let’s take a look at the drainage around our house, make sure the gutters are clean and that sort of thing. But also think about adding a dehumidifier once you’ve got that water diverted away from your house. If you’ve got one, great. Make sure you give it out.

Give it a good cleaning and change the filter. And if not, might be a good time to pick one up.

LESLIE: All right, now check out your deck from top to bottom. Are the fasteners in good shape? Are the decking boards secure? Are the railings nice and tight? Are the steps secure? These are the things that you should be looking for. In fact, on Money Pit dot com, we have a great inspection checklist for your deck and it’s going to really give you a helping hand.

TOM: And last but not least, before you know it, you’ll be cranking up the AC. So don’t be surprised when it doesn’t work. Now is the time to give it that once over. Make sure you clear away any debris from the outdoor compressor. Change your filters. And if it’s not been done yet, get a service call scheduled with your local HVAC contractor.

Do it now before they get busy and you’ll have a nice tune up. You know, it’s working perfectly and it’s not going to fail on the first hot day.

LESLIE: Eddie in Rhode Island is on the line with a painting question How can we help you?

CALLER: I have cement steps. It seems like every year I’m repainting them. They’ve been using an exterior oil based paint. I didn’t know if there’s a reason why they’re peeling every year or if I’m doing something wrong.

TOM: Are you using a masonry paint?

CALLER: I will ask you what that is. That raises the question.

TOM: Baby. The answer is no. There’s paints that are designed specifically for masonry services. The other thing that you might want to think about doing next time is to strip off all the old paint and use an epoxy based paint. Yeah, it’s got really good adhesion. It’s a two part mix. You mix it together and then you apply it to the to the steps.

And there are versions that are designed for exterior, as well as interior. Interior under spaces like garages. And I think you’ll find that that will really, really stand up because it’s not an air dry or an oil solvent based. It’s a it’s a chemically hardening system that basically reacts and hardens.

CALLER: And how long will that take last, do you think?

TOM: Yeah, I think it would last a heck of a long time.

CALLER: Okay. A lot more than a year. Oh, yeah. Okay. Very well. That is my question. I really appreciate the information.

LESLIE: Now we’ve got Christina in Missouri on the line who is about to tackle a bathroom renovation but has a lot of questions. Tell us about the project.

CALLER: So my project, it’s the master bathroom and it’s one of those bathrooms where it has the tub. And there is a window, a big window right above the tub and a very, very narrow shower. And so I would like to be able to remove the shower and the tub out completely and make an expanded shower and use the space where the shower is and make that into storage.

And so my question is, what do I do with the window? Do I? I like the light that comes in, but it’s very, very drafty. So if I were to replace the window, would I use like a double pane or triple pane? Or if I were to kind of shore up the window, then would that mean probably obviously some masonry work that needs to be done?

I’m just trying to figure out what is the most cost effective and, you know, quickest way, I guess, to be able to resolve the window issue.

TOM: Remember, looking at the privacy windows, you know, there’s some really pretty privacy windows that are designed for bathrooms. I’m thinking of one that looks like glass block. Lastly, you know, the kind of has like sort of the wavy glass to it. It’s not designed to open, but it brings a lot of light in.

LESLIE: But there are, you know, double hung windows that are privacy glass as well that are meant for bathroom spaces. I mean, otherwise, how would the window that’s directly next to my toilet function? Yeah. I mean, it’s amazing. It’s the worst place for it. But luckily the glass is, you know, clouded in a way. So there are options that give you the privacy within the glass, but also the functionality of the window.

But you definitely do need to upgrade that Windows system that you have so you’re not getting those drafts right.

CALLER: So. So I have seen some frosted glass and, you know, other like Instagram pictures and things like that. But are those types of windows, are they like double pane windows? Do they even I don’t even know, I guess. I mean, I have a lot of research to.

TOM: Do those type of decorative windows with the frosted glass, they are available and we call it thermal pane, double panes, thermal pane windows. Certainly, you could buy a privacy window that has an Energy Star rated window. It’s no good thing to look for. The other thing I’ll point out is make sure that the bathroom I don’t know if Rather has a ventilation fan in it because sometimes bathrooms with windows don’t have these vent fans.

But you definitely don’t need to add one, especially if you decide to use a not open able window. And even if not, if you can do the renovation, I would add a bath in at the same time.

CALLER: Okay. Yep, we do have one. And I was thinking of replacing that one also because I think it just it’s one of those things where I’m going to do the upgrades. I might as well upgrade that too. So yeah.

TOM: You know, the four most important words, you know, the four most expensive words for better bathroom renovations while you’re at it.

CALLER: Yeah. Yes, exactly. Well, it’s all the all the small things that start adding up that make the project that much more expensive. But having a plan, having a good plan and doing my research and part of the call to you was part of that. So thank you very much. I appreciate it.

LESLIE: Well, when you’re buying a single family house, you understand that if the roof needs replacing or the driveway needs patching, that’s an expense you’re going to need to cover all by yourself. But if you own a unit in a condo, costs like that are shared among all of the owners in the development and included in your monthly dues that you pay to the association.

TOM: Now, if the homeowners association has done their job, they’ll have saved enough money to cover the repair or replacement expenses for things like roofs, siding, pools, light fixtures or really anything else that wears out. But the problem is that too often they do not do their job. And when big repairs come, do owners face unexpected assessments to help raise the cost needed for the repairs?

With us to talk about why this is happening and why it’s happening more now than ever before. Is Tyler birding? Tyler is the founding partner of birding in while a firm that specializes in construction defect litigation. Welcome, Tyler.

CALLER: Thank you. Glad to be aboard.

TOM: Now we’re hearing more and more about these types of issues where association is just don’t have the money for the end of life updates. They’re supposed to be doing like a roof, right? I mean, you put a roof on a building. You know, it’s going to last 20, 25 years if you’re doing your job at 25 years, you’ve got enough money in the kitty for a new roof.

TOM: But that’s not what you’re seeing, right?

CALLER: Well, that’s right, Tom. It’s actually there are two problems associated with that. One is the problems you know about that you’re going to have to deal with over the next 15 or 20 years. You should be putting away a certain amount in reserves to deal with those repair costs when they arise. But there’s a secondary issue, and that’s those problems you don’t know about because they’re hidden.

And deterioration in the walls, balconies supports rotting off, things like that. Now, when they fail or when you discover the damage, maybe a decade or two has gone by and nobody’s known about it and nobody has put aside a dime for those kind of issues. So you’re getting it from two directions.

TOM: So not only do we need to make sure that we are properly saving for these repairs, we have to make sure also that the inspections are being done. And by inspections, I don’t necessarily mean like code inspections, but I mean sort of wear and tear inspections to see if the repairs are tracking, for example, at the rate that it was expected.

Right. As well as whether or not there are hidden issues that could be creeping up that perhaps were early intervention. Intervention. Would would save you some money and some aggravation and expense.

CALLER: Yes. Both of those things are true. The ones you know about depend a great deal on how sophisticated the inspector is and projecting useful lives of those components and then the ability of the board to raise the funds necessary to stay even with the cost of repair. But the other side of that is those inspections that typically accompany what we in California call a reserve study by statute only inspect components that are visible and accessible.

So what is the reserve study inspector who walks around the building, looks at the room, looks at the siding, maybe looks at some of the other components that he can see and projects useful lives and costs of repair for those items. What those instructions don’t do is go into the interiors of the walls or looking at sheathing and things like that that are infected with rot or other deterioration and identify that because they’re not the statute doesn’t require them to do it, so they don’t do it.

TOM: And this can result not only in additional expense, but actually tragic consequences. I’m thinking about the Surfside Condominium collapse, where there was significant deterioration in that building that was undetected, unrepaired until tragedy struck.

CALLER: That’s true. And the problem with that building, like so many other ones in Florida, there are reinforced concrete there in a marine environment. A lot of them are close to the ocean and the reinforcing steel that’s inside those walls can corrode and expand and the concrete can crack and fall. And people look at that and it’s so many instances of that in so many buildings, it looks routine.

You don’t get there. Don’t get too excited about a crack in the garage ceiling or on the wall, even if there’s some efflorescence seeping out of it. Today, however, after the failure in Florida and some of the follow up inspections, there are more tuned in, tuned in to that. And I suspect legislatures around the country where a lot of those buildings exist are going to be harder on the owners to force more intrusive inspections.

TOM: The quality of the management, the quality of the financial planning is something that perhaps a potential buyer with a little bit of savvy about this could make some could make some pretty good assumptions as to whether or not this is a association is on track or not.

CALLER: Yeah, those documents are available in most associations to prospective buyers. Reserve studies, experts, reports, things like that that are on file. The problem is the average person or even someone with a with a this, even if they were to hire an architect to look at those reports and compare that to the building itself, the most they’re starting to do intrusive inspections, looking at components that are hidden.

Even an architect wouldn’t know what whether that budget is going to match the needs of that those buildings. It’s a very difficult problem and one that’s going to require legislators everywhere to start expanding the scope of those inspections that are done to prepare the budgets for these associations.

TOM: Tyler Birding Principal with birding in while an expert in construction defect litigation. Thank you so much Tyler for spending a few minutes with us today and filling us in on some of the things we need to be aware of if we’re considering purchasing a property is part of a homeowner’s association.

CALLER: You’re very welcome and thank you for having me.

TOM: If you’d like to learn more, you can visit Tyler’s website at Birding Wild Comets B R DIY n g w epl dot com.

LESLIE: Tyler Birding. Great advice. Thanks so much for stopping by The Money Pit. Coming up, guys, we want to help you with all of your home improvement projects. So let us know what you are working on so we can give you a hand. Perhaps you’re dreaming up a huge renovation, or maybe you’re thinking about a smaller project. Well, whatever it is, if you can dream it, you can build it and we can help.

So join us on the Money Pit podcast every Monday and every Thursday. Be sure to grab yours for free at money Peckham Slash Podcast. Head to Pennsylvania, where Mike has a question about a bathtub. What can we help you with?

CALLER: Have an old steel tub that’s actually rusting out and had a few quotes on having it refinished versus you know there’s there’s companies out there that’ll put vinyl inserts in always a better just to have it ripped out and put a brand new tub in.

TOM: I would vote for having it ripped out and putting in a brand new tub because I don’t think that you’re going to be able to refinish it and be happy with that. Most of the refinishing, if it’s done professionally, it can be okay. But man, I tell you what, it’s a it’s an awfully big project. It’s a very messy project.

They have to do some pretty coarse chemicals to prep that tub and get ready for the new finish. And then the new finishes are certainly not going to last as long as the original finish. So I think it’s probably a good option for either a new tub or you could do sort of a tub insert. There are companies out there that make inserts that fit inside the existing tub priced.

TOM: Not so coincidentally, just slightly less than tearing out the tub and stuff from scratch.

LESLIE: But it’s done in the day.

CALLER: Hi. I just I appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

TOM: All right. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.

LESLIE: Well, we’re used to reaching for paper towels to clean up spills, but there are a lot more versatile than a person might think. In fact, paper towels can actually help you keep your vegetables fresh. Oh, this is where you will go in. All right, I see.

TOM: Tom, this is where I was going. That’s right. So all you need to do is to line your crisper drawer in your refrigerator with paper towels before you add the produce, then replace the paper towel every time you put it. A new batch of produce. This makes sure your vegetables stay fresher longer, and it keeps the crisper drawer clean as well.

LESLIE: Now, the reason this works and this is super clever, is that the fruits and vegetables will release water as they’re stored and that moisture has got nowhere to go. And then it stays in that crisper drawer and you’re going to end up with sad brown produce and that paper towel absorbs the moisture and then keeps the veggies fresh.

TOM: Yeah, you just don’t want said brown produce. That is like a really bummer situation, right?

LESLIE: I mean, they generally turn sad and brown because we forget to eat them.

TOM: So you want happy produce, green, leafy, happy fruits, not sad brown produce?

LESLIE: No.

TOM: Yeah. Just remember, you want to change out the paper towels frequently because otherwise you’re going to kind of go limp from all that absorbed moisture and start to fall apart. I think it just makes sense that when you get a fresh batch of veggies, you just empty the whole thing up with some new paper towels in there and restock it.

TOM: You’ll really be surprised how long the veggies last compared to the way that you used to keep them.

LESLIE: Ted in Florida, you’ve got the Money Pit. How can we help you today?

CALLER: Listen, folks, I was calling about a leaky ridge vent that I have on my home. It’s a North-South pipe where the ridge vent was installed, but it only seems to leak when the rain blows in sideways. And and it only seems to leak under those circumstances. For some reason, if the rain is coming straight down, it doesn’t leak.

And I’m trying to find a solution, whether it means to replace the ridge vent and just put shingles over top of it or some other solution.

TOM: Well, you don’t want to replace the ridge because it’s there for a reason. Arrangement is a very effective way of venting and attic taking out that warm air in the summer and the moist air in the winter, that that affects the efficiency of your insulation. I mean, there are just a whole lot of Bridgman types out there now.

There’s one in particular that I like that’s made by air vent and it’s called filter vent. And what’s cool about the filter vent is it has some weather protection built into it. It’s got an external baffle that deflects the wind and the weather, and so it won’t let it blow in regardless of what direction that wind comes from.

So it might be that you have to replace that vent, but you just don’t have the right one. You can’t really close off a ridge vent. It’s not like it has a, you know, a way to turn it off. It’s going to be on all the time. But if you have the right kind of vent there, I don’t think you should have that kind of weather issue, although I have heard it before.

TOM: But I know that this this product called filter vent by air vent works pretty well.

CALLER: Okay. Well, that’s great. I do appreciate that suggestion. I’ll go ahead and get my home improvement store and see if I can pick one up.

TOM: Yeah, take a look at it online first to make sure that you understand exactly what it is. Because sometimes when you go into the store, they just might, you know, only have one or two varieties of it. But you could potentially order if they don’t.

CALLER: Okay, well, that’s great then. I thank you all for your help.

TOM: Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at eight, eight, eight Money Pit.

LESLIE: Nicole wrote in saying, We’re moving into our new home next week. All right. Congrats. We pulled up the old carpet in three rooms the other day, which revealed gorgeous hardwood. The problem is the hardwood is covered in staples and rust. What’s a quick fix for fixing this up before we move in?

TOM: You know, there’s no quick fix, but it’s definitely worth putting the time in because you need to pull up the staples in the checklist. I mean, the nails in the tackles, which is that sort of spiky strip. It’s long the outside wall and then the staples that they use to put down the padding of which it’s an it’s like a pneumatic stapler.

LESLIE: And they tend to go crazy with them.

TOM: Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump. Yeah. And you have to do all of that. The thing is, though, if you’re going to refinish them, the nails have to come out. The staples do the best you can with that, because if you have a pro refinished, they’re going to stand on the floor and they actually send the staples kind of out of it.

TOM: And it’s really, really hard to see them when it’s completely done. So get the ones that you can leave the rest, but definitely do it now before you move in. It’s the perfect time and you’re really going to enjoy that space with your shiny new hardwood floor.

LESLIE: All right. Congrats. Enjoy that. New house may have many, many years of joy and happiness.

TOM: Well, are you ready to take on some spring projects to refresh your home? Leslie got some tips on where to start with this week’s edition of Leslie’s Last Word. And Leslie, you’re suggesting it’s time for a bathroom update?

LESLIE: Well, yeah. I mean, springtime is sort of like nature’s way of freshening up outside, so I like to do the same inside. It’s a way of bursting color, new life, fresh greenery, lots of nice pastels. Everything’s kind of coming back to life on the exterior. So why not do the same inside? I mean, it’s really a great way to freshen things up.

And the bathroom is a great place to start because you can do it big or you can do it small. Now, a few things you can do is just replace the shower curtain and bring in a pop of color or if you’re still doing it, old school style. And I know a lot of people are out there. Change the tie back.

A lot of people still do this. I’ve seen it out there. Put in a new tie back, add a different color. You can also very inexpensively replace towels and bath mats or just swap them out seasonally. You don’t have to get rid of what you currently have, but maybe you have a winter set and a spring summer set.

So then you’re just sort of swapping things out per season and you know, patterns. If you’re not a pattern person, maybe spring is your pattern season and then you can kind of just freshen things up that way. You can, even if you want to spend a little bit more, put in a little bit more work, put in a fresh coat of paint.

Bathrooms are kind of perfect because they’re smaller spaces generally. So it’s usually one can of paint in a very limited amount of time, or maybe you want to put up some wallpaper. There’s some great peeling stick vinyls that are perfect for a bathroom space that are meant to go in those sort of moist bathroom environments, and they’ll stay up that really are great.

They’re meant to withstand that kind of climate. And again, smaller space, not very expensive. You can just do an accent wall if you want, and it’s definitely a DIY project. Now again, you want a little bit more of a challenge, change out some hardware on things, you know, very simple to do. New towel racks go from sort of a chrome to a brass, try anything, go for something fresh.

You can also even invest in better lighting. I mean, it’s time to kind of maybe you change out a high hat and put in sort of a cool light fixture or a chandelier or something. Maybe you change those sconces on the wall for something a little bit more modern. Totally up to you. Totally a time to refresh. Take a cue from Mother Nature outside and refresh the inside.

You can go big, you can go small. Look at your budget and go from there and have a great time doing so because it’s just the right time of year.

TOM: Good advice. This is the Money Pit Home Improvement Show. Coming up next time on the program. Outdoor living spaces have never been more popular and that includes outdoor kitchens, but cooking and dining outside, well, they kind of require some special recipes of their own. We’ll share tips for designing outdoor kitchen spaces on the very next edition of The Money Pit.

TOM: I’m Tom Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And I’m Lisa Segrete.

TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself.

LESLIE: But you don’t have to do it alone.

 

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