Our “high tech” office furniture was a pool table and desks we created from sawhorses with old doors laid across them.  And within those confines, we were able to post over a million dollars in gross sales.  It was a nice start, requiring very little overhead.

I had come from a job in a high-pressure industry—the food and beverage service business—a career that is not conducive to a family life—or any kind of a personal life for that matter.  That experience was still very fresh in my mind, and I was in search of something that wasn’t quite so likely to consume my every waking moment.

So as I entered this new phase of my life, one of my goals was to learn to balance work and family, making a success of each without negatively impacting the other.

Success can quickly turn this into a double-edged sword.  We outgrew the basement office space.  The phone constantly ringing just a short distance from where we would be having dinner, or trying to spend time playing with our kids, was more and more a reminder that it was time to take the business to a different location.

We needed the sort of legitimacy that comes with a retail space, with real office furniture, and with employees who need to upgrade their workspace to something beyond a little red school chair and a desk that also doubles as a billiard table.

The trick, in establishing the move, was to make a shift that could take me physically, but not mentally or emotionally, away from my family and a personal life.  One of the fundamental philosophies of Handyman Matters was—and is—to create business opportunities for people dedicated to both business and personal success, and I needed to keep that uppermost in my mind if I—and those who would work with me—intended to achieve all of this.

I was looking to engage employees—and later, owners of Handyman Matters franchises who could manage, market and build their businesses while still retaining the opportunity and freedom to have a lifestyle at the end of the day where they can be good parents to their children and good representatives of their community.

To settle for anything less would have meant compromising My American Dream.

http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/418/5-home-repairs-not-to-ignore/

“Smaller projects can give homeowners immediate gratification. In just a few hours, we can paint your front door or update the hardware in your kitchen and suddenly your house has a fresh new look,” says Andy Bell, President and CEO of Handyman Matters. We asked Handyman Matters’ Bell to give us the top 20 projects he recommends for homeowners who want to protect their investment in their homes without breaking the bank. Before hiring someone to tackle anything on the list, he cautions homeowners to make sure that the business is reputable, offers a materials and labor guarantee and uses craftsmen who are experienced and trained to do the job you’re asking for.

1. Painting is one of the most inexpensive ways to make a big impact. If you don’t want to spring for a total exterior paint job, consider staining or painting the front door or your shutters in a bold, rich color.
2. Install new accessories in your bathroom and transform the whole look of your room. Towel bars, mirrors, shelving, Pedestal sinks or modern vessel-styled sinks give maximum style with minimal effort.
3. Safety upgrades like adding brighter light bulbs, replacing locks, or installing grab bars in the shower can bring peace of mind. Consider having it done for your parents as a gift. It may not be glamorous, but it is practical and shows you care.
4. Outdoor living is the hot home improvement right now. Have a deck or patio built, and your backyard becomes a haven for partygoers.
5. It’s like the fashionistas always say: accessories are what makes the difference. Get rid of your 50s-era cabinet hardware and have shiny new pulls and knobs installed. In just a couple of hours your kitchen has a whole new look.

15 More budget-friendly ideas:

1. Install shelving & organizers
2. Install low voltage under cabinet lighting
3. Seal and stain deck
4. Replace door knobs
5. Install new fixtures
6. Install weather-stripping
7. Replace or add shower doors
8. Install new railings
9. Paint garage doors
10. Install screen doors
11. Install new counters
12. Regrout or caulk tile
13. Replace entryway tile
14. Upgrade landscaping
15. Resurface fireplace

The professional craftsmen of Handyman Matters have expertise in thousands of home repair and home improvement projects. To find a location near you visit, www.HandymanMatters.com.

Click here for the complete “Sell Your Home Checklist”.

• Exterior Preparation
  • The condition of your home’s exterior is most important when it comes to buyer appeal. Touch up trim paint on doors, window frames, fascia, etc.
  • If your lawn shows no signs of life, a little fertilizer and some water will do wonders for its color. Mow and edge the lawn frequently until the home is sold.
  • Overgrown shrubbery should be cut back to show as much of the exterior as possible.
  • A low-cost investment in seasonal flowers or ground cover will add a personal touch.
  • Replace missing shutters, gutters, and downspouts and remove any debris.
  • Inspect the roof for necessary repairs and any visible broken shingles or tiles.
  • Cracks in the driveway and sidewalks can be easily repaired with ready-mix cement. For excessive stains, there are easy-to-use cleaning agents at your home repair store.
  • Stucco water stains can be repaired using a mild bleaching agent.
  • Fences should be mended and painted.
  • If the street sweeper does not come every week, make sure the area in front of your curb and driveway are clear of debris. Wash it down with the hose.
  • Wash all windows inside and outside.
  • All of these suggestions may also apply to your back yard or child’s play area.

Click here for the complete “Sell Your Home Checklist”.

One of the easier and inexpensive ways to create your own sense of space is to bring items from your previous residence to your new home, but adapt them for a different or a new use in the process. This has come to be known as “adaptive re-use.”

This “adaptive re-use” can be something as simple as placing a coffee table or end table that previously was a part of your living room in the old location into the family room in your new dwelling.

On a slightly more involved level, you can use the fabric from a window treatment in your original home to upholster the dining room chairs in the new place.

Adaptive re-use also involves using items from local design consignment shops or thrift stores. Shops such as these often carry high-quality, gently-used items, available at a fraction of their original cost. Not only are you finding affordable ways to claim your new space as your own, but you are doing so in a “green,” ecologically responsible way.

There’s a subtle “comfort level” that comes with bringing items from your previous residence; it helps ease the psychological stress you and your family may not even realize has begun affecting you as you settle into a new and unfamiliar place.

There’s an additional concept called “biophilic design,” which recognizes the inherent need of humans to interact and affiliate with nature. This helps individuals to maintain optimum health and well-being. Bring a bit of the outdoors inside; don’t neglect a good view you may have to the outdoors. In fact, find a way to accentuate it, perhaps by placing a couch or chair near a window that affords a comforting look at your favorite section of yard or garden.

This may seem overwhelming, but making your house feel like a home sooner rather than later will help you enjoy time in your new home instead of worrying about it. Your local Handyman Matters can help you hang pictures, mirrors, paint or anything else to make your new house feel like a home. Contact Handyman Matters today to start enjoying your home, click here to find a location near you or call 866-FIX-MY-HOME (866-349-6946).

Homeowners are choosing to incorporate ceramic tiles into master bedrooms for many of the same reasons the material has been popular in bathrooms and kitchens:

• Tile is more durable than other materials, lasting up to four times longer than carpet or wood. Unlike wood, it will never need refinishing, restaining or sanding. It holds its luster better than vinyl, and requires no special chemical treatments, the way many natural stone products do. Because of this easy maintenance and durability, consumers can realize lower costs over the life of the product.

• It’s naturally hypoallergenic and releases no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. It doesn’t collect dust, dust mites, pet dander or other irritants and microbes.

• Tile is readily available in a wide range of colors, sizes, shapes and design themes. In fact, you can now find ceramic tile that even mimics the look of other popular, more costly or less durable materials like wood, glass or even metal.

So how can you use tile in your master bedroom? Here are some ideas from the professionals at Handyman Matters:

Creating a headboard

Fabric, wood or metal headboards can make a powerful design statement, and solidify a bed’s stance as the centerpiece of a room. Ceramic tile, now available in large formats and in designs that mimic the look of other materials, is a sensible, cost-effective and healthier alternative to some popular headboard materials. Creating a fabric headboard, for example, can be a costly, time-consuming process, yet you can get virtually the same look with ceramic tile made to look like fabric. And this is fabric that won’t harbor germs and microbes.

General design touches

If you love the look of wainscoting, wood paneling or bead board, but prefer a more durable, hypoallergenic material, ceramic tile can offer the same look without the disadvantages of wood decorator touches. Some manufacturers produce tiles that look like wood design elements.

Extending the life of a paint job

Paint is one of the easiest things to change in a room and can be one of the most difficult to clean and preserve. One way to extend the life of a paint job is to tile walls to the level of the chair rail – the portion of the walls that gets the most exposure to unsightly dirt, dings and scuffs. While some paints may require special cleaning solvents to remove dirt without damaging the finish, tile requires nothing more than hot water and some elbow grease.

Creating cohesion between rooms

In master suites with large, open floor plans, using tile in the bedroom portion of the suite can help create a seamless transition between the sleeping and bathing areas. Or it can help create cohesion between indoor and outdoor spaces – tile is one of the few interior design materials that can flow from inside to out.

Achieving a look with added durability

You may love the look of hardwood, but know that wood doesn’t hold up well in rooms where it’s exposed to a lot of moisture on a daily basis – such as in a bathroom – or to a lot of wear and tear, such as in a bedroom. While wood that’s exposed to water will eventually warp and wear, ceramic tile designed to look like prized hardwoods will stand up to moisture and water – even if the bathtub overflows. And ceramic tile that looks like wood will never develop the “worn path” appearance of wood that bears heavy foot traffic.

When it comes to interior design, sometimes the unexpected makes perfect sense – such as finding creative ways to use ceramic tile in the master bedroom. If you’re contemplating tile installation anywhere in your home, your local Handyman Matters location would be happy to assist you with your remodel. Click here to find a location near you or call 866-FIX-MY-HOME (866-349-6946).

Courtesy of ARAcontent

In this episode Founder and CEO, Andy Bell, meets the Thomas Family. They get to see the house that was unsafe for them to live in – now they will have a new house fit for the entire family. Steve Simons of Handyman Matters Virginia is working with an entire team to help this family return to their home in safe conditions.

If you are looking for an easy project that will make an immediate difference in your summertime quality of life, add outdoor lights to your deck or patio. Lighting can turn your outdoor space into an entertaining place and a favorite new spot for hanging out on warm summer evenings.

Deck lighting offers immediate pay-back in terms of style, comfort and safety. The professional craftsmen at Handyman Matters can come to your home and help install outdoor lighting on your deck or patio, in your yard, on your house or wherever you would like.

Recessed lighting along a deck, porch or stairs not only adds a festive and cheery appearance, but provides an increased safety factor, as well.  This year, there are many new lighting products available, offering a wide variety of solutions for illuminating your deck and yard to its best effect, and most types are easy to install.  Handyman Matter professionals can provide helpful tips, or if this type of do-it-yourself seems too intimidating, call your local Handyman Matters office and they can yield quick results for you.

No matter what type of deck, patio, or back yard arrangement you have, there are lighting opportunities that will best accent your specific set-up. Our craftsmen are experts at outdoor lighting installation, giving decks and porches a quick and impressive facelift while providing a welcoming place for entertaining guests or simply enjoying your back yard on balmy summer evenings.

Check out www.HandymanMatters.com for more information on both lighting and deck and patio remodeling tips. And click here to find a location near you or call 866-FIX-MY-HOME (866-349-6946).

Courtesy of ARAcontent