This is a great year to tackle that major renovation project that you’ve been putting off for the past couple of years.  Yesterday’s Federal Budget has made it easier and more affordable than ever to get on with getting that project done.

Starting yesterday ,Jan. 27, 2009, and going to
Feb. 1, 2010 is the time line to take advantage of this great program.

It looks like the tax credit can be used for many different types of projects around your home and yard. The Budget is giving a tax credit of 15% on projects over $1000 and up to $10,000.  The maximum amount that any individual/couple can claim is $1350.

That is a pretty good motivation to get to work and tackle that list of yours starting this week.

What are some of projects that you can do that will qualify?  Well, here are a few: renovating your bathroom, basement or kitchen; putting new flooring down; painting – inside or out; building the deck you always wanted; putting in a new driveway; landscaping your yard with new sod; or putting on that new addition.

Now, as we all know, it is pretty easy to spend $10,000 on a renovation.
This program won’t cover all the expenses for all of the projects that
you may want to do on your house but it will certainly help with one or two
of them.

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My sweetie, Karen, and I are starting a large renovation in our home right now and are now one of the couples doing home improvements.  We are going through all the figuring, planning and comparing what we both want with what can be done and with the amount of money we want to put in
to all of this.  It is very interesting to be on this side of the table this time.  Usually, my clients just tell me what they want to do and then I get the job done.  Or, I have to help them make the decisions which at times can feel more like being a counseler rather than a contractor because they both have different ideas of what they want.

One of the things that we are working on is deciding on kitchen appliances.  As the one who is going to be doing most of the building of the kitchen I have my idea of what appliances to get and what will work with the space that we have.  As a professional chef and the one who does all the cooking, Karen, has her ideas of what she wants for the kitchen.

We were in an appliance store the other day finalizing the ones that we will most likely get.  A little sign was posted in an inconspicuous spot that put this all into perspective.  It said:  Husbands Must Have A Note From Their Wives When Choosing Appliances.  We all had a good laugh.

The owner of the store said earlier that week one the couples doing home improvements were standing at his door when he opened his doors in the morning because the husband had been in the day before and ordered all new appliances for their home.  This guy said his wife would be fine with whatever he chose.  He found out that he was wrong, of course.

So, before you start on your next project take some time to discuss what you both want.  You may have to do some compromising to keep your partner happy.  But, as one of the couples doing home improvements, remember that your relationship is more important than the color of the walls or the style of faucets to install.  It may not be exactly what you wanted but it is not worth stressing over very much.

Check out the video below to get a few tips on what to do if the discussion turns a little heated.

Meaningful Discussions

Meaningful Discussions with Your Spouse

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In my last post I talked about gutters on one of my client’s homes being clogged constantly by the needles that are falling from a fir tree that is right next to her home.

Trees are beautiful and offer a lot of value to a home but they can cause damage to a home in many ways, too, including dropping their debris on the roof constantly, their roots can damage foundations, basements, side walks, driveways, water and sewer lines.

And, worst of all, they can crush a home by falling on it in a high wind.

If you can spot a crack or other damage in a tree before it falls then it is often time to take it out before it causes damage to your home or property.

Now, when the tree is only 10 – 15 feet tall it is fairly easy and straightforward as to how to cut it down and turn it into firewood.

But, when the tree is a 100 – 150 feet tall fir or cedar how can you cut it down and not have it end up crushing your home?

Well, watch this video below and you’ll see how some professional foresters remove three hazard trees which were ready to fall.  The trees were very close to buildings in a kids camp.  It is absolutely amazing to see how precise and careful they are.

Warning: Don’t try this at home on your own!  Call in the professionals.

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Thrips, also known as thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies, and corn lice, feed on a large variety of sources both plant and animal by puncturing them and sucking up the contents.  They are pests no matter what you call them.

In this video you’ll see what they can do to gladiolas that will make any gardener want to cry after putting so much work in to getting these gorgeous flowers to start growing in the first place.

You’ll have to listen carefully to hear what this gardener suggests for getting rid of these thrips.

Great Gardens: Keeping bugs off your Gladiolas

Gladiolas are in full bloom at this garden, but how do you keep the bugs away? KXLY 4′s Phyllis Stephens gets to the bottom of this problem.

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Many of us are starting to harvest tomatoes from our gardens and greenhouses now.  What a fabulous time of year this is.

Being able to grow these beautiful vegetables (okay, I know they are actually in the fruit family but, let’s not split hairs over this) in your own backyard is one of the true delights of summer.  No matter if you have a garden the size of the “back 40″ or just a few pots on your balcony, you can grow some variety of these beautiful delicacies.

There seems to be a competition between neighbors every year as to who can grow the biggest stuff in their garden and tomatoes are no different.

There are a lot of different varieties to choose from for different purposes ie. show, taste, canning, sauces, etc..  You can grow the little grape tomatoes for eating as a snack, the cherry tomatoes for snacking, too, or throwing in the salad, the roma for making sauces or the one you’ll see in the video below for show along with many others.

Whatever space you have available to grow in there is sure to be a tomato plant that would love to take root and ripen-up in.

Garden Girl TV: My (almost) Record Tomato

Here is a video of Patti Moreno, the Garden Girl’s, almost record organic tomato from her garden.

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Ever wonder what it’s like to use some of the pro lawnmowers?  Well, anywhere there is a large lawn that is what usually get’s used so that it can be done faster and better.  These machines take some practice to get good at.

They are powerful and cost a lot more than the homeowner mower that you may have at home but this is what is needed to keep the big lawns looking good.  As you’ll see in this video, they are a lot harder to use than most of us think they would be at first.

Let’s Be Frank – Lawn Mowing

Fairfield U. sophomore Frank Romano teams up with the grounds crew to give you an in-depth look at mowing the lawns on campus.

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If you’re in the market for a new riding lawn mower this video will introduce you to three of the styles to choose from.  There are many manufactures to choose from in addition to the ones shown in this video.  It all depends on the size of your lawn and how much you want to pay.  Have fun mowing.

Lawn mowers and lawn tractors are great machines and the latest models have some features worth checking out. New, fancy zero turn mowers and four wheel steer mowers can make mowing your lawn quicker and easier. Tim Carter takes you through some of those new lawn mower features.

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In this video, Patti Moreno reveals some options for your yard instead of just lawns.  Transforming your yard from lawns to flower beds, shrubs and trees can be so much nicer to enjoy and better for the environment with less use of fertilizers, pesticides and fuel for those lawn mowers, trimmers and blowers.

There is a lot of great info in this short video.  Hope you enjoy.

Garden Girl TV: Lawns to Edible Landscapes

Patti, the Garden Girl, encourages you to get rid of your lawn for a edible landscape.

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Here is a quick lesson on getting your lawn started in the spring to be green and lush for enjoyment through the summer.  There is a bunch of great tips so have your pen and paper ready to take down some pointers from this video.

In the spring it’s the time to get your lawn in shape. We have some tips to make your lawn the envy of the neighborhood

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