Forget the Open Floor Plan--It's Time to Bring Back Walls

  1. Rushing Things Poor planning and hurrying through the design process are the reasons behind most kitchen renovation disasters. Solution: Slow down.  Take your time when planning and designing your kitchen, and be careful not to leave important decisions to the last minute. Select and order kitchen appliances well in advance and make sure your kitchen designer and manufacturer have all the details and dimensions prior to issuing the final drawings for construction. It usually takes more than one appointment to refine details such as the layout, functionality and finishes of the kitchen. You’ll usually have an initial meeting with the designer to discuss what you want, and the designer will then go off and create the concepts. This will be followed by another meeting to discuss and refine the design, following which the designer will issue the final set of documents. You’ll then have a run-through meeting where any final changes can be made. Be sure you understand 100% of w...

  Inspect patios and walkways Task:  Freezing temperatures can wreak havoc on hardscape surfaces made of loose (unmortared) brick, stone, and concrete paving materials. Check to see if frost heave and erosion have caused pavers to shift, rise, or sink. You’ll want to fix any unevenness for safety as well as aesthetic reasons. Shortcuts:  Repair hardscape surfaces using a wheelbarrow filled with playground sand and a sturdy trowel. Pry up displaced pavers, smooth and even out the bed with fresh sand, and replace the paver. Call in the pros:  This is a good job for a handyman. Expect to pay  $30 to $60 an hour , depending on your location. Feed your lawn Task:  After a wet spring, your lawn might be looking quite rich and lush. Since Mother Nature did the hard work, you can sit back and relax, right? Not so fast. Grass loves nutrients, so now’s the time to add high-nitrogen fertilizer to help suppress weeds and  keep your lawn looking...