Home improvement is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home. Often, a professional handyman is hired to perform the improvements but, typically, most improvements are done on an amateur DIY basis by the homeowner.
Bob Vila is a well-known author and televsion host in the home improvement field. Also, the sitcom Home Improvement uses the home improvement theme for comedic purposes.
Professional vs. do it yourself
A homeowner can hire a general contractor to oversee a home improvement project that involves multiple trades. A general contractor acts as project manager, providing access to the site, removing debris, coordinating work schedules, and performing some aspects of the work. Sometimes homeowners bypass the general contractor, and hire tradesmen themselves, including plumbers, electricians and roofers. Another strategy is to "do it yourself" (DIY). Several major retailers, such as Home Depot and Lowes, specialize in selling materials and tools for DIY home improvement. These stores even host classes to educate customers how to do the work themselves.
Types of home improvement
- Wallpapering and painting walls or
installing wood paneling.
- Adding new flooring such as carpets,
tiling, linoleum, wood flooring, or solid hardwood flooring.
- Upgrading cabinets, fixtures, and sinks
in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Repairing or increasing the capacity of
plumbing and electrical systems.
- Upgrading heating, ventilation and air
conditioning systems (HVAC)
- Roof tear-off and replacement.
- Concrete and masonry repairs to the
foundation and chimney.
- Waterproofing basements.
- Soundproofing rooms, especially bedrooms
and baths.
- Replacing siding and windows, both as a
cosmetic improvement and as a way to save energy.
- Turning marginal areas into livable
spaces such as turning basements into recrooms or attics into
spare bedrooms.
- Reducing utility costs with:
- Energy-efficient insulation, windows, and
lighting.
- Renewable energy self sufficiency with
biomass pellet stoves, wood-burning stoves, solar panels, wind
turbines, and geothermal exchange heat pumps (see autonomous
building)
- Extending one's house with rooms added to
the side of one's home or, sometimes, extra levels to the original
roof.
- Improving the backyard with sliding doors, wooden patio decks, patio gardens, jacuzzis, swimming pools, and fencing.