Posts in category 'Home Improvement'

To date, the largest project I have tackled was general contracting the construction of my house in Lincoln a few years ago. I had a very supportive boss at the time who joined in on the fun and shared a boatload of advice and tips along the way. The biggest surprise during that time was the number of decisions that had to be made at literally every turn.

For those of you about to embark (or even just considering embarking) on a large renovation project, I'd like to share a few tips and tricks I learned along the way. They may allow you to sidestep some of the mistakes I made and could help you plan a little better for the whole project. Let's get started.

As I mentioned above, the constant requirement for decision-making was not expected. I somehow assumed that once we settle...

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Since we live in a climate where fall is crisp and cool, now is the time to attack your lawn for the best results next spring. Before I go on, I do have to mention my own personal feelings towards the lawn in general. Overall, I think having a lush green carpet surrounding your home is great for curb appeal. It also gives the kids and pets a wonderful place to play. But outside of that, it carries a significant cost (both in time and money) and is really not great for our coughing and sputtering environment. I encourage you to re-consider your lawn, replace it with some hardscaping and other low maintenance options and take your kids and dog to the park. OK, off my soapbox and back to making your remaining lawn awesome.

When I worked at the Owl's Nest golf course over in Thornton, they would...

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For those of us basking in the luxury of pre-half-century ages, the inevitable is lurking just around the corner. Heck, for lots of us, it is right on the proverbial doorstop. It's the scourge of old age. I need to be careful how I choose my words today; at 47 I'm no longer a spring chicken. I start my days with 20 minutes of yoga and stretching (honestly, I don't know how anyone over 40 starts their day without it!). I need that time to "wake up" my body, loosen everything up and prepare for the day. For what it's worth, I strongly encourage you to try it!

A couple weeks ago I lamented my lack of cross training and the penalty (in sore quads and calves) I paid for 2 days after the hike. Another thing this highlighted for me was the inevitable desire to live on one floor. Two flig...

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Ouch! As I sit and type this today, my legs are begging for some ice. While visiting a friend in Boulder, CO over the weekend we ventured up to just over 13,000 feet to the summit of James Peak. 14 miles later and my body is wondering what it did to deserve that sort of abuse. The weather was perfect and the views over towards Winter Park resort, sprinkled with the vibrant yellows of the Aspen trees changing their colors for fall, were breathtaking. This time of year I tend to start shifting gears (pun intended) from cycling to hiking. The parking lots at the trailheads start to thin out, as do the swarms of bugs around your head as you make your way up the trail. I also simply love being in the woods in the late fall and winter, so the change in activity suits me just fine.

One thing I "learn...

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Unless you are painting an entire house (3 bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchen and living room) it really is one of the best, fastest and most cost-effective ways to do a refresh in your home. Painting provides a way to give a room a whole new look, allows your teenager to express themselves within their personal domain and it can even liven up a tired feeling home before a showing. With all that said, the one thing I've learned over the years is that preparation is super important when it comes to painting. How you prepare can literally determine the success of your project. The unfortunate message that you are going to get from today's article is that grabbing your brushes and the left over paint from the basement right after finishing your coffee this morning is likely not going to be the best cours...

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