Grout and caulk are two completely different substances, each with its own use and function. If you live in a home with an older bathroom, you may use one (or both) to make a repair or install a new bathtub, toilet or fixture. Do you know when you should use grout or caulk around your tub?

Grout is a mixture of water, cement, sand and sometimes fine gravel. This paste can be tinted different colors and is often used between tiles. Grout keeps water out and gives your walls and floors a cleaner look. Grout requires a crevice to “hold onto” and can prevent tile edges from chipping. Since grout doesn’t contain latex, it can crack with movement. Years of use can leave grout looking discolored and dirty.

On the other hand, caulk is silicone, acrylic or latex-based, so it’s both flexible and waterproof. Caulk is strong enough and pliable enough to adhere … Read Full Post »

What if you could get all of those little tasks on your “honey-do” list completed without having to lift a finger?

Home repairs, maintenance and weekend projects can quickly eat up all your free time. It’s only natural that homeowners are looking for ways to outsource these tasks at the lowest possible price. Depending on the nature of the tasks involved, you may find yourself wondering which jobs are suitable for a handyman and which tasks are better performed by a licensed contractor. Since virtually anyone can call themselves a handyman, you might ask yourself, “What can a handyman legally do?” Is there a real difference between the training and skills of a handyman and a contractor? What type of jobs should you hire a handyman to complete? Some homeowners have an even more basic question: What is a handyman in the first place?

A handyman may be a jack-of-all-trades or … Read Full Post »

As a homeowner, chances are you’ve been through your share of surprise home repairs—which means you’ve also likely experienced expensive bills, poor service, and unreliable handymen. Unfortunately, those are risks homeowners take when they hire out for home repairs or renovation projects. But here’s the good news: There are a number of easy home improvement projects you can tackle, many of them on your own, without breaking the bank.

Easy Home Improvement Projects

The following project ideas represent just a few inexpensive ways to improve your living space, and many of them offer that priceless sense of accomplishment that comes from doing it yourself. And when you need an improvement or repair that you can’t manage on your own, ABC is here, ready to help.

Update Your Home’s Front Entrance

Want to enhance your curb appeal? Of all the many easy do-it-yourself home improvements, updating your home’s entrance is one of the best … Read Full Post »

The real estate sector is back in business, and MSN reports that property values are increasing at long-term rates once again. Now is the perfect time to upgrade your home with a brand new addition and increase its square footage.

What Does an Addition Require?

Once you flesh out the details with an architect or designer, you’ll want to secure a permit for the new construction. Permit rules vary by city, but your general contractor will help you file the necessary paperwork.

Please note that construction prices vary by company, so the cost of your addition may be higher or lower than the national average. Using a sample 150 square foot addition in Austin, a basic room without plumbing will run about $100 a square foot or a total of $15,000, but you might have to pay closer to $20,000 depending on the windows, doors, and flooring material you choose.

A bathroom addition requires … Read Full Post »