Tag Archives: gutter genius

Gutter protection is absolutely necessary for the management of storm water runoff.

Gutter protection is absolutely necessary for the management of storm water runoff.

So many homeowners make the mistake of ignoring their gutters often at a very high cost to themselves. Because most gutters are well out of sight, people may not pay it much attention until the damage is done. Poorly maintained and ineffective gutters can lead to leaky roofs, damaged walls and unsightly water stains on your property stains. You can improve your chances of  preventing these things from happening by keeping your gutters protected with a gutter guard — but not just any gutter guard will do. You need to do some research to see what the best one is for your particular application. The best gutter guards are easy to install, remove and re-install.

This gives you flexibility, especially if you will be installing the product yourself. The cost of materials and installation of gutter guards can be quite expensive, depending on the brand, size and manufacturer… and the location of your home. If you buy gutter guards based solely on which set has the lowest price, you may end up spending more money than you intended. Not all gutter guards are created equal and low quality gutter guards are likely to get damaged too easily.

If you select only the best gutter guard, you can be assured that what you are buying is durable and reliable. Because it is top quality, you know that your home is protected and that you don’t have to worry about frequent maintenance or replacement. In the long run, you can save a good deal of money simply by investing on the best gutter guards you can buy.The design of the best gutter guards makes roof maintenance easier. Gutter guards are all designed to filter larger debris such as leaves and twigs from getting into your gutters.

Because most gutter guards have openings (usually slits or holes), they will eventually let in minute debris. However, since they significantly minimize the need to clean your gutters, you not only save on time and effort, you also save money in case you hire someone to do the cleaning for you.The best gutter guards come with extras. If you select only the best gutter guards, you will be assured that they will come with an extra service. Manufacturers frequently offer a maintenance service that includes periodic inspection and cleaning of your gutters.

That means you no longer have to climb to the roof of your home in order to inspect and hose down your gutters to unclog and keep them clean. Someone else will do it for you. Protect your gutters!

Selling something? Maybe trying to sell your house? Here is the fourth of our top 5 projects to boost your home’s value for resale.

Have you already decided to move rather than remodel only to realize, like so many others in the same boat, you are still thinking about remodeling anyway? Why? To make your house more appealing to would-be buyers, cut the time it takes to sell it and maybe even get more cash in hand when you sell is why. While you’re remodeling that other part of the house why not tuck in a new master bedroom suite above the addition? You’ll get all of your money back when you eventually sell your house, right?

Not so fast. While many home-remodeling projects are a great way to add value to your home, not all of them are ironclad cash-back guarantees. Before you invest a significant amount of your precious home equity into remodeling projects, it’s wise to do a little homework on what kind of payback you can expect for various home projects in your area.

A good place to start is the Cost vs. Value report published annually by the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, and Remodeling magazine. The report provides a synopsis of the top projects, the average costs of the projects and their average rate of investment return at resale. It also gives you a city-by-city guide on what various home projects will pay back at resale. Real estate experts caution that these numbers can differ significantly depending on your state, city or even neighborhood. So use these numbers as a starting point, but consider getting the advice of a Realtor and/or remodeling contractor before you commit to a big home project. These experts can familiarize you with remodeling payback figures tailored to your state, city., or town.

The fourth project of five to potentially boost your home’s resale value is a mid-range siding replacement. This more modest variation our first ranked project (upscale siding) includes replacing 1,250 square feet of siding with new vinyl siding and trim.

Average payback: 95.5 percent of cost
Estimated job cost: $7,239
National average resale value: $6,914

The value of this project is in its immediate curb appeal: New siding cleans up a house quickly. However, vinyl may not be appropriate and could actually detract from a home’s value in historic neighborhoods or upscale areas where traditional wood siding is still the preferred material.