If only the government had hired ME to run the country, we'd all be living in peace, happiness and prosperity. In these tough and turbulent economic times, the best way to keep your head above water is strategic planning. Not budget cuts, raising taxes, eliminating jobs... just strategic planning.
™
The lost art of strategic planning is simple. Look at what you currently have and think of ways to make it more effective which in turn gives it more value. For a homeowner, the most inexpensive way to increase the value of their home and provide the largest Return On Investment (ROI) is to work on its curb appeal.
How many times have you found yourself driving in the car and saying to yourself, "Oh my God! Look at how gorgeous that house is!" You have no idea what's inside. No clue as to how many bedrooms, are the floors real hardwood or cheap pergos, has the kitchen been updated, or does the bathroom have a jacuzzi bathtub. Your solely formulating your opinion based on the outer shell and its "curb appeal". In your mind, you're already putting an estimated value on the home and saying, "That house is easily worth 'X' amount of dollars... They could get 'X' amount... I'd pay 'X' amount..."
A house's character is first defined by its curb appeal. The exterior triggers off your first impression. But did you ever notice that on an average sized home, the garage door accounts for 1/3 of the home's face. While gazing in awe over the characteristics of the exterior of the home, that large mass of moving door is just as instrumental in enhancing the diversity of a home's most prominent features.
A distinctive garage door can add a unique embellishment which equates to greater home value. A garage door's style and durability are factors that are sometimes overlooked by homeowners and home buyers when determining value. From colors to cuts, to windows and decorative hardware, you have a wide array of options to distinguish your garage door from the countless generic types competing in your neighborhood.
Replacing your garage door with a newer upscale door will easily guarantee a boost in resale value for your home. Many homeowners who have lost ten of thousands in equity during this economic drought have begun to re-establish their values by investing in the inexpensive home improvement of new garage door.
Consider the age of your home. When was it built? What type of materials were used in "those days"? What newer, efficient and eco-friendly advancements have come to surface in the last decade? And how valuable to a homeowner are these advancements that their current and aged garage door does not offer?
Newer garage doors are now insulated for both temperature and sound. In addition, they are designed to be much safer and provide better security for your home. Most of all, newer doors require little maintenance and offer more convenience for the homeowner.
Years ago, garage doors were only made from wood and were pretty much generic to all homes. Today, homeowners now have the choice of not only wood, but steel, fiberglass and synthetics. New models are also constructed with a fitted tongue and groove panels that are just as impervious to wind, rain or snow as your front door is.
Let's not forget the safety features that help prevent such hazardous accidents as a door closing on a person or object. There are also features that push away objects - and more importantly fingers - from within the door panels. Newer doors have also been designed to strengthen security measures in keeping out burglars.
Now more than ever, your spending should get you the most for your money. So in looking for ways to keep up with the fluctuation of this roller coaster market, I'd recommend investing your money in what I consider a "sure thing" - garage doors. It's not often you'll find yourself shopping for a garage door, but when you do, why not invest in one that will last a lifetime.
A great alternative to your typical overhead garage door is a sliding garage door. They are similar to barn or warehouse doors in that, like their name suggests, they slide open instead of being lifted by a drive system. Just like your typical garage door though, they come in a variety of styles and can be manual or automatic. And just like other doors, installing them should be performed with the greatest care. If you're not sure if you can aptly perform this yourself, I suggest you employ the expertise of a professional. That said, if you're a decently experienced do it yourself person and have a good amount of mechanical inclination, this shouldn't be very difficult.
To perform this task, you'll need the following:
When you're doing any kind of home improvement or repair work, it's important to have all of your tools on hand and ready to use. Professionals are able to complete their work in a timely manner not only because of their knowledge and experience, but because they have the proper tools and utilize those tools.
The first thing you want to do when installing a sliding garage door is to line up the track. Put the top track across the top of the garage door opening. Some systems require a specific height that they need to be amounted above the opening while others are mounted directly on the opening. Consult your instructions for the proper placement of the top track. Either way, once you have it in position, use a level to make sure that it is straight. Once the track has been straightened, use your pencil to mark the holes where the pilot holes need to be drilled. Now set the top track aside and repeat this process for the bottom track. Use your measuring tape to make sure that the top and bottom track are aligned evenly.
Once you're confident that you know where you're going to be drilling, go ahead and drill the pilot holes for the screws that will mount your tracks. If you have to drill into concrete or other stone, make sure that you are using a masonry drill bit and that you use concrete anchors that will secure the screws in place.
Now that all of your pilot holes are drilled, we can begin mounting the track. Most garage door units will come with the necessary screws, but if you have to provide them yourself, or the ones that came with it look shoddy, make sure you're using at least 2 inch long bolts or wood screws. They need to be heavy-duty galvanized steel to ensure they don't break under the pressure of consistent use. Now move your track into position. This is the part where you'd want to have a helper. While holding the track in place, place a couple of drops of wood glue into each hole before installing the bolts or wood screws. This will ensure a tight, stable fit. Don't worry about getting the glue all throughout the hole because it will filter through the threads in the screw and be evenly distributed that way. Again, repeat this process for the other track.
Some, but not all, sliding garage door systems have vertical tracks to make the frame even stronger. If your door does have these tracks, follow the same procedure to install them.
Once your entire track has been put into place, vertical tracks or not, it's time to install the actual garage door. Sliding garage doors are typically made for two doors to slide behind each other. So, just lift the door and align it on the track. This is the other part that would deserve a helper. Garage doors are notoriously heavy, so lifting them is no easy task. Some sliding garage doors are similar to overhead doors in that they are sectional. In this case, you would place the "bottom" piece, or the section that doesn't have hinge attachments on one side, on the track first. One by one, move them Garage Door Repair Henderson into place and install the hinges to connect the sections. Once your door is on, consult your instructional manual for how to install the stopping mechanisms on the tracks themselves. Some tracks have these mechanisms built-in, and most vary from door to door.