Got a home improvement or building project on your plate but only have a small budget to complete it? Doing it yourself is the way to make your dollar stretch further. Here a few tips the DIYer can use to get an exterior home improvement project done without breaking the bank.

Save Money On Labor

Of course, any time you can do the physical work yourself you’ll save money. The more items you can fabricate yourself, the farther your budget will stretch. For instance, if you can pour concrete for a patio path, do the stonework on an outdoor barbecue pit, or build a gardening tool shed yourself you’ll not only save money, you’ll end up with a very unique exterior “room” that perfectly reflects your personality and needs.

But don’t get in over your head; if you’re not comfortable climbing up on the roof, for instance, don’t risk your safety and peace of mind. Hire someone to do the jobs you can’t do and save money by completing other projects without any help.

Save Money On Building Supplies

Is it necessary to sacrifice quality in order to get the job within budget? No – not if you stick with standard sizes and materials. For instance, it costs far less to buy prefab windows in standard sizes than it does to order a custom window in an odd shape or size.

When building a deck or patio, the same principle holds true: opt for readily available materials. If you wish to add a bit of interest in the form of a fountain, for instance, buy a standard kit but customize it with your own little touches that make it unique. A concrete path may be cheaper to form than one made of real stone yet look just as nice.

Replacing the roof on your home can be an expensive job. The type of roofing material you choose has a big impact on overall cost but no matter which type you prefer, come in to Kay Supply and ask about our current inventory. We often have overstock of shingles and sometimes even metal roofing panels that we pass along to our customers at blow out prices. If you want to add an element that will stand out from the neighborhood crowd, you might want to choose something like copper flashing as a highlight to your new metal roof.

When selecting siding for your home, it’s often more economical to go with vinyl siding that looks like wood – and it’s also easier to maintain.

What about doors? The exterior door should be high quality, thick and well insulated. On the interior, however, feel free to skimp a bit since these doors don’t have to do as big of a job as the entrance doors.

There are some things you might want to avoid if your goal is to complete an exterior building project within budget. Wrought iron, bronze and steel are all expensive materials. Exotic woods are always going to be more expensive than pine, redwood, or cedar.

No matter how small your budget, Kay Supply can help you get your exterior building projects done. We invite you to stop in and see us at either of our showrooms in Taylor and Pinetop and find out how we’ll exceed your expectations in regard to service AND price.

When it comes to the type of exterior cladding product you install on your home, you’ve got several choices. You could opt for a very traditional brick or stucco finish. Or you could go with the newer fiber cement or vinyl siding. If you choose vinyl siding for your exterior home improvement project, then you agree with the majority of Americans and Canadians. That’s right, vinyl siding is the top choice in North America, followed by brick in second place, stucco as the third most popular choice, and fiber cement in the fourth position.

Why Vinyl Siding is #1

There are many good reasons to opt for vinyl siding over other types of materials when it comes to the beauty and durability of your home. The top four reasons vinyl siding is number one in popularity are:

1. Low Maintenance. Not only does it cost less in terms of money and time to install vinyl siding, it’s also one of the easiest exterior cladding materials to maintain over its lifetime. Other products must be repainted, restained, or power washed. Vinyl siding looks good and performs even better with only an occasional cleaning and spot removal of any mold or mildew.

2. Safe Installation. Other materials such as fiber cement and even brick can be dangerous to your health when installing them. There’s nothing risky about vinyl siding, which goes up easily and safely.

3. Looks. It’s hard to beat vinyl siding in terms of beauty, durability and sustainability. It’s good for your home and good for the environment. Today’s vinyl siding comes in a wide range of colors and sizes as well as styles that mimic more costly and less eco-friendly wood shingles, bricks and other materials.

4. Lifetime Warranty. Kay Supply sells the highest quality vinyl siding on the market today, which comes with a limited lifetime warranty for your peace of mind. There’s no need to worry about your siding fading or otherwise not performing up to standards.

If you’re considering replacing the siding on your home this year, why not go along with the crowd for once and choose vinyl siding? It’s cost effective, durable, safe, eco-friendly and backed by a superior warranty because it performs so well. Come in to Kay Supply today and ask about our specials; we’ll do our best to help you replace your home’s siding so it looks beautiful and stands up to White Mountains weather - all while staying in your budget.

If you’ve ever installed a metal roof on a customer’s home and gotten a call from that customer some time later complaining that the roof is “sweating”, do a bit of detective work before you rush out to assess the damage from your installation. For one thing, metal simply can’t sweat. Chances are the so-called leak in the ceiling of the home is due to condensation.

Technically speaking, condensation is “the process by which matter transitions from a gas (or vapor) phase into a liquid phase”, in physics terms. Metal roofs do get cold and when moisture in the attic space comes into contact with that cold (a temperature below the dew point) surface, condensation is the end result.

Fixing the Problem

The problem is the presence of moisture. This could be due to a deficiency in the moisture barrier in the attic. Then again, the culprit could be improperly installed light fixtures, vent pipes, or ceiling fans – all of which could allow moisture to bypass an installed barrier. Sealing these fixtures could solve the problem quite simply.

If the moisture in the attic space is coming from a bathroom or kitchen, the exhaust fans or even a dryer vent could be allowing the seepage. The best solution to this type of problem is rerouting the vents so air is pulled to the outside of the home rather than accumulating under the roof.

Then again, the trouble may be a bit more severe. If the condensation isn’t due to unwanted moisture seeping into the attic space, then the problem might be caused by inadequate ventilation. The ideal situation is to ensure air is distributed evenly between the ridge and the eave as well as providing an unobstructed path for air to enter at the soffit and then disperse after following the ridge. Sometimes it’s difficult to provide the right amount of ventilation and in this case, a power vent or gable vent might do the trick.

Installing a Metal Roof the Right Way

The best offense is a good defense. The next time you install a metal roof, be sure that it is placed over a solid deck with a high quality synthetic underlayment. This is the best way to ensure that moisture doesn’t ever contact the metal roofing directly – and condensation doesn’t ever occur.

If the installation of the new metal roof is going over the top of an existing roof, it’s still best to lay down a good underlayment first. This also helps when the roof gets hot; the underlayment will hold up nicely and ensure the integrity of the roof.

At Kay Supply, we’re here to help. If you ever encounter a problem that you can’t find a solution for, just ask us and we’ll be happy to share our experience and expertise.

As the year 2011 draws to a close, it’s time to think about any last-minute things you could do to reduce your tax bill. One thing you might be able to use to qualify for a tax credit is improving your home’s energy efficiency. As long as your project increases the energy efficiency of your home and you buy the supplies before the end of the year, you’ll probably qualify (but certainly check with a tax professional to be sure).

How Much Can You Get?

If you’re familiar with the tax code from prior years that included the new American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009, there really aren’t a whole lot of changes for the year 2011. For most upgrades that affect the energy efficiency of your home, you can gain a tax credit of 30% of the cost – even up to $1,500 in some cases. You could possibly spend $5,000 on a project such as window or roof replacement and get back the full $1,500 (30 percent) on your federal income tax.

You can only get the credit on the cost of the materials, not the installation labor, so that’s why it’s important to buy your supplies now.

In some instances, you may also be able to get a state or utility rebate, depending on the extent of your energy efficiency project. So you might be eligible to earn a credit of even more than $1,500, which really makes paying for that major project now, rather than waiting, worthwhile.

What Types of Projects Are Eligible?

While we can’t tell you exactly what projects you should consider in order to be eligible for the federal tax energy efficiency rebate (check this site Federal Government Energy Star Tax Credit program to be sure), we can tell you that the following are examples of approved additions to your home:

*Insulation – Includes caulk, weather stripping and foam sealants

*Exterior Windows – Includes skylights and storm windows

*Doors – Includes storm doors

*Metal or Asphalt Roof

*Air Conditioning/Heating Systems

*Water Heater (new and efficient or solar)

*Biomass (Corn) Stove

*Geothermal Heat Pumps

*Solar Panels

*Alternative Energy Systems

The products you install must meet certain criteria in regards to their energy efficiency; come in and talk to us at Kay Supply and we can confirm whether or not the building supplies you purchase meet those criteria. As a general rule, the products should be expected to last five years minimum (a two year warranty) and be installed on a primary residence by the homeowner.

Don’t miss out on a tax credit to lower your tax liability next year! Come in and talk to us today so we can order the energy efficiency products you need for your qualifying home remodeling projects.