Home improvement
Encyclopedia
Home improvement, home renovation or remodeling is the process of renovating
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...

 or making additions to one's home.

Types of home improvement

While "home improvement" often refers to building projects that alter the structure of an existing home, it can also include improvements to lawns, gardens, and outdoor structures, such as gazebos and garages.
Home improvement projects generally have one or more of the following goals:

Comfort

  • Upgrading heating, ventilation
    Ventilation (architecture)
    Ventilating is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality...

     and air conditioning
    Air conditioning
    An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...

     systems (HVAC)
  • Increasing the capacity of plumbing
    Plumbing
    Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...

     and electrical systems.
  • Waterproofing
    Waterproofing
    Waterproof or water-resistant describes objects relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet environments or under water to specified depths...

     basement
    Basement
    __FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...

    s.
  • Soundproofing
    Soundproofing
    Soundproofing is any means of reducing the sound pressure with respect to a specified sound source and receptor. There are several basic approaches to reducing sound: increasing the distance between source and receiver, using noise barriers to reflect or absorb the energy of the sound waves, using...

     rooms, especially bedrooms and baths.

Maintenance and repair

Maintenance projects can include:
  • Roof
    Roof
    A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....

     tear-off and replacement.
  • Concrete
    Concrete
    Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...

     and masonry
    Masonry
    Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...

     repairs to the foundation
    Foundation (architecture)
    A foundation is the lowest and supporting layer of a structure. Foundations are generally divided into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations.-Shallow foundations:...

     and chimney
    Chimney
    A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...

    .
  • Repairing plumbing
    Plumbing
    Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...

     and electrical systems.

Additional space

Additional living space may be added by:
  • Turning marginal areas into livable spaces such as turning basements into recrooms
    Recreation room
    A recreation room is a room used for a variety of purposes, such as parties, games and other everyday or casual use. The term is common in the United States and Canada, but is less common in the United Kingdom where the preferred term is games room...

    , home theater
    Home cinema
    Home cinema, also commonly called home theater, are home entertainment set-ups that seek to reproduce a movie theater experience and mood with the help of video and audio equipment in a private home....

    s, or home office
    Home Office
    The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...

    s – or attic
    Attic
    An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...

    s into spare bedroom
    Bedroom
    A bedroom is a private room where people usually sleep for the night or relax during the day.About one third of our lives are spent sleeping and most of the time we are asleep, we are sleeping in a bedroom. To be considered a bedroom the room needs to have bed. Bedrooms can range from really simple...

    s.
  • Extending one's house with rooms added to the side of one's home or, sometimes, extra levels to the original roof
    Roof
    A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....

    .

Saving energy

Homeowners may reduce utility
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...

 costs with:
  • Energy-efficient
    Efficient energy use
    Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal of efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature...

     thermal insulation
    Thermal insulation
    Thermal insulation is the reduction of the effects of the various processes of heat transfer between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. Heat transfer is the transfer of thermal energy between objects of differing temperature...

    , replacement windows, and lighting
    Lighting
    Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...

    .
  • Renewable energy
    Renewable energy
    Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...

      with biomass
    Biomass
    Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....

     pellet stove
    Pellet stove
    A pellet stove is a stove that burns compressed wood or biomass pellets to create a source of heat for residential and sometimes industrial spaces...

    s, wood-burning stove
    Stove
    A stove is an enclosed heated space. The term is commonly taken to mean an enclosed space in which fuel is burned to provide heating, either to heat the space in which the stove is situated or to heat the stove itself, and items placed on it...

    s, solar panel
    Photovoltaic module
    A solar panel is a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells...

    s, wind turbine
    Wind turbine
    A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...

    s, programmable thermostat
    Programmable thermostat
    A programmable thermostat is a thermostat which is designed to adjust the temperature according to a series of programmed settings that take effect at different times of the day...

    s, and geothermal exchange heat pumps (see autonomous building
    Autonomous building
    An autonomous building is a building designed to be operated independently from infrastructural support services such as the electric power grid, gas grid, municipal water systems, sewage treatment systems, storm drains, communication services, and in some cases, public roads.Advocates of...

    )

Safety and preparedness

Emergency preparedness safety measures such as:
  • Home fire and burglar alarm
    Burglar alarm
    Burglar , alarms are systems designed to detect unauthorized entry into a building or area. They consist of an array of sensors, a control panel and alerting system, and interconnections...

     systems.
  • Fire sprinkler systems to protect homes from fires
  • Security doors, windows, and shutters
    Window shutter
    A window shutter is a solid and stable window covering usually consisting of a frame of vertical stiles and horizontal rails...

    .
  • Storm cellar
    Storm cellar
    A storm shelter or storm cellar is a type of underground bunker designed to protect the occupants from violent severe weather, particularly tornadoes...

    s as protection from tornadoes and hurricanes.
  • Bomb shelters
    Fallout shelter
    A fallout shelter is an enclosed space specially designed to protect occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. Many such shelters were constructed as civil defense measures during the Cold War....

     especially during the 1950s as protection from nuclear war.
  • Backup generators
    Standby generator
    thumb|right|Standby generatorsA standby generator is a back-up electrical system that operates automatically. Within seconds of a utility outage an automatic transfer switch senses the power loss, commands the generator to start and then transfers the electrical load to the generator. The standby...

     for providing power during power outage
    Power outage
    A power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...

    s

Professional versus do-it-yourself

There are three main approaches to managing a home improvement project: hiring a general contractor, directly hiring specialized contractors, or doing the work oneself.

A general contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...

 oversees a home improvement project that involves multiple trades. A general contractor acts as project manager, providing access to the site, removing debris, coordinating work schedules, and performing some aspects of the work.

35% of homeowners, according to the Remodeling Sentiment Report bypass the general contractor, and hire tradesmen themselves, including plumbers, electrician
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...

s and roofer
Roofer
A roofer specializes in roof construction, concentrating on the application of materials that water proof and / or weather proof buildings,designed material—as a substrate for the roofing materials to be installed on. The rafters, beams, and trusses are the frame or skeleton for the roof to be...

s.

Another strategy is to "do it yourself
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...

" (DIY). 67% of homeowners report they will do some work themselves when they remodel according to the Remodeling Sentiment Report. Several major American retailers, such as Home Depot and Lowes, specialize in selling materials and tools for DIY home improvement. These stores host classes and carry numerous books to teach customers how to do the work themselves. DIY websites also provide information, in the form of how-to videos, articles and step-by-step instructions.

Home improvement industry

Home or residential renovation is a $300 billion industry in the United States, and a $48 billion industry in Canada. The average cost per project is $3,000 in the United States and $11,000–15,000 in Canada.

There are several types of companies that contribute to the booming renovation industry. Supply businesses such as Home Depot, Lowes, Menards
Menards
Menards is a chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States.The privately held company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin has 262 stores in 13 states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, and...

 and Rona
Rona (company)
Rona Inc. is a Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home improvement and gardening products. Rona was founded in 1939. Rona operates a network of some 700 stores and is the leading distributor and retailer in its market with approximately 51,594 employees. The Rona network represents...

 Lansing provide all the materials and tools necessary to facilitate home renovations.
Many online companies and home improvement websites offer tips, guidelines and trends to give homeowners ideas for design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...

 and décor.

Associations

Playing a critical role are the professional associations created to represent the architects, architectural technologists, interior designers and skilled trades that provide specialized services to homeowners. These associations provide credibility, trade guidelines, and useful information to help homeowners learn more about the trades they are about to hire.

Associations include:
  • Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario
    Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario
    Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario or ARIDO is a self-regulatory professional organization for interior designers in Ontario, Canada. It is the only recognized professional organization for interior designers in Ontario...

  • The American Institute of Architects
  • American Society of Interior Designers
    American Society of Interior Designers
    The American Society of Interior Designers is the oldest and largest professional association for interior designers. Through education, knowledge sharing, advocacy, community building and outreach, the Society strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the process, to demonstrate...

  • International Interior Design Association
    International Interior Design Association
    The International Interior Design Association is a professional networking and educational association of more than 13,000 members in ten specialty forums, and twenty-nine chapters around the world. IIDA is committed to enhancing quality of life through excellence in interior design...

  • Interior Design Society
  • Interior Redesign Industry Specialists
  • National Kitchen & Bath Association
    National Kitchen & Bath Association
    The National Kitchen & Bath Association is an international non-profit trade association for kitchen and bath professionals with over 36,000 members across North America. The NKBA provides resources for consumers and industry professionals and promotes professionalism and ethical business practices...


Renovation contractors

Perhaps the most important or visible professionals in the renovation industry are renovation contractors or skilled trades. These are the builders
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...

 that have specialized credentials, licensing and experience to perform renovation services in specific municipalities.
While there is a fairly large ‘grey market’ of unlicensed companies, there are those that have membership in a reputable association and/or are accredited by a professional organization.

Home improvement on television / radio

Home improvement was popularized on television in 1979 with the premiere of This Old House
This Old House
This Old House is an American home improvement magazine and television series aired on the American television station Public Broadcasting Service which follows remodeling projects of houses over a number of weeks.-Overview:...

starring Bob Vila
Bob Vila
Robert Joseph "Bob" Vila is an American home improvement television show host known for This Old House , Bob Vila's Home Again , and Bob Vila .-Early life:...

 on PBS.

The sitcom Home Improvement used the home improvement theme
Theme (literature)
A theme is a broad, message, or moral of a story. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Along with plot, character,...

 for comedic purposes.

American cable channel HGTV
HGTV
HGTV , is a cable-television network operating in the United States and Canada, broadcasting a variety of home and garden improvement, maintenance, renovation, craft and remodeling shows...

 features many do-it-yourself shows, as does sister channel DIY Network
DIY Network
DIY Network is a channel owned by Scripps Networks Interactive that focuses on do it yourself projects at home.Television stations air local versions with local hosts with segments produced by the network. Branded DIY Network programming is also broadcast in Japan and the Philippines...

 and the competing Discovery Home
Discovery Home
Planet Green is a Television Network on satellite TV and digital cable TV in the U.S. run by Discovery Communications. Originally launched on June 1, 1998 as the main competitor to HGTV, the channel offered programming ranging from do-it-yourself to cooking to interior design/landscaping to party...

.

Danny Lipford
Danny Lipford
Danny Lipford is an American contractor and television personality known to audiences as Host and Executive Producer of the nationally-syndicated home improvement show Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, syndicated radio show Homefront, and for his appearances on The Weather Channel, and CBS's...

 hosts and produces the nationally syndicated Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford.

Tom Kraeutler
Tom Kraeutler
Tom Kraeutler is a home improvement broadcast journalist and author.Kraeutler co-hosts the nationally syndicated “Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show” broadcast on more than 265 stations every weekend, with an audience of more than 4 million listeners. His home improvement tips are also...

 and Leslie Segrete
Leslie Segrete
Leslie Segrete is an American designer, seamstress, carpenter, and television personality. She is best known for her work on the TLC show While You Were Out, which concluded a four-year run in 2006, She also appeared as a designer on Trading Spaces and Ugliest House on the Block.-Biography:Segrete...

co-host the nationally syndicated “Pit Home Improvement Radio Show”.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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