Home Improvements & Repairs: Video Series

All types of vinyl siding are made from the same material, but they do offer different styles, textures, shapes and colors. Choose a vinyl siding that accents the home and blends with the greater community using advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

Clean vinyl windows by mixing water with bleach or dish liquid, scrubbing the windows from the bottom up and rinsing the windows from the top down. Make sure the windows are closed before washing them with advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on cleaning windows.

To frame house windows, check the specifications of the window, use wooden beams to extend the wall opening, and support the weight of the roof with a header. Create bracings for a window frame with instructions from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

When determining how thick to make concrete slabs, calculate how much force will be on the area, and look at the formulation of the concrete itself. Check with the local codes department to get information on concrete thickness with advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

To remove ceramic floor tile, remove the grout from around the tile, avoid disturbing the surrounding tile, and use a pry bar to gently pry the tile up. For tile that is already broken, smash the tile with a sledge hammer and scrape it out. Find out more about removing ceramic tile with instructions from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

Tile a bathroom by finding the center of a room and working from the corner out or by laying out the tiles in whatever works best for the main part of the room. Balance out the tiles in a bathroom with advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

Install an exterior door by pushing the exterior and interior pieces together, inserting a screw through both pieces and checking to make sure the corners are square. Make adjustments so that the door and frame are even with advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

How long vinyl siding will last depends on the grade of the siding, how heavy the vinyl is and the harshness of environmental conditions. Get vinyl siding that comes with a 10-year or 50-year warranty using advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

To install an exterior storm door, determine the what size door to purchase, drill holes for the door frame, and attach the frame with screws. Save energy in a house by installing an exterior storm door using advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

The cost to frame a house will depend on how customized or standard that house is and the size of the house. Expect to spend between $80 and $100 per square foot for a house, with 60 percent to 70 percent spent on framing, with information from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home building.

To clean mildew from vinyl siding, scrub the siding with a bleach and water solution, or use a power washer with bleach. Allow the bleach solution to sit on the siding before rinsing it off with instructions from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

There is specialty power washer soap for cleaning siding, but it is more cost effective to use a solution of dish soap and water. Mix bleach and water in a power washer to get rid of mold and mildew on siding with tips from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

Mixing semi-gloss and flat paint will product paint with a satin sheen. Satin paint provides durability with a little sheen, but it can be difficult trying to match a mixed paint. Consider buying satin paint instead of mixing two paints with advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

To hang an interior door, place one side of the frame inside, shim the other to the outside, create even spaces around the door, and set the hinges so that the door is equal. Pop the pins in place once the door is even with help from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

Power washing vinyl siding requires mixing a dish soap or bleach solution in the reservoir, attaching the low power sudsing tip and working from the bottom up before rinsing from the top down. Do a power wash on vinyl siding at least once a year with advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and cleaning.

Get stains off of vinyl siding by mixing a mild detergent or bleach with water, scrubbing the area with the mix and then rinsing the area with a hose. Use a pressure washer for more effective stain removal with advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and cleaning.

Tile a floor by making sure the foundation is good, covering the sub-floor with cement board, laying out tiles from the center of the room, spreading mortar and then applying the tile. Finish tiling by pressing grout into the tile edges with instructions from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

Install vinyl siding from the foundation up, snapping successive pieces into the lip at the top of each piece and nailing the siding to the side of the house. Avoid nailing siding too tightly, as to allow for expansion, with tips from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

Remove ceramic tiles by removing the grout around tile with a grout saw and either prying or breaking the tile loose. Use a pry bar to remove tile that needs to be reset with instructions from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.

Replace house windows by trimming the interior and exterior of the window frame, buying a window small enough to fit in the opening and adjusting the new window frame to fit the hole. Consider hiring a contractor to replace house windows with advice from a remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements and repairs.