| When I bought my house nine years ago, my son was | | | | roughly the same time. Getting to know my neighbors |
| about to turn three and I reveled in the security of | | | | and talking to them about home improvement has |
| owning my slice of the American dream. Being a single | | | | helped me get a sense of what to plan for. For |
| mom was (and is!) both challenging and rewarding, but I | | | | example, two years ago I began to see that the |
| knew that having a house to call my own was the | | | | houses around me were starting to get new roofs. |
| best thing that ever happened to my son and me. My | | | | Although I didn't have a leaky roof, a few months ago I |
| house was ten years old when I bought it, and it was | | | | decided to re-roof. I wanted to be proactive so I didn't |
| in excellent condition. Still, as time passed, a variety of | | | | get stuck with the expense of drywall repairs in |
| issues cropped up. I think my way of handling (or not | | | | addition to the cost of a new roof. |
| handling) home improvements is fairly typical for single | | | | 4. Ask for referrals, and then check them yourself. |
| women who own their own homes. | | | | Through my neighbors' referrals, I've been able to find |
| Hopefully, my experiences will help you navigate the | | | | a superb roofer, an impeccable exterior house painter, |
| waters of home improvement. Here's what I've | | | | and a terrific tile guy. But I don't just rely on their word. I |
| learned: | | | | always - repeat, always - check with my state's |
| 1. You can go places with a good book and a toolbox. | | | | contractor licensing board to verify their licenses and |
| The Christmas of the year I moved in, my sister and | | | | with the Better Business Bureau to check on past |
| brother-in-law gave me a toolbox filled with the basics: | | | | complaints. I get all estimates in writing, and ask for |
| screwdrivers, wrenches, a hammer, nails, nuts and | | | | proof of insurance. |
| bolts, and so forth. They also gave me a book on | | | | 5. Don't put your head in the sand. There has been |
| basic home repairs. Their gift literally provided me with | | | | more than one occasion when I've chosen not to deal |
| the tools I needed, but it also gave me confidence that | | | | with a home improvement issue, and I've always |
| I could tackle minor home improvement projects. My | | | | regretted it. I knew, for example, that the exterior of |
| advice: invest in some tools and use a book or online | | | | my fireplace had some dry rot. Unfortunately, by letting |
| sources to guide you through the routine maintenance | | | | it go for so long it cost me much more than if I would |
| that your house requires. | | | | have dealt with it immediately. |
| 2. Ask for advice. As a single woman who is now 49 | | | | 6. Make a list. This last bit of advice is basic, but critical. |
| years old and has limited knowledge of more complex | | | | Start and keep a home improvement list. As a single |
| home improvement issues, I'm always afraid that I'll be | | | | mom, it's all too easy to get caught up in the hectic |
| taken advantage by a repair company. When my air | | | | pace of daily life and let routine home maintenance fall |
| conditioner conked out on a 100-plus degree day, for | | | | by the wayside. I divide my home improvement list into |
| example, I had no way of knowing if I really needed a | | | | three sections: one for items that need attention in the |
| new unit. I've learned to call on neighbors, family | | | | next three months; one for home improvement |
| members, and friends - whose collective knowledge | | | | projects for the coming year; and one that maps out |
| exceeds mine - to get their impressions. They've | | | | what I want to accomplish with the house over the |
| steered me in the right direction on a number of | | | | next five years. The short- and medium-term lists keep |
| occasions. | | | | me motivated, while my long-term list helps me save |
| 3. Keep tabs on the neighbors. All of the houses in my | | | | the money needed for the big-ticket items. |
| immediate vicinity were built by the same builder at | | | | |