Airbnb ensures that anyone looking for a weekend getaway or a short-term rental will have lots of great options. In addition, it also makes it super easy for those with extra space to rent out their place. No costly marketing, no difficulties finding interested clients, and all kinds of tools and resources to help generate income from your spare room or 2nd home.

The Airbnb platform allows the host and renter to manage the entire transaction directly through the app. As an example, a property owner can send a code for a home’s electronic locks through the Airbnb app — allowing owners to manage that element of renting from almost anywhere.

Why Do Hosts Need A Maintenance and Repair Strategy?

Keeping an Airbnb property in good working order is not entirely effortless. After all, those Airbnb properties have to be meticulously maintained to get good feedback and reviews as well as ongoing rentals and clientele. Therefore, hat means having a good property maintenance and repair strategy that includes:

• Cleaning fully between rentals
• Ensuring that all drives, garages and entries are safe and functional
• Maintaining the building or space, which can include small repairs to much more significant issues (including appliance maintenance, upgrades and more)

Some hosts choose to use turnkey property management companies to look after their Airbnb property maintenace and repairs, but that can erode profitability. As an alternative, it can be more cost-effective to utilize a work management solution for maintenance and repair, including appliance repair for rental properties and handyman services for rental properties.

Handyman Services for Airbnb Rental Property Maintenance

Many owners book handyman service professionals to take care of maintenance and repairs for rental properties through online home service portals. Using these solutions, they can schedule essential maintenance and repairs (like drywall repair or appliance repair) online.

Cleaning Services for Airbnb Rental Property

In addition to finding reliable and consistent providers of comprehensive home repair and maintenance services, many Airbnb hosts turn to experts in cleaning services for rental properties. They can schedule thorough cleaning between renters. As an example, an Airbnb host may welcome pets, but that can mean that carpet cleaning or upholstery cleaning becomes necessary regularly. Therefore, it is beneficial for them to have on-demand home services when needed.

For Those Considering Hosting Via Airbnb

In conclusion, if you are considering renting your summer retreat or thinking of investing in a rental or two, you don’t have to live nearby to make it happen. ServiceLive.com has both handyman services for Airbnb rental property maintenance and cleaning services for rental properties which can help you keep your listing in tip-top shape. At ServiceLive, you can book appointments for almost any of the property maintenance, cleaning, and repair work needed for your rental home.

The post How Do Airbnb Hosts Handle Their Property Maintenance? appeared first on ServiceLive Blog.

• Is the space ready?
• Are YOU ready?

Get Some Home Improvement Ideas

The key to a successful home improvement project is proper planning. So to get started, it can be helpful to spend time looking through galleries of images for ideas on sites like Instagram and Pinterest, watch home improvement TV shows, or read home improvement blogs. Then, once you have a vision in mind you can build budgets, make your choices and all the rest.

Plan Your Home Improvement Budget… All of It

What precise steps will get you ready in every way possible for a remodel? Let’s look at this from all imaginable angles to ensure you are authentically prepared for that home remodel.

 Of course, there will be materials, labor and all of the fees to account for, but think through the ENTIRE process – Are you going to be able to stay in the home throughout? Will pets need boarding during the day or throughout one stretch of the work? Have you thought about unexpected and unpleasant surprises? Planning means planning for it ALL – the fun, the good, the bad and the thoroughly ugly.

Consider vacating completely – Many people get those proverbial ducks in a row, determine the scope of the work, the budget and even hire experts to handle day to day stuff. Then, they hit the road for that dream vacation. After all, if your project is taking three weeks, why not take those three weeks and go for a family visit or on holiday abroad? Here’s the problem: It’s a bad idea. It makes sense, sure, but it is a bad idea in practice.

Why? You cannot see, touch or understand something by phone (even if it’s via Skype or Facetime) as you can in person. Troubleshooting long-distance is a real hassle. So, go ahead and take a temporary housing option if you don’t want to be around for the noise and mess, but don’t leave town.

Think About How the Project Might Affect the People Around It

It is a simple truth that lots of marriages and even friendships feel tremendous strain during a remodeling project. Accept that before you begin, and you’re halfway through the battle. Talk about the ways you’ll handle difficult decisions, financial hurdles, problems with privacy or frustration with interrupted schedules. Choose how you’ll communicate and when anyone involved is allowed to take a break, get in the car and get away for a while.

Also, think about the relationships with neighbors. It doesn’t matter if the work is in your townhouse or condo or your single-family home on a big lot. Let your neighbors know about your home improvement project and that there will be trucks, noise, and workers. Then, give them your contact details in case anything arises where they need to alert you of an issue or concern.

Is it safe to say that no one is fully ready for a remodel? Yes, but using these details above can help you avoid some of the most significant bumps in the road.

Source

https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/articles/6-things-to-do-to-prepare-for-your-home-renovation

The post Is Your Home Ready for Improvement? appeared first on ServiceLive Blog.

Choosing Dining Room Colors is a Challenge

Consider that a dining room is supposed to be a space in which we socialize and eat. That means that certain colors will work better than others. For example, selecting a very dark hue can give the room a rather depressing or oppressive atmosphere that does not encourage anyone to talk, laugh or feel lighthearted.

As the experts at Better Homes and Gardens say about dining room colors, “Dining rooms, whether a set-apart chamber or a pass-through area that opens to a kitchen or family room, require color schemes that advance a mood, help define the space, establish a style, and complement hues in neighboring rooms and hallways.”

Now, that’s a tall order, and so we’ll consider a few tips for making the right choice.

Start with Belongings

What is in your dining room? If you are like most, you have dishes or platters, silver or other items you have inherited or purchased as both functional pieces and décor. These items should be used to inspire your color choices. For example, if you are all about the blue and white Staffordshire pieces, you can go with a vibrant blue, a complementary yellow, or even a bolder hue such as pumpkin or green.

Don’t Ignore the Other Rooms

However, please don’t choose a color without first considering how it looks when compared to adjacent spaces. For example, let’s say the living room can be seen from the dining room. You cannot choose a color for the dining room that clashes with the living room.

Think about Size and Light

You must also consider the impact that the natural light entering the room will have on your color choices, and whether the colors will enhance or negatively affect the apparent size of the space. As an example, a darker, and smaller living room without much natural light should not be painted in a darker color scheme as this visually shrinks the space.

Consider the Mood

Color has a significant impact on the mood of the people around it, and so you want to make a point of determining the overall feeling of your dining room. For instance, it might already have a mood because it is full of beautifully dark stained woodwork and flooring of a vibrant hue. That would mean you’ll need to carry that elegant or cozy mood forward with deeper shades like plum, cinnamon, navy, hunger, eggplant or chocolate.

Note that a lot of “food” hues were mentioned? That too is a way to create the mood you want. For example, if your dining room is to have an airier feeling, you can enhance it with pistachio green, buttercream white, sherbet orange, and even cotton candy hues.

Have a Color Scheme

Dining rooms are great spaces when they also have a color scheme. Monochromatic is excellent in other places, but not the dining room. Instead, create visual interest and energy with contrasting hues. Think green with reds and yellows or bright blue with burnished orange and rich mustard. Pops of accent colors and a base color is the best way to build your scheme.

Painting the dining room is the easy part and choosing the colors can be the most challenging. However, not everyone is adept with a paint brush and roller. If you want optimal results, you can always hire a painting pro by clicking here, and they might even help you with suggestions about colors!

Source:

https://www.bhg.com/rooms/dining-room/dining-room-colors/

The post Top Tips to Consider When Painting Your Dining Room appeared first on ServiceLive Blog.

First Things First: Assess the Mess

Decluttering is now an actual profession for some and for a good reason;  most of us dread the process. Whether it is because we are clutter bugs or overly sentimental about objects, a lot of us end up with stuff we neither need nor use. In other words, we’ve got a mess on our hands somewhere, and it is often the basement.

So, the first step in decluttering your basement or garage is to look at the mess and begin to sort it into those three familiar piles – keep, toss, or give away. You might be planning a yard sale, too, and so you can put the giveaway stuff into a “garage sale” stack if you think it would sell.

Next Step: Act on that Sorting

You did it! You got through all of the stuff and identified what’s to stay, what’s to go and what’s to be given away or sold. Now…do it! Organize a run to the transfer station or drag the garbage to the curb. Head to a local charity with boxes of stuff or put recyclables into a large recycle bin.

The Tough Step: Do the First Step Again

Here’s the thing, you probably won’t be as honest with yourself about what you should keep, toss or give away the first time around. Now is a time to edit that “keep” pile and determine if there are things that can go.

The Productive Step: Organize

What sorts of “categories” comprise the things you’ll be keeping? For instance, do you have sports gear, tools, old records, books, antiques? Whatever you decide to keep, try to categorize it. The items that are vulnerable to damp, mold or anything else that can occur in the basement should be put into waterproof tubs or bins or even moved elsewhere. Then, it’s time to organize!

The Legwork Step: Buying the shelving and organizational “stuff.”

Now is the moment when your organizing will pay off and the effort to declutter your basement or garage helps transform it into a safer and more functional space. Take time to choose shelving or cabinetry that will work as practical storage. Does it need to be tall and open? Can it be more like a cabinet with doors? Whatever works with your items, map out a single wall or space in which to store it and buy shelving. Then, invest in the right bins and boxes to get it authentically organized and functional. If it means tool boxes, wheeled bins, big tubs… go for it! Don’t forget that many items can be easily hung (like tools, cleaning tools, sports gear, and so on), so look for pegboards and other systems for hanging them.

Enjoying the Benefits

Congratulations, you are done! Keep in mind that by tossing the clutter and reorganizing everything, you open up a lot of space, which can often let you do repairs or improvements in the basement with greater ease and keeps things a lot safer, in general. It might be time to consider a dehumidifier if the basement is damp, as it will work much more efficiently with everything organized and properly stored. You might want to update the flooring, add some lighting or even finish an area now that you have the room!

If you want expert help with some basement improvements and updates or with clearing out your clutter, get in touch with professionals here.

Sources

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs035/1102455566433/archive/1104897658347.html

The post Springtime is the Right Time to Declutter Your Basement or Garage appeared first on ServiceLive Blog.

Don’t Be Overly Ambitious

While you might want to see new tile on the bathroom floor, shower and surround, don’t dive in too quickly. Tiling is not rocket science, but it can be quite easy to mess up, and you don’t want to find yourself rushing to find help because your bathroom is unusable without tile.

A small backsplash, a simple DIY side table project, or another small scale project is a great place to start. Once you have the general hang of it, you can move on to more serious stuff.

Do the Prep

One of the steps that is altogether too easy to skip in your eagerness to get to the business of tiling is the preparation. Proper preparation includes selecting the tile you want, measuring carefully to calculate the quantity of tile needed, and investing in the right tools.

Then, do as most experts suggest and do a “dry run.” Doing a dry run means laying the materials out ahead of time to get a sense of what it will look like when complete. As one DIY enthusiast explained, “if you start tiling your floor from the back wall of the room, in 12″ x 12″ tile, you may find that you have slivers of 2″ near the door, which doesn’t look right. In that case, you may choose to trim the tile at the back to 8″ x 12″ so your front wall tiles have a width of 6″. You can do the layout as many times as you want with dry tile until you are happy with the placement of the tiles at both ends of the room.”

Don’t Fear Your Tools

Many people hesitate to use things like tile cutters and saws because they are a bit intimidating (let’s face it, they are!). However, ask someone with experience to teach you how to use these tools safely and accurately, and you’ll soon find yourself working like a pro. Almost every tile project will require some tile cutting and trimming for perfect fits, so equipping yourself with the right tools and knowledge are essential to any DIY tile job.

Learn the Lessons

Don’t think that a few episodes of your favorite home improvement show are enough to teach you how to tile correctly. For example, many people think you would begin tiling a wall from the floor and working upward when it is the opposite! Why? Floors are rarely level, and so you must start along the wall where YOU make the level from which to begin.

Expect Tears with Grout

One of the toughest parts of tiling is grouting, which takes some practice to get good at. First, getting the right consistency with the grout is essential to get right. Each bag of grout will have instructions on the side of the bag; be sure to follow them correctly, or you will find your grout too liquid or too thick to spread.

Once your grout is mixed, the clock starts ticking, so it is vital to work with it quickly. Once it is applied you need to watch the clock and make sure you wipe off any excess at the right time. Otherwise, it will set up and be very difficult to clean up. Applying grout is not easy, and it is one of the most time-sensitive things you’ll ever have to master, but if you take the time to learn your DIY tile job will come out looking like a Pro did it.

However, if you don’t feel up to it, though, you can get real tiling pros to do it for you through ServiceLive.

Source:

https://canadianhomeworkshop.com/6955/blog/shop-hack/five-tips-for-first-time-tilers

The post 5 DIY Tiling Tips for the First-Timer appeared first on ServiceLive Blog.

March 4, 2019

ServiceLive, Inc., 3333 Beverly Rd., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Congratulations! Your company has earned the Better Business Bureau Complaint Free Award for 2018, an honor exclusive to BBB Accredited Businesses.

Your company’s commitment to customer service excellence pays dividends in many ways. We are honored to recognize your business for superior performance in the area of ethical business practices and encourage you to continue your commitment to total customer satisfaction.

Display this award with pride in your office. Also, please continue to let customers know you are a BBB Accredited Business and they can be confident to “Start With Trust.”

The Council of Better Business Bureaus, our umbrella organization, has a national advertising program requirement that does not allow the Complaint Free Award to be used in any type of advertising. If you have any questions concerning these policies, please contact our BBB Accredited Business Services Team at 312.245.2517 or e-mail ABServices@chicago.bbb.org.

Cordially,
Steve Bernas, President & CEO

The post ServiceLive Receives the BBB Complaint Free Award for 2018 appeared first on ServiceLive Blog.

Make an actual list

You cannot possibly hold all of the outdoor steps you do every spring as a mental checklist. This is the time to make yourself a nicely organized binder that itemizes the “must do” steps for the coming season. You’ll be surprised at how much farther ahead of the game you will be when you have a checklist you can begin tackling as early as the first weeks of March. Be sure that you identify the tools and supplies you need for each project and always have supplies on hand ahead of time.

Start indoors

As you seek to get a jumpstart on the spring season, be proactive about completing everything you need to do indoors. If that includes a thorough spring cleaning, go ahead and do that ahead of time. Then, on that first beautiful day when you head outdoors to start the springtime work, you can open the windows wide and enjoy knowing the house is spotlessly clean inside.

Organize and assess your tools

Another critical step to a good jumpstart on the spring is to take the time to evaluate your tools before the good weather arrives. Why? First, by uncovering a problem with a tool, you can get to the home improvement store before the annual crowding begins. Then, as soon as the nice weather starts, you’ll have all of the tools you need to get it done.

Deal with your firewood

Once the fireplace or wood stove season ends, you must (and read that as MUST) relocate your firewood. It should be at least two feet from your actual exterior walls (a woodshed is best) and around 16 to 18 inches off the ground. Doing so keeps away mice and insects and deters them from heading indoors.

Upgrade the “walk around”

Many homeowners kick off the season by doing a walk around, looking at the roof for problems with shingles or the chimney, examining the gutters and downspouts, and so on. Be sure you also examine all wood trim and moldings. By doing so, you will discover if there is any exposed or damaged wood on railings, trim around doors and windows, and decks or stairs.

Then, tackle those repairs ASAP because spring rains can cause more trouble. Reseal exposed wood on railings, decks, trellises and other areas, and always look for signs of termites. They start to show up in March and swarm at some point in the spring. If you see them, you’ll want professional help to eliminate them quickly.

Watch the water

Before the spring kicks off, be sure that your outside faucets made it through the winter without damage. You should give them a test run and check for leaks or other issues. You’ll be glad you repaired outdoor water supplies before spring begins.

Fill in low areas

In addition to implementing repairs during your enhanced walkaround, also keep an eye out for areas on the lawn or close to the foundation where the soil seems to have become sunken or forms depressions. Purchase quality soil and begin compacting those areas as soon as possible. Why? If a slight depression holds spring rains, it can allow water to pool around the foundation or even seep inside. Later in the spring, those areas of standing water also serve as ideal homes for unwelcome mosquitoes.

Check out the concrete

Whether it is the foundation or the walkways, look now for cracks or even movement (i.e., sinking or lifting) and take steps to get these issues under control quickly.

Don’t DIY major issues

You want your home maintenance to be effective. If you think you’ve developed a roof leak, need significant repairs or sustained damages to the exterior of the home, get ahead of the game and hire experts to do the work before their busy season begins.

If you need experts to help with spring maintenance issues, you can hire professionals to do the work by clicking here.

Source

https://www.familyhandyman.com/smart-homeowner/your-spring-home-maintenance-checklist/

The post 9 Spring Home Maintenance Tips for Your Home appeared first on ServiceLive Blog.

In this article, we are going to take a look at some common problems with DIY demo work, and whether you are just removing the outdated kitchen cabinets or “gutting” a room, you’ll want to read them all.

Do you understand the engineering of the space? The materials? The safety?

While emptying a room is one thing, removing building materials is another. You can find yourself in danger if you don’t know how to determine if a beam is a supporting structure, if the materials that are airborne are irritating or dangerous to all around, and whether or not that paint has lead are just a few points of concern. The list of actions you might take and put yourself in harm’s way is endless.

How long is it going to take, really?

You might look at your spare bathroom and think, “Yeah, I can empty this thing by the end of the day!” You could very well be underestimating the time it’s going to take. Unless you are well prepared for the DIY demo process (i.e., where is all of the debris going? How are you getting it outside of the home? How do you chop up something like an old bathtub?) you could run into trouble. Additionally, you might run into unexpected delays. For example, we have seen homeowners tear away a sheet of drywall to uncover a condition they did not expect! Unexpected findings can easily double or triple the time needed for the work.

Don’t ignore the fact that some demo is very delicate and you could be gently prying away at some old moldings for hours to keep them intact and able to be reused or repurposed. It is not always a smash-em-up process!

Did you think about “what-ifs”?

Taking crowbar, sledgehammer, skill saw, or other tools to the inside of a room sound like a heck of a lot of fun, and it can be. However, with a single swing of that sledge, you might plow right through another, adjoining wall. You could whack a pipe you didn’t know was in the wall, destroy moldings that are impossible to replace, accidentally damage wiring, and more.

Take your time to determine all of the what-if scenarios and calculate if you have the skill and/or budget to manage significant problems.

Do you have the right tools?

We’ve mentioned a lot of the tools that will be used in DIY demo, yet we haven’t considered whether you actually own them. Do you have a skill saw, sledgehammer, heavy hammers, crowbars and more? If you are trying to save money on a project and try doing the demo yourself, you could erase the money you’re hoping to save by paying for the heavy and high-quality tools the job demands.

Are you physically prepared?

Moreover, in terms of preparations, are you physically prepared for it? Demolition is hard work that requires a lot of sweat and elbow grease that can leave you exhausted. Not everyone has the physical strength or the stamina needed to get the job done. You will be lifting lots of heavy materials and tools, you’ll be using muscles you might not regularly use (i.e., reaching high above you to tear down materials), and you’ll be going up and down stairs or ladders, climbing and wedging yourself into tight corners. It can be draining, so be sure you are prepared.

If any of these questions has you second guessing DIY demo, you can always let an expert home service pro handle it for you. Just click here.

The post 5 DIY Demo Questions to Ask Yourself appeared first on ServiceLive Blog.