It's been awhile! Updated Information.

Hello to all. Sorry that I haven't posted in so long. Over the last year I've been very busy remodeling homes of my own and also others which didn't leave much time for blogging. I have decided that I need to adjust my original goals of this blog.  This blog will now be a site for my construction Co. (Home Revival Contracting Inc.) located in Sheffield,IL. We will post photos and information on projects we are working on or have completed and also be available to provide tips on construction questions you may have. 

History of HRCI- Home Revival Contracting Inc. is a small town, family owned business, focused on providing quality, fast, friendly and custom work.  In addition, we also pride ourselves on providing design assistance from paint colors, staging a home to sell, to complete home layouts for a new construction or remodeling projects.

We provide construction needs from a simple shelf repair,  a full tear down and rebuild of a home, to a build of brand new homes, garages, etc.  Our team is made up of four full time team members and several part time members.  Our background is very diverse - consisting of knowledge and skills from most all areas of construction.  Please check back soon as I will start to post information and photos of our most recent project which was quite the under taking to say the least.   Thanks for still remaining loyal viewers and to all you who check us out in the future.

TOOL TUESDAY 1/25/11

As stated last week over the next few weeks I will list some of the tools that can be purchased within the cordless kits and give you a brief description and my opinion if they are worth purchasing or not. Obviously some of these tools will be more usable to others, but this blog is for Home Remodeling and the tools most popular for use in this field is my goal.  

As I told you last week there are several different battery sizes to choose from, but I will continue to discuss tools using the 18 volt batteries. I choose 18 volt or with craftsman -19.2 volt as I believe they are the best buy for function / usability.

This week on the chopping block is..... The Hammer Drill/Driver.  

I have used several and if you want to know what brands I would recommend please check my TOOL TUESDAY post from last week.  

Rating *****
                                              
 
This is a great everyday tool used from floor to ceiling for almost all fastening applications.  I would say, hands down this is one of my most universal tools. I would definitely recommend a Hammer drill over a regular drill/driver as they have more power and the ability to fasten into concrete, which is guaranteed to be required in Home Remodeling. 

Some of the features that most cordless drills have are:
-key less chucks - allows you to tighten drill bits by hand
-grip handle -for drilling into concrete, etc. 
-multiple speeds / variable speed - allows you to control the speed of your bit,  (I really appreciate Dewalt's 3 speed option because with a good bit 3rd gear just tears into concrete!!
-clutch - this stops drilling / driving when reaching a set range.  I've used this to set screws into drywall, luan, etc. 


Some of the projects I regularly use my Hammer Drill for:
-Predrilling -Drilling a hole prior to screwing or nailing into wood as to not split the wood.
-Screwing - I've used my drill from fastening framing to screwing in outlets. Obviously a general term and has many different applications which the hammer drill is great for. 
-Mixing- I've used my drill multiple times to mix drywall mud / mortar.  I wouldn't recommend this as it is very hard on the tool, but if small quantities are used I'm hear to say, it works great! 

TOOL TUESDAY: Part 2, Cordless Combo Kits

Hello again, now for the discussion you all have been waiting for - cordless combo kits.  Cordless combo kit tools are the most handy, continuously used tools I own. I can't imagine completing even the smallest job now without the use of one of the tools in my cordless kits. A cordless combo kit is a set of tools like a drill, circular saw or grinder that run on batteries instead of cords for easier use and mobility.  The tools don't provide as much power as some of the corded units, but in my opinion, for the usability factor they are a must almost all the time. 

There are a lot of cordless combo kits, different battery sizes and accessories for them.  To keep this post from becoming a novel I will have to keep this limited to the more popular 18 volt kits.To get you started I am going to focus on brand name and who to go with when starting your own tool collection to get the most bang for your buck. Now you might ask me, "Jake, why don't I just buy these tools separately". The answer is that they come much cheaper when packaged together, AND it is very valuable to have all of your tools the same brand name this way you can switch out batteries. At a later date I will review each of the tools that make up these kits so you will know which kit would be most appropriate for you.

Dewalt- My first choice when it comes to cordless tools, and can be purchased at most hardware stores.  The Dewalt XRP tools have proven to me to last the test of time and the test of HOME REVIVAL (being dropped from heights, and used how they probably shouldn't be). These tools are more expensive then most any of the other corded kits. However, the power and reliability of the tools allow you to get the job done fast and the durability of them allow you to get a good value for your money.

Ridgid-These tools are sold at Home Depot and are a great value especially since they offer a lifetime warranty -even on the batteries. Another bonus is the quick charge which charges the batteries in 30 minutes compared to Dewalt at 1 hour.  My complaints are -some of the Home Depots make warranty work difficult and the tools do not have as much power as the Dewalt XRP.

Milwaukee - These can be purchased at Farm & Fleet and are also great tools that come with a longer warranty then Dewalt. However, compared to Dewalt or Ridgid they have limited tool selection, come with a bigger price and don't offer any more power. 

Craftsman- Craftsman makes several different lines of tools. The standard Craftsman cordless tools are less expensive then Ridgid or Dewalt but with due reason. They do not last or provide the power.  The professional line is better, but still doesn't last or provide the same power overall as the previous. I would recommend these for a DIY Homeowner but not as much for a Professional Remodeler.

Ryobi - This set can be purchased at Home Depot and is very similar to Craftsman.  It is very inexpensive but again for a homeowner a great buy to save time on those projects. 

Porter Cable - This set can be purchased at Lowes and is very similar to Craftsman/ Ryobi.  It is very inexpensive but again for a homeowner a great buy to save time on those projects. Another issue I see is these appear to have less tools to select from if you want to grow your tool collection.

So to Recap if your looking for direction I offer the following:

If you are a professional looking for a long lasting, multi tool set, then I would purchase Dewalt for the added power or Ridgid for the lifetime warranty.

For the Homeowner I would recommend either Craftsman or Ryobi as the Porter Cable doesn't offer as many tools. 

TOOL TUESDAY: Painting? Top Picks!

Hello to all again, since I had a mishap last week I will be posting 2 Tool Tuesday Reviews, a discussion of top painting tools and my favorite, cordless combo kits. Just about every homeowner I know wants something painted in their house. What is fun about painting is that it is a low budget change that can create a world of difference. What is not so fun about painting...it seems and looks easy but it actually requires a lot of patience and time. On my first home remodel I recruited my then wife-to-be to help me paint (the entire house). Needless to say by the time we got to that last bedroom we were covered in paint and it took a few cookies for us to be friends again. Also, if painting is not done correctly it can make your house look much worse and we all know someone who got it way wrong with the color...Why do so many people go crazy with peach? The tools I am going to highlight for you are those that over the years we have found the most helpful to get the job done right.


One of my biggest pet peeves is when a painter leaves their mark on the ceiling. Nothing spells out sloppy louder then when the wall color is not on the wall or the ceiling color is not on the ceiling! Keep those lines straight! and to help you do so I introduce the Shurline Edge Like A Pro Paint Edger

Now why don't I just use painters tape?  If you have good luck with tape go ahead but in my experience it bleeds through, paint peels, takes forever, and have you ever tried using it on a textured wall or ceiling? With the Shurline be careful to not put too much paint on it or you will have it dripping everywhere. Keep it clean, and make sure that you feather out your lines or you will have a strange looking streak around the top of your doors and trim. I found this edger (and refills) at Wal-Mart. There are other varieties available but I think this brand works the best as the wheels lift up when you refill your paint. No more fighting over who has to do the trim work! In my opinion this edger cuts trimming time in half!

Another favorite is the smooth roller. When painting furniture, trim, or anything that should be smooth and not textured or stippled, you should use a smooth roller. These little babies may be small but they can suck up paint. They will leave any surface that should be smooth, looking crisp and professional, not like it got a bunch of lint blown onto it (which is what it will look like if you use a regular roller).

You can find smooth rollers at just about any home improvement store, can also be found in the painting aisle at Wal-Mart. Have tried several brands and they all worked great! If you clean the roller heads well they are definitely reusable.


If you have wooden windows in your house that need to be painted you have to invest in a metal/glass scraper.

In our home we have lots of old painted wood windows with lots of grills. Instead of taping around every pane and going mad in the process...We just put the paint on thick and do not worry about it getting on the glass. When the paint is dry it is simple to come back through and scrape the paint off the glass, leaving a very crisp looking surface! Try it, this is one fun little bugger. Usually only costs a couple dollars at any home improvement store.

I hope that these tools help you with your next painting project. Another tip, when using regular roller heads, wash the roller head or wrap it in tape to remove excess fibers before you paint. If you do not do this you may get fibers all over your wall making it look like it has lint all over it. Also, don't cut corners when painting, most walls do require two coats of paint. Take your time, do it right, and you will be getting lots of oooohs instead of ewwwws.

Whoops!! -

I have to apologize to all out there, I've fallen behind already!!! I was off to a steady start and got really busy and didn't find time to keep up with the posting.  Well I'm going to make up for that now.  I've been told by a famous Blogger (mommainflipflops2) that photos are really enjoyed, so I'm going to post a lot of before and afters of one of my remodeling projects in an attempt to win back your hearts!!  I will also try to post two tool Tuesdays this coming Tuesday to make up for the one I missed. Have a good weekend and let me know what you think of the Revival.

Before / Afters of another Home Remodel completed by Home Revival!

This is another home we remodeled several years ago.  sorry about the snow. :(  not much you can do about old mother nature though. I know that I have great photos of it in the summer with the landscaping, etc. all done. I'll try to put them and some of the interior up soon. Thanks
**These photos are not for use by any other parties.