• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

National Debt Relief

National Debt Relief - A+ BBB Accredited Business - Get Relief From Credit Card Debt, Medical Bills And Unsecured Loans

Talk to a debt counselor toll free:

800-300-9550

Get Relief From Credit Card Debt

Medical Bills and Unsecured Loans

  • Services
    • Debt Settlement
    • Debt Relief Benefits
    • Qualifications
    • Is Debt Settlement Right For Me?
    • Debt Help By State
    • Debt Relief FAQs
      • How Debt Relief Affects Your Credit Score
    • Free Budget Planner Worksheets
    • Free Debt Calculator
  • Options
    • Debt Relief
    • Bankruptcy
    • Credit Card Debt Relief
    • Debt Consolidation
  • About Us
    • Who Is National Debt Relief?
    • Accreditations
    • Proven Results – Debt Settlement Letters
  • Contact Us
    • Apply Now
    • Contact Us
  • Client Login
  • Careers
  • Blog
HomeBlog Personal Finance6 Ways To Make Your House More Carefree
Video Transcript

Free Debt Relief Quote

  • National Debt Relief, LLC BBB Business Review
  • McAfee SECURE sites help keep you safe from identity theft, credit card fraud, spyware, spam, viruses and online scams

6 Ways To Make Your House More Carefree

January 15, 2014 by National Debt Relief

Man decorating houseAre you one of those DIY people who just love to do things around the house like paint fences or install doors? Well, we’re not and neither are millions of other Americans. If you’re like them and would like to reduce your home maintenance chores to a minimum there are things you could do. For example you could install vinyl siding over wood shingles and would never have to paint the exterior of your home again. This might require a sacrifice in the home’s architectural charm but just think how good you’d feel 10 years from now when all your neighbors are painting their homes and you’re sitting in your backyard sipping a cold one. In addition, there are six other things you could do to make your home more carefree.

Cellular PVC trim

This is a good looking trim made from the plastic used for plumbing drains and can be cut, shaped and installed just like lumber. The good news is that PVC doesn’t require painting though you could put on a couple of coats to add realism. If you do, you’ll need to repaint every 25 years versus the 5 to 7 years you have to repaint wood. If you choose to go with cellular PVC trim, figure on spending about $75 to trim a window or $3500 for your entire house. Both these prices are about 10% higher than wood trim.

Quartz countertops

These countertops are fabricated from chips of natural quartz mixed with high-tech pigments and resins. It is what’s called engineered stone but has hyper-realistic veining and a variety of versions that were unavailable just a few years ago. You can buy slabs of quartz countertops in just about any color at stone yards or find them online at sites like cambriausa.com. You clean these countertops using just a sponge. In comparison, you would have to seal a granite countertop annually and marble and limestone countertops sometimes have to be sealed twice a year. The lifespan of a quartz countertop is probably the same as your house – assuming you don’t drop something heavy on it. How much do they cost? You’ll pay about $4500 to $6000 assuming you have an average sized kitchen, which is roughly equivalent to mid-grade granite.

Solid vinyl fencing

If you put up a wooden fence, you will be in for endless repainting. Hollow aluminum and vinyl fencing needs no paint but doesn’t ever look the same as wood. If you want the look of wood, you should choose solid vinyl. This is a product made from the same cellular PVC used for trim. However, it has factory-applied paint. All you will need to do to care for this fencing is power wash it now and then. Its lifespan is at least 25 years. The cost? If you were to fence a small yard with a six-foot, open picket design, you’d be looking at around $12,000-$25,000. This makes solid vinyl fencing at least twice the cost of cedar. So chose this only if you’re planning to stay in your home for a little very long time.

Fiberglass entry doors

These doors are faced with thin, waterproof fiberglass skins that have been embossed to look as if they had traditional panels, moldings and even wood grain. Below the fiberglass is an insulating foam that’s three times as energy efficient as wood. You will need to touch up the paint of these doors or apply a fresh coat of varnish about every five years. But they will never crack, warp or split. They usually come with a lifetime warranty whereas wood door warranties are generally for only five years. The cost of these doors is about $2000-$4000 or more installed. This is 10% to 20% less than a wood door.

Clad windows

The most affordable alternative to wood windows is vinyl windows. But experts say that you would be better off with windows made from real wood that’s covered with an exterior aluminum skin. These come painted at the factory and are guaranteed for 20 years but generally will last at least 30 years. Compare this with wood windows that would probably have to be painted every 5 to 7 years. You would pay about $600-$1200 per clad window, which is 15% to 20% higher than unclad wood. But this can be a wash when you factor in the initial paint job for a wooden window. Plus, you will have a product that looks better, lasts longer and creates greater value.

Fiber-cement siding

These are shingles and clapboards that are cut from sheets of special cement mixed with wood fibers. They `won’t warp, right or cup. The individual pieces are typically painted at the factory then nailed one by one onto your house – just like the real thing. This yields an authentic, handcrafted look. The factory paint can last 15 years compared to the five or seven years for wood. The warranty is usually for 30 years whereas red cedar has no warranty but will last 20 to 50 or more years – depending on the climate. How much does this cost? Re-siding an average-sized home will be somewhere between $13,000 to $18,000 or about 10% less than wood when you include painting.

Video thumbnail for youtube video 7 Important Financial Lessons You Could Learn From Watching A TV ProgramFinancing those renovations

As you can see from the cost of these renovations, they’re not things you should do unless you intend to stay in that house for a fairly long amount of time. If you do decide to make some of these changes, you could finance them with a home equity line of credit or a home equity loan. Both of these come with pluses and minuses. Their biggest minus is, of course, the fact that they are basically second mortgages. Many financial experts believe that the best way to finance home improvements is with a home equity line of credit. These are variable-rate loans where you would be pre-approved for a certain spending limit and would then borrow money as you need it via special checks or a credit card.

Your monthly payments would be based on the amount of money you borrowed and the current interest rate. Homeowner equity lines of credit are like fixed-rate loans in that they have a set term. When you reach the end of that term, you must then repay the outstanding loan amount in full.

In comparison, a home equity loan is a fixed rate loan that you repay over a set amount of time at an agreed-upon interest rate. The interest rate and payment remain the same over the life of the loan. So if you were to get a home equity loan for $10,000 you would owe the entire $10,000 even if it turned out that you didn’t need all of it. On the other hand if you were to take out a home equity line of credit for $10,000 but ended up using only $8000 of it, that’s what you would owe.

The best place to get a loan

Whether you decide that a home equity line of credit or home equity loan would be your best option, a credit union would probably be a good place to get it. They generally offer loans at 1% less (or better) than if you were to get a bank loan. While credit union membership used to be limited to the employees of a certain company or members of an association like a union, many community credit unions are now open to everyone. You could find if there’s one in your area you could join by going to the website www.movecu.com/‎.

Do you qualify for debt consolidation?

National Debt Relief

National Debt Relief

National Debt Relief is one of the largest and best-rated debt settlement companies in the country. In addition to providing excellent, 5-star services to our clients, we also focus on educating consumers across America on how to best manage their money. Our posts cover topics around personal finance, saving tips, and much more. We’ve served thousands of clients, settled over $1 billion in consumer debt, and our services have been featured on sites like NerdWallet, Mashable, HuffPost, and Glamour.

Follow National Debt Relief: Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin

Filed Under: Personal Finance Tagged With: home maintenance, money saving tips, personal finances

Primary Sidebar

Trusted By Our Clients

Excellent

Rated Five Stars Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

based on 24,642 REVIEWS

"Best decision I've ever made!"

They really care about "you" and making your life easier. They answer all of your questions and are very detailed.

Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

Kolbie P.

"Saved me from drowning in the debt."

I was up to my eyeballs in debt and National Debt Relief saved me from drowning in the debt.

Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

Joanna W.
Canal Winchester, OH

"Helped me settle my debts that were choking me."

National Debt Relief helped me settle my debts that were choking me.

Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

Bobbie A.
Charlotte, MI

"Taken a big weight off of my shoulders."

National Debt Relief has taken a big weight off of my shoulders.

Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

Richard D.
Piffard, NY

"Stopped all collection calls."

National Debt Relief stopped all collection calls and are working with my creditors to settle my debts.

Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

Patricia G.
Oran, MO

"Now I can see a light at the end of the tunnel finally."

I was in a tough spot, financially and emotionally. Now I can see a light at the end of the tunnel finally.

Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

Susan W.
Valparaiso, IN

"I'm sleeping better knowing they are helping me to eliminate my debt."

I'm sleeping better knowing National Debt Relief is helping me to eliminate my debt.

Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating Trustpilot star rating

Jodi W.
Springfield, OH
Trust Pilot Reviews

Free Debt Relief Quote

By submitting, you agree that the phone number you are providing may be used to contact you by National Debt Relief (including autodialed and prerecorded calls or text/SMS messages). Msg. and data rates apply. You are not required to opt in as a condition of purchase.

The sooner you call,
the sooner we can help:

800-300-9550

Search NDR Blog

Recent Posts

  • Free Holiday Shopping Budget Template To Keep You Out Of Debt
  • How To Host Thanksgiving Dinner On A Budget
  • Tips For Finding Good Last Minute Travel Deals
  • How To Spend Less Money For The Holidays
  • Take Note And Save Money While Holiday Gift Shopping
  • How To Scare Up Some Extra Cash To Pay Down Your Debt [Slideshare]
  • 10 Ways To Rock The Gratitude Challenge This Thanksgiving
  • How To Write The Perfect Salary Negotiation Email
  • When Should You Start Saving Money For Your Kids
  • The Best Budgeting App For Your Family

 

FAQs about debt relief

AFCC disclosure

National Debt Relief, LLC BBB Business Review AFCC Top Ten Reviews Gold Top Consumer Reviews Consumers Advocate Trust Pilot
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Site
  • Disclaimer
  • Sitemap

© 2019, National Debt Relief, All Rights Reserved.