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17 Divinity St
Bristol, CT, 06010
United States

8605895155

Since 1975, O'Donnell Bros has been providing greater Bristol and Central Connecticut with residential and commercial remodeling solutions. We specialize in roofing, siding, windows, doors, gutters, downspouts and so much more. We look forward to helping you with all your remodeling needs. 

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Articles

O'Donnell Bros President, Bob O'Donnell, is a regular contributor to The Bristol Press. Read his home improvement articles here.

 

Filtering by Category: General Remodeling

The Coolest Gadgets for Your Home

Chelsea O'Donnell

We have all heard of the Internet, but you might not be as familiar with the Internet of Things (IoT), a development that allows household objects to send and receive data, making them “think” with the help of sensors, information, and behavioral patterns. This might sound a bit Jetsons to you, but chances are that you’ve already seen an IoT product or maybe even have one in your home.

CNET, the leader in technology product reviews, updated their best of 2016 list this week, hand picking their top products to make your home smarter, faster, and more efficient. I combed through the list and picked out some of my favorites to share with you.

If you’re brand new to IoT devices, the WeMo® Switch from Belkin is a good place to start. It’s a smart plug that goes right into your current socket, turning any appliance that’s connected to a smart device. You can plug in your home stereo system to control the volume from different rooms, turn off the iron you accidently left on when you ran out of the house, or put a timer on the TV so it falls asleep when you do. www.belkin.com

Looking for something with a little bit more variety? Samsung’s SmartThings goes a few steps beyond just a socket to let you control lights, locks, security cameras, and more. It contains a sensor to tell you whether doors and windows are opened and closed, a motion sensor to monitor movement, and an outlet to control specific appliances. It’s relatively well priced at $250 and you can add hundreds of products to the hub for enhanced security and customization. www.smartthings.com

I am a big fan of energy saving so the Nest Learning Thermostat is right up my alley. It is a temperature control system that programs itself and learns your schedule to cool and heat your home automatically. It saves energy by turning itself down when you leave the house and can be operated using your phone which means you can heat the house up a bit after a cold morning on the soccer field. Plus, it tells you how much energy you’re using every day so you can make adjustments accordingly. www.nest.com

If you need to give people access to your home for work or repairs, if you have guests, or if you’re putting your house on the market, the August Smart Lock is worth a look. This smart locking system creates virtual keys so you can grant access for minutes, days, or weeks without having to copy keys or worry about unlawful entry. For the homeowner, the system senses when you’re coming and going, locking and unlocking the doors automatically so you never have to fumble for your keys with an armful of groceries again. www.august.com

I can’t talk about IoT products without mentioning Amazon Echo. Effectively Echo is a smart speaker with a virtual assistant named Alexa who can deliver some light jazz, the weather, the news, your meetings for the day, or a 20-minute kitchen timer just by asking. Google Home has also just come out with a smart speaker which does much of the same, and both connect with tons of different applications to make talking to your house a reality that you never thought was possible. www.amazon.com/echo

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

 

Give Your Kitchen a New Look with a Cabinet Makeover

Chelsea O'Donnell

One of my favorite ways to give a kitchen new life is by updating the cabinetry.

Many homes in our area of Connecticut were built or updated with darker wood accents, which was a popular remodeling choice during the 1970’s and 80’s. While dark wood has its charms, it can really bring down the brightness of a kitchen, especially during the autumn and winter months when there is less natural daylight.

Of course, replacing your old cabinetry is a great option, but it might not be possible for people on a tight budget. Not to worry, you can still give your kitchen a beautiful facelift by recycling those old cabinets and giving them a great new look. While a quick lick of paint can do wonders in the kitchen, there are a few tricks to ensure your budget reno looks like a million bucks. So, let’s get started!

Firstly, plan ahead for the job. Giving your cabinets a makeover might only take a few days, but during that time, your kitchen will likely be out of commission. Stock up on paper goods to use while your dishware is packed away, and don’t plan to tackle this job right before a major holiday or when you’re having guests over to stay.

Once your cabinets are empty, you’ll want to give everything a very good scrub with a degreaser. Any oil will prevent the primer from sticking, and food particles or build-up will become bumps and lumps in your paint job. Pay special attention to the cabinets closest to the cooktop and hood, as they’ll likely have the most gunk stuck to them.

Once everything is clean and dry, use a hand sander with 100 grit sandpaper to remove the finish from the cabinets. Don’t forget the hard to reach places like molding or other decorative finishes. Sanding creates a lot of dust, so make sure you wipe down all the surfaces thoroughly.

Now it’s time to apply the primer. It’s worth noting that wall primer and cabinetry primer are different because wall primer is made to absorb into the pores in the drywall, whereas wood doesn't have the same makeup. I recommend using a bonding primer which will adhere to the wood and help the paint to really “stick”. I recommend starting in the middle, covering the main panel of the cabinet before moving on to the areas around the molding. Don’t forget to prime all of your edges, as they will be visible when the cabinets are in place.

Unlike walls, cabinets take a fair amount of abuse from daily use. If you have a big family and the kitchen is the major gathering place, you might want to consider adding latex to your choice of paint. Latex agents are made up of ceramic beads which when added to water-based paint will create a bond that improves hardness and will be more resistant to bangs, dings, and scratches. When you’re choosing your paint, opt for an enamel trim paint which will often have a higher sheen and stronger durability. For brushes, you can use a roller for larger areas, a three-inch flat brush for medium panels, and a two and a half inch angled brush to get into the cracks and crevices around the molding. Be careful not to rush the painting process, not letting each coat dry properly can result in bubbles and smudges that will ruin the overall look of the job.

One of the best parts of giving your cabinets a facelift is picking out new fixtures. Depending on your design taste, new knobs and handles can give the kitchen an industrial, contemporary, farmhouse or colonial look for just a few dollars per piece.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

10 Ways to Spruce Up Your Bathroom on the Cheap

Chelsea O'Donnell

With the cooler weather coming, now is a great time to take a look at some of the smaller projects you can tackle in the house. This week, let’s look at how to breathe new life into a bathroom while sticking to a tight budget. Here are some ideas:

If your bathroom doesn’t have proper ventilation, you will end up with mold and mildew growing on the walls and ceiling. A replacement fan will cost under $100 and you can install it yourself to ensure that the moisture caused from the shower is being extracted properly. Remember, you’ll need to measure the bathroom first to ensure you get the right fan for the job.

If you want to do your part for the environment, you can update your bathroom with water saving fixtures. Both Lowes and Home Depot carry eco-friendly lines that can cut water flow by upwards of 30 percent, making for a healthier planet and a happier utility bill.

If you can’t stand cleaning the shower, this one is for you. Today you can find shower doors that are finished with a water resistant coating which sheds the droplets that leave unsightly little stains. If you’re constantly walking around with a squeegee in hand, this upgrade might just make your weekend cleaning routine just a little easier.

If you’re looking to replace your cabinetry, take a look at some of the semi-custom options available from the major retailers. There are even companies that spruce up IKEA furniture to make it look more personalized and stylish. If you can’t afford to replace the cabinets, a new lick of paint can breathe new life into old wood.

Replacing fixtures is a great way to spruce up the bathroom for very little cost. Even if you can’t be bothered to give cabinets a new finish, replacing knobs and pulls can give your bathroom a little lift.

If your cabinets are in good shape but they are tough to reach or annoying to get into, a cabinet organizer might be for you. Most systems include sliding surfaces which making reaching items in the back a whole lot easier. No more digging in the dark.

Dated mirrors or lighting fixtures can bring a bathroom down. Kick it up a notch and keep an eye on the sales flyers for accent pieces to give your bathroom a boost for very little effort.

Granite countertops are a pricey remodeling project, but these days you can get the look for less by getting creative. Talk to your local countertop expert about where to look for remnant slabs, or consider cheaper options like a preformed laminate finish.

Make your shower more luxurious by replacing the old head. I personally love a rain shower, but a handheld sprayer can feel great after a long day and it makes cleaning a cinch. You can also replace your old shower curtain with a more modern update for less than $20. You won’t believe how a little change can make a big difference.

Certain tiles can be expensive, so instead of doing a whole floor, why not create a simple border or pattern. Breaking up larger, more expensive tiles with a strip or band will give your bathroom a designer look for a lot less than doing the whole floor.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg and I bet you have a few creative ideas on how to update your bathroom for less. I’d love to hear from you. Send me a message on Facebook at www.facebook.com/odonnellbros.


Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.