It is easy to get overwhelmed in the number of options and resources available in the world of home improvement. There are several steps you can take to reduce stress and have a successful project.

To keep your yard lit after dark and still save on electricity, switch out your regular light for one with a motion sensor. You can turn on the lights yourself or adjust how sensitive it is.

On the rare chance that you find water leaking from under the sink or from under the tap, do not attempt to fix the leak yourself. Make sure you provide a catch for the leaking water, and then call a professional plumber.

Check out the credentials of any home improvement company that you are considering. If they don’t have an address and they only call you, they probably don’t have the experience that you want. Select companies that have great reputations.

Your backyard is an important resource. You can extend your living space right into the back yard. This area would be great for entertaining, barbecuing or just relaxing.

Try to determine in advance the amount of paint you will need for any painting job. Do not guess how much the job is going to cost as you could be way off. Figuring out how much paint you will need can save you time and money.

Any renovation of the kitchen or bathroom plumbing or fixtures should start with shutting off the supply of water. Sometimes the difficulty in turning old valves or simply forgetting can cause homeowners to undertake work that will cause significant flooding because of water in the pipes.

If you’re going to take on a home improvement project by yourself, you should write down the plan you’re hoping to follow, then have a professional look it over for you. If you do miss a big step when planning, this may result in poor work on a renovation that costs more than you budgeted.

It can be quite enjoyable and rewarding to do your own home improvement. Making a solid plan from helpful information is an essential part of doing your home improvement project the right way. This will have you making less errors than you originally planned for.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in Santa Clara County where you can make the most impact on civic engagement in the community.