15 How-Tos From Trade School

1. 11. Painting the Exterior of a Home

   

   8 Thumbs

   Painting the exterior of your home can make a big impact on its value. It can prolong the life of the exterior and protect your home fr...

   Time:

   Several Weekends

   Cost:

   $500 to $1000

   Difficulty:

   Moderate

2. 12. How to Prep Walls and Trim

   

   33 Thumbs

   Learn skills for prepping a wall before painting to give an interior paint job a professional look.

   Time:

   Two Days

   Cost:

   $100 to $250

   Difficulty:

   Moderate

3. 13. How To Build a Patio and Retaining Wall

   

   6 Thumbs

   This courtyard-style patio is surrounded by retaining walls and long planters. A puzzle-like arrangement of flat stones between the pat...

   Time:

   Several Weekends

   Cost:

   $500 to $1000

   Difficulty:

   Moderate

4. 14. How to Install a Three-Way Switch and Wire a Circuit

   

   2 Thumbs

   Typically used for hallways and staircases, three-way switches are used in instances where two separate switches control one. Use these...

   Time:

   Weekend

   Cost:

   $50 to $100

   Difficulty:

   Moderate to Hard

5. 15. How to Replace a Gas Water Heater

   

   5 Thumbs

   Replacing a gas water heater is a fairly basic plumbing project, but there are several dangers involved when dealing with natural gas. ...

   Time:

   Two Days

   Cost:

   $500 to $1000

   Difficulty:

   Hard