1. Is It Possible?

With the variety of fireplace options available today, from traditional wood-burning masonry to wall-mounted ventless units, it would be difficult to imagine a situation in which it would be entirely impossible to add a fireplace of some sort.

2. How Much Will It Cost?

Costs for materials and labor to add a new fireplace can run the gamut from several hundred dollars to $20,000 or more. Among the most popular options, a factory-built gas/propane fireplace unit runs about $2,000 for a basic materials package; add to that at least another $5,000 for the cost to hire professional tradespeople to cut a hole in an exterior wall, frame and build a chimney, install the fireplace, and add a surround and mantle.

3. Will I Recoup My Up-Front Costs?

A fireplace generally isn’t calculated separately in a professional home appraisal, though real estate salespeople often consider it to be a hot button among potential buyers.

4. Prime the Concrete

Concrete primer, called block primer, fills pores and evens out the surface.

5. Paint the Concrete

Masonry paint (also called elastomeric paint or elastomeric wall coating) is a good choice for concrete painting because it contains binders that contract and expand with the concrete.

Is your patio oh so shabby? These super-easy projects will make hanging outside fun again.

#1 Use Pine Cones to Stop Patio Pests

It’s hard to enjoy your patio if it’s covered in debris scattered by the wind or by critters with a penchant for digging and trampling. Stop critters with the humble pine cone — instead of regular mulch.

#2 Make a Concrete Patio Pop With Color

Rejuvenate that dilapidated patio with color in a can.

Try painting it a bold, bright color or a fun pattern, like chevron. You can also mimic the appearance of upscale stone patios with just a bit of paint and some stamps.

#3 Remove Rust from Outdoor Furniture

There are several ways to remove rust. If the damage isn’t too extensive, the job can be as simple as scraping it off. Use a wire brush, sandpaper, or steel wool — and a bit of elbow grease — to scour it away. For less effort, use a drill with a wire brush attachment.

#2 Express Yourself With Kitchen Color

Kitchen color is the great game changer for a creative kitchen. It’s a quick and easy way to update your kitchen’s look and feel. White, gray, and beige are still popular palettes for kitchens, but livelier hues are showing up, according to a 2021 Houzz survey. If you’re timid about the new shades — lots of blues and greens — consider small doses in a few perimeter cabinets.

#3 Blend Your Spaces for Seamlessness

The kitchen has become more of a room to live in. Even if you already have an open floor plan with adjoining spaces, you may want your furnishings, color palette, and accessories to blend more seamlessly. That way, there’s no jarring change from one room to another.

#4 Go for Convenience With Smart Appliances

Your tech-savvy side wants to find ways to use the latest developments in kitchen equipment to save time and effort. Why not get a jump on preheating the oven for the chicken you plan to roast after a hard day at work — or reheating the one you bought at the supermarket.

Clean or Replace Door Hinges

Telltale paint on door hinges says someone did a sloppy job.

To restore hinges, try these techniques:

• Wash with sudsy hot water.
• Scrub with a nylon brush or a toothbrush. A wire brush could damage the finish.
• Brush on paint stripper that is safe for all surfaces.
• Polish with beeswax furniture polish or brass polish.

Ahhh! Sparkling floors, gleaming windows, and zero dust bunnies. A thorough cleaning can make your abode feel brand new. But that immaculate house comes with a price — sore biceps. Here’s how to deep clean your house without skimping, or pulling a muscle.

Best of all, these brilliant hacks — for nine pain-in-the-butt tasks — will deliver the same pristine results with half the time and energy.

#1 Break Out the Drill on Your Bathtub
Cleaning a grungy tub can be back-breaking work. But here’s a genius idea that’ll save you time and sweat: Use your drill. Simply attach a scrubby (or a foam ball polishing attachment if you happen to have one) and use it to do the deep cleaning for you. Look in the automotive section for the attachment, which is made specially for tackling grime without scratching surfaces.

#2 Soak Stove Burners in Ammonia
Your stove burners take the bulk of the greasy, gunky mess during cooking, so do them a favor and give them a deep cleaning. Don’t worry: No scrubbing involved. To clear the crud, combine your stove burners and one-quarter cup ammonia in a plastic bag and let them sit overnight. They should come clean with a light sponge the next day.

#3 Run Floor Vents Through the Dishwasher
When debating how to deep clean your house, you can’t go much deeper than tackling your floor and ceiling vents. Scour as you might, removing all the accumulated dirt and dust from vents can be a spring cleaner’s nightmare. If your vents are made of aluminum or steel, there’s a shortcut to spic-and-span: Just run them through the dishwasher on a water-only cycle.

#4 Iron Out Bad Carpet Stains
Don’t spend an hour scrubbing out that nasty, set-in carpet splotch. Iron it out instead. Spritz a solution of one part vinegar and three parts water on the stain, and lay a clean cotton cloth on top. Turn your iron to its highest steam setting and run it over the stain for about 10 seconds to transfer the stain to the cloth and off your carpet.

#5 Tie a Bag of Vinegar Around Your Showerhead
Mineral build-up on your showerhead can cause low water pressure and wonky water streams. But deep cleaning them is easy without removing them. Using a rubber band, attach a bag of vinegar to your showerhead, making sure all the holes are submerged in the vinegar, and soak it overnight. Voilà. Good as new.

#6 Make Your Leaf Blower Multi-Task
Forget the broom and rags when you’re cleaning out the garage. Whip out your leaf blower and let it blow all the dust, debris, and dead bugs (yuck!) away from the floor and shelving. Just be sure to put away lightweight things that could accidentally get blown out with the trash.

#7 Get Rid of Crayon Marks with Goo Gone
Removing evidence of your toddler’s overactive imagination from your gorgeous white walls can be a struggle, but a little bit of Goo Gone (traditionally used to clean sticker residue) will remove the crayon and your headache. Spray it on the drawing, wait a moment, and wipe it off cleanly — without exhausting your arms.

#8 Boil Your Range Filter
There’s no need to scrub the grease and grime off your range filters. Use a bit of baking soda and your largest pot instead. Set the water to boil, slowly add one-half cup of baking soda, and submerge your filters for about five minutes. (Make sure to dump the water somewhere safe. Grease in the drain is even worse than grimy filters.)

#9 Sprinkle Your Mattress With Baking Soda
Your mattress needs a spring cleaning refresh, too, but you sure can’t toss it in the washing machine. Cleaning gurus recommend dragging your mattress outside, beating it, and letting the sunshine help freshen it, then dragging it back in. How to deep clean your house shouldn’t result in a herniated disk.

This is much easier: Use a kitchen strainer to sprinkle baking soda over the surface and let the mattress sit for an hour or longer. Longer is better. Then use your vacuum’s upholstery attachment to suck up the odor-absorbing soda.

#3 Use Vertical Space to Organize

It’s surprising how often wall space is overlooked as an organizing solution. When everything you need is right there on your wall and easy to find, your productivity jumps. Buy ready-to-hang cubbies, or create your own system, and hang them just as you would a collection of pictures.