I recently spoke with Derek Smith, CEO of HomeSpot (www.homespothq.com).  HomeSpot is like an online user manual for your house.  Helping homeowners maintain, protect and manage their property.   HomeSpotHQ has had a lot of attention in the news lately and I am happy Derek made the time for this interview.

Derek Smith, CEO of HomeSpotHQ.com

CHUCK: Tell me a little about your background and training.

DEREK:  I am originally from Spokane, Washington, and I’ve been doing software development in some form or another as long as I can remember. My first ‘product’ was developed in high school as a flash card system for basic Japanese characters. In college I developed a system to manage our college’s radio station, and also did internships for a multinational chemical company as well as a regional gold mining company. Since then I have worked for privately held and publicly traded companies, non-profits, state government, and had a 6 year season doing freelance software development and consulting.

CHUCK: How did you come up with the idea for HomeSpotHQ?

DEREK:  When I bought my first home in 2005 I immediately started doing various projects. Everything from replacing light fixtures, repainting rooms, and plenty of landscaping. I had always had in mind creating some type of electronic knowledge base so I could have a record of before and after pictures or just notes about some little oddity that occurred when doing a project. In 2009 I was working for a software company that was having a lot of trouble bringing a product to market, which led to a very tumultuous work environment. A co-worker and I would end up having regular brainstorming sessions for new businesses that we could start on the side. HomeSpot was probably the 3rd or 4th idea that we tossed around, but after getting some feedback on the idea, we decided to move forward to start building the product and see if we could get it to market. Our first release occurred 4 or 5 months later, and within a few months we had several hundred registered users. That was enough validation for us to keep pursuing it.

CHUCK: Please explain how you came up with the name HomeSpotHQ.

DEREK:  Well, we knew we needed some variation on home or house in the name. We mostly just brainstormed and then would check to see what domain names were available to register. We added the HQ to make it a bit more distinct.

CHUCK: Any big challenges in developing or testing HomeSpotHQ?

DEREK:  As it turned out, I started the development of HomeSpot HQ the same week that my 2nd daughter was born, so in those early days the biggest challenge was fatigue. I would stay up late coding and go to bed right about the time my wife would wake up to feed the baby.  So lack of sleep was a big challenge.

CHUCK: Who is the typical user of HomeSpotHQ?

DEREK:  Our typical user is a home owner that is oriented towards  organization.  Many also enjoy  do-it-yourself home repair and improvement. We have users from nearly all 50 states as well as a handful of other countries. They recognize the importance of routine maintenance for their home, and like having a system that will help them plan and organize the work that needs to be done.

CHUCK: Can you offer a preview of new features planned for your product?

DEREK:   Sure – we get almost all of our feature suggestions from our users, and we try to incorporate as many as we can in each release. Probably our biggest request is the ability to manage multiple properties under one account. This feature is under development now and will be released in 2012. We also are looking at ways to incorporate the routine maintenance tasks for vehicles into the product as well.

CHUCK: Any plans on the drawing table for new products?

DEREK:  We have been working on planning out apps for the various mobile and tablet platforms like Android and the iPad and iPhone. Also we’re working with remodeling and handyman contractors on a platform they can use to offer HomeSpot HQ to their clients called HomeSpot Pro.

CHUCK:  Anything else you would like to share?

DEREK:  I always love to take the opportunity to thank our users. Every time you use HomeSpot you encourage us to keep developing new features and ideas. Without our users, we would not have the story to tell that we do. So to the more than 5,000 homeowners who have joined HomeSpot, I personally offer my sincere thanks.

CHUCK:  Thanks Derek for taking the time with me!

Learn more at www.homespothq.com.

A recent article published in the NY Times polls construction industry professionals on some common tools every homeowner DIYer  should have.  See NY Times for full article.  Some other tools I’d suggest include:  combo square, putty knife,  a smaller tape measure, and yard stick.  Also, Wd 40 & duct tape are always good supplies to have!

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The Surplus Warehouse is having a 20% discount off their entire store on April 15-17, 2010.  Learn more at  www.surplus-warehouse.com

Offers from Lowe’s, Home Depot, Surplus Warehouse and many others.  Click to learn more.

Home Depot has discount promotions posted on their website and these change week to week.

Exterior caulking is a pliable material designed to span small gaps between joints around the outside of your house. Some common places to find these joints are where siding meets a corner trim board, and around doors and windows. Weather, sun, and temperature can cause your caulking to degrade, crack, shrink, and generally fail over time. This can lead to moisture seeping in and the inevitable wood rot damage to follow.

Autumn is a great time to fix minor exterior caulking problems to kee your home in top shape for the winter months to come.

What to do? This is something a handy homeowner or Do-It-Yourselfer can do at least once per year. Simply visually check around the outside of your entire home. If you find degraded caulking, remove any loose caulking and reapply. I like to use white paintable exterior caulking. After the caulking dries you can paint right over with your matching paint color. While you have the paint can out, any areas of bare wood in need of touch-up can be painted at the same time. If home improvement is not your thing, hire someone to do it for you.

I have heard this one before…My home is newer and has cement board siding. I don’t need to worry about this right? Homes that have cement board (hardi plank or hardi siding are other names for similar item) also have many areas that are wood and need sealing. Some common areas typically constructed of wood include: corner boards, facsia boards (this is the board where your gutter attaches), soffit (this is the area underneath your roof over hang or eave) and around doors and windows.

If you find areas that are rotten, don’t wait to take care of it. It won’t get better and in fact, will only gets worse over time. Also, rotting wood can be an invitation to some wood destroying insects like termites and carpenter ants. So hire someone to take care of this for you before the problem gets bigger and more costly.

As a contractor, I see wood rot damage over and over in homes that leads to costly repairs that could potentially be avoided through routine home maintenance. Your house is likely your largest investment. Don’t wait until you have a big problem on your hands. Act while it is still small. And remember a little bit of annual home maintenance goes a long way.
Find more helpful tips at HouseFixer.Info

by www.HouseFixer.info

Winter is coming and that means we will be spending more time at home. To ensure a safe and cozy winter, here are seven easy steps you can take to prepare your home. The majority of these tasks can be completed by a “Handy” homeowner. If you are in doubt about any listed task it is best to call a qualified professional. Maintaining your home this Fall will ensure your home is in good shape through the Winter.

STOP THE DRAFT. Prevent cold air from entering your home by checking your home’s weather-stripping and caulking. You’ll find weather-stripping and/or caulking usually around windows and entry doors. Look for signs of wear and replace if needed. Consider sealing up your drafty windows with a clear plastic film. This is inexpensive and kits are readily available at your local hardware or home improvement store. If you have a crawlspace or basement equipped with vents, it’s generally a good idea to close them during the winter to help keep pipes from freezing.

BRING IT INSIDE. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night, it’s time to start bringing in those outside items inside. Plants are a good place to start, but check with your garden supply store for specifics. Clearing garden hoses of water and storing them inside. Outside furniture, grills, toys and other recreational items usually last longer if they aren’t exposed to the winter weather.

DON’T BE COOL. Finding out your heating system doesn’t work properly on the first cold night of the year is not fun for anyone. Go ahead and turn on your heating system and check to see if it appears to heat your home. Don’t forget to change all of your air filters too! It is best to have a qualified heating specialist come check your system before it gets cold.

WATER TRYING TO GET IN. Water will enter your home if your home is not properly sealed and weatherized. Your first line of defense is your roof and siding. Take a good look at your roof and siding from the ground looking for missing or damaged shingles and siding. Looking through a pair of binoculars often helps with this. Next check in your attic looking for signs of water. Finally, check your basement or crawlspace for signs of water. Remember water usually leaves a mark darker than the item it dried on. It is good to catch these problems while they are small.

WATER TRYING TO GET OUT. Fall is a good time to check each of the plumbing fixtures in you home to be sure that you don’t have any leaks. Remember many times leaks start small and get bigger thereby causing greater damage. Places to check include: around toilets, under sinks, around tubs & showers, and your hot water heater. Again, check for signs of water where it shouldn’t be, all around your home.

DON’T GO UP IN SMOKE OR FLAMES. If you use your wood burning fireplace or stove, have it checked by a qualified chimney sweeper before the winter hits. Excessive build up of creosote in your chimney flue can cause fires in your chimney which can spread to your house. Most chimney sweep companies offer low-cost or even free inspections. Be on the safe side and have it checked. While on the subject of fire safety, go ahead and check the operation of and change the battery if needed in each of your homes smoke detectors.

ASK FOR HELP. Don’t wait until something breaks to find someone to repair your home. You should have the names and contact information for qualified service people in your area. Ask your friends and colleagues for referrals. Getting referrals are often a great way of finding someone that you can rely on. Some service professionals to consider having names and phone numbers for include: Plumber, Electrician, Heating & AC Repairman, and a General Handyman.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. Attribution must read “Infomation provided by www.HouseFixer.info” and link is live whenever possible.