According to CNNMoney, nearly 3.9 million U.S. workers now telecommute, a tally that includes full-time employees who work from home at least half the time. This boils down to about 3% of the total American workforce. In addition, freelance workers – those who work independently either full- or part-time – currently make up about 34% of the U.S. workforce, a percentage that is expected to rise to 43% by the year 2020.
With nearly 40% of American workers currently working from home at least part of the time, the home office has become a necessity rather than a luxury. Here are four essentials to make working at home work for you.
Equipment. Efficiency and speed are crucial when you work at home. Determine which equipment is necessary for you to complete your work quickly and efficiently, but don’t invest in items you won’t use on a daily basis. Also, talk to your homeowner’s insurance agent to be sure your home office equipment is adequately insured. Most standard policies provide low limits on coverage for property used primarily for business purposes.
If you need a private office environment that allows you to achieve better work/life balance, consider a home office shed built with LP® Outdoor Building Solutions® products. LP shed products are used to construct some of the most beautiful, durable, well-crafted outdoor structures available. Visualize shed designs, choose your desired size and get more tips from LP Outdoor Building Solutions today.
Have you ever considered adding a shed to your backyard? Lately, homeowners like you are thinking beyond storage sheds and instead are using these spaces as offices, gyms and more. With the flexibility that comes from building with LP® Outdoor Building Solutions® you can add a beautiful shed to your backyard, complete with one of the most durable siding options available, LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding, which also leads to easier siding maintenance.
Continue ReadingPlanning to refresh your home’s trim and fascia? Hoping to change the exterior entirely with a full re-side project? No matter your plans, choosing siding and trim colors can be difficult. Mentally visualizing how your home will look with a new product is a challenge—and it’s even tougher to imagine the amount of change even just updating trim will bring. That’s where the LP® SmartSide® Home Visualizer, a siding visualizer tool, comes in. This free tool can help you explore home siding ideas to find the best siding color combinations for your home. Read more to find out how to use the tool—and why LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding can make all the difference for your home.
Re-siding your home is a significant investment and a long-term decision on your home’s look. One of the first steps to siding a house is choosing a siding material that fits your needs. Being involved as you review types of siding and cost can give you confidence in your plans and peace of mind that the materials you choose are built to last. Liz Marie Galvan of the Liz Marie Blog shares her journey toward choosing LP® SmartSide® ExpertFinish® Trim & Siding for her upcoming home re-siding project.
In this hiring a contractor checklist you’ll find expert guidance in connecting with the right contractor for your re-side project, including questions to ask and quick tips.