For the Best Curb Appeal Upgrades, Get the Right Tools

For the Best Curb Appeal Upgrades, Get the Right Tools

Home with beautiful front yardBy Ryan Tollefsen Realtor,
Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group

When homeowners make a plan for a curb appeal upgrade, there is often a lot of discussion about what is necessary and which ideas are practical. Having the proper tools for any home improvement project is crucial for its success. Since curb appeal is so important for home value, homeowners want to be sure they can do it right the first time. Here are a few tips (and tools) that ensure greater accuracy and make the whole project easier.

Why Every Home Needs Curb Appeal

Although some homeowners do not think about curb appeal until they want to sell a home, many choose to maintain or improve their exterior systematically over time.

The view of the home in relation to other homes in the neighborhood is what makes up what is called, “curb appeal.” Why does one home look better than others on the block? Curb appeal is a vital part of the home’s overall value. Even if homeowners have just moved in and do not plan to sell for many years, preserving home value should always be on their minds. They may need it if they want to refinance their mortgages, get a home equity loan for other improvements, or sell the home unexpectedly.

Here are two high-impact improvements to consider when looking to boost a home’s curb appeal:

Highlighting With Landscape & Outdoor Recreational Lighting

There are many things that homeowners can do for their properties to accentuate the wonderful aspects that are already there. Lighting is a good example. Landscape lighting is an excellent way to make the perfect look for the property at night. Lighting can also be used for outdoor recreational lighting to entertain guests or simply enjoy a change of scenery at night.

 Kwik-Trench mini-trencher

Little Beaver’s Kwik-Trench mini-trencher saves homeowners time when it comes to digging electrical lines for installing lighting.

Of course, installing lighting outside often involves digging the electrical lines for the lighting. Doing this by hand, homeowners could spend hours putting strain on their backs digging down 6 to 12 inches so that they can install their sidewalk lighting. Alternatively, they could use a Little Beaver Kwik-Trench mini-trencher to save their backs and a great deal of time. The Kwik-Trench allows homeowners to:

  • set the perfect depth for the trench
  • move at a rapid pace
  • reach spots that a larger trencher cannot access

Installing landscape lighting should not have to be a task that takes days or weeks. With this tool, the job will be done much more quickly.

Building the Ideal Perimeter Fence

Curb appeal concerns more than just the home and garden. That is why homeowners often look for ways to create attractive fencing or barriers surrounding the edges of the property. When homeowners need to install trees, vegetation or fences, they usually need to drill or dig using an auger. The best augers make it simple for people to dig a hole through any type of soil, of any width and a variety of depths. Snap-on augers offer exactly what homeowners need, with a design that is practical for almost anyone to use.

Planning Into the Future

Homeowners may be surprised with just how many projects they can accomplish with the right tools. Homeowners who used a trencher to install lighting might decide to call on it again to build a new garden, or change up their landscaping design. An auger with removable blades is a useful implement to keep on hand for landscape maintenance and other digging projects.

Building curb appeal for a home is less a single task than it is a state of mind. Taking advantage of tools that simplify the work allows people to ensure their homes look great every year without wasting time or effort. When homeowners use the right tools it creates the opportunity to do much more, both inside and outside the home.

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The Mini Uses of the Kwik-Trench

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Kwik-Trecn mini trencher irrigation line install

Versatility is Key

These days, everyone talks about versatility. With business owners and homeowners alike striving to bring down expenses and maximize productivity, manufacturers are pressed more than ever to back up their claims of fast ROI. This often steers the conversation toward versatility. The greater the number of applications a product can handle, the more “worth it” its purchase or rental becomes.

In the case of Little Beaver’s Kwik-Trench Mini Trencher, versatility happens to be its best subject. Contractors, do-it-yourselfers, and even golf course superintendents find multiple solutions in their respective industries from a single, easy-to-operate machine.

Different strokes

save time with Kwik-Trench Mini Trencher's bolt-on tooth systemOne reason the Kwik-Trench appeals to so many applications is its common-sense cutter wheel design. Where other trenchers require teeth to be welded directly to the cutter wheel, the Kwik-Trench has a time-saving bolt-on tooth system. This design not only speeds up maintenance, it also allows the operator to quickly change out teeth to match the application.

Width and depth options add to the Kwik-Trench’s versatility. With 1- to 4-inch width settings and adjustable depths up to 12 inches depending on the model, operators can cater trench dimensions to the job at hand. This improves efficiency by reducing the inevitable manual labor that comes with trying to work with wrong-size trenches.

The Kwik-Trench is offered in two models, the KT 200B and KT 2400B, each with strengths in different applications, giving operators the option to choose the machine that is best for the work they plan to do. The 200B is lighter and digs a shallower trench, making it perfect for jobs in inaccessible areas that demand more maneuverability. The 2400B is still lightweight and highly maneuverable, but boasts more power and can dig a deeper trench, making it suitable for jobs that require a little more brawn.

Different folks

trencher installing silt fenceA practical cutter wheel design for quick tooth changes, useful width and depth settings, and model options for unique application requirements make the Kwik-Trench an attractive solution for a wide range of people in varying industries.

Landscaping contractors use the Kwik-Trench for professional edging, installing silt fences, and burying wires for landscape lighting. Professional contractors can also take advantage of the Kwik-Trench’s fast cutting speeds to quickly bury propane, plumbing and drainage lines, as well as low-voltage wiring for satellite dishes, cable, or phone lines.

Homeowners, on the other hand, find the Kwik-Trench a user-friendly solution for the projects that often come with home ownership, such as installing sprinkler systems or burying electric dog fences. And golf course superintendents and grounds professionals can rely on the Kwik-Trench’s carbide tipped, hardened steel teeth to manage problem tree roots and dig clean trenches to perform maintenance on irrigation systems.

Thanks to its common-sense design, convenient model options, and wide application appeal, the Kwik-Trench proves a versatile addition to any landscaper’s toolbox, and a cost-effective trenching solution for the do-it-yourselfer.

For more ways to reach your ROI potential, contact a Little Beaver expert.

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Kwik-Trench Operation

Learn how to efficiently cut clean, narrow trenches with your Kwik-Trench mini trencher. The unit’s push-forward design makes it a safe, easy-to-operate solution for installing sprinkler lines, low-voltage wiring and landscape edging.

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Kwik and Easy Trenching: Golf Course Maintenance

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Boost Productivity Without Tearing Up Greens

Kwik-Trench leaves a clean cut with dirt deposited on one side of the trenchLooks matter — especially in the golf course industry. Maintenance and landscaping improvements are ongoing, but finding an equipment solution that provides maximum efficiency with minimal disruption to the green is key to maintaining that country club appearance. Little Beaver’s Kwik-Trench mini trenchers — the KT 200B and KT 2400B — are the ideal solution for boosting productivity without tearing up your greens.

Little Beaver understands that your golf course requires:

Efficiency

Save yourself from backbreaking and time-consuming work. The Kwik-Trench effortlessly cuts 30 feet of trench per minute. Powered by a 5.5-horsepower Honda engine, the KT 200B achieves 8-inch depths and its carbide-tipped teeth produce a trench from 1 to 3 inches wide. An 8-horsepower Honda engine powers the KT 2400B for cutting trenches as deep as 12 inches while its carbide tipped teeth produce a trench 1 to 4 inches wide. Both models make backfill 50 percent faster by directing soil to one side of the trench, instead of both sides.

Enhanced aesthetics

Protect your course’s beauty against soil cupping that can occur after backfilling wide trenches. The narrow trenches created by the Kwik-Trench require minimal backfill, which reduces the chance of cupping and helps ensure consistent grass growth. Designed with your turf’s appearance in mind, mini trenchers also feature pneumatic tires that virtually eliminate damage caused by tracked machine or skid-steer type trenchers.

Kwik-Trench mini-trencher

Easy use

Its compact body and push-forward capability allow greenskeepers to maneuver easily in tight spaces while pruning tree roots as thick as 10 inches in diameter. The push-forward operation also enhances safety by giving the operator a clear view of what’s ahead. By contrast, trenchers that require the operator to pull it while walking backwards add the risk of tripping and falls, which might cause costly workers’ compensation cases.

Easy maintenance

Little Beaver designs the Kwik-Trench for minimal maintenance by protecting key components. Its built-in slip clutch, for example, protects the drive train from shock if the trencher hits a rock or other obstacle. Maintenance is further reduced with blades that are quick and easy to replace. The Kwik-Trench also features Little Beaver’s Super Blade Plus and Super Xtra Rock Teeth, which bolt on to the cutting wheel making replacing the teeth simple and inexpensive. Other manufactures weld teeth directly on the cutting wheel causing the entire wheel to need replacement when a single tooth is damaged. The Kwik-Trench also features a triple V-belt system that maintains positive traction if the trencher encounters an obstruction. This reduces wear on belts as well as need for frequent belt replacements.

Improve your course’s quality in minutes with a Little Beaver Kwik-Trench. Contact us for questions.

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