Great video on how to fix a hole in your wall .
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.
If your looking for some more home inspection or home building ideas.
Missing Grout In ShowerOne never knows when disaster will hit. The only way one can be prepared is to have insurance on water damage to your house or business. If you've recently suffered water damage you need to get help fast from a company that specializes in water damage restoration.
Steps to find someone quick to help you:
1) Check the phone book or search on the Internet for a few companies to consider.
2) After choosing a couple of companies to consider hiring, check their website. Look to see what their company offers to customers. Does it work with your insurance company? Do they hire quality trained professionals? Are they registered with the Better Business Bureau? These are just a few questions you should be researching.
3) Now check the Better Business Bureau to make sure the companies chosen do not have any bad reports on them. If a company has bad reports, move onto the next company for possible hire.
4) If you find at least two companies make phone calls to the company and compare prices. Make sure you include in your price the exact same items you are looking for in the service needed to get your place back into tip top shape before water damage occurred.
5) Once you find the company that is Better Business Bureau approved, the company offers trained professional water damage employees, will work with your insurance company if applicable, and quality work, give them a call and make an appointment immediately for water damage restoration.
You need to get your items saved as quickly as possible from water damage. You do not want mold and mildew to set into your carpet. Make sure the company will be using high quality products to get any smells and kill all mold, mildew, and bacteria in your home. Mold, mildew, and bacteria can be hiding in water damaged areas such as your walls, items that are wet, floors, and even your ceiling if affected.
Once the company you have hired for water restoration is finished you can get back to the normal routine of your life.
Leo Nov is an editorial staff member of RestorationSOS.com, a leading service provider for water damage cleanups. To learn more about basement flood and water restoration, visit RestorationSOS.com.
Ceramic Tile Shower Pan DamageThere are certain basic thing to remember when you plan to do a do it yourself basement remodeling. It is good to remodel your basement according to how it is going to be used. It will also allow you to enhance the appearance of the basement itself.
1. What are you going to use the basement for?
Planning for a do it yourself basement remodeling, should always begin with deciding what you are going to turn the basement into. Is it going to be a play room for the kids or a wine cellar? Will you be adding a bathroom or a fire place?
2. Fix any existing problems.
Existing problems in your basement should be remedied at this point. Make sure that your basement is free from leaks. Check the walls and the foundation for any cracks or holes. Make sure that you seal the cracks and fill in the holes properly. If not, all your hard work will be destroyed by water or moisture that leaks in. The foundation should also be in top shape. Make sure that it is not bowed.
3. Make sure that the basement is insulated and well heated.
Check the existing furnace if it is able to heat the basement efficiently. If not, you should probably consider replacing it or adding another one. Insulating your walls will also help in keeping the basement warm. Some companies offer electric floor heating that will not only keep the room warmer but will also fight off the growth of mold and mildew. You may also add a fire place to help in maintaining a warm room temperature but make sure that it is compatible with how your basement is going to be utilized.
4. Design your basement.
Design your basement according to its use. If it will be a recreational room, bring down that home-theater system. If you will use it as a workshop, put shelves and cabinets to store your tools. A painting studio will definitely need natural light. Add windows. For a kids play room, choose bright colors and make sure that the room is kid-friendly. The visual design of your basement will depend on your personal style.
5. Don't forget the lights.
Adding windows to a basement that is partially above ground is a good way to let natural light in. Regardless of having basement windows or not, it is important that you also put artificial lights in your basement. Strategically place the lights around the room. Choose from different kinds and sizes of lights that match your basement design.
These do it yourself basement remodeling tips will definitely turn any dark and old basement into a bright and lively room that is going to add another exceptional room to your home.
Are you spending beyond your means for basement remodeling? Save precious dollars by getting practical advice on basement remodeling ideas.
Wall RepairsGranite is a fantastic choice for a kitchen worktop. It is durable and extremely long lasting. This coupled with the fact that there are many differing colours to choose from, makes this type of stone one of the best for a kitchen worktop or work surface.
In this article, I will be discussing some of the main attributes and qualities for; Star Galaxy; Impala Black, Emerald Black, Zimbabwe Black and Ubatuba granite, as these are types of stone I have observed consumers purchasing.
I would also like to mention that this is not a comparison of how expensive these types of granite are, but more of an explanation and description of what they are and how, by knowing a little bit more about their colours and veining or not as the case may be, it may help you to see where these colours could fit within your design and room dcor.
Star Galaxy
Star Galaxy is quarried in India and has a beautiful black surface with copper and gold flecks within, which tend to vary from stone to stone. Star Galaxy also boasts small silver markings, which underline the stone and sparkle when the light hits them.
Impala Black
Quarried in South Africa, Impala Black is a mottled grey with very little colour within. Interestingly enough; some grades can even appear grey mottled black, which is quite a contrast.
Emerald Black
Emerald Black is a fantastic choice of stone. It is quarried in Norway and is commonly a black to very dark grey in colour, often found with flecks of each within. Adding the icing to the cake; Emerald Black has pearlescent crystals within. Varying in size, these crystals glow when light hits them - truly magical!
Zimbabwe Black
Zimbabwe Black is from Zimbabwe (funny enough) and is one of my favourites! It is part of the 'Nero Absoluto' granite family (which is something I will talk about in a future article) and is rarely absolutely black. It tends to have small cloud-like markings within, ranging from grey to white.
Ubatuba
Ubatuba is a truly interesting stone / granite as it is not really black, but for many, it can appear this way. Ubatuba is quarried in Brazil and is commonly a dark green to gold in colour, but in a low light can have a mottled black effect. Ubatuba matches excellently with Oak, so for a kitchen, this could be the answer!
Granite Worktops for Kitchens can be purchased from HartGranite.co.uk. They are based in Broxbourne, on the border of Hertfordshire and Essex, but supply and install kitchen worktops and work surfaces to many locations throughout the UK.
Alan Bottomley
Alan Bottomley is a Granite Worktops Designer for HartGranite; who import, fabricate and supply many home and industrial stone products - their URL is: http://www.hartgranite.co.uk if you would like more information.
Support Post For Valley BeamThe kitchen is a habitual space in the home which is intended to be used for cooking and preparation of food. The kitchens of modern homes are equipped with a refrigerator/freezer, storage space, a store and a sink - not just an ordinary sink, but people prefer having a stainless kitchen sink as part of their kitchens. Given this consideration, selecting the right piece of sink is crucial for any home owner.
One always aims to get that perfect sink which fits perfectly into their home. This task becomes difficult and taxing to do, however - it is still possible. The need of having one and because of its importance in the kitchen, there are a few factors which one should consider when selecting. First on the list is its sturdiness, second is its practicality and lastly is its appeal and how it blends well with and complements your space.
Here are a few hints and suggestions on getting that stainless kitchen sink that is ideal for your home.
Which should you go for: an undermount or a top mount stainless kitchen sink?
Don't let it confuse you. I'll help you by making this as simple as possible. Undermount sinks are favored as they go well with countertops. One of its wins of course is the easiness in keeping it clean. This type of sink call for professional set-up and because of their heaviness, it is best that they are chosen for countertops made of concrete or solid stone. Top Mount sinks on the contrary top mount sinks are can be mounted on virtually any countertop using a unique clip-and-bolt fastener which makes it less expensive and easier to install than the undermount sink. They however require some form of lining around the borders and sometimes requires more effort in cleaning. Deciding which one to go for whether undermount or top mount is important in getting the right stainless kitchen sink.
Which material for a kitchen sink is best?
Kitchen sinks come in different materials - some are cast iron coated, some are made of composite and stone while some are made of stainless steel. Personally, I would always go for a stainless kitchen sink as they have earned favorable testimonies on their sturdiness and easiness to clean. Comparably, they are often less expensive as well.
Which style should I chose?
Kitchen sinks come in different styles as well. Some showcase one or three bowls; others highlight bowls which are deeper. Some have apron fronts while others have dividers that can fit larger pans or pots. Others feature special storage cabinets as well. If you'd like to know the standard size, then just so you know - they measure at 22 X 33-inches wide, 8 inches deep and have two equal bowls in size. Which should you chose then? It really depends on how well it complements your kitchen dcor and what you would want it to look like.
Where do I get the perfect piece?
Reputation and quality is the key in getting that perfect piece of stainless kitchen sink. You'd like to get a bang for your buck, which is why you'd like to buy it from stores who are known for providing this. Quality ensures that your kitchen sink goes a long way and that you spend pleasure, comfort and joyous moments while you're working with it.
Eliza Maledevic writes for http://Jump2Top.com - SEO Company
Recently people have been spending big money for remodeling and using "resale" as an excuse to spend outrageous amounts of money. But if you have to sell your house in today's market it could be a loser's game.
Many people are actually refinancing their homes to do the remodels and going into serious debt to pay for the work. They are essentially financing the remodel for significantly longer than most trendy improvements, i.e. granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.
This leads us to our first rule.
1. If you have to refinance to pay for the work, you can't afford it.
2. Clean up. It's a lot of work, but worth the time. Clean, orderly homes always resale better.
3. Get rid of junk. When I have my houses for sale there is nothing sitting on the floor or impeding traffic flow even in the closets.
4. Remove wallpaper and put up soft neutral paint inside and out. Modern buyers do not like wallpaper.
5. Pay more attention to street appeal than interior decorating. Cute houses resell better and faster than other houses.
This last point...the one about street appeal...is the biggest one you need to have on your side if you need to resale fast. How your house looks from the street matters more than your interior. If buyers don't like the outside they won't even come in to see what you have done inside.
If you own a house that has no street appeal in a good neighborhood you might have a great chance to make money even in a slowing real estate market.
But how do you get street appeal?
It is tough. Just ask all the builders who are stuck with inventories of unsold homes. Street appeal is a moving target. Here are some strategies and recommendations.
1. Try to improve the landscaping pushing it out enough to frame the house rather than hiding it.
2. Make a nice wide path to the door.
3. Paint and use more than one color.
4. Make sure all colors work together including the roof.
5. Add some rock.
6. Frame out windows.
7. Stay true to the architecture of the house both inside and out.
You can no longer just throw a house up for sale and expect it to be easy. You have to work at it. Those first days the property is on the market can never be done over. Do your homework and don't put your house on the market until it is ready.
Clean it up, price it competitively and make it the cutest house on the block. Don't follow all the remodeling gurus along with the crowd right off a cliff.
Paula G Stone and George R (Ron) Stone have a note buying business. Their company buys mortgage notes as well as helps home sellers offer owner financing to sell their home fast and for top dollar while selling the private mortgage note at a simultaneous closing. Learn more about note buying and selling at Selling Mortgage
If you've tried getting a conventional loan recently, you may have ran into this brand new roadblock. Fannie and Freddie have implemented a new guideline for conventional real-estate loans. They limit you to a maximum of 4 total properties. The moment you go to finance that 5th property you smash into their new brick wall.
I'd say this is completely ridiculous. The foreclosures are caused by two groups of buyers. The widely publicized primary residence homeowners who were convinced to sign into an adjustable rate mortgage, and the lesser heard of builders who secured construction loans for building their projects, and then converted them to investment loans once the project was complete.
I truly feel for the first classification of folks. To be booted out of your primary residence because the bank increased your rate is absolutely a shame. Some may say shame on the buyer, and yes, that is somewhat true. They should have read those 85 pages of small print text provided at closing. But I say shame on the banks, and more importantly the brokers who sold these loans.
Now the builders, therein lies the true catalyst to this problem. Construction loans are often short-term and high rate. Builders across the nation over the past few years have over-built, and now so many brand new homes sit vacant. The builders converted the loans to residential non-owner occupied loans, and those are the loans they are defaulting on because they can't sell their houses. For those of us who actually use residential non-owner occupied conventional financing for true investment properties, we are penalized. Because such a high percentage of converted construction loans are defaulting, not only are the banks increasing restrictions on non-owner occupied loans, but so are the mortgage insurance companies.
There's a few ways around this new guideline.
Regardless if you do qualify for conventional financing, or need to seek out a portfolio lender your going to need impeccable records. Lenders want to know they are lending to a sound person or organization who maintains positive cashflow on their properties. The best way to keep your records organized is to use property management software specifically designed for the purpose.
Martin Max is a software developer for Rentec Direct Property Management Software and a prominent figure in the Internet Service Provider Industry. Additionally Martin is a local real estate investor who is proud to manage all of his own properties with no help from any property management firms.
Dirt Against Wood FenceThe big boom in both commercial and residential new construction in the last ten years has taken its toll on blacktop surfaces in the St. Louis area. Parking lots and subdivision roads have been more prone to premature failure mostly due to undesirable soils, poor base construction, or improper design for intended load force. "We've just noticed that newer asphalt surfaces are falling apart much faster than they should. This region is comprised of a variety of soil conditions which should be accounted for when constructing a paved surface," said John Furr of Creve Coeur Paving.
The Perma-base system stops many of the area's bad soil characteristics from causing damage to blacktop pavements. It's success is attributed to keeping defects, moisture, and movement below the pavement, instead of allowing them to surface. The extra cost in constructing a Perma-Base structure is minimal when compared to the exhaustive efforts required to maintain or repair a surface that experiences problems associated with sub-base decline. Currently Creve Coeur Paving is one of few contractors using this style of base construction in the St. Louis region.
Area business owners and property managers can expect a much better return on their investment. The system possesses a higher tolerance for heavy loads and is more permeable so moisture can pass through it, instead of surfacing to the pavement. Because of this quality, new construction can take place after the base has been installed and compacted. Heavy loads such as concrete and refuse trucks will not disrupt the base. The project manager doesn't have to worry about soil-yielding causing delays at his worksite.
Expansive clay found in northern areas of St. Charles County and Lincoln County has been known to cause severe cracking even in 8" thick asphalt surfaces. The Perma-Base system resists reflective cracking from clay to help protect against surface cracking and shifting.
Property owners and managers are doing more to find ways to lower their overhead. Perma-Base brings them the desired solution. Less maintenance, larger load capacity, and greater longevity from asphalt surfaces depend on a solid sub-base. Perma-Base addresses all of these concerns.
Creve Coeur Paving:
A St. Louis based; family owned paving company focused on delivering the best possible solutions for its clients. Motivated by the company's highly regarded work ethic, it's owners and employees have been striving for perfection in paving for over thirty years. "Our Reputation Rides On Our Service."
Contact:
Richard Dinkela II, Operations
Creve Coeur Paving
314-427-3303
http://www.ccpstl.com
As aging baby boomers consider staying in their homes, Universal Design and Aging in Place will be gaining more momentum in the years to come. Here are some practical home modification tips to promote safety, comfort and independence in everyday living.
What Is Universal Design and Aging in Place?
Universal Design is a concept that focuses on comfort, ease of access, and maneuverability within homes for all people, while aging in place is a popular lifestyle option for older homeowners preferring to safely and independently live in their homes.
Did You Know?
89% of people 50+ wish to remain in their own homes indefinitely, while National Association of Home Builders cites 75% of remodelers have seen an increase in requests for aging in place work.
Suggested Universal Design and Aging in Place home modifications include:
- Installing lights strategically to maintain a well-lit hallway
- Having non-slip interior and exterior flooring
- Replacing knobs with levers handles
- Setting up pantries and cabinetry with rollout cabinets and lazy Susans
- Mounting adequate handrails for stairways and ramps
- Building or installing a roll-in shower with multiple showerheads
- Installing a no-curb shower
Local Certified Remodeling Professionals
To address the growing number of consumers looking for local specialized professionals, the Remodelers Council of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has created a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) resource directory for homeowners. You can visit their website for a list of local specialists in your area.
When remodeling for ease of use, look for simple and practical products which are safe to use and easy to maintain. With these simple and practical home modifications, you can design your home for how you would like to live now and for the future.
You are welcome to publish or reprint this article, free of charge, as long as the article remain unchanged, all hyperlinks are active, and the "About the Author" section is included in the reprint. The author is not liable for any loss profits, expenses, or any other damages resulting from the use or misuse of articles published on this website.
Villette Nolon is the President and CEO of HomeSavvi.
HomeSavvi provides free home remodeling instant inspiration. Online guide features home remodel design ideas, photos, expert advice, including bathroom and kitchen designs, budgets and costs and other helpful information.
You are finally there - you've made it! It's time for you to get the house of your dreams. That big binder filled with magazine clippings - a collage of colors, textures and designs - can finally be put into a cohesive custom home design just for you.
Now, maybe you think you know exactly what you want and all you have to do is hire a contractor to take your vision and build it. For a project to this magnitude and import, hiring an architect to handle the design and to work with the contractor is a better move.
Why? Because an architect brings certain things to the table that will ensure the house of your dreams becomes just that. What are these special qualifications and how do you know you're getting the right person for the job?
Here are a few things to look for and questions to ask when shopping for an architect to breathe life into your custom home design:
1. Is he licensed in your state?
Architects must obtain a license to work in any state. If your "architect" doesn't have one, he is really just a designer. The difference is not just the piece of paper, it is the skill and knowledge necessary to get that license.
2. Can you see examples of his work?
Either on paper or in person, you always want to see your architect's finished products. This is important not only to ensure he does quality work, but that you also like it. If a majority of his work is contemporary chic and you want traditional colonial, will he be able to handle it?
3. Does he carry enough liability insurance?
Any licensed architect will carry his own insurance, but you should see if it is enough to comfortably cover your custom home design. Insurance is another difference between architects and designers - the architect is required to carry it whereas the designer does not have any regulations regarding liability. Typically, it is the client who has to take out a policy on the project when a designer is used.
4. Does he have time for your project?
This is your dream home and you've waited and waited to see it come to life. Now that your custom home design is about to be realized, you want an architect who will treat it with the personal attention and time you know it deserves.
5. What services can he provide and what will you need?
Architects can do as little or as much as you want. He can draw up the plans and be done with the project, but it is a better idea to have him work with the contractor throughout the process to make sure his plans are followed exactly.
Your architect can negotiate contracts, manage the construction site, come up with the budget, manage it and much more. If you're comfortable with the architect, it will be easier to give him the freedom to manage the entire project. Of course, he will discuss with you on important issues. But you don't really have time to micro-manage, do you?
Hiring can architect to breathe life into your custom design home is a good idea. Whether you hire through a firm or an individual, always interview the person who will be doing the work, to make sure he is clear on your vision and that you can work together. Once the hiring is done, you can relax a little and know that your dream house is in good hands.
Asheville NC Architect specializes in custom residential architecture, inns, galleries, retail, medical and educational facilities. Samsel Architects has produced award-winning design and offers a broad scope of architectural services. Visit them at http://www.samselarchitects.com
Rubber DeckingFree house building plans is a great way to see the many floor plan layouts available for a given square foot home. You can quickly see how many variations there really are. Choosing a floor plan that is customized to your family size and daily functions is the perfect way to get the most from your new house.
House plans as well as garage plans can be under rated and over hyped, if sold based on square footage alone. Many home builders focus entirely on getting the most overall size in a building, when the real bargain is to get the most functionality in a given space. By choosing to go with layout rather than total square foot, you can actually get more house for the money.
House plans are designed to be a planning tool, not the finished and unchangeable layout. You want to choose house plans or garage plans that first fit your lot or better yet the contour to your building lot. You have seen houses that were designed for a full size basement and yet it was built on a level lot. This takes away from the curb appeal and those house plans just were not right for that lot.
The architectural detail in your house plans is key to getting the final look of your new home. It's the details that actually can get the visual look, equal to the appeal and the price you paid to achieve the look. House plans should have building lot recommendations for each set of plans to ensure the best final results you are hoping for.
Floor plans layout in your house plans should give alternate choices depending on how versatile the set of plans are that you have selected. You may want to consider moving a door or even adding a door where the house plans have them positioned. This arranging or rearranging of the house plans is the best way to get the most house for your money.
To learn more about choosing the best layout for your new home, see the free house plans you can choose, arrange, and customize for your building lot. The better you plan, the better the outcome. http://wealthsmith.com/house-building-plans.htm
Great video on how to repair a window screen.
If you're thinking about buying a home, check out this home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping. For under $15, you can save yourself a lot of frustration and money.
Hard Water Deposits In ToiletLooking to bring something different to your room without huge costs or large home improvement renovations? The most successful home remodeling projects are those that utilize small budgets through smart purchases on small, detailed pieces of a room that often go unnoticed. So, you may be wondering exactly how this can be done? Simple! Through upgrading of the cabinet drawer handles! Whether it is kitchen or bathroom cabinets, by replacing the knobs and pulls of cabinets, you add new life and unique style to your room!
As to specifically how to start this home improvement, begin by determining what cabinet pieces you want to replace, and how you will make that upgrade. Common replacements involve drawer handles, as cabinet drawers are the cheapest renovations, rather than completely remodeling an entire kitchen counter, bathroom sink, etc.
Some tips to remember when going into this type of home remodeling project is to match the styles of your new replacements to the overall room, but the replacements should have something unique to it. For example, purchase cabinet drawers or handles that are detailed woodworks. Individual pieces that create action will give the whole room a little more buzz and eye appeal.
Another tip to cabinet drawer handles is to give a stand-out color to them. Think of how your outside house works, typically the shutters are a color of focus, where the main color is typically a standard off-white or cream. By doing such a simple paint job, you add depth to the room, while not completely changing the room drastically!
As well, if you want to make a truly unique style to your room, think about creating custom-made drawer handles. Yes, this is the more expensive route, but having a professional craft some unique pieces will give your kitchen or bathroom a look and style that no one else can have!
So, hopefully you are now better prepared for your next home remodeling project, and remember to always have fun with your home improvement! It is all about creating your own style, and gives your room something appealing without making you broke!
Tori works for Your Home Supply (YHS) the definitive website for home improvement tools, and gardening supplies. Your Home Supply offers a wide range of drawer handles to help you bring unique style to any room. Visit them now at http://www.YourHomeSupply.com
Home Repair BooksLearning how to fix wood shutters can be a fun do-it-yourself project. To repair wood shutters, you need to incorporate some long term maintenance along with an understanding of what can cause them to rot. Although wood shutters can rot over time, however, many people enjoy them because they don't look like plastic and they can be installed on operable hinges. The distinct look of functional shutters that come out of the house adds a different look and type of curb appeal that vinyl shutters just don't offer. The problem is the headache that can come every 3-5 years when it's time to replace those shutters. So what can you do to get the most out of your wood shutters? Follow our tips for fixing shutters and how to repair wood shutters and exterior shutters and you will get more life out of them.
The first thing is understanding why exterior shutters can rot. The sun is your biggest enemy, because it will cause your shutters to contract and expand. If your wood shutters are painted dark colors or black and if they get direct sunlight for most of the day then this is even more so the case. Heat from the sun will cause the shutters to expand and split apart. This will expose untreated areas and the rot process will begin as water and insects make their way into the shutters through these cracks.
By maintaining your shutters, you can prolong their life. Paint your shutters every other year. Paint can fade in the sun and as that layer breaks down over time, the rot process can accelerate. You never want to put an adhesive between a shutter panel and the rails that surround it. Common mistakes are the use of caulk or glue to reinforce the panel. Panels have to have the ability to contract, expand, and shift with changing environmental temperatures. Th rails and styles are never glued to the panel for this reason and only serve to hold the panel while allowing it some slight contraction and expansion mobility. A paint contractor can often overlook this minor detail and cause more harm than good for your shutters. If your shutters are starting to split apart at the rails and panels, you need to do a couple of things. First, you should try to paint any exposed wood that's been untreated. And secondly, you should hammer the rails back in place and reinforce the rails and styles with screws. Never screw the panel to the rails or use glue or caulk.
If possible, don't use the color black. Try to avoid colors with dark pigments in them as they will absorb more heat and reduce the lifespan of the exterior shutters. You can also use a vinyl safe paint or a semi-gloss paint to help minimize absorption from the sun. If your shutters are cupping or bowing, then it's likely that the need reinforcement. Overexposure will do this and a long shutter may need a third hinge in the middle to make it more structural.
Keep in mind, that the sun is your worse enemy. If maintenance and repair are not your cup of tea, then have no fear. There is a no rot solution that does still offer the look of wood and functionality of operable shutters and they don't look like plastic. They're also not made from vinyl. What's nice about vinyl shutters is that they are affordable and they don't rot. The disadvantage is that they will always look like plastic and they too can crack and split over time. They're also not hingeable. Many people like wood shutters so that they can be hinged and function as operable shutters. You can consider upgrading to PVC shutters, which look just like wood and can be hinged. They can be an easy way to avoid a shutter maintenance nightmare. With a little bit of shutter repair and preventative maintenance you can prolong the life of your shutters so that they last twice or three times as long.
Matt Buquoi is the owner of Flower Window Boxes, a window box company that specializes in affordable no rot window boxes. They offer no rot PVC shutters that are maintenance free and operable. Visit their website for more information about their no rot shutters and window boxes.
The sun is a constant source of energy. Everyday it provides us with 5000 times as much energy as the whole world needs. (Unknown)
In the 1950s and '60s efficient energy use was often neglected in constructing buildings and houses, but the high energy prices of the 1970s changed that. Some buildings built in the 80s use only about 20% of the energy used in buildings constructed just ten years earlier. Techniques to save energy include designing and siting buildings to use passive solar heat, avoiding overlighting, and using better insulation. A life-cycle approach, which takes into account the total costs over the entire life of the building, rather than simply the initial construction cost or sales price, is encouraging greater efficiency.
SOLAR ENERGY IN SOUTH AFRICA
Climate
South Africa is one of the areas in the world with the highest count of sunny days per year in the world therefore making it also one of the most appropriate places in the world to use solar power energy should that be the only reason for using them.
A photovoltaic sell uses the suns light to create an electric current and not the heat of the sun as is commonly thought. A photovoltaic sell actually decreases in efficiency when the sell is heated extremely because of the resistance building up in the material. Because of the above fact, one can see that these photovoltaic panels is actually less efficient in very warm climates. South Africa, in summertime, can be extremely hot and could cause a photovoltaic panel on certain summer days to work less efficient although not as significantly as 25% less efficient as it is said can be lost in desert-type climates.
Cost efficiency & economy
Eskom South Africa provides our country with some of the cheapest conventional unsustainable electricity costs in the world, and that is the main reason for solar energy technology not taking off in South Africa. Although a number of solar thermal panels is in operation, even in residential buildings in the country, photovoltaic panels was up to date just not cost effective enough to justify the money saved using conventional electricity for manufacturers making them available on a large scale. Because of the uncommonness and unavailability of these panels the prices of theses panels has not significantly decreased in South Africa as it has in other more technologically advanced and environmentally aware
countries.
Also, because the electricity has been so inexpensive in SA, the cost of paying off a solar electricity system that provides the same amount (or sufficient amount) of electricity as a conventional system, will take an extremely long time to pay off with the money saved without using conventional electricity, and most home owners in South Africa doesnt stay long enough in one home to justify the cost saving.
Another factor is that the technology is becoming more advanced day by day, and one might purchase a system today which will reach the end of its life before the system has paid for itself with money saved from not using conventional electricity is over.
Sustainability & the environment
Eskom might well be one of the cheapest electricity providers in the world, but it is also a fact that eskom releases some of the most pollution in the atmosphere by burning coal to generate electricity. Although air pollution doesnt seem to be that big a problem here than in other countries where acid rain etc. is huge concerns for the community, it would be wise to sooner rather than later start to concentrate on the environment in South Africa and that is when solar power could start playing a big role as an energy provider.
Appropriate for us?
Solar panels can be used very effectively and appropriately in the remote areas around the country because the cost of connecting to the conventional power grid by laying cables might be even more expensive and once a solar PV system is installed one does not need any tools or technicians to maintain a PV panel regularly.
There are a number of places in our environment where solar power could be (and are already) used very effectively for example water pumps to dams in nature reserves. PV panels have also been used to power electric fencing in game reserves very successfully for interruptions in electricity is eliminated and big mammals like elephants has no chance of breaking through a fence as could be the case in an normal power interruption.
In conclusion, the use of solar power in South Africa isnt that far fetched when one look at the very appropriate weather conditions and the need to look at a more sustainable and renewable energy source for the future.
Written by Jere Botes, architect & founder of http://www.dreamhouses.co.za, a website dedicated to provide home builders, home renovators, home owners & developers with free professional advice on all aspects of home design, building & diy. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing to http://www.dreamhouses.co.za
DecksOne of the benefits of designing in a rooflight into a new property, or installing one in a home or business premise renovation, is that you will be able to enjoy natural light. This will help save energy used for lighting and provide evenly distributed natural light that enhances the rooms below the rooflight.
On a flat or low-pitched roof, the rooflight will probably be a roof lantern with sidelights. The sidelights can be permanently fixed, or be opened to provide ventilation. This can be done either through a manually operated crank rod, or more easily with an electric motor that can be switched to open or close on demand, automatically at set times, or when a rain sensor activates it when it detects rain, mist or dew.
Pitched rooflights come in various shapes that include pyramid, domed, hexagon, octagon, or just plain square. However, the most usual design is rectangular with a hipped or gable end.
Historically, a single glazed rooflight could make the space below it uncomfortably cold in winter months and with inadequate sealing, cold winds and draughts would blow through providing unwanted winter ventilation. As a result, in some cases, the rooflight was reduced in size, or removed completely and boarded over, as the lack of weather proofing and the difficulty of maintenance made them uneconomic and expensive to maintain.
However, modern sealing and double glazing provide much greater thermal efficiency and reduced heating costs. The use of durable hardwood timber for the frames and modern paints to paint them, has also makes the rooflight more owner friendly. Because of its position, the rooflight is exposed to more rain, frost and sunlight than any other painted part of the home. This constant weathering meant that in past times, annual repainting was often required in a difficult to reach position, leading to more expense. However, by using microporous paints and stains, today's frames enjoy outstanding protection against the elements even in harsh northern climates and coastal locations.
It's the introduction of modern construction methods like these that have lead to a renaissance in the use of rooflights in domestic and industrial architecture. What's more, old leaky and draughty rooflights can be replaced with a modern roof lantern that will need little maintenance and provide a more comfortable environment in the space below it.
Moreover, designers and architects also have the opportunity to specify anti-glare coatings or tints for the glazing, or even self-cleaning glass, although these will add to the cost of the rooflight.
In a conservation area or on a listed building, there is often a requirement to meet specified design features. These can usually be met, depending on the age of the property, by including Georgian wire sidelights, Victorian styled stained glass or other glass treatments as appropriate. It only takes a little ingenuity to achieve this and planning officials will generally be pleased as there is little compromise in the period design. Once again, modern construction will mean that the roof lantern will be longer lasting and require less maintenance than what it replaced.
So if you are planning to install a rooflight there are no longer a great number of negative reasons that should put you off. Instead you can look forward to enjoying more natural interior light and a design feature that will be the envy of friends and visitors.
Christopher Cooper's background encompassed training in architecture and traditional boat building, both of these skills being put to good use in developing his roof lanterns business. Starting in 1985 roof lanterns and skylights became a regular item in the order book and whilst these initial projects were 'one offs' it quickly became apparent that there was an increasing need for a standard design which would enable more efficient production. This reduced manufacturing costs, and the savings were reflected in the price to consumer and trade customers. Today he is one of the largest suppliers of roof lanterns in the UK.
You can find all kinds of products that will help you to remove nearly all types of stains. The perfect solution in completely removing stains is by cleaning the spills and dirt the second they appear.
There are a number of ways to clean up stains by using products in your home which you use frequently, such as detergents, rubbing alcohol, vinegar, lemon juice, etc. You just need to know how to use these regular household products.
Your first option is to use 1 teaspoon of clear, household type ammonia and a half cup of cold water. You can apply this solution to the carpet directly or use it in a spray bottle. It is crucial not to wet the carpets backing when you use the solution. Once you have applied the solution, you can use paper towels to blot; allow it to dry from top to bottom.
Your second option is to use detergent solution made of dish soap or hand soap. The ideal combination is one quart of water and one quarter of a teaspoon detergent. You need to make sure the soap does not contain lanolin or bleach.
Your third option is to use water. It will re-hydrate the stain to help with removal. The majority of pet stains can be cleaned up by using a steam cleaner. Once you are done, be sure to dry the area as completely as possible.
Ink stains
1. Buy isopropyl rubbing alcohol.
2. Apply it by pouring some onto a clean white towel or cloth. You can use paper towels if they are white.
3. Blot the stain as much as possible until it is cleaned.
4. Be careful, because if the stain is small, you should blot in one direction only so you do not spread the stain.
Beer and wine stains
1. Mix a solution with 1 part water and 1 part white vinegar.
2. Apply the mixture to the stain. You can use a spray bottle to saturate.
3. Allow the stain to sit around 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Use a sponge and clean in a rubbing motion.
5. Rinse the area with warm water.
6. Brush the carpet pile back into the natural direction it has.
7. Use layers of white paper towels; place them on top of the area; put something heavy on the paper towels. Wait until the area has dried.
Protect your carpet against paint drips, snow, mud, dirt, stains, and heavy traffic conditions. Read about plastic carpet protections as well as temporary carpet protections.
Many people have been there. A household project or chore has gotten way out of hand as we tried to save some money and did the project without professional assistance. Professional work, of course, is almost always going to leave the project looking much better than any amateur or homeowner could leave it.
So why do we still do our home improvement projects ourselves? Professional help with complicated and complex projects often save us time and money, so it is a mystery why more homeowners do not take advantage of their services. With their training and expertise in their respective fields, contractors will be able to provide excellent workmanship, and in some cases assist the homeowner with the planning of the project. Home improvement does not have to be a negative, frustrating experience. Hiring a contractor will be a huge stress reducer to homeowners overwhelmed by the projects.
When remodeling, contractors come in extra handy. With so many projects, homeowners may begin to feel the burden of the entire remodel on their shoulders. Finding help with the more complicated and difficult home improvement projects allows homeowners to focus their own attention on smaller, more manageable projects that may not require the assistance of professionals. This will ensure that things move forward and are done in an efficient and effective manner. Being able to walk away from a project with little stress is a rewarding experience. Satisfaction with a job well-done will always make these projects and remodels positive experiences that the homeowner truly enjoys.
More information on home improvement and College Works Painting is just a click away.
Sometimes as contractors we get in a hurry and we just want to finish the job. We told the homeowner we would be done in three months, at the same time the homeowner keeps adding new work to the list.
I ran into a problem like this on one job where the contractor was in a hurry to finish the flooring and chose to go right over the existing floor that was out of level. He told the homeowner he didn't have time to repair that section of the floor. He was installing half-inch plywood over 1 x 6 diagonal floor sheeting to strengthen up the floor.
This floor was going to require quite a bit of attention from the contractor and his crew. The homeowner should have hired another contractor to repair the floor while the original contractor finished the house remodel. When your contractor gives you that much grief about any work, you need to start thinking about hiring another contractor or at least finding one to complete the task your original contractor has no interest in.
I felt sorry for the homeowner because this was not what he wanted and he was upset with the contractor but the job was done. This is my warning to any contractor, handyman or home repair specialists. When installing a new plywood floor over an existing floor to strengthen it up, use some common sense and repair the floor correctly or don't do the job at all.
I wrote this article for contractors to have a little more sympathy for the homeowners you are working for because sometimes they can't see the whole picture like you can. I also wrote this article for homeowners to listen to your contractor carefully when he is explaining a potential problem that you can't visualize further down the road. Any contractor with over 15 years experience remodeling homes has a pretty good idea what's going to happen next.
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.
Energy Saving BooksMaybe you're thinking about selling your home, or perhaps it's just time to make some upgrades. In either situation, there are certain home improvements that you should definitely consider. In the past, if budget constraints have prevented you from moving forward, then a little creative thinking might be all it takes to mold renovation into something you can easily afford.
Below are lists of $$$ - Big Budget (but oh, so worth it) projects and their corresponding $ - Lower Budget (easier on the pocket book until you're ready) counterparts:
$$$ - Overhaul your closet with a new closet organizer. If you're going to include drawers, the white melamine is the cheapest and the price goes up as you add real wood or wood look finishes.
$ - Add a lower bar to your closet to expand your hanging space for tops and bottoms. You may need to raise the upper bar to accommodate the new design.
$$$ - Update that 20 year old kitchen. If your kitchen cupboards are good quality, but dated, you may want to consider refacing them and having the doors replaced. The counter tops could also re-laminated. Add a modern sink and faucets, and you'll have a brand new kitchen.
$ - Good quality cupboards can be made to look like new by painting them and replacing the hardware with a more updated style. Consider removing the inserts in some and replacing with glass. Add a new sink and modern faucets to complete the look.
$$$ - Modernize your light fixtures by replacing them with current styles. If you have a breakfast bar, consider adding track or pendant lighting for extra light.
$ - Improve your home's lighting by adding fixtures to dim areas in need of a boost. Good places to start are dark closets, reading areas, and accents over fireplaces or artwork Replace your old switch plates with decor covers.
$$$ - Add crown molding to add character to your ceilings and decorative trim over all your doors.
$ - At the very least re-paint all the trim an doors in your house and and repair any damaged pieces.
$$$ - Overhaul your fireplace by adding a cost-efficient insert with a slate or stone border. Replace the mantle with a large wood beam.
$ - At the very least boost the appeal of your fireplace by painting it or adding a decorative border. Clean off your mantle and start fresh by enhancing it with eye-catching accents on either side of an attractive framed mirror.
$$$ - If your curtains have seen better days, replace with new corresponding shades or blinds. Add new accent curtains and valances for added warmth and style.
$ - Replace any worn or really outdated window coverings. Give the rest a good wash and re-hang.
$$$ - It's all about curb appeal, and nothing say's "notice me" like a grand front entrance with a new modern door and hardware.
$ - Paint the front door and replace hardware.
$$$ - Re-vamp your walkway by replacing your broken concrete sidewalk with interlocking brick or slate. Replace the wooden steps leading to your porch with the same material.
$ - Pour pea gravel or cedar bark on your walkway and insert round stepping stones. If you have an old concrete porch, consider refacing it with low cost porcelain tiles.
Begin your search for Montgomery County MD real estate at LaurenKlineRealEstate.com. Her team will help you find the perfect Bethesda MD real estate .
Missing Attic InsulationWhen constructed properly with correct ventilation, basement should ideally be dry. But somehow most basements end up becoming a victim to dampness. In case, the humidity level in your basement crosses the mark of 50%, it becomes a breeding ground for mildews, molds and several other allergens. Rotting of wooden furniture and allergies among the family members are a common problem that people face due to such conditions.
The method of working of a dehumidifier is similar to that of air conditioners and refrigerator. However, dehumidifiers extract humidity without sending forth the cold breeze. Purchasing a basement dehumidifier require some planning to make the correct choice.
Area of the basement
The foremost thing is to know the area of the basement that needs to be dehumidified. If the area is quite large, Santa Fe dehumidifiers are a good choice. They perfectly suit the places that are little wet and require moisture removal through dehumidification, which can lower it to a 55 degrees mark.
Nonetheless, in case your budget doesn't allow you to make a big investment on the dehumidifier, you can consider Millennium low temp dehumidifiers. It is most appropriate for the area of the size 800-1100 square feet.
A portable or a fixed unit?
Another important thing that needs to be considered is, if you need an installed basement dehumidifier or a portable dehumidifier? While you may carry portable dehumidifier to different sections of your basement, you will not have this flexibility with a fixed dehumidifier unit.
Noise level
When purchasing a dehumidifier, you also must not forget to check its noise level, as some are noisy, while others are quite silent. So, there are many factors that ought to be considered while making a purchase for basement dehumidifiers. Make sure that you keep in mind the mentioned points so as to select the best basement dehumidifier that suits your requirements.
Maintenance of the basement dehumidifier
One thing that is commonly noticed with dehumidifiers is that as they usually remain out of people's everyday task, many homeowners tend to forget about their maintenance, which is very important. It is necessary to unfill and clean these dehumidifiers at regular intervals, else bacterial growth will soon start to proliferate. You may find that in some dehumidifiers, there is no collection container inside. Instead a hose can be taken to the floor drain which is an easy solution to the problem. This is especially useful for working people who could not spare out much time from their daily schedule.
Now, what are you waiting for? Go and get the best dehumidifier and bid farewell to all the molds, allergens and health risks that are associated with high moisture level and ensure healthy living of your family. Internet is a great global marketplace to lookout for the best deals to purchase the superior quality basement dehumidifiers at pocket-friendly rates. What more? You can make the purchase at the comfort of your home. So, find a solution to the allergens, molds and mildews in your home with these dehumidifiers and start clicking soon!
For any more information on the designs, shapes, sizes and prices of dehumidifiers, please visit http://www.dehumidifiertips.com/
Porch Rafter Beam DamageThere is something to be said about being able to take advantage of overhead space if you have it available to you. When you are talking about available space in your kitchen, the best thing you can do to maximize your kitchen experience is to use the space wisely. Instead of breaking your back to bend down into your lower cabinets for your cooking utensils, hang them up by using lovely pot racks! They're a great choice for adding to your kitchen space.
Reaching up for your favorite non-stick pan or a copper pot that you would like to use is obviously much easier than rummaging through drawers, pantries or cabinets. By having the pots and pans that you use the most hanging above your cooking space using pot racks, then you can simply reach up and grab for one whenever you may need it.
Besides, some of the styles of pot racks are so incredible, you are pretty much adding to the beauty of your kitchen and cooking space at the same time! For instance, you can get one crafted from hammered steel with a simple and stunning design that is perfect addition to just about any kitchen. What will put this piece's look over the top though is the way that it can be finished and there are actually quite a few different choices to choose from including something that is polished with a bright look, something a little more on the subdued side with a brushed finish, and there are even ones that can have an antique like oil looking finish.
What's really nice about pot racks is that they are pretty easy to install since normally included with one is absolutely everything that you need in order to hang it up with very little assembly required. Before you know it, you will be picking out your favorite, most used pots and pans to hang them up on one of the twelve angled hooks that come with it so they will be right where you need them. And, if you want more spots to hang your pots and pans, you can always purchase more angled hooks to get the job done.
One great way to find just the right pot racks for your kitchen space is to simply flip on that computer of yours and do some online shopping. Once on the Internet, you will see how you can browse all the online stores and their product offerings with ease. When you do happen upon something that you like, it generally will be at a pretty reasonable price and it will be shipped right to your home. So, you don't even have to spend time and money by leaving your home, now that is pretty convenient.
In the end, pot racks are just a practical selection that would be a great way to store your pots and pans in your kitchen. Plus, they'll add a decorative element to it as well. So, what are you waiting for? Get your's today so you can install it and start using it tomorrow.
Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops including http://www.gourmetdecorstore.com that offer both items and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it's your living, bedroom, or even your deck or patio, there are many tips you can use to make those spots both functional and beautiful. Today, she offers advice on how to create a fabulous indoor area by using luxurious dining furniture. One is just the thing to cap off the look of your space.
When you finally put in a hardwood floor, you can finally sit back and enjoy the warm beauty that glows from underfoot. There is something almost breathtaking about a finished hardwood floor but it can be completely overwhelming when you stop and think about how you should care for your new home investment.
Let's face it, you can't ask people to not walk on your floor and you definitely can't leave all the furniture out of the room, although that would probably seem like the best solution to the scuff problem. Instead, you should get ready to care for your floors right from the start.
Surprisingly, hardwood floors really don't need too much extra care and most of the overall care comes in with the set up of your furniture instead of on a regular basis.
The Do's of Hardwood Flooring:
There are several do's when it comes to caring for your hardwood flooring and I have outlined them below.
Do use felt contacts and floor pads for your furniture to ensure that it won't scratch the hardwood.
Do sweep your floor regularly with brooms that have soft, fine bristles. Hard bristles may gouge your floors.
Do dust mop your floors on a regular basis. You can do this by having a soft head mop, about 12 to 18 inches in width, and a special dust mop cleaner. Simply spray the mop head and dust the hardwood. No water is necessary.
Do mop with a solution of a neutral pH cleaner and water whenever your floor needs it. Only wash with a damp mop, never swamp a hardwood floor.
Do choose cleaners that are designed for hardwood floors.
Do use floor mats at any entrance to keep dirt from being tracked across your hardwood floors.
Do wipe up any water or liquid that has spilled on your floor as soon as you see it. Moisture can damage your hardwood flooring very quickly.
The Don'ts of Hardwood Flooring:
With every do, there is a don't and obviously some of them have been identified in the do's section of this article but it is still important to look at a few don'ts that we haven't gone over yet.
Don't drag furniture when you move it. This will cause serious damage to your hardwood floors.
Don't use hard and abrasive cleaners on your hardwood floors. Also avoid using any high oil soaps and cleaners.
Don't use a vacuum with a rotating brush. The best type of vacuum to use to remove debris is a canister vacuum with floor attachments.
Don't let dirt and grime build up on your hardwood floors. Dirt works as an abrasive and will begin to cut, dent, scratch and dull your hardwood.
Don't let water collect on your hardwood flooring. Make sure you clean it up immediately. Also, keep dog dishes on a mat, and make sure you dry their paws off when they come inside during the winter or on a rainy day.
Don't expose your hardwood to long periods of direct sunlight. Sunshine will cause fading and discolouring to occur in your hardwood flooring.
If you are aware of all the do's and don'ts of caring for your hardwood floors, you should have beautiful floors for the life of your home. You shouldn't have to refinish your flooring or repair any significant problems with your flooring.
Following a regular cleaning regime with your hardwood is very simple and you will find that you spend only half the time caring for your hardwood that you would caring for a carpet.
Sirena Van Schaik is a professional writer who provides information on hardwood flooring and wood flooring for A1 Wood Flooring.
Wood ScaffoldingFiberglass shower pans are a quick and relatively cheap shower floor. The traditional way to install a shower floor is to build a masonry base and then set ceramic tile over the base. As you can see, the skill level for installing fiberglass pans is much lower.
You can find standard shower pans at your local building supply store. These pans will be standard sizes, but you can special order other sizes and sometimes even custom sizes. If you have an odd drain location or size, the price for your application will be much higher..
Often a fiberglass shower pan fits into an existing location without replacing the walls. For your older ceramic tile shower, you can replace just the floor and enough of the walls to get the replacement pan in place. That's assuming the walls are still in good shape. Often the walls are damaged if water has worked behind the walls. The walls will often break as the floor is removed.
If you are installing a new shower, fiberglass shower pans can be used with ceramic tile walls or with fiberglass walls that match the floor. Often the pans are used in handicapped access showers so there is little or no curb and a special non-skid surface.
Compared to traditional masonry shower pan construction, fiberglass options have advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are: easier to install, quicker, cheaper, easy to keep clean. The traditional masonry and ceramic tile advantages are: lasts longer with proper care, looks better, less subject to wear and damage.
Note also that a fiberglass shower pan available at your local store is not suitable as a base for ceramic tile. There are tile ready shower pans, but they are different and more expensive.
Puzzled about fiberglass shower pans? Visit our site for fiberglass shower pan tips
We invite you to visit http://www.installingceramictile.net for free answers to your shower questions.
When you decide to build a porch as an addition to your home, there are several factors that you need to take into consideration before you start. There are many different porch designs, some of which you may really like, but will not match the exterior of your home. When building a porch, you also need to consider the purposes for which you will use it because this will help determine how large it needs to be.
Even though you browse pictures of porches online and in magazine, the key to getting the right porch design for you is to visualize what each one will look like on your home. You need to either purchase a porch plan or design your own because you need to have a plan to go by during the building phase. Choosing the location is also important because this will be important in the way in which you use the porch. If you want protection from the wind, then you have to choose a location that receives the least amount of wind. If you want to use the porch as a place where you can sit and enjoy the sunset, then this will determine the location where you build.
When you start building the porch, you do need to make sure that you have a solid base. It could be an existing deck or you may want to pour a concrete slab. Even if you use an existing deck, you will want to provide extra supports underneath because the base will now have to take the weight of the walls and the roof in addition to the furniture and the people seated on the porch.
Care needs to be taken in ensuring that the layout of the porch is straight and level as well as being square with the house. You should start by nailing a guide board along the edge of the house to help you get started. Once you have this in place, you should measure the length of the porch out from this guide and set pegs in the ground to serve as posts. Once you are sure that the pegs are in the right place and that the line out from the house is straight, then you can start putting in your corner posts.
For more information onporches, front porch designs and related topics, visit AboutPorches.com
One of the most important things to remember when selling your home is to keep it as clean as possible. If you need help or don't have the time to organize your stuff, you can hire a home staging professional in your area. Ask your real estate professional for more information.
1. Remove any clutter from the home and place it in storage. Do not store this stuff on the property if you don't have enough room. Storing clutter in closets or in your garage, will often make these areas look smaller. By removing clutter or even large pieces of furniture, the rooms will look larger.
2. Disconnect yourself emotionally from your home. This is a big problem for people who have lived in their house for long periods of time. If you've raised a family here, the children could have emotional ties also to the home. Some home sellers are looking for someone special to buy their home, if you've got the time and money to wait, you can be selective but be careful, because the longer you wait, the market could go up or down.
3. When your real estate professional is showing the house, it's always a good idea to leave the home until the potential homebuyers are gone. One example of this would be if you were in a bad mood or didn't have a good day and were a little upset at the world. Your mood could cause potential homebuyers to lose interest in the property. I've seen this more than once.
4. Make sure everything is operating properly. This would include doors, door knobs, windows, kitchen appliances, garage door openers, cabinet drawers, bathroom fixtures, toilets, faucets, lights, switches, electrical outlets and anything else that moves, slides, turns or rotates that is part of the home.
5. The Interior and exterior walls of the home should be in good shape. Make sure there's no termite damage, wood rot, peeling paint, broken windows or holes in the walls.
6. Make sure the flooring is in good shape. Some real estate professionals will suggest, replacing the carpeting with a neutral color. This method often works pretty good but I have seen plenty of homes that were re-carpeted and after the home was purchased the carpeting was replaced again, by the new owners. Just make sure the flooring is in good shape.
7. Here's a trick that definitely works a little magic when selling a home. Leave some cookies or a nice fruit bowl on the dining room table. There is no need to leave a sign that says "Eat Me". It gives the home a warm feeling, almost like a country atmosphere.
8. Even better than home selling tip number seven would be baking some cookies just before the perspective buyers arrive, it's not the cookies, it's the smell from the cookies that most people cannot resist.
These are just a few home selling tips but the most important is to keep the inside and outside of the home clean.
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping
Don't buyers sell a home without checking how the problems with poor home repairs
Once you have established a basic understanding of a simple concrete mix you can begin to learn more about new concrete technologies and the true limitations of this incredible building material - hint, there are not many!
By changing the volume and type of aggregates that you use in your cement mix you can create many different types of concrete suited to different applications. In general the goal of substituting aggregates is to have the concrete remain consistently strong as a finished product. Some examples of concrete advanced techniques are:
1) Color or dye in the concrete
2) Lightweight concrete
3) High strength concrete
4) Decorative concrete
Even all of these options are just the tip of the iceberg for what concrete is capable of. The extreme limitations of current concrete technology being researched and developed are transparent (translucent actually) concrete which will show a silhouette through concrete that is meters thick! Limitations of concrete strength is self supporting concrete which does not require the mechanical assistance of steel grid work. Concrete strength used to be measure is PSI however mPa or mega Pascals is the current unit of compressive concrete strength referring to the amount of force the concrete can ensure before failure.
Coloured Concrete
You can add powder or liquid pigments to your concrete to achieve interesting and dynamic colors. Common colors would be brown, red, dark grey, tan and other similar earth tones. To get more vibrant concrete colors you can use pure white Portland cement in place of regular cement, as well as pure white sand instead of regular sand. This white mortar mix will react well to more vibrant colors and pigments. The amount of pigment or dye that you use will depend entirely on the brand that you choose. The best method is to purchase from a specialty concrete supply store which will have a far better selection of quality concrete color additives than your local hardware supply store.
Lightweight Concrete
You can replace all or part of the sand in a 3:1 mortar mix with aggregate materials that are much lighter in nature than sand. The result will be a concrete that is much lighter, but also vastly weaker than a 3:1 sand mortar. There are many applications for lightweight concrete with many of them being decorative such as planter pots or garden statues. The most common lightweight aggregate material substitutions for making concrete are:
Vermiculite - which is a mineral and often sold as "pool base" in larger quantities from pool stores which will make a relatively strong, but compressible concrete. The insulation value of vermiculite is very high, more than ten times as high as sand, so vermiculite concrete mixes are often used for sound dampening and insulating.
Peat Moss - Using peat partially in place of sand will result in a concrete that is much weaker than traditional 3:1 mortar and even much weaker than vermiculite concrete. The texture of the concrete is somewhat earthy and finishing and detail work con be slightly difficult by comparison with other mixes.
Saw Dust - This is another readily available and cheap aggregate substitutions used to achieve a lightweight concrete. In addition to providing a rough and inconsistent texture to the concrete, the wood ingrained will often stain and discolour creating an interesting and unique pattern. Too much sawdust can make the concrete unacceptably weak very quickly - more so than vermiculite and peat moss.
Perlite - This is commonly used for gardening and is recognisable in that it is completely white and very similar in texture to styrofoam beads. The main advantage of this aggregate choice is the fact that it is white. It has a similar overall feel as vermiculite however the concrete produced with vermiculite is much easier to work and finish than concrete made with perlite.
Usually you can replace up to two of your three buckets of sand with an alternative aggregate. Vermiculite can be mixed with straight cement without sand and still remain strong enough to suit several tasks such as swimming pool floors. The other aggregates will yield a concrete that will break under its own weight.
High Strength Concrete
The current strength for concrete is measured in mPa with the average sidewalk concrete being 10-15 mPa where as foundations for homes usually start at 20-25 mPa. High rise commercial concrete is closer to 35 mPa as is swimming pool construction concrete.
The strengthening of concrete over and above what a 3:1 mortar mix will yield requires engineering and testing. If you order concrete from a ready mix or bath plant you can specify precisely how strong you want the concrete to be. If you are mixing it yourself and want to make the concrete as strong as reasonably possible there are a few things that you can do.
Glass Fibres - Glass fibres and fibreglass are two different additives which you can put into your concrete to help make it cohesively stronger as well as minimize hairline cracking in the concrete during the curing process.
Water Reducer - is a liquid that you can put into the concrete in place of water. The water reducer will increase the viscosity and workability of the cement dramatically without affecting the finished strength negatively. The more water that you put in concrete the weaker the finished product will be. In place of water reducer you can also use the absolute minimum water possible to get the concrete workable to make it as strong as possible.
Powder Additives - Combinations of highly dense powders such as silica fume and fly ash can potentially help to make concrete stronger by filling in some of the microscopic spaces left in regular concrete by the larger sized aggregates. These tiny aggregates are dangerous to work with because the airborne particles are small enough to damage your lungs should you breathe them. Most of these powder additives will be hard to locate for the average DIY enthusiast.
Decorative Concrete
In place of sand you can also add just about any other substance such as glass or coloured beads, pieces of plastic or metal, rubber or anything else you can think of. Most commonly you would use this concrete to create an exposed aggregate where loose aggregate is imbedded into the top of partially cured concrete. Exposed aggregate with small coloured stones is very common and you likely have seen this before. Exposed aggregate with marbles and microchips is less common to be sure - but not any less possible.
With some basic practice you can learn to create incredible things such as statues, pool decks, artificial rocks, ponds, waterfalls and decorative art.
Canadian author and second generation swimming pool expert Steve Goodale has written dozens of online tutorials for swimming pool and artificial rock construction, renovation and repair
http://www.ArtificialRock.ca - Tutorials on how to build artificial rocks, ponds, waterfalls, statues, planter pots and more
Oh yes the common problem of squeaking stairs in an older house. This could become very frustrating and annoying as you walk up and down the stairs. There seems to be one or two stair treads that are always squeaking. That annoying sound as you walk as softly as you can on your way down to the kitchen in the middle of the night to grab a quick snack.
The number one cause of squeaking stairs is when the nails used to fasten the stair tread to the stair strainers has worked its way loose. Over time as the lumber shrinks in the stair treads and the stairs stringers. You will start to develop a separation or a gap between the stair tread and the stair strainer.
The stair stringer can shrink as much as 3/8 of an inch in just a few years. I was building a home and went to measure the stair stringer that was 11 1/2 inches wide originally. Then I measured it after two months outside in the summer sun it now measured 11 1/16". I was amazed that the lumber could shrink that much in such a short period of time.
As the stair stringer shrinks it starts to pull away from the plywood or hardwood stair tread. As it starts to separate from the stair tread the nail will stay in its original position until the stair tread starts to put pressure on the nail eventually lifting it up a little bit higher than its original position.
As you step on the stair tread the squeaking sound you hear is the nail rubbing against the stair tread. There are a few ways to fix a squeaking stair tread. If you have access to under the stairway you can apply some adhesive along with a 10 inch 2 x 4 under the stair tread and attach it to the stair stringer.
First apply adhesive to two sides of the 2 x 4. The adhesive will be used to glue the stair tread to the stair stringer. You can use screws to screw the new 2 x 4 onto the side of the stair stringer.
If you cannot access the underside of the stairs and you have carpeting you can actually locate the stair stringer and drive a 2 inch screw through the carpeting in to the stair stringer. This will pull the stair tread down and will not allow it to rub up against the nail making that awful sound of a squeaking stair case.
If you have a finished wood stair tread you will not be able to screw through it into the stair stringer without damaging the finish on tread itself. It will be easier to access the stair stringer from below somehow and apply the 2 x 4 with the adhesive to stop the stair squeak.
You can apply these methods to as many stair treads that are squeaking without taking apart the entire staircase and rebuilding it.
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.
Bow In Basement WallBuilders rush to finish the homes they build. One of the key milestones is in getting the building covered with a roof. As soon as the builders finish the roof, they quickly realize that a roof is not complete unless the rain gutters are installed on it.
Gutters not only serve a functional purpose. They also provide a decorative element to the home. A Gutter system protect walls as well as the foundation, which may not be as water resistant is the roof. The reason being is that the materials used to make them are different which - brick, wood, concrete, cement and siding, to name a few examples. When the walls and foundation of a residence become water logged, they lose their heat protection quality. They can also suffer from liquid infiltration. As a result, owners can be subject to a wet basement and underground. The reason is because water goes directly from the roof into the ground immediately near the residence. This is brought on by lack of a sufficient gutter and downspout solution. The addition result of an inadequate solution is the reduction in the life of the foundation and the overall property. There is also the strong possibility of a health hazard as mold loves to grow in cold, damp and dark places with the basement being an ideal breeding ground. Getting rid of mold can be a difficult proposition, once it is established.
During the winter time, gutters go through extreme temperatures changes including extra weight strain from ice buildup. These combined stresses test the durability of them. The fall of large masses of snow from the roof onto gutters may also stress the brackets used to keep the solution attached. Under such circumstances, they can easily be broken. What is worse, when the snow melts, water flows into the gutter solution and produces layer upon layer of ice, also known as an ice dam. Pressure and weight is distributed unevenly in this situation. When one part of the system fails, the entire system loses its ability to adequately protect the home.
One of the ways to prevent ice dams from forming is the use of de-icing cables. These gutter de-icing systems, which can start at $100 and up, melt the snow into liquid before it touches the gutter system. The melted water stays in liquid form long enough to allow it to successfully drain through the downspout and away from the property. One of the drawbacks of using this system is its reliance on electricity to operate. Some solutions come with a timer, precluding it from being on all the time. This can cut down on the costs of operation. Otherwise, they will need to be on throughout the winter. For areas of the country that get cold weather but infrequent snowfall, the better alternative is to go out and manually break up the ice yourself. If you get snow more than once a week, or do not want to spend the time regularly maintaining your gutters, the de-icing system is the way to go.
For more information about Gutters, please visit Gutter Guards.ws. You can reach it by clicking on the following link: http://www.GutterGuards.ws
If you want to learn more about gutter maintenance, you should read the article entitled, Gutter and Downspout cleaning. You can reach it by clicking on the following link: http://www.gutterguards.ws/Gutter-and-Downspout-Cleaning.html
The cost of your remodel depends upon several factors such as the cost of materials and fixtures, the extent of your remodeling plans and whether you choose to hire a general contractor or do it yourself.. Finding the right general contractor and subcontractors can be a big challenge. You can save time searching by getting free quotes from prescreened contractors.
There are several ways to get an estimate for the cost of a remodel project:
Cost per square foot
This is the most common way to do a quick estimate. This method simply assigns a cost per square foot of area that will be remodeled. The cost can vary between $100 to $700 per square foot.
You can quickly see that this estimate has little value since the range of potential costs is so great. While $700 per square foot is unusual and it is unlikely you could spend that, $100 per square foot is unrealistically low unless you make great efforts to minimize the cost.
The RemodelEstimates.com calculator gives a more accurate estimate by considering information about the rooms that will be remodeled, the level of finish that you want, and how you will manage the project.
Estimate from a contractor or an architect
With a general idea of the rooms that you want to remodel as noted above, you should be able to get an estimate of cost from a contractor or an architect. They will likely use a cost per square foot to calculate an estimate, but they will not use a range as broad as $100 to $700. Find a great contractor fast and for free. To ensure the quote from the contractor is accurate you need to give the complete information about your project. To make these tasks easier and your whole remodeling project run smoother you should invest in a good organizer like The Complete Remodeling Workbook and Organizer.
While this estimate will be much more accurate than an estimate based strictly on the square footage, you will not have the ability to change your preferences and get a new estimate very easily from a contractor or architect. The remodelestimates.com calculator uses the same types of information as an architect or contractor would, and because it is fully automated, it allows you to create estimates for different combinations of materials and room changes for free.
Habits To Prevent Losing ThingsOwners of vintage homes usually want to preserve their embossed tin shingle roofs. Unfortunately there are no readily available metal shingles that will match the size, texture and shadowing of the embossed tin shingles dating from 1870 to 1930. But there are resolutions that can meet budget constraints as well as appearance expectations.
For these owners of homes with embossed metal shingles, the porch is usually the most challenging. The porch area tends to be the most trampled. Understandably, painters have placed ladders on the shingles. Or children have played on them. Damaged porch tin shingles are a common occurrence.
When maintenance is due on metal shingle roofs, the porch roof may be handled differently than upper roofs because of the excessive damage.
Here are four solutions:
1. For example, an historical district owner faced a real dilemma. The enclosed porch roof area leaked into her living room. The local historical society flatly rejected any plan to replace the roof unless the same metal shingles were used. Her budget could not afford to replace with new shingles at this point.
In this situation, the owner had to balance her priorities between satisfactory appearance, performance and budget.
Her strategy was to opt for 1) stopping the leakage into her living room and 2) avoiding a conflict with the local historical society. To accomplish this decision, the fully reinforced system with restoration green acrylic was applied. This system consists of four layers of acrylic with mesh between two of the coating layers.
For this situation at that particular time, the approach made sense. From the driveway, the porch roof surface looks presentable. Since the back door is the main entrance, the appearance issue seemed resolved for the roof surface. Incidentally, the leakage situation was solved
2. The use of the standing seam panels has been a popular choice for a porch roof. The reasons are obvious: Both standing seam and shingles are traditional metal styles of roofing. Also, with the traditional standing seam panels, the metal shingles complement each other quite attractively. The cost of this approach is less expensive than new shingles,
3. If modern asphalt shingles have already been installed as a solution, every owner will agree the appearance is usually undesirable. On these porches, where tin shingles are visible on other roofs, the least expensive approach may be to coat the porch asphalt shingles with the same acrylic tint as the rest of the metal tin shingles. The color ties in the different roofs
4. Another inexpensive approach is to install a smooth, rolled roofing installation. Then coat the rubber or mineral surface roofing with the acrylic of the embossed tin shingles. One customer coated her porch roof with an acrylic tint that accented the trim of her stone house.
By working with an experienced contractor in this field, innovative solutions are possible.
Getting Up EarlierLet me give you some advice right now," All Wood Rots Eventually". I have heard it all when it comes to this wood or that wood lasting this long or that long........ Hello....... All wood is going to rot at some period of it's life.
With that out of the way we can focus on some wood seems to last a little longer under certain conditions.
Teak is a wood that has a lot of natural oil in it. But you won't frame a house with it. Teak is used on boats and expensive outdoor furniture. It is a excellent wood to use when building a ship. The woods natural oils seem to create a protective barrier around it allowing it to last a long time even at sea. Great wood for the outdoors...
Oak is a excellent choice for almost every wood finish inside your home. It is used for kitchen cabinets, entertainment centers, flooring, trim and furniture. Oak is a hard wood and can take a lot of abuse from almost anything except water. I have seen a nice piece of furniture get stained from just setting one glass on it for ten minutes. Great Wood For Inside Your Home.
Poplar is also a great choice for inside your house. This wood is used by many finish carpenters for making cabinets and other built ins for your house. It is also popular not poplar for wood trim . Most of the poplar that is used inside of your home will eventually get painted. So that makes poplar a inexpensive choice of wood for homeowners that want a nice painted finish on their interior wood projects. Great Wood For Inside Your Home.
Douglas Fir is the most common source of lumber used on the west coast of the United States. This is a extremely durable wood product. On the East Coast they use southern pine and the nominal thickness is usually two inches by four inches for a 2 x 4 . With Douglas Fir a 2 x 4 is one inch and a half by three and one half inches to support the same weight structurally. In my opinion one of the best home framing materials.
Douglas Fir can and has been for a long time now. A great source for clear finish materials used inside of the house. You will see a nice orange or brown looking piece of wood stained naturally in some older home. This is Douglas Fir. It can be a bit pricy but really gives a log cabin look to your home.
Redwood is a great choice for inside or outside your home. I love Redwood it has a nice look to it stained naturally. Redwood is used for a lot of siding, fences, decks and out door furniture. The main problem with Redwood is that is is soft and will get scratched easily. Now for the facts about Redwood. It does rot and termites will eat it.
Wood myth number one eliminated. I have heard stories about wood that termites won't eat. Well Redwood is not one of them. I have seen termites tearing this stuff up. Don't get caught up in the hype that this or that wood will last for 5 years or 50 years. Under the right conditions almost all woods will rot at a accelerated rate.
For more information on wood damage, check out wood repair at http://gregvan.com/wood_repair.htm
Copyright 2008 Greg Vanden Berge All Rights Reserved
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry. Few Home Remodeling Rules
Electric Dryer Gas Conversion KiOutdoor events are taking over as the in thing everyone will be up for. You can have twice the fun outside than you do indoors. The cool ambiance will turn everybody's mood into a good one and the fact that it is closer to nature makes it a blast. You need not worry about food, as they are of course within your reach. Just lie back, enjoy the sceneries with friends and family while lying down on patio furniture and the warmth of patio heaters that will surely be relaxing.
Contrary to popular opinions, setting a patio is not that difficult at all. You can have a patio makeover with half the price. All you need is to put in essential pieces of furniture in the patio. You should also remove anything that is distracting to the eye. Setting up a focal point should be for the purpose that it can grab the attention of those who are in the patio. An outdoor market umbrella is essential as it will protect you and the guests from climate changes. As for the temperature at night that can be a bit chilly, an outdoor patio will solve your problem.
Nature's theme is a popular choice because everyone loves being in nature where there is lush greeneries, clean and unpolluted environment. Nature inspired theme will be more comfortable which is one of the reasons why people build patios in the first place. Outdoor market umbrella will provide shades from the piercing rays of the sun at the middle of the day. It can be decorated to appear like giant palm trees that offer shades for lost travelers.
Plants and flowers is an added advantage to creating an ambiance of nature. Flowers can match your preference. There are certain flowers that makes people amazed and interested, on the other hand there are also flowers that can annoy people and make them feel edgy. The plants and flowers would naturally need watering and sunlight. Place them in areas where they can be exposed to sunlight and a bit further from outdoor market umbrella. However, during rainy seasons, they can be placed under the umbrella to avoid them from drowning.
A focal point can be placed in the middle of the patio where everyone could see it when they enter the patio, or at an interesting spot that makes it shine most among the other elements in the patio. The focal point is like a main attraction that catchers everyone's attention and will be well remembered by everyone who came by as the item or structure they'll look forward to the next time they come and visit. A focal point can be a fountain, a painting, a large stone with symbolic meanings, a lush flower garden, or even a stone statue with your own portrait.
The patio covers are important. They are there to help protect your furniture from the damages caused by the weather. Outdoor market umbrella can guard your outdoor furniture from the unexpected weather change and with a portable and easy to install and uninstall, consider your problems solved. The patio heaters also serves you well when you need to lay down or sleep outside even if the air is cool.
Outdoor parties need not be extravagant and filled with too much food that's impossible to totally consume. What's important is your camaraderie with your friends and family, and the bonding moments that will be created and treasured in your outdoor patio event. It's not bad to impress your friends with your patio furniture and decorations, but it's better to amaze them by your willingness to accept them into your home, sharing all you resources just to make them feel at home and at ease.
Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using outdoor patio furniture, patio umbrellas, outdoor cushions, patio heaters, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His articles and work is widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com.
TileIt has been said that an elegant concrete patio is the central factor of a backyard hideout. Is it deserving for homeowners to invest in such an expense? Homeowners take on a major part in beautifying their home and possessing an exquisite concrete patio is among them. When your concrete patio personifies a successful space, it becomes the sound compliment to the rest of your backyard.
Determining upon a concrete patio pattern can be unclear for homeowners on occasion. I 'll share three distinct alternatives that you are able to select from. Upon utilizing these ideas, they can very well assist you with converting that abandoned spot into a terrific space.
A broom finish concrete is commonly the simplest pick for most homeowners. Over the years, the grey color will languish and might require you to spend a bit more money whenever you would like to transform your patio into something more appealing. To do so, your patio can be acid stained and is very much preferred over painting.
Selecting an exposed aggregate concrete patio comprises an enthusiastic alternative whenever you desire your patio to look pleasant and steady. A decision is always needed once it pertains establishing a concrete patio. An exposed aggregate choice could be less affordable due to the crushed rock and gravel mixtures added up to the frequent mixing. It will make a difference on the way your patio will look though.
A lot of homeowners may like the idea of owning a stamp concrete patio. An embossed patio is engraved or stamped with some kind of design. A lot of people prefer stamp concrete since it is not only pleasing in its appearing but it is also worth the price.
When you apply one of these ideas to your upcoming patio project, you are on your way to making your household a concrete patio where they can loosen up and relax. Your patio will soon become a unique and family oriented place where entertainment and relaxation can be encountered. You are able to relish being outdoors with your children and what a lovely patio you will have.
Getting your concrete project done can be stressful at times. Visit my website today for a FREE estimate!
Stucco Patch Over WindowEveryone has space for planter boxes on their patio. If you have already built your picnic table from a reputable picnic table plan you could very easily construct many planter boxes. You may even have some treated lumber left over from another outdoor project.
Planter boxes come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. This is a simple one that will go with any setting.
You will require 104" (9") of pressure treated 8" * 3/4" pine lumber.
Sides 8*3/4" 2 @ 27 1/2"
Ends 8*3/4" 2 @ 10"
Bottom 8*3/4" 1 @ 24 1/4"
Supports 8*3/4" 2 @ 2"
Cut out all of the pieces square.
The bottom piece is correct.
Now measure the bottom of the sides to 24 1/4", leaving the same amount at each end. Draw a line from the top to the bottom and saw the diagonals off so that each end of the sides are the same. This creates an angled end. (The top of the sides is 27 1/2 and the bottom is 24 1/4.)
Now do the same with the ends. The top is 10" but the bottom is 6 3/4". Half the difference, draw the line and cut the diagonals.
The box should fit together except for the bottom of the sides which will need a little planing to make them fit onto the bottom.
When it all fits, nail together with galvanised or stainless nails.
Nail the 2 bottom supports underneath so that the box doesn't sit directly on the deck.
Bore 4 - 5 1/2' holes through the bottom to allow an excess of water to flow out.
The Planter box is complete. Just add soil and plants to enhance the look on your deck.
This article was written by Philip Griffith, a successful Company Director with over 25 years experience in a number of different industries.
He has been involved in the woodworking related business for over 25 years.
One of his interests has been in the design and manufacture of wooden outdoor furniture Along with his Father in Law, they believe that they came up with the original concept for octagonal and hexagonal picnic table plans in New Zealand.
It has turned out to be a very successful concept and can be accessed at picnic table plans.
http://www.ezpicnictableplans.com
2 X 12 StairsHandymen are hired to perform occasional domestic repairs or minor renovations. From caulking tubs to fixing fences, and from hanging blinds to putting up wallpaper, good handymen should be able to perform any small job, repair, or maintenance you require. What else makes a good handyman?
When you first begin to look for a handyman, you need to consider the services that you want performed. Do you need yard work or carpentry? Repairs or painting? Whoever you hire depends a lot what you need him to do. Good handymen offer many different services and can perform all the services advertised. Not all handymen are created equal, and some have more expertise or experience in certain areas than others. If you need someone for a plumbing repair project, it's not a good idea to hire someone who is more experienced in yard work. So from the beginning, ask prospective hires what kind of background they have.
Second, the person you hire should have all the necessary tools to complete the job. Remember that if he has to rent tools, that will be reflected in the final price. When this happens, not only are you paying him to complete a project, but you are also paying for equipment that he should already have. Of course, handymen come across the occasional special project for which they have to rent a specific tool. But they should have every tool necessary to complete jobs they do on a regular basis, especially the jobs they advertise. For example, a handyman who advertises roof repair should have a ladder--otherwise, you would have to wonder about his ability to complete the job correctly if he doesn't even have the right tools in the first place.
A third and final consideration is experience, and with that, age. Exercise caution when hiring young workers. Even people who have been in the home construction business for twenty or more years profess to not know everything. Make sure that as you hire someone with the advertised skills to complete your job, you check out his credentials and past work experience. If possible, find out how he has dealt with unforeseen problems in the past. Not every project is the same, but it does pay to do your homework before committing to someone you are unsure of.
In summary, a good handyman has a winning combination of the right tools, expert knowledge, and necessary experience to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
Jason Locke Construction (http://jasonlockeconstruction.com) provides experienced and honest handyman service in Livermore. Visit the website today to discuss renovation ideas and to get a free consultation. Rachel Spohn is a freelance writer.
Many contractors use a blank sheet of paper (or worse yet, the back of an envelope), or construction estimating forms, or just a word processor to estimate their jobs. There are also cost books that have thousands of prices in them that are used by many contractors to create estimates for their jobs. If this is you, you're probably losing thousands of dollars every year.
After talking with thousands of contractors over the years it's clear to me that this type of estimating is not the best way of doing it. The challenge is that it's difficult to spot duplications and missing items in your estimate, if it's more that a couple of dozen items.
I believe that the best way to create your estimates, no matter how you do them, it to do them by, what I call, sections. Many people have different names for section, like tasks, classes, categories and so on. Simply put, sections are a way of organizing your estimates in a way that reduces the probability that you'll make an error. Sections are, for example, Site Preparation, Foundations, Framing, Roofing, Electrical, Landscaping, and so on.
The reason this reduces you likelihood of making an error is that every item you add to the estimate is put into a section. Digging and pouring the foundation and items associated with that go into the Foundation Section. All the framing items (labor and materials) go into the Framing section, Roofing items go into the Roofing section, and so on.
So, let's take a look at how this works. As preparing the estimate you put each of the items into the appropriate section. It's also a good idea to total your costs for each section as well.
When you've finished the estimate, you now go back and review each section. Looking at the total for each section gives you an idea if you're in the right ball park to begin with. Then you review each of the items in each section to make sure you don't have any duplicate items. As you're reviewing each section you finally review that everything you need to complete, for example, the foundation is in the Foundation section. You go through each of the sections to confirm that you've got everything you need in the estimate you're going to give to your prospect.
You'll find lists of sections at:
http://www.construction-estimating.com/Sections
which you're free to use and modify to fit your specific needs.
By the way, if you're not at least using a spreadsheet to prepare your estimates, you should do that as well because a spreadsheet will automatically do your calculations eliminating errors in mathematics in your estimates. For the small cost of a spreadsheet and the time to learn how to use it, you can save yourself hours of frustration and errors in your construction estimating.
Christopher Carpenter is the developer of LiteningFast Estimating. LiteningFast is an estimating program that helps you estimate faster, easier and more accurately. It's integrated with QuickBooks to provide job cost.
It was introduced to the market in 1994 and currently has over 3,500 users in the US, Canada, and around the world.
You can find more information at contractor construction estimating. You'll be glad you did.
Information about construction estimating software for contractors is available.
Before you go to the expense of calling in a roofing contractor, see if you can analyze and repair your roof problem yourself. The best possible time to repair your roof problem - is as soon as you realize that you have one and if the weather is calm enough to climb up onto the roof. In fact, this could be further qualified by saying that the best and most economical way to a trouble-free roof, is to inspect the roof regularly, so that you see the problem developing.
A leak from one dislodged tile is a small and inexpensive matter, but if you do not inspect your roof regularly, this will go unnoticed. By the time that you DO notice it, it may be because water is dripping into your spare room! This means that this whole area of the roof structure is soaked, the ceiling will need to be replaced and hopefully the flooring will recover.
Always check your roof after a wind storm, as most roofing is not designed to withstand fierce winds. Scrutinize the tiles for cracks, splits and torn-off corners; also check for lifting. Lifting is a common cause of roof leaks, and can be easily rectified. Be aware of multiple tiles lifting, as this could be a sign that the roofing material is too old and is warping from all the weathering.
Climb into your attic/loft and ensure that any insulation that you have in your roof is not right up against the roof itself. There has to be a gap for air to circulate; also when a roof heats up and there is insulation directly behind it, this heat is thrown back into the roofing and excessive heating like this can damage and warp the roof.
Another weakness in all roofs is the flashing. Flashing is designed to provide a watertight junction between roof materials and structure, especially if the roof projects out or changes design (as with extension roofs). If you are installing a new roof, it is worthwhile to get the flashing 'inspected' as it is a common failure area.
Often the simple fact that the gutters, leading into down pipes from the roof, are blocked with leaves and twigs can cause a problem. Roofs must have adequate run off, especially in the areas which may have snow. Water trapped in the gutter will mean that it will back up the roof for a few inches and have time to seep into the edges of the roofing tiles. Not all homes have adequate perimeter protection on their roofs, although this is one good feature to ask for on a new roof.
Quite often homes incur roof leaks all at the same time (often after strong gales winds and torrential rain etc). This can mean that all contractors are busy and you have 'stop up the leak' until you can get help.
If you do get a leak, and you have placed buckets under the dripping water, be aware that the leak may be in a completely different place than it would seem. Locating the source is difficult, as water can run along horizontal timbers and appear to be leaking from a place that is sound. Getting up into the attic and actually looking for a wet spot on the roof decking will be an accurate way to tell.
If you can find the spot an emergency patch can be made applying roofing felt and using plastic cement to hold it until you can call in a contractor. You can also attempt to repair it yourself, if it is just a shingle that is damaged. You can carefully prize up the roof shingle by removing the three or four nails that are holding it in place; next, apply a generous coating of tar beneath the tear in question, and also coat the underside of the shingle with a with a coat of tar before putting it back in place. Add a spot of tar to each nail head. Most roofing companies advise against the 'liquid' asphalt repair products.
Roofs can also be temporarily repaired using roof membrane and sealants. Care must be taken to clean the roof surface first to ensure that the sealant will stick and keep the leak protected from rain etc. In fact, as long as the roof is clean and dry, the wonder of the 20th. Century - duct tape - can also be stuck onto the roof!
Virginia Wherland is an experienced Minneapolis real estate agent. Virginia and her team can help you find the property you need in the Eden Prairie real estate market. Get more information at AssociatesRealty.net
Need extra living space but don't want to move? Building a room in the garden is a clever and cost-effective solution. Creating a separate room in the garden gives you a great getaway for work, hobbies, or just some piece and quiet.
'A garden room adds appeal to a house, making it attractive to all types of buyer, and a real draw for families,' says James Redington from Foxtons.
What are my choices?
The simplest cabin or summer house is similar to a shed, with either shiplap walls and cedar roof shingles or a log-cabin construction. These are usually supplied in pre-fabricated panels and, if you're a skilled DIYer, you could put one up yourself. More advanced ones, with sliding glass doors or a deck, for example, will need to be built on site by a specialist. Once the concrete base or piles are in, installation can take from one day to two weeks.
Limitations and security
Avoid positioning the garden room near growing trees, and ensure there's access for maintenance. You'll also need to think about access for delivery, though panels could be carried through the house.
As for securing your garden room, it's best to fit locks on doors and choose toughened glass. Check that the locks comply with your home insurance requirements. It's worth considering external lights, a burglar alarm and Venetian blinds to prevent anyone seeing in.
Can I use it all year round
If you insulate well and fit double-glazed windows, you'll be fine for the colder months. An electrician can run a cable from your house to the room to power lights and heating. In some cases, downlighters, sockets and wiring may be pre-installed in the panel walls.
How to use your garden room
Plan your room to ensure it's fit for purpose.
Home office Companies such as Henley will kit out your office with fitted furniture.
Gym Equipment can be bulky, so you'll need a large room. It's also an investment, so ensure your security is up to scratch.
Games room
You'll need plenty of space to play table games - L247cm x W153cm for a table tennis table, for example.
Music room
Use a company that specialises in sound-proofing.
What permission do I need and how much will it cost?
If your building is away from the house, takes up less than 50% of the garden and is smaller than 15sq m, or in some cases 30sq m, you're unlikely to need planning permission or Building Regulations Approval. However, there are exceptions - such as if you intend to use the room for sleeping - so check online at planningportal.gov.uk, and consult your local council's planning department.
Prices start from 439 for a Buckingham summerhouse (H213cm x W198cm x D205cm) from B&Q to around 22,600 for a bespoke design from Inside Out.
You can find more information on interior design ideas at house to home, helping you create a look you'll love.
Building with treated wood and the idea that this project will last forever because of the wood you used is not necessarily true. Over the years I have seen contractors and homeowners use treated wood for projects like building decks with this idea in mind.
I just met with a homeowner that was asking me about vinyl fencing. The homeowner approached me with some facts about vinyl fencing. She started to explain to me how long a vinyl fence would last verses a wood fence. I reminded her that the vinyl posts usually slip over metal or wood building materials.
She proceeded to inform me that treated wood will last a lot longer than wood used when building a wooden fence. It took me a while to change her mind and reprogram her with a few picture this from my website. I know this is hard to imagine but wood rots and steel rust.
All you end up with is a vinyl fence that is in pretty good shape if taken care of properly laying down in your yard with broken or rusted fence posts.
Do you know that some people use treated wood for countertops and food preparation areas when building certain projects like an outdoor barbecue? Do you know people build outdoor furniture with treated wood and then sit in it with a chance of toxic chemicals entering into your body? This is where Redwood comes in as a natural building product or other nice looking woods. Redwood is classified as a softwood and if used for a countertop and a barbecue kitchen area you will have to protect it from heavy pans and people using the countertop for a cutting board.
Do not use treated wood for a projects that will be used for food preparation later.
It's a good idea to wash your hands after handling treated lumber. It's a really good idea to wash your hands after using treated lumber if you are going to eat something or make something for another person or yourself.
For all the homeowners and building contractors that use treated wood and bury it in dirt. Or build a low lying deck right above the ground I would like to share something with you. I have been repairing and replacing your work for over 30 years now. You guys keep me busy and I want to thank you for all the years you guys have been in business.
I still can't believe the amount of work I see being done using treated wood with the illusion that it will last longer than regular construction standard wood. I don't know how else to put it except to say treated wood will rot fast in the right conditions.
Treated wood does need to be protected from rain, snow, heat and other elements of the weather. It cannot sit in the dirt or lay in water for long periods of time without slowly disintegrating. Oh yeah one more thing termites will eat sections of the wood that is not completely treated.
Use treated wood properly when building and inform other people about some of the stuff you learned in this article. Reread this article later and save it for the future.
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.
Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Vista Structural Home Repairs
Repaired Plywood FlooringMany of us have unfinished basement spaces that don't seem like a good fit for many activities. They are large and expansive, and it can be overwhelming to finally tackle the space to make it usable. When tackling home improvement in your own home, it's a good idea to first contact a reputable contractor that can help you plan and then renovate your space. But your basement is a great area for many different activities.
If you have teenagers or children that are constantly tell you they're bored, how about a game room? You can purchase inexpensive versions of parlor games such as billiards, air hockey and ping pong, and with the large space of a basement, they'll all fit. It's a great way to keep tabs on your teen when his or her favorite hangout is at your house!
If you're a movie lover, how about an in-home theater? With the darkness of a basement, it's an ideal spot to show your favorite films to all of our friends. Setting up a sound system is fairly easy, and if you have a clear wall you can even project larger images onto a screen, making it just like the movies!
Are you a photography buff? How about evolving your craft and having your own dark room? Home improvement doesn't have to be hard, and with a good contractor, you'll be able to transform the empty space in your basement into a space that you'll use and love for years to come.
Creative Basement Solutions (http://creativebasementsolutions.com/) is a contractor doing home improvement in Florence Kentucky. Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer
If you've ever been in a building where you feel like you are getting pushed to one side and you can't seem to stand up. You have either been drinking too much alcohol or the floor could be sloping. I was just in a store the other day that was full of antiques and glass but I could hardly stand up because the floor was sloping enough to create what I would consider a liability issue to the store owner.
Sloping floors are not going to be that easy to fix and repair. Repairing these floors will require a little skill and it would be a good idea to hire a professional to repair the damage. This is not going to be a simple fix and this is probably the main reason most people never choose to fix their sloping floors.
Fixing these floors will require either pouring a new concrete slab, replacing the wood floor framing members or replacing the actual building foundation itself. No matter how you look at it the sloping floor is going to be a costly item to repair.
What causes a sloping floor? Termite damage or dry rot destroying the wood framing or it could be as simple as a water leak over a long period of time causing the building foundation to sink and become out of level. Poor soil conditions with either too sandy or an expansive clay soil could be the culprit also.
Sloping floors can be damaged from incorrect landscape drainage. This would involve water settling around the foundation of your home and over a period of time the weight of the house along with soil problems can create the building to start sloping to one side.
The number one contributor to a sloping floor again like most damage done to a house is going to be water. Do your best to keep the water away from the house using roof gutters and landscape drains. These items are relatively inexpensive compared to the costs involved in repairing sloping floors.
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.
Find out more about Water Damage.
2 X 12 Stairs
