Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

Isn't tile grouting supposed to be simple, if you read the directions and watch a couple of videos? What could make tile grouting so difficult? Grouting your tile isn't that difficult, by the time you're done reading this article, you should have a pretty good idea how to grout your floors, bathrooms, kitchens and anything else that requires tile.

I used to have problems grouting tile, but after I read the directions, I became a grouting wizard. This sounds hard to believe, but after reading the directions on the tile grout bag, I became a grout master. I know, you the type of person who never read the directions, you simply add water, mix and start grouting.

It's time to change your thinking about, whether or not the directions will be helpful. Whether it's about grouting your bathroom floor or putting together your home barbecued. I read one thing on the grout bag and it changed my entire grouting career.

The grout should slake. After you're done mixing the grout, you should wait between five and 10 minutes to let the moisture soak into the grout mix. Do this once, and you will never go back to mixing your grout and applying it, as quickly as possible after it has been mixed.

For more information on grouting, remodeling or home repairs, I would recommend reading books on home improvement and home repairs. Some of these books can make a big difference in your home improvement abilities as a handyman. I would also recommend reading more articles, there's plenty of information about tile and grouting, all over the Internet.

Click here if you are looking for some more Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Tips. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Thanks for reading the article

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

How to Protect Foundation Plumbing Pipes?

If you install any underground plumbing pipes, in your concrete building foundation, you will need to protect them, from the concrete. You can use a variety of products and the most common of them will be a Styrofoam wrapping that can be purchased at most plumbing supply stores.

Let's start with the waste pipes, that are made out of plastic. The concrete could actually start to put pressure on the plastic pipes as the concrete starts to expand and this pressure could actually damage your new waste pipes.

You don't need to wrap all of the plastic waste pipes, only the parts of the waste pipes that will be exposed or in direct contact any concrete, but you do need to protect every copper water supply line that will be buried under the ground or exposed to the concrete, with a plastic sleeve. These products can be purchased again at most building supply or plumbing supply stores.

If these pipes aren't protected properly, you could find yourself within a short time, repairing the pipes that are either inside of your concrete foundation or buried underneath your concrete foundation. Either way, this isn't going to be a good thing.

You definitely need to wrap a plastic sleeve around the water supply pipes that are going to be buried or in direct contact with the concrete. This is a must and most building departments will require your plumbing pipes to be wrapped, before it they will sign off on your rough foundation plumbing inspection.

However, for the waste pipes, you can actually use cardboard to protect them. If you're short on funds, why not grab some cardboard boxes, dismantle them and start using cardboard to wrap the pipes, with a little duct tape.

There are plenty of ways to save money in the construction business, buy a few books, read a couple of articles, with a lot of pictures in this can provide you with lots of construction information, from experience building contractors.

Check out some of the best selling Home Building Plumbing Books all on one website

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repairs. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Thanks for reading our articles

10 Things a Homeowner Won't Tell a Contractor - Common Courtesy

I've been a contractor in the state of California for over 20 years and there are some things that a homeowner won't tell a contractor. These are a few things that a contractor might want to hear, but a reluctant homeowner, might have second thoughts telling their contractors how they really feel.

1. We are happy with all of the work that you did in a timely manner and we appreciate your services.

2. We are happy with the way you performed your construction tasks, efficiently and we appreciate your services.

3. The work was done by a true professional and we would recommend you to any one of our friends.

4. The payment plan that you created in the contract worked out perfectly and never made us feel uncomfortable. It never seemed like you had too much of our money or we were putting you in a bad spot financially.

5. Thanks for keeping the job clean, it meant a lot to us, because we have seen other construction jobs that look like a tornado ran through them.

6. Thanks for helping us with our design. Working with your contractor on a daily, weekly or monthly basis can be frustrating or joyful. Let the contractor know either way how you are really feeling.

7. You and your crew are extremely hard-working and we appreciate the simple fact that you didn't come to work late or leave early.

8. Thanks for the reasonable priced estimate on our project. You helped us say a lot of money and we appreciate that sincerely.

9. Thanks for doing the extra work at a reasonable price. You could have gouged us at certain times, but you chose to be fair and work things out, in a way that would benefit both of us.

10. This one is the most important and often overlooked by homeowners and it's simple and easy to do. Thanks for doing what you said you were going to do and actually doing it.

Just a simple thank you and paying them on time, for a service well done is enough for most contractors. However, a little common courtesy can go a long way, even in the construction industry.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Home Remodeling Contractor

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Click here if you're looking for additional Homeowner Contractor Advice. If you're interested in gathering more information on how to hire a good contractor, make sure that you visit our website.

Important Do-It-Yourself Home Remodeling Advice

Often I'm asked by homeowners, if they think that they can build something on their own. Often I end up explaining the process to them and it's pretty confusing. I would like to give some homeowners and construction handyman some do-it-yourself home remodeling advice, about projects that I think they should avoid and the reason why.

1. Working on Electrical Service Boxes

I really don't recommend, anyone who lacks experience working with electrical, to be working on it at all. When it comes to the electrical service box repairs, if you don't have any experience working in this specific area, I am suggesting this to all homeowners and do-it-yourselfers, stay away from electrical service power boxes. Electricity can be extremely hazardous to your health, so take my advice, this is coming from an expert on the subject.

2. Plumbing Water Supply Lines

I don't recommend, anyone who doesn't have any experience working with plumbing water supply lines, because if they break, or if your repair, doesn't hold properly, you could destroy a large portion of your home. Picture this, you just got through putting a new faucet in, everything looks great, but it's time for you to go to your baseball game. You come home about four hours later and the entire house is flooded with water.

This kind of stuff does happen and you need to take the advice of an expert here. It has even happened to me and I understand the process, pretty good. If you plan on fixing any plumbing water supply lines, make sure that you can spend the time, keeping an eye on your new home repair. If you're going to have any problems with them, they will usually happen within the first few hours of use.

I hope this helps, sometimes it's better to pay a professional, but I can understand, every intelligent person, is interested in saving a few dollars and learning new skills.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Pictures and Advice. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Vista Home Repair Contractors

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Home Purchasing Checklists Provide Protection

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for consumers with useful information for future home repairs or current home repairs that will need to be done before the home is sold. Home inspectors often use checklists like these, while they're inspecting the home.

If more home shoppers used home inspection checklist while shopping for houses, we would probably have more satisfied homebuyers than dissatisfied ones. Recently just purchasing a home, we had our real estate professional, the previous homeowner's real estate professional and a mortgage lender, involved in the purchase of the property.

There was a home inspection report from the current homeowners, available for us to look at. It provided us with the damaged parts of the home that were repaired or replaced. Some of these repairs were from termite damage and it was stated so on the report. This was helpful information for us as we walked around the home inspecting it for damage.

The work that was repaired to look satisfactory and the rest of the home had minor damage. Listening to one of the real estate sales people that were involved in the transaction, you would've thought we would get in the deal of a lifetime and they had nothing but good news to say about the product they were representing. I easily understood that, this person could have influenced some one into believing that the home was in great shape, if they didn't have a home inspection checklist with them.

The home had been re-carpeted, painted and was in generally good shape. The problems with the home, were the old windows that were hard to open, the heating unit leaked gas, the tile flooring that ran through the kitchen and a large room addition looked great, except for one thing, they installed the tile over linoleum.

This eventually will have to be replaced as the tile starts to separate from the linoleum. While I'm writing this article, there's about 40 square feet of tile that needs to be replaced, because it's popping up and cracking.

A home purchasing checklist does not guarantee that you will find everything but can't eliminate some of the things that homeowners have the biggest problems with. If you could just eliminate one of these problems, the small price of purchasing, one of these checklists would be worth it.

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for the shopper and I would recommend, never shopping for a home without one.

If your looking for some more home inspection or home building ideas.

By Greg Vandenberge

Monday, September 28, 2009

What is a Three Way Home Electrical Light Switch?

A three way home electrical light switch is a special light switch that can be used in your hallways, large rooms and stairways. These light switches are specially made to operate one light or a group of lights from two different locations.

They are most commonly found in hallways and provide a homeowner with the option of turning the light on at one end of the hallway and turning it off, when they are finished walking through the hallway and are about to enter into another room.

Before three way home electrical light switches were made, people would turn the hallway light on and leave it on or they wouldn't turn the hall light on at all, because they knew that after they walked down the dark hallway, they wouldn't be able to turn the light off at the other end.

Three-way light switches are also used in stairways. It makes a lot of sense, to be able to turn your stairway light on, at the bottom of the stairs and then after you have walked up the stairway safely, you can simply turn the stair lights system off.

As homes become larger, it's not going to be uncommon to find three way light switches being used at either end of large rooms. If your living room or family room was located within the center of your home and had an entrance at each end, it wouldn't be a bad idea to install a light switch at each end, for travelers who are simply walking through these room.

Remember that three-way light switches, are used to operate lights from two different locations.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Great Home Repair Advice. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Encinitas Home Remodeling Contractors

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Building Codes - Stairway Construction

The stair building code was created for building safety. Before the building code and local city enforcement (Building Inspectors), anyone could build a house. This meant Uncle Earl who had just watched a couple of his friends build a house down the street construct some sort of a dwelling. The next step for Earl would be to help these guys for a day and now he is a professional home builder. You get the point.

Stair Building Codes create the safety needed for one of the most hazardous areas of your home. You might know someone who has fallen down a stairway?

I lived in a house I built for 15 years and I redesigned the stairs from a winder design to a T shaped set of stairs. Both sets of stairs were built using the local stair building code for my city.

Wow I could not believe how many times my family members fell down the stairs. I even fell down once. I was amazed. When I switched from the winder to the T shaped stairway there were less accidents. My point is that even using the stair building codes this is a dangerous part of your house.

Having a professional stair builder install your stairs is great advice. Take it. For example this happened to me on quite a few jobs. I get a set of plans from a architect who has been designing houses for over 40 years. I looked at the stairway to find out that he has designed a stairway that is too small for the length of this part of the home. If I build the stairs using the plans that by the way were approved from the local building department, I could have a problem.

You are probably asking yourself how does this happen. Aren't these people experienced professionals. Of course they are. They probably have the U.B.C. (Uniform Building Code) in their office somewhere. Everyone makes mistakes here and there but this is one area of the home where safety is a big concern.

Just look at it like this. The stair building code was designed to improve the safety and reduce the number of accidents while using the stairs. Over the years I have seen stairs poorly designed and constructed. These stairs create problems for the owners of the buildings not just the people that use them. Did I mention lawsuits. This is one area where a lawyer will have a field day.

As a building professional I advise you to use the stair building code first for safety and second to avoid lawsuits. Get an idea from some of the pictures I have taken over the years on problems with stair building.

Use common sense while building or remodeling your home. It goes a long way.

Greg Vandenberge 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. Stair Building Articles

Friday, September 18, 2009

Five Things That a Termite Inspection Company Might Not Ever Say

I don't think that I've ever heard of a termite inspector, ever go to a home and not find any termites. Even if the home doesn't have any damage that is visible from the termites, it seems like it's always a good idea, to tent the home, just in case, for protection. Anyway, here's five things that you might not ever hear a termite inspector ever say.

1. Your house is free of termites. This means that there isn't, one termite on your property and the termite inspector isn't going to make any money. Let's face it, termite damage, whether it's visible or invisible, keeps these guys working.

2. Your house isn't going to fall down, if I don't do anything to stop the termites. I have seen homes, where termites have been working on them for quite some time and they still seem to stand up and function properly.

3. Termites don't eat much and I wouldn't worry about the damage. Most termite inspectors will tell you how much a termite in Hawaii or Africa will eat in a day, but doesn't seem to have an honest idea, how much damage they are doing to your home, if they can't actually see it.

4. Every one that works for our company, has at least 30 years experience, repairing any termite damage. Don't even get me started with this one.

5. We will replace all of the termite damage wood, back to its original condition. What they might say, is that they will replace the wood that is damaged by termites, that you can actually see.

There are plenty of great termite companies out there and this article was meant just to have fun with most of them. Termite damage can be a serious problem with some homes and I would suggest that you contact at least three termite inspectors, before proceeding ahead with any home repairs or use of chemicals.

Try not to forget, the only way that a termite inspection company will make any money, looking at your house, will be to find something wrong with it.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Easy Home Repair Tips . Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link San Diego Remodeling Contractors

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

How to Protect Foundation Plumbing Pipes?

If you install any underground plumbing pipes, in your concrete building foundation, you will need to protect them, from the concrete. You can use a variety of products and the most common of them will be a Styrofoam wrapping that can be purchased at most plumbing supply stores.

Let's start with the waste pipes, that are made out of plastic. The concrete could actually start to put pressure on the plastic pipes as the concrete starts to expand and this pressure could actually damage your new waste pipes.

You don't need to wrap all of the plastic waste pipes, only the parts of the waste pipes that will be exposed or in direct contact any concrete, but you do need to protect every copper water supply line that will be buried under the ground or exposed to the concrete, with a plastic sleeve. These products can be purchased again at most building supply or plumbing supply stores.

If these pipes aren't protected properly, you could find yourself within a short time, repairing the pipes that are either inside of your concrete foundation or buried underneath your concrete foundation. Either way, this isn't going to be a good thing.

You definitely need to wrap a plastic sleeve around the water supply pipes that are going to be buried or in direct contact with the concrete. This is a must and most building departments will require your plumbing pipes to be wrapped, before it they will sign off on your rough foundation plumbing inspection.

However, for the waste pipes, you can actually use cardboard to protect them. If you're short on funds, why not grab some cardboard boxes, dismantle them and start using cardboard to wrap the pipes, with a little duct tape.

There are plenty of ways to save money in the construction business, buy a few books, read a couple of articles, with a lot of pictures in this can provide you with lots of construction information, from experience building contractors.

Check out some of the best selling Home Building Plumbing Books all on one website

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repairs. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Thanks for reading our articles

Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets

Most framing contractor's look at the building plans and order all of the material, according to those that are specified on the plans. This works out fine, and can often save you money, but rarely produces the best home that you could possibly frame.

As a professional framing contractor, I would like to share one of my house framing tips with you. Most plans require half-inch plywood or oriented strand board as their roof sheeting. This product is fine and if you're building a lot of homes, you're not going to have the choice. Ordering larger sized plywood could cost you thousands of dollars, especially if you're building a lot of homes.

However, if your framing or building a home for someone or even yourself, you might want to take my advice and think twice about it, before ordering the roof sheeting. Half-inch plywood, works okay for 16 inch on center roof rafters or engineered truss roofing systems. It doesn't work well on 24 inch on center roof rafters spacing.

It is usually flimsy and weak at the center point, directly in between the 24 inch roof rafter bays. If you're going to use the half-inch plywood, I would recommend using plywood clips that are relatively inexpensive and can be placed in the direct center of each roof rafter bay on each sheet of plywood. These can be purchased at most home improvement centers or lumber yards.

The other alternative, and this is what I recommend, would be to use 5/8 inch plywood. This plywood works great for 24 inch on center roof rafters and you will have a nice sturdy roof to walk on, while roofing your home.

I have actually seen people step through the flimsy plywood, while lifting heavy roof tiles and bundles of composition roof shingles. Experienced roofers try to walk directly on top of the roof rafters, when loading their roof shingles or even carrying them on the roof.

If you're a home builder and your concern is about making a profit, you will need to use the half-inch plywood. If you want to build a superior roof, use the 5/8 of an inch plywood.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link House Framing Contractors.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vandenberge 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 excellent home inspection checklist to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

Isn't tile grouting supposed to be simple, if you read the directions and watch a couple of videos? What could make tile grouting so difficult? Grouting your tile isn't that difficult, by the time you're done reading this article, you should have a pretty good idea how to grout your floors, bathrooms, kitchens and anything else that requires tile.

I used to have problems grouting tile, but after I read the directions, I became a grouting wizard. This sounds hard to believe, but after reading the directions on the tile grout bag, I became a grout master. I know, you the type of person who never read the directions, you simply add water, mix and start grouting.

It's time to change your thinking about, whether or not the directions will be helpful. Whether it's about grouting your bathroom floor or putting together your home barbecued. I read one thing on the grout bag and it changed my entire grouting career.

The grout should slake. After you're done mixing the grout, you should wait between five and 10 minutes to let the moisture soak into the grout mix. Do this once, and you will never go back to mixing your grout and applying it, as quickly as possible after it has been mixed.

For more information on grouting, remodeling or home repairs, I would recommend reading books on home improvement and home repairs. Some of these books can make a big difference in your home improvement abilities as a handyman. I would also recommend reading more articles, there's plenty of information about tile and grouting, all over the Internet.

Click here if you are looking for some more Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Tips. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Thanks for reading the article

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Ideas For Waterproofing Your Basement

If you own a home and have a subsoil basement, waterproofing it should be on your list of things to do. Wet basements add to humidity THROUGHOUT the whole house as trapped musty air in basements travel to the upper living areas.If you have been dealing with a leaky basement, no doubt you are ready to get something done about the problem and start looking for basement waterproofing professionals.

A wet basement is wasted space that you just can't use or enjoy. The investment you make in having your basement waterproofed will be repaid by: increased property value, a new living space, and healthier living conditions. When you decide to sell your home, it will be to your advantage to have a dry, usable basement. Did you know that basement waterproofing pays you the highest dividends out of all home improvement projects? A dry basement will protect the investment you made in your home as well as enable you to use the space for storage or for a basement finishing project to gain additional living space.

The basement waterproofing industry is extremely competitive and you have many choices in the professionals you choose. You can learn what is causing your basement water problems and the the methods to repair a leaking basement by having a certified dealer give you a free wet basement inspection and estimate on the solution to your leaking cellar.

If you live in parts of the country that occasionally receive heavy downpours, then you will most likely be in need of someone to help you with your waterproofing needs. Quality installations and service assures the homeowner their basement waterproofing project will be done with professionalism.

Most often, it is best to hire a professional to help you seal your basement. This is something that is a bit harder than following instructions out of a book and it is best to get it done correctly the first time.

Over the years, basement waterproofing contractors and engineers have developed many different methods of keeping basements dry. One option is to use concrete water proofer and another very popular option is crystalline basement waterproofing. A third option is PermaFlex. Methods of basement waterproofing include a liquid membrane which is applied to the interior of the space or a sheeting membrane attached to the exterior of the space. A qualified professional will be able to discuss the options with you and recommend a course of action.

It makes no sense to live in a home with an unusable wet basement or a basement that floods once in a while. Spend the money and get it fixed so that you can enjoy your basement now and when time comes to sell you will have one less thing you have to deal with.

To read more about basement waterproofing please go to my website Basement Design Ideas. You will be able to find some great basement ideas and pictures.

Buying A Functional House

Do it Yourself Garage Remodels

With the current credit crunch, households around the world are coming up with an unexpected source of additional income: they simply convert their garage into an apartment and lease it out. Garages are no longer repositories for the family car.

Thinking of it, that's not a bad idea, is it. Even if the idea of leasing out your garage does not sound very good to you, there are still ways of taking advantage of the garage extra space and put it to some productive use.

An apartment garage plan is pretty easy to design, and with a bit of know-how, to build.

What is it for?

Obviously the first question to be asked is what will the garage future use be. Traditionally, garages have doubled as storage space for anything from gardening tools to old books. It is also being used as workshop, office or even as an additional room for the boys. With a bit of imagination, there is no limit to the good uses one can put his garage to.

Once you have made up your mind about the intended use, you are in a better position to design the garage layout.

Here are a few design tips:

  • If you plan to use the place as storage space, a good idea is to place wall shelves to accommodate gardening tools like the lawnmower, brooms, hoses, shoes etc. Try also to group these in categories, based on their respective frequency of use: normally the most used items should be of easy reach.
  • Place hooks. These will allow you to gain as much space as possible on the the wall and even on the ceiling.
  • Remember accessibility. If the intended garage apartment is located next to your house, try to create a direct communicating door between them.
  • Create autonomous units. If you intend leasing out the space, integrate a small kitchen, a bathroom and a maybe couple of additional rooms.

Can you do it yourself?

If the idea sounds interesting, you may choose to hire the service of a prefab contractor to build an apartment garage for you. While their technical expertise is valuable, designing your own garage plan is easy, provided you apply some basic design factors.

In general an apartment garage plan should provide for one or two doors, and depending on the number of rooms, a few windows too.

How about the budget ?

The cost of building home additions depends largely on the region where you live.
Once you know exactly what suits you best, you are in better position to work out the financial side of the project.

The building materials

The building materials to use will also influence the overall cost as well as the durability of the construction. I have found that prefabricated kits that come with an instruction manual often cost less.

Finally, remember too to take into account aesthetic considerations. A good apartment garage plan should not only look nice on paper, but it should also be practical and usable once build.

Additional Apartment Garage tips can be found at Homes By Olga.

Bathroom Remodeling Problems

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

All About Home Improvement - Home Tips

Indeed, theres no better feeling than being at home. Here, you can enjoy doing the things you love while being comfortable at your own pace and space. But, how can you enjoy ultimate comfort in your own abode when your home needs fixing and improvement?

D-I-Y OR PRO?

If you would want to do some improvements in your home, the first thing you should consider is whether you can do the fixing all by yourself or you need the services of a professional home fixer.

If you are planning to do it on your own, there are actually many references you can use. Aside from magazines, websites are also available in the Internet that designed for those who prefer to the task by themselves.

But, better make sure that you are indeed prepared to these tasks of home improvement because it is hard to keep everything hanging when you no longer have the drive to finish what you have started. Before trying on any big projects like remodeling any part of the house, changing wall papers, buying a new set of appliances, or renovation of windows, rooms, and even gardens, ask yourself first if you can dedicated a lot of time because these changes will require many of it.

For you to know if you are ready in doing drastic home improvements, try repairing small things or do modest installations. If you think you and your partner can handle bigger projects than these modest tasks, then you can start doing major renovations. By doing the renovation yourself, you can save more money because you wont have to pay a pro.

Hiring the services of a professional is needed if you are the type of homeowner who is only interested in planning the project and doing the finishing touches afterwards. Usually, professionals charge high rates because they can assure you that the job can be finished faster, more accurate and more reliable. Since these people are experts in home improvement, they can guarantee you that the work will be done precisely.

But, before you hire a contractor, make sure that you have set all the records and terms straight. Make sure that the pro knows what you want them to do and when do you want them to finish. Also make sure that you established a clear division between your work and the contractors.

BASIC HOME IMPROVEMENT

If you are planning to do some home improvement, familiarize yourself what are the aspects that might need renovation or fixing.

1. Electrical safety. This is one of the basic concerns of any household. Double check if your electrical wirings are all intact and check if theres a need for a repair. To ensure safety, try developing a simple home electrical safety to minimize the possibility of accidents due to faulty wirings and the like.

2. Hardware. Maybe its now time to check if all your cabinets in the kitchen, bedroom, garage, and storage are all okay. Who knows, these cabinets need changing of nuts, bolts, nails, screening, etc? If you want to fix these yourself, you can look for the things you might need in home hardwares found at home centers.

3. Windows and doors. Windows and doors are indeed wonderful decorations to your home. If you want to recreate your windows, try adding flower boxes for a change.

4. Wallpaper and borders. Bored of your old wallpapers and borders? Then, you can now renovate these to turn your room into a unique room. You can find discounted wallpaper and borders almost anywhere but make sure they are high-quality so you can use them for a long period of time.

5. Outdoor projects. Look around your garden if it needs updating or repair. You may also want to change the theme of your garden to make it look more refreshing.

Home improvement may also include storage and garage, metal roofing, house plans, deck designs, patios, fences, appliances, craft projects, and bathroom fixtures and furniture.

Bob is the owner of http://homeimprovement.knowsmart.com/. Explore this home improvement web site and get the latest home improvement idea.

Wood Flooring Problems In Bath

Your Patio Statuary Doesn't Have to Be Large to Make a Statement

When you think of statuary, the large statues that grace gardens are usually the first ones that come to mind. If you do not have a large space outdoor, you can grace the exterior of your home with patio statuary. Such statues are small, designed to fit in a corner, on a table or in the flowerbed around the edges of the patio.

Fountain statues are very popular where you can combine the visual appeal with the soothing sounds of falling water. There are so many designs available in small statues suitable for a patio that you may have a hard time deciding which one you want to purchase.

Floor against wall patio statuary are fountains designed to sit on the floor of the patio and rest against the wall. There are numerous styles and materials to choose from to suit your outside decor. You can choose an indoor wall fountain, a small size statue, such as one that weighs about 200 pounds and measures three feet high and less than two feet wide, or if you have plenty of room, you can choose one that is a lot larger. One thing you do have to make sure of is that the floor of your patio is designed to withstand the weight of large statuary, if this is what you want.

Patio statuary runs the gamut of classical statues reminiscent of Ancient Greece and Rome, those that look like animals, or those that take on the human form. You can give your patio an Oriental look by choosing Japanese style statuary, such as Buddha statue or a temple urn.

Small statues placed on a table top will add to the ambiance of the patio and provide a conversation piece for your visitors. These can be made of stone, precast concrete, copper, bronze and even fiberglass as well as other materials. You have to choose the material that will work best with the exterior of your home and the material used in the construction of the patio and any wall fountains already in place.

You may want to choose something completely out of the ordinary in the line of patio statuary. In most regions, people spend time on the patio in the summer months when the weather is quite warm. You will truly spark interest by adding a statue of a penguin or another animal associated with colder climates when you place one of these on your patio. This will surely bring a smile to the faces of your friends and it is small enough to suit even the smallest patio.

How about freestanding large outdoor wall fountain that holds a lantern? This type of fountain will enable you to have the lighting you need on the patio that you can enjoy the outdoors and nature after dark. You can place it against a table or in the middle of the floor, as long as it is close to an electrical outlet.

There are also such statues that use tealight candles and provide a romantic ambiance for your patio. Solar lighting is also available in this range of statuary for the patio, which makes it truly portable and safe to use. Simply place a solar panel within range of the statue and the daylight will charge the lighting so that it will automatically come on when the sun goes down.

Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer specializing in landscaping and home improvement. For the ideal large outdoor wall fountain or indoor wall fountain for your home or garden, please visit http://www.garden-fountains.com/.

Painting Metal Siding

Monday, September 14, 2009

What You Need to Know to Get Perfect Ceramic Tile Installation

Ceramic tile installation is usually left to the pros. That often is a good idea too because there are quite a few tricks to laying ceramic tile. But people having been installing tile for many hundreds of years. Tile setting isn't exactly rocket science. If you get the general idea right, most anyone can complete a tile project.

Tile installing is mostly the same no matter what the project. If you can lay floor tile, you can set wall tile or tile a counter top for that matter. The really trickiest project is building a ceramic tile shower pan. But even that just requires an understanding of a few tricks. Getting started on a tile project just requires getting the basics done right.

Often the first stumbling point is the base itself. The surface on which the tile is laid must be right. Now there are many surfaces that are a fine base for tile. Why you can even lay tile over tile itself. But whatever the base, it must be solid. That means no moving around is allowed. If the base moves, the tile or grout will crack. So a solid foundation is the place to start a tile project. Once you have a solid base you can lay that first tile.

Before the first tile gets set though, do some careful measuring and marking. Decide where you want the tiles that will be cut so they are least visible. That may determine where the first tile goes. Then you'll want a way to mark lines to guide you in setting the tiles. Straight tile joints are key to a professional installation. Get the tile started right and half the job is done.

Pros hurry because time is money, but you can take your time. With care you can carefully align tiles and get an installation that's straight and level. It just takes time and care to put each tile in exactly the right place. There are quite a few tricks for cutting tile and getting the spacing just right. Plus there are several tricks to help you keep tiles aligned just right.

Ceramic tile installing may be a project that you want to do. With the right tools and some instruction, you can install tile like a pro. Tile installation depends on getting a few basic steps right. Get the basics right and the only thing separating you from a pro is speed. If you can learn a few tricks even the speed will come with practice.

Get access to video tutorials showing the professional tricks of ceramic tile installation on our ceramic tile website.

Al Bullington invites you to visit http://InstallingCeramicTile.net for answers to your tile questions.

Architects And Home Design

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Windows And Doors - Home Tips

Homeowners around the LA region are always looking for ways to save on heating and cooling bills as the price of gas and electricity skyrocket. One of the best ways to lower your monthly bills is by giving your doors and windows a face lift. In fact, changing your door and window frames can also translate into significant savings.

Replacing old frames is helpful due to the harsh conditions that this old wood has supported. Constant changes between heat and cold, rain and sun, and wind combine to destroy older wood. Nowadays, many businesses in the LA area offer a UPVC replacement frame. UPVC is an alternative to wood frames for your doors and windows, and last longer under harsh conditions.

UPVC window and door frames are also much easier to maintain. Wood frames must be cleaned and painted, often each year. However, UPVC window frames can be cleaned in minutes, and require no painting or heavy cleaning. Using UPVC on your window and door frames allows you to save money on upkeep and electricity bills.

For aesthetic purposes, many homeowners decide to change all frames at once. Combining UPVC frames with traditional wood frames can be distracting to the overall look of your home. If you change your door frames to UPVC, make sure to change your window frames as well.

This type of frame is weather resistant, sealing your windows and doors from the elements. When combined with an energy efficient glass, these types of doors and windows can significantly reduce the amount of energy wasted and lower your bills. While the initial investment may be a bit high, homeowners will immediately begin to receive that money back in the form of lower bills, and soon the new doors and windows will pay for themselves.

When deciding on the right kind of window and door frames for your home, it's important to determine the kind of style you want. Homeowners who want to maintain the original faade of their home may want to use a high-quality wood frame. However, if you want to avoid the upkeep time needed to maintain a wood frame, switch to UPVC frames. Discover the options available to homeowners looking to renovate their old doors and windows today. Homeowners all over the LA region are already benefiting from the savings and convenience of modern advances in doors and windows.

Need more on windows and doors? Cal Windows and Doors specializes in windows and doors in Irvine, CA and anywhere else in California. Learn how to prepare your home for sale with upgraded windows and doors and other great tips on how to get beautiful windows for your home.

Oh God The Contractor From Hell

Saturday, September 12, 2009

How to Hire the Right Home Improvement Contractor

New York was dubbed the "City that Never Sleeps" for a good reason and that is the 24-hour hustle and bustle not only of traffic but people as well. Home improvement is an area which is increasingly gaining importance in NYC living. A very busy lifestyle, calls for a living space that would be worth coming home to no matter the size or type of residence. There may also be damages and functionality issues lurking somewhere and are only brought to the attention of the busy occupant when the damage is beyond repair. There is no doubt that in times when the need for maintenance, repair, renovation, and remodeling arises; the most ideal option for any New York City person is to get help from a home improvement contractor, but how do you hire the right one?

Good word of mouth is the best form of advertisement for every business operator and service provider, as well as the most damaging. Try to ask family members, friends, and neighbors for any recommendation. These people would be the best source for honest testimonials on the work of an NYC home improvement contractor. Be wary of names that come up when asking at some building materials store or at a local pool supply as these leads could just be among those that benefit from a finder's fee scheme.

If you have nobody trustworthy to consult to regarding this search, check with the BBB or Better Business Bureau in New York first before spending minutes and hours going through the local Yellow Pages. While at it, see the list of home improvement contractors that have bad records or unresolved complaints to their names and make sure to steer clear from them. The Internet can also be a good source of information that could lead you to the right NYC home improvement contractor. You can browse through rip-off websites or simply Google the name of the professional that you are interested in, and you are sure to find either good or bad things about him. From here, you could already draw up possible candidates who have clean records.

After going through the steps, now is high time to screen them to determine the right home improvement contractor to hire. Phone each of your picks and tell them exactly the same details and get bids. When conducting the interview, never hesitate to ask many questions especially important ones. Do not base your choice on the price given by the contractor as the cheapest is not always the most economical and the most expensive does not always end up with the highest of quality. When comparing bids, consider what the contractor plans to do and the materials that he will be using. Make sure to get references to check out and verify his license.

There are numerous benefits in acquiring the services of a New York City home improvement contractor, so much more if you did your homework and hired a competent one. The time extended on going through the selection and the dollars spent would prove to be well worth it not only after the project has been finished successfully but in the long run. Hiring the right home improvement contractor for the job helps you avoid the risks of additional costs for maintenance and back jobs.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened New York General Contractor. To know more, visit New York Remodeling.

Installing A 32 Inch Back Door

Raise Your Property Value With Grant Money

If you are considering selling your home, you should look into home improvement grants first. If you would wonder why receiving free government money to invest in a home that you will soon be leaving is a good idea, then you are about to become significantly enlightened about the benefits to applying this type of funding to your resale strategy. Interested? Please read on...

It is probably a safe assumption that if you are currently beginning the resale procedure, you know that you are about to take a serious hit while negotiating your selling price. It's no secret that at the moment, American housing prices are far below the actual realistic property values due to a poor economy. Obtaining free government money in home improvement grants to remodel and repair your home, before you sell, can significantly raise your property value. Applying this strategy prior to placing your home on the market can most definitely result in a higher selling price, hence helping you to recoup your losses in selling below actual value.

It has been reported, that many American citizens who initially set out to repair and remodel their homes for resale using home improvement grants, in the process found that were also eligible to receive government funded home grants, remodeled, raised their property values, applied for more grants, and wound up keeping their newly remodeled homes in the end. It has been accomplished by hundreds of American homeowners, and you can be one of them.

No matter what the situation, buying, selling, keeping your home, free government home improvement grants can raise your property value while keeping your bank account in tact. Before you visit the realtor, visit your local government grant awards agency.

Apply for Personal Grants.

See how much money you qualify to receive today and never pay back. Get Grants for Individuals

Materials For Stair Treads

Friday, September 11, 2009

Kitchen Tables - There Are Environmentally Friendly Options

The trend today is to be as green as possible when decorating your house. A few years ago if you were trying to go that route, you may have found yourself struggling to find enough furniture to do the job. But, not anymore.

Thankfully, the furniture market has caught on to the fact that people are trying to make less of an environmental impact when they are decorating their homes. For this reason, there is a whole new arena of options out there.

Recycled Kitchen Tables

The key to being able to go green with furniture like kitchen tables is to avoid using new wood metal or plastic. Most new items are made from new resources. That means more trees are being chopped down, and other virgin resources expended to make the new piece.

But, what about all those old pieces of furniture? Why are they going to the landfill when they could just as easily be used to create something new. That is exactly what the recycled kitchen tables market has realized.

Wood

There are two possible ways to be green when purchasing wooden kitchen tables. The first is to have tables that are made out of recycled wood. This is wood that is literally taken from something else and turned into a new piece of furniture. This could be from old barn wood or an old piece of furniture that was saved from a landfill. The other type of furniture out there is that made of sustainable woods. These pieces are made from trees that are quickly and easily replenished so there is not a major environmental impact to their being used.

Plastic

There is a lot of plastic in our world. There doesn't seem to be a carton or container that isn't made of this hard to biodegrade material. Thankfully, there are some people who are keeping a lot of that plastic out of the landfill and instead turning it into new furniture like kitchen tables. Think of how great it would be to have fashionable kitchen tables in your home and know that not only are they great looking but they were the reason many pounds of plastic was spared a trip to the landfill.

Metal

Even metal can be recycled and often to make magnificent kitchen tables. Wrought iron that has been used for a gate or other accent in a home or yard may live out its life as that particular item, but may be able to be cut down and used again to create new items, like kitchen tables. These pieces will not only make you feel good for recovering them and keeping them from becoming trash, but also because they will have a unique character that will make your tables one of a kind masterpieces.

While you may not think your choosing to go green with your kitchen tables is a big step in the grand scheme of things, think about what would happen if more and more people were to do the same thing. Each of those purchases compounds to use less new resources and to keep more of the old out of the landfill in the future.

Author Jennifer Akre is a proprietor of a different online specialty shops that provide both items and information on how to effortlessly furnish and decorate your space. Whether it is your living, bedroom, or even your deck or patio, there are many useful tips you to make those spots functional and beautiful. Today, she offers advice on how to create a indoor area with luxurious kitchen furniture and grand dining tables. Each would be a wonderful purchase.

Simple Light Switch Replacement

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Are Your Sliding Glass Doors All Glass and No Slide?

Have you noticed that the sliding glass doors in your home are becoming harder and harder to slide open? Are they more than 10 years old? Do they happen to be aluminum frame dual pane doors? Those doors are heavier due to the dual pane glass, but most of the aluminum units did not use stainless steel rollers. The rollers get rusty after a while, and start to bind.

To replace the rollers, you must remove the sliding panel from the opening. The fixed panel must be removed in order for the sliding panel to come out, in most cases. FIgure out whether or not your fixed panel has to come out as well. If the slider is on the inside track and the fixed panel is on the outside track, you will have to take out both panels, because the slider will only come out from the outside. There is a lip on the bottom of the track inside your house, that keeps water from coming in. However, that lip is also too high to lift the sliding panel up and over. Therefore, you will have to remove the fixed panel first, then lift and swing out the slider from outside. If you are one of the few who have a slider on the outside track, then you can lift your slider out without having to remove the fixed panel.

For now, let us assume that you need to remove the fixed panel first. To do this:

1) Remove your screen door if you have one.

2) Look for a metal piece on the bottom track that runs from the bottom corner of the fixed panel all the way across to the bottom of the side jamb that has the door lock hardware. If your door is really old, that piece might be missing. If there is one, pry it up from the track. Once that piece is removed...

3) Look inside the house where the fixed panel is against the wall jam -- look for screws holding the frame to the jam. Remove these screws, and place them where you won't lose them.

4) Pull the fixed panel out of the side jam.

5) Lift the slider up and out, just like you did with the fixed panel.

6) Once you get the slider out, nearly all rollers are held in place by the same screw that holds the frame corners together. So set the panel on one side, remove the screw in the corner, then flip the panel over, remove the screw on the other bottom corner. Now, using a rubber mallet or the wood handle of a hammer, tap the bottom frame off the glass. Now you have access to your rollers. Examine how they are inserted into the door frame. Remove only one roller to take with you to match when you shop for new ones. Then, you can use the roller that you left in place as a guide to installing the new ones.

7) Buy new rollers at someplace like Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, or Orchard Supply Hardware. They should carry what you need. If they don't...

8) Have new rollers ordered. Bring the roller to your local glass shop. If they don't have them in stock, they can order them, which could take about a week. In that case, don't worry. Go home and tap the bottom frame back on the door panel, but leave the corner screws out. It's fine to leave out the roller that you removed. Just lift the door back in place, install the fixed panel, but don't snap the bottom piece back in, and don't install the inside screws. Then, from inside the house, just lift the slider and pull it closed. Don't drag it if you left the roller out. That will scrape the bottom track. Lift it just enough to take the pressure off, and close and lock it.

9) When your new rollers arrive, take everything back out. Install the new rollers. Before putting the door back in, adjust the new rollers all the way up. This way, the new rollers won't interfere with you lifting it back in place. Adjust the new rollers down until the door slides well and locks. There should be an equal gap at the top and bottom when the door is about an inch from closing into the side jam. The rollers can be adjusted to make this dimension even.

You may think this sounds expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Sliding glass door repair can be done by a professional for $50 or $60 including parts, so it may be worth hiring someone to do it. However, in high population areas, it may be typical to be charged $100 in labor only. They may also mark up the cost of the rollers, and you could end up paying $130 for a job that would only cost you about $20 to do yourself. Glass door repair does not have to be intimidating, or expensive. Good luck!

Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.

More of her research and articles can be found at http://www.lasertargeted.com/glassrepair and other sites around the internet.

Concrete Patio Gofer Damage

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Natural Lighting - Homeowner Tips

One 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.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Eco Friendly House - Build Your Dream!

Eco friendly houses are the best choice. These houses are constructed using natural materials. The abrupt climatic changes have given a thought for concern for many. The increasing global temperature is disturbing the whole equilibrium. According to studies, usage of eco-friendly products is known to decrease the harmful effect of poisonous gases.

Eco friendly house also bring about sustainable energy solutions. People opting to construct such houses can use natural materials like wood, solar products, and so on for the construction of home. You can also get the latest eco news about construction of houses by looking online. This will help reduce the harmful impact of global warming, climate change, and so on. Organic, all-natural, or eco-friendly products can also help cut down the excessive expenses involved. The products used will be less wasteful and less toxic than mainstream products.

Green homes for sale can help people interested in buying a green house at a lower rate. It is very easy to get information on such houses online too. In addition to being one of the first, largest, and most respected online resources for green products, we offer advice and information on greening your home. One can be rest assured that all eco-friendly products are non-toxic and guaranteed to be safe for your children, home, and environment.

Using such products will also help save energy on your appliances, go vegan and organic or just live a low-impact lifestyle. One can also find comprehensive and interesting articles on eco friendly houses. Green homes are unique and artistically designed. They make a perfect living space for people who wish to stay in close proximity of nature. Such houses also help cut down unwanted expenses considerably.

These kinds of houses will also help cut down spiralling energy costs and the ever growing concern about global warming. An increasing numbers of householders are turning to greener energy options these days. This will help make a significant contribution to the environment. Installation of natural products will also help lower your household bills and can add significant value to your property. Some of the alternative energy options that can be included are heat pumps, high efficiency boilers, low energy heating systems, solar energy, rainwater harvesters and wind energy. Going in for eco-friendly house has numerous advantages.

Sadhna D, Expert Author, Platinum author

Eco Property Developers: Eco Friendly House

For guidance on Building in Bangalore: Green Homes for Sale

Building Concrete Forms, Tips and Techniques

Here you will find general information, strategies, and techniques when building concrete forms in carpentry. Concrete forms are built to hold wet concrete. Once the form is built the wet concrete gets poured in the form, this is usually done by a truck, wheel borrow, or shovel.

When the concrete dries the form is then stripped. After the form is stripped you will have your finish product. This method is used commonly when building bridges, curves, and foundation of buildings, pillar, steps, and walls. Majority of this work is done outside in extreme weather conditions.

Doing this work is very exciting. Sometimes carpenters are working in the middle of highways as cars are passing by at high speeds. Or they may be required to walk across a plank carrying a sheet of plywood on a windy day and one wrong move and they fall into a lake. Now that's exciting. Carpenters get dirty as well, having to work in the mud and rain swinging a hammer trying to put nails in wood or using a sledge hammer trying to sink a four foot steak in muddy ground. This is the hardcore part of carpentry building concrete forms.

_Before building the concrete form all material such as plywood and two by fours should be inspected for cracks and serious flaws. Using messed up material will give you weak parts in your form and result to a blow out meaning wet concrete pours or blows out the form which means you failed to do the job right. A carpenter's main objective is to not have blowouts plain and simple.

_While building remember to build accordingly to what your customer wants

_Always brace and support your forms correctly.
There are no short cuts.

_Its better to overbuild than it is to under build. Overbuilding assures you that there will not be any blow out.

_Using the right nails for the job is very important. Using the wrong size nails can result to a blow out. Also use enough nails.

_All steaks metal or wood should be nailed in the ground until they are at least 3 feet in.

_When swinging your hammer remember it's all in the wrist let your wrist do the swinging

_After you are done building the form look over your work make sure you did not forget anything.

For some additional information you can go to http://www.carpentrypages.com/concreteforms.html My name is Jereme from Plainfield NJ, Thank you

Attracting the Leads You Need

With the home contracting market becoming more competitive every year, it is essential for you to attract the leads you need to prosper and grow. Leads can come from a variety of sources, referrals, home shows, and direct marketing can all generate quality leads. With all leads it is important to make sure they are qualified leads. If you are spending a lot of time chasing down leads that are not interested you are wasting too much of your time.

Every contractor in the business knows that referrals are by far the best source for referrals. Turning these referral leads in to sales is your job. Any home contracting company has got to cultivate referral leads. If you are trying to run a business without referrals you are dead in the water. Referrals are crucial to your success.

A company website is becoming more and more important as the internet becomes ever more vital to our economy. On your website you should have your potential customer register so you know their name, where they live, and what they are looking for. It is also important to follow up on these leads immediately. These customers are on the internet to have instant service.

Home improvement shows are also a very good place to find valuable leads. Thousands of people every year attend these home shows. Some are coming just to look around but most of them are looking for a contractor. You and your sales team have to talk to everyone that walks by your booth. One way to get these leads is to offer a drawing for a prize. For the small price of a moderately priced prize you can generate hundreds of leads, as well as being able to weed out the leads that aren't qualified.

Following this simple advice will help you attract the leads you need.

For more information on Attracting Leads and growing your home Contracting Business visit Buildwish

Get to Know the Green Stuff

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people." Whether or not you believe the controversial arguments for or against global warming, the fact remains that there is a finite amount of land in our nation and the fundamental issue of sustaining it remains.

Companies continue to expand their efforts in the area of environmental sustainability. However, to be successful, we need the participation of every member of the community in order to implement energy conservation strategies and to maximize our recycling efforts.

How is my Aluminum Can Related to Energy?

Energy costs continue to rise. So, what does the cost of energy have to do with recycling aluminum cans? Consider the following:

  • Making new aluminum cans from used cans takes 95 percent less energy than making a new can.
  • Tossing away an aluminum can wastes as much energy as pouring out half of that can's volume of gasoline.
  • In 2003, 54 billion cans were recycled. This is an energy savings equivalent to 15 million barrels of crude oil - America's entire gas consumption for one day.

Now, consider this. The average American consumes 2.5 beverages a day while at work. Multiply that by the number of employees in the workforce and that's a lot of aluminum... and a great deal of energy! Recycling programs and energy programs, as you can see, are very closely linked.

How Can We Save More Energy?

  • Turn off monitors, printers and copiers nightly and on weekends. Do not use screensavers as an alternative to switching off the monitor. Screensavers consume energy. If you plan to leave your computer for more than two hours, switch off your monitor.
  • Turn off photocopiers at night if a low standby feature is not available.
  • Where possible, replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).Using CFLs instead of comparable incandescent bulbs can save about 50 percent on lighting costs. CFLs use only one-fourth the energy and last up to 10 times longer.
  • Switch off all unnecessary lights. Use dimmers, motion sensors, or occupancy sensors to automatically turn off lighting when not in use.
  • Where feasible, use natural lighting near windows instead of electrical lighting.
  • Close or adjust window blinds to block direct sunlight to reduce cooling needs during warm months. In the winter months, open blinds on south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your workspace. At night, close the blinds to reduce heat loss.
  • Unplug equipment that drains energy when not in use (cell phone chargers, laptop chargers, fans, coffeemakers, desktop printers, radios, etc.).

How Can I Reduce Waste?

  • Use mugs instead of paper or Styrofoam cups for coffee or drinks.
  • Consider a two-sided printer the next time you need to buy one.
  • Photocopy only what you need. Always use the second side of paper, either by printing on both sides or using the blank side as scrap paper.
  • Print email only when necessary.

How Can I Reuse Items to Reduce Waste?

  • Set aside paper that is only used on one side so that it can be reused for such things as taking rough notes or phone messages. Paper can be stored in a centrally located storage box, possibly next to printers or photocopiers so that everyone can use it.
  • Invest in rechargeable batteries and battery chargers for digital cameras, flashlights, and other small devices.
  • Save and reuse packing material.

How Does Recycling Lead to Savings?

Recycle plastic bottles, metal cans, paper, batteries and more at the office, just like you do at home. You do recycle at home, don't you? Let's use paper as an example. Did you know that the average per capita paper use in the U.S. in 2001 was 700 pounds (318 kg) while the average per capita paper use worldwide was 110 pounds (50 kg)? Did you know that in the U.S., 45 percent of paper is recycled? Compare this to 52 per cent in Japan, 67 percent in Germany and 77 percent in the Netherlands. It's time to really think about what we do with paper and other recyclables. Additionally, did you know that many companies receive rebates for recycled materials? Each time you recycle your cans, bottles and paper, you are not only helping the environment by diverting materials from landfill, but you may also be helping the bottom line.

As you can see, there is a long list of actions each person can take to support both your business and the environment. The simple recycling of a can or turning off of a light can go a long way. Remember that the environment, the cost of energy and recycling programs are strongly related.

This author writes on a wide variety of topics both business and non-business related (numerical modeling, environmental aspects, process improvement, business analysis) and runs a consulting business at http://www.numericalinsights.com

Renovating an Attic

If you want to do remodeling on your house, you're probably aware that the space that you can work with is quite limited. When you have a small house, there are methods out there that you can use to make it seem like it's bigger. In some cases, renovating and remodeling the attic can be the answer to this problem.

If you want some extra space to live in, storage spaces like the attic are the perfect place to start from. You can turn that attic into a playroom, a bedroom, a library, an office or a gym.

Checking the amount of space that you can convert should be the first thing you do at the beginning of your project. If you want to avoid getting bruises and bumps to your head, you should make sure that all walls have a minimum height that will allow you to walk around freely.

When the wall height isn't big enough, you have the option to convert the roof into an upward slope, or to change it and make it a gable roof.

If your house is too old, you might want to consider strengthening the joists of the ceiling. These joists will take the role of supporting the extra weight that you put in the attic, like TV's, beds, couches or anything else you might want to put there.

Renovating and remodeling your attic also means that you should make sure that the ventilation, insulation and lighting are properly designed into the plan. Add extra layers to make sure that the temperature is good and the insulation appropriate. Air ducts might be another good idea if you want the temperature to be controlled. Adding windows and maybe a skylight can take care of the lighting in the room, while also decreasing your electric bill.

If you want to add a bathroom in that space, make sure you connect it to the source that is closest.

Something else that needs addressed is how easy it is to access the attic, and that is done best by installing a staircase. In the case of a staircase that is straight, its size should be 3 by 16 feet. If you choose a staircase that is in spiral, the diameter should be 5 feet. Using a ladder is not allowed if you're putting a bedroom in the attic, but if you're making a loft it's OK.

Talk with an architect or with the building inspector if you're not entirely sure if the renovation or remodeling of the attic is possible. If it can be done, start doing the plans for it and go to a contractor when it comes time to actually do it.

Finding a good contractor means that you should contact a few of them. Try comparing the rates, while also checking out their history and background. The good contractors need to have people that are licensed to do the job. If their client history is good and they have insurance, you should put them on your shortlist.

Because you're renovating or remodeling such a small part of your house, the costs shouldn't be too large. When you're done with the renovation, you will see how right you were to do it and how much better it looks.

Home Improvement Tips - Visit BestHomeImprovementProjects.Com for more articles and tips on garbage disposal maintenance

Twelve Energy Saving Tips For Your Business

The cost of everything is rising higher than ever before, especially energy costs. Because of this trend, it seems as if everyone is becoming more energy conscious everywhere. Your office space should be on that list, too. Doing a little bit can save a lot of money in the long run. Read these twelve energy saving tips that cam make a big difference in the cost of running your business.

If you are not using it, turn it off.

  1. Although it should be self-evident, however, if everyone turns off the lights as they head out of the door for their lunch hour, the energy saved would be enough to light about 10 million square meters of office space every year.
  2. Computer monitors are responsible for more than a third of your computer's energy consumption. If you aren't using your monitor, put it to sleep. Also, turn your computer off before you leave every day. It costs you nothing, but it will save the company money.
  3. Laptops use about 90% less energy than PCs, so allowing your employees to use laptops is a great energy savings. If you have PCs, then flat panel screens use considerably less energy than ordinary CRT monitors. Also, the bigger the monitor, the more energy it consumes. A 17 inch monitor uses 35% more energy than a 14 inch monitor.
  4. Whenever possible, use sunlight to illuminate work spaces, however, if the sunlight raises the temperature in the room, then close the blinds and turn on the lights because a light bulb uses far less energy than running the air conditioner to compensate for the higher room temperatures. Turn the thermostat up to 78 degrees and allow your employees to wear suitable attire. By raising the thermostat you will save 2% of your energy bill for every degree you raise the temperature.
  5. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. The compact fluorescent bulb uses 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb.
  6. An often forgotten energy tip is to clean your lighting fixtures to remove dust grease and other dirt will increase the output on your lights.
  7. Install occupancy sensor room-lighting controls that will turn off your lights or turn them on, depending on whether a person is in the room or not.
  8. Solar window films can save your business between 5 and 10% each year. In addition to saving you money on your cooling costs, it reduces ultraviolet radiation and reduces glare.
  9. If your business has a loading dock, keep the doors closed unless they are needed. This will help prevent the air conditioning from escaping.
  10. Insulate water heaters and supply pipes.
  11. Insulate walls and ceilings whenever possible.
  12. Install Energy Star labeled reflective roofing materials.

For more energy saving tips, visit PWA Engineering at 757/366.5325. PWA are the experts in power, water and air conversation.

Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is an SEO Specialist with Ciniva. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for PWA Engineering.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

What Types of Doors Can Be Availed From the Market?

If you want to perfect the beginning as well as the end of your home improvement project, you need to focus on each and every installation. Choosing what suits your requirements is what you must keep in your mind while starting your home improvement projects. Among the few important factors that play an important role in a home improvement project, doors are what can either enhance or destroy the look of your house. Many of us are not aware of the types of doors and the qualities upon which these types are differentiated. We need to know all about it if we want to precede with efficient home improvement projects.

You can select the types of doors that sound good to your taste and most of the available door's types can also be customized. For example, if you need a panel door, which consists of wood panels, stiles and rails panels, you can either get a solid wood panel door, plywood panel door or a panel door made up of glass. However, you won't find all such types of doors for everywhere in the market unless you are savvy of such details. You can also ask the manufacturer for your requirements. Besides just panel doors, solid core doors, hollow mental insulated doors, hollow core wood door, stable doors, trap doors French doors can also be customized to set your requirements.

Therefore, if you are interested in exploring different types of doors that are not only feasible enough to provide your required facilities but also give your home a fine classy look. You must always perform a detailed research in the market before buying any types of doors. Pay visit to different door shops, collect ideas and order your desired type of doors. Qualities of all these types of doors, however, differ with money but you can be able to select the best out of the most by using your expertise.

For more details on door types and their qualities, visit http://www.theyarelocal.com/articles/home_improvement_tips/doors/index.php

Central Vacuum Systems For Your Home

What is a central vacuum system? A central vacuum system is made up of a group of inlets that are connected via piping to an integral power and canister unit. The inlets are generally wall mounted, but can also be floor mounted. Each inlet allows you to vacuum 700 to 800 square feet. A flexible hose, approximately 30 feet long plugs into the outlets. Numerous types of suction heads are available to connect to the end of the hose, including power beaters.

The power/canister unit is usually mounted in a garage or basement.

Most handymen can install a central vacuum system, without the need for professional assistance. The most complex part of the installation is physically running the two inch plastic piping from the power unit to the inlets.

There are many reasons to consider the installation of a central vacuum system for your home:


  • Relieves Allergy Symptoms: As the power unit and canister are mounted outside of the living area of the home, exhaust air from the vacuum is not circulated back into the room being vacuumed which substantially improves the air quality in the room. Coupled with good filtration, many manufacturers are using HEPA filtration, almost 100% of the contacted dirt, dust mites, pollen, dander, and other allergens are removed and contained.
  • More Power: Central vacuum systems deliver up to five times more suction power than conventional upright or canister vacuum cleaners. More suction equates to better overall cleaning.
  • Larger Canister: The canister that is attached to the power unit holds as much as six gallons of dirt, 10 times more dirt than conventional upright or canister vacuum cleaners. You can vacuum longer without the inconvenience of changing bags or emptying canisters.
  • Convenience: Have you ever tried to vacuum a ceiling fan, drapes, blinds? Usually the hose is not long enough, even with the extension pipes you end up lifting the vacuum cleaner in the air in order to reach the corners and tops. With the long hose associated with a central vacuum system, reaching corners, ceilings, and other difficult areas is easy.

    Have a multi-story home? Then you have faced the inconvenience of carrying your vacuum cleaner up and down stairs, not to mention the difficulty in actually vacuuming stair cases, usually it means trying to position the vacuum on the steps in order to reach all points.

  • Quiet Because the power unit is not in the living area of the home, there is far less ambient noise when vacuuming. You can hear the phone ring, listen to music and answer the front door.

If you are looking for a home improvement project that will be of benefit to the entire family consider a central vacuum system. As with any home appliance, it is wise to investigate the specifications, features, and accessories available before you choose the manufacturer and model that suits your requirements best.

Renovation-Headquarters has additional information on the installation of a central vacuum system in your home.

For additional information on home improvement, remodel or other renovation projects, including landscaping and gardening, visit Renovation Headquarters.

How to Make Your Own Wind Power Collector

Would you take the opportunity to save hundreds of dollars every month on energy if you had the chance? Just think of all the extra cash you would have. Well, I'm here to tell you that saving money on energy is actually very easy if you make your own wind power collector. By making your own wind power collector you can easily start producing your own source of green energy and start saving some serious cash every month. With a wind system you can power small appliances, laptops, or even your whole house! So, are you interested in making one for yourself? Keep on reading, I'm about to tell you exactly how you can start harnessing the power of wind...

The very first thing that you will need to do is find a reliable DIY green energy guide. A green energy guide outlines everything you need to know about making your own source of power and it puts it all in one place. Trying to tackle the task of creating your own wind power generator without a guide can be a nightmare.

Once you have found a guide you will need to find a suitable place for your wind powered generator around your home. This is actually quite easy. You will just need to find the spot that is at the highest elevation. This will drastically increase the amount of wind your system will receive and ultimately determine how much money you will be able to save. Going green has never been so easy.

Would you be interested if I told you that for less than $50 you could build your own wind turbine or solar panel system in just two days? If so, then just click the link below. You do want to save hundreds of dollars every month by using the earth for energy, right?

Click Here

Options for Improving the State of Your Roller Shades

Roller shades have been around for many years. Long ago in history many people had roller shades installed in their windows. Some of these roller shades still look quite beautiful. However it should be understood, and expected, that by now many of these roller shades that are in windows have deteriorated and gone by the wayside. Some of the wear and tear may be quite natural, including control systems that break down or fabrics that have ripped and torn or simply don't look right anymore. In any case, for most homeowners or business owners want to have attractive window treatments in their spaces.

Among the most common problems that consumers have with roller shades are failures in the control system. Sometimes roller shades "don't want to roll up anymore." Other times, they are stuck in position. For the first of these situations, you may simply find that if you can reroll your roller shade, you can tighten the springs and have it roll up better. In the case of a shade that is stuck, you must be very careful to not damage the fabric while trying to fix the shade. Many of these situations are complete losses, meaning that you will need to replace the roller shades. This is because the older control systems, those managed by springs, are no longer the commonplace or easy to obtain shades. So in the end, if you have a shade control system that is not working properly it is often advisable to get a new roller shade with the new control system.

Many consumers ask whether they can get a new roller shade control system for their existing fabric. This would seem the most logical way of reusing the same fabric and saving money by not having to waste that same fabric on a new shade. However given the updates and new fabrics that are available on the market, as well as the new methods of manufacturing roller shades, it is not as cost-effective and easy as many would think. It may not be so much of a waste, however, to buy new roller shades. For one thing the new fabrics are technically more capable. For another, the new control systems are substantially more durable and will protect your roller shade fabric so it will last much longer in your windows.

Another common roller shade problem is ripped, warped, or otherwise damaged roller shade fabric. The heavy use of vinyl coated fabrics, those that are typically called blackout, were substantially more common in the past. Those fabrics, unfortunately the lighter weight ones, were more often susceptible to ripping than modern-day fabrics, particularly those from woven polyester or other threads. The damages to these roller shade fabrics have often created ugly or less than presentable roller shades. Many consumers have wondered if it is possible to repair this fabric by replacing a section of the fabric. Unfortunately, replacing a section of fabric is not a possibility. However, some roller shade fabrics can endure a slight repair, like sewing or other repair. Beware though, excessive sewing may lead to an expanded problem. Often times, the sewing of roller shade fabric will simply delay the inevitable- the entire destruction of their roller shade. In the end, it is usually advisable for consumers to begin thinking about replacing roller shades when this type of deterioration begins.

Some roller shades will cause damage to the surrounding area. The scraping of a roller shade bottom rail against a window frame is not uncommon. Sometimes, this bottom rail, also called a hem bar, will run into a wall or otherwise run into a window frame. This type of damage can usually be corrected by making slight changes to the bottom rail like cutting it with a saw. Sometimes this hitting into a wall is a sign of other problems. A roller shade that is not properly squared up may have other damage to the fabric at the controls at the top of the roller shade. It is important to make sure that the roller shade is rolling up properly and that there are no other damages to the fabric or the control system.

While many consumers would like to try to repair or update or otherwise renovate their roller shades, it is usually considered advisable for simple replacement of that one shade or the several with problems. The new control systems will help your shades last longer and look more beautiful for a longer period of time.

Judith Persit is a student of interior design. She started in this direction due to a search for design options in window treatments. Ms. Persit writes about roller shades. Roller shades can be interesting, you can learn more about shades at her sponsor's website, with many pictures.

Low Energy Light Bulbs, Why You Should Use Them

Low energy light bulbs are one of the success stories of modern times. The popular compact fluorescent lamps, as they are known, have come along way since their early incarnations. These were bulky and not as aesthetically pleasing as their modern, compact counterparts. Saving money whilst doing your bit for the environment has become so popular these days that everybody seems to be jumping on the bandwagon. By using these low energy alternatives to standard incandescent light bulbs, you will not only save money but you are being kind to the environment too. By covering their history, energy facts and comparing low energy light bulbs to their energy hungry incandescent neighbours, we outline some of the important reasons why this is so.

Compact fluorescent lamps first hit the shops back in the early 1980s. But, because they were bulky and relatively expensive to buy compared with the established incandescent bulbs, they proved initially unpopular with the majority of consumers. This was despite their obvious long-term money saving characteristics. As technology moved forward with fluorescent lamps in general, the original, bulky magnetic ballasts were replaced with the more efficient and, importantly for compact fluorescent lamps, more compact electronic ballasts. This enabled manufacturers to reduce the size of the low energy light bulbs and thereby make them more appealing to the consumer.

As sales of low energy compact fluorescent lamps picked up, manufacturing rates increased and costs came down, making them much more appealing to consumers in terms of cost effectiveness. This increased sales volumes, which had a knock on effect in bringing the prices down even further. The savings in real terms has made these low energy light bulbs so popular that in some countries, sales of compact fluorescent lamps are outstripping those of standard incandescent light bulbs. In Australia such is the popularity of compact fluorescent lamps that the government is committed to phasing out incandescent bulbs from the marketplace altogether by 2010.

Low energy, compact fluorescent lamps typically save about eighty percent of the energy of incandescent light bulbs. A direct comparison between them will highlight the differences. An incandescent bulb rated at 100 watts will produce 1200 lumens (a lumen is a unit of light). A comparable compact fluorescent lamp will typically use only 20 watts of electricity to produce the same amount of light. This is a huge saving.

It is not only their energy saving characteristics that are making low energy light bulbs so popular. Their long life span is also a deciding factor when consumers weigh up the pros and cons of compact fluorescent lamps over incandescent light bulbs. Typically, incandescent bulbs have a lifespan of approximately 1000 hours, compared with between 8,000 and 15,000 hours for compact fluorescent lamps. With compact fluorescent lamps currently costing less than ten times the purchase price of typically comparable incandescent bulbs, the overall savings in monetary and environmental terms is considerable.

As technology continues to improve the design, size and energy consumption of these special light sources, they will continue to become even more cost effective over time. For the present, low energy light bulbs are a great cost cutting and environmentally friendly addition to homes, businesses and public buildings. In fact anywhere artificial light is needed, these bulbs will save money, energy and resources for generations to come.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Lighting