Shower Curtains - Do We Actually Need Them?

Shower Curtains are either a necessary item for our bathrooms or just another added piece of decoration, but do we actually need them ? The answer simply put is Yes, shower curtains provide a no nonsense approach to keeping our bathrooms and other wet areas typically clean and dry. They can be used as a decorative piece or alternatively we can use them purely and simply as a functional curtain.

The current trend towards shower curtains is now to basically use either a polyester or nylon curtain, this type of material will endure high temperature moisture and will handle as much washing in a machine as is necessary. A little eucalyptus oil in the wash will do wonders. Many new shower curtains come in a vast array of designs including plain voile or to the more dramatic contemporary designs.

Themed shower curtains are also very popular as this enables you to create a specific feel within the bathroom for a short period of time, for example Christmas or Easter, Thanksgiving day, they are relatively inexpensive for what they are and are usually packaged as a ready made item. When purchasing new shower curtains always ensure that you have allowed extra on the drop of the curtain to make sure that it is covering the area completely, there is nothing worse than a half masted shower curtains.

These shower curtains can either be installed on a rod using rod and rings, or alternatively they can be installed a specialized curtain rod using either pinch pleat or pencil pleat curtains, for my information read our "how to make curtains - includes secret fabric formula" tutorial. I have seen many shower curtains in my clients homes that have basically transformed a tired bathroom into a place of brightness and atmosphere.

One major factor you should consider when purchasing new shower curtains is to ask the salesperson for advice, there are many new fabrics that are now being used and some of these are mildew resistant, this type of material has been chemically treated in the manufacturing process to reduce the growth of mould. If you are looking a natural shower curtain than hemp is what you should choose, this is now becoming more and more available in many different styles and shapes. Hemp shower curtains do require more washing but the overall softer look is well worth it.

So remember when choosing your next shower curtains always consider what material you will use, the color or theme and most importantly the size of the area it needs to cover.

Latest Shower curtains info

How to Find a Excellent New Home Builder

Looking for a good home builder or contractor, isn't an exact science, but hopefully, by the time you're done reading this article, you will at least have a better idea, what you will be looking for. Let's get started.

As a general contractor, the most important thing that I would be looking for any new home builder, would be experience. You can't sacrifice price for experience. If you're looking for the cheapest contractor, there's a good chance that this person will be lacking experience in home building knowledge.

How long has this person been in business? Just because you're new home builder has only been in business for five years, doesn't mean that he isn't capable of building your home. The same holds true for someone who has been in business for 30 years. Just make sure that these people have actually built homes in the past.

What is their attitude like? This is the second most important thing and I tend to focus on this more than experience, sometimes. If you don't get along with the person, you're not going to have a pleasant home building experience. If you think that there lying to you, scammers or generally don't feel comfortable with them, but they seem to have the most experience and build more homes in your area than anyone else. I wouldn't think twice about getting rid of them and finding someone else.

Last but not least, you should contact some of the people that they have worked for in the past. Talking to past clients, is going to play an important role in making your final decision. You need to find out, if these home builders, treated their clients fairly and were they generally happy with the overall outcome and performance, not only of the homebuilder, but each one of his subcontractors.

I would recommend writing out a list of questions and offering your new home builders past clients a free meal. Offer to take them out to dinner, lunch or breakfast, this way you will have their undivided attention and get the low down on your potential future home builder, it could be the best money that you ever spent.

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 Home Repairs

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

Thanks For Reading My Articles

What to Consider Before Remodeling Your Bathroom

One of the most important rooms in the home is undoubtedly the bathroom. Although it is one of the smallest, it is used very frequently, usually by all members of the home. This is especially so if it is the only bathroom in the house. A nice bathroom can raise the value of a home greatly if remodeled properly.

There are some useful tips to adhere to if you are going to be remodeling your bathroom. Firstly, if you do not have a lot of space in the first place, perhaps you should consider replacing your bathtub with a shower stall. There are many beautiful shower stalls that you can source and purchase. If your bathroom is very small, but you would like to have a bath and shower facility, you could consider installing a shower head attachment onto your bath.

Your choice of bathroom sinks must be taken into careful consideration. Although some metals like dark copper are appealing in the showroom, they will make soap and water marks stand out. Your best bet is to go with a clean white porcelain sink, perhaps in an interesting bowl shape. The objective is to create a bathroom that looks neat and clean even when it is being used often. There is nothing neater than white porcelain.

Sink tops in your bathroom could be made with granite or marble. These surfaces can be kept clean, and attain a nice shiny finish. You may want to install a small cupboard under the sink to keep bathroom necessities in, or perhaps a small set of drawers strategically placed can attractively house toiletries. It is important to keep a neutral and matching color and style theme throughout the bathroom. Ensure that the tiles match the shower and sink and any drawers you may add.

As mentioned previously, a nice bathroom can add great value to your home. Some popular and admired bathroom fixtures are skylights, walk in showers for couples and his and hers sinks. Skylights will make your bathroom look very attractive, all the while adding beautiful natural light. Ensure that you do not add his and hers sinks for high resale return, when there is hardly enough space for one sink in the first place! This also applies to a couples shower.

Smaller bathrooms can be given a makeover to add the illusion of space. Consider placing a large picture mirror on one side of the bathroom, preferably above the sink and bath. A large mirror placed correctly will open the room up, and is also useful, because everyone needs a mirror in the bathroom! If you are lucky enough to be remodeling a larger bathroom, you could even consider installing a bidet. A bidet will enhance your hygiene as well as adding further value to your home.

Some more things to keep in mind are the finishing touches and fittings. The toilet roll holder must be placed at a comfortable height for use whilst on the toilet. An attractive hook or rail should be fixed next to the sink for a hand towel to be hung on. Bath towel rails must be installed near the bath tub and shower stall to ensure easy access without dripping too much water on the floor.

Hopefully these tips will assist you in creating the perfect bathroom, at an affordable price. Don't forget to arrange an alternative bathroom to use whilst yours is being remodeled!

Coastal tool hire is the largest and best known power tool and equipment hire brand in Southern Africa with over 90 branches in operation. Visit http://www.coastalhire.co.za for more info and to check out franchise opportunities in South Africa.

Fixing Ceiling Cracks - Home Repair Advice

It's not uncommon to find cracks in your plaster or drywall ceilings. It's not uncommon to find cracks in your wood ceilings either, but this article is about plaster or drywall ceilings that have small or large cracks in them and what actually causes the cracks and how you can repair them.

Believe it or not, most cracks in your ceilings and in your walls, on any drywall or plaster home interiors, are going to be the direct result of structural movement within the house. This could be from a small earthquake, the framing components are starting to shrink, as the lumber starts to dry it out or it could even be from your house settling. Larger cracks might signify problems with your foundation or even your soil.

If you have a large crack in your ceiling, and this would be something that you could stick a quarter into, you could have a structural problem and I would recommend contacting a home repair contractor in your area to evaluate your situation.

You realize that you have cracks in your ceilings and they're not very big, how do you repair them. The easiest way would be to apply a paintable caulking into the cracks and repaint the area. This could save you some frustration in the future, especially if the crack starts to become larger.

The best way to fix the crack, would be to apply some fiberglass drywall tape and then apply a standard drywall joint compound to finish the ceiling correctly. If your ceiling has acoustic or wall texture, you will need to reapply to finish over these areas to match your existing ceiling correctly.

If you have hairline cracks, I wouldn't even worry about them, unless they become larger. However, you could always apply a little bit of caulking and repaint them.

I would like to remind you something that I already said before in this article, if the cracks are larger than the width of a quarter, you might want to contact a building professional. You could have some serious structural damage occurring in your foundation or framing.

Ceiling Repair Advice and Tips

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

Ideas For Decorating Your Bathroom

Decorating your bathroom is an easy way to brighten up your mornings - and it doesn't have to take a lot of your time or money! Bathrooms are one of the easiest and least expensive rooms to decorate in a home. They are, however, often one of the most neglected. A clean, well organized bathroom can make family comfortable and help guests feel.If you have a plain bathroom and do not have a lot of money to spend on decorating, a great way to give your bathroom a makeover is by using fun and creative accessories to spruce it up.

Add wall accents that blend your major theme. If you have a beach, ocean, or country pattern, choose accessories to match.."A collection of small mirrors finished in decorative frames adds glamour to your bathroom. Accessories like toothbrush holders, tissue holders, and a soap dispenser can be the icing on the cake, so don't be too frugal when you select the style. Basket of decorative soaps and lotions - If you have an extra basket around the house, consider putting it to good use by filling it with decorative soaps and lotions.

Get matching bath towel, washcloth, and hand towel sets for special occasions or guests. Drawer pull for hanging towels - Instead of hanging a plain towel ring on your wall, hang up an old or antique drawer pull. These decorative drawer pulls can often be found at flea markets or garage sales for a nominal price.

Look for decorator items to go with the design. Bathroom accessories should not only be decorative, but should also be functional. Special design soaps, soap dishes and dispensers, toothbrush holders, towel or tissue bars, and other miscellaneous items can spruce up the overall effect. Candles on the vanity, on the bathtub corners, or above the toilet also add a designer touch to the decor. Everyone has miscellaneous bathroom items such as hairbrushes, hairspray, and shaving cream that they use on a daily basis.

Find some unique way to personalize the bathroom. Adding a thrift shop dresser as a storage solution or a sink vanity can really look classy. A bathroom sends an important message to guests about the degree to which you value them and look to their comfort. Turn your master bath into an inviting oasis by including amenities that are only found in the best hotel and resort suites.

What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call

This is one of the biggest problems in business today. You have some work done on your home in good faith that the contractor knows what he is doing. When all is said and done you have a problem that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. I really don't care how long it has been since the work was done. If you have a problem the least that your contractor can do is answer the telephone.

Some companies go out of business and others get to busy to respond to your problem. You will hear the old excuse "That's not my problem" or the ever popular " I didn't do that". I have been in business for over twenty years and had very few problems. Of course I built things to last as long as possible.

Keep in mind that some contractors are a one man operation and they might be on vacation. Some contractors do not answer their phones over the week ends or after business hours. So don't sink the ship to fast.

Do not call the Contractors Licensing Board or the Better Business Bureau unless it has been at least a few working days. I would give it at least a week or so. Oh yeah don't assume that the contractor got your message. Call a few times at the least.

It has always made me mad when I have to fix someone else's problems. I get the call when the other contractors won't respond. I listen to the home owner with regret for being in a business where I am considered a crook. This is one of the reasons why contractors in my business get out of it.

If you have the contractors address and they aren't responding by phone you can always send them a letter by certified mail. Request a return receipt. That's your proof that the company received your letter. Keep a copy for your files.

The good news for a home owner when a contractor will not respond to your calling them is the Department of Consumer Affairs. Most states have a complaint department of some sort that will listen to your complaints. Does this mean it will get resolved? NO there are no guarantees here.

If your state has a licensing board for contractors, this will be your next step.

This will get your contractors attention and there is a great chance they will respond now. If there are enough complaints against the contractor and they do nothing about them the contractors board will take their license away.

If your contractor does not respond after all of this. There is very little you can do about it. Hire someone to fix the problem and look at it as a very important lesson learned.

If your state doesn't have a contractors licensing board contact the Better Business Bureau or your local government for their recommendation. Ask some of your friends if they have had any problems like this and how they handled them.

For some more tips about hiring contractors go to
http://gregvan.com/library/homeowner_checklists.htm

Greg Vandenberge has been in the home building and remodeling business for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information.

His website http://gregvan.com provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building issues that could create major damage as well as possible damage to your pocket book.

Remodeling a Laundry Room - An Easy Five Step Plan

Remodeling a laundry room is fairly easy. This room is often the most overlooked room in the house but in a few simple steps, you can turn it into a functional, organized masterpiece you will be proud to show off.

Here are the five steps to an easy Laundry Room Remodel:

1. Flooring - If you are doing a full remodeling project, you might as well start from the floor up! Tile or vinyl are the best options although laminate or wood floors can be used as well.

2. Cabinets - If you don't already have cabinets in your laundry room, you may want to consider adding them if you have room. Not only will they add storage to your home, but they should increase your home's value.

3. Walls and Dcor - Cute laundry themed art work, whimsical sayings stenciled on the walls, vintage prints, black and whites of your favorite family photographs...just about anything works well as laundry room dcor!

As for paint colors, for smaller rooms you may want to go with soft, light, or neutral colors. Darker colors can make an already small room seem smaller. If you have a large laundry room that is well lit, you could go with a bolder color if you want.

4. Storage/Organization - Make the most of your space and plan your laundry room for optimal storage and organization. If you don't have room for cabinets, at least install a shelf over the washing machine and dryer. A slide out cart that fits between the two appliances is another way to squeeze every bit of available storage space out of the room.

5. Finishing Touches - Window treatments and a nice laundry room rug will help to put the finishing touches on the room.

Remember to look at the overall picture when remodeling your laundry room. All the items you choose for the room should compliment each other.

Visit Laundry-Room-Decor.com for more ideas and tips for remodeling a laundry room including information about great laundry room organizers, cabinets, flooring, dcor ideas, and much more!

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.

Hiring a Contractor For Bathroom Remodeling - Remodeling Contractors

Well here's the age old question, how do we go about finding a decent bathroom remodeling contractor.

Here's some things you will be looking for in a contractor.

1. Is Your Contractor Fair and Honest?

2. Does Your Contractor Have Experience Remodeling and Designing Bathrooms?

3. Can You Actually Find a Contractor Who Will Complete the Job in a Timely Manner?

4. Do You Think the Workers Will Be Able to Clean the Job up Daily?

5. Will the Contractor Show up on Time?

6. Is the Contractor Going to Work At Least Eight Hours a Day?

7. Does the Contractor's Crew Have Experience?

8. Is Your Contractor and His Crew Courteous?

If you find a contractor for your bathroom remodeling project that has answered yes to all questions above, hire that person immediately. Most contractors can sincerely answer yes to half of the questions above. If you're looking for the ultimate bathroom remodeling contractor, you could be searching for quite a while, you're looking for some one that is competent and you feel comfortable with.

When hiring a contractor, look for someone who has your interest in mind first and not theirs. Find someone who is willing to help with the designed process of your bathroom and the remodeling. If you find a contractor to be arrogant or controlling, there is a good chance, your bathroom might not turn out the way you envision it.

When hiring a contractor for your bathroom remodeling project or any home improvement project, the most important thing to keep in mind is, whether or not you feel comfortable with this person or not. Never hire a contractor you're not comfortable with.

If a contractor is referred to you by someone you trust, this does not guarantee you will be happy with the bathroom remodel. Most referrals that I have gotten over the years are like rolling the dice, I believe I would have done just as good picking a name out of a hat.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

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

Lighting Up Your Bathroom Mirror

When you are in a bathroom, you would want to feel comfortable with it. Thus, you should make sure that the design of this room is according to the kind that you want. There are many things that you can put in your bathroom so that it will look more inviting. Of course you should not forget to keep it clean and keep organized but you should also remember that you can make the aura of your bathroom better through adding different fixtures in it. It would also help if you have a theme followed or a color coordination so that your bathroom will look more organized and unified.

One of the things that you can put is a bathroom mirror. You should know that there are many kinds of mirrors that you can use and there are more kinds available in the market. Thus, you can easily look for the kind that you would need. If you have a theme followed in your bathroom, then you can make your choice of bathroom mirror suitable for the theme. Also, there are different sizes and shapes available, so no matter how big or small your bathroom is you can make choose the kind of mirror that would suit the space. Added to this, a bathroom would not be complete if you do not put a mirror.

The bathroom mirrors that you should buy will not only be used for decorative purposes. However, there are many kinds of mirrors that can play that part well because of their designs. The mirrors are also useful and it can reflect you and help you check your look.

However, you should remember that even if the bathroom mirror can be a big help, you can always augment its look through decorating it properly or by making sure that you put proper lighting in your bathroom. You should also check the position of the mirror relative to the height of the people who are going to use it and also based from the area where the lighting would be located. You should remember that light is important if you want to have properly reflected images in the mirror so you should be very careful in choosing the lighting material that you will use.

You should check the positioning of the materials like the bulbs and the mirror so that you will be able to get the proper lighting. The mirror is not only used as an accessory in the bathroom so you should make sure that it is properly used. This can be done if you are able to get rid of the unnecessary shadows reflected in your bathroom mirror With this importance, you should allot enough time searching for the kind of mirror that you will use and the lighting that would come with it.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson writes for Jump2top.com - SEO Company

How Hot is Your Kitchen

The kitchen is a feisty place, a place of sizzling, burning, searing, and grilling, with the whistle of steam and the crackle of oil all combining to create a symphony that's so good you can taste it.

But how hot is your kitchen in actuality? I'm not talking about temperature I am referring to excitement, to inspiration, to passion. Are the walls coated in bare and lonely wall paper, screaming for an accent? Or do they have style, and character, born from a thousand tiny details each expressing the inner you?

The energy in your kitchen may come from the cook, but the cook's energy has to come from inspiration. A kitchen devoid of character will not ignite new ideas, and it won't excite the imagination.

On the other hand however, it is quite possible to get too hot. You don't want to be sweating in the salsa. Over stimulation can lead to mistakes, and mistakes usually taste terrible.

So the kitchen ends up being a compromise. You balance hot against cold, energy against calculation, to form the perfect space for creation. And you judge this balance with the best scale available, your own body.

Everyone has an internal temperature, and a psychological temperament. Some people are always excited, always energetic, while others are calmer, and more calculating.

When you are the cook, it is your job to mold the kitchen to suit the emotional needs of your personality. This can be done by balancing your own heat, and energy, against the stimulus in the room. In this way you can invigorate your calm serenity with some exciting colors, or cool off a fiery temperament with some soothing art pieces.

Conclusion: How hot do you want your kitchen to be? Cool as a cucumber or hot as a tamale? The answer is simple, balance the space against your own personal flame.

Looking to add a unique flavor to your kitchen or bar ware set? Each and every stone beverage coaster offered by PebbleArt is made one of a kind by the natural properties which occur within its surface. These features give each piece its own distinct personality and character.

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.

Take Pictures of Your Growing Foundation Damage Or Cracks

I champion people and try to get them to look at their house, at least once a year. One of the easiest ways to inspect your home is to use a home inspection checklist and if you really want a good home inspection checklist, there's a good chance that you are going to need to purchase one. You get what you pay for and don't ever forget that.

Foundation repairs usually start with a small crack and that's no joke. If you notice a crack, take a picture of it and save it somewhere. If you think, that the crack is actually getting a little bigger or starting to separate, you can simply take another picture and compare the two photos.

I would like to give you an example of what I'm talking about. Sometimes we look at something and we think that it's getting larger, but we don't have anything to compare it to. As time goes on, we think that the crack is still getting larger, but our mind is creating an optical illusion. This happens to a lot of people.

If you had a picture, from a few years ago, you could refresh your memory and this could be very helpful in reducing your anxiety or jumping to conclusions about foundation damage. Trust me, sometimes, I'm like a medical emergency crew, going to visit a homeowner to relieve their foundations stress. People panic over foundation cracks and I'm the doctor they call for any one of their home emergencies.

I would also advise you to take pictures of the rest of your home. How hard would it be to take about 300 pictures of your home each year and store them on your computer or on a disk, for easy access later? A picture is worth a thousand words and don't ever forget that.

Click Here for Some More Great Foundation Repair Solutions.

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.

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

Do I Need a Home Inspection? - Real Estate Advice

Most home inspections today run between $300 to over $1000 and sometimes you don't really get your moneys worth. There are home inspection companies that guarantee, any problems that they miss will be repaired at their expense over a desired period of time, usually a year. It seems like, most home inspection companies are just inspecting the property and have no guarantees or liability from their inspection.

It's not a good idea to buy or sell a home without getting a home inspection from a licensed home inspector. This is like having a second opinion from someone who is usually skilled in the process. I would like to point something out to unsuspecting, potential home buyers and sellers. Sometimes a home inspection company will get a little behind in their work and need to hire other home inspectors if these home inspectors don't have any experience in the construction business or have never inspected a home before. In other words there fresh out of home inspector school. You might not get a good home inspection.

You can always ask the question, how long have you been in business?... How long have you been a home inspector?... have you ever worked in the construction business or have any skills in home building and remodeling. If the answers to these questions are satisfactory, it doesn't mean, that they're telling the truth and being sincere and could lead to problems later if they are lying to you.

Let me rephrase the question now, "Do I Need a Home Inspection" from an unqualified home inspector? Absolutely not. But how can you really tell the difference and is the report going to be worth the money that you paid for it.

What would you say, if I had the solution to your problem. How about a pre-home inspection, using a home buyers checklist? What if I could give you a check list with questions, that you could ask your home inspector? Some of these questions are not going to be part a regular inspection but should always be asked and make sure you get the answers to them, before purchasing the property.

Would you be interested now? What if I told you, for under $20, you could purchase a home buyers checklist, now for the tough question, this checklist could save you thousands of dollars and prevent you from purchasing a home with major construction problems or defects, and can be used on every house you look at.

Don't buy a home without purchasing a professional home inspection checklist. These lists of questions can save you some serious headaches and stress in the future.

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.

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

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

Subfloor Damage From Poor Bathtub Installation - Read Bath Tub Fixture Manuals

You should never under estimate the amount of damage that water can do to your wood subfloor. Especially if this wood is underneath your bathtub. If the bathtub is not installed properly, you could find yourself replacing the wood underneath, within a short period of time. This repair is not uncommon and as more homeowners and handyman seemed to be doing projects like these, without the proper experience, it's becoming even more common.

I wish I had a solution to the problem, however, I don't. The best advice I could give anyone who is going to be involved in any home remodeling project, would be to get some books on what ever task you are about to undertake and read all of the information that you possibly can about the products you are going to be installing. This is extremely helpful for anyone who has never installed a bathtub or any bathtub fixtures.

If the product fails and was installed properly, the manufacturer should be responsible for the water damage. I have been reading the manufacturer's installation manuals for quite some time now and every once in a while, I find something that is of great value to me and I get to pass it on to my readers. That's what I'm doing right now.

Whether you want to remodel your bathroom to save money or you want to accomplish a task that you haven't done yet. I would recommend, taking the time to understand, exactly how the water flows off of and on to another section of the bath tub or shower on its way to the drain. Understanding the basics of bathroom remodeling can save you big money in the future.

Save yourself some money and make sure that you install your bathtubs properly. Taking a little time before you start to read the bath tub fixture manuals, can save you some money and grief in the future.

Find More Facts On Home Water Damage.

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.

Check out These Amazing Home Damage Videos.

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

What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call

This is one of the biggest problems in business today. You have some work done on your home in good faith that the contractor knows what he is doing. When all is said and done you have a problem that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. I really don't care how long it has been since the work was done. If you have a problem the least that your contractor can do is answer the telephone.

Some companies go out of business and others get to busy to respond to your problem. You will hear the old excuse "That's not my problem" or the ever popular " I didn't do that". I have been in business for over twenty years and had very few problems. Of course I built things to last as long as possible.

Keep in mind that some contractors are a one man operation and they might be on vacation. Some contractors do not answer their phones over the week ends or after business hours. So don't sink the ship to fast.

Do not call the Contractors Licensing Board or the Better Business Bureau unless it has been at least a few working days. I would give it at least a week or so. Oh yeah don't assume that the contractor got your message. Call a few times at the least.

It has always made me mad when I have to fix someone else's problems. I get the call when the other contractors won't respond. I listen to the home owner with regret for being in a business where I am considered a crook. This is one of the reasons why contractors in my business get out of it.

If you have the contractors address and they aren't responding by phone you can always send them a letter by certified mail. Request a return receipt. That's your proof that the company received your letter. Keep a copy for your files.

The good news for a home owner when a contractor will not respond to your calling them is the Department of Consumer Affairs. Most states have a complaint department of some sort that will listen to your complaints. Does this mean it will get resolved? NO there are no guarantees here.

If your state has a licensing board for contractors, this will be your next step.

This will get your contractors attention and there is a great chance they will respond now. If there are enough complaints against the contractor and they do nothing about them the contractors board will take their license away.

If your contractor does not respond after all of this. There is very little you can do about it. Hire someone to fix the problem and look at it as a very important lesson learned.

If your state doesn't have a contractors licensing board contact the Better Business Bureau or your local government for their recommendation. Ask some of your friends if they have had any problems like this and how they handled them.

For some more tips about hiring contractors go to
http://gregvan.com/library/homeowner_checklists.htm

Greg Vandenberge has been in the home building and remodeling business for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information.

His website http://gregvan.com provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building issues that could create major damage as well as possible damage to your pocket book.

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

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

Bring Focus To Your Stained Glass

Patinas are used to color or darken solder lines. The most common patina colors are black and copper. Using patinas brings the focus on the glass and the design of your stained glass piece. This makes the glass colors, textures and designs of the stained glass piece the main focus.

Before you apply patinas, be sure all flux residues is removed. This can be done using a commercial flux remover or washing the stained glass piece with dish soap and baking soda.

Steps for Applying Patinas

Use a brush, rag or cotton ball to dab patina on to the zinc frame. Do not use a brushing action, as this can leave streaking or patchy coverage.

Next, apply patina to solder lines. Be sure all edges of solder lines have been covered.

Then, turn project over and repeat the process on that side.

Lastly, thoroughly rinse the patina off the stained glass piece. After it is completely dry, a minimum of 24hours, finishing compound can be applied.

Tips and techniques for Applying Patinas

Safety - Always wear rubber gloves when applying patina.

If patina appears spotty, use super fine steel wool to clean the area, and then re-apply the patina.

To avoid oxidation, clean and apply patina immediately after project is soldered.

While patina will mask some inconsistencies in you solder lines, others will still be noticeable and take away from the professional look of your piece. With patience, practice and the correct tools and supplies, you can have professional solder lines.

Most patinas come in an 8 oz bottle. Avoid contaminating the liquid in the bottle by never re-dipping your applicator back into the bottle. Pour out a lid full and use this as your re-dip point.

You may experience different end results with the use of different brands of patinas. One common brand and easily found on store shelves and on line is Novacan. It is available in different formulas for different metals i.e. lead vs. zinc. As you experiment with different brands, you will notice that the more expensive ones do seem to shine more. Sometimes simple wax and compound can help this situation too.

Usually, if need be, patinas can be removed by using steel wool and some elbow grease. So don't fret if you think the application has made your art work look bad or if you just don't like the shiny lines dark.

I was not a fan of most patinas; however, I now know that by using this product, you do experience brilliant colorful glass. All attention is quickly turned from solder lines to the subject of your glass creation - the glass.

Another note of concern applies to patinas as well as other chemicals used in stained glass production. That is evaporation. Be sure and keep the lids tightly screwed on your bottles of supplies as some do seem to disappear into thin air. This will also avoid waste if tipped over accidentally.

I started out as a stained glass admirer. After a class in stained glass, I became addicted. At first I made stained glass to decorate my homes, which lead to friends asking me to make stained glass for them. Now I am a full time professional making stained glass as well as instructing others on how to make stained glass. My studio is located outside of Chicago, Illinois. For more information on making stained glass go to http://www.creativity-in-glass.com

What Causes Attic Odors And Stra

Using Home Safes For Added Family Security

Protecting your valuables with a home safe provides you with the security in knowing that its there to protect your irreplaceable items from theft or destruction. It gives you that piece of mind knowing that your money, important documents, firearms, jewelry, and family heirlooms will be safe even through fire or water damage.

It also protects the wandering inquisitive child, babysitter, housekeeper, etc, from stumbling upon items that you would rather they not see.

But you just don't go to any discount store to get your safe, then bring it home and plop it in your closet. There are some things to think about first, a bit of thought and planning.

What type of protection are you looking for? A home safe should protect your items from fire, water damage and theft. You can find safes that protect from any one, combination, or all. (You may still want to place some of your valuables in plastic bags just in case of water damage.)

What style are you looking for? A home safe can be anything from a small chest, file, wall or floor mount safe to a home or business safe or file cabinet. You will want to install it away from the master bedroom or closet - this is the first place a thief would look.

What size are you looking for? What are you trying to protect? Your home safe should be big enough to fit things like important documents (birth certificates, passports, social security cards, credit cards, wills, tax returns, business papers, insurance documents, photos, etc); digital media (CDs, DVDs, memory sticks, GPS systems, MP3 players, cell phones, etc), and valuables (family heirlooms, jewelry, cash, video/camera equipment, collectibles, etc).

The safe needs to be anchored in some way, so be sure you will be able to bolt the safe to the floor, permanent shelving or set it in concrete. After all, you don't want to make it handy for the theft to just pick up and walk away with everything all in one spot! It should have a tool resistant outer shell as well as a minimum of one-hour fire rating; most safes have a 20-minute fire protection. The lock should be U.L. approved.

Use your safe everyday so it becomes routine. Protect the safe code and change it occasionally. There are also models available that open using your fingerprint (very cool!).

To get more valuable free personal and family safety tips, go to http://MyFamilySafetyInfo.com/ Please also visit http://GuscleBerry.com/ for a variety of home, yard and garden decor and gifts, all at affordable prices along with bulk purchase discounts.

Toilet Paper Under The Bathroom

Bamboo Flooring - One of the Better Going Green Choices

Bamboo flooring is becoming one of the popular choices in hard flooring surfaces today. This is even more true for those homeowners who wish to use "green products" that are easily renewable.

An oak. maple, or pine tree needs to be cut down to get the benefit of lumber products. Another new tree needs to be replanted in it's place, taking many years to reach maturity.

Bamboo, on the other hand, will replenish itself and usually grows to stage that it may be harvested in about three years.

Bamboo flooring-What Does It Offer In Appearance?

When selecting bamboo flooring, the choices in appearance are many. Surprisingly, this product takes on the look of traditional wood flooring and can be found in many finishes.

There are shades as light as a pale bleached look. You will find all of the standard tones as well in light tones, medium tones with reddish overtones, dark tones like walnut, and even an almost black. The choices in appearance are many.

Bamboo, like other hard surface flooring will be beneficial to any in your household who suffer allergies. It will be easier to clean and maintain and keep your household environment more allergen free.

Shopping For Bamboo Flooring

When shopping for bamboo flooring, and especially if you are going to install it yourself, do be sure it is accompanied by manufacturer instructions for the installation process. Do not rely on a sales person. Read and follow the manufacturer instructions and recommendations to the letter. The manufacturer will recommend whatever products, tools, or methods are best used in the installation process to reach the most desirable outcome.

Most bamboo flooring, unlike standard laminates is either installed with glue or fasteners. Use the installation recommended, be sure underlayment is clean and flat, and acclimatize the product properly before beginning installation.

It is advisable to purchase bamboo in either the mid or upper price range. This is true of most flooring products in order to get a better quality that will provide the most in durability and performance.

With proper selection and installation you can enjoy the beauty of your bamboo floor for years and feel that you have made a step toward going green and still get the benefit of a beautiful wood look floor.

Find information on other flooring choices as well as a variety of bathroom remodeling tips and advice at=> http://www.bathroom-remodeling-hints.com

Problems With Black Mold

Kitchen Appliances - Appliances For Making Life Wonderful

The world is changing rapidly with technology. Life is very fast and people have no time for any extra work. We spend our precious time at home. Home is a very special place and kitchen makes home perfect. In present life it is very tough to survive without the useful electronic kitchen appliances. These household appliances provide the helping hand and the appliances have minimized the span of time drastically. These appliances are making life wonderful.

The kitchen appliances are available in many forms as a helping hand. These devices help the person in the kitchen fantastically so that more work can be done within a short span of time. The devices are available in the form of refrigerator,Toast maker, Dishwasher, microwave oven, sandwich maker, juice extractor and mixer etc. These advanced device are used in cooking, baking, grilling and washing the dishes. The modern day commodities meant for kitchen, increases the efficiency in the kitchen. There are certain factors that play a key role at the time of purchasing these electronic devices, like applications, durability, multi-functionality, fashion, stylish devices, quality and performance.

These appliances can change the functioning style of market structure as well as the market players. Technological innovations are taking place on daily basis. Every day, new technology with advanced features are changing the model of the kitchen appliances. Some big players in this regard have entered into the market, like samsung, Phillips, Electrlux, Jaipan, videocon and many more. We know that these electronic device reduces the unnecessary timing in kitchen. Dishwasher is a modern day device that is helpful in cleaning the dishes. It eats all dirt from utensils. This saves the time and protects people from skin and other diseases. Microwave oven is used in cooking and heating foods so that it may look like fresh food. Other useable appliances are also available such as Blender, coffee maker etc. Coffee makers are helpful in brewing the coffee without boiling the water in a separate pot. Many portable blenders are available in the market from the different brand home.

In the morning, every body looks quite in a hurry because of the office schedule. So, people needs quick ready-made breakfast. Everyone needs healthy and hygienic diets. For this purpose toastmaker, tea-maker, juice maker are available. One can get his favorite breakfast with the aid of these appliances. Toast maker is used for making toasts, whereas juice extractor makes juice by liquidising, whipping and grinding both dry and wet fruits with much comfort. Tea-maker is helpful in preparing the tea in a few seconds.

In this fast moving life, Kitchen appliances are playing a very good role in saving the precious and most valuable time. These electronic instruments play a very good job with much comfort and specialty. The information about all these devices is available with more viable features.

Alden Jerry is an author of Xpert4u a Price comparison site that provides the relevant information on various Games, electronics and mobile phones products. Cheap Electronics

What Kind Of Wood Rot

Home Handyman - House Remodeling Ideas

Home handymen are professionals who do varied kinds of jobs in domestic households related to electrical installations, plumbing, house renovation, house cleaning, and small construction works. Many home handymen are self-employed and are paid on an hourly basis whereas others work for a contractor or organization that pays fixed monthly salaries.

Home handyman provide assistance in carrying out small to medium level household repair and maintenance jobs such as remodeling the kitchen or bathroom, finishing the attic or basement, installing drywall or ceramic tile, hanging shelves, and building a deck or fence. These jobs are too small for hiring a full time contractor and are normally completed with the assistance of a handyman.

Home handyman use different types of tools and equipment for carrying out their activities. These tools may include insulated tools for carrying out electrical works that can withstand voltage in the range of 1000 volts to 1500 volts. Other tools may include pliers, screwdrivers, knives, scissors, bolt cutters, cable cutters, and hammers. Bags that carry these accessories are made from a combination of cotton cloth, leather, and other strong material to make it long lasting.

People wanting to avail of the services of home handymen can either contact a handyman contractor or find an experienced self-employed handyman who can perform the required job. Contractors usually charge a fixed rate whereas self-employed handyman quote their own hourly rates after assessing the type of work and the labor involved. It is better to hire self-employed handyman as their payment terms can be negotiated.

It is important to assess the work skills and experience of handymen before hiring them. An unskilled handyman can ruin the proposed construction or maintenance work and adversely affect the budget of the homeowner. People can take help from friends and associates in hiring a handyman who has all the required skills and experience for completing the required job.

Handyman provides detailed information on Handyman, Handyman Services, Starting A Handyman Business, Handyman Tips and more. Handyman is affiliated with Home Remodeling.

Fixings Squeaking Stairs

Remodel Instead of Selling Your Home - Home Tips

Why sell your home when you can remodel and create the home of your dreams

After living in your home for a long time, you may end up getting bored looking at the fixtures and decor of your home. The options you have for a change are to either sell the house and buy a new one, or a better option which is to remodel and create your dream home.

Buying a new home does not always prove to be a practical choice as you may have to shift the kids' school, spend more time commuting to your workplace, need more time getting accustomed to the stores and markets near you and of course, get your old home sold for the right price.

Keep your budget in mind

When remodeling your home, you will first have to keep your budget into consideration, if you have any additions or requirements to be added to your home and any particular style that you intend to implement in the house. The rooms that need most attention when remodeling are bathrooms and kitchens as these are the most used rooms, and have new accessories coming up that will make your rooms look much better than they were before.

Like if you lack a room for your kids or a guest room, consider adding this by perhaps adding an extra room to your home. You could consider transforming a basement to a game room or your garage into an apartment to give that extra space to your family.

If you like outdoor entertaining, you could consider adding a patio or deck to facilitate this. And if you are suddenly involved in becoming environmentally conscious, you could consider using environmentally friendly products in the remodeling of your home.

You get better rates by meeting neighborhood standards

Instead of just renovating and remodeling your home to your ideas and budget, with some research, you will be able to find out what changes will bring the best rate to your home in the future.

If you find out that your home is the only home that has only one bathroom, you could consider adding a bathroom to your home when remodeling. This is because if you can meet the neighborhood standard, you will be able to get a better rate for your home when selling it.

If you plan any additions to your home, make sure it is in proportion to the house. It should be an accent to the house, and not end up as a focal point. Your remodeling should always work to your benefit as it is not always that home buyers will like the house the way you have remodeled it.

Remodeling your home gets a better resale price

Remember that though you may be selling it in the future, you have to remodel it so that you are all comfortable in it till you sell it. It is not necessary to spend a fortune on remodeling; you can make quite an impact with a restricted budget.

Not only do you get a new home by remodeling your home, you also get extra years of pleasure, which may in turn increase the value of the home. This will fetch you a better price, if you intend to sell the house in the future.

James Tyler is the owner of Ace Builders, a residential remodeling company serving the Raleigh, North Carolina area. Tyler writes about issues relating to all types of remodeling and home improvement projects.

For more information, tips and advice visit http://www.acebuilders.net

Resolving Home Remodeling Anxiet

Residential Elevators Equipped With Safety Features

Life has become much more convenient to a number of customers in the United States because of the availability of residential elevators equipped with safety features. These accessibility systems offer convenient access to all levels of your home.

Exceptional Safety Features

Residential elevators are equipped with open platforms or fully enclosed cabins with safety gates. To avoid opening in between the floors, the doors and gates have a safety interlink. The area of the platforms and height of the cab are the two factors that limit its size. Most of the home elevators come with safety features such as:

Under-platform sensors
Backup power facility
A manual system in case of a power outage or mechanical malfunction
Handrails on platforms
An emergency telephone or communication system
Emergency stop buttons
Emergency lighting
Locked power cabinets
Alarms
Automatic controls

For a Comfortable Floor-to-Floor Transportation

Owing to the advanced safety features, the residential elevators are ideal and safe solutions for the users. These provide a quiet, comfortable and safe ride from floor to floor. Besides this, you can transport heavy items such as groceries, laundries or anything else between the floors. Besides adding convenience to your lifestyle, you can increase the value of your home. The elevators with the ability to climb steep angles and round corners make you free from various mobility barriers at your residence. Depending on the structure, the maximum traveling and load carrying capacity may vary.

Wide Range of Elevator Models

A variety of residential elevator models with standard and optional features are available in the market to suit your budget, taste and needs. From the roped hydraulic, electric winding drum and vacuum elevators, you can avail of the best quality models ranging from standard to custom designs. Most of the sleek and compactly designed elevators are perfect to fit in your spacious multistory or two-floor buildings.

Residential elevators equipped with excellent safety features are less complex and less expensive than commercial ones.

DAY Elevator & Lift offers high quality residential elevators with all safety features. We are a premier provider of residential accessibility solutions in the Tri-State area offering a wide selection of products and services, including stairlifts, wheelchairs lifts, and home modifications.

Lowest Construction Bids

A "What to Do" Guide in Case of Insect Bites

We humans are not the only ones who love to spend our summertime in nature - Insects like it also. So in order to have a great time in nature on a beautiful summer day, we need to be very careful, because we can be easily bitten or stung by various insects.

If you are bitten by insects you will know in very short time because of the immediate effects that can occur on your body, such as pain, itching, scratching, swelling or a local redness. They can be the most annoying symptoms that can disturb your peace and quiet. All these symptoms are caused by the actual venom or a toxic chemical substance produced by the insect's body. The venom or the toxin will attack your body, by producing allergic reactions immediately after it is injected in your body.

The reactions that you will have are based generally upon how sensitive you are to the insect bites and to the venom or toxin. The general reaction to insect bites are mild - like local stinging or itching sensations, and a little bit of swelling that usually disappears in a couple of days. Sometimes, these are not the singular reactions, and if you are a sensitive or an allergic person you can have reactions such as swollen glands, painful joints and hives or even high fever. If you encounter these kinds of symptoms you must immediately contact a dermatologist or your family doctor in the shortest time possible, or if your medical situation aggravates you must call 911.

The most severe reactions to the insect's bites venom or toxin are called anaphylaxis reactions. These reactions are similar to the allergic ones, and appear only on the most sensitive humans. The actual symptoms vary from toxic shock and swelling faces to even breathing difficulties and lung collapse. Also it is very important to know that these symptoms are caused by only a few dangerous animals and spiders such as venomous or toxic spiders, bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets.

First Aid in case of Insect Bites and Stings

If you are in an open space (outside your house) such as in the woods or lawns, it will be very wise to go inside, because in the wilderness you are highly exposed to other bites and stings from the other insects.

A straight razor, a knife or even a plastic credit card can become handy if you get an insect sting. You will use this so called "tools" in order to gently scrape off the stinger. Do not try to pull the stinger, because it can most certainly have some venom or toxin to eject. Be careful.

If you are concerned about the local inflammation, you can surely use some ice packs.

If you have a tick, you must gently remove the painful and dangerous tick with a pair of tweezers. Applying adhesive tape on the tick can also do the trick. If the wound remains in your skin a long period of time, you must seek specialized medical attention.

If the wound is very itchy, fell free to use some prescribed over the counter medication. Medicines such as Benadryl, Tylenol Severe Allergy or even Chlorpheniramine Maleate will most certainly do the job.

In case of severe skin irritation you can use a hydrocortisone-based topical ointment cream or lotion, such as the Calamine Lotion, and you will probably have a healthy skin after that.

Call 911 for an ambulance if you experience the following symptoms: hives, dizziness, fainting, breathing problems or even muscle and joint pains, chills, cramps or coma. It the meantime you can take some proper medication, advised by specialized doctors. Take with you the medication you have used, in order for the specialized medics to know what was done so far.

Try to loosen the injured person's clothes if they are wearing any tight ones. It is advised not to give to the injured person any liquids to drink. In case of any respiratory problems, use CPR.

Discover More First Aid And Insect Bites Treatment to relief yourself from it. More information about First Aid here will definitely help you.

Pocket Door Problems

The Benefits of Swim Spas

We all know the benefits of owning a swimming pool. However, sometimes the costs and space considerations are simply too much. What you may not know is that there is an alternative without the price tag or space required.

Swim spas have most of the benefits of a swimming pool but can be installed into a smaller space and are much cheaper. You can think of a swim spa as being similar to hot tubs in that they are small, self contained tubs. They can placed inside the home or outside in the backyard on a deck, patio or flat piece of ground. The idea is that you swim in the tub and the current produced by the swim spa pushes against you in much the same way as a treadmill. The current is produced by six powerful jets.

One of the main advantages of a swim spa is the easy installation process. Unlike a swimming pool, there is no requirement to excavate your backyard. You can put the pieces of the swim spa together with bolts. Generally it is a good idea to have a plumber install the plumbing - even though it is possible to do it yourself. Once the installation is complete, many people either install a small deck around the spa or landscape with paving or plants.

By using a swim spa regularly you will get fit and toned by swimming. The powerful current can also help you relax due to its massaging effects. It is also possible to choose the temperature of the water so that you can have a nice cooling or warming swim.

Maintaining a swim spa is simple and much easier than a swimming pool. You will still need to check the water and add chemicals as required but the filtration system and ozone generator will aid you tremendously in this regard.

The Spa Cover Guide can help you buy a new swim spa for inside or outside your home.

Extreme Temperature Building

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.

Architects And Home Design

Getting Rid of Mice the Natural Way

In the world of home ownership, uninvited guests show up from time to time. Everything from In-laws to grown children, from spiders to mice always seem to appear as if out of nowhere, bags of luggage and a used one way ticket in hand. Though there may be no repellent for some of these guests, mice can usually be controlled.

However, controlling mice is easier said than done. Simply asking them to leave falls on deaf (albeit large) ears, setting traps provides them with something to outsmart (and is too cruel for some people), using poison forces you to chance that your pet will find the deceased mouse, eat it, and unknowingly consume the poison as well, and, of course, laying out eviction notices only results in the echo of quiet, yet condescending, mouse laughter. For all these reasons, the plan to rid mice from your home needs some tweaking, tweaking you just might find in a natural home remedy.

Use Odors: Mice, like all creatures, find certain odors repelling. Ammonia and mothballs, for instance, both produce a scent that mice want to stay away from. The flip side, however, is that ammonia and mothballs also produce a scent that people want to stay away from. Luckily, there are also nice smells that mice abhor: peppermint is one of these odors. Saturating cotton balls with peppermint extract or laying mint leaves near the areas where mice invade will help keep them from coming in. Some people also swear that the smell of onions, or even planting onions in a backyard garden, is enough to help keep mice away: their odor will make them peel out.

Get a cat: It is believed that cats were first domesticated to help rid homes of mice. A house with a cat, a mouses natural nemesis, is less likely to have a mice problem than one without a live version of Tom and Jerry. But, of course, this isnt always an option. Some people may be allergic to cats, others may just not like them. Some cats might find hunting mice beneath them (honestly, arent most things beneath them?). And some cats might even initiate the mouse problem by bringing live mice into your home. If this happens, take care of your cat problem by getting a dog.

Use Fox Urine: A predator to mice, the scent of a fox quickly deters mice from making themselves at home; if they believe a fox is on the premises, they will stay away. Luckily for you, you dont need the whole fox to make them believe this: you only need his urine. Simply spraying the mouse infested areas of your house - or the areas where they enter - with fox urine will give the mice cause to move out quickly or stay away altogether. Filled with convenience, it's sold in bottles as a mouse deterrent: you dont have to go around asking the local foxes for urine samples; lets face it, that kind of makes an awkward situation for everyone.

Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor for http://www.etodoors.com. Someone who changes her mind every five minutes, her house is in a perpetual state of home improvement.

Cutting Back the Costs of Utilities

At this time of year many homes are hit with high utility bills as people look to keep themselves warm and entertained. Increased use of electrical appliances as well as heating and hot water often accounts for a costly utility bill. On receiving such a bill many people then search for ways in which they can cut back and reduce the amount they are paying for utilities.

Before even looking at cutting back on the use of electrical appliances and heating there are several steps that a person can take to save on utility costs. Ensuring your home is weatherproof will allow your house to be naturally much warmer. By making sure your doorways all have adhesive stripping and any air holes around the home are covered up will stop warm air escaping and cold air entering your home! When switching appliances off ensuring appliances are switched off at the plug as opposed to leaving them on stand by (which still uses energy!) will also cut back the amount of electricity being used.

Another technique for reducing the costs of utilities is to look at the source of your energy. In recent years the price of natural gas has soared whilst electricity prices have remained stable. Converting any major appliances such as water heaters and furnaces to electricity from gas will help to reduce costs as you will be paying less for your energy per unit. Although this method will endure some initial costs in the long run conversion will save you a lot of money.

Key to making the biggest saving on utilities is to ensure you are with the cheapest provider. You must ensure that you compare gas providers and electricity providers to make a big saving. Comparing utilities providers will significantly reduce the cost of utilities and give you peace of mind!

Building Stairs With Recycled Concrete

What a great idea using your old side walk or driveway to build a nice stairway for your front or back yard. Using the old concrete instead of sending it to the landfill. Wow talk about earth friendly. Who would have thought that using recycled concrete would create a beautiful center piece in your landscaping plans.

That's enough about that lets get to the nuts and bolts of building the stairs. I came across the idea by visiting one of our favorite breakfast stops in Fallbrook. I had been walking down these stairs for quite a while when it dawned on me that the stairs where kind of jagged. When I took a closer look I couldn't figure it out, What kind of building materials did they use.

Then I realized it was recycled concrete in other words someone's old side walk. They even used the old concrete to make some nice planter boxes and retaining walls. The whole area really looks nice. The landscaping created natural look with a old world look to it.

How do I build the stairs using recycled concrete? Simply put first thing you need to do is get some recycled concrete. If you are going to be tearing up a old sidewalk, driveway or patio then you won't have to look far.

If not you can contact some local general or demolition contractors. They would love to have someone haul away their concrete. The reason for this is they have to pay around five hundred dollars for every ten tons hauled away from the jobs they are working on.

The more recycled concrete you need the easier it will be to get it. If you need a lot you will be able to contact a concrete recycling plant and get the phone number to a local contractor that hauls broken up concrete to their plants. These people can drop off a large load if you have a large area to drop it.

Remember that most contractors don't want to be bothered because they are busy working or planning on working. The easier you can make it on the contractor the more likely you will get what you want from them. They usually aren't interested in doing extra work just to make you happy. You can get a lot by being courteous from most people.

Now that you have the concrete you can start building. The concrete will be stacked on top of the other concrete to form the steps. Depending on how long of a stairway you are building you will have to level the dirt and stack the recycled concrete to make the stairs.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us now for more great Home Remodeling Tips