Panama Condos - Best Investment Plan to Gain High Returns

Panama is a beautiful city and is favorite destination of holiday makers. Nevertheless if you make an effort to book hotel rooms in Panama City probability are you won't get a single! Hence, new condo hotels are in development here, yet the ratio of demand is still higher. So, panama condos are a big investment option, since demand for hotel rooms in Panama is higher and growing, and the inventory at hand cannot keep up with the demand for rooms. In recent years, due to rush of tourists' panama property market becomes red hot. Panama condos have booming in the real estate market. First invest then get capital ventures of at least fifteen percentages annually or even higher investing in panama condo units. Ruben Blades - minister of tourism published a report stating that the city needs a lot of new construction to fulfill the tourist's demand which will in returns attracts and grows tourism in the country.

What are condo hotels?

Panama condos are just like usual hotels, however, each hotel room i.e. condo unit may belong to an individual proprietor, while in traditional hotels, there typically just one possessor of the whole building.

Condo unit owners commonly sign an agreement with a management company to "operate and manage" the hotel amenities and each of the individual condo units. This is done on a revenue share basis, with everywhere from half to three forth of the rental profits going to the individual unit owners. Furthermore, some panama condo management companies also pool the remaining yearly net working profits with a supplementary percentage being distributed at the end of the operating year to the holders. So if you plan to vacation in panama where you own a panama condo unit, which would be a further advantage.

Through conventional property investments, you are normally looking to swathe your maintenance and monthly mortgage costs if financed and hoping to produce a positive monthly cash flow and hope to make a profit from the amplified in value of the property over the time you own it. By means of panama condos, all of these problems are taken away from you. The proficient management company that is administrating the hotel takes care of all of these day-to-day issues, and you don't ever have to even think about it.

Lovepanamarealestate.com is the best way to buy, sell, and rent Condos in Panama. Lovepanamarealestate.com will help you to find and buy any kind of the Panama Real Estate and Panama Condos, such as: beach house, beach condo, commercial property, Panama city home and many more

Dirt Stains On White Stucco

Home Improvement Loans Can Offer Your Home a New Look

When you hear about people talking about home improvement loans, most likely they are in need of one of two things serious repairs or a home make over. While home repairs are always an important issue, home remodeling is a very popular thing these days. Everyone watches those home make over shows on television, and everyone gets interesting ideas from these shows. Unfortunately, this make over will cost money and without it you are not going to get very far in your project. Whether it is a small one room redoes or an entire home renovation, you are going to need the capital to see the job through.

Which Room First?

When you are considering home improvement loans you are going to need a plan, most obvious would be which room to make over first? It is said that by simply remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, you can easily add up to $10,000 on the listing price of your home. This is actually a great way to increase the value of the property, as well as make the changes that you want in your home. Starting with the kitchen, you could replace the countertops and appliances to give it an updated look. Making your kitchen modern and trendy, will only improve the overall look to the home. Be sure to include a new coat of paint to the budget that you are going to take to the lender when you apply for these loans.

What Should Be Step One?

When you are considering home improvement loans, the first thing you are going to do is decide on what is needed and what you want. From there you can formulate a plan and can start calling contractors to gain some incite on what this will cost. You should realistically call at least three different contracting firms with your plans, as this will help you get a good picture as to what the actually going rate is. This will also help you spot a deal in the making. Once you have consulted three contractors with the work you are planning, you can take these quotes to some lenders when you start to apply for loans. By having these quotes handy, you are actually making the lenders job relatively simple. When a lender has little to do in regards to your application, they will not have to waste any time with an answer.

Easy Loans To Shop For

One of the first things you will notice with home improvement loans is just how easy they really are to shop for. These loans can be found just about everywhere today, and when you shop for them over the Internet you are making very short work of your search. This is because lenders of this loan know that most families today have computers at home, and it is easy for them to find some time to browse the web looking for a loan. Many people shop this way, and lenders know that they can capitalize on this fact by placing their wares on the web for all to see.

Paul Rogers writes general finance and loan articles for the Loans UK Online website at http://www.loansukonline.co.uk

Rodent Damages To Your Home

Choose the Perfect Hardwood Floor for Your Home

Choosing which hardwood to put on your floor can be one of the biggest decisions that you will face when building or renovating your home. There are many different and often difficult decisions to make for your floor. Some of them include: What thickness to go with? Non-finished, Pre-finished, or Engineered wood? How wide of a plank to go with? What will look the best with the doors, paint, cabinets, tile/carpets? What grade to choose? A great place to start is with a story board or samples of color and textures surrounding the floor.

Some of the benefits of hardwood flooring through out the home includes durability, a large variety, easy to maintain, hypo-allergenic, environmentally friendly, natural, stylish and eye pleasing, and worth every penny! With our health conscience society, people realize that carpet is a health hazard to the allergenic individual. Carpets collect dust, mites, bugs, and many other unclean things that are not good for the body. Hardwood flooring is definitely the floor to install.

Market trends towards choosing which hardwood floor is a consistently evolving process. The consumers of hardwood floors in North America only used to buy unfinished hardwood, now they are buying pre-finished hardwood, and slowly moving into the engineered hardwood floors. Much of this trend shifting comes from the supply and demand curve. As the prices of the higher end products come down, the demand goes up. Most everyone enjoys having the newest and brightest thing on the market and when affordability is a factory people want to buy the products.

So what is next for the Hardwood flooring industy? They have already come out with a blended choice of any tree out on the market to make a floor out of. These include Bamboo hardwood flooring, Cork hardwood flooring, etc. The bottom line is choosing the best hardwood flooring for your home is a difficult decision and needs to be thought out carefully. Consult with a professional in colors and textures and perhaps it will be and easier decision.

Ryan Neumann has online information and buyers guide websites that help consumers make wiser choices when shoping online. This particular website can be visited at http://www.flooring-laminate-hardwood.com

Handrail Articles

Types of Scaffolding, Structures and Construction

Scaffolding is a a temporary framework Around or even inside a building to support construction and repair of buildings and structures. Scaffolding is one of the major requirements in any construction field. May it be large structures or smaller homes, Scaffolding is an essential part. In Britain and most of the European nations, Scaffolding is done with Pipes whereas in Asian countries Bamboo is used still.

Scaffolding consists of 3 main parts, Tubes, Couplers for joining the tubes and Boards, to create a supporting area for human access. Scaffoldings are seldom alone, they are always attached to the building with ties. Independent scaffoldings are seldom seen and are usually not as stable as the ones attached to a structure.

Rules are regulations vary in every part of the world when it comes to construction. In certain parts of the world there exists rules for building scaffolding and norms and standards are practiced strictly. Britain has a strict code of conduct too and all scaffoldings are expected to meet certain standards based on Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations. Scaffolds in the UK have to meet the standards according to the BS 5973 Regulations and strictly meet its requirements.

Tubes are made of Steel or Aluminum. Steel is usually galvanized. The aluminum Tubes render more durable as its light and Flexible. Boards are made of seasoned wood and should be 50 mm-63 mm to meet the standards.

Scaffolds come in various Sizes and shapes but some of the most common scaffolds include:

1. Independent or Bird Cage Scaffold: The Birdcage scaffold consists of 2 or more rows of vertical poles supported by horizontal Pieces of Pipes. This is a one level Scaffold. They are mostly used in work with the ceilings
2. Single Fold Scaffold: this is a single row of pipes supported against the structure. This is used for painting or plastering a wall.
3. Suspended or Swing Stage Scaffolds: This is the Window washer. A tall structure could use this kind of Scaffold which can be suspended , increased or decreased in heights.
4. Cantilever Scaffold: this scaffold is supported only on one end.

There are variations on each types of Scaffolds. Its important to decide the type of scaffold for each job as a life will depend on it.

It's also essential that anyone who will work on a scaffold over 12 feet take prior training and hold a competency certificate.

If you are looking for Scaffolding Birmingam/West midlands, check out our website. Also find details on Roofing Services in Midlands here.

Looking For a UPVC Windows Company?

It is essential for anyone thinking of replacing there windows to know which company will provide the best service. There are many quality UPVC specialists that can offer a professional service for persons looking for windows Cardiff, Newport and South Wales in general. However, it is still advised to research before you settle for a company for definite.

Many people are now choosing to have UPVC windows in their home because they are not only more resistant, they help reduce the loss of heat, easy to clean and long lasting. With doors available to match the windows to truly make your house look how you want it. Specialists in UPVC windows have the knowledge to be able to advise you on the type of windows and doors that would be best for your home. Knowing designs and colours that could suit your home, UPVC professionals are the best option to have to ensure you get what you pay for.

There are a wide variety of options open to anyone look to change to UPVC windows, but there are two distinct styles that are available form some UPVC specialists.

Ovolo - curved to the window frame edge

Chamfered - lines across the pane

These are two types of style and both give a different feel to a home but both as equally charming as each other. Choosing your windows is like choosing your dcor, you need the one which will reflect you and your home, but unlike the inside of your home, you windows will be admired by anyone that passes. Depending on what you have in mind, either of these will be suitable for any home and still give a classic, professional look from inside and out. However whatever the windows, a quality company will make sure this is the case.

Written by Jenny Pilley member of CReare Communications SEO specialists, on behalf of Peter Fennell of Windows Cardiff specialists

Prevent Black Mold

Black mold doesn't care if your house is nice and new, or musty and old. It doesn't care where you live or how sensitive your sinuses are. It wants into your house any way it can!

Black mold happens to everyone, and it's a big headache. It's especially a pain to clean. That's why prevention is the key to keeping your home mold free.

Humidity

This is the number one condition for mold to grow. It loves the wet parts of your house. Keeping your home dry is the best way to keep the mold out.

Mold thrives best at around 55% relative humidity. Anything over that and mold can have a heyday in your home. The most surefire way to prevent black mold growth is to reduce humidity.

-Check your watery trouble spots. Especially keep your eye on the bathroom and kitchen, and look for places where water runs.

-If you have any area of standing water or water damage, get rid of it immediately. Clean it well and let it dry.

-Keep everything dry. After you wash the dishes, make sure you towel everything down. Don't leave standing water on any of your kitchen counters or around your sink.

-When you see mold, clean it up immediately. Don't let it go, or it will encourage more mold to grow.

-Buy a dehumidifier. This will help dry the house out a little and that will reduce mold. You can buy one at most department stores, and it doesn't have to be anything fancy.

-If you live in a humid or warm climate, you will definitely have to deal with the mold. Take that into account and keep your house dry before the mold gets in.

Air

-Make sure there is plenty of air flow in your house. Fresh air will clear out the mold spores that might be around. Open windows and get plenty of ventilation.

-In the bathroom, always turn on the exhaust fan during and just after showering. This will clear away some of the water before it has a chance to settle.

-Keep down the dust in your house. Dust can carry mold spores, and both can be major irritants.

-Routinely check and clean your air ducts. Mold can grow around your heating and air conditioning ducts, and this is especially bad because it circulates mold all over the house.

Inspections

-If you are suffering from any chronic sinus problems that might be mold related, get your house tested and inspected. Inspectors can check mold samples to see if they are toxic. They can also check and see how much airborne mold there is in your house.

-Routinely check around your house in the hidden places where Dangerous Toxic Black Mold likes to grow. This includes your attic, crawlspaces, basement and air ducts.

It's not enough just to clean up mold when you see it. To stay mold free, you have to prevent black mold from growing. Don't give it a chance!

Learn more about Black Mold Species on our site. You'll also find other information such as Black Mold On Onions ToxicBlackMoldHelp.org is a comprehensive resource to help individuals to test and inspect, identify health symptoms and removal of toxic black mold.

How To Build A Carport That Lasts

When you have a precious asset like a car or boat that you need covered and protected from the harsh outdoor elements then it can be easy to buy a carport. You can get ready made ones installed by companies, or do it yourself carports, but you may find that the best carport will be one that you have built yourself.

Building your own carport can be a great hobby over a weekend and at the end you can look back with pride at what you have made. How to build a carport may be the first thing on your mind though. It does require some planning and structure, and you will want to make sure that it is strong and secure enough to withstand harsh weather conditions.

There are many websites that can show you how to build a carport and you can also speak to a local hardware store employee or builder. One of the best ways to get stared is to measure the area that you want to use for your carport.

Be sure to measure the height as well and the length as well as the width. If you have an area along the wall of your house, then you can just attach the carport cover to the wall and have free standing legs on the other, as poles on both sides might take up too much space. When you are finding out how to build a carport, people may suggest the next thing to do, would be to find a design of a carport that you like.

The design should be pleasing to the eye as well as being practice. There are plenty of websites where they have ready drawn plans that you can use. You can view just about any style that would match the style of your house, or be more modern and industrial looking.

With these drawn blueprints, how to build a carport just became a whole lot easier. These will show you exactly where you should start, the materials that you need and how the fittings and corners should be made. Once you have selected the carport that will be the best one for you, then you will have to make a list of all the materials and equipment that you need.

Go to the hardware store and if you are not sure what thickness of a certain item to buy or how heavy duty something should be, then just ask. Take your carport plan along with you so that the experts can help you pick out the best items for the job.

If you need to know how to build a carport at any time, then you can also find help on some internet forums for experts or handy people that love to build. Once you have all of your tools and items that you will need, first begin with what you have been told to on the plan.

The plan may be as simple as metal sheets over some poles, but remember that this has to last, so before you put any pieces together you will need to coat the metal cover or poles. Then you can start putting the cover together, attaching the poles and there you have it, your own carport.

Want to learn more about how to build a carport that lasts? Check out: How To Build A Carport

Wood Beams House Repair Tips

If you live in a moist climate in the winter and a dry climate in the summer and you have exterior wood beams exposed to these elements. You could develop wood beam problems over time. If wood beams are properly maintained and painted often they could last for a long time. Wood beams can last many years if properly taken care of.

Exterior wood beams that are used to hold up roofs, patios and decking can suffer from wood rot if not taken care of. Let's take for example a wooden beam located in a patio holding up a section of a large roof. The span of the roof being is only 10 feet long. As we look at the exterior wood beam. We noticed the upper corner of the beam is soft and rotted.

The beam damage is roughly the size of a baseball. The wood beam itself is a 6 x 10. Do we need to replace this beam even though the damage is not real big. The answer to this question is yes, any amount of damage to a wood beam takes away from its structural strength.

If you have a wood beam holding up the roof and the beam fails you could end up replacing a large section of your roof as well as the damaged beam. Replacing the damaged beam is usually a difficult task. The beam is usually sandwiched between two walls and will have siding or stucco around it.

If you're lucky enough to have the wood beam sitting in a saddle or on top of a wood post this will make your job easier and will require less skill. If however the beam is located between two walls this will require shoring up the roof and removing the beam.

Beam replacement should be left to professionals. This is not often as easy as it looks and could create a safety hazard if not done properly. I have seen beams replaced by homeowners or handyman and the damage that was done after the repairs, was worse than just leaving the beam alone in the first place.

The biggest problem with exterior wood beams is that they are usually holding up large amounts of weight. If the beam is removed without the proper bracing and shoring of the roof or floor area you could have a larger problem than you started with.

Exterior beams over time seemed to develop large cracks or splits in dry weather. These large cracks and splits weaken the structural strength of the beam adding more stress to the beam itself leading to structural failure eventually.

Extreme climates where temperatures very over 40 in one day seem to suffer the most damage to exterior wood beams that are not properly maintained. Beam maintenance will require painting and keeping moisture away from them.

Be aware of structural beams in or around your house. A little painting now and then can save you thousands of dollars over the life time of your house.

Greg Vanden Berge 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

Visit us now for Vista Home Improvement

House Painting Books

Stairway Safety - Stair Construction Tips

If you've built as many stairways as I have, this is a very simple question to answer. Should I use 2 x 12 or 3 x 12 for my stair treads? Without a doubt I would use the 3 x 12 for a couple of reasons.

The thickness of the three by material gives it some additional strength and that strength could prevent someone from falling through the stairway and getting injured. Visually looking at the 3 x 12 it gives you the illusion that the stairway is safe. Once you start walking up the stairway and the stairs seem solid and well constructed, it takes the illusion and makes it a reality.

If you're walking up a poorly constructed stairway every day, not only is it a safety problem but it takes a little bit of effort as you walk up the stairway, holding on to the hand rail with a death grip, this can easily wear someone out physically and mentally, over time. Stairways should be constructed and maintained with safety as the main priority.

If you've ever walked up and older stairway that was built using 2 x 12 for the stair treads, you probably know what I'm talking about. Walking up and down the stairway, while the stair treads are moving, does not give you a strong sense that the stairway is safe. And of course sometimes the stairway isn't.

For example if you have a 3 inch knot in a 2 x 12 stair tread, over time as the wood expands and contracts, the knot can loosen up and fall out of the stair tread, often creating a weak spot in the step. With a thicker stair tread, it will take a little more expanding and contracting to create a weak spot in the stair step.

If you're building a stairway wider than 36 inches, with no center stair stringers to support the stairway, I would suggest using a 3 x 12 or 4 x 12 for your stair treads. 2 x 12 should not be used for stair treads on any staircase wider than 36 inches.

If you choose to use 2 x 12 for your stair treads, select premium grade lumber for safety. Try to avoid using center cut building materials and 2 x 12 with knots larger than an inch and a half. Large knots are one of the biggest problems in construction safety.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Learn more about the parts of the stairway, whether you're a experienced carpenter or homeowner. Stair building does not necessarily have to be as complicated as most people make it out to be. There's also a book on how to build straight stairs that can save you a lot of frustration, if you've never built a stairway before. Visit the website.

Drywall Repair - Home Repair Tips

Drywalls are common finishes used in the interior of homes whether in New York, or other cities in the U.S. No modern home could ever have been built without it. Though the building material has been manufactured to be tough, it is still not totally safe from any damage. Different levels of finishing, thickness and treatments that come with it offer various levels of soundproofing, fire resistance as well as impact tolerance. The extent of the drywall repair will be dependent on the degree of damage.

Also known as gypsum board, any damage to it is commonly remedied through homeowners doing the drywall repair themselves or hiring a pro. Though both options do have their benefits, they also have drawbacks. So when faced with any damage, it pays to carefully consider which alternative is best for your circumstance.

DIY Drywall Repair

Other than saving on the overall cost of the project, what drives many homeowners to do things themselves is the feeling of satisfaction upon finishing off the task successfully. Resources on the topic are abundant and you can easily look up helpful articles ad instructional videos about it in the World Wide Web, and even offline through magazines and books. The task is fairly easy if you are dealing with minor drywall repair involving slight dents, or small holes.

Just like other home improvement and maintenance project, the problem you would have to face if you try to handle the drywall repair on your own is the risk. Without any experience and skill, the risk of committing any mistake and thus sacrificing the quality of the result is huge, especially in cases where the damage is extensive. So if you think you are not up to the job, then better let the pros handle the work.

Drywall Repair Specialist

The factor that makes many homeowners cringe at the thought of acquiring professional help is the cost of labor, making up for the considerable difference when you think about how much the materials would cost. A hired drywall repair specialist, though, would save you time which you could choose to spend doing more important things. Equipped with the right tools and quality materials, you would not have to bother rummaging through the shed to look for tools.

In areas where guests are entertained like the living area or the kitchen, it pays to maintain their attractiveness. The smallest flaw could really take a toll in the area's appearance, and what more if there is a gaping hole on the wall? With a drywall repair specialist to do the job for you, the project results would be seamless and noticeably better; and a lot faster letting you enjoy the results in the shortest wait.

Drywall repair takes some practice and ample skills to produce results wherein the damage would seem to not even have existed. So when faced with any drywall damage, you have to weight your options carefully. The thing that you think might save you more could even cost you more.

Eugene Makeev of Craftsmen Network helps New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls with Brooklyn, NY drywall installers by matching their needs with prescreened drywall contractors NYC.

Please feel free to use our drywall estimator.

Bottom Of Ceiling Framing

Building a Deck - Home Remodeling Tips

A deck is the most important aspect of a building. It enhances the beauty of a house. A deck is a flat extension area of a building, normally a floor, able to support weights. The deck is usually an outdoor area. The deck of the house is a wooden surface above the ground through which you can access the house.

This is a flat surface that is usually roofless but some buildings have decks with roofs. Without a deck, the house will be incomplete. These decks provide an excellent playing area for children.

Building a deck consists of several steps. This process involves good planning and an equally good execution. The plan will be helpful in the construction of the deck and to obtain the necessary approval from the municipal authorities.

The person who wants to construct a deck in his house can draw a plan on his own with suitable scaling. But, usually this is not recommended. The whole construction process depends upon this plan, so it is essential to have professional help.

While considering the deck layout, the doors of the house have to be kept in mind, since the accessing of the house is through the doors. The other important aspects to keep in mind are the house layout, the existing space outside the house, the grade of the yard and the existing trees or gardens. The decks have to be planned according to the local deck building codes.

The footings and the posts are very important in supporting the deck. The bigger the deck, the more you need the posts. The other important components are joists, decking and railings.

The most popular deck board sizes are 2' x 4', 2' x 6' and 5/4' x 6'. But all these sizes need the same amount of wood and the cost is also the same. The materials that are popular for building decks are redwood, cedar, and pressure treated pine. These woods are known for their moisture resistance. The appropriate railings can be attached to the decks.

Building a deck may sound quite simple with the availability of lots of do-it-yourself materials, but professional help is inevitable in case of any deck construction.

Decks provides detailed information on Deck Plans, Deck Builders, Pool Decks, Building A Deck and more. Decks is affiliated with Invisible Fences.

Home Improvement - Saving on Your Energy Bills

As we all know with the changes in supply and our increased focus on environmental issues heating costs continue to rise every year. The Natural disasters which seem to occur more often and other world events inflate the prices of home heating expenses, for electric, gas and oil furnaces. However all is not doom and gloom as there are steps that you can take to lower your bills and save some money for other things or just to brace for the next rise in energy costs for your home.

Think about the tips below and see what you can do to lower your bills by conserving energy in your home.

Insulate Windows. Go though your house and check your windows. Make sure theyre well sealed. A good test is to do a smoke test. Turn off all fans and stand close to a window and produce some smoke perhaps with a match taking care not to burn yourself or anything! If theres a minute leak of interior home air to the outside the smoke will move in the direction toward the window. Kits can be bought at your local hardware or home improvement store for insulation.

Buy a Ceiling Fan. Because warm air rises youll want to get the warmer air down low by buying a ceiling fan. Reversible switches come on most all models and can be used in summer time too. The relative cost of the ceiling fan and its usage costs are quickly made up in savings.

Shut Doors. If a room is not being used then shut the door and leave it closed. This is really useful if youre not using the room for any length of time. Rooms that are used some of the time will have the door fanned and cold air will escape into the others rooms. Of course this will cause your boiler to work harder, and drive your heating costs up.

Close Curtains and Mini Blinds. If a wintry day is sunny or even if there is minimal sun, make sure you open them during the daylight hours but shut them as soon as it starts to go dark. The warmth from the suns rays will help warm the house and by closing the curtains you can keep it trapped for the night time. Re-open them when the sun comes up the following morning.

Weather Proof Doors and Seal Windows. Drafts arent necessary around doors if they have been weather stripped. Look around the bottoms of doors, and if air is streaming in then weather proof it. Check windows too because wear and the age of windows can let in cold air too. Caulk and seal windows, and if interior of seal is damaged replace it with the correct seal type.

Realign Doors. Doors just like windows can over time begin to sag from their original tight fitting position. Before winter sets in go around and really look at how your door closes. Adjust them for a good fitting.

Replace the Air Filter. You can eliminate unnecessary high cost bills by conserving energy by simply changing out a clogged air filter. Not only does the clogging cause your system to run slowly, but the danger is it can get into the motor and cause a fire, or just burn up the motor itself.

Close House Vents. In autumn and winter shut up the vents that allow circulation of air during the summer time. In the winter the goal is to keep all cold air out. Cold air under the floor boards infiltrates the house and drives up heating cost.

Check Roof Top Insulation. If its been a few years since you last checked out the insulation in your attic then go up and look around. Insulation should have enough air pockets to trap the cold air and push it back from the interior of the house. Old rotten insulation is usually brittle and flat. Replace the insulation with new and youll see evidence of your energy conservation in your heating costs.

By implementing just a few of these tips you will see start to see results. There is so much more that you can do too. Go online and read other different ways to conserve energy. Talk with your local energy provider to see if there are tips for your area that will help lower your bills, and drive down costs for everyone. In the end you wont regret that youve used the tips!

Paul Duxbury offers more advice at his Home Improvement site at http://home--improvement.blogspot.com

Building Your Own House - New Homes

Most of us only dream of building your own home and living in it for the rest of our lives, well maybe not for the rest of our lives. My grandfather built his home when my father was nine years old and lived in it until he died. As a Carpenter and general contractor, I have always wanted to build my own home but never got the chance.

For anyone interested in building the home of your dreams, I found a few books on home building that seemed to be pretty helpful. I have been remodeling, building room additions, worked on track house framing for years and have done more home repairs than you could possibly imagine. I have found some of these books to be very resourceful and helpful, when it comes to solving some of the problems I run into.

When it comes to building the foundation, it's not just about pouring a concrete slab or footings. You need to run electrical conduit, plumbing supply and waste pipes, make sure the building foundation is square and level, and if you forget one thing, just one thing, you could find yourself in a world of hurt. I have worked on homes where the builder forgot to install electrical conduit and plumbing for a kitchen island. The contractor needed to saw cut the foundation and repair at it, during the home construction. This cost the building contractor around $4600.

Sometimes a checklist makes sense but where you get a checklist for building homes. Well maybe one day, I will try to make one. These home building books have been valuable resources to me for many years and have saved me grief and agony over simple things that often get overlooked.

It's a little overwhelming to even think about building your own home, if you don't have some construction skills. Construction knowledge can be gained through on-the-job training and by reading construction manuals. The best of both worlds would be to have both of these skills.

Construction knowledge can be gained or improved, over time with experience, combined with a couple of great books.

Home Building Books

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more House Remodeling Pictures or home building ideas.

Door Fill In With Damage

Does Home Improvement Still Make Sense

Last night I watched a home improvement show in which a Florida couple had spent $50,000 updating their home. Now they were asking their realtor for a home appraisal. Amazingly, the realtor told them their renovation had increased the value of their home by $120,000 - more than a two-to-one return on their investment!

Cable TV is filled with shows like this that inspire homeowners to take on kitchen remodeling, bedroom makeovers or similar projects.

But many of these shows were filmed two or three years ago during the height of the housing boom.

As we enter 2008 we face a very different housing market in which nationwide home prices are stagnant and even declining in some markets.

In this sort of environment, does home improvement still make sense? The answer depends on what sort of home improvement you want to tackle.

Avoid Style Makeovers

First, it's time for a reality check. Even during the peak of the housing boom, the idea that remodeling your home produced a high return on investment was simply a myth.

According to 2004 survey by Remodeling Magazine, the average home renovation returned only 80% of its value at the time of resale.

So for every dollar you invested in a major renovation, you could expect $0.80 back in your pocket. And that was in 2004, when home values across the country were climbing at an unprecedented rate.

If you want a style makeover to make yourself happy, by all means you should do it. But you shouldn't expect it to dramatically increase the resale value of your home.

In fact, your taste could well end up driving away potential buyers. Personal tastes can be tricky. You may love red and gold walls in your living room, but some buyers will see this as a liability that needs to be fixed.

Even if your tastes are in step with current tastes, styles will change over time. Your choice of kitchen tile and countertops may be in line with current fashion, but if you don't plan to sell your home for another ten years, the style may well be dated when you sell.

Keep in Step with Your Neighborhood

Your home's location is still the biggest factor determining its value. With that in mind, renovations make the most sense if they bring your house up to the norm for the neighborhood.

If your 3,000 square foot home has only two bathrooms, adding a third bathroom makes sense. If all other homes in your neighborhood have a deck, then adding one to your home makes sense as well.

But this rule only applies to major items. Just because your neighbor added solid gold faucets and a sunken marble bathtub doesn't mean you should remodel your master bath to keep pace.

And if you are already the biggest house on the block, further home upgrades will do little to increase the value of your home.

Invest in Home Maintenance.

Home repairs and preventative maintenance are the best investment you can make in your house, and they make sense regardless of whether the housing market is in a boom or a bust. They won't necessarily raise the value of your home, but they can prevent your home from loosing far more value due to damage and wear.

Putting off repairs simply means they will cost more when you do get around to fixing them. A crack from a settling foundation will expand over time. Water damage from a leaky gutter will only cause further wear to your exterior walls.

When you sell your house these issues will almost certainly come up in the home inspection, and you may need to discount your home's price to allow the buyer to make repairs. Worse, too large a repair bill may simply scare a buyer away.

The Bottom Line:

Overall, the best advice is to invest in sound home improvements that keep your house in good shape and up to the standard of your neighborhood.

If you still want to make a style upgrade, that's fine. But do it for aesthetic reasons, not financial ones.

Hiring a House Painting Contractor - Home Tips

With a professional, homeowners know they are getting the very best the field has to offer. Trained in the ins and outs of the craft, these professional contractors will be able to provide a level of service unmatched by even the more savvy amateur painters. When it comes to paining, homeowners should stop at nothing to ensure their paint job is the best on the block.

A house painting contractor will help to ensure that homeowners get the most out of their painting projects. A well-painted house will turn any remodeling endeavor into a beautiful creation. The exterior painting of a house will do wonders to improve the quality of the rest of the projects in a remodel. This ensures that things come together nicely and the work that went into creating the remodel is put to good use. With a house painting contractor, homeowners know they are in good hands and are able to sit back and relax a bit.

They may also choose to focus on other projects that may not need the expertise and training of a professional. Handling these smaller tasks may help to get things moving faster and get the remodel done as quickly as possible. When things are moving forward like this, the homeowner is able to enjoy the finished product sooner. A house painting contractor will help to ensure the exterior painting, one of the most important aspects of any home improvement endeavor, is done right and in a timely fashion. After all, nobody enjoys delays to their project.

More information on a house painting contractor is just a click away.

Bathroom Sinks And Lavatories

Does Your Thermostat Read Temperature Properly

Through out my career as an air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technician, I have seen thousands of jobs with the same problems over and over and over. I have seen just about every mistake you can imagine. I've been in the field going on 23 years now.

I came across one job a few years ago where the contractor (so called professional) installed a replacement digital thermostat in the same spot where the old unit was located. In between two door jams in a hall way. This guy used the old wires that were attached to the old thermostat, which is not a problem in it self, but the location of the wires is where he ran into trouble. The problem here was the person who installed this thermostat, installed it sideways because it was too long for this location. Instead of telling the customer he needed to go get a thermostat that fit the application or moving the wires to accommodate the thermostat he had on his truck, he installed what he had with him at the time and he told the customer "that was how these new digital thermostats needed to be installed" so they could operate properly. Of course the customer was a senior citizen in her late 80's and he had no morals or values. The funny thing is that this digital thermostat would have actually worked properly installed this way, because the sensor was a solid state device on a circuit board. Except for reading what the display said and reading what the buttons said, this thermostat actually operated correctly. You should have seen the way he installed the duct work but that is another story.

The reason the lady called was because it seemed to her that the furnace would always shut down too early or it would sometimes run for a long period of time making the room warmer than she wanted. I had to laugh when I arrived on the job and saw what this guy had done. The biggest issue mechanically with this thermostat was not the way it was mounted, but that it was mounted and covering a very large hole, where the thermostat wires came though the wall. The sensor was very near the hole on the wall and it was reading the cold inside wall cavity temperature. I removed the thermostat and installed a new one for her, free of charge and then filled the hole with sheetrock mud to stop the stat from reading the wall cavity temperature.

The customer wanted to pay me for my trouble and my materials but I told her that the next time she came across someone that needs a new furnace or air conditioner that could could simply give my name and phone number out and that would be enough. She agreed and thanked me for my trouble.

I still get referrals from her today. It has always bugged me to see someone take advantage of elderly people, especially when they have no business doing the work in the first place.

The digital thermostats today can do a lot and they are generally pretty reliable, most of the time its either that its installed wrong or programmed wrong, wired wrong or there are not enough wires to it. Maybe the thermostat needs the common wire from the thermostat hooked up to operate properly. The majority of these problems are the result of poor technical knowledge on behalf of the installer, or perhaps they simply don't care enough to read the installation instructions. Sometimes people get into the trade and learn how to install duct work and put sheet metal screws in with a drill gun and bam they think they have enough experience to go out and become a contractor.

Unfortunately home owners have no way of knowing whether or not the service company they chose has enough experience or knowledge to do the job right. The NATE Rating is about as close as you can come to being sure you hire the right people. However" I was trained a long time ago in a technical school that focused on the theory and operating principals of electrical, refrigeration, air conditioning and heating. Long before the NATE Training certificate came about. My schooling was 990hrs and the course took place over 9 months. I don't have the NATE certificate badge myself. I guess I should go get it to look more legitimate and I probably will get it as that seems to be the standard today. I have not looked into the certificate yet but eventually will.

You can contact me by email located within my site or you can post questions in our forum and I will respond fairly quickly. Maybe you had a new system installed and are having problems that the installer can't seem to fix. I would be glad to give it a shot. I specialize in residential gas/propane forced air heating systems, heat pumps, air conditioning and zoning.

John Grisler
Specialist in Environmentally Friendly High Efficiency Residential Air Conditioning and Heating Systems
Graduate Universal Technical Institute February 1986
23 Years Experience Residential/ Light Commercial Heating Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
US Patent 7234318 Multiple Stage, Single Pass Refrigeration System. June 2006
Designer of the Self Contained Air Conditioned Chair -see grizzco@feeservers.com

my web site is http://greenfeetco2.com/

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Asphalt Shingle Roofing - Poway Home Remodeling

Is it any wonder why almost 80% of homes in North America use asphalt shingles as the roofing material of choice. The prevalence of asphalt shingles has created a vast assortment of fittings and fixtures designed to work with them. Items such as a multitude of flashing configurations, edge products, and almost every skylight manufactured has an appropriate base configuration for a weatherproof connection with asphalt shingles. All of the material that you need for a proper installation, such as the shingles, tarpaper, nails, vent boots and chimney flashing are available at any home improvement retailer.

The primary attributes of asphalt tiles are:

• reasonably priced (economical),
• require very little maintenance,
• versatile,
• provide excellent protection on steep sloped roofs,
• are weather and sunlight resistant,
• easy to cut,
• can be nailed by hand or with powered nailers.

There are two different types of asphalt shingle base material construction - composition and fiberglass. Composition shingles use a base material termed organic felt, which is a blend of paper and wood fibers. Fiberglass, on the other hand, uses a base that is comprised of a fiberglass mat. In both cases, once the base material is produced it is soaked in an asphalt compound. In numbers sold, fiberglass leads the market. They are less expensive, weigh less because they are thinner, have a longer wear life and have a better fire rating than the composition base shingles.

Average cost of a shingle roof is $50 to $150 per square, installed. Removal of old shingles will cost between $30 and $50 per square.

Both types of asphalt shingles are manufactured with embedded mineral granules. Seeing the granules in your eaves trough (after the initial installation) is a sure sign that you need to repair or replace the shingles.

Where just a few years ago asphalt shingles were only available in simple tab configurations in blacks, grays and browns, the manufacturers have expanded their product lines to include a vast array of colors, profiles and with the use of laminate coatings have created as assortment of eye pleasing textures. Special chemicals are also being blended into the shingles to make them mold and algae resistant. Although these additional features do increase the price per square, asphalt shingles are still the most economical roofing material available.

Drawbacks:

The serviceable life of asphalt shingles is the lowest of all the roofing materials. Although they are available in numerous grades designated by the expected life, from 15 to 50 years they often need repair or replacement long before their supposed life has expired. The hotter the climate, the shorter the life of asphalt shingles. Many of the asphalt shingle problems that are encountered by homeowners are a direct result of two factors:

• poor initial installation
• damage due to sever weather

Poor installation usually occurs in the area of deck preparation, and not providing adequate flashing around items that are protruding through the roof such as vent pipes and chimneys. Other poor installation methods are not using the required amount of nails per shingle and nailing in the wrong area of the shingle. There are many fly-by-night roofing companies that will quote low prices, because they won't be around to stand behind the workmanship. Choose a roofing contractor carefully.

Roof Repairs:

You should inspect your shingled roof and all the flashing at least once a year and after any major storm such as a hurricane. Hurricane winds will remove entire shingles and lift others. Sun and rain can cause asphalt shingles to crack. You should also go into the attic and look up, any sign of daylight means that there is a hole. When inspecting the roof look for shingles that have lost the granule minerals - bald spots, cracked and/or curled.

If you have to make a roof repair, choose a warm day so that the shingles will be flexible and unlikely to crack when lifted. The roofing cements also spread easier in warmer temperatures.

You will know when you have a roofing problem when you see beige spots appearing on ceilings and walls close to the ceiling. Beige spots are a sign of water damage.

Maintenance:

Roofing cement is the equivalent of duct tape for roofs. It will repair most leaks, cracked or torn shingles, patch flashing around vent pipes and chimneys. You can also use the roofing cement to cover nail heads that have been exposed.

Shingles fade with age so any replacement shingles used will most likely be visually obvious. Shingle over damaged ridge shingles, by nailing down all the corners of the old shingle first - do not remove them.

If you have to replace an entire shingle, lift each of the tabs and pry the nails out of the shingle of the one that needs to be replaced. Remove the top corners of the replacement shingle and very carefully, without damaging the tarpaper, slip it under the existing shingles.

Use roofing nails (large head, galvanized) to fix the new shingle to the roof decking. Use roofing cement to cover the nail heads.

Planning and knowledge are the keys to any successful home improvement, remodel or landscaping project!

For additional information on roofing materials for your home or other renovation projects, including landscaping, visit Renovation Headquarters

Pour Girder To Post Connection

Lighting a Charcoal BBQ Grill Fast and Easy

The best as well as the easiest way to light charcoal briquettes is by using a charcoal chimney starter. This is an aluminum cylinder with a wooden handle on the outside and a metal shelf on the inside that separates the cylinder into to sections. The top section is about 2/3 the length of the cylinder and the bottom section is 1/3 the length of the cylinder. There are round holes surrounding the bottom 1/3 of the cylinder as well as holes inside on the shelf that separates the two sections.

To use the charcoal chimney starter, you need 2 to 3 sheets of newspaper. Wad or roll the sheets together loosely into a long cylinder. I don't wrap it too tight so that air can circulate while it is burning. Curl the the sheets into a donut shape with a hole in the center. Fit the paper donut into the bottom of the chimney starter. Try to have a few stray pieces of paper sticking out of the holes. This makes it easier to light. If you want you can use paraffin cubes either bought in the store or made out of something like a cardboard egg crate you buy your eggs in.

Fill the top section of the cylinder with charcoal. I prefer to use briquettes in the chimney starter. Lump charcoal burns too quickly. Place the chimney starter on the floor or charcoal shelf of your bbq grill and light the newspaper through the holes on the bottom of the charcoal chimney starter. The charcoal lights fairly fast and should be ready in about 15 minutes. Lump charcoal is a lot faster to start but also burns out faster, so I don't use it in the chimney starter. The charcoal is ready when you see a coating of white ash over almost all of the charcoals.

When the coals are ready, carefully poor the coals into the grill and spread them evenly around the grill bed. Remember to safely place the very hot charcoal chimney starter away from pets and children so they don't get burned. Also, don't put the hot chimney starter on the grass because it can cause a fire.

A second method to light the charcoals is with paraffin cubes bought at a store or made at home with cardboard egg crates. Place a few paraffin cubes in the middle of your grill bed or charcoal grate. Then build a pyramid of charcoal briquettes over and around the paraffin cubes. Light the cube and when all the briquettes are evenly lit and covered with ash spread them evenly out around the grill bed.

I don't like or recommend starter fluid readily available in stores. These fluids can impart a taste to the charcoal that I don't like and I prefer a more natural non chemical way to start my fire.

A chimney starter holds about 90 to 100 briquettes. This should cover 2/3 of the area of a standard 22 1/2 inch standard charcoal kettle grill like the commonly used Webber kettle grill. It is important to use the right amount of briquettes so that you get an even heat. The charcoal briquettes should extend a minimum of 4 inches in every direction beyond whatever food you are cooking. This will allow an even heat and let your food cook evenly.

For more tips and great information to make your next barbecue memorable visit the bbq-expert.com We show you what to look for in your next bbq grill, how to light a charcoal bbq grill properly and everything in between.

Problems Walking on an Old Roof

Here's some things to think about before walking on the roof of a house. If you slip and fall off the roof you could get hurt seriously. For your own safety if you have no experience walking on a roof use extreme caution. I would even suggest using a ladder and moving the latter around the perimeter of the house if you are inspecting the roof for damage.

Here's some things to keep in mind before walking on a house roof.

1. If the building is above two stories hire a contractor especially if you think the roof has building damage.

2. If the roof is too steep stay off. This could be extremely hazardous to your health.

3. If the roof is severely damaged and has loose shingles or tiles, this could create a safety hazard as you slip on one of these loose shingles and possibly fall off the roof.

4. You should stay off the roof at all costs if there is snow or ice. Ice obviously is extremely slippery and would be difficult to walk on. The difficulty would be increased if the roof has a steep slope.

5. Now last but not least if the roof is wet you should avoid walking on it until it is dry. I have been on wet roofs before and personally slipped myself losing my balance but not falling off of the roof.

Climbing up on a roof and walking around is not child's play and should be left to an experienced professional . If you feel comfortable walking around on any roof please use caution. If you slip in the middle of the roof there is a good chance you will be able to regain your balance or have time to stop yourself before falling off.

I would suggest using caution near the edges of the roof. If the roof is too steep or you don't feel comfortable, why risk serious injury. Use common sense along with the proper ladders to ensure your safety and "Think before walking on a house roof."

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.

Roof Fascia Section Repair

Problems With New Houses - Home Building

The house you live in was probably a mass produced home built as part of a housing track. The track home is a rapidly built house in phases. These phases if possible will over lap the other home building trades. If possible you will have the plumbers working on the same house as the electricians and the framers. This is called fast tracking.

Fast tracking a house is building a home as fast as humanly possible. So you can imagine the pressures put on all of the people involved in building a track home.
The pace is so fast sometimes that I have seen job superintendents and foremen look like they were actually going to blow up. I mean explode from the pressure they where under.

Framing the stairs on the job was the same experience for me most of the time. Sometimes I had three jobs going at once. Think about it. At the most, I could only go to each of the jobs twice each week. That involved working on Saturday of course. This made a lot of framing foremen extremely upset. They had full time crews on their jobs always working five days a week. If I missed one day of work. I was behind for the rest of the job.

Now it rarely happened but if I did miss a day of work I had to make it up some how. The only way to make it up was by working late or on Sunday. Well most of the time I worked six days a week from 7:00 in the mourning until 5:00 at night. So working late meant sunrise to sunset. Oh did I mention that I did have a family. This wasn't easy for them either.

One time I got so far behind on a job that I was putting stairs in while they were roofing the houses. Talk about one unhappy foreman. I think you get the idea about the pressure I was under to install these stairs on time. My experience building stairs on track built homes taught me to build homes extremely fast while being proficient.
I'm not interested in working like that anymore. My life is simple now and I want to keep it that way. The next time you see a construction worker working late on a Saturday show some compassion. Maybe by reading this article you will understand some of the pressure he is under.

Building tract homes is hard on you mentally and physically.

Happy Home building.

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. Stairway Safety

Outdoor Stairs With No Handrail
Dutch Roof

Coping With the Threat of Fire Damage and Vinyl Siding

Many Americans are tormented by the thought of a fire in their home. The media constantly reports on fire disasters and it seems like every day a new danger is being unearthed and more fire damage prevention advice is given. Simply put, for many people living in homes today the production of new sources of trouble and new solutions is a reoccurring and unsettling theme. This pattern presents itself again in the recently reported fact that vinyl siding on a home is flammable and can be considered a potential blaze-starter.

Millions of Americans who are bothered by the threat of fire damage can now add one more threat to their list of fire precautions. While there are definite reasons to be worried about vinyl siding damage and definite prevention techniques to keep it from occurring, one should combine both the material prevention techniques with the psychological therapeutic techniques of understanding and acceptance in order to come to grips with the threat of fire damage.

Firstly, one should consider the threat of potential material damage posed by vinyl siding. Vinyl siding is a flammable material that covers a large area around the exterior of one's home. Because of its great size and the fact that it is typically overlooked, vinyl siding has become an object of increased scrutiny in the world of home inferno protection. To date, there are two acceptable and wise options to take when considering the dangers of vinyl siding, both of which are proactive.

The first option is to take stock of your structural and geographical fire threats outside your home. Consider whether there are trees near the sides of your home that might catch ablaze in the event of being struck by lightning, and consider how frequently you have cook-outs or deal with lit objects near your siding. The second option is to replace the vinyl siding with inflammable James Hardie siding, which can serve as a protective barrier to damage caused by flames.

Once you have properly addressed your material damage threats you can begin tending to your psychological state. There is no one correct way to come to peace with yourself, but a good general rule is to realize that you do not have complete control over your environment. This is a technique that many people find beneficial when dealing with problems like home fire damage that are seemingly too large and all pervasive. The key thing to realize is that they are in fact too large to ever fully prevent and the things one can do to prevent them are all that one can do; one should not seek to put an end to flame damage once and for all because that is an impossible and frustrating task.

By tending to both the material and psychological roots of fear of fire damage one can protect one's home and secure one's mind. If need be, one can even imagine that psychological preparation is even a form of material damage prevention as it helps stabilize one's mind and give clarity.

Mr. Oliver is a marketing agent of Regal Home Improvement. The home improvement contractor provides home improvement services throughout the Richmond Virginia area. For more information on their Home Improvement Contracting please visit their website

Bathroom Remodeling Ideas For Remodeling

When you're planning any bathroom remodel, consider the costs of the bathroom remodeling versus the return on the actual investment. According to one of the popular remodeling magazines, the average bathroom remodel throughout the country cost around $16,000.

If you were to sell your house within a few years, you could recoup around $12,000 of your original investment. This would translate into a $4000 loss to your pocketbook eventually.

Using these numbers for your bathroom remodel investment, you would recoup around 75% of your original investment. If you know anything about investing money, this will not be a good rate of return and if you keep investing your money like this, you won't have any to invest, eventually.

Keep this in mind, if you're going to be selling the home within a few years. If the bathroom isn't in good shape and you're not planning on selling soon, you could remodel the bathroom and enjoy it for quite a few years. You wouldn't be looking at this as an investment but as maintenance costs.

If you need to remodel the bathroom, because it's getting a little run down and will create a problem when selling a home, I would suggest minor remodeling, if the toilet, fixtures and bathtub is in good condition, I would suggest changing the sink, cabinet, bathtub surround, flooring and some new paint.

If you're remodeling cost is now at $8,000, you would recoup at least $6,000 and would only lose $2000 on your original investment. Now this still doesn't make any sense, if you're still losing money, why would you even want to remodel the bathroom. Why not sell the home as it is and not lose any money? This is a tough decision to make and keep in mind, these are average costs.

You could recoup less or more than 75% of your bathroom investment costs.

Most real estate professionals will advise you to remodel the bathroom for two reasons, for one the house will sell for a few more dollars, and this will increase their sales commission. The second one is probably the most important for any one selling a home, the home could sell faster.

If you have the time and are in no hurry to sell the home, I would suggest trying to sell the home as is first and then sprucing it up, if you can't sell it within three months.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more Remodeling Pictures or home building ideas.

Composition Hip Shingle Problem

Getting Your Electrical Needs Resolved - Home Contractor Advice

If you ever have any questions about how you are going to get things done it is very important that you start with a good electrical contractor but even the most advanced contractor simply cannot resolve all of your issues if you are not certain what needs to be done. You absolutely have to take some time and really look at all of your options. This means that most people are going to have to carefully analyze their needs and decide specifically what they would like completed.

If you are only wanting a few lights installed then obviously the scope of the project is quite simple. However, if you are looking to have a massive amount of electrical work done then obviously a much larger amount of time and effort into planning will be needed. The larger the job, the more thoroughly you need to determine expectations. While many electricians can help guide you in understanding what needs to be done, you need to know what your final result should be in order to actually get the results that you are truly after.

You might discover that your project is actually much simpler than you imagined as well. This is where thinking through your exact needs and talking carefully to the electrician that you are considering is important. To ensure that you really are getting the correct story on the scope you should always feel free to talk to several different electricians to make certain that your getting everything resolved quickly without missing any important details.

With all of the complications that can arise during electrical work it is always a good idea to leave yourself some extra time as well. Many people do not realize just how hectic and stressful things can really get. In order to ensure that you do not cut yourself short you should ask for estimates of time from the electricians that you speak with as well. This will help you to budget your time, and also schedule some additional time in the event of a problem.

Covering all of the small details that are necessary in an electrical project can be really easy to do, but it will require discussing your needs with an electrician that is smart, rather than one that is just simply ignoring your requests. A bit of time devoted to discussing your issues thoroughly is very important because it will ensure that the electrician is aware of what you need, and you are very much aware of what you will be receiving also.

Murphy Family Electrical Services has electricians serving Northern VA. electrician Alexandria, VA electrician Fairfax vaCentreville, Potomac Falls, Northern Virginia

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Home Building Concrete Epoxies

When concrete epoxies first came out I was working on a church remodeling the sanctuary. We were building a set of stairs that was two steps in height and 75 feet long. The steps were going to get a hardwood covering along with the rest of the sanctuary flooring.

I had used redheads in the past and noticed that over time these redheads would loosen up. I could never figure out what caused the redheads to do this. Was it the concrete that was expanding and contracting or was it the steel redheads contracting and expanding.

Either way I can never figure out what was up with the redheads. Another name for a redhead would be an anchor bolt. Red Hed is actually the company's name that makes the anchor bolt used to fasten materials to concrete or masonry surfaces.

Finding out that Simpson building products had made any new epoxy and all it required was drilling a hole 1/16 of an inch larger than the all thread you were going to use . After drilling a hole you would clean it with a plastic brittle brush. This brittle brush was pretty strong but it was not made from metal like I have thought. I was thinking it would have been a nice metal wire brush.

After drilling and cleaning the hole you would insert the proper amount of the epoxy into the hole you had drilled out with a masonry bit. As you slid the cut to size all thread bolt into the hole the epoxy would ooze out of the whole. This would tell you there was enough epoxy in the hole.

After that I cleaned the leftover epoxy off of the wood that I had inserted the all thread into to remove the extra epoxy that had oozed out. I waited 24 hours and the next day came to work with my electric impact wrench and wanted to put this epoxy to the ultimate test.

I put the washer and nut on the all thread and started to torque the heck out of it. As I was tightening the nuts and washer it started to work its way into the wood.

I was simply amazed after 24 hours the epoxy had held that good.

That was then and today Simpson epoxy requires drilling a hole an eighth of an inch oversize and filling it with epoxy. I still can't believe and to this day am a firm believer in concrete epoxies.

Read the instructions, clean out the holes properly with the recommended brush, insert the proper amount of epoxy, and rotate the all thread slowly into the hole as the epoxy starts to ooze out of it. Do not touch or move the bolt for the next 24 hours.

Concrete epoxies are here to stay and will keep improving as time goes on.

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 a great Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes in San Marcos Remodeling

Mold On Lower Wall Area

Masonry How To's - Home Tips

Materials

Brick is considered as the strongest masonry material available. However, pure brick is already rare in the market and buyers who find it are surprised of its high cost. Brick comes in assorted colors.

Cleaning is easy and dark stains that may develop overtime are cleared with a regular cleanser. Over time, some parts may come loose between each other and these loose joints can damage your interior walls. It is fixed through a process called tuckpointing where the joints are filled with mortar.

Stone is another popular material among designers and homeowners. It is installed by starting at the top going down to ensure that no mortar will drip once it is completed. A good contractor will build the stone exterior with a stud frame to properly support the structure. Proper maintenance of the stone masonry is ensuring that it resists cracks brought by water through proper sealing. It retards the absorption of any liquid.

Concrete block is an efficient and economical material. It is made of Portland cement, gravel, sand and water. Like stone, a water sealant is also needed to avoid a weakening of materials. It is sprayed on the wall free from dust, oil and grease.

Problems

Some of the problems encountered in wall maintenance include moisture from cracks, weakening joints, discoloration and staining. This can be fixed by sealing the wall properly.

Also, the walls may be leaning on a different angle or sinking down the ground because of poor concrete at the bottom or compaction. The bricks, stones or concrete may also develop cracks due to aging. If there is too much pressure on the wall, it may develop bulges at the back side or worse, large cracks and crumbles. Call a professional contractor and have your wall inspected once you notice these problems.

Andy Denton of http://www.Realty.com

Do I Need a Building Permit

When building new homes or room additions you will need a building permit. On smaller projects such as kitchen and bathroom remodels, it's not always clear if you need a building permit for the work. The IRC (International Residential Code) 2006 defines the need for a permit as follows:

R105.1 Required. Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.

Here are some general guidelines to follow that will help you determine if you need a building permit.

1. Modifying any plumbing sanitary sewer lines that are not exposed (i.e. inside walls, ceilings, attics, foundations, and yards) will require a permit.

2. Modifying any plumbing water or gas lines that are not exposed (i.e. inside walls, ceilings, attics, foundations, and yards) will require a permit.

3. Any electrical work other then changing out existing light fixtures, switches, and outlets.

4. Replacing the entire H.V.A.C. system including equipment and ductwork.

5. Modifying any existing structural framing.

6. Pouring concrete slabs/foundations and patios. Some local municipalities require stamped and sealed foundation plans from a structural engineer. Engineers typically charge $300-$600 for this service.

7. Installing any structures on your property such as fences over 6 feet tall.

8. Replacing a roof based on your local municipality. Some municipalities do not require a permit for roofing.

*Note: Ordinary repairs to your plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems will not require a permit as long as you are not cutting away any walls, removing structural beams/supports, or changing the any required means of egress.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your project. If you need a permit, add a budget line item for permit fees/inspections and re-inspections. The cost of permits vary from each municipality and are generally determined on the dollar valve of the project and/or the scope of the work. Permits will increase the time it takes to complete your project. Once you have your permit in hand, the municipality will typically tell you what inspections your project will need. The general rule of the thumb is to add 1 day to your project timeline per each inspection that is required. Additionally, add a few extra days, to account for any re-inspections, just in case you fail one. Municipalities will sometimes require that you make upgrades or correct previous work that is subpar or not up to code. It's a good idea to add some money in the budget for these unforeseen items.

Permits are not just another avenue for the municipality to generate revenue. Permits are in place to enforce minimum code requirements, good workmanship, public safety, and proper licensing of contractors as required. Overall permits are good for the consumer and in most cases required by the municipalities ordinances. Remember to always check with your local municipality if you're not sure if you need a permit prior to starting any work.

Watermark & Co.

http://www.watermarkandco.com

Habits To Prevent Losing Things

Difficulties with Building Contractors - Building Contractors

Sometimes as contractors we get in a hurry and we just want to finish the job. We told the homeowner we would be done in three months, at the same time the homeowner keeps adding new work to the list.

I ran into a problem like this on one job where the contractor was in a hurry to finish the flooring and chose to go right over the existing floor that was out of level. He told the homeowner he didn't have time to repair that section of the floor. He was installing half-inch plywood over 1 x 6 diagonal floor sheeting to strengthen up the floor.

This floor was going to require quite a bit of attention from the contractor and his crew. The homeowner should have hired another contractor to repair the floor while the original contractor finished the house remodel. When your contractor gives you that much grief about any work, you need to start thinking about hiring another contractor or at least finding one to complete the task your original contractor has no interest in.

I felt sorry for the homeowner because this was not what he wanted and he was upset with the contractor but the job was done. This is my warning to any contractor, handyman or home repair specialists. When installing a new plywood floor over an existing floor to strengthen it up, use some common sense and repair the floor correctly or don't do the job at all.

I wrote this article for contractors to have a little more sympathy for the homeowners you are working for because sometimes they can't see the whole picture like you can. I also wrote this article for homeowners to listen to your contractor carefully when he is explaining a potential problem that you can't visualize further down the road. Any contractor with over 15 years experience remodeling homes has a pretty good idea what's going to happen next.

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

Foil Backed R 11 Insulation

Rustic Teak Furniture

If you are an outdoor furniture enthusiast and want to give your furniture a rustic and natural look you must go for outdoor teak furniture. This type of furniture brings natural ambiance around you so that you feel yourself so close with nature.

Today, this Outdoor teak furniture is gaining in popularity day by day because of its fine quality and rustic hue. By having outdoor teak furniture, you can get a number of benefits such as its environment friendly character, durability; comfort, all weather proof nature. You can find a large variety of teak wood furniture such as Adirondack furniture and Adirondack chairs, log swings and porch glider swings, rustic chairs, wagon wheel benches, wagon wheel furniture and garden tables. All these types of furniture are available in different sizes, styles and colours.

Outdoor teak furniture is considered an appropriate choice for lawn and patio furniture. It looks both modern and indigenous. The elegant environment that one finds by having this furniture is unique. If you want your furniture to have a long life, you should go for cedar, which is one of the most famous types of teak. Cedar is pretty thick, and has solid wood. Therefore, you don't have to worry about weather aspects. The smell of cedar is quite aromatic.

The colour of Teak furniture is not subject to being faded as happens in the case of metal furniture. That is why this teak furniture doesn't require painting and merely a simple finishing coat will be enough. Most of the varieties of teak such as cedar, aspen and pine go through the process of checking, which is one of the features of these woods. This process happens when moisture is released by wood. But, the structural process of integrity of the wood remains unaffected with the process. This process of checking is only done so as to enhance the style of outdoor teak furniture.

You can find some other varieties of outdoor furniture and accessories as well like porch swings, gliders, bridges, etc. All these outdoor furniture and accessories are formed of materials of superior quality. Outdoor teak furniture can be used for various other purposes such as patio furniture groupings and deck furniture.

So, if you want to have the feeling of comfort, relaxation besides so many other advantages such elegance, durability and nearer to nature then Outdoor teak furniture is the best option for you.

Dave Clark has many years experience writing articles, he has also written many books, and is well known in the industry. Dave currently has many projects he is working on, he is also on the board of directors for Cushy Sofa a manufacturer and online retailer of Memory Foam Pillows, Memory Foam Toppers, Memory Foam Sofas, Divans, Buy your Sofa and Memory Foam Mattress direct from the manufacturer.

Falling Roof Insulation

Outdoor Living - Patio Cover, Pergola, Sunroom Or Screenroom?

Outdoor life in Texas can be unpleasant and downright brutal. With high humidity year-round and storms like Ike, Texans have a lot to think about outside the comfort of their interior space. Relocating to Texas from a less harsh climate, I started my outdoor living space education when I purchased my first "older" home. I learned a new language which included things like: Hardie plank and Hardie siding, screenrooms, pergola, and replacement windows. I quickly understood exterior painting was a must at least every other year if I wanted to maintain the visual integrity of my home. I was faced with making a decision to add a carport for the protection of a third vehicle and I struggled with making the decision between a patio cover, sunroom, deck or arbor.

It became abundantly clear to me; I needed a contractor who specialized in exterior home improvements and outdoor living space. The first job I needed to address was replacing rotten siding with a product that could withstand the Texas weather elements - and Hardie siding was the answer. Because the Hardie products do not rot like wood, are pest resistant and do not fly off in strong wind, I felt like it was the right product to use. The added bonus of the exterior paint lasting longer on the Hardie plank made my decision even easier. Once the new Hardie siding was installed, I turned to replacement window issues. Thank goodness for my trusted contractor, who took time to educate me on the best solutions for my needs. The work was completed and I began to feel as though the exterior of my home was ready for life in Texas.

The contractor, who I now had a comfortable working relationship with, suggested we turn to my outdoor living needs. Thus began my education in understanding the difference between building pergolas, sunrooms, decks, arbors, screenrooms and covered patios. Each structure had benefits and I knew any one of them would add visual aesthetics as well as added value to my home. Each structure offered various types of materials, colors, styles, and price ranges. My contractor explained that many of these structures were available in do-it-yourself kits, which could save me money and provide a huge sense of accomplishment upon completing the project. Wow, what a great idea!

Since my backyard had a pool, but not much else, I chose to build a covered patio and incorporated an attached pergola. I used the materials suggested by the contractor, who helped me design the entire project. I was so excited by the visual effects that I even added an arbor to the entrance of my garden. Through my contractor, I was able to order the do-it-yourself kit online. While online, I ordered the materials to build that carport I needed. The instructions were easy to follow and the materials easy to use. My Texas home was becoming a true show place and one with great added value!

Begin searching for that Texas contractor who has been in business for years, is licensed, bonded, and has a loyal client base. Exterior home improvements can be daunting, exhausting, and expensive. It is worth searching for the contractor who will help you assess your needs, discuss the scope of work, timeline, and cost. Hire the contractor who has the knowledge to install the Hardie siding and Hardie plank properly. Look for the contractor who can help you bring your backyard vision of a new patio cover, arbor, sunroom, deck or screenroom to life and begin enjoying your Texas outdoor life!

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Texas Patio Covers.

Color Problem Around Switch

Home Improvement Contractor - Is He Qualified

I am a general contractor in the state of Michigan. In other words I fix, build, or remodel anything pertaining to residential homes. The purpose of this article is to inform home owners about a growing problem in the construction/remodeling industry. That problem is the increasing numbers of unqualified individuals that are entering the field.

Due to the struggling economy and recent lay offs, many conversations around the kitchen table go something like this: What are we going to do now Jane? Well John, you helped my brother roof his house that one time and you fixed the door on our shed and you like working around the house...why dont you put an ad in the paper as a roofer or a carpenter? Hey Jane, thats a great idea. I can get business by offering a really low price. Yea, that's what Ill do!

Now I feel for a guy that is out of work. I really do. But when an unqualified individual decides "hey I'll be a contractor", all to often this results in nothing but trouble for the customer. What happens if John falls off the roof or drops his hammer on the hood of your brand new car? Is he insured?

What about warranties? If he says I will guarantee this roof wont leak for 5 years, and then it does, will he still be in business? Statistics say no. As a matter of fact, most of the people entering into business today will not be in business 1 year from now, much less 5 years from now.

Of course there is the most important question: does he know what hes doing? Does the fact that John helped his brother roof a house make him a qualified roofer?

There are insurance considerations as well. For example, lets say a home owner hires an individual that is not licensed to install a new furnace in his home. If the furnace starts a fire and burns the house down, some insurance companies will deny the claim. The reason is since there is no record of a permit(which there would not be as an unlicensed individual can not obtain a permit) they assume that the furnace could have been installed incorrectly. Now a home owner is left with a huge loss and all because they wanted to save a few bucks on the installation.

Do yourself a favor and stick with a pro. If you conduct a proper contractor interview, then you know that you are going to get a quality job by a licensed and insured individual who offers a warranty..and honors it. If you are not sure how to conduct a proper contractor interview, you can find information on this and other subjects at my web site.

My name is R. Paul Phillips. I am a co owner of Tanner-Phillips Properties, which is a new construction/remodeling business in Lansing, Mi. I have a free home improvement information website located at http://www.greater-lansing-home-improvement.com While my site is tailored for the Lansing area, the majority of the information is useful to anyone interested in home improvement tips, product reviews, how to screen contractors......etc. I also have a contact page so you can ask questions specific to your project.

Home Improvement Money Is Available

Buying a house that needs repair is often very challenging, because lenders won't lend the money to buy the house until the repairs are done, and the repairs can't be completed until the house has been bought. Also, in today's quirky market, getting home improvement money from a bank or lending source if one already owns the home is near impossible because banks and lenders are only issuing (approved) home equity or standalone second loans up to 85%, sometimes 90% of the properties current market value, and even if such a loan is made, the rates and terms are daunting, thereby putting such loans out of reach for most homeowners. Credit card companies are reducing people's limits, always changing their terms and are not viable options for home improvements. Not to mention, who can or wants to borrow megabucks on a credit card?

The Office of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) 203(k) program can help you with this challenge and allow you to purchase or refinance a property PLUS include the cost of making the repairs and improvements. The FHA insured 203(k) loan is provided through approved mortgage lenders. It is available only to approved people who intend to occupy the home. Multi-family properties and mixed-use properties also may qualify, under certain conditions.

The down payment or equity requirement is 2.25%.

In short, the 203(k) loan includes the following steps:

- A potential home buyer finds a home and executes a sales contract after doing a feasibility analysis of the property with their Realtor and chosen contractor(s). The contract should be contingent upon the borrower's 203(k) loan approval. Also, the seller needs to allow visits from a HUD consultant & contractor to analyze the cost estimate and extent of work needed and or wanted.

- The home buyer then selects an FHA-approved 203(k) lender or broker and arranges for a detailed report showing the scope and type(s) of work to be done, including an itemized cost estimate on each repair or improvement of the project.

- An appraisal is ordered to determine the as is value as well as the value of the property after renovation.

- If the borrower is approved, the loan closes for an amount that will cover the purchase or refinance cost of the property, the improvement costs and all allowable closing costs, which is generally about 3% of the loan amount. The amount of the loan will also include a contingency reserve of 10% to 20% of the total remodeling costs and is used to cover any extra work not included in the original proposal. Any unused funds from this reserve account at work completion are used to pay down the loan balance.

- At the closing, the seller of the property (or the homeowner's current lender, in the case of a refinance) gets paid off and the remaining monies are put into an escrow account to pay for the repairs and upgrades during the rehab period.

- The mortgage repayment and construction begin right after the loan closes. The borrower can choose to have up to 6 mortgage payments (principal, interest, taxes and insurance) put into the cost of rehabilitation if the property is not going to be or cannot be occupied during the improvement process, but it can't exceed the length of time it is estimated to complete the improvements.

- Escrowed funds are disbursed to the contractor during the construction through a series of HUD-approved draw requests for completed work. To ensure completion of the job, ten percent of each draw is held back; this money is paid after the lender determines there will be no liens on the property.

If you're a homeowner or prospective buyer of a "fixer upper" and you are seeking home improvement money, you should strongly consider exploiting this resource. Note: self employed applicants are extremely difficult to qualify due to their absence of declared net income. These are fully documented loans only, no "stated income" or "ALT-A" home improvement loans like this exist, unfortunately.

If you are a home improvement specialist that is losing jobs because of the demise of homeowner equity and a lack of homeowner payment options, you really should read up on this a bit more. If you are a Realtor who knows of fixer upper properties, you also should research this a bit more. It's what the market right now is starving for!

As always, I'm here to help!

~ Jamie

For more, visit http://www.mortgagemagician.blogspot.com

What Goes in to Quality Workmanship

When having a service performed by anyone, in any type of industry, it should be expected that the end result being received is something that is quality work. Companies and contractors that claim to be experts in their industry and field should be able to give their clients the type of workmanship and craftsmanship that they are known for.

Before choosing the company that is going to come to do work for you on your home it is often times best to ask around to friends to see what types of contractors that they have used in the past or to go online and find a website where the work of the company has been reviewed. Often times these reviews, or a testimonial directly from your friend, will give you an idea of what type of contractor you will be working with, the level of craftsmanship and workmanship that they may provide, and the amount of courtesy and respect that you can expect to receive from whomever you will be working with.

Say that you are having some sort of construction project done for your home, like a deck, sun room, or screen room; you are going to want someone that is going to do a quality job. These types of exterior features on a home can really make or break what people see on the outside of your dwelling. These are also structures that can be very dangerous if not constructed properly. The workmanship and the tools and materials that going into constructing something of this magnitude must be used properly and put together in a manner that is not only aesthetically appealing, but is also as stable and sturdy and safe as possible.

It is best to use a contracting company that is known for its professionalism and integrity in their line of work. The company should want each of its customers to be extremely satisfied with the work that is done not only for the sake of that customer but for the sake of maintaining a good name for the business.

Remodeling projects can really add that something extra and functionality to your home so working with the best workmen and craftsmen in the business is really the only way to go. Your home should look like it was worked on be a skilled artist, just one that specializes in home projects.

Kathleen Whitlow is a copywriter and marketing agent of Classic Construction. The exterior construction company provides decks, sunrooms, screenrooms, vinyl siding, and more throughout the Richmond Virginia area. For more information on their Exterior Classic Construction please visit their website