Shed Building Plans - 5 Ways to Save Money Using Shed Building Plans!

Storage buildings are functional additions to your backyard. A good building needs to be functional, well built to last for years, and attractive. Before you decide on which shed building plans you should use, ask yourself these questions.

*What is the purpose of building a shed?

*What are you going to be storing in it?

*Will you be storing lawn equipment, gasoline, oils etc... in it?

*Do you want it to provide security for the contents?

*What type and design will suit your needs best?

Now that you've answered these questions you have a better idea of the type of building you need. You should also consider that this new building is also going to add to the value of your home. Think about the location, doors, windows and ceiling height. Pick a plan that has the door in the center so you can access the contents from the left, right and back. [Measure your biggest piece of equipment and be sure that the door is wide enough] It's better to have a couple inches wider...this will save your knuckles!

How can you save money using shed building plans?

*Whether you high someone to build it or do it yourself, having a plan will save time and money, by not having to figure out size, materials, size of floor joists, ceiling joists etc...

*Saving even more money if you built it yourself. Carpenters charge between $25 to $35 dollars an hour.

*With the plan in hand you'll be able to pick a good location fast. The plan gives you a front or side elevation [picture] of the finished product.

*A good plan will include the type of wood needed for the base [floor] it should be treated lumber so it doesn't rot in a few years.

*You can save more money by choosing a metal roofing material. Lasts basically forever if it doesn't blow away! Use extra screws [not nails] along the bottom and sides. Roofing material comes in a wide range of colors. The shed building plans you choose should give you detailed instructions and include good pictures.

If you've found this information useful and want to find out the easiest way to build sheds and save yourself 100's even 1000's of dollars on your shed construction, Do it yourself! Take a quick look at http://hubpages.com/hub/ShedBlueprints . Of all the resources I've seen on line I've found one that is the most comprehensive and complete home project resource on the Internet. The Detailed diagrams...Complete material lists...and very explicit step-by-step instructions!

And it's your lucky day you can get a FREE complete shed to download at Shed Blueprints Grab your copy before there all gone!

Moisture Against Gravity Destroy

Cutting Stair Handrailing Video

Stair building tips for installing lights and decking, handrail tips and some deck advice.

For more helpful home improvement information visit: http://www.gregvan.com

Stair Building Help

Swimming Pool Books
Home Remodeling Books

Interior Repair - Get Your Dash Repaired

We all want our cars to run good, however we also really want to them look good. There are many things that affect how your car looks. And the inside counts just as much as the outside when determining its condition. Sometimes it may be a small part of your car that needs repairing to get it looking great. One of these areas of concern could be your dash board. If your dash board is making your car look older than it is you may want to consider getting it repaired.

Getting your dash board repaired can increase or maintain your cars resale value in the event that you need or want to sell or trade your vehicle. It makes the car look good and new, which is what any used car shopper is looking for. Sometimes it is the simple things that make it or break it for a car sale. Whether your dash board is cracked, scratched, or fading that can be a factor. Also, you will feel better about having a car that looks great. It is a nice feeling to have an older car that looks like new, it also shows that you take pride in yourself.

Replacing your dash board is an option. It will cost more than getting it repaired and may take a little more time since materials will need to be ordered and so forth. However you will have a brand new dash board. So if you don't mind spending the money it is a good solution for your vehicle.

However, in today's economy, most people are trying to get the best deal no matter what you are paying for. So, getting your dash board repaired is the best option for your car and your wallet. You would be surprised at what a professional auto body reconditioning specialist can do with your existing dash board to get it looking like new. Whether you have cracks, scratches, or fading occurring on your dash board they can fix the problem. Usually they can do this for a fraction of the cost of getting a replacement. Also they can also get it done rather quickly. Just contact a few local auto body shops to get quotes and do a little research on the shop to make sure they produce quality work.

There are also a few things to you can do to prevent cracks, scratches, and fading from occurring on your dash board again. The biggest problem with dash boards is that they are located right under your car's windshield, which is where a lot of light and primarily heat come in. The heat beats down on your dash board causing it to fade and crack. So buy yourself a sun shade for your car to keep the heat out. It is definitely worth the money. Also get some armor-all while you're at it and use it regularly on your car's dash board. These two things will help keep your dash board looking its best for a long time!

If your car is in need of auto reconditioning start looking for a qualified professional to handle your concerns. Look for an auto body professional to take care of your ride from interior repair to fixing the major auto body repairs.

Tax Credits For Steel Roofing

Recently President Bush signed into law the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 which, among other economic incentives, extended the tax credit available for energy efficient home improvements. Home owners that are in the midst of planning to make improvements to their homes can do so in 2009 and receive tax credits for improvements that are deemed to make the home more energy efficient.

While the purpose of the bill was and will always be to lessen the blow of the recent economic downturn, one must look deeper to see the many advantages it provides to the common household through tax credits. Anyone who is planning to undertake home improvements should consult the details of the bill to see if the changes they are making qualify for tax credits.

One of the main focuses of the home improvement tax credit portion of the bill was to encourage people to change their roofing material from heat-absorbing, energy-wasting shake and shingle to a substance that reflects heat and reduces energy consumption, such as a reflective metal roof.

The advantage of a change to metal roofing is that it reduces the home's consumption of energy by requiring less energy to cool the home in the summer, as the steel roof reflects heat instead of absorbing it. A second advantage comes with the fact that since the heat is immediately reflected back into the atmosphere it reduces the occurrence of smog and urban hot zones in populated areas.

Those who need to replace their roofs in the next few years should consider upgrading to a steel roof in 2009 to take advantage of the tax credit before it expires. Homeowners who add a metal roof that is ENERGY STAR qualified can get 10% of the cost refunded, up to $500. That's a pretty significant savings.

To qualify for the tax credit the steel roof must be put into service between Jan 1 - Dec 31 2009, a manufacturer's certification statement is required, along with IRS Form 5695. According to the bill the roof qualifies if it is: "...any steel roof...installed on a dwelling unit, but only if such roof has appropriate pigmented coatings or cooling granules which are specifically and primarily designed to reduce the heat gain of such dwelling unit". So essentially you are looking for a coated steel roof which meets the ENERGY STAR program requirements.

Check with your Absolute Steel representative to see which of our metal roofing materials qualify and save some money!

While some may not consider 2009 to be the best year for major expenditures on a home, if your home is in need of a roof soon regardless you should think about upgrading your roof in the next year to take advantage of the tax credit savings. Not only will you save money on the roof itself, but every year your metal roof will give you back up to 40% in energy savings due to reduced cooling costs. You should also keep in mind that when you spend money on your house you are also helping to stimulate a lagging economy, and every little bit helps.

Visit http://www.MetalRoofingSource.com to learn more on the benefits of metal roofing.

Oh God The Contractor From Hell

Tile Roofing - What it Is and What It's Not

Tile roofing, in fact, has practically defined the architectural styles or Spanish cultures, and is the most popular roofing today in both the Southwestern United States and in South America. But the history of tile roofing is so long and so varied that it has given rise to many misconceptions, and any homeowner considering the addition of a tile roof should have correct information on tile roofing before proceeding. So we'll try to clear up some of the most obvious mistakes in this article.

Not Dangerous, And Certainly Not Just Red

If you're an avid fan of martial arts movies in which the hidden dragon and the crouching tiger fly through the air e in pursuit of their enemies, to land on tile roofs which immediately loosen and begin sliding to the grounds, chalk it up to dramatic license. Tile roofing is always attached to a roof so securely that it can withstand both high winds and sever rain or hail, and it would never work loose simply because someone had to move around on its surface. How do you think it would ever be repaired if that were the case?

Another unfortunate indignity tile roofing has suffered at the hands of Hollywood is that it always seems to be presented in a particularly garish shade of red. The reality is that tile roofing can be manufactured in a huge array of colors, so you will have no trouble finding a shade to complement your home.

Not Going Anywhere

If you want a roof which may very well outlast you, then you should be looking at clay or concrete tile roofing. Both of these types of tile roofing are cheaper than slate, but like slate will last for between fifty and a hundred years with proper care. Some of the oldest buildings in Asia have their original tile roofing, which is as waterproof today as on the day it was installed. A good tile roof may actually survive the building on which it sits, as compared to asphalt shingles which start deteriorating the moment they are nailed to a roof!

You may not realize it, but there is no roofing material safer than tile roofing. Tile roofing has been rated with the highest "Class A" fire resistance rating. This means that having tile roofing will not only reduce the possibility of your losing your home, or even your life, to a fire; it means you have an excellent chance of having your home insurance premiums lowered.

Not Too Heavy For Your Home

Tile roofing is also still extremely popular in California, not only because of its Spanish look, but because it can handle the stress of earthquakes. It can also shrug off ice storms and hailstones the size of which would shred a shingle roof.

The final myth to debunk is that tile roofs require expensively reinforced homes to bear their weight. But the tile of the 21st century is now manufactured to be much lighter than ancient tiles, without sacrificing any of its strength, and any well-constructed home should be up to supporting a tile roof!

You can also find more info on http://roofingbliss.com/roofing/solar-roofing-an-idea-whose-time-has-come - solar roofing.

Roofingbliss.com is a comprehensive resource which provide information about roof.

Horizontal Or Vertical Drywall

Know the Cost Immediately With an Instant Home Insurance Quote

When you contact an insurance agent and give him/her the details of your home and the amount of coverage you want, you will probably have to wait for a few days or longer to find out what the cost of such a policy will be. This is not the case when you shop for insurance online.

Just about all of the insurance providers with a website will give you an instant home insurance quote once you enter your information. It is free to request a quote for the cost of the premium, so you would be wise to request several quotes so that you can compare the rates and coverage options.

Homeowners that shop around each year and request free home insurance quotes from various insurers are able to save money on their policies. Requesting a quote does not place you under any obligation to purchase the policy.

It is also a way in which you can educate yourself about home insurance and learn valuable money saving tips in order to get the most affordable insurance with the best coverage. When you compare the quotes side by side, there is bound to be one that is cheaper than all the rest for the same type of policy.

Take notice of the types of questions you must answer when requesting an instant homeowners insurance quote online. One of these talks about the types of safety features you have installed in your home. The more features you have the lower the quote will be.

If you really want to see what kind of difference they make, you can request a quote with and without the features, such as smoke detectors and dead bolts on the doors. In this way you can see how cost effective it will be to take the necessary steps to have them installed and then start looking for homeowner insurance. The installation is not costly and will save you money year after year.

All insurance companies require you to have a deductible. This is a set amount of money that you will have to pay for repairs before the insurance policy comes into play. The instant home insurance quote will have a standard deductible of $500, but you can lower your premium costs by requesting a deductible of a higher amount.

You have to have some information ready to submit when you request an instant home insurance quote online. You will need to know the age of your home, its size in square footage and the type of materials used to build the foundation walls and roof. You will also have to tell your primary source of heat and in some cases the type of flooring in your home.

When calculating the amount of coverage that you need for cheap homeowners insurance, do not simply think in terms of what you paid for the home. You have to think in terms of what it will cost you to rebuild the home at today's prices, which may give you a significantly higher price.

Keep in mind that the instant home insurance quote you receive may not be the actual price of the policy once you start making changes or if you sit down with an agent to discuss your insurance needs. The quote is simply a guideline to give you an idea of the company's rates and offers in an insurance policy.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in finance, business, and different types of cheap homeowners insurance. For free home insurance quotes, please visit http://cheap-insurance-rates.com/.

Getting Rid Of Horrible Attic Sm

Hanging Drywall

Also called wallboard, gyproc, or plasterboard, it is used to cover interior walls and ceilings, and sometimes as an underlay for ceramic tiles. Composed of gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) sandwiched between two layers of kraft paper, it has a fire rating of approx. 30 minutes, and offers reasonable soundproofing, especially when installed in two layers.

Hanging drywall can be fairly heavy work, but not overly difficult to master. It ranges from 1/4" to 5/8" in thickness, with 1/2" being the most common in residential work. The sheets are normally 4 feet wide and 8, 10 or 12 feet long, conforming to standard measuring increments, such as framing studs placed at 16 or 24 inch intervals.

Standard drywall sheets have tapered long edges and the shorts ends are squared off. One face is rough, and one face is smooth, for painting and papering. Water resistant drywall also has tapered edges, and is used for kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. Use cement-based backer board under tub surrounds or ceramics, in tub and shower areas. Some drywall comes pre-finished in different textures, colors and patterns, and some are vinyl-coated.

Wallboard (drywall) sheathing has tongue and groove edges, and is used under exterior claddings, including masonry to provide water and wind protection.

Wallboard sheathing and water-resistant drywall will both sag if used on ceilings - use standard drywall on ceilings, and cover with alkyd primer to water-proof the surface.

Drywall must be carefully measured and cut, before fastening to wood or metal studs, preferably with special drywall screws applied with a drywall gun or a drill, fixed with a drywall "dimpler" to properly counter-sink the screws. Use Type W screws for fastening to wood studs, Type G for fastening one sheet to another, and Type S for fastening sheets to metal studs. The joints are finished with joint compound (mud) and tape (paper or fibre mesh). Outside corners are covered with a metal corner (drywall "bead"). A T-square and utility knife are used for cutting, and a drywall knife (a smooth, broad spreader) is used for applying the compound.

To estimate quantities, add up the square footage to be covered, and divide by the number of square feet in a sheet (eg. 32 for a 4X8 sheet). One pound of nails or 1/2 pound of screws will fasten 200 square feet of drywall. Have a friend help you with the heavy sheets, especially when hanging a ceiling!

Drywall is easiest to install and finish if you hang it sideways, although if your ceiling is higher than 8'1" you might be tempted to hang the sheets vertically.

CAUTION

If hanging sheets vertically, you will be screwing very close to the tapered edge, and if the framing is not perfect, your vertical joints might be weak, or not line up at all!

Copyright Gil Strachan - All rights reserved.

Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.

"The Home Reference Book"
You can probably find a home inspection for a little less than what we ask, but you probably won't find the Home Reference Book. A $60 value, this solutions-oriented reference tool comes free with every inspection we perform.
It's the first tool you should have around the house!

Wood Window Problems Repair Video

Great video on how to deal with window jam problems.

If you're thinking about buying a home, check out this home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping. For under $15, you can save yourself a lot of frustration and money.

Achieving The Goals You Set

Taking Sunroom Prices Into Consideration Before You Build One

Erecting sunrooms does not take much effort or time, but planning out the perfect budget for the sunroom of your dreams is a knack to master. To do it without any error, you should try to achieve the perfect balance between what you need and the quality of your sunroom. Generally speaking, the cost of sunrooms can vary from anything from $10,000 to $ 17,000. If you get the DIY kit then you will be able to save the cost of labor. The price of sunroom is determined by a few factors including labor cost, design, style, flooring plan and material cost usually. The sunrooms are a financial alternative to the conventional homes made with mortar and brick.

Likewise, the charge for labor in constructing the stairs is approximately $300. Hence, the total cost of labor could be around $12,000. Then again, the substance that you utilize in construction of the sunroom decides sunroom costing. If your budget is limited, you can use cladding of vinyl for your sunroom. Vinyl sunrooms are less expensive than their aluminum counterparts.

The most expensive is wood sunroom requiring constant maintenance and attention. If wood is your choice of material for you sunroom, then you can complement the look with wicker or rattan furniture items to lend in an exotic and earthy look to your sunroom. The majority of the top manufacturers give you the provision of paying the sunroom prices in installments, thus allowing you to choose the right sunroom for you without undue thoughts of immediate payment.

If the sunroom is built correctly, it becomes the most sought after place to let your hair down, soak in the afternoon sun, breathe into the fresh starry nights and have the best time with family and friends.

An Overview of Sunroom Pricing

Sunroom prices can begin from $10,000 and reach up to $70,000. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) has discovered that from the sunrooms you can get back more than 70% of what you invest. The key factors that determine the costing of a sunroom are size of the sunroom, labor cost, the foundation you want to put and the features you want your sunroom to have. The material cost for making the sunroom could be approximately $10,000. For the stairs it could be $250 and if you are keen on building a deck then be prepared to shell out $1400. An extra cost of $1200 will have to be paid for enhancing the flooring system of the room.

Hence $13,000 is what you have to pay as the total material cost for seeing your own sunroom built in your house premises. The labor cost for building the sunroom can come to around $10,000. For building the deck the costing will come to $1600.

Andrew Caxton writes for http://www.allsunrooms.com

Read additional info on new room cost or champion room enclosures

What To Do If Your Home Floods

Xbox 360 Repair Manual - 30 Minute Repair Solution

If your Xbox has broken down or is giving you red light errors then you have come to the right place. Today we are going to cover the meaning of the various red light errors and what you can do to solve these problems. Everything from an Xbox 360 repair manual to sending it back to the manufacturer will be discussed.

Generally speaking, the number of red lights displayed on your Xbox corresponds with the type of error it is experiencing.

1 red light - means general hardware failure

2 red lights - means that your console is overheating

3 red lights - means red ring of death

4 red lights - indicates a loose AV cables

If your Xbox 360 is experiencing any of the above problems that you might want to consider some of the following: first, bring your Xbox into the open. Sometimes your Xbox will overheat because it is not breathing properly. Try blowing into the vents to get rid of any dust. Secondly, you can send it back to the manufacturer provided that your 90 warranty has not expired. If it has then you will have to pay $140 for the repair bill along with the shipping and handling fees. If you are an Xbox fanatic and can't wait 6-8 weeks to get your Xbox back than you will want to consider purchasing an online repair guide. These guides now come with easy to use instructional videos that will solve virtually any Xbox error. The top guides come with money back guarantees and around the clock customer support.

An Xbox 360 repair manual is an easy to use and inexpensive way to fix your Xbox.
Click Here for a risk free Xbox 360 repair guide that will have your Xbox back up and running properly in no time.

Bad Termite Damage To Window

LCD Monitor Repair

It is usually thought better to repair LCD components than to replace them. The reasons are manifold. LCD Monitors last up to ten years. In the case of LCD screens, the lifespan is even longer. If a small part fails then that can make a monitor redundant. If the main transformer or the tube fails, then replacing the entire monitor is logical. If not, then repairing is the efficient option. Monitors hold some types of metals that are potentially dangerous, so repairing is also a more environmental friendly thing to do. And, most importantly, repairing is cheaper than the purchase of a new electronic part.

And this is where I come across Jestine Yong's LCD Repair courses/ebook, this is a step by step program that will teach you how to repair a LCD monitor. Some of the most common problems that LCD monitors have are White Display, Display Shutdown After Few Seconds To Few Minutes, Have Power But No Display, Dim Display etc... these are just some examples of common LCD monitor problems, but I assure you that there are a lot more. This is a really good LCD repair guide, I've tried some of his stuff and it all works, plus that you get some amazing bonuses if you get his course. I really recommend this to anyone that wants to start to repair LCD monitors or if you want to make money by repairing other peoples LCD monitors. This is a good business these days, because there are some expensive LCD monitors out there and you cant just trow it out the window.

So, check out Jestine Yong's program and you will see for yourself that this is the best LCD Monitor Repair guide, ebook, course or whatever you want to call it.

Check the link to see this more about what he has to offer,don't miss this opportunity - http://lcd-fix.blogspot.com

Moisture On Vapor Barrier

Can You Help Us with Your Remodeling Experience

To would appreciate any home remodeling tips for ideas that you have that could help other homeowners, building contractors and other people involved in home remodeling. Post all your comments below.

Home Stucco Books
Flipping Houses Books

Bathroom Remodel Budget In Vista California

As a bathroom remodeling contractor, I get calls from people, that have no idea what they want or how much anything is going to cost. Here's some simple tips that can be very helpful when planning a bathroom remodel budget.

Bathroom Remodeling Investment

In 2008, the average mid-range bathroom cost around $16,000 and you could recoup around $12,000 of your original investment upon the sale of your home. According to a popular remodeling magazine, larger bathrooms using expensive fixtures, tile, bathtubs, woodworking, toilets and showers had an average of $52,000. Upon the sale of a home, you could recoup around $36,000 of your original investment.

Finding out How Much Things Cost

My first suggestion, would be to visit your local home improvement center, lumber yard or plumbing supply warehouse. Larger stores like Home Depot and Lowe's, seemed to provide you with value pricing but don't have a large selection. While doing some research on the Internet I noticed that some of their pricing is outrageously, outrageous. Some plumbing supply warehouses can provide value but beware others won't.

Create a List of Bathroom Remodeling Parts

You can get a good idea of your bathroom remodel costs for your budget by making a list of bathroom parts with pricing and then adding them up for a grand total. If you're a total bathroom remodel budget is $15,000 and you have a $6,000 bathtub with $4000 worth of tile, you could have a budget problem.

Figuring out the Labor

You will have to contact a contractor to get an actual cost for the labor. Sometimes you can double the cost of your bathroom remodeling parts to get a rough idea. If you have a list or a couple of lists and a few pictures of some sample bathrooms, this will make the contractor's job easier and often they can give you a labor price within a few days.

Give Yourself a Cushion

I would suggest leaving yourself a small financial cushion for any additional remodeling items. For example, you could see a different toilet, or instead of painting the walls, you now choose to wallpaper, you could incur additional expenses that you haven't planned for. If you know exactly what you want and stick to the original bathroom remodeling plan, you shouldn't need the cushion.

Financial problems often transfer into construction problems, so spend some time figuring out, how much money you want to spend on the bathroom remodel and try not to go overboard on the budget. I hate to see homeowners struggling with home improvement loan payments. Try to create a bathroom remodeling budget that is realistic and will not create a financial burden upon you or your family.

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 bathroom remodeling or home building ideas.

Small Crack In Roof Rafter
Damaged Roof Plywood

Home Maintenance Tips You Can't Afford to Ignore

Without a doubt, buying a home can be the largest investment youll ever make. With the average home costing approximately $190,000, many homeowners take great pains to ensure that all cosmetic and structural repairs are attended to. However, the truth is that many expensive repairs could be avoided by simply sticking to a routine maintenance schedule. Routinely checking your home for emerging problems will prevent larger, more expensive problems that leave homeowners scrambling for a quick repairrather than a cost-effective one. Clearly, regular home maintenance is something you cant afford to ignore.

When to Inspect

Spring is a good time to begin assessing your home for any damage or repairs that need attending to. A good rule of thumb is to check your home at the same time you change your fire alarm batteriesat the beginning (spring) and end (fall) of daylight savings time. Doing so will ensure that minor repairs dont turn into major expenses. Some components of your home may require less-frequent monitoring (foundation), and some may require more (changing the furnace filter). However, taking a walkthrough of your home twice yearly is a good rule of thumb to begin with.

Who Should Inspect

If you feel unqualified to asses every crack and unidentified water leak in your home, feel free to hire a handy man. Not only will he be able to spot any problems, but he can also advise on repairs and costs right on the spot. Do you want a thorough evaluation? Hire a home inspector. Do keep in mind, however, that home inspectors cost much more (around $300) and may not necessarily find every problem.

In most instances, though, simply paying attention to your home is all it takes to spot any emerging problems. For example, if your toilet runs all the time, chances are it needs to be repaired. Have you noticed that your doors dont shut properly anymore? That could be a sign of foundation settling or warping. Simply making a list of things around your home that seem off can make your inspection process much easier. No matter what your plans, the following items are a good place to start when evaluating the condition of your home:

Exterior Items

Chimneys:
Check chimneys for loose or deteriorating bricks or mortar. Make sure that metal chimneys are rust-free. A white, salty buildup on the chimney (efflorescence), indicates moisture build-up, and should be checked out by a professional. Its a good idea to have your chimneys professionally cleaned and inspected on an annual basis, in addition to you own visual assessments.

Roofs:
Have a leak inside the house? Chances are its your roof. Beyond that, look for chipped or missing shingles, or shingles that may be rubbed away by hanging tree limbs. Take this chance to trim trees up away from the shingles. Also make sure to check flashings, soffits, fascia, and any wood trim that comes in contact with the roof for rotting or peeling paint. Touch up and repair as needed.

Gutters and Downspouts:
Clean out your gutters and downspouts twice a year to ensure that no leakage or damage occurs. In addition, you may want to place screens over your gutters (available at home improvement stores) to prevent leaves and debris from entering the gutter system. Check for any places that they may be pulling away from the house or leaking. If paint is deteriorating, now is a good time to touch up.

Exterior Walls and Foundation:
Check for any cracks, deterioration, or peeling paint. If foundation cracking is excessive, call for a professional assessment. Otherwise, you can patch it yourself with mortar patch (which can be piped in with a caulk gun).

Soil Grading:
Does water seem to settle around the houserather than drain away? Check to make sure that the soil slopes away from the house (1 inch per 6 feet is recommended). If it doesnt, simply backfill with some topsoil until you reach the desired effect.

Doors and Windows:
Look for peeling or cracked caulk and weather stripping. These can easily be purchased at any home improvement store and repaired in a small amount of time. Clean out window wells and check that windows and doors open, shut, and lock properly.

Porches, Decks, and Patios:
Sealing your wooden porches and decks on an annual basis will help prevent against rotting and deterioration. Secure any wobbly rails or steps, and replace or treat any rotting or deteriorating wood. Check patios for cracks or settling, and repair as necessary.

Driveways and Sidewalks:
Check for cracking, and fill with concrete-patch as needed. Taking this time to seal your concrete areas will help prevent any further cracking and deterioration.

Attics and Crawlspaces:
Inspect attics and crawlspaces for any signs of water leakage, and repair as necessary. In addition, look for mildew, rot, and fungus growth. Repair any loose or damaged insulation, and check that attic vents are functioning properly. Look for any signs of vermin, and treat as necessary by placing bait or trapsor hiring a professional exterminator.

Electrical

Do you have outlets that are loose? Now is the time to have them replacedeither by an electrician or yourself. Check your main breaker panel for any signs of deterioration. Turn breakers on and off to make sure all are functioning properly, and check all fuses. Do you smell something burning? Call a professional. Also, take this time to check the ground fault circuit interrupters (usually around sinks and other water elements) to ensure they function properly.

Heating and Air Conditioning

Does your heating and air conditioning run non-stop? Now is the time to have it checked out. Having your air ducts cleaned by a professional will help your unit run more efficiently. Check the coils on the air conditioning unit for any bent or misshapen areas. Clear debris out of the fan blades before using.

Plumbing

Check outdoor faucets and supply lines for any signs of leakage. If you have a septic tank, take notice of any foul odors or signs of seepage in the yard. If you havent had your tank emptied yet, do so now.

Take time to repair leaky faucets and caulk bathroom fixtures. Check toilets for any signs of leakageeither from the tank or around the base. Check sump pumps to ensure proper function, and test the pressure relief valve on your water heater to ensure that it hasnt seized up.

Interior Items

Walls:
Look for any signs of mildew or water damage (yellow stains are usually a sign of water damage). Patch holes and cracks in the drywall, and touch up paint as necessary. Monitor any significant cracks, as these could be a sign of foundation problems.

Ceilings:
As with walls, take note of any mildew or water stains, and repair as needed. Look for drooping ceilings, and locate the cause to ensure proper repairs. Monitor and repair cracks.

Doors and Windows:
Open, close, and lock (where applicable) all doors and windows to ensure proper functioning. Replace weathered caulk around windows and check for any signs of moisture infiltration (particularly in storm windows). Broken or loose knobs, latches, or handles should be repaired now.

While no homeowner can possible catch every problem before it develops into an expensive repair, simply taking note of minor fix-itsand repairing themcan help avoid many costly repair bills in the future. Without a doubt, regular home maintenance is something no homeowner can afford to ignore.

Copyright 2006, Ian White

Author Ian White is founder of housecarers.com House Sitting Registry Find retired House Sitters and Travellers, to mind your home and pets while you are away. Secure confidential matching. Exchange house and pet care for free accommodation.

http://www.housecarers.com

Why It's a Mistake to Offer to Split the Difference

In this country, we have a tremendous sense of fair play. Our sense of fair play dictates to us that if both sides give equally, then that's fair. If Fred puts his home up for sale at $200,000, Susan makes an offer at $190,000, and both Fred and Susan are eager to compromise, both of them tend to be thinking, "If we settled at $195,000 that would be fair, because we both gave equally." Maybe it's fair and maybe it isn't. It depends on the opening negotiating positions that Fred and Susan took. If the house is really worth $190,000 and Fred was holding to his over-inflated price only to take advantage of Susan having falling in love with his house, then it's not fair. If the house is worth $200,000 and Susan is willing to pay that, but is taking advantage of Fred's financial problems, then it isn't fair. So, don't fall into the trap of thinking that splitting the difference is the fair thing to do when you can't resolve a difference in price with the other side.

With that misconception out of the way, let me point out that Power Negotiators know that Splitting the Difference does not mean splitting it down the middle. Just split the difference twice and the split becomes 75 percent/25 percent. Furthermore, you may be able to get the other side to split the difference three or more times. I once negotiated with a bank that had a blanket encumbrance over several properties that I owned. I had sold one property out from under the blanket, and our contract entitled them to a $32,000 pay-down of the loan. I offered them $28,000. I got them to offer to split the difference at $30,000. Over a period of weeks until this four-unit building closed, I was able to get them to offer to split the difference again at $29,000; and at $28,500 and finally they agreed to $28,250.

Here's how that this Gambit works:

The first thing to remember is that you should never offer to split the difference yourself, but always encourage the other person to offer to split the difference.

Let's say that you're a building contractor. You have been working on getting a remodeling job that you bid at $86,000 and for which they offered $75,000. You've been negotiating for a while, during which time you've been able to get the owners of the property up to $80,000, and you've come down to $84,000 with your proposal. Where do you go from there? You have a strong feeling that if you offered to split the difference they would agree to do so, which would mean agreeing at $82,000.

Instead of offering to split the difference, here's what you should do. You should say, "Well, I guess this is just not going to fly. It seems like such a shame though. We've spent so much time on this proposal, and we've come so close to a price with which we could both live. It seems like a shame that it's all going to collapse, when we're only $4,000 apart."

If you keep stressing the time that you've spent on it and the small amount of money that you're apart on the price, eventually the other people will say, "Look, why don't we split the difference."

You say, "Let's see, splitting the difference, what would that mean? I'm at $84,000 and you're at $80,000. What you're telling me is you'd come up to $82,000? Is that what I hear you saying?"

"Well, yes," they say. "If you'll come down to $82,000, then we'll settle for that." In doing this you have immediately shifted the negotiating range from $80,000 to $84,000. The negotiating range is now $82,000 - $84,000, and you have yet to concede a dime.

So you say, "$82,000 sounds a lot better than $80,000. Tell you what, let me talk to my partners," (or whatever other higher authority you've set up) "and see how they feel about it. I'll tell them you came up to $82,000, and we'll see if we can't put it together now. I'll get back to you tomorrow."
The next day you get back to them and you say, "Wow, are my partners tough to deal with right now. I felt sure that I could get them to go along with $82,000, but we spent two hours last night going over the figures again, and they insist that we'll lose money if we go a penny below $84,000. But good golly. We're only $2,000 apart on this job now. Surely, we're not going to let it all fall apart when we're only $2,000 apart?"

If you keep that up long enough, eventually they'll offer to split the difference again.

If you are able to get them to split the difference again, this Gambit has made you an extra $1,000 of bottom line profit. However, even if you can't get them to split the difference again and you end up at the same $82,000 that you would have done if you had offered to split the difference, something very significant happened here. What was the significant thing that happened?

Right. They think they won because you got them to propose splitting the difference at $82,000. Then you got your partners to reluctantly agree to a proposal the other side had made. If you had suggested splitting the difference, then you would have been putting a proposal on the table and forcing them to agree to a proposal that you had made.

That may seem like a very subtle thing to you, but it's very significant in terms of who felt they won and who felt they lost. Remember, the essence of Power Negotiating is to always leave the other side thinking that he or she won.

So the rule is never offer to Split the Difference, but always encourage the other person to offer to Split the Difference.

Key points to remember:

1. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that splitting the difference is the fair thing to do.

2. Splitting the difference doesn't mean down the middle because you can do it more than once.

3. Never offer to split the difference yourself; instead encourage the other person to offer to split the difference.

4. By getting them to offer to split the difference, you put them in a position of suggesting the compromise. Then you can reluctantly agree to their proposal, making them feel that they won.

Roger Dawson
Founder of the Power Negotiating Institute
800-932-9766
RogDawson@aol.com
http://www.rdawson.com

Roger Dawson is the author of two of Nightingale-Conant's best selling audiocassette programs, Secrets of Power Negotiating and Secrets of Power Negotiating for Salespeople. This article is excerpted in part from Roger Dawson's new book - "Secrets of Power Negotiating", published by Career Press and on sale in bookstores everywhere for $24.99.

Construction Financing and Commercial Loans For Better Decision

The financing of commercial construction loans and commercial real estate are presenting a series of new challenges to commercial borrowers. As a result, small business owners should expect to find some new problems avoidable, but in general when looking for financing working capital and commercial mortgages.

There have always been complex problems for business owners to avoid when it comes to commercial loans. By most accounts, these difficulties are expected to increase because it seems that we are entering a period that is characterized by the further uncertainties in the economy. Before the rules of commercial mortgages can change suddenly and with little notice by the lenders in case of the current financial turmoil continues.

This article will evaluate why the commercial construction have become harder to obtain loans and discuss possible funding solutions for commercial finance. It is much more likely that borrowers will have to look beyond your local area to help finance companies because of current economic uncertainties in combination with less capital available for commercial mortgages in general and the financing of the construction in particular . In many areas of the United States, almost all construction business effectively funding sources are inactive at this time in connection with new loan applications.

Construction loans are generally considered more risky than other financing by most lenders, even before the financing of enterprises became more limited financing options recently. For a commercial lender, the most important risk factors for the financing of commercial construction generally include: (1) a commercial property can not produce the revenue that is used to repay a loan until the property is completed and occupied, (2) a significant risk factor is the possibility of seizures contractor, and (3) many commercial building projects take longer to complete than had been planned and / or exceed the original cost estimates. Due to widespread losses in the construction industry, the contractor mortgage risk is a major concern for commercial lenders. In any case, the current delinquencies in payments on the loan for financing the construction business is running well above normal.

Construction of housing finance has always been seen separately by the lenders, because the eventual owners of houses are individuals instead of companies. From the perspective of commercial lending, it is likely that the current difficulties in housing construction seen are indirectly affect the availability of funding for the construction of commercial properties, because the possibility that the contractor incurred during projects can reduce residential mortgages quickly the financial stability of the contractors involved in residential and commercial construction projects. This is another reason why lenders are increasingly focused on the risk of mortgages as a contractor providing construction financing less.

The viability of investment property has a theme of "location, location and location", which reflects the importance of a place to invest. This remains an important factor when lenders assess the prospects for commercial loans in the commercial property and new construction. A lender may be more comfortable with a stable income growth for a company that in turn result in a stable to increasing valuation of the property, thus guaranteeing the preservation of commercial mortgage loans.

Although there are significant regional variations, we see declines in both commercial and residential property values in the United States for the first time in several years. A severe recession will result in a reduction in income for many companies over a long period of time, and it is very difficult for both lenders and borrowers of the projects where this downward trend will reverse.

Given the difficulty of funding based on location, using local lenders can not be a practical solution for trade finance in the commercial property and new construction. Small business owners should seek advice from a straightforward commercial loan expert who can provide effective strategies for changing business financing and financing difficult situations, especially in light of the difficult commercial loan climate that currently prevails.

For more details about credit loan visit @ http://www.creditloanblog.com

Fire Hydrants & Home Water Damage - Home Safety

I was amazed to see what kind of damage a fire hydrant could do to a house, when broken. It was like spraying hundreds of garden hoses on the roof of a house and watching the water cascade off like a powerful waterfall. I was simply amazed and still can't believe the damage I witnessed as the fire hydrant covered the entire house with water.

I might be getting a little carried away here but as a building contractor, I have seen the water damage a small leak, over a few years, concentrated on just one single part of the home can have. This fire hydrant broke in between two houses and was approximately 30 feet away from each home and was covering one of them with a blanket of water, while the other one looked like it was raining on the roof.

How can one home receive so much damage and the one next to it, located the same distance receive very little. I won't ever be able to figure that one out.

There was a small car in the driveway and it was getting pummeled by water. There's no way that this car couldn't have been damaged on the inside, with the amount of water that was flowing over it. Now the damage to the home was a different story. It almost looked like a little Barbie house with a fake car in the driveway and someone spraying water directly over the home.

There was no way that anyone could come in and out of the home without getting physically hurt from the large amounts of water that were flying in every direction. Looking back at the water damage I've repaired over the years and watching this fire hydrant terrorized this house and everything in it, makes me a firm believer in the power of water.

The fire hydrant was broken because a car ran into it. Most fire hydrants have a ring that is known as a breakaway ring, just in case someone was to run into it with a vehicle. The ring can be replaced a lot easier than the pipes beneath it, if they were to become damaged. Whoever came up with this design has saved an ungodly amount of money over the years from accidents like this.

Hard to imagine the damage the fire hydrant can do to a home.

Broken Fire Hydrant

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 home stair building and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Stud Spacing And Wall Framing

Please Contribute Helpful Information to Our Blog

How would you like to help other contractors, home improvement specialists, builders, real estate professionals and anyone else involved in home remodeling. If you have any tips or home improvement advice to you would like to share with our readers, it would greatly be appreciated. Leave all comments below.

Swimming Pool Books

How to Choose the Correct Loft Hatch For Your Needs

Standard Size or Custom Fit

The very first consideration you need to bare in mind is whether you'll need a custom fit loft hatch to fit your exact requirements or whether you can size your loft hatch based on a standard size measurement. Of course this very much depends on what you intend to use the loft for. If you plan to store large items in your loft it stands to reason that you'll need to install a loft hatch that can accommodate the largest item you plan to house in there. The type of ladder you use will also have an impact on the size of your loft hatch. If you favour a concertina fold-down loft ladder then you will obviously need a loft hatch that allows for the ladder to pass through at its longest and widest point. Loft ladders and loft hatches are often sold in packages which pairs loft ladders with the appropriate hatch.

Materials

Loft hatches are available in a variety of materials. The most popular material has always been wood because it's light, cheap and can be adjusted if it doesn't fit exactly. Wood is still the most popular choice of material for custom made loft hatches, for obvious reasons, with PVC the second most popular selection. Custom fit PVC loft hatches are catching up quick however, due to the quick lead times for delivery and their low prices. The situation in the standard size loft hatches market is very similar. Wood previously dominated but now metal loft hatches are catching up in the commercial arena due to their fire resistant qualities, and PVC is increasing in popularity in the domestic market. The benefit of wood, however, is that it can be refinished and repainted time and time again which makes it a much more flexible option. Your redecoration options could be limited with a PVC loft hatch because although they are available in a variety of colours, once you buy it that colour it has to stay that colour.

Location

The location of your loft entrance will have a big bearing on the type of loft hatch you need. If the entrance is located near a wall then you'll have to make sure that the loft door doesn't swing down and mark the wall. You'll also have to make sure that the presence of the wall doesn't interfere with the loft ladder, either by creating an awkward angle or by not allowing an internal ladder to extend out fully.

If your loft entrance is located above a stairwell this will have significant implications to the type of loft hatch you choose. In this situation there are limited ladder configurations available to you, so you'd be forced to choose from a small selection of loft hatches that suit this scenario.

For a loft hatch located in a very cramped space you may wish to consider a hatch that opens inwards rather than outwards. Inwards opening loft hatches are easier to open but more difficult to closer than outwards opening alternatives but they also pose fewer problems when trying to maneuver in a small area.

Loft Hatches
Loft Hatch

Bathroom Vanity Lighting

Tips to Get Rid of Moths

As winter approaches and days are getting colder it is time to get your winter gear out of your storage. Winter coats, hats, scarves, and gloves are needed to protect you from the forces. As you pull out the coat you notice little holes and small tears in the fabric. Did you store it like this? Did someone else wear it over the last few months? No, the simple answer is moths got to it. Moths love natural fabric. So what can you do to protect your clothes from those little monsters? Below are some very helpful tips on how to store your clothes in a way that will keep them protected from moths and other fabric eaters.

What Are Moths

If you think that those large flying creatures you typically see flying around a light at night, are the ones eating your sweaters, than you are wrong. Although they are moths they are not the ones eating fabrics, but instead have a diet of outdoor vegetation.
Clothing moths on the other hand are quite small, not more than one-half inch long, and when disturbed will run or fly to conceal themselves. Also, unlike the larger, non-cloth eating family members, clothing moths prefer the dark and are not attracted by light. They preferred habitats are dark, hidden places like the creases and folds in clothes hanging in rarely disturbed closets.

Those moths live and breed in your closet, but they also do not eat your clothes. In fact grown moths don't even have the mouthparts necessary to chew on clothes. What eats you wool sweater is the larva. An adult moth lays about 100 eggs, and once the larva hatches the damage on your cloths begins. Even thought eh larvae can only digest animal fibers, other fabrics such as cotton and synthetics can still be damaged.

Protection From Moths

The best way to protect your clothes from moths is by prevention. There are a few things you can do that moths will hate, and your clothes will love:

- Cleaning Your Clothes Before Storing You should never store clothes that are dirty or have been worn. Perspiration and stains are an ideal source of food for moths to feed on. Also, moths might already have laid eggs in your clothing that will hatch once in a dark storage area. Dry-cleaning or running your clothes through a heater will kill any larvae and eggs.

- Take Clothes out periodically From time to time take your clothes out of storage and shake them out, and hang them in direct sunlight. The light exposure and the movement of the fabric will kill the fragile larvae and cocoons.

- Clean Your Closet Cleaning and regular vacuuming will prevent dust from piling up. Moths love dust as much as fabrics, and if you let them have it, it will be another breeding ground for them.

- Moths Balls Moth balls or flakes contain Para dichlorobenzene (PDB) or Naphthalene. Neither PDB or Naphthalene will repel clothes moths or prevent them from laying eggs -- the vapors from these materials are lethal to clothes moths, but only when maintained at sufficient concentrations. In order to achieve these levels, the vapors must be tightly confined with the items you wish to protect. Naphthalene is not very soluble in water, so it is difficult to remove by washing. It would probably be wise to dry-clean any articles that have been stored with mothballs before using them.

- Other remedies If you want to create a moth's trap then do the following: Mix one cup of molasses with 2 cups of vinegar. Mix this solution well together and put it into a yellow open container to attract the moths. Moths like the sweetness of the molasses, and are attracted to the color yellow. What they don't know is that vinegar will kill them.

So next time you decide it is time to put your winter cloths back into storage, make sure to follow the advice in this article. Protecting your clothes from moths will avoid unpleasant surprises the following winter, and will help you save money on buying new clothes.

Pohl is an expert author on mens fashion. He enjoys writing articles on formal attire, dress code tips, and other clothing related topics. He himself has had a few instances with moths, and has learned his lessons. His interest in fashion convinced him to open an online necktie store: http://www.cheap-neckties.com/ - It was his goal to bring fashionable neckties, bow ties and cufflinks to you without burning a hole in your pocket. Beside cheap men's ties, you will find cheap bow ties and discount designer cufflink sets.

Good San Diego Contractors

I would love to hear your good contractor stories. I'm so tired of hearing about contractor nightmares, is there anyone out there that has a good contractor story. Place it in the comment area underneath this question.

Handyman Books

The Advantages of Gazebo Kits

Want to see a gazebo in your yard or garden? Are you considering buying one, but arent happy with the hefty price tag? You can save money on construction labor and bulk shipping costs by purchasing any of a large variety of gazebo kits ranging from $1000 to several thousand dollars, depending on your needs.

Gazebo kits come in pre-fabricated parts or in sections for you to assemble. Usually with just a level and a screw gun, you can put together a gazebo in an afternoon, a few days, or a few weeks, depending on how big and fancy your gazebo is. In some cases, you can do it all by yourself.

Gazebo kits are available as traditional gazebos, spa gazebos, patio gazebos, and many other styles. Dont feel like you have to sacrifice taste or quality when assembling a gazebo yourself. Gazebo kits are available in a wide variety of materials, including different types of woods, metals, and even polymers such as vinyl. Wood gazebos usually come in pine, cedar, and American redwood. Pine is the softest and turns yellow with age. Cedar, being very solid and turning gray-brown with age, is the most common gazebo wood. American redwood is the hardest, darkest gazebo construction wood.

You can also buy aluminum, wrought iron, or PVC vinyl gazebo kits. On the downside, these materials are heavier and more expensive than lumber, and they dont blend as well with nature. On the upside, metal and plastic gazebos are stronger and zero-maintenance, and they can be beautiful in their own right.

To assemble a gazebo using a kit, follow the directions and use the included hardware. Usually this involves laying the pieces out onsite and erecting the structure one piece at a time. Erect the posts and the lower part of frame first, followed by the walls, the upper part of the frame, the roof skeleton, and the shingles if applicable. Architectural flourishes such as moldings go up near the end of the assembly process. Top it off with the optional cupola or weathervane.

There are lots of options when it comes to building your own gazebo, and you dont have to be a carpentry star to get really good results and once its done, youll be ready for some serious lounging.

Gazebos Info provides detailed information about spa, garden, patio, canopy, screened, metal, and vinyl gazebos, as well as gazebo plans and kits. Gazebos Info is the sister site of Awnings Web.

4 X 4 Post Connection To 4 X 8

Open Plan Kitchen Options

A Kitchen seems to be the most comfortable and the sweetest place in our homes. It is a real pleasure to get together with the whole family on a Sunday evening and look forward to a specialty prepared by the lady of the house. Even nowadays the tradition of a cordial kitchen party is still alive, when people get together in one place to talk business, meet new people, and have chit-chats.

Maybe you prefer meeting your friends for lunch or dinner at cafes and restaurants. Today, however, it is almost impossible to imagine a contemporary house without a kitchen zone. It's another matter that with a constantly expanding variety of interior renovation options, individual preferences and wishes are always of top priority when a selection decision should be taken. Correspondingly, our wishes and preferences are affected by many diverse factors: number of household members, lifestyle of owners, layout of an apartment, preferences of color and taste, and many others.

You should be very selective when it comes to choosing a new kitchen design. Open plan kitchen is one of the most popular trends in the kitchen remodeling options. Kitchen integration with a living room may be regarded as a virtual step back to the origins of the kitchen tradition, when the hearth was located in a general room. With a such-like interior solution, nowadays a wall between a kitchen and a living room, or between a kitchen and a dining-room, is fully or partly demolished; and different options are now available to further separation of one functional zone from the other: placing partitions, or bar counters, or applying various color solutions for the walls and the floor. Undoubtedly, this type of interior has both advantages and disadvantages.

Open plan kitchen are often made in one bed room and two bed room apartments, which allows to enlarge a living area and to expand the space. There is a number of options here, such as wall demolition that separates a kitchen and a living room, or partition wall installation. It is appropriate to use partition wall made of plasterboard and glass bricks; and also, it is recommended to use glass bricks to "ease" space available, in other words, to reach airiness effect. In addition, for a space-saving purpose, it is possible to have built-in shelves installed into the partition wall. It may be, for example, a U-shape decorative design. Such-like object is practical and multifunctional. It can serve as a screen, separating a kitchen and a living room, it can hide a cooker hood pipe, or support plasma panel of a TV-set.

You can think of another popular option: using space between a guest zone and a kitchen, where, instead of a typical dinner-table, you can install a breakfast bar worktop. As for walls and the ceiling in the kitchen, they should be covered with waterproof paint, so that they will keep a tidy look.

Planning new kitchen installation works it is important to keep in mind that when cooking the smells spreading throughout the entire apartment, can be a major drawback to have an open plan kitchen. To fight the smells is quite easy using a high-quality and reasonably expensive cooker hood.

It is known that combustion residue are produced while cooking. It is not healthy to inhale them. Besides, fat and smoke is not good for kitchen furniture, ceiling and walls either. So, you should buy a kitchen exhaust hood or as the specialists call it a canopy hood.

Caring about an overall aesthetic outlook of a kitchen area, modern kitchen designers offer several options of interior solutions. When too bulky cooker hoods either get hidden into cupboards and shelves, or get disguised via specially elaborated design frameworks.

Today home appliances producers strive for careful consideration of cooker hoods' design. Modern market offers a great variety of models which you do not need to hide, because they can be a kitchen decoration themselves.

Those, willing to convert a kitchen into a modern open plan kitchen are most likely to be selective and get advices from professional kitchen fitters.

Arthur Prudent is a developer of London bathroom installation - web site offering all aspects of builders services.

Open plan kitchen

Wood Repairs

Brick Stencils - Faux Painting Made Easy

One of the easiest faux painting finishes is faux brickwork. It can add interest to a dull flat wall or drab concrete surface, either in the home or in the garden or patio area. The great thing about it is that reusable stencils, easily available from many retailers, make the job really quick and easy, even for beginners.

Brick Finishes

An uninteresting floor or wall can become an eye-catching feature with a brick finish makeover. Indoors, the unpainted brick look is trendy and modern with the warm colors of brick complementing other decorating styles. Outdoor spaces can also be enhanced. Brickwork (especially aged brickwork) has a soft, warm appearance whereas plain, untextured concrete floors can be stark and ugly.

Using brick stencils is useful if you want to extend existing brickwork without the effort, expense and mess of actual construction. (And you may not be able to find bricks that match.) Brick stenciling is also an alternative to restoring existing brickwork. Brickwork that has been damaged or previously painted is notoriously difficult to restore but can be rejuvenated with clever use of paint.

The Pros and Cons of Stencils

Especially if you're new to faux painting, brick stencils have many pluses and few minuses. In some cases (for example, if you need to match existing brickwork) you may have to mark out your design manually, or create your own stencil to match what you already have. If you can buy a stencil to suit your purpose you will save a lot of time. The only real downside of stencils is that their fixed size can create problems with corners and edges (especially curved edges, for example around a circular or arched window).

Which Design?

Brick stencils come in a staggering array of different designs, with different brick sizes and paving patterns. Choose your design carefully to fit in with the room or surface you plan to transform.

Make sure that the scale is in proportion. Consider the space available. You may not want large bricks in a small room or small blocks in a bigger space. The size of the brick is one factor influencing the degree of texture that results. Some manufacturers offer customizing and re-sizing of stencils.

Also consider how the pattern will match your architecture, dcor or space. Modern home with clean lines may invite a plainer, more geometric pattern. That could be simple rows, but a herringbone design can also look neat. Circular or swirling patterns can soften a space with hard lines, or complement older architecture, rustic dcor or traditional gardens.

Have Some Fun with It

Brickwork doesn't have to be reds and browns. Other colors can simulate brickwork that has been painted over. You can also choose between a clean, new brick appearance or create a soft, aged look by using paint techniques to create a distressed effect. Stencils are the core of the process but you still have other fun options to choose from to create your ideal look.

Find more brick stencil ideas from That Painter Lady. Then claim your free "Insider's Guide to Faux Painting" and avoid all the common mistakes, get success tips, find the right products for the job and more.

Build Your Own Generator From Scratch

There is no better feeling in the world than becoming 100% energy independent, especially if you've set up your home energy system by yourself from scratch. It's definitely worth making a choice to convert now, as electricity prices and dependence is only going upwards. This article gives you an overview home made electricity, and how to start to build your own generator from materials available at your local hardware store.

First things first, you need to understand just how much better life can be after converting to self generated power. You won't be affected my fluctuations in the energy market, you won't be affected by blackouts during storms, you won't have to pay energy bills (or at least they'll be significantly reduced), and best of all, if you build your own system, you won't have to fork out thousands for installation!

In my experience, the best 2 systems are solar and wind generators. Depending on the climate where you live, you can focus mainly on one of these systems, or both. I'd recommend both. Despite what you might be lead to believe, building and installing one or more of these babies is relatively simple if you've got the motivation, and/or some good help.

Projects can naturally start small, but grow quickly. After one weekend you can realistically expect to be running one household appliance off a solar panel that costs less than US$200 to build. That means that you can be saving money and emissions in only one weekend! You can save even more money faster if you get the help of a friend.

Like all Do-It-Yourself projects, you want to make sure that you have the best blueprints and advice. You can buy appropriate books and material at your local hardware store, or even easier yet (and cheaper), you can get a full home energy blueprint from the internet, instantly. These packages often come with all the knowledge and schematics on how to build a generator, and also constant updates on new technologies. This makes it even better value.

To see the best way to set up a free energy generator in your home, go to this Renewable Energy Systems website now for more information about how to build your own generator

Tile Setting Books

Tips For Building Your Own Home Bar

Is your home the place where your friends and family tend to gather for sporting events, card games or just a great place to hang out on a Friday night? Why not consider building a home bar to add a little flare to your entertaining? Building a home bar is a great addition to any home, but deciding on building a bar is just the first step. Many decisions have to be made throughout the building process to determine what the bar will look like, where is will be located and just how much money you want to spend on such an endeavor.

In many homes the bar is located in the basement in a large rec room. If you have the space to do this, it makes sense to locate the bar there, but it is entirely up to you where you locate it. If you are not handy with tools, it's likely best to hire a contractor to build a proper home bar that you will be proud of, however if you do have some technical skill, building a bar doesn't have to be difficult. It is possible to even purchase a home bar kit that can make it much easier to build. Most people however prefer a more custom bar that fits in with their current decor

Many types of home bars exist to suit any decor including Tiki Bars, Tuscany Bars or a Renaissance Bar. For those in warmer climates, a home bar could even be installed outdoors, around a pool or on a deck. For most people that live in parts of the country that have cold winters, an indoor home bar may be more appropriate. Depending on the current decor of your home, some bars work better than others, but if you are looking to build a themed room, any style will work.

Once you decide on style, now comes the important decisions of what your home bar will include. A simple bar does not need to include electricity or water, but both these utilities will greatly improve what you can do with the bar. With electricity and water your home bar can include a sink, a beer fridge, an ice maker and even a kegerator. With all these elements you can have a fully stocked bar without having to make trips to the kitchen for ice, water or cold beer. For those that want to provide their guests with an authentic bar experience, installing an LCD TV on the wall can add to the ambiance and a pool table would also be nice if space allows.

Once your home bar is finished, all your friends will want to spend their spare time lounging around your bar, having great conversation. Of course during those big games like the Super Bowl or NHL Playoffs, your home bar is sure to make it a fun time with cold beer and good friends.

Building your own home bar can be as simple or as challenging as you would like. Consult tiki bar plans if you are interested in designing and building a world-class tiki bar. If you would rather purchase a tiki bar kit or need the right decor to complete your bar, check out the Tiki Bar Shop.

Bathroom Remodeling Problems

Panelized Custom Homes Are Similar to PreFab Homes & Share Many of the Benefits

Prefabricated homes are a relatively new concept in architecture and building. In fact one reason why prefabricated homes are currently not as popular as they should be is because there just isn't a lot of information out there.

A Panelized home is similar to a prefab home, but as its name implies, is built of panels, or sections of walls. The panelized sections fit together much like pieces of a puzzle.

A prefabricated home is a house that is built off site, and is assembled on site. A Penalized home is built the same way - off site. The panel sections and components that we use are built in a very large warehouse. The equipment in the plant is very high tech. The lumber is actually cut using laser guided equipment. So the lumber cuts are very clean and precise.

Another interesting feature of panelized construction is that design flexibility is just as great as stick framing. If our architect can draw it we can build it with panels. Prefabricated homes are almost as flexible design-wise as panelized construction. In addition, panlized and prefabricated homes are usually composed of environmental friendly materials, and compared to ordinary stick built homes, the amount of wood used is considerably less. And therefore, there is less waste.

And since the panels are essentially built in an indoor plant, weather does not adversely impact the lumber as much as it would if the home were stick built on the site. With stick built homes the piles of lumber sit out on site in the weather. Many times the lumber can become more warped and twisted when rain and moisture make contact with the wood.

Robert Maggin has an MBA and MS in Real Estate Development. He is owner of a Architect/Building Company specializing in custom homes. Go to http://www.ParamountConstruction.net

Horizontal Or Vertical Drywall

Considerations of a New Life - Building Your Summer Home

The stresses of life are numerous and the opportunities to enjoy ourselves, our family, and our friends are precious. We are only afforded a few chances a year to truly be ourselves and rarely do we take notice and take advantage of these chances. Living in a city makes it painfully obvious that our freedoms are limited, our independence is conditional, and our peace of mind contingent on material realities, but these concerns which affect and dilute the living experience need only cloud the mind for eleven months out of the year. If you are considering an escape, or a place to relax, there is no more perfect sanctuary and vacation that a trip to a newly built summer dwelling. Consider the advantages of different locations when planning to build a new home away from home.

Maine, or as it is better known to families with summer houses on its pristine and secluded lakes, "the vacation state", is one of the prime pieces of real estate to consider when attempting to build new quarters in which to spend your summers. Maine has a relatively small population that is comparatively high in spirit and humor, and is home to all ages and professions of people from lobsterman and lumberjacks, to vacationers and writers. The great Stephen King at one point called Maine home, and used the peaceful state as the backdrop of many of his most famous stories. As a location to build a summer dwelling, Maine is optimal for the hardy individual who doesn't mind a little precipitation, has a love of outdoors and a love of company. As if these qualities weren't enough, Maine is home to arguably the best lobster in the world, an excellent treat for the vacationer spending time in the newly built home away from home.

On the opposite end of the climate spectrum, temperate New Orleans has become another ideal spot to build a new vacation residence. Partly due to the tragic events of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the price of land in New Orleans has dropped and now is an excellent time to consider building a house on the outskirts of this famous Louisiana city. One need not feel too terribly the pangs of guilt, as New Orleans locals welcome the opportunity to meet new neighbors and will be more than glad to indulge your desire to tour (and spend) in the Crescent City. However, building a new summer house in New Orleans should not be taken as an invitation to disrespect the culture and the history of the city. While the price of land in the South is historically low right now, the vibrancy and dignity of the people who have been affected by the dropping prices and disastrous misfortunes around the coastal region remains in tact, and should be taken at all times as deserving of the utmost respect and consideration.

While there is no perfect place to build a summer abode, the opportunities afforded by Maine and Louisiana provide ample chance for the perspective home-builder to find their niche, build a new house, and start to feel at home.

Mr. Oliver is a marketing agent of LifeStyle Builders. The new home contractor builds new homes throughout the Richmond Virginia area. For more information on their New Home Contractors please visit their website.

Window Header Framing Problems

Ways to Stop Losing Your Car Keys

You obviously don't need to read this article if you rarely lose your car keys. However if you misplace your car keys often and have a pretty good relationship with your locksmith, it's time to change these bad habits into good ones.

One of my friends, recently lost their car keys. I would like you to listen to what I'm about to say and see if it makes sense to you. Most people get two keys when they buy a car. This means, if they lose one key, they now have a spare key. When they lose their first key, this should give them a pretty good clue that the second key is now the only key, if they wish to drive their car.

Does that make sense? If you lose your first key, you don't have a second or spare key anymore. Now is a good time to purchase a spare key or have one made. Don't wait until you lose the second one, unless you are planning to change your bad habit into a good one.

Now let me get back to my friends who recently lost their car's key. The car they were driving was a new Honda and you can't go to the locksmith to get another key made. You have to order one from the Honda dealer and this key cost them over $200. That's a lot of money for one key.

Now my friends lost both of their original keys and now have one key to operate the vehicle and this key cost them over $200. Now if I had to pay this amount of money, I would make sure that I never lost this key ever again. I would do whatever it to to change my old habits and create some new ones.

How hard is it to get in the habit of placing your keys inside of your purse. Placing your keys in your pockets and then only removing them when you are going to place them inside of a drawer, container, cup, bowl or on a shelf in your bedroom. If you place your keys in a drawer, this will keep them out of other people's temptation.

If you choose to lay your keys in a bowl, in the kitchen, there's a good chance someone will take them or another member of your family could lose them. Place your keys in a protected area, do not leave them out in the open ever.

If you want some tips to prevent you from losing your keys, simply talk to someone who rarely if ever loses their keys. Most of these people have simple and easy to follow tips. You can consciously create a habit that can save you money and frustration in the future.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a spiritual video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

How to Increase Home-Sale Value During a Global Meltdown

The current real estate and housing market is witnessing its worst phase in recent years. The overall property sales figures continue to drop down. Economists foresee and expect further dip in the near future. The statistics also suggest that one out of every two hundred households in the country have received a foreclosure notice from banks or HUD.

The state department has decided to propose a house inspection norm in order to alleviate the poor status of the realty scenario. This positive measure could boost the morale and confidence of prospective homebuyers. Homeowners around the country are striving to push up the resale value of their property. Potential homebuyers are set to benefit from the slashed long term mortgage rates.

The marketability of homes for sale can be improved through construction and renovation works. Housing materials like granite and marble inculcate the luxury and beauty of the house or the apartment. The incorporation of natural granite and marble enhances the value of a property because people are willing to purchase houses which are beautified with marbles and granites. A kitchen and bathroom upgrade with granite and marble is a popular choice amongst a lot of new home buyers.

Granite slabs add elegance and natural beauty to living spaces. They have amazing textures in varied hues that emit a remarkable aesthetic appeal. Since the usages of such materials are economical, they are preferred by home builders and sellers alike. The maintenance of the Marble countertops is very less and they add to the comfort.

Granite and marble countertops blend along stark metallic appliances through their multiple shade patterns. They are seen to work at splendor irrespective of the shade of the kitchen cabinet and bathroom floor. Granite and marble are usually associated with royalty and they are available with abundance of decorative themes. These construction variants could provide a low cost and high value appeal to primary sections of the property.

Granite countertops are ideal for the necessary luxurious finishing to the construction works.

The high quality versions are used in the construction of wash basins, bath tubs and kitchen sinks. Granite countertops last for decades and are not prone to staining or damage due to their toughness. They can be resurfaced and sealed often with time while still maintaining their unique shine.

Granite slabs can be incorporated as borders in homes with marble flooring. Granite colors are fabricated to match with all forms of marble tiles. The above innovative home measures could protect against risk to further loss of property value. These local actions can rejuvenate the neighborhood housing market and you will surely benefit even in the battered economy.

Marble City is the leading granite countertops installation and fabrication company in the Bay Area, California.

Home Improvement Can Involve the Fittings For Amenities

In the United States, four plumbing fittings have to be there one at a time for a restroom to be considered a "full bath." Plainly, a "restroom" may be understood as a private space wherever a person takes a bath. The bathtub, shower, commode, and basin are the fixtures that make up a full bathroom. While a "3/4 bath' consists of a shower, basin and commode. Conversely, a 'half bath' may be termed a powder room and has just a toilet and vanity basin usually with a mirror. When a property owner does a little to alter the look of this piece of the house, he is assembling what is termed a bathroom home improvement. This venture can be carried out by the owner himself, or he may hire a 'pro' to oversee this job.

A home improvement can involve the fittings for amenities. It might also involve a preservation practice required to keep the bathroom in top condition. One other reason for a restroom improvement might be adding new equipment and restyling this room.

However, most of the time, a restroom home improvement requires an installation of something in the room, such as a fan, vent, light, vanity, medicine cabinet, ironing center or shower door. Several websites provide detailed instructions on how to go about these installations. In addition, these websites distribute material regarding where the best stores are in your town for those wholesale restroom systems and their matching prices. A restroom improvement might as well refer to schedule restroom maintenance. This might consist of faucet substitution, redoing vinyl flooring, or altering a shower head.

From time to time, it is suggested that homeowners take these measures. As a final point, a restroom home improvement plan might involve upgrading its amenities and services. Some homeowners buy restroom enhancement to put together one more appropriate to their requirements. Others do so to add to the market value of the whole house because most house buyers are very fussy about the look and practicality of the restroom.

Bathroom Safety

An additional form of restroom home improvement necessitates building the restroom for safety and with a view to greater suitability for the elder members or those in ill health in the family. You'll accomplish this by installing or implementing double-handed faucets, putting in a toilet with a higher seat, installing a tub with a non-slip textured shell, and fitting tub safety bars. The restroom aught likewise, to be outfitted with a ground-fault circuit interrupter outlet, so that electrical power will instantaneously be cut off in case of a short circuit.

Apart from the original reasons for modernizing or humanizing of a bathroom equipment , it is central to the job that all work be very precisely completed.

Being particularly interested in using a router for woodworking, Nash Wendin has been publishing a lot of short articles in this specific area. You might see his writings on use of router at different sources for use of router information.

Prefabricated Building Materials

Prefabricated building materials are used for buildings that are manufactured off site and shipped later to assemble at the final location. Some of the commonly used prefabricated building materials are aluminum, steel, wood, fiberglass and concrete.

Prefabricated metal buildings use galvanized steel and galvalume as the chief materials for building. Galvalume is a form of steel coated with aluminum-zinc. This is to protect the building against corrosion, rust and fire. It also provides a sturdy and protective covering to the prefabricated building. Almost all the components of a metal building such as beams, frames, columns, walls and roofs, are made of steel. Most prefabricated military buildings use steel or aluminum frames. Synthetic materials are used for the walls and roofs. To provide enhanced security, a combination of both metal and cloth materials are used. Plastic flooring materials can be quickly assembled and are very durable.

Prefabricated building materials used for small prefabricated buildings are steel, wood, fiberglass, plastic or aluminum materials. These materials are cheaper than regular brick and concrete buildings. Materials like steel, fiberglass, wood and aluminum are used as prefabricated building materials for sports buildings. These materials provide flexibility and are preferred for making structures and accessories like stands and seats for stadium and gyms.

For making low cost houses, prefabricated materials like straw bale, Ferro cement, Calcium silicate products, composites and other cheap wood based materials are currently being used. Calcium silicate bricks are strong and durable. Ferro cement consists of a cement matrix reinforced with a mesh of closely-spaced iron rods or wires. In this type of construction, the techniques used are simple and quick.

Using prefabricated materials one can make durable, water and fire resistant and cheap prefabricated buildings. Most of the prefabricated building materials are eco-friendly and affordable.

Prefabricated Buildings provides detailed information on prefabricated building, prefabricated metal buildings, small prefabricated buildings, prefabricated building manufacturers and more. Prefabricated Buildings is affiliated with Manufactured Home Floor Plans.

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