Installing Wooden Shelves in Your Closet

Installing wooden shelves in a closet is a straight forward task that any homeowner can do. Tools required for hanging wooden shelves include a saw, hammer, level, measuring tape, centerpunch and pencil.

To install wooden shelves simply measure the height from the floor to where you want the shelve to sit. Make a mark on the wall.

Next using your level, put the level on the mark such that the bubble in the level is centered. Make two additional marks next to the level. You should now have 3 marks that are in perfect alignment. Repeat this process so that the side and back walls each have these marks. By placing your level on an angle between the side wall and the back wall, and on the marks, you should be able to confirm the marks on each wall are level with each other.

Next, install along the back wall 1"x3" trim. You will need to cut it to length and secure it with finish nails. Make sure the nails are nailed into studs (2"x4"s). Repeat this process with the two side walls. Then sink the nails with your centerpunch.

Next, cut to length a piece of closet board. Closet board is made out of particle board and has a rounded over smooth edge in the front. You can obtain this at any home improvement center.

Lay the closet board onto the 1"x3" wooden strips and you are done.

Should an Above Ground Covered Pool be Pumped Out When it Rains

I have heard conflicting opinions on whether or not a Covered above ground Pool should be pumped out after a heavy rain. Historically I have just let the water sit there and have never had a problem during the winter.

Any thoughts on this would be helpful.

Discount Granite Countertops

The beauty and warmth of granite makes it an ideal countertop material for aesthetic and practical purposes in most any kitchen. In addition to its natural strength, granite is a very beautiful stone that adds color and warmth to a room. Although granite countertops are quite popular, a homeowner may not want to spend the premium price for granite, or may live in an area subject to limitations on resale values. In cases like this, discount granite countertops are an attractive option.

Granite is relatively expensive, with prices starting at $60 a square foot. The majority of the cost is not in the stone itself, but in the quarrying, transportation, polishing and installation. Typically homeowners will contribute labor on improvements to reduce costs, but installing granite countertops should be left to the professionals. However, a large marketplace with numerous suppliers and substantial discounts creates a price range that allows anyone to have granite countertops in their home.

Granite suppliers will typically have three or four groupings of granite to choose from. The suppliers will refer to their groupings or “tiers” by numbers. The first tier will include the premium products that sell for the highest price. A stone is grouped based on several criteria, including country of origin, color, veins or patterns, thickness of the slab, amount of soft minerals in the stone, and fashion trends. Granite from lower tiers has the same beauty and utility as the slabs in the upper groupings. Additionally, stones in a lower tier could be harder than some stones in a first tier, so it pays to get out and look around.

While granite from the lower tiers exhibits the hardness granite is known for, the presence of softer minerals may require additional cabinet supports or a penetrating sealant. Thinner cut stone may be a little less than two centimeters instead of a recommended three; if so, the installer can provide additional stability by laminating it to plywood backing. Discount granite suppliers will typically deal with a thinner cut stone, and many suppliers now carry stones that are intentionally cut thin and laminated at the quarry.

Another option would be having granite tile countertops. Tiles are fashioned from the same desirable stone as solid granite countertops. All elements of the granite remain the same, with exception to the size of the granite slabs. Granite tiles, while needing special care, can be installed (with the right tools and preparation) by a homeowner.

Granite tiles are laid in the same manner as ceramic tile, with consideration for the additional thickness of the stone. All of the countertops in the kitchen can be covered in tile, or a few large tiles can be inlaid to other countertop surfaces such as Formica. Strategically placed twenty-four inch granite tiles inlaid near the range or oven allow for searing hot pans to be placed on an otherwise delicate countertop. A thirty-six inch granite tile set into the counter work area serves as an excellent surface for rolling dough and working with confectionery. The homeowner on a tight budget has many options for to providing a touch of luxury with discount granite countertops. Today, many manufacturers will fabricate the countertops in the country of origin, which reduces the costs attributed to waste and shipping fees. Although prefabricated countertops are made with thinner slices of stone, they are laminated to plywood for strength. Prefabricated pieces are also cut to fit basic lengths and L-shaped counter layouts of most kitchens, allowing for lower costs related to installation. Another benefit with prefabricated pieces is that the country of origin will typically have lower wages for labor, which greatly saves on installation costs.

Discount granite countertops have proven to be a wise investment for any homeowner. Clever design and planning allow homeowners to enjoy the benefits of granite without the traditional large expense.

About the Author: Granite Counter Tops provides detailed information on granite kitchen and tile countertops and more. For more information go to http://www.e-granitecountertops.com/ and/or visit its sister site at http://www.e-kitchensinks.com/ for related information.

Home Improvement: Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans come in a wide variety of styles and colors to match any homeowners interior design wishes. They come with and without lighting. Three to five blades. In colors of black, white, brown, made of wood, covered with animal print fabric or styled with carved leaves.

Ceiling fans have come a long way since the industrial revolution where they were dreamed up by sweating factory workers. These workers attached wooden or metal blades to the overhead whirling shafts that were used to drive the machinery they worked on.

Ceiling fans are a great way to keep cool in the summer on those nights when you don't have to run the air conditioner. Ceiling fans are much less noisy and obtrusive than box fans that sit on your floor or in your windows. And, you know that heat rises, right? Well, in the winter months running your fan on low and in reverse speed will bring down the heat that accumulates up in at the ceiling, helping you to feel warmer.

Before you purchase a ceiling fan you'll need to consider the blade sweep. You don't want to overwhelm a smaller room with a ceiling fan that's too big, but, you also want to make sure that the ceiling fan will be able to displace enough air to cool you off in a larger room. Another consideration before purchasing a ceiling fan is the length it will drop from the ceiling. A home with an 8 foot ceiling would probably use a three inch down rod for a ceiling fan, and a room with a fifteen foot high ceiling would need at least a one foot down rod, up to a five foot down rod. It is suggested that you have at least seven feet of clearance from the floor to avoid accidents.

Installing a ceiling fan yourself is a fairly easy job for most do-it- yourselfer's. There are many online sites available to help you if you have any problems or questions.

About the Author: Shaan Randow. This article courtesy of http://www.about-ceiling-fans.net

House Plans – Where To Start

You have found the perfect lot on which to build your new home. Now you have an abundance of decisions to make. Where will the house sit on the lot? You will have to decide this based on the total square footage of the house. What kind of features are you hoping to have. These are the things to consider, storage, a laundry room, a home office, a bathroom downstairs, a full bath upstairs, and a family room.

Consider the future? Are you just starting out and planning a family? Do you need a guestroom for visitors? Flexible house plans are probably the best option for you. You don’t want your house to end being too big in the future. If it starts getting small, make sure you allow for expansion if necessary, and make sure it is according to your local zoning laws.

How does the house plan you have chosen fit on the lot? If the lot is deep and narrow you don’t want a shallow and wide house plan. Where will you place the house so that you get the maximum exposure to sunlight in the morning and in the evening? Make sure the windows are where they are supposed to be.

Check the zoning laws where you are building your house. There may be a limit in the height of the house or on what percentage of space your house can take up on the lot. Be open to suggestions. You can go with a pre-drawn plan or a custom plan that is drawn to your specifications. Another important item is how water drains off of your property. You would want to build the house on the rise of a hill rather than at its base. At the base the run off could do damage to the house.

When thinking about your house in general, does the house style fit in with the neighborhood? You wouldn’t put a large Victorian house in a neighborhood that had ranch style homes and vice versa. Find out if there is an agreement with your city or town regarding the type of houses that is acceptable for that area. The size of the house is important. If it is too large or too small it will stick out like a sore thumb.

Will a lot of changes have to be made? There will be changes at some point to add a garage or change the size or shape of a room is fairly easy but you had better be prepared to pay a lot more for custom plans.

When you are thinking of the rooms determine what percentage of total square footage will this room take u p. If the master suite takes up twenty percent of total space is okay if you are also going to use some of that space for a reading area. If not consider a plan with a smaller bedroom. In order to determine the total space of any room you multiply the length times the width and divide that by the total square footage of the home.

You may want a dishwasher or an island in the center of your kitchen but sometimes you have to do a trade off. For example, if you want a dishwasher but will have to lose some cabinet space you must decide which is more important cabinet space or the dishwasher. The colors inside the house are most definitely important. If you want each room to have its own color the best plan for you would be a closed plan which would create separate individual rooms. If you are going to have a solid color throughout an open floor plan might work for you.

If you want the space consider planning a room switch. A room that is now being planned as an office can become a guestroom or a nursery. An extra bedroom could be come a work out room or a family room/library. If you are building a garage consider adding an extra bay and making that a workbench or a potting bench. Once you figure all of this out and you have the plans all set you can if you haven’t already choose a lot. With an organized search you could find a plan that comes very close to your ideal home. Once you get the plan you can make any necessary last minute changes.

Building a home is probably the most complicated decision you will ever make. The plan for your new home can be either custom or pre-drawn. Custom plans are more expensive but the expense of pre-drawn plans could be as well if you request any modifications to them. Check with your city or town for their zoning laws. You will hopefully be in your new home for long time so make it what you want it. Enjoy your new home.

(c) www.1st-4-house-plans.com

About the Author: Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for home buyers and consumers on purchasing a variety of Dream Home which includes Cottage Plans, Beach House Plans, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information,

Buying House Plans Online

The Benefits of Self Building

Investing in property had always been very popular - and for many very productive and lucrative. However, as the prices on property begin to soar, it is difficult for many to even get their foot on to the property ladder. The alternative is renting, which usually means paying extortionate sums of cash each month to a wealthy landlord - not something that many people particularly want to do, but something that they feel they have to do in order to enjoy their own living space and independence.

However, there is a cost effective alternative for those that really want to get on to the property ladder but feel that they can't afford it. Self-building with house plans has become an increasingly popular solution for prospective homeowners, enabling them to get the home of their dreams at a fraction of what it would cost to buy a ready built home of the same style and calibre.

How do house plans work?

House plans are designed by top professionals - architects and designers that know exactly what constitutes a high quality, desirable home. These house plans are designed to be as simple to follow as possible, enabling purchasers to see construct their homes with ease and speed.
House plans are available for a vast range of property types, so whether you live alone and want your own private little home, or whether you have a large family and need a home that will provide you with adequate space and facilities, you will find something that will suit your needs exactly, and for far less than you imagine.

Using house plans to construct your new home will also give you the benefit of being able to make it as unique as you dare. The construction of new homes by huge corporations has become a little like a factory production line, with entire estates full of identical houses springing up in the matter of a few weeks. There's nothing unique or special about these homes; you would simply be spending years living in a property that looks exactly the same as the one next door, and the one opposite, and the one down the road - you get the picture...

By using house plans to create your home, you can put your dreams in to action. Whatever style, size or type of home you want, there will be a top quality house plan that will suit your needs and budget perfectly. So you can get a house that is truly unique and special, and probably pay less than those that have opted for the "production line" houses.

Looking for unique house plans?

There are so many house plans to choose from that you can achieve just the look and style for your new home. You can even get custom house plans, so whatever your idea of the dream home you can still make it a reality.

Perhaps you are looking for a little hideaway near the lake; maybe you want a cottage in the countryside; perhaps a log cabin is your idea of the perfect home or holiday hideaway; or maybe you want to go for a sprawling, family home. Whatever your requirements and desires, these fabulous house plans can be a great help. With so many styles to choose from you can get a really unique home to suit your needs and your pocket, so why settle for less? Some of the excellent house plan choices include:

• A frame cabin house plans
• A frame home house plans
• Country house plans
• Log house plans
• Luxury house plans
• Small cottage house plans
• Vacation house plans
• Victorian house plans

Why use house plans?

One of the main reasons why so many people are keen on using house plans rather than buying pre-built properties these days is the cost. The rising costs associated with buying a pre-built home have made people realize that they can save a lot of money by simply opting for a self-build property, giving them the perfect home at a fraction of the price.

There are other things to consider as well. What are the chances of finding the perfect pre-built home - a home that suits every member of the family down to the ground? We all have different ideas when it comes to the perfect house. You may be more interested in a large lounge or bathroom, whereas your partner may want a huge kitchen and bedroom, The kids might be pestering you for a separate playroom, and you may be thinking how useful a large dining area could be.

When you use a house plan to construct your perfect home, you can incorporate everyone's design ideas in to the plan, thus giving you a home that is ideal for the whole family, and which you can all enjoy for as long as you live there. You can give your home a unique look, plenty of character and you can really stamp your personality on your new home.
Buying house plans online

If you are looking for widest choice and top quality when it comes to buying house plans, then the Internet is by far your best choice. You will find such a vast range of exceptional, stunning house plans online that you can't fail to find something that will match exactly what you are looking for - and at a price that you can afford.

The Internet will provide you with access to house plan by experience, qualified and very skilled designers and architects, so you can be sure of getting quality and durability as well as an impressive design and some really stunning features. And with such a wide range to choose from, there is something available for every budget.

You can browse online house plans from the comfort of your home or office, enabling you to find the right choice at your own pace and without any outside pressure. You can even sit down with the family, discuss your needs collectively and then look at the selection of house plans together to ensure that you get something that will suit everyone.

By going online to search for the ideal house plan you will enjoy many benefits, such as:

• Affordability, with some incredible low prices available on house plans
• Convenience, as you can browse house plans without even having to leave your home
• Being able to discuss and compare house plans with your family
• Speed and ease of browsing house plans
• Unrivalled choice of house plans
• Top quality house plans

With the convenience, ease and choice on offer when you go online to look for house plans, it makes sense to make things simple by harnessing the power of the Internet to take the first step towards the perfect home for you and your family.

About The Author: Reno Charlton is an award-winning author and freelance writer from the West Midlands, England. She has written many articles providing consumer information on such topics as Cottage Plans, Home Plans, and Log Home Plans.

How House Plans Work

The Ins and Outs Of Choosing Online Custom Home Plans!So you've decided to build your own home, congratulations! Now where do you go from here?

If you are a first timer, it is sometimes confusing figuring out how house plans work. House plans, sometimes referred to as home floor plans, are easily deciphered once you understand the basics. Let's discuss some of them so you know what to look for when looking at custom home plans for your dream house.

House Plans Options

There are many options available when it comes to house plans. Home plans usually come in "sets" which can be broken down as follows:

CAD Set – This is a complete set of house plans that is available in electronic file format. Usually this type of house plan is requested from professionals. A CAD set is useful if you are planning on making a lot of changes to the initial house plan purchased. This isn't usually something a novice would be interested in, unless they are working very closely with a designer.

Study Set – This type of home plan includes complete exterior views of your home to be plus floor plans of the upper and lower floors (for two story homes). A study set is useful in helping you determine if you can afford the home you are considering building. Usually excluded from a study set are items such as the roof, foundation and details of the home.

Construction Set – Construction house plans are complete and include everything you need to build your home. Exterior views, complete floor plans, roof and foundation plans and details that explain how to build your home are included in a construction set. You want to consider a construction set if you are interested in buying a basic home plan package from which you'll secure financing and settle all the other details necessary to have your home built.

Reproducible Set – You can buy a reproducible set if you think you may need minor changes made to your home plans. You can make copies from this type of home plan, but you are not allowed to build more than one home from these type of plans without a separate license.
Selecting a Style Home
Once you have figured out what type of plans you'll need, you next need to decide on the type of house plans you want to look at. Here are some examples of common house plans that can be purchased:

• Cottage Plans
• Beach House Plans
• Log Home Plans
• Modular Home Plans
• Storage Shed Plans

Let's examine each of these more closely:

Cottage Plans
Cottage plans are usually crafted with warmth and cozy spacing in mind. Most cottage plans are not designed with the idea that the home will be very large. Cottage plans include characteristics such as cozy living spaces, wood siding and stone based porches among other things. Many also are designed to accommodate one and one half to two story homes with low pitched roofs. The exterior materials often used in cottage plans include brick or stucco.

Beach House Plans
Beach house plans usually result in homes that have a very distinct look. The architectural style that is the foundation for most beach house plans varies from Spanish to Mediterranean to Traditional styles. Beach house plans therefore, can reflect a wide range of interests. Some reflect the area where the house may be built. For example, many coastal home plans created for homes on the southern East coast (think Florida) are crafted with the idea that the home will be on stilts as a measure to help guard against hurricanes and other tropical storms. Stucco exterior styles or Mediterranean styles are not uncommon of coastal home plans fashioned for customers living on the West Coast. Many beach house plans also include special features such as large bay windows and outdoor living spaces.

Log Home Plans
Log home plans are often crafted with the romantic in mind. Most log home plans have a rustic feel, built on traditions. Log home plans will incorporate natural elements into the style including use of wood, stone and glass to create a home that reflects the spirit of the forest. Log home plans are popular because homes built with logs are great insulators against cold weather. Most log home plans are custom designed for homes in areas of the country that experience cold snaps during the winter months.

Modular Home Plans
Modular home plans are largely popular because they are inexpensive and result in homes that are easy to build and place just about anywhere. You can find modular home plans to meet just about any need. Most are one story homes or ranch style homes. Modular home plans are also popular because they can be built quickly and do not require extensive detailing. These plans are great for those wanting to build a starter home, but not wanting to break the bank while doing so. You can find many of the same features in a modular home as you can in a traditional one.

Storage Shed Plans
Storage shed plans are crafted with one thing in mind... space! Why look at storage shed plans unless you are looking to build a structure that will accommodate your need for more space? Most storage shed plans vary in size and structure, depending on what you are looking for. You can literally find a storage shed plan to match any specific requirement. Whether you are looking to store animals, hay, tools, supplies or excess household items, you can usually find a plan to accommodate your needs. Most storage shed plans are in essence "mini versions" of their full house plan cousins. They are small and usually one story, though some (particularly those built for farming considerations) may be two story.

Building your home is an exceptional adventure and can be quite rewarding if you go into it with an open mind and some fore thought.

About The Author:Antigone Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as Unique House Plans, and Storage Shed Plans

The Dirt On House Plan Styles

When selecting the perfect home plan for your house, keep in mind that most house plans are styled differently to reflect the community and personality of the owner. New styles abound every day as designers continue to come up with new ideas for modern homes. Some house plan styles fall along classic lines, whereas others take a unique twist on old themes. You've probably walked by a least a dozen homes in your life that were designed specifically for the owners living within.

There are dozens of different house plan styles to select from. Here is just a sampling of the various home plans currently available:

Split Bedroom - This house plan usually resembles a ranch style. Most are up to 2800 square feet and use floor space efficiently so you don't need much of any hall space in the home. A split home usually provides two separate bedroom areas, usually on opposite ends of the home.

Country - Country homes usually have vast exteriors, large front or back porches and open interiors. A country home also features a large kitchen and family area.

Cottage - A cottage home plan much like a country home plan often features a large porch and tall windows. A cottage style home may be smaller than a traditional country home.

Adobe - An adobe homeplan is similar to a southwestern style, often with stucco coverings and smooth walls.

Duplex house plans - A duplex home plan is nothing more than a multi family style home.

Duplex homes come in various styles with various outside framing including wood or stucco.
Don't forget there are dozes more house plans than the few listed above. Other houseplans not mentioned above may include: luxury home plans, modular home plans, small house plans, beach house plans and even log house plans. When it comes to your home, the choices are endless.

The style plan you select will depend largely on your preferences. You might think about scanning your neighborhood to see what the dominant styles are of people living around you. While it is not a requirement that you buy and build a home in the same style as your neighbors, many people opt for something similar as it may help in the future if you ever decide to sell. The most important thing to remember is your house should provide you with a sense of comfort, quiet and joy. If you take your time selecting the right home plan, you should accomplish this task easily.

Tips for Selecting The Right Home Plan

Sometimes the vast array of choices makes selecting the right house plan overwhelming. Fortunately there are a couple of steps you can take to help speed the process of selecting a plan. First, you should sit down and decide what features are most important to you in your home. This includes the number of bathrooms and bedrooms you need, whether you need a family room, large kitchen and how formal you want your home to look. You should also consider how large a garage you'll need and the total square footage you can afford. All of these elements will help you select the right house plan.

Let's say for example, you want a large, roomy home with an open floor plan, large kitchen and bay windows to overlook the shore. A country or beach home plan will likely accommodate your needs better than a bungalow house plan. You can also narrow your selection by looking for housplans with certain features, such as a detached garage or a house plan that provides for side parking. A ranch house plan will look best on a large plot, whereas a taller house plan may suit a lot that is uneven or tilted.

Always take your time when selecting the right house plan. Once your home is built, you'll probably live there for some time. Occasionally you may be able to make a few minor changes to a house plan to help make it more suitable to your needs. If this is the case be sure to check with your designer first. Some changes are quite pricey. By and large, with the wealth of selections available today, you should be able to find a plan that accommodates most if not all of your personal preferences.

About The Author: Antigone Arthur is a successful freelance writer with 10 years of professional experience providing consumers with informative articles on such topics as unique house plans, small house plans, and house designs.

How To Build Your Own Summer Camp or Cabin

There may be many reasons for wanting to build your own cabin. I'll give you two that you would agree are fairly universal:

a) You probably feel sure that you can save money by doing the work yourself.

b) You will get a great deal of satisfaction in doing the work.

Saving money is important to all of us. If you plan your work carefully, have a clear conception of what you are doing, and aren't going to give up halfway through, I'm sure that you can save at least a third of the contractor price for any of the popular cottages and cabins. It is possible to save much more. Perhaps that's all the incentive you need.

Let's look at the second reason. As with so many other things in life, the real satisfaction is in the doing. If you have never lifted a piece of timber into place or nailed on a stretch of siding, you've missed something. There's real satisfaction in seeing the puzzle go together, in smelling fresh-cut wood, and in feeling the materials that go into your cabin. You'll find yourself inspecting the color and graining of the pieces you are working with. Wood and stone will have new tones and high lights that you never saw before.

As you begin to feel and work with these raw materials, you'll also become more interested in the craftsmanship of putting the materials together. Instead of covering the underside of the roof joists with just any old material to hide them, you'll consider ways of leaving some of the work exposed so that other people will be able to experience some of the enjoyment you have had in working with the various materials. Possibly you are thinking about the cottage as a low-cost solution to your permanent housing problem or as a retirement home. Most of the popular cottages available today could be used year-round if properly insulated and heated. But a word of caution: Most ofthe plans shown on the popular websites are minimal. The kitchens are small, the baths are not large, some plans will require enclosing porches for sleeping areas. Really decide for yourself how you intend to use the various areas. Summer living is different from winter.

Of course, when the job is all done, you'll find much hidden and real enjoyment in telling your friends how you did it. If you have an office job where you sit at your chair for 8 hours,

1) you'll probably tell them that you ate like a horse all the time you were doing the work and that you never felt better. The truth is, you will probably have forgotten about the office for the first time in ages and found yourself creating something that you didn't know you could.

2)Have I persuaded you to do your own cottage? If I haven't, have a local contractor do the job for you and let him be the healthy one. Mark the plan you like, and he can do the work. Although you won't get the same level of satisfaction, you will still be able to enjoy the many benefits of a cabin home once it is built.

About The Author: Jack Hudson is a writer for http://www.log-cabin-plans-n-kits.com and http://www.best-house-n-home-plans.com/. These two sites help in the planning of log cabin as well as general house plans.

Budget Kitchen Makeover Ideas

Copyright © 2004 Pamela Cole Harris
Home and Garden Makeover
http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com

If your house is like mine, your family spends a lot of time in the kitchen (you remember the kitchen? The room where you microwave those TV dinners, pop the popcorn and open soup cans?) Contrary to what those up-scale style magazines say, you don't need to spend a fortune to update the look of your kitchen (unless you won the lottery, in which case, you are more than welcome to come update mine!). Here are a few simple and inexpensive ways to give your kitchen some pizzazz!

1. If you have solid wood cabinets, strip the color or finish. Then apply a new stain with a couple of drops (or squeezes!) of yellow or green oil pigment (available at your local craft store) added. The color will have more depth and more drama!

2. Experiment with molding from your local home improvement store. Use different types of molding to create interesting effects. Don't confine yourself to the expected - a rectangle in the center. Try a narrow strip across the top or bottom -or for a dramatic effect, try a diagonal strip with the handles attached at the same diagonal.

3. Try adding beadboard as a backsplash for a traditional or country kitchen. Be sure to cover with a quality paint that can be scrubbed!

4. Want a Tuscan look? Mount terracotta or stone pavers as a backsplash! Apply matching or contrasting mortar to customize the look.

5. For an even more inexpensive look, use vinyl floor tiles in a stone or mosaic pattern as a backsplash. There are some wonderful vinyl tiles available today! You can create awhole new look for under $30!

6. Try replacing your conventional doors with window shutters for a plantation look.

7. Try adding color to white cabinets by painting small frames red. Ask your children to paint flowers or scenes on whitepaper. Then mount the paintings in the small frames and attach two or three (depending on the proportions of your cabinets) to the front of each door. Voila! Your own art gallery! (And you can change the paintings anytime you want!

8. Glue inexpensive rectangles cut from woven grass placemats to your cabinet doors. Frame with strips of molding to simulate grass or rattan inserts.

9. Cork squares can also be used as dramatic interest when glued to the front of bland cabinets. And the cork is useful! You will have message boards on each cabinet!

See? A dramatic makeover in your kitchen takes just a few inexpensive touches! Now, if only I could get a cooking makeover that easily, my husband would be a happy man!

About the Author: Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer for over 35 years (Yikes! Has it been that long? Her fun, tongue-in-cheek approach to decorating has made http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com one of the most popular décor sites on the net. She brings the same spirit of fun to cooking at http://www.thewellfedtraveler.com and running a home business at http://www.pajamabusinesses.com.

How To Refinance

When you refinance a home loan, it means you take out a new loan and use the proceeds from that new loan to "closeout" an existing home loan. The reason a homeowner would refinance is that often times, the new home loan will have a better interest rate than the current home loan. This lowers the monthly payments allowing you to pay off your loan sooner by lowering the payments each and every month.

Before you decide on whether to refinance your home loan or not, you must consider four key factors:

- the current interest rate on your existing home loan,
- the market rates for different refinancing loans,
- how many years you plan to stay at your existing residence, and
- your current needs for cash (i.e. whether you would like to take additional cash from the refinance).

If you are going to take additional cash from the equity of your home when you refinance, you can use this cash for buying a new car, home improvements, wiping out credit card balances, or more. You can even use this added cash for investing in stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.

The good thing about refinance applications is that they are processed fairly quickly, especially if you apply for are finance loan over the Internet. If the loan originator needs some more information from you, they will request it via email or telephone. Most likely, you will be able to use much of the same documentation you used to secure your existing home loan for the refinance. Some additional info required might be proof of consistent payments on your existing home loan, and information on the reasons you are refinancing (i.e. to lower payments or get cash). Becareful - you will incur many of the same charges you paid when you secured your initial home loan - appraisal fees, lender fees, title insurance, etc. But, if the terms are good, it will be worth it to refinance and pay these same expenses again because you will save so much money in thelong term.

In many instances, refinancing a home loan is a great way to lower your monthly mortgage payment due to a lower interest reate. And this is the most common reason that people refinance - to lower their payments. A good litmus test for any refinancing consideration is to see if the new interest rate is two points lower than your existing rate. Generally, this will lower your monthly payments as long as you don't take any cash out and increase the principal. All in all, refinancing can save you money and increase your current assets. So talk to your financial advisor or banker today!

About the Author: Egberto D'Ipoteca is the owner and operator of http://refinancegate.com, a leading Internet resource for refinance information. For more great loan and refinance info, be sure to visit:http://www.refinancegate.com

Decorating With Life - Creating a Living Home

In today’s hectic world it can be nice to create an oasis where you can relax and be sheltered from the outside world. This can be created by using plants to create that calm more natural atmosphere. The feeling of serenity can be increased even more by adding other types of life to your decoration such as adding a tranquil aquarium which you can watch while relaxing. You should strive to create a home that is perfectly suited for you. There are however a few tips you might want to take to your heart while planning your new heaven.

If you have the luxury of choosing which room you should redecorate you should choose a room with a lot of windows, a warm colour is also preferable. This might seem strange seen you are trying to shelter yourself from the world outside those windows for a minute or two. However the benefits of getting light into the room both for yourself and for the plant you choose to use will more then compensate for the disturbance that might be caused from the windows.

Once you have chosen which room to redecorate in order to create this sanctuary you should se which other things you want to keep in that room before you decide how to redecorate it. It might be things you need in that room to be able to relax. Perhaps you want to keep your TV in the room to allow you to get entertained while relaxing or perhaps you want to redecorate your study to be a calm undisturbed place and need to keep a few things to be able to work. Once you decided what you need to keep you should remove everything else from the room.

Observe what free spaces you have got to fill. These spaces might be good places to but an aquarium or a terrarium if you want to keep both animals and plants in the room. Personally I think aquariums have a more calming effect then almost everything else you can keep in a room. If you decide to decorate using an aquarium you should read about how to manage an aquarium and then buy one that suits your needs. Which fish to choose is completely dependent on your personality some prefer calm fishes to relax while other prefers predatory fish to relax?

You might also want to consider getting a small pond with poring water and perhaps some lotus flowers. The sound of poring water can relieve any stress.

Once aquariums, terrariums, ponds or whatever you choose to decorate with is put in place you should begin focusing on plants to give the now almost finished room a calm, natural atmosphere. You should preferable choose a few large plants that you put on the floor if you can afford it and the room has enough light in it to support those plants.These plants should be large enough to reach at least 2/3 to the roof, palms are good choices, and other good alternatives include some ficus species, jacaranda, bougainvillea and many more.

Once you put the large plants in place it’s up to you to put the finishing touches towards the new design. I am reluctant to give advice on this level since the room should also be a reflection of you. That said I always recommend orchids. They might seem expensive but more then well makes up for it with beauty and a very long flowering period.

I hope that this helps you to be able to create a calm sanctuary for yourself that reflects you’re soul.

About the Author: William Berg has long experince in creating calm homes using a lot of plants and animals to give a atmosphere that calms your soul. Read more about aquarium decoration in your home.

How to Design a Recessed Lighting Plan

Recessed lighting is part of almost every home remodeling project these days. You may call them high hats, can lights or pot lights depending on what part of the country your in. With the proper lighting plan, recessed lights can help illuminate a room.

One of the most important principles to understand when designing a recessed lighting layout is beam angle. In recessed cans, the light is produced in the shape of a cone. You picture the light starting as a point at the light fixture and forming a circle on the floor. The beam angle is the angle of this light out of the bulb. For example a 60-degree beam angle will produce a circle of light about 9 feet across on the floor if the fixture is 8 feet off the floor.

That is just one part of the formula. That circle of light we now have on the floor is not all the same intensity. About five and a half feet of that circle is good intense light while the remainder is spill over and diminishes as it gets further from the center.

This is very important to understand. With this information, you can overlap the spill over light so that you end up with a nice even light pattern over the entire area you are trying to illuminate.

Something to remember when you are planning this out is something called the work plane. This is an area about 30" above the floor. It is an area where most tasks take place.

The work plane is important because as the distance between the light fixture and the surface to be lit decreases, so does that circle we spoke about. In a living room or den, designing the lighting plan so that we have even light on the floor is fine. In a kitchen though, this work plane becomes far more critical. This is why in a kitchen, keeping recessed lights about 4 feet apart, creates a pattern that is even on the work plane with the intense portion of the circle.

There are some other things besides the bulb and the can that shape the light pattern. The finish trim on recessed lights can vary the pattern of light. A wall washer creates a half cone that can be directed at a wall or fireplace. A pin spot trim can direct the light in a very narrow beam to light a small object.

This should give you a basic idea of what is involved when you undertake a recessed lighting layout. If you would like to learn more or have questions, please visit us at the links below.

About the Author: Paul Forte has been in the lighting and electrical field for over 25 years. He has helped countless homeowners across the country with their lighting needs through his website. Visit http://www.forteelectric.com for more tips and advice.

Help Choosing Door and Window Hardware

Who would be the best person to help you find suitable fixtures and fittings for doors and windows?

Architects are trained to create designs that are structurally sound, functional, and aesthetically pleasing. They also often have a basic knowledge of construction materials, though not the detailed knowledge required when choosing appropriate hardware.

Interior designers specialize in the decorating and furnishing of rooms and can offer fresh, innovative ideas and advice, but will be concentrating on the appearance rather than how the fittings work.

Maybe a blacksmith or metal worker would be the person to ask.. No, a joiner is the best person to give advice.

Joiners understand what is needed, they have made doors and windows and know how big a hinge would be needed to hold the weight of a solid oak door, or which lock would fit properly and safely in rebated french windows.

Advise is needed when ordering and choosing door knobs; perhaps one of the most complex pieces of door hardware to order. When choosing knobs you have to consider so many things, the knob needs to be far enough away from the door so that you don’t scrape your knuckles, seems obvious, but many people don’t think about it until too late. A knob may not be a possibility if there is already a hole in your door that is too close to the edge. Knobs are sprung in different ways too; heavier knobs have stronger springing, lighter ones lighter springing. The weight of springing must match the weight of springing on the latch or lock you intend to use on the door, if the knob and lever are ill matched the knob will either be too hard to turn or won’t spring back.

Door thickness can cause problems these days, as doors are being made much thinner; this has to be taken into consideration when choosing all kinds of door hardware. If door hardware has been chosen to suit an older thicker door, it may mean having to shorten solid pieces of metal by cutting, not something you would necessarily be able to do yourself at home.
Advice is often needed, as good quality hardware can be expensive. You need to get the right thing, before cutting holes in your precious doors and windows.

Architectural Ironmongery Ltd is run by trained joiners with over 90 years of joinery knowledge and experience between the three of them. The company specialises in giving educated knowledge about products as well as selling our products. They don’t want returns because customers have ordered the wrong thing for the job, when all that was need was a few minutes talking to an expert.

They are happy to discuss restoration projects with their customers, giving advice when necessary. The retail and mail order business is based in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, England, but ships worldwide and has a huge amount and variety of hardware in stock. If you email they are more than happy to ring you, saving your phone charges, especially if you are out of UK.

About the Author: Ali Arnold is a tutor and company secretary for Architectural Ironmongery Ltd, who are specialists in door and window hardware for period properties, this very knowledgable company is always happy to give advise when required. http://www.arciron.com

Determining your home's value

Determining your home's value, and setting a price, is probably the most important step in selling your home. Why? Because if your home is overpriced for your area, no matter what the cost of improvements that you have made on your house, buyers will shy away from it.

On the other hand, an under priced home will probably move on and off the market because of a quick sale, but there goes your profit. So, to avoid losing time and money, you must properly price and present your home.

1) The easiest way to determine your home's value is to pay for an appraisal, and price your home close to the appraisal price. You can find Residential Fee Appraisers listed in the Yellow Pages under Appraisers. For about two to three hundred dollars, they will give you a by-unit (room to room, fixtures, amenities; and square footage) comparison appraisal to similar property in your area. The downside is it will cost you money, but the upside is that you have in writing a professional appraisal on your home which you can display to prospective buyers. This can be an added selling feature. But there are other methods you can use, which won't cost you anything.

2) Another way to find out the value of your home is to interview three or four real estate agents in your area. Of course, you will need to decide whether you want to use a realtor, or whether you want to go "for sale by owner." If you use a realtor, he or she can help you determine your home's value, and the best asking price to set. But you may find yourself saying, "Gee, if I sell my house myself, I can save thousands of dollars in realtor commissions." If you would like to go it alone, you can find advice on How To Sell Your House in Six Easy Steps at http://www.paradoxpro.com/prdx.hosale.html

If and when you contact a realtor, talk to an agent directly. Let him or her know up front if your intention is to sell your home yourself. You can always use the agent anyway if you also intend to buy a home, since an agent's services are free to the buyer. Usually you can get an agent to provide a bit of information about your current home, as long is there is some commission in it somewhere.

Ask the realtor for a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) on your house. You will need to supply the agent with information pertaining to your house and the area. List the number of baths and bedrooms, and the total number of rooms. Do not count the basement, garage or bath areas as rooms.

Next make a list of up to 10 roads within a half mile to mile radius. Include your address, zip code and school district. This furnishes the agent with all the criteria necessary to run a market analysis. A CMA consists of the selling prices of the homes in the surrounding area that have similar traits to your house. The comparable should cover a six-month to one-year period.

Some web sites offer to provide a CMA. Many of them are based on tax rolls, and often charge for the service. At one time, there were several sites that allowed you to access the information anonymously, but a recent check of over 100 sites in a leading search engine showed that today's sites require you to provide either money, personal information, or both.

3) A third method of figuring your house's value is to determine what your city or county has set the value at, based on your property taxes. Let's say the property taxes on your house are $2000 a year and your tax base is 1 percent (this is a percentage in which local municipalities multiply their estimate of the worth of your home to arrive at a yearly tax figure). The city or county in which you live uses many methods to determine what they feel is the worth of your home. To determine this estimated value, you need to multiply your base by the yearly tax amount. Usually the value, your tax base, and the yearly property tax amount are located on the same issued tax statement or bill. $2000.00 x .01 = $200, 000.00 YOUR TAX BASE OF ONE PERCENT(.01) MULTIPLIED BY YOUR YEARLY TAX OF TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS($2000.00) = ESTIMATED VALUE OF YOUR HOUSE, OR $200, 000.00.

The problem with this method is that there have been great fluctuations in tax valuations in the past 20 years, and your property taxes may or may not be a good way to estimate your home's value. Often it is best to try each of the three methods, as a way to check each of the other methods for accuracy.

Even the realtor's conditional CMA may not be on the money. This is where a comparison between the information given to you by the real estate agent and the calculated value of your home may help.

Let's say the agent tells you $310,000 is the average selling price in your area for a house with similar square footage and features. Another important factor is how long the houses stayed on the market before selling. A complete CMA will include a brief description of each comparable home and the days on the market before it sold.

Use the comparables to price your home, but if the market is fair in your area (90 to 120 days on the market) deduct 2%, and for a poor market (120 days or more), subtract 3%. Market movement is important. Likewise, if the houses move really fast, you may be able to set your price slightly higher. You want a starting price high enough to make the profit you want, but not so high as to scare off buyers.

Be aware that none of the suggested ways of determining your property's worth referred to in this text will guarantee the house will sell for your calculated price. The marketplace is always the final word in regard to actual profit you can expect and the speed at which your home will sell.

About the Author: Jeffrey D. Leiser is the author of "You Can Sell Your House: For Sale By Owner" which includes 10 forms and a 60 page guide, plus a bonus report on salesmanship. Sell Your House in SixEasy Steps, http://www.paradoxpro.com/prdx.hosale.html

Softening Your Walls with Color Wash

If you like the soft look of watercolors, why not try using a color wash on your walls? In addition to a softer color, color washing can accentuate the texture of your plaster or stucco walls. And it’s so simple that even I, a faux-finish-impaired decorator, can do it.

There are two techniques for color wash application: sponge or brush. Each requires a slightly different glaze formula.

Sponge Technique:

Color Wash Glaze: Mix together 1 part latex paint and 6 parts water in a bucket.

1. Mask off (using painter’s tape) parts of the room which will not receive the wash. Its best to cover the floor with plastic drop cloths (especially if you are as messy as I am).

2. Prime the wall with a low luster latex paint and allow it to dry completely before the next step.

3. Dip the sponge into the color wash glaze and squeeze lightly.

4. Beginning in a lower corner, apply the glaze to the wall in short, overlapping strokes. Change the direction of the strokes frequently. Work on a small portion of the wall a ta time (3 foot by 3 foot is a good size).

5. Repeat moving upward until all the wall is covered.

6. Allow to dry completely.

Brush Technique:

Brush Color Wash Glaze: 1 part flat latex paint, 1 part latex paint conditioner (available at your local home improvement center), and 2 parts water. Mix in a bucket.

1. Mask off (using painter’s tape) parts of the room which will not receive the wash. Its best to cover the floor with plastic drop cloths.

2. Prime the wall with a low luster latex enamel paint and allow it to dry completely before the next step.

3. Allow the paint to dry.

4. Dip a paint brush in the glaze and remove the excess against the side of the bucket.

5. Apply the paint in a criss-cross pattern.

6. Brush over the surface repeatedly to soften the look of the paint.

7. Wipe excess glaze away, if necessary. (Better get the industrial-sized package of paper towels!) There you have it! A soft paint look perfect for your newly decorated room... And since you have the technique down to a science, why not come and do my family room? Powder room? closet?

About the Author: Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer and designer for 35 years (Yikes, has it been that long?) Enjoy her tongue-in-cheekapproach to inexpensive interior design at:http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com andhttp://www.diy-homedecor.com

Designing Professional Porch Railings

If you plan to install a professional looking porch railing for the first time you want to ensure you do it right the first time. This requires among other things proper design and proper planning. Properly designed railings require multiple parts including finials, balusters, posts and rails for the top and bottom of the structure. You can find most of this equipment at a lumber yard, online or at your local home improvement supply store. Many prefer to find supplies and equipment online. Proper planning merely requires that you measure out your porch space ahead of time and ensure you have a supply of equipment ready to go for installation.

Key Features Of Professional Looking Porch Railings

Professional looking porch railings share many features in common. Most professionally designed railings include decorative details to give the home a classic or cozy looking exterior. Woodwork comes in a variety of designs lending to a more finished and professional looking railing.

Other important components of a professionally designed porch railing include proper installation. To install your trim properly you will need finishing nails, a drill, wood files, possibly a saw and if you plan to paint, the appropriate exterior paint and color. You should be sure you measure the space you have available for your railing exactly before installing. This will help minimize error.

Installation Tips

Most porch railings are easily installed within two to four hours depending on the size and length of the railings. Here are some tips you can adopt to make installation go quickly and efficiently:

• Always wear safety goggles when installing rails to avoid injury when sawing or cutting.
• Take your time measuring the space you have available including the space you have between nailing points and the total surface area available on your porch. You should also measure the opening you have available where you plan to install posts.
• Cut filler strips you have to the exact length you’ll need. Cut from the top and not the bottom.
• Mark the balusters positions on strips after you cut them.

Don’t forget you can get most railings custom made to accommodate any size or style of home you have. Handcrafted railings often look professional on Victorian style homes, while traditional wooden posts and railings look better on modern or contemporary style homes. Don’t forget to weatherproof wooden structures to keep railings looking great year in and year out!

About The Author: Andrew Caxton contributes adding articles to http://www.deck-porch-railings.com. Andrew publishes free designs and ideas for successful porch railing plans. You can reach more articles of Andrew on porch and decking athttp://www.deck-porch-railings.com/porch-railings.html

Plan Your House By Following Some Simple Steps

Custom-home designs and specifications typically are created through a four-step process, as follows:

1. The buyer brings his or her ideas for the home to the table or the buyer and builder develop some preliminary ideas together. Very often, buyers have saved pictures, articles, floor plans and other bits of information relevant to their dream home. The designer and builder can use your clippings to create a plan for a home that is buildable and will meet your needs and fit your budget.

2. The designer begins the preliminary drawings based on your ideas and conversations with you and the builder. The preliminary drawings consist of rough sketches of proposed floor plans and levels, projections for the size and location of various rooms and concepts for siting the home on the lot. Accurate cost estimates can't be calculated at this stage, but the builder and designer can guide the project toward a plan that will be within your budget. A realistic cost estimate can be determined only from complete plans and specifications.

3. Preliminary drawings approved by the buyer then are turned into working drawings. At this time, the designer creates the original drawings from which the blueprints for your home will be made. Working drawings may consist of four to 20 pages, depending on the complexity of your home and the level of detail in the drawings.

4. Specifications-called "specs" -- are created to identify the finishes and features that will be used in your home. The specs determine everything from the type of roof to the trip levers on the toilets. The working drawings determine the quantities of materials that will be needed and the specifications determine the quality of those materials.

You have found the perfect lot on which to build your new home. Now you have an abundance of decisions to make. Where will the house sit on the lot? You will have to decide this based on the total square footage of the house. What kind of features are you hoping to have. These are the things to consider, storage, a laundry room, a home office, a bathroom downstairs, a full bath upstairs, and a family room.

Consider the future? Are you just starting out and planning a family? Do you need a guestroom for visitors? Flexible house plans are probably the best option for you. You don’t want your house to end being too big in the future. If it starts getting small, make sure you allow for expansion if necessary, and make sure it is according to your local zoning laws.

How does the house plan you have chosen fit on the lot? If the lot is deep and narrow you don’t want a shallow and wide house plan. Where will you place the house so that you get the maximum exposure to sunlight in the morning and in the evening? Make sure the windows are where they are supposed to be.

Check the zoning laws where you are building your house. There may be a limit in the height of the house or on what percentage of space your house can take up on the lot. Be open to suggestions. You can go with a pre-drawn plan or a custom plan that is drawn to your specifications. Another important item is how water drains off of your property. You would want to build the house on the rise of a hill rather than at its base. At the base the run off could do damage to the house.

When thinking about your house in general, does the house style fit in with the neighborhood? You wouldn’t put a large Victorian house in a neighborhood that had ranch style homes and vice versa. Find out if there is an agreement with your city or town regarding the type of houses that is acceptable for that area. The size of the house is important. If it is too large or too small it will stick out like a sore thumb.

Will a lot of changes have to be made? There will be changes at some point to add a garage or change the size or shape of a room is fairly easy but you had better be prepared to pay a lot more for custom plans.

When you are thinking of the rooms determine what percentage of total square footage will this room take u p. If the master suite takes up twenty percent of total space is okay if you are also going to use some of that space for a reading area. If not consider a plan with a smaller bedroom. In order to determine the total space of any room you multiply the length times the width and divide that by the total square footage of the home.

You may want a dishwasher or an island in the center of your kitchen but sometimes you have to do a trade off. For example, if you want a dishwasher but will have to lose some cabinet space you must decide which is more important cabinet space or the dishwasher. The colors inside the house are most definitely important.

If you want each room to have its own color the best plan for you would be a closed plan which would create separate individual rooms. If you are going to have a solid color throughout an open floor plan might work for you. If you want the space consider planning a room switch. A room that is now being planned as an office can become a guestroom or a nursery. An extra bedroom could be come a work out room or a family room/library. If you are building a garage consider adding an extra bay and making that a workbench or a potting bench. Once you figure all of this out and you have the plans all set you can if you haven’t already choose a lot. With an organized search you could find a plan that comes very close to your ideal home. Once you get the plan you can make any necessary last minute changes.

Building a home is probably the most complicated decision you will ever make. The plan for your new home can be either custom or pre-drawn. Custom plans are more expensive but the expense of pre-drawn plans could be as well if you request any modifications to them. Check with your city or town for their zoning laws.

Once the site for your custom-built home has been selected, the design process can begin. Builders caution against starting with a fixed idea of how your home should be designed because much of the design will be dictated by the characteristics and constraints of the site you've selected.

The custom design process involves talking about ideas for your home, evaluating options for your home's floor plan, reviewing preliminary conceptual designs and preparing working drawings and specifications, which are the written instructions for building your home.

Designing a home that will fit your budget is crucial to the project's success. Builders say the hardest part of the custom-home design and building process is matching buyers' needs and dreams with the realities of their budgets. The tendency is for the designer to stretch the size or specifications of the home beyond what is realistic in an effort to please the buyer. Having a builder's guidance and assistance will help keep the design within your budget.

Many buyers are inclined to try to save money in the home design stage, in part because these expenses can't be recouped if the project doesn't go forward for some reason. Builders advise against cutting corners at this point because a good design is truly the foundation of a well-built home for the following reasons:

1. Structural integrity. A basic element of a good design is making sure your new home won't be prone to structural deformities. The location of beams and posts, the routing of mechanical runs and chases and the engineering of the foundation all affect the home's strength, soundness and livability. Mechanical runs and chases are hidden spaces inside the walls and the floors that are needed for plumbing, electrical, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) and other home systems.

2. Aesthetic considerations. Your new home's curb appeal and floor plan are important not only for your enjoyment of the home, but also for the eventual resale of the home. A good design ensures a well-thought-out floor plan and takes the look and feel of the home into consideration. A good design is timeless.

3. Interpretation errors. A good design and working drawings will minimize errors resulting from the omission of details needed by the subcontractors, suppliers and job-site supervisors hired by the builder. Design errors increase construction costs for you and the builder.

4. Change orders. A plan that is well thought out and closely scrutinized by you and the builder will be subject to fewer costly changes during construction.

A successful home-building project requires a three-sided balance of the size, the cost and the quality of the home. No builder can construct a huge home of the highest quality for a bargain-basement price. Quality and size requirements determine the cost while budget constraints determine the size and quality. Having realistic expectations about the size and quality of the home your budget can accommodate will help you, the builder and the designer agree on a plan that will suit your needs and fit your budget.

About the Author: For more information on House Plans please visit the House Plans Resource center at http://www.house-plans-advice-guide.info

Remodeling Your Kitchen Cabinets

While remodeling your kitchen, install only the essential cabinets, so you can spend on quality rather than quantity. Look for durability, and specify plywood panels rather than particleboard.

Laminate is economical but still can look classy in a patterned finish or trimmed with wood edging. You should put your money into the hardest-working and most permanent features of the kitchen, especially the cabinets and countertops.

There are two basic cabinet styles: European-style (frameless) and face-framed cabinets. Either can be ordered from custom or semi-custom cabinet-makers or from stock supplies. Each style has a variety of door, wood and finish options.

Some cabinet hardware features simulated finishes or surfaces that look and perform like the real thing. Brass-plated knobs can substitute for solid brass, and some plastic pulls mimic the look of solid surfacing.

Installing cabinets in a remodeled kitchen require some basic finish carpentry skills. Before starting any installation, it's a good idea to mark some level and plumbing reference lines on the walls so everything lines up properly. Most stock cabinet layouts won't fit perfectly within a given wall space, but cabinetmakers provide narrow filler pieces to fill in the gaps between cabinets.

The most efficient way to start installation is with the wall cabinets, since the base cabinets would get in your way if they were already in. It is better to put the corner units in first, squaring them and moving toward the center of the wall where you have more leeway for making adjustments.

If your budget is tight and you want to give a new look to your kitchen cabinet, you have the option of re-facing, which involves replacing or veneering the parts of the cabinet that are visible all the time. Therefore, the cabinet boxes -- called the cases -- stay in their current layout, but get a new finish with veneer. Other parts, such as drawer fronts and cabinet doors, get completely replaced.

About the Author: Kitchen Remodeling provides detailed information about kitchen remodeling ideas and costs, including small kitchen remodeling ideas, kitchen cabinet remodeling, and more. For more information go to http://www.e-kitchenremodeling.com and/or visit its sister site at http://www.e-bathroomremodeling.com for related information.

Repair And Maintenance Of Kitchen Faucets

The kitchen is the heart of many homes. This is the room where the family prepares and shares meals together. Because so much time is spent here, the fixtures and accessories need to be functional and fit with the style of the room. Kitchen faucets in the sink and kitchen islands are made with style in mind. With so many choices, you are sure to find the right fit for your home. Most people match the fixtures to style of kitchen cabinets.

Styles of Kitchen Faucets

The sink faucet use to be merely functional; the purpose was to deliver water to sinks for cooking or cleaning. Nobody really thought about what it looked like or if it matched the décor in the room. Those days are over. Kitchen fixtures are now available in a range of finishes and styles to match everyhome.

Some of the available finishes include:

+ Brass (natural is more popular than polished)
+ Weathered brass
+ Nickel
+ Bronze
+ Antique copper
+ Brushed nickel
+ Stainless steel
+ Porcelain
+ Chrome
+ Black

The brushed and weathered look is more popular than the shiny, polished finishes. The polished chrome faucet is most often used in contemporary style kitchens now. Elaborate Victorian designs are available for more formal looking kitchens. Their use as a design feature has resulted in fixtures being one of the most popular upgrades for people purchasing a new home.

If your home has boring fixtures that seem out of date or don't match your home, replacing them is easy and inexpensive. Just make it part of a small home improvement and decoration project. The price for replacements varies and the finish plays a role in the price. Chrome is the least expensive and most durable material used. Other materials can be quite a bit more expensive and require extra care. Visit your local plumbing or home improvement store to see the various styles available. A plumber can do the job for you in about fifteen minutes.

Installation Procedures

The new faucets are easier to install than older models. Most manufacturers include all connections and fittings needed to install the unit yourself. Complete installation instructions are included with the faucet. Look for complete kits that come with the flexible hoses needed to attach to your water supply. If these aren't included, you will need to purchase them separately. Don't be alarmed if you notice particles in the water when you finish installation. This is just particles trapped in the fixture from manufacturing and installation. They will rinse clear if you let the water run for a few minutes.

Kitchen Faucets: Repair and Maintenance

Repairing and maintenance is easier than ever before and can be done by a handy homeowner. Rubber rings can be easily replaced at home when needed. Before working on the sink, turn off the water and cover the drains. Properly cleaning and maintaining your faucet will extend the life and keep it in good working order.

Check the manufacturer's directions for cleaning the finish. Most can be cleaned with mild soap and water or window cleaner. Don't use harsh cleaning products, which can damage the finish. Polish matte finishes with a furniture polishes. Check the label to be sure the product you use is safe for the material of your fixtures.

Shower and Bathroom Fixtures

The combination of style and function found in kitchen fixtures has extended into the bathroom as well. There is a wide variety of choices available in shower faucets. You can choose the standard wall mount faucet or go for a removable head. Many can be adjusted to regulate the water flow according to your preference.

There are two basic choices in handles: pull out and individual knobs. Some people find one handle to be more convenient and easy to use. Two handles are more stylish and a variety of styles are available in the handles. You should choose according to the style of your sink or bathtub. Faucets can be matched for the tub and sink, if you choose.

About The Author: Guy Morris is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com. Robert is specializing in subjects like kitchen faucets http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com/kitchen-faucets.html and kitchen designs.

How To Buy Bargain Property At Auction

Do you want to invest in profitable property or simply buy a new home at a bargain price? If so, you want to consider property auctions.

Properties sold at auction are often owned by mortgage lenders after repossessions, former council / housing association homes or have being empty for some time after the owner passed away.

In each case, the owner has put the property on auction for a quick sale and this can lead to some great deals on the market value.

Finding an auction

As auctions tend to cater for property professionals, rather than the general public, advertising and awareness of auction houses is limited.

A good place to start is looking through the telephone directory, yellow pages or searching on Google or Yahoo.

Another good tip is to keep an eye out for For Sale signs outside homes. Where the board says 'for sale by auction', call the telephone number provided. You will either get through to an estate agent acting on behalf of the auction house, or you will get through to the auction house directly.
If you get through to an estate agent, ask them for the contact details of the auction house. The estate agent may be reluctant to do this, so it is worth being persistent.

Once you are able to make contact with the auction house, ask to be put on their mailing list. Although there is likely to be charge for this, you will begin to receive details of properties due for sale.

Before you bid

Having identified the property that you want to buy, you will need to arrange finance. For most people this will mean approaching a mortgage lender and it is important to do this in advance of the auction.

Remember once you win a bid, you are legally bound to purchase the property and you need to be able to pay within a set number of days.

The mortgage lender will require a basic valuation of the property, but it is advisable to invest in a full survey as the property may be at auction due to structural problems, which the basic survey would not pick up.

Before bidding for your desired property, you may want to attend a few auctions to get a better idea of the experience.

Winning your bid

Set yourself a price limit, but do not get carried away and bid beyond it. Having had a valuation done, you will have a good idea of the market value and should not go above the amount agreed with your mortgage lender.

If your bid is successful, you will be legally bound to purchase the property and will need to put down a 10% deposit of the property's selling price. You will be asked to sign a contract, which you would have seen before the auction and the seller will be legally bound to complete on the day.

Finally you will need to pay the remainder of the selling price within an agreed period, such as 28 days.

Congratulations, you have just picked up an auction deal.

About the Author: Don Suter is Managing Editor of the UK Property Portal (http://www.ukpropertyportal.co.uk), an online directory for UK property sales, rental, surveyors, mortgages, conveyancing, property insurance, removals, news, investment and development.
For more information and advice, search our property sales pages
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Adding Value With Home Improvement

Many people embark on home improvement projects with the aim of raising the overall value of their homes.

Whilst some projects will add real value to your home, other projects will not even re-coup their costs.

We look at the projects most likely to provide a good return on investment.

Central heating

This is pretty much an essential commodity nowadays and homes without central heating are likely to receive a poor reaction from potential buyers.

Opt for energy efficient systems that potentially use 20 to 40 per cent less energy.

Kitchen

Stylish, modern, good quality kitchens tend to be an excellent selling point, but remember to keep your outlay in proportion to your home's value.

Fitting a luxury kitchen into a starter home is unlikely to increase the property's value enough to justify the expenditure.

Bathroom

Buyers will also be impressed by a well appointed bathroom. A good move for owners of larger family homes would be to install a second bathroom, provided the space is available.

Insulation

Increasing energy costs and environmental concerns provide a strong case for good insulation. Areas to look at include; roof lagging, hot water tank covers, pipe lagging, draught excluders and double glazing.

Extension

Extending your home to create a larger kitchen or add an additional bedroom has traditionally being a good way to add value to your home.

However the value of your property will also depend on your neighbourhood, so transforming a former council house into a seven bedroom mansion is unlikely to produce a significant increase.

Decorating

A quick and simple way to improve the appearance to your home and win the approval of potential purchasers.

Although decorating will not significantly increase the value of your home, it will help you sell your property quicker and achieve your desired sale price.

Garden improvements

Neat, well-maintained gardens are popular with buyers, providing a blank canvas for keen gardeners and lower maintenance for those with less time or interest.

As with decorating, the garden is unlikely to make a significant impact on the property's value, but can be very helpful in achieving a quicker sale.

About the Author: Don Suter is Managing Editor of the UK Property Portal (http://www.ukpropertyportal.co.uk), an online directory for UK property sales, rental, surveyors, mortgages, conveyancing, property insurance, removals, news, investment and development. For more information and advice, search our property sales pages

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

For Sale by Owner Tips

Do strangers scare or intimidate you? If you're planning to try to sell your home yourself, you'll have to get used to it. You'll also be opening yourself up to potentially dangerous situations and legal liabilities. That's why even many experienced real estate agents will hire another agent to list their own home.

Even so, the lure of saving the usual six percent sales commission is hard to ignore, because it can add up to a significant portion of your equity. But if you're going to try to sell your home yourself, you'll need to become an expert in a number of areas.

For Sale by Owner Tips

First, you must understand local and national real estate laws and become adept at sales techniques. Visiting open houses in your market area can help you to learn the methods used by successful real estate agents.

Once you feel comfortable with real estate law and the sales process, you can begin working toward earning the sales commission yourself. Don't think of it as saving money, because you'll soon discover that selling a home can be hard work. You might as well pay yourself the commission.

Like any other job, selling a home requires knowledge and skills for success. Besides reading books, newspaper articles, and doing Internet research, seek help from escrow officers and mortgage lenders. You'll find them quite helpful, because they hope you'll use their professional services when you sell your home. Therefore, it pays to make friends with an escrow officer and a loan officer before you sell your home.

Whether you use a real estate agent or not, a loan officer will be happy to provide free financial flyers to potential buyers. Offering zero or low-down financing, and being willing to help with closing costs could be just the incentive necessary to a entice a buyer into choosing your home.

Research your sales price carefully.

* Check realtor.com and your local MLS listings to price your competition.
* Request a property profile of your home from your local title office.

Experiment with your sales price by running a small ad. If you get a sizeable number of calls, you'll know you're in the right ball park. If no one calls, either your ad isn't effective or you've priced your home too high. On the other hand, if your phone never stops ringing, you've probably under priced your home.

Pricing your home too high will cost you time, extra mortgage payments, advertising costs, and credibility. If your home's been on the market a long time, you'll hear comments like this from prospective buyers when you talk to them on the phone: "Oh, you mean it's that house that's been on the market forever? No, thanks, there must be something wrong with it."

Selling a home isn't easy, even for a real estate professional, but you can sell your home yourself, if you're willing do your homework, price your home right, and then earn your commission.

Copyright © 2005 Jeanette J. Fisher - All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

About the Author: Jeanette Fisher loves to help home sellers create homes for top-dollar sales. She teaches Design Psychology and real estate investing. Jeanette is the author of many books including "Sell Your Home for Top Dollar--Fast! Design Psychology for Redesign and Home Staging" Free "Design Psychology for Selling Houses" report and for sale by owner tips http://www.sellfast.info/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Low Cost Houses

How do you find low cost houses? Look in the right towns,to begin with. Then you can find the houses you like and make an offer. Where are the right towns?

Altoona, Pennsyvania still had dozens of homes for sale for less than $30,00 as I write this (2005). I just saw one listed for $7,500! This is a cute little town (see the photo on our site), yet still big enough to have everything you need.

Hot Springs, Arkansas has low cost houses. The cheapest right now is $13,500. My wife and I like Alamogordo, New Mexico a lot, and it still has homes under $50,000. Independence, Kansas has homes starting under $10,000!

How To Find Low Cost Houses

You can look up various local newspapers online, and check out the classifieds. This also assures you that it's a town large enough for a newspaper. If there are at least a dozen houses for sale, you'll have an idea about home prices there.

You can find real estate agents online, or in local paper classifieds. Call one and ask if there are any low cost houses for sale. If not maybe he'll know which nearby towns have some.
You can go to www.Realtor.com, where you can search any town for homes listed by price, number of bedrooms, and many other criteria. This tool is a lot of fun. Set the criteria to select only homes under fifty thousand or whatever you want, and you'll quickly see if you're wasting your time on a town.

Of course, if you don't see many low cost houses, you still might be able to get one. When we lived in Anaconda, Montana, where we bought our own beautiful house for $17,500, we watched as a house listed for $18,000 eventually sold for $6,000! Towns that have had some economic troubles often have house selling for far under their listed price. The lesson is clear: make low offers to get low cost houses.

About the Author: Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. See a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500 on his home page, or go straight to the section on Investing In Real Estate: http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Fixer Upper Homes

You've bought a fixer upper home you can make some money on. Where do you start? What improvements and repairs are most important? Actually, you need to know this before you buy. Always start with the end in mind, and have a plan to get there. Whether before and after you buy, though, there are some simple rules for analyzing possible fixes.

Return On Investment

Years ago I was a real estate agent sitting across the kitchen table from a very disappointed young couple. I had just told them there house was worth $110,000. "But we just put $40,000 into remodeling the kitchen!" they told me. I looked around, and it was nice. Maybe they added $10,000 in value to the house by spending that $40,000. There's was a classic example of a bad return on investment.

With fixer upper homes, you need to do things which give the most "bang for the buck." Try aiming for a three-to-one return on improvements. Before you resurface the driveway for $1000, ask if it will raise the value of the home by $3,000. Even if it's a guess (especially if it's a guess), keep this three-to-one formula in your head, if you want to invest safely.

How To Fix Fixer Upper Homes

With new curtains, flowers, ceiling fans and such, you can't really estimate the increase in value for each item. Instead, group together the many small repairs and improvements you're considering, and imagine how the house will look when you are done. Then estimate whether you will increase the value enough to justify the cost.

Often it's in the small details that you'll get the best return on investment, so look at these first. New mailbox, flowers on the porch, a raked yard and trimmed trees - $35 total if you do the work yourself - can make a big difference in the first impression potential buyers have. First impressions are important.

Other small investments that more than pay their way include shiny new switch covers (less than $1 each), shelves, a birdhouse, new doorknobs, new light fixtures, curtains, new rocks or wood chips on outdoor paths, new faucets, new woodstain on decks, and general cleaning. Stand out in front of the house and imagine what it might look like with all the various small improvements (flowers, wood-rail fence, birdbath, etc.).

Big Fixes

Of course there are things that just have to be repaired. Basic systems must function. Improvements, however, should be subject to the three-to-one rule. You can get creative here. A friend of mine once had a simple wall put up, and for less than $1000 created a new bedroom, probably raising the value of the house by $8,000. That's a good return on investment.
Bathrooms and kitchens are important to buyers. A $1000 updating of a bathroom can add $4000 in value to a home. Spend $2000 wisely in the kitchen (New fridge, re-finish the cupboards, add a garbage disposal, etc.), and you can add $8000 to the value of the house. Look for the changes which are most universally valued (don't paint the kitchen pink because YOU like that color), and be sure you get a decent return on investment.

Depending on the fixer upper homes you look at, there are many types of potential improvements that may be worth doing. These include adding carports, new doors, fences, gazebos, sheds, painting, carpet, benches, a new closet, a new toilet, a new stove, a shower/tub surround, and trees or bushes. The bottom line is the bottom line: be sure anything you do returns more than you spend, preferably three times as much.

About the Author: Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To learn more, go get your free real estate investing course at: http://www.MakeThatOffer.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

A Look at Solid Hardwood Floors

Solid hardwood floors should neither be installed over a concrete slab nor below ground level because of high moisture sensitivity. Unsightly gaps appear when moisture dries and the floors contract in the winter heating months. The floors expand and gaps disappear during summers. The wood planks may buckle or cup because of excessive moisture. In view of these facts, enough space should be left for expansion and wood should be acclimated. Nail-down installations are most appropriate for these floors. The possibility of re-coating and refinishing increases the life and appearance of solid hardwood floors. Generally solid hardwood floors are made up of ash, maple, red oak and white oak.

Solid wood floorings are divided into three sub categories: strip flooring, plank flooring and parquet flooring. Thickness of strip flooring varies between 5/16 inch and ¾ inch. Available widths are 1 ½ inch, 2 inch and 2 ¼ inch. Though plank flooring is sold in two thicknesses, width can range between 3 inches and 8 inches. Parquet flooring has geometrical patterns that are created with wood slats.

Hand-scraped hardwood floors are hand crafted. Character markings on handscraped hardwood floors (hand sculptured floors) are a unique feature. These floors offer the best finishes for either the modern world look or the old reclaimed wood floor look. Both engineered and solid hand sculpted floors are sold. Beautiful handscraped hardwood floors are very expensive. Engineered handscraped hardwood floors are best suited for a structure erected on a concrete slab and in high humidity conditions. A few companies also market distressed hardwood flooring that has machine made markings unlike hand made markings in handscraped hardwood floor. Handscraped floor is costlier than distressed version, but both floorings offer a rich look.
Hardwood floors should be cleaned with products recommended by the manufacturer. Regular use of a vacuum cleaner will clean dirt, mud, grit and small stones that may spoil the finish. Welcome mats at the entrance for wiping feet before walking on the floor are of great help in protecting the finish. When choosing furniture for you home, do not buy products with sharp metal or wooden legs to prevent denting and scratching. Use of furniture coasters or felt protectors for all legs will prevent scratching. Non-staining and wide rubber cups are a must for heavy items like piano. The use of a paste wax on the hardwood floor with a polyurethane finish damages the finish. Spills on hardwood floors need immediate attention. Clean them with a paper towel or damp white cloth and dry the area.

About the Author: Marcus Peterson, Marcus@i-hardwood-floors.comLearn more about hardwood floorsRolex Replicas Info provides detailed information on Swiss, Japanese, Chinese, Grade 1, wholesale, and cheap Rolex replicas, including reviews of specific models. Rolex Replicas Info is the sister site of Watch Winders Web

A Look at Outdoor Ceiling Fans

A ceiling fan used outdoors, such as on a covered porch, deck, or gazebo, can serve several purposes. Outdoor ceiling fans can provide a cool breeze and make hot days much more comfortable, keep bugs away, and provide beautiful and unique decoration. It is important to use fans that are made for outdoor use; indoor ceiling fans cannot hold up to the elements like those that are designed to be put outdoors.

Outdoor ceiling fans are great for providing a gentle breeze on a hot summer day. Anyone with a porch, deck, gazebo, or any other type of roofed open air outdoor area should consider buying an outdoor ceiling fan. Outdoor ceiling fans gently stir the air downwards, creating a pleasant breeze that allows people to enjoy the outdoors even on a hot, stuffy, or humid day.
Another advantage of outdoor ceiling fans is that they can be great for keeping bugs away. It is difficult for bugs like gnats and mosquitoes to fly in the downward draft created by outdoor ceiling fans. Having an outdoor ceiling fan makes it possible to have a fun, bug-free time outside without having to use annoying bug lights or smelly, oily bug spray.

Outdoor ceiling fans also look good, in addition to being functional. They can add a personal decorative touch to an outdoor setting. They come in a wide variety of colors and models to compliment any outdoor setting.

It is vital that people do not use indoor ceiling fans outside. Outdoor ceiling fans are designed to withstand exposure to moisture, heat, sunlight and wind. Even the best fans do fade over time, especially if they are outside near the ocean.

Ceiling Fans Info provides detailed information about outdoor, tropical, discount, and kids’ ceiling fans, as well as ceiling fan blades, lights, manufacturers, and more. Ceiling Fans Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.


About the Author: Max Bellamy, Max@i-ceilingfans.comLearn more about ceiling fansBathroom Vanities Info provides detailed information on discount and contemporary bathroom vanity cabinets, sinks, tops, mirrors, lights, and more. Bathroom Vanities Info is the sister site of Shower Curtains Web.

Types of Home Air Purifiers

Room air purifiers replaced tabletop units in the 1990s as the leading type of home air purifier. Tabletop units proved to be mostly ineffective, because of the inadequate volume of air being moved through the unit. Room air purifiers are almost as portable, and they are a lot more effective. There are three basic types of home air purifiers made for single-room use.
HEPA Filtered Air Purifiers HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. Most often made of charcoal, a HEPA filter is placed upwind of a high-velocity fan on the unit, which forces the contaminates into the filter, catching debris such as dust mites, tobacco smoke, pollen, and other pollutants.

Ion Generators Ionic units work by sending negatively charged ions out into your home. The ions attach to chemicals and particles in the air, causing them to become attracted to the surfaces of your house as well as to each other. The pollutants simply drop right out of the air. You then wipe, mop, and vacuum the material off the surfaces, as part of your regular chores. Ion-generating home air purifiers produce some ozone, so be aware of emission rates.
Ozone Generators Ozone units work by sending ozone out into your home. The ozone reacts with some chemicals in the air, effectively canceling them out, but producing some byproducts that can be harmful in greater or longer exposures. Buy a unit that emits 50 parts per billion or fewer.

Whole House Air Purifiers Manufacturers design whole house air purifiers to be installed in a central heating, air conditioning, or HVAC system. The benefit of a whole house air purifier is that it is out of sight. A filter is located in a return air grille or plenum. Anytime the fan in your central system kicks in, air is moved through the filter, effectively cleaning some of the air throughout your house. A whole house air purifier doesn’t run all the time, since central air fans only kick in when the temperature drops too low or climbs too high. For an all-around air cleaning, install a whole house air purifier. But if you want to focus on one room, a room air purifier is much more effective.

Air Purifiers Info provides detailed information on home, ionic, ozone, and HEPA air purifiers, as well as reviews of the best air purifiers on the market today. Air Purifiers Info is the sister site of Air Filters Web.

About the Author: Marcus Peterson, Marcus@i-AirPurifiers.comLearn more about air purifiersRolex Replicas Info provides detailed information on Swiss, Japanese, Chinese, Grade 1, wholesale, and cheap Rolex replicas, including reviews of specific models. Rolex Replicas Info is the sister site of Watch Winders Web

The Importance of Home Air Filters

Many people are not aware that the air inside our homes is five times harmful than the air outside. Because of airtight home and office building constructions, the airborne pollutants are trapped inside, making the contaminated air unable to escape. Clean air is even more important inside the home than it is outdoors. Home air filters, also called as "furnace filters", keep the coils and heat exchanges on the heating and air conditioning system clean, which otherwise make the system work harder. Home air filters contain high efficient motors and anti-microbial filters, resulting in healthy and clean air in home or office.

There are manifold types and styles of home air purifiers, including HEPA, carbon, zeolite, UV light air purifiers, and more. Some air purifiers have filters, and some use stainless steel rods to collect contaminates.

Home air filters work by drawing air through the layers of different air filters. The air first passes through a pre-filter where large particles are removed. Then the air passes through a coconut shell activated carbon filter that absorbs gases, chemicals, odors and vapors. After this absorption, the air enters two anti-microbial filters for further filtration. Then the air goes on to the 80 square feet HEPA media where 99.97% of all allergens and particulate larger than 0.3 micron are removed from the resultant air. From this HEPA media, the clean air is released back into the room. The size of airborne particles that a home air purifier captures is measured in microns. A micron is hundred times smaller than a human hair and is obviously not visible to the naked eye.

The most important thing to remember about home air filters is to change them regularly. Upgrading and properly maintaining home air filters is easy and helps improve indoor air quality.

Air Filters Info provides detailed information on home, car, electronic, and HEPA air filters, as well as air conditioner filters and air filter manufacturers. Air Filters Info is the sister site of Air Purifiers Web.

About the Author: Marcus Peterson, Marcus@e-airfilters.comLearn more about air filtersRolex Replicas Info provides detailed information on Swiss, Japanese, Chinese, Grade 1, wholesale, and cheap Rolex replicas, including reviews of specific models. Rolex Replicas Info is the sister site of Watch Winders Web

What is Injection Waterproofing?

Injection waterproofing is often used to fill and seal cracks and crevices. The material is most often made from a polyurethane compound. The compound is lightweight and expands up to twice its original size when applied to a surface. Many non-toxic and environmentally safe products are available at home improvement stores nationwide. Injection waterproofing is used mainly in foundation crack repairs.

In most foundation cracks, a polyurethane injection can seal the opening. In some smaller cracks it may be apparent that a sealant was used because it may be difficult to evenly inject the compound. Single caulking style cartridges and the dual side-by-side cartridge systems are the types of injection waterproofing compounds available for retail purchase. Both of these are manually injected and easy to pump.

When using an injection waterproofing method, it is important to keep the area dry. Temporarily block any flowing water to the area, and clean and dry the area as needed. Experts say that in the case of water flowing through a hole, you can temporarily caulk the hole with candle wax, modeling clay or plumbers’ putty. If the cracks are in narrow or hard-to-reach places, you can use a flexible hose attached to the injector nozzle.

Whatever waterproofing system your leakage problem requires, be sure to do your research. If you choose to make this a do-it-yourself project, make sure you know where your leaks are coming from and the proper method to repair them. When purchasing waterproofing materials you should make sure you are buying the appropriate product for your needs. The National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors (NAWSRC) has tons of information on waterproofing. Whether or not you decide to hire a contractor, this organization can help you from beginning to end.

Waterproofing Info provides detailed information on waterproofing systems, including injection waterproofing, foundation waterproofing, concrete waterproofing, deck waterproofing, basement waterproofing, and waterproofing basement walls, as well as waterproofing contractors and consultants. Waterproofing Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.


About the Author: Peter Emerson, Peter@i-waterproofing.comLearn more about waterproofingWaterproofing Info provides detailed information on waterproofing systems, including injection waterproofing, foundation waterproofing, concrete waterproofing, deck waterproofing, basement waterproofing, and waterproofing basement walls, as well as waterproofing contractors and consultants. Waterproofing Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

Decorating Ideas for your Attic

Do you have an attic in your house? Lucky You! You can decorate your attic however you like and create your own favorite corner in the house, or even an extra place for your children or your guests. Depending on your attics' space and on your own personal taste, you can finally have an attic that fulfils your needs. Need an extra bedroom? The attic can turn into a beautiful private bedroom for a friend that stays the night, a visiting couple, or a relative from out of town. Use light shades and soft fabric materials; you don't want your guest to get tired and dizzy from the lively colors. Instead, create a pleasant, romantic atmosphere. You will need a single or, if there is enough space, a double bed, a small closet with drawers and one or two small bedside tables. A big, elegantly shaped mirror will add several points and will make the room seem spacious. If the room is already spacious enough, you can place a bedroom chair facing the window. Add a dreamcatcher or a wind chime and enjoy the results! How about a playroom for your children? They would love to have their own, "No Moms Allowed!" space for their toys, their games and their imagination. You will need a soft, warm carpet to keep the room cozy during wintertime. Don't carpet the corners though, as you will need some room to swap out for a lighter, cooler carpet for the summer days. You will also need large pillows or soft inflatable chairs. When opting for a playroom, use lively colors that will keep the children excited and happy. This room could have a small TV and DVD play set, videogames, board games, many toys, and puzzles, whatever a kid needs! Don't place sporting material such as bouncers, trampolines and swings because the roof is too low in attics and the children might get hurt while playing. Are you an artist? Even if the answer is no, an attic can make you one! Make your own inspirational studio. Don't use a carpet this time. Color and material chips will stain it. If you are a painter, equip your studio with painting knives, palettes, art pencils, drawing sticks, charcoal, paints, brushes and canvas, paper blocks and rolls. If you are a craftsman you can create a wood art studio. Equip it with a large working table, hole cutting templates, curving tools. Place furniture with shelves in the corner to place and admire your artwork. An attic can be your gym! You'll need adequate ventilation in there, or a large window. Dress the room with a soft carpet and buy your gym equipment. Don't buy large fitness equipment. Prefer many smaller ones, or a few multi training machines. You can also have light exercise tools like fitness balls, tummy trimmers, weight sets, yoga mats. A small refrigerator filled with bottled water or energy drinks is necessary for the attic gym room so that you won't need to run downstairs every time you get thirsty. A mini stereo will enhance your exercise with power music. There is no limit to your imagination about the potential use of your attic space. Sure, it comes in handy as a storage place, but what moments of joy can you invest in a storage place? With creativity and a little money, the attic can be your favorite room.

About the Author: From Just an Attic... to Your Favorite Room! Visit Ventinfo.com at www.ventinfo.com and Learn Some Simple Steps To Help Turn Your Dusty Old Attic Into Your Favorite Room In The House.

Simple Steps To Choosing Your Perfect Bathtub

With so many different types and styles of bathtubs available nowadays, choosing one which is perfect for you can get pretty confusing indeed. It is not just a matter of choosing the right color to go with your bathroom, or ensuring that the style is correct, but a whole lot more. In order to make sure that you buy a bathtub that is right for you, here are some things that you should take into consideration when looking at various bath tubs.

1) Functionality: Before you go to choose a bathtub, you should be clear about your requirements. Do not buy a whirlpool tub just because it looks so comfortable and inviting. Will you actually be using the jets often and can you justify the added energy costs as well as extra water consumption? While comfort is very important while choosing a bathtub, you also want to ensure that you will make use of all the features of the tub.

2) Size of the tub: A properly sized bathtub is an absolute must. You neither want your tub to be so small that you do not fit in it, nor do you want it to be so big that there is unnecessary usage of water. While considering the size of the bathtub, you also need to decide whether you want a one person tub or one which can fit two people. If you like to get cozy with your partner, then you may want to indulge and get yourself a two person tub. However, if your bath time is a time when you like to read or be thoughtful, you should go in for a one person bath tub.

3) Color and style: While not important to the function of the bathtub, the right color and style of the tub will make your bathroom look that much more inviting. Bathtubs are available in the standard colors of cream and white, but you can also get different colors such as blue, brown, maroon, green, and pink so as to match your décor. Shapes in bathtubs include the standard rectangle, as well as others such as heart shaped, oval, round, corner style etc.

4) Tub Material: The material which the tub is made of is also an important criterion when choosing a tub. According to their materials, tubs are classified as acrylic tubs, porcelain tubs, cast iron tubs, fiberglass, marble, and wood. While a fiberglass tub can be very cost effective, it may not be as durable as porcelain or an acrylic tub. A cast iron tub can last you for years but is quite expensive. Marble and wooden tubs can look very attractive but are very high maintenance and will not last you for very long. Thus, your choice of tub material will depend on your budget, your frequency of use, ease of maintenance of the tub, and its durability.

5) Soaking or standard: A bathtub is fast becoming very popular with people because of its therapeutic value. By soaking in a hot water bath, you can give relief to tired muscles and also relieve painful cramps. A good soak can even help to reduce your blood pressure as well as lower your stress levels, both of which bode very well for your heart. Thus, if you are looking to take advantage of the therapeutics involved with bath tubs, you should look for a soaking tub and not a regular one. Soaking tubs are deeper than regular models, whereby a person can soak their entire body comfortably and not just the lower part of their body.

6) Special Requirements: People who are old or those who have some kind of handicap may often have to forgo the pleasures of bathing in a tub as they may find it difficult to use a regular bathtub. If you or someone in your family has such special needs, you should consider getting a bathtub that is ADA compliant. Such bathtubs are made in such a way so as to afford easy entry and exit for the handicapped and the elderly. They even have grab bars and grab rails for added protection while using the bathtub. Some models can even be used by people who are restricted to wheelchairs.

In addition to all the above, your budget is also a factor while buying a bathtub. Another thing that you must do before making your final selection is to actually lie down in the bathtubs that you have short listed. This way, you can be sure that it is the right size and also gives the maximum comfort, while having adequate support for your neck, back, and head.
Hopefully, this guide will help you to choose a bathtub that is right for you and your family.

About the Author: Lukas Rathswohl is the publisher of Bathtubs For You at http://www.bathtubsforyou.com, your one-stop source for bathtub information.

8 Easy Steps to Find Your Perfect Toilet

Maybe you're building a house, or you're remodeling. If you're like most folks, the toilet probably does not rate very high on your list of priorities. Still, the toilet is a key piece of a comfortable, modern, well-functioning home. Following a few straightforward steps can help you find a toilet that is right for you, both functionally and aesthetically. Remember, alltoilets are not built the same!

Step by step now, let's examine:

1. The shape of the toilet bowl: The main choices here are an elongated bowl and a round front bowl. The round front tends to be two inches shorter, and works well for smaller spaces. The larger elongated front is more comfortable and sanitary, since there is less drip on the toilet.

2. The toilet size: There are lots of choices, with different lengths, widths and heights. Make sure you measure the space available for the toilet to ensure a comfortable fit. You also need to consider the rough-in space, which is how far the centerof the toilet bowl is from the finished wall, since this limits the size of the toilet.

3. The size of the toilet trapway: The trap way is that part of the toilet that through which the water and waste exit. The minimum standard allows waste with a diameter of 1 ½ inches to pass through. You may want to consider looking at a larger trapway to minimize clogging problems.

4. The flushing system: In the US, by law all toilets must have a 1.6 gallon tank to conserve water. However, you do still have some choices.

• In gravity fed toilets, the weight of the water from the tank pushes the waste through an S shaped trap way, as the siphon that is created empties the bowl.
• With pressure assisted toilets, air in the tank is compressed as it fills with water. When flushing, the pressurized air pushes the water more strongly into the bowl, resulting in a better flush. Disadvantages, though, include greater noise, expense and difficulty of repairing.

5. One or two piece toilets: Two piece toilets are more common and inexpensively priced, and have a separate tank and bowl which are connected when the toilet is installed. One piece toilets have 5 or six parts that are seamlessly connected into one piece. They tend to more stylish, more expensive, easier to clean, and smaller, making them ideal for smaller spaces.

6. Maintenance features: Some toilets have features designed to make it easier to take care of them. For instance, Toto, an innovative Japanese manufacturer, has SanaGloss, a ceramic glaze which prevents bacteria and mold buildup, making the toilet easy to clean. American Standard has its EasyClean feature. Kohler has an insulated liner for some of its toilet lines, preventing moisture build-up on the outside of the tank due to condensation.

7. Appearance: while a toilet needs to work well, it also needs to look good in your bathroom. Fortunately, today's toilets come in a huge selection of colors and sizes. Bear mind, though, that choosing a color other than white can significantly add to the toilet's price. One approach you may to consider is to choose a toilet that is part of a bathroom suite, thus ensuring that are the fixtures are in harmony.

8. Other features: High end toilets may come with heated seats, warm air drying systems and built-in bidets, such as the Toto Washlets. Kohler Comfort Height toilets have a higher seat, making sitting down and standing easier.

There, now you have 8 steps to finding the toilet that is right for you and your loved ones!
Be sure to visit our site for even more information.

About the Author: Lukas Rathswohl is the publisher of All About Toilets at http://www.all-about-toilets.com, your one-stop source for toilet information.

Nothing says more about quality than great flooring.

Notice, I said great and not expensive. The right choice of flooring will make your home more comfortable and functional to your lifestyle.

Hardwood and laminate hardwood is best way to get more out of your investment at resale time. It requires little maintenance other than an occasional sweeping. The life expectance of hardwood is easily 20 years. Then you just refinish it (comparatively cheap) and your floor looks fantastic for another 15 or so years. The misconception about flooring is the initial expense. Yes the majority of the cost is the initial investment is sometimes scary. The overall value is a no brainer. Homebuyers today love hardwood, there are no two ways about it. Being a recent homebuyer myself the addition of hardwood was a big selling point for me. Our home purchase had quite a bit of carpet, with the plans to replace most hardwood. We were able to use that as a bargaining point, and it worked quite well. Once I installed the hardwood the difference was amazing. Selfishly, the "ooh's and aah's" of visitors to our home was in itself worth the investment. Then when they found out that I did it myself, the complements go to the next level. That felt great and I show you how here.

While carpeting is nice to the touch and ads a warmth and comfort that hardwood cannot, it requires much more maintenance and care to keep it looking its best. The problem is at resale time the investment of carpet (even the good stuff) usually causes a negative impact to prospective homebuyers. Consider carefully the use and placement of carpet in your home. I say this purely for the resale value and quality of use.

While it is easiest to do this step while the home is empty. I suggest that you live in your new home, and look at how you live your home before you take this step. If you use a room as a playroom, for example, it might be better with carpet. A dining room that sees little use and has a better chance for messy messes, hardwood is a better choice. So I say all this to say look at how you use the rooms to better make your choice of flooring. Although hardwood throughout your home is the best for the investment of your home, there are rooms that you will find more comfortable with carpeting. A misconception with hardwood is that it is cold and hard. I installed hardwood (instead of carpet) in our master suite and absolutely love it. Wood is an organic material that takes on the temperature characteristics of the surrounding environment. When I climb out of bed in the morning I have never had an adverse opinion. We chose carpet for the kid's rooms, because while they are young they play with their toys on the floor on their knees. I thought that it would be more comfortable for them to play.

About the Author: Mr. Lesslie is the president of greathomeimprovements.com and a consultant for Department of Energy's Building America Division for the last 6 years. He is responsible for all the content and marketing for www.greathomeimprovements.com - Great Home Improvements Start Here!

DESIGNING YOUR LOG HOME: The Question of Dead Space

There's something about huge log homes that makes the rest of us jealous: the owners don't have to worry about wasted space. But for smaller floor plans, we need to stir up our creative juices and make every inch count. And that means getting rid of dead space.

Hallways are a big culprit. I think it might have something to do with how we were brought up, because some people just can't fathom a bedroom opening up to a kitchen or dining room. However, today's open floor plans are beginning to remove old prejudices. Do you really need a hallway with a bunch of doors that looks like a hotel? You could convert that hall to useable space if you rethink how the rooms could flow. I've also seen balconies that lead to a row of bedrooms. The would-be loft space was converted to a catwalk, that served no purpose other than an open hallway. A loft too small for a table and chair is a potential wasted opportunity.

How will you handle your front door? There are lots of trade-offs. The entrance commandeers its own very large space, which could turn monstrous if it leads directly onto a grand staircase. Foyers themselves create a lot of dead space and tend to be difficult to furnish. But if they are too small (if the front door is crowded by a closet or a wall) the guest feels a bit claustrophobic. A front door that opens to a hallway could have the same effect, and when placed way off-center, they sometimes look like an after-thought. Some floor plans eliminate the question by doing away with the front door altogether, entering the great room from the deck. However, a house without a front door bothers a lot of people, and this could create a problem with resale.

It helps to give the door an unrestricted view. There are floor plans that enter the house directly into the center of the great room. This certainly creates an expansive feeling, but an invisible walkway needs to be defined so you don't trip across a couch when coming into the house. It does create a challenge of where to put the furniture.

At the same time, large great rooms can easily become cavernous... how many couches does one room need? When I was designing my floor plan, I originally wanted a huge great room, but I couldn't think of anything to do with it. I already had my dining room in place, which already has a table. Do I need another table in the great room? In the end, I made the great room smaller and created a quiet room in another part of the house (great rooms can be very noisy if you have a loft).

We tend to want to fill the walls with windows. Floor-to-ceiling windows look great, but you can't put any thing in front of them. So the furniture gets pushed into the center of the floor, which demands a mental adjustment for most of us. Then we add a fireplace to the mix, which usually requires a hearth.

Doors and windows are also going to define what you can do with your floor space. If you find yourself short on wall space, perhaps a pocket door would be a solution (although these are usually used between the dining room and the living room). In any room, if your windows are too close together (or too close to your doors), you may not be able to fit a piece of furniture between the two. For instance, when you look at your bedroom walls, you need to figure out how many linear feet your headboard will take up, then your dresser and chest of drawers. You are going to have at least one closet door, an entrance door into the room, and possibly a door into the bathroom. Where will the bed go?

Door swings are another bugaboo. Once a door is hung you can't change the swing, so ask yourself which way you want the door to open into a room; the choice will be up to you. If you have two doors around the corner from each other, make sure they don't bang together. See if the bathroom door can open up all the way without hitting the vanity or the toilet. French doors open either in or out, depending on which kind you buy. If they swing to the outside, you'll have more space but the screen will be on the inside. My French doors didn't come with screen doors at all, which is a real nuisance.

Keeping in mind that each door creates a dead zone on either side, sometimes it saves space to put two closet doors across from each other as an entrance to a room. Or, have your closet door open into the foyer, which is already dead space. Some people design their walk-in closet door to open into the bathroom. That way, they get more use of the bedroom walls.

The space below the stairs presents its own question. Usually, the basement stairs are placed directly beneath the stairs to the second floor, with a railing to keep you from falling in the hole. Think of an escalator. Going up the stairs, you have to make sure the roof line permits head clearance for the tallest person you know. And you'll need enough dead space at the base of the stairs to move furniture and large objects around.

Small dormers look pretty on the outside, but from the inside, you can either put a window seat in the narrow space, or maybe nothing at tall. Try using wide dormers that will accommodate furniture, or a bathtub, or even a bed.

Many of these points are minor early in the design phase, but little things become big annoyances if not caught in time. In the end, we have to live in our log home, not just look at it!

About the Author: Mercedes Hayes is a Hiawatha Log Home dealer and also a Realtor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She designed her own log home which was featured in the 2004 Floor Plan Guide of Log Home Living magazine. You can learn more about log homes by visiting www.JerseyLogHomes.com.

How to Organize Your Home Remodeling Project

Copyright 2005 ABCD Publishing LLC

Remodeling a home can take many months from start to finish. During the process you will need to decide what you want to remodel, what you can afford, how to pay for it, and whether to manage the project yourself or hire a general contractor. The list of decisions goes on and on. Making these decisions is much easier if you are organized, so as soon as you decide you may want to remodel set up a filing system, following the outline below.

Getting Organized

An unbelievable number of decisions need to be made during a remodeling process. For most people, this is a daunting task. To make the job easier and to ensure your percentage of good decisions is as high as possible, you need a strategy to organize the information. You can use a three-ring binder or an expandable file folder, whichever you prefer. You can also buy a remodeling organizer which includes everything you need. The newly released organizer at www.remodelingorganizer.com will help most homeowners simplify the remodeling process.

Whatever organizer you choose make sure it is durable and easy to carry because you will want to take it with you when you are shopping for materials and whenever you are out, in case you need to quickly contact someone that is working on your home. Start with the following sections and customize the folder as you go. While most of the organization system is optional, keeping copies of all contracts, change orders, invoices, receipts, and permits is a must. These will be invaluable if you have disputes with your contractors and, when tax time comes around, to calculate your investment in the remodel. Here are the sections you can start with:

Ideas

These are the photos, magazine articles, and notes on the way you want the finished project to look. Have a section for each room: bathroom, den, master bedroom, and so on.

Quotes

Save the brochures and quotations from candidate contractor and suppliers. You may also want to create summary sheets of the quotes you have received for the same items so you can quickly compare them.

Contact Information

Each contractor will have a mailing address and several phone numbers (cell, home, office, fax, pager) so keep them handy and in one place. Since most of this information will be on business cards, invest in a business card holder that fits your binder or folder. Once you have signed a contract or a purchase order, you need to keep a copy handy for your reference. If you have questions about price, delivery, or warranty, you can quickly review the document again. Change orders are for changes that you and the contractor agree to make during the project. Changes happen in all projects, so be prepared for them and make sure that all the details of the changes are in writing and signed by both you and the contractor.
Invoices and Receipts Keep records of all your expenses so you can total them at the end of the project to see if you hit your budget or not. You can also use this information later to calculate your cost versus any gains you make on the price of your home to determine your capital gains tax.

Permits

Each permit-issuing authority has rules on how to make the permit available to inspectors. Follow those rules, and after the project is done, store your permit in the binder or file.

Listing

What You Want Now that you have a system to organize your remodel project, start by creating a list of what you want--a bigger bathroom, new kitchen cabinets, a fourth bedroom, and so on. Once you have the list, group the items by room type. Sort them as well by whether they involve remodeling an existing space or creating a new space.
Once you have this list, try to get a few specific details. Photos from design magazines, a sketch of the layout of the room additions, and decisions on the type of materials, fixtures, and cabinets you want will help you estimate the cost and time required to complete the project.

About the Author: Dan Fritschen, founder of www.remodelormove.com, a homeowner advocacy organization, speaker at Home and Garden shows Nationwide, author of the best selling book Remodel or Move? and The Complete Remodeling Workbook and Organizer (available at www.remodelingorganizer.com) has recently been interviewed on CNN, in Better Homes and Garden Magazine and in Newsweek.

Do It Yourself Grout Cleaning 101

So you want to tackle that grout cleaning job yourself huh? My first advice would be to call a professional, simply because they have the right equipment, knowledge and cleaning agents to perform the job with superior results.

Ok, I see you've made up your mind! Lets go shopping for some items that you will need to do the job. I would go to your local Home Depot to grab the supplies you need, they have a good selection of flooring products.

1. Sulfamic Acid (powder form)
2. Brass Bristle Scrub Brush (No Nylon)
3. Wet/Dry Vacuum
4. Yellow Janitor Bucket/Wringer
5. Rayon Mop Head W/Handle
6. 1 Package Of Terry Cloth Towels (White)
7. Rubber Gloves (2 or 3 Pair) 8. White Vinegar (1 Gallon)

The most important ingredient in this list is the sulfamic acid, make sure you don't substitute this item with another one. The scrub brush needs to be thin to get in the grout lines, you may need 3 to 5 brushes depending on how large the job is.

Make sure you look on the back for directions when mixing the sulfamic acid, just follow them and you should be fine. You will however, need to mix the acid stronger if you have heavily soiled areas, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. The acid is cheap, so I would buy more than you need to do the job. You can always return the unused containers.

You can place the sulfamic acid in a spray bottle or pour it out of a small bucket. Make sure you have your rubber gloves on before mixing the sulfamic acid. You can also use the terry cloths to apply the acid, just wet it down in a small bucket and squeeze the rag on the grout lines.
You want to work an area about 9 to 16 sq. ft. any larger than that and the cleaner may dry before you get a chance to extract it with your wet/dry vacuum. Never let the acid dry on the tile, you will have to start over in the same area if you do.

Once you have sprayed the acid on the tile, let it dwell for about 5 to 10 minutes, wet it generously, so the acid doesn't dry on the tile. After 5 or 10 minutes, use your brass bristle brush to scrub the grout lines. You will need to use some elbow grease to get the lines clean.
You also may have to re-treat the same area or use more acid and let it dwell longer if it doesn't come clean the first time. Let the acid do most of the work by dwelling. The longer the better for you and your elbow.

After you have done your first 9 to 16 sq. ft. area, vacuum it with your wet/dry vacuum. Then start on your next 9 to 16 sq. ft. area. Once you have cleaned the first area, this should give you a good idea of how long the acid needs to dwell on the tile before scrubbing it. Be observant and take notes if needed. The quicker you catch on to what works the best, the sooner you will be done with the job.

Keep repeating the above step of spraying, dwelling, scrubbing and vacuuming until the job is done. Once you are finished, you will want to put clean hot water and vinegar (4 oz. for every gallon of water.) in your janitor bucket and mop the entire floor. The vinegar helps clean off the residue left from the acid. If it were me, I would mop the floor two or three times.
Ok, that's it, you are done! Now don't you wish you would have called the professionals? Stay tuned for future do-it-yourself cleaning articles.

About the Author: Bobby Walker 13 year carpet cleaning veteran Owner/Carpet Cleaning of Dallas http://www.dfwcarpetcleaning.com

Is An Electric Fireplace The Right Choice For You?

An electric fireplace can be a wonderful choice for your home and your family. Not only can an electric fireplace save you a significant amount of money each year, it can also keep you and your family in much better shape as far as your health. Air quality is one of the most important factors in our daily lives and yet it is one of the most neglected ones. Humans breathe, a lot, and using an electric fireplace can keep the air quality in your home much cleaner.

You hear about the pollution outside all of the time but it has been proven time and time again in studies that indoor air pollution affect people much more than outdoor. Choosing the perfect fireplace for you family has never been more important than it is today and an electric fireplace is always a wonderful and healthy choice.

The vast majority of homes do not have the kind of ventilation that is needed to support the use of a regular fireplace in a healthy manner. The byproducts of the burning wood cannot escape the home anymore; houses are simply built too tightly. So by keeping these poisons in you are not doing anything for your overall health. And electric fireplace does not create any of these sorts of problems because there are no pollutants made when you turn on your electric fireplace. And electric fireplaces can actually keep you from getting sick this winter.

If you have an old fashioned fireplace or if you are thinking of getting a fireplace then you need to start shopping for an electric fireplace. The electric fireplace is the only fireplace that can guarantee the health and safety of your family every time that you turn it on. So if you have not yet looked into getting an electric fireplace perhaps you should take a look at The Electric Fireplace Website (see author bio).

About the Author: Eric Franks owns and operates The Electric Fireplace Website at http://www.electricfireplacewebsite.com. You'll find many options for fireplaces and resources for finding the electric fireplace that's right for you.

Source: www.isnare.com

Steel Garage Building Plans: An Easy And Savvy Solution

Planning a garage addition and don't know where to begin or what contractor to hire? Not sure what questions to ask a prospective contractor. Need a Garage Addition Plan and Building Cost Estimates? See [Garage Addition Contractor Bid Sheet]

A steel garage is a perfect addition to any home. Steel garage doubles as a shelter for your vehicle, storage for tools and equipment, and can even serve as a working space for a do-it-yourselfer. Steel garages have become a favorite among savvy homeowners, as they are flexible, easy to build and very affordable. With a steel garage, you can store one vehicle or even a truck or a boat, even though you cannot accommodate a guest apartment or an office there. In any case, you can always choose a garage building plan that suits your needs without sacrificing space or look of your property.

When built according to garage building plans, a steel garage can cost you up to 40% less than conventional garages. With a steel garage, you can add a roof of your choice, install the doors and windows right where you want them, and of course, you can pick materials you can afford.

When picking a garage building plan, you must decide what your family needs. Would that be a two-car garage or a simple tool shed? With a clear idea in mind, take a look at your property and find a suitable space. You need to make sure that the garage has an accessible driveway and connection to the house for water and electricity. Avoid damp areas, if your property has them. To find the balance in form and function, you can add a steel garage to the side of your house. In fact, most garages today are attached to the house. Check your building permits and local building codes to make sure you don’t violate any of them.

Steel garages are fairly easy to assemble, but even with the simplest plan, you need to consider if you have enough time and expertise to build the garage by yourself, or maybe you need to hire a contractor to finish the job. As for the tools, most of them you might already have. If not, you can always rent them instead of buying. The garage building plan will list all the tools you need. Expert constructors recommend having all tools on site before beginning construction.

Steel garage building begins with precise marking of the excavation area. Most likely you will need a contractor to excavate the area and build the garage foundation with anchor bolts enclosed.

When the foundation is ready, you can raise walls. Before lifting the steel sheets into place, make sure the bottom is correctly positioned. At this stage ensure you have some help with lifting and holding the wall in place while fixing it in.

The roof must be built immediately after you have finished constructing the walls to avoid any weather damage inside the steel garage. Roof trusses will sustain loads only when they are vertical. Carefully lift the trusses and set them in place. Now you are ready to add roof sheathing. Polyurethane or particleboard is the most common material.

Steel garage building plans allow you to build exactly the garage you have in mind to fit in perfectly in whatever style home you have. Best of all, complete steel garage building plans are available for any project with blueprints and detailed walkthrough for every stage of the construction.

About the Author: Kathryn Whittaker writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Steel Garages please visit http://www.garage-ideas.com/steel-garages.html and for additional Garage related articles please visit http://www.garage-ideas.com/garage-articles/

Source: http://www.isnare.com/

Selecting The Best Deck Railing Designs For Your Custom Home

Most people invest a lot of time and energy into finding the right deck railing designs for their home. Fortunately there is a wide selection of free deck railing designs available on the web for you to choose from.

The first step toward selecting the right design for your railing is deciding the right design for your porch. Here are some things to think about when deciding the best porch for your home:

1. Consider your lifestyle. A porch is a key element for many homes. Your lifestyle will determine how large a porch you need for example. If you spend on enjoying long afternoons entertaining friends and family outdoors, you may need a larger surface to work on than if you plan to seldom use your porch.

2. Decide the best place for your porch. For most this is the front of the home or south facing. However some prefer to watch the sunset on their porch so this will dictate location.

3. Select the right materials. Once you decide on the right porch you’ll need to select materials for both the porch and the railings. Most people opt for railings crafted or wood or metal, though you may consider other materials. You’ll want to look for designs that match the style of your home. Some railings and porches for example are better suited for contemporary style homes than Victorian style ones.

Popular Free Railing Designs

Most people save their money for equipment not for buying designs for their railings. The most popular porch designs often involve wood. Wooden porches and wooden railings often complement both contemporary and Victorian or other style homes. While wood does require some maintenance over time, so too do other materials like wrought iron. Some find the upkeep for wooden railings less tedious than the brushing required to keep iron railings rust free.

Your choice of materials may also depend on your environment. Some prefer metal railings because they live in low moisture areas and prefer something durable and weatherproof. Metal designs may also appeal to individuals looking for intricate or ornate fixtures to incorporate in their porch. Here are some additional considerations when selecting a design for your railing:

• Consider the cost and expense of deck railing designs. The more intricate the designs and more closely tied to the architectural style of your home the more expense you may incur.
• Consider tying rail design into lighting and otter home features.
• Be sure to match railing design to the overall porch floor plan of your home.
• Consider the ease of installation, the strength of the design and its functionality before buying
  

About the Author: Adam Peters is a freelance author who contributes adding interesting articles to http://www.deck-porch-railings.com. Adam publishes ideas for railing plans and deck designs. Reach further articles on these plans and designs at http://www.deck-porch-railings.com/deck-railing-designs.html.

Source: www.isnare.com

Gutter Maintenance

Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your home gutter system intact. Making sure that your gutters have no bent areas is one suggestion made by those who help you prepare your home for sale. Clean and well maintained gutters add to your home's sale-ability.

Most home improvement experts suggest that you clean your gutters twice yearly. If your gutters are clogged with debris such as leaves and twigs the rain will not run off or drain properly. It's important to make sure that the rain isn't spilling over the top of your gutter and onto your foundation. Over time this can cause damage to the home's foundation.

It is suggested that you clean your gutters in the Fall after all the leaves have fallen from the surrounding trees, and in the Spring. While you're cleaning your gutters you will want to inspect them for any holes or rust through. Make sure there are no loose nails. Check to make sure the gutters are securely fastened to the house.

After you have removed all the debris from the gutter you'll want to rinse any remaining debris down the gutter and into the downspout with your garden hose. This will also help you to make sure that your downspout isn't clogged with debris. If you find the water not running into the downspout you can remove the downspout, clean it and then replace it.

Make sure that the water running out of the downspout is being properly diverted with the use of a plastic or concrete diverter. You don't want the water emptying out on the ground where it will cause erosion.

Gutter guards have become very popular and do away with the problem of having to clean your gutters, although they will still need twice yearly inspection. For a do-it-yourself type installing gutter guards isn't a big deal, and, it could save you thousands of dollars over having the gutter guards installed by professionals.

Some people think that gutter guards are very expensive and not worth the money. While gutter guards prevent large leaves from entering the gutter they do not stop much smaller natural debris such as seeds, buds, small pieces of bark and twigs or evergreen needles. All this type of natural matter breaks down over time to form debris in your gutter. Also, debris can build up over the gutter guard screening that will have to be manually cleaned off. Some have found that gutter guards actually cause them more problems.

About the Author: This article courtesy of http://www.about-gutters.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com/

Winterizing a Vacation Home

Unlike winterizing your main home, winterizing a vacation or summer home effectively means closing down the home for the winter. However, winterizing a vacation home or summer home really only involves a few basic tasks that can be completed in about a day by a homeowner.

Shut off the Water System and Drain the Pipes

Since most vacation or summer homes that are winterized will not be heated, the most important task to perform is to turn off the water system and drain the supply lines.

The water system can typically be turned off by simply throwing the pump switch to the off position on the circuit panel. Some wells also have a mechanism several feet down that can be turned off to enable any water in the underground pipe to drain back into the well. If your well has this mechanism, a tool should have been provided by the water pump installer that allows you to do this. It is effectively a rod about 4 feet long with a T handle at the top. Basically the rod is inserted into the well head and turns a valve to drain the water from the underground supply line back into the well. Most wells do not require this however, as the well supply line is located several feet under ground. Thus it is safe from any frost concerns.

Next, water should be drained from the supply lines. First turn the faucets on and leave them in the on position.

Since water will and should remain in the toilet and sink traps, an anti-freeze solution must be added to them to prevent freezing and pipe cracking. Also, the toilet tank should be drained of any water as well to prevent the tank from cracking.

Turn off the Heating Supply

Turn the heating system to the off position. Turning down the temperature setting on the thermostat is not good enough. The switch at the furnace or the circuit panel should be turned to the off position to ensure the furnace does not inadvertently go on during the winter months.

Remove all Food that could Spoil or Freeze

The refrigerator should be turned off, unplugged, and emptied of all contents. Likewise, anything in the kitchen cabinets that could freeze or spoil should be removed.

Unplug all Appliances

To prevent the possibility of damage due to thunderstorms it is best to unplug all appliances in the vacation home.

Prevent Rodent Infestation

Various rodents will attempt to get into your vacation home during the winter months. It is best to leave a few boxes of Decon around the home to prevent them from taking up permanent residence.

Storing Boats and Removing Pipe Docks

All boats need to be removed from the water. Similar to the home, all of the boats should be winterized as well.

Once the boats have been removed, the entire dock should be removed from the water and stored high up on shore. The pipes should not be left in the water, as they will be damaged by the ice. The damage frequently happens in the spring when “Ice Out” is occurring and large blocks, similar to ice bergs, shift and move along the shore line.

Rake Leaves and Debris Away from the Home

It is important to rake the yard, with particular attention made to removing leaves and other debris from around the foundation. Left to sit during the winter months, this material would otherwise become a collection area for ice and water, and become a haven for small four legged friends.

Properly Store away all outside Lawn and Yard Furniture and Tools

Clean all outside lawn and yard furniture and store it inside the home or shed or garage. Likewise winterize the lawnmower and properly store it away for the season.

Finally lock up the home, enjoy the winter and think of warm weather in the spring.

Laminate Flooring Saves You Dough

There are lots of basic truths in life, and one of them is this: Floors take abuse. Spills, stains, knocks, nicks, rips, cuts. You name it, no matter what type of flooring you have, it's bound to take its share of punishment.

The good news is there is a flooring solution out there for the busy family, the active professional, or the home-loving homebody: laminate flooring. While other flooring gives in, or stains, or cuts, laminate flooring not only holds up, but looks great doing it. In nearly every way, laminate flooring outperforms every other type of flooring you can think of.

The following are the top seven reasons why laminate flooring is the solution for the modern home.

1. Laminate Flooring Holds Up

If you could run a family household on silk carpets, maybe you would. But, let's face it, you can't. Laminate flooring is designed with a special wear layer, which is much more durable than any other home flooring out on the market. Kids, pets, even adults are going to be rough on a floor day after day, month after month. Laminate flooring holds up to all this and keeps its new look even after years wear and tear.

2. Guaranteed Good

Laminate flooring is so resistant to moisture damage, staining, and fading that you'll find it's common for manufacturers to offer warranties of up to 25 years or more. Compare that to hardwood floors, for example. Could you imagine 25 years of a hardwood floor without some major reconditioning? I think we all could because we’ve seen hardwood floors that have been around for a while without major upkeep. Is that something you’d want in your house?

3. Laminate Flooring is a Snap to Install – Literally

One of the most attractive features of laminate flooring is its easy-to-install nature. Many types on the market these days literally snap together. Laminate flooring is so easy to install, that many people find they can do it themselves. If you’re someone who likes to take on projects around the house, laminate flooring will be a breeze for you.

4. Easy to Maintain

Laminate flooring is not only easy to install, but once it's down, it's easy to clean and maintain. Everyone has seen those floor-cleaning commercials where the dirt just wipes away. With laminate flooring the dirt really does just wipe away. And it’s this quality that allows it to look new year after year. It will seem as if every year you’ve installed a brand new floor.

5. A Healthy Living Environment

The ability to clean laminate flooring so easily obviously makes it more physically attractive, but there's an added benefit to it’s easy-to-clean nature – it’s better for you. A house with laminate flooring is more conducive to healthy living. Hardwood floors can eventually rot, and its crevices collect dust like a ghost town. Carpets, likewise, are susceptible to mold and stains and attract pet hair or people hair or dust balls like nobody’s business. Enter laminate flooring. A mop, a little soap, a quick wipe-down every now and then, and your house stays clean and fresh and healthy.

6. Laminate Flooring Saves You Dough

Because of the staying power of laminate flooring (remember the 25 year guarantee many manufactures offer), any other type of flooring simply doesn't compare. Carpets? Forget it. Get the absolute best carpet you can and you'll still eventually have to replace it. Hardwood floors? Nice … if you’re willing to put in the time and money it takes to keep them that way. Vinyl? Do you see any manufacturers offering 25-year guarantees on vinyl? In the long run, not only does laminate flooring look great, it actually ends up being more economical than the alternatives.

And finally ...

7. Great Looks!

Granted, the fact that laminate flooring looks great has been mentioned several times already, but this point not only deserves it's own place in the sun, it deserves this specially-reserved place as Lucky Number 7, Last but Not Least, Save the Best for Last! Let’s face it, even if laminate flooring had all the other great qualities it has, but looked like concrete, who would even consider it? You want your floors to look great. That’s the bottom line.

You want them to be durable and healthy and easy-to-maintain, but looks are important too. This is your house we're talking about you. Your home. It's the place you go to unwind and relax and be yourself. It’s also the place you invite family and guests into. Your home is a symbol of who you are and how you approach living. Who doesn't want their home to look great? Whether it's just for your eyes, or the eyes of countless others, laminate flooring will do one thing if nothing else – give you great-looking floors.

About the Author: For more information on laminate flooring please visit the laminate flooring resource center at http://www.laminate-flooring-guides.info

Source: http://www.isnare.com/

Tips For Removing Asbestos Vinyl Tiles

Asbestos vinyl tiles are mostly used for flooring in the homes. However, with the growing awareness about the harmful effects of asbestos, people are removing the asbestos vinyl tiles from their homes and other buildings. You can either hire a professional company for removing the asbestos tiles or do it yourself with the help of some simple tips mentioned herein. However, you have to follow certain safety precautions to avoid asbestos exposure to you and your family during and after the removal process.

Precautions for removing asbestos vinyl tiles are necessary because exposure to Asbestos dust is dangerous. Asbestos is a natural fibrous mineral and can break into to tiny light particles polluting the air especially when it is dry. Hence care should be taken for the proper removal of tiles from the floors. Exposure to asbestos is known to cause serious diseases such as asbestosis, respiratory problems and some types of cancers.

Removal of asbestos vinyl tiles is easier and safer than the sheeting. Tiles are safer to remove than the sheeting because the asbestos is embedded and held together by a vinyl resin in tiles.

Safety Precautions for Removing Asbestos Vinyl Tiles:

• Keep all the tools and protective clothing in the room before starting the removal procedure.
• Take precautions not to break the tiles while removing
• Use warm water to soften the adhesive and to prevent asbestos particles from floating in the air
• Never sand the tiles or the glue because sanding may release dangerous quantities of asbestos dust into the air.
• The safe way to remove the asbestos vinyl tiles and the glue is to wet them with warm water and popping them up with a floor scraper.
• If the tiles are glued to a layer of underlayment, you can remove large sections of the tiles and underlayment to reduce the amount of asbestos released in the air.
• Specialists in asbestos abatement opine that it is much safer to remove large chunks of floor than smaller pieces.
• Keep wetting the removed material with water to prevent release of asbestos fibers.
• Store and seal all the removed material in containers and seal them with duct tapes.
• Clean the floor and surrounding surface with water.
• Dispose of the protective clothing and removed material in containers with adequate asbestos labeling.
• Consult the landfill personnel before disposing of the asbestos containing materials.

About the Author: Kirsten Hawkins is a asbestos and mesothelioma specialist from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.asbestosblog.org/ for information on asbestos reform, mesothelioma lawsuit news, and more.

Source: www.isnare.com

Wood-Burning Stoves: Timeless Classics

Traditionally, wood-burning freestanding stoves were used in ski cabins and lodges, but today thanks to new design concepts they have become a welcome addition to any home.

Wood-burning stoves can be installed in any room of your house, but most often they are placed in living or dining rooms, as well as in patios. While traditional fireplaces generally work as a piece of décor, free-standing wood-burning stoves are generally used for more practical purposes, namely, for heating and even cooking. Thanks to new designs, your wood-burning stove will look attractive and still remain perfectly functional. Because it isn’t attached to the wall, a wood-burning stove will radiate more heat throughout a small or large room.

Most often, wood-burning stoves are usually built of stainless steel, soapstone or ceramics study stone and brick but can remain sleek and contemporary thanks to new materials such as fireproof glass and stainless steel details. The shape of these stoves is most commonly tall and cylindrical, with built-in wood storage under the burning chamber.

When choosing a new wood-burning stove, keep in mind that the size of your wood-burning stove is determined by the size of the space that needs to be heated. The fire of the stove should be substantial enough to please the eye as well as heat the room, but too much fire can literally turn your place into an oven.

When picking a place to put your new stove, avoid traffic areas such as doors. A stove surrounded by windows may be a good solution. The fire chamber door should face the room. Don’t forget to take stovepipe requirements into the account, making sure they are in compliance with your local building codes. Since wood-burning stoves are not strictly fireplaces, they don’t require any clearance between the fire chamber and surrounding combustible materials, such as wood or fabric.

Conventional wood-burning stoves vary in heat efficiency because their construction can be very different, too. The efficiency of a wood-burning stove depends on how much of its combustion energy turns to heat, which in its turn depends on how well it burns wood. Even the best wood-burning stoves don’t burn all wood completely. The smoke is actually composed of unburned wood particles. Another factor that impacts the wood-burning stove’s efficiency is how much heat escapes through the chimney.

To improve the efficiency of your wood-burning stove, consider a chimney sweep in the first place. This should be done by a professional fireplace expert. If you noticed that a lot of smoke is produced during the wood burning, you may need to alter the size of your stove opening, or reconfigure the existing fire chamber. If you notice that a lot of hot air escapes through the chimney, you may consider replacing the fire basket – the metal rack that supports the burning logs. New designs of fire baskets can greatly improve air circulation and heat efficiency.

Wood burning stoves today offer a great variety of looks and designs to suit any home style, from a retro Victorian house to a steel loft condo. Painted black, brushed steel or even red, with stovepipe to match, wood burning stoves with generous glass doors allow you admire the dancing flames during the cold winter season.

About the Author: Kathryn Whittaker writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Wood Burning Stoves please visit http://www.stove-ideas.com/wood-burning-stoves.html and for additional Stove articles please visit the following article page http://www.stove-ideas.com/stove-articles/.

Source: www.isnare.com

How do General Contractors Calculate Home Addition Costs?

When General Contractors develop home addition building costs for a home project, their estimate usually consists of two parts - Labor and Material. There is also a hidden cost factored into both these numbers as well - General Contractor Profit. Typically a General Contractor is looking to make between 20-30% profit margin on his material and labor costs.

Typically the General Contractor should be able to turn around a home addition cost estimate within a week as they frequently have a database of material costs and they know their labor rates. Frankly, once they have your requirements on your home addition project, they can plug the specifics into their home addition cost estimator or calculator spreadsheet tool and have a good home addition cost estimate on your project within minutes.

Carefully read over all of the specifics of the home addition cost estimate, looking particularly at the high price material items. Frequently you can negotiate on these costs or you can consider alternative materials, e.g. window manufactures or types. Regarding the labor costs, you may consider providing your own sweat equity to reduce these costs.

Also consider purchasing HomeAdditionPlus Bid Sheets for your next Home Addition Project. HomeAdditionPlus Bid Sheets are Home Addition Bid Sheets that help you through the contractor selection process and will save you money. You provide the Home Addition Bid Sheet to the prospective contractor and they fill it out and return it to you. Questions are written so that you can assess if the contractor is right for your project. Click here to learn more about HomeAdditionPlus Bid Sheets.

Planning a Second Story Addition

Planning is the key when taking on a project that involves removing your roof.

Before you plan your 2nd story, research what obstacles will need to be dealt with. Examples of items that need to be addressed are:

• Size of ceiling joists, can they support a 2nd story floor?
• Are mechanicals run over the top of existing ceiling joists? (plumbing, electRic, HVAC)
• How much overhang is on existing roof and are there any utilities fastened to it.
• Is the existing roof stick built (built on site) or a truss roof (manufactured).
• Is the roof sheathing 1x boards or plywood?
• How many layers of shingles are there?
• Are there any Stacks or flues protruding through the roof such as a fireplace chimney, furnace flue, or vent pipe.

These things need to be considered so the addition can be built as quickly as possible.
When starting the tearoff, the first thing that needs to be addressed is the soffit. Removing this first will free up the rafter ends when it comes time to remove them. Sometimes utilities like the phone and electrical lines are attached to the soffit. These should be moved by their respective utility company.

Now you can tearoff the roof. The easiest way to remove the shingles and sheathing is with a circular saw. It's best to use an old blade with a lesser amount of teeth because it will be trash when you are done.

When cutting the roof away, start at the ridgeboard and run the saw between the rafters all the way to the rafter tails. Repeat this cut every 32" from one end of the roof to the other. These pieces, assuming they are plywood, can be removed in 32"x 48" squares. There will still be some weight to these pieces but this will make them more managable. Working from the ridge, these squares are loosened with a sledgehammer. Once there is enough room, you can use a prybar to free them from the rafters. My favorite technique is to use a 6 to 8 foot 2x4. Slip it under the loosened piece and use an adjacent rafter as a fulcrum. Push down on the 2x4 and up comes the plywood and shingles. This same procedure works with trusses also.

If the roof sheathing is planks, the cuts should be made 48" to 64"apart. If there are 2 or more layers of shingles, you should be able to roll these sections down the rafters.

Once the roof sheathing is removed, the rest of the components can be removed. If the soffit and fascia haven't been removed yet, this is another opportunity to do so. Once that is gone the rafters can be removed. The rafters can be detached from the ridgeboard by using a sledgehammer or a sawzall. After they are loose from the ridge, they can be twisted off the top plate.

Trusses can be a little trickier. After the sheathing is removed, most of the truss work will have to be cut out. The only part left would be the bottom cord that holds up the drywall ceiling. Since most of these cords are 2x4's, larger 2x lumber will have to be sistered alongside for added support. As long as there are bearing walls below, this 2x lumber could be 2x10's, 2x12's or engineered lumber such as I-joists. Each situation is different and what is used is spec'd by an engineer or architect.

In most cases, the electric (conduit), plumbing and/or HVAC run over the top of the ceiling joists. Usually, the easiest way to deal with this, is to build a knee wall high enough for the new floor joists to clear these obstructions. This makes the second floor deck higher so it will make your stair run longer. Making sure you have room for the stairs in this instance is another consideration.

Once the deck is down, the walls, ceiling joists, and roof of your new addition can follow.
Whatever situation might you have, good planning will make this task easier and quicker. Time is of the essence when it comes to removing a roof. You want to protect the existing structure and all of your valuable possesions that are left inside.

(c) 2005 Mike Merisko www.sawkerfs.com

About the Author: Mike Merisko has been a carpenter for 26 years. Most of those years were spent in the homebuilding and remodeling industries. He was also in business as a carpentry and general contractor. While that is his forte, he also has experience in bridge building, commercial construction, and exhibit building which is how he earns his living these days. You can browse through articles by him and others at his website www.sawkerfs.com

About Clawfoot Bath Tubs

Clawfoot bathtubs were invented during the Victoria era that extended from 1835 - 1903. The original clawfoot bath tubs were manufactured with a white porcelain coating, and got their shape from the cast iron base. To obtain a hard slippery surface molten porcelain was poured into the tub.

THE DIFFERENT STYLES:

The two basic types of clawfoot bath tubs are the European and American styles.

European styles tend to have no drilling for faucets (as they are an external feature on this design of tub, and are either wall or floor mounted). Thus the water level is deeper. There are however holes for the drain and overflow. The American styles featured holes drilled for the faucets, overflow and the drain.

Within these two types, there are a range of different styles. They include the Classic design, Slipper style, Doubled-ended, and Pedestal types.

MATERIALS:

Usually there are two choices when it comes to clawfoot bath tubs. Acrylic, which is fast gaining popularity and cast iron, which is the traditional material that is used.

The main benefits of cast iron is that these tubs are as close to as original as you will get. The look is the same, as is the weight. They also feel like an authentic vintage clawfoot tub should: pleasingly smooth with a subtle textured finish and some minor surface irregularities.

The benefits of acrylic clawfoot bath tubs is that they maintain the look and integrity of a traditional cast iron tub but is about 40% lighter, is warm and smooth to the touch, and will not rust or crack over time. Additionally, they are not cold to the touch, as porcelain on cast iron tubs is. Typically an acrylic tub is crafted from a mixture of high-grade sanitary acrylics, ceramic powders, polyester resins, and fiberglass. Acrylic clawfoot bath tubs are easier to clean than cast iron tubs, and also their lighter weight makes moving them around an easier effort. Finally, they are available in a range of different lengths.

INSTALLATION:

It is highly recommended that you get a reputable plumber to install your new clawfoot bath tub. Before you arrange this though, ensure that you have all the following items on hand: a tub, a drain, a faucet or shower enclosure, and a set of water supply lines. The Faucets are available in an extensive range, from classic wall-mounted faucets through to more elegant English Telephone Handshower faucets. There are all freestanding sets that are supported by their own supply lines.

Shower Enclosures are there to allow you to use your clawfoot bath tub as a shower. It features a shower ring enclosure, shower head, faucet, along with other necessary installation hardware. The Drain and overflow allow you to drain your tub of water and prevent it overflowing if the water level gets too high. The supply lines provide the method of getting water into your bath. These are generally available in four different styles: straight, single offset, double offset, and freestanding. Straight supply lines are used with deck-mounted faucets. Single-offset and double-offset lines are used with most tub fillers, handshower faucets as well as most shower enclosures.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE:

Some people may think a clawfoot bath tub may need more maintenance than a normal bath, but that's not true. Acrylic clawfoot baths are actually easier to move and can be rearranged to a preferred area more easily than a normal bath. Not only are they stylish and classic, but any clawfoot bath will add a touch of Victorian class to your home and give added elegance to any bathroom. For a unique touch of style from the Victorian era that will remain a timeless feature in your home, there can only be a clawfoot bathtub.

About the Author: Claire Calkin operates several websites offering advice to people on decorating and enhancing their homes.
claire@clawfoot-bath.comhttp://www.clawfoot-bath.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

How to Choose a Gas Water Heater

Choosing a gas water heater is perhaps the wisest choice when installing or replacing a hot water heater in your home because they are much more economical than their electric counterparts. In fact, most gas water heaters operate on less than half of the cost associated with conventional electric water heaters. Considering that hot water heaters are the second largest user of energy in the home, finding a more economical solution is very wise indeed.

Natural gas hot water heaters are also very popular among homeowners because they reach their set temperature more than twice as fast as an electric water heater does. That means that you could probably run the dishwasher after your morning shower and still have hot water, not lukewarm water. And are you always the one having to wait around for more hot water after a shower hog has carelessly used it all for himself? A gas water heater may not make him more considerate, but it would cut your wait time in half.

While gas water heaters heat water faster and cheaper than electric heaters, it is still very important to purchase the right size tank for your household needs. A gas water heater that is too small can still leave you showering in lukewarm water.

Most homes will require a 40 gallon gas hot water heater. This heater will take care of a moderate sized home with 3 to 4 occupants, two bathrooms, and a washing machine. Of course, if you live alone and only have one bathroom, you can get by with a smaller water heater. On the other hand, you may need a larger heater if there are more family members, especially teenagers, in the home and a dishwasher or whirlpool baths.

Even once you have figured out which gas water heater is the right size for your home, you may want to purchase a size larger for a few reasons. Most of these reasons will center on your family's lifestyle. For example: If you have a family member who is notorious for taking long, extremely hot showers, or if you have to run the dishwasher, washing machine and take a shower at the same time and in the few hours that you get to spend at home, you may want to purchase a larger gas water heater than is recommended for your family size.

No matter what size gas water heater you choose, you can rest assured that you are heating water for a fraction of the cost associated with electric heaters. Now that's smart.

About the Author: By Randy M. For more information about water heaters
or anything that runs on gas, visit Think Gashttp://www.thinkgas.com

Have you put on your Home's Halloween Costume Yet?

With Halloween only a couple of weeks away people are not only buying their Halloween costumes and Halloween Make Up for themselves, but also for their homes.

Halloween pumpkins and candy are being purchased by homeowners, and the traditional Halloween makeup and costumes for homes are being installed, e.g. scarecrows, goblins, ghosts and other ghoulish characters. I especially like the Halloween sound effects when I am out with my kids going door to door in the evening.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Probably because it so simple to plan for and to enjoy. Relatively speaking it requires little shopping and little cooking, which are big pluses in my book. In addition, it is just plain and simple fun and each year I get to dress up as something different. I also enjoy seeing the latest in Halloween costumes as the tricker treaters show up on my doorstep.

So if you haven't started already, get out the Halloween decorations and costumes and get into the spirit. And be creative this year. Think of some unique Halloween costume to where at the door to greet the kids.

This is one holiday that has yet to be too commercialized and I am going to continue to enoy it while it lasts!!

If You're Looking for a Quieter Home, Start with the Right Plumbing

(ARA) - With the cost of building the average home higher than ever, buyers are demanding higher quality in both the materials used during construction, as well as the workmanship. Although quality is subjective, there are some tangible ways to help consumers compare homes. One measurement that is receiving more focus these days is the noise level within the home.

Things like squeaky floors or doors, rattling windows or a dripping faucet typically reflect low quality materials or poor workmanship -- neither of which is well tolerated by today's more educated buyer. In response to consumers' lower tolerance levels for noise inside the house, manufacturers have invested heavily in technologies and materials that soften the noise of their products. That's why today's dishwashers, washing machines and even refrigerators run quieter than the early models. In addition, builders are finding buyers more receptive to paying extra for added insulation or other soundproofing materials designed to provide a sense of seclusion within the home.

As you evaluate your next home and determine if it's quiet enough for your tastes, you might want to start by looking in some unlikely places, such as the bathroom and basement. That's because much of your home's plumbing pipe runs behind bathroom walls and along basement ceilings.

"If you don't think household plumbing pipe is a major source of noise, you may want to think back to the last time someone in your household used the bathroom late at night to shower or flush the toilet while you were trying to sleep," says Garry Gage, a 30-year plumbing veteran and a field consultant for FlowGuard Gold CPVC Pipe and Fittings. "Water flow noise can be very noticeable depending on the type of pipe you have, but not quite as annoying as water hammer (the banging sound you hear through the pipes when a faucet is turned off quickly or the water pressure changes for some reason)."

Gage points out that years ago people didn't have many options for minimizing plumbing pipe noise unless they wanted to pay for added insulation around all of their pipes. Today, however, there are alternative pipe materials that offer a significantly quieter operation than traditional copper plumbing. CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) is one such material that is growing in popularity, not only because it's quieter but also because it offers a long list of other competitive advantages, such as higher energy efficiency and less condensation. More important from a service life standpoint is that CPVC pipe will never corrode, pit or scale. So no pinhole leaks to cause costly damage, no copper leaching into the family's drinking water supply, and no problems with decreased water flow over the years.

NSF International, a third-party testing lab, recently ran a test that confirmed a FlowGuard Gold CPVC plumbing system is, in fact, four times quieter than copper pipe. The test specifically documented the dBA (human ear response) level for the FlowGuard Gold pipe at 35.9 versus 55.4 for standard copper pipe. To put the 19.5 dBA sound level difference between the two pipes in perspective, consider that the human whisper at 25 dBA approximates the noise level of water running through a FlowGuard Gold pipe, versus a washing machine at 65 dBA, which is close to the level of noise of water flowing through a copper pipe.

Other common noise levels register as follows:

Rustle of leaves -- less than 20 decibels

Normal human conversation -- between 60 and 70 decibels

Busy street traffic -- between 70 and 80 decibels

Jack hammer -- approximately 100 decibels

Rocket ship -- between 110 and 120 decibels

There is no mystery as to why the FlowGuard Gold CPVC system is so much quieter: CPVC is a natural "insulator" and copper is a natural "conductor." Also, CPVC is considerably more flexible than copper, which means that it can more readily absorb noise compared to copper which is more rigid and more likely to transmit the sound.

So the next time you're in the market for a new home, and you could really use a little more peace and quiet (as well as a little less corrosion, scaling, condensation and energy loss), you might want to put science to work for you and opt for the quieter plumbing alternative -- CPVC.

For more information about the benefits of CPVC plumbing pipe, visit www.flowguardgold.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Different Materials Used for Roofing and Determining the Cost of Each One

There is never a structure you will find that lacks a roof; it is an essential part of the house or building. It plays a very important role of providing protection and shelter much like the walls. It must be sturdy and durable yet stylish. Many a structure is defined by their roofs. They could be made by a multitude of materials and their designs may vary. Since time immemorial, man has found different ways with different materials to build their roofs, each with different characteristics and advantages and disadvantages. As more materials are discovered with each of their own high and low points, they can be very useful in different types of location depending on the weather and location.

As with any building, housing or structural projects, there are many aspects that influences the final decision in which materials to use for roofing and one of them is cost. Here in this article, you will see the advantages and disadvantages plus the average costs, as costs may vary in different states, in the use of different materials for roofing. The cost of roofing referred herein this article is subjected to the breakdown of the roofing material per one hundred square feet. Remember, roofing costs may add up with the labor and other materials needed for installation, this refers only to the roofing materials utilized.

Building your dream house relies on a number of aspects; there is the location, the design, the restrictions of the area, the budget and a plethora of others. It is the same thing with the roof; you have to consider a number of items to get the perfect roof to suit your taste. Basically it is the overall design and materials used in the structure as well as the location and the local restrictions. Here are some of the more basic roofing materials used and the roofing costs to consider per one hundred square feet.

The most commonly used roofing material utilized nowadays is the asphalt shingles. This form is shingles is categorized into two; the organic and the non-organic (fiberglass). They are produced in a wide variety of colors and are rated by their lifespan and durability. They can range from between 20 to 40 years. Asphalt shingles can be customized by providing additional layers giving them a different shadow line. Many asphalt shingle manufacturers provide warranty to their products especially if the certified roofers install them. Asphalt shingles may range from 30 to 35 dollars for every hundred square feet.

Another roofing material that takes the form of shingles is those made from wood. Usually, wood shingles are made from Western Red Cedar; the reason behind this is that this kind of wood is highly resistant to decay and corrosion. Wood shingles are categorized into three kinds, one, two and three. The first type, number one, is more recommended for roofing because they are more durable, the second and third are better for sidings. They are usually sold tapered and in different sizes. Wood shingles roofing cost ranges from 80 to 170 dollars.

Another roofing material that utilizes wood from cedar is the wood shakes roofing material. They are used to provide a natural look, they are either sawed or hand split. Its distinct look has a side with an irregular unique look from the others while the other side has a natural thinner line for a tapered look. Wood shakes are classified by their weight and their sizes. Roofing costs for wood shake are from 70 to a hundred dollars for every one hundred square feet.

The most durable roofing material is made either from clay or concrete. They can be relied upon to provide service from fifty to a hundred years. The most common form is in the half-barrel or somewhat corrugated shape, but it is not uncommon to find flat or tapered styles. But because of their weight, clay or concrete roofing materials may need extra weight in the rafters adding more to the roofing costs which may run with the roofing materials between 150 to 400 dollars per a hundred square feet area.

About the Author: Online entrepreneur Sara Jenkins, is dedicated to helping others and their needs to succeed in life by offering free payroll tips everyday. To learn more about her free roofing tips, and to sign up for her FREE Roofing articles and FREE bonus how-to books and resources, visit http://www.RoofingUp.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Discovering Fiberglass Roofing Panels for Your Roofing Needs

Roofs are an integral part of the house. The design of a roof tells a lot about the structure. They can be stylish, grand, historical, modern, versatile and so much more. When designing a house, building or any structure, the roof cant be taken for granted, they must be complimenting the whole design and yet, will be very durable and resistant to nature’s elements. That is why; designers take into consideration a lot of things like the weather, the winds, the location of the structure and much more, all of them makes an influence on the design of the roof and what kind of roofing materials to use. There are many forms wherein roofs are designed and constructed. They could either be flat, pitched, vaulted, domed or combinations of those types. As stated, these designs are influenced by considerations regarding technical, regional and aesthetic factors.

Since time immemorial, man have found and used different materials to use as materials for the roofs of their houses. Some of the early roofing materials used where leaves, rocks, wood, stones then as time and man progresses more and more have been discovered. Roofing materials made out of asphalt, cement, wood, and synthetic materials like fiberglass and other innovative materials. These new roofing materials have proven to be durable, reliable and lightweight. They can be manufactured in any shape and in any color making them a good alternative if not the outright choice.

Fiberglass has gained quite a following in the past few decades, because of their malleability they can be formed into anything with relative ease. They can also be very tough and durable yet be lightweight and easy to handle. With those characteristics, fiberglass is a good material to be used for roofing. Fiberglass first was introduced in 1938, as the name implies, fiberglass is made from very fine fibers of glass. This revolutionary product then has long been developed and provided with fresh innovations to form other types of roofing panels, which caters to different needs. The flexibility and versatility of fiberglass roofing panel materials makes it a very popular choice.

Fiberglass roofing panels can be shaped as corrugated roofing panels, shingles roofing panels, tapered roofing panels and so much more. Being synthetically produced somewhat, they are easy to manipulate to form shapes, used as composite material, provided different colors and other designs and textures that the manufacturers or public desire. It doesn’t matter what type or form the design of your roof is, a fiberglass roofing panel will provide your roof with a tough and durable membrane, as well as provide it with great looking cover and protection.
Fiberglass roofing panels provide great waterproof sealing for the roof, especially when installed properly. Many fiberglass roofing panels producers provide longer warranties when their authorized roof installers do the project. Aside from their easy to install, durable and lightweight factors, Most fiberglass roofing panels are affordable than the alternative roofing panels, fiberglass roofing panels are about 65 to 70 percent cheaper than the others but gives the same great look and durability with an average of 25 to 30 years.

There are a plethora of choices when it comes to fiberglass roofing panels, each providing their pros and cons, but like any other building project, it is best to discuss this with your architect or contractor. Try to learn more and discuss this with people knowledgeable with all the factors that may influence the look and the lifespan of your roof. More and more new and innovative types, shapes and forms of fiberglass roofing panel are coming out so it’s best to keep yourself updated.

About the Author: Online entrepreneur Sara Jenkins, is dedicated to helping others and their needs to succeed in life by offering free payroll tips everyday. To learn more about her free roofing tips, and to sign up for her FREE Roofing articles and FREE bonus how-to books and resources, visit http://www.RoofingUp.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Corrugated Roofing Materials Used for Roofing Any Structure

The roof is a very essential element of the house, building or any structure. They provide the shelter and the protection from nature’s elements and factors such as rain, snow, sleet, as well as sunlight. But basically, the roof is like a wall of the house, a panel if you will; only it is placed and located on top of the house or building. Roofs are basically characterized in two ways, the flat and the sliding. Some combine both. Roofs may be made from different materials, all throughout the history of mankind, different materials have been used as roofing materials and one of the more successful is the corrugated roofing.

Corrugated roofing started out as sheetmetal. They form some sort of waves on the roofing for design as well as for purpose. Nowadays corrugated roofing is made from different materials, such as Stainless Steel, Fiberglass, Aluminum, Coated or Painted Steel. Usually they are treated with special finishes to prevent corrosion. Corrugated roofing materials are easy to use and install. They are relatively affordable than other roofing materials and are a long lasting solutions. Corrugated roofing materials are usually used for the sliding type of roof.

Steel corrugated roofing materials can be quite long lasting. They can be painted with different colors and treated with different solutions to make them even more long-lasting. They are also pretty lightweight and easy to handle. Installation can be done with a minimum number of persons. What’s more they are very affordable. Corrugated roofing materials that uses fiberglass are very translucent which can provide natural lighting to the house or building. They are watertight like other corrugated roofing materials and are very lightweight and durable. Corrugated roofing materials are also more rigid than a flat sheet of a similar type and thickness, this results to a substantial reduction in cost and weight.

The disadvantages in using corrugated roofing materials are that they are very lightweight and can be hard to work with if the weather is extreme. Fiberglass corrugated roofing materials cannot withstand high heat, fiberglass also easily chips while metal and aluminum corrugated roofing materials dent easily and is hard to restore. The temperature plays a major facto with corrugated roofing materials and if they are not installed properly they may detach. Because corrugated roofing materials are usually very thin, they can be very noisy when it rains, snows or other extreme weather conditions. The corrugated roofing materials sheets can also be very heated during hot sunny days and the heat can radiate to the rest of the structure making it very uncomfortable. To eradicate this problem, a false ceiling must be placed, the gap in between should be well ventilated so that the hot air will be dispensed through that manner. Utilizing light colored corrugated roofing materials or painting it with light colored paints if possible will also decrease this problem.

When installing corrugated roofing materials, there is some basic building materials needed such as, Filler strips, these are wood shaped to fit the contours of the panels, special nails for corrugated roofing materials, plastic washers, you will also need a drill and drill bits, a saw might also be needed for some cutting. Corrugated roofing materials are sold in panels with different sizes, before purchasing, it is best to determine which size and how many panels will be needed so that cutting will not be necessitated thus avoiding waste and additional costs. With corrugated roofing materials you get high=quality roofing materials that is very affordable, easy to handle and install and can be designed to compliment any house and design.

About the Author: Online entrepreneur Sara Jenkins, is dedicated to helping others and their needs to succeed in life by offering free payroll tips everyday. To learn more about her free roofing tips, and to sign up for her FREE Roofing articles and FREE bonus how-to books and resources, visit http://www.RoofingUp.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Is the Housing Market Softening?

I have been hearing from a number of sources that the real estate market in the New England area is beginning to soften.

A couple of real estate agents that I recently spoke to indicated that it is taking upwards of 60-90 days to now sell a home. A year ago, many houses on the market were on for less than a week and were involved in bidding wars between potential buyers.

I guess I am not surprised with increasing interest rates and sky high oil costs. The housing market has been over-inflated for a number of years now and has been ripe for a correction.

The question is, how far will they drop and will the drop occur throughout all of the United States or only in selected areas. Any thoughts on this subject would be appreciated.....

Shingling a Roof

Shingling or roofing a house is a major undertaking for a homeowner and extreme caution is required. This said, a Do-It-Yourselfer homeowner can shingle or roof their own home with a little knowledge and the right tools.

Required Tools

In order to roof a house properly and safely the following tools are needed: Ladders, Roof Jacks, Hammer, Carpenters Knife, Chalk Line, and preferably a compressor or nail gun.

Estimating Materials

Typically the roof is measured in squares, where a “square” represents 100 square feet. There are eighty shingles in one square. However, when you go to your local home improvement store shingles are usually sold in bundles. Usually three bundles equal one square, however this can vary slightly pending the shingle style.

Measure the area of your roof (length x width) and divide by 100 to get the number of squares required. Then multiply this number by three to get the number of bundles of shingles required for the job. Add an additional 10-15% for spare, leaning toward the 15% if your roof has hips and valleys.

Drip edge, ice and water shield, asphalt paper, flashing, roofing nails, and hip and ridge vents will also be required. The Drip edge comes in various lengths. Measure the outside perimeter of the roof to calculate the drip edge required. The ice and water shield, asphalt paper and flashing come in roles. Use your roof square area calculation for determining your asphalt paper requirements. Typically only one or two courses of ice and water shield is required along the bottom/eave of the roof and in the valleys. Calculate 2 times the length of the roof and valleys to estimate the amount of ice and water shield required.

Typically each shingle will require 4-6 roofing nails and flashing usually comes in 16” wide roles or 6x6 or 8x8 square inch steps. Step flashing is typically used around chimneys, dormers and side wall junctions. Hip and Ridge vent will vary with local building codes, however a rough estimate would be to measure the length of your roof’s hip and ridges and take 75% of this figure for calculating the amount of vent required.

You should now be able to fairly accurately calculate the cost of material for roofing your home.

Installing the Drip Edge

Nail the Drip edge around the entire outside perimeter of the roof.


Apply the Ice and Water Shield Membrane and the Asphalt Paper

Apply the ice and water shield material such that it is flush with the drip edge. If the climate in your area has harsh winters and/or significant annual rainfall, add a second course of ice and water shield for added protection. You should also add the ice and water shield membrane in the valleys.

Next apply the asphalt paper to the entire roof, starting from the bottom and working towards the ridge. Make sure each course of asphalt paper overlaps the lower row by several inches (effectively shingling with the asphalt paper).

Install Flashing

Install metal flashing in all of the valleys. Step flashing around chimneys and dormers will be added as the shingles are installed.

Installing the Shingles

Start the shingling at the bottom of the roof (or at the eaves). Lay a starter course such that the bottom edge of the shingle lines up flush with the drip edge. The starter strip is a “tabless” shingle that you make from the regular shingles using your carpenter’s knife.

Lay your next course of full shingles over the first course, staggering the starter joints from the first course to prevent water penetration.

Note: Sometimes you may want to start with a full or a partial shingle at one end. In either case, you want to try to avoid small shingle pieces at the far end of the roof. To prevent this, divide the length of the roof by the length of a full shingle and assess how much of a shingle length you want to start with. Ideally you do not want to have pieces smaller than 12”.

Use a Chalk Line

To ensure your shingle courses run straight use a chalk line. Measure the finished reveal on your shingles. Usually this is about 5 inches. Then make marks every 5 inches on the gable ends of the roof. Snap a chalk line between the gable ends at each pair of marks all the way up the roof. This will ensure that you shingles run true and straight as you progress up the roof with the courses.

Vertical lines should also be snapped every 3 to 6 feet to ensure your tabs maintain alignment.

Use of Roof Jacks

After 3 or 4 courses of shingles have been installed using ladders, roof jacks may be necessary to access the upper courses. Roof jacks are steel brackets that hold planks in position for you to stand on. The roof jacks should be securely nailed through the decking and into rafters to ensure that they will support your weight.

Shingling Valleys, Chimneys, Skylights and Dormers, and Step Flashing

Shingling the valleys and installing flashing requires extra care. The shingles, typically coming from two intersecting courses when entering a valley, need to overlap each other such that no water penetration occurs.

Skylights, chimneys and dormers must be step flashed (step flashing is interleaved with each course of shingles) to ensure water is kept from penetrating the roof.

Adding the Ridge Vent and Caps

To complete the roofing project, ridge vents need to be installed. These are nailed to the top of the ridge and then capped.

The ridge cap prevents water from entering the home via the ridge vent, while still allowing the house to breath. The ridge cap is constructed out of individual shingle tabs that have their unfinished corners cut off at 45 degree angles. Each modified shingle tab, is nailed such that it overlaps the previous piece as you work your way down the length of the ridge vent.

Choosing the Right Pipes and Plumbing System for a Log Cabin

Galvanized steel pipe is usually used for the line from your well to the pump. There is another type of pipe that can be used on the cold water services of your system. This pipe is made of polyethylene. It looks like a garden hose but is many times stronger. It has the advantage of being much more flexible and lighter than any of the rigid types. Never use this type of pipe on hot-water lines.

One cubic foot of storage space holds 7.48 gallons. The capacity of a round container is 1/2 the diameter multiplied by itself X 3.14 X the depth X 7.48. If a cistern is 10 feet in diameter and 6 feet deep, the capacity is (5 X 5 X 3.14 X 6 X 7.48) 3,523.08 gallons. Sea level: In talking about the lift of various pumps, I have said that certain pumps would be satisfactory if the water level was within 22 feet of the surface of the earth.

Such a pump would lose about I foot of suction lift for each 1,000 feet of elevation above sea level. If the altitude at your camp site is 2,000 feet, a shallow-well pump will have to be located within 20 feet vertical distance from the working normal water level, instead of 22 feet.

As you would expect, cottages include space for bathrooms. Some camps show a shower instead of a tub. The plumbing problems are similar for all the camps.

The locality in which you build may have some special requirements. Do check with local authorities. You may decide to have the local plumber install all your piping and fixtures. If so, you probably aren't interested in this section. But if you have decided to turn plumber, the description below should be helpful.

All the necessary parts can be bought from your local plumbing dealer, or from the major mail-order houses. It is also possible to rent the necessary tools. Where do we start? If I were doing the job, I'd start with the fitting that drains the seat and tub. On the floor of the bathroom mark where this fitting (I) is to go.

Most seats measure 14 inches or less from the back of the tank to the center of the closet bowl. Cut a hole large enough to take the small end of the closet collar. Install this fitting permanently in position with the closet bend sticking up to within 1/2 to % inches of the floor surface. It will be necessary to support the fitting with wood or metal hangers.

The stack base (part 2) is usually connected to part I. Sometimes it is necessary to add an extension piece if the stack base is to be located in a basement or if your camp is on a steep hillside. The stack base has two tappings: to one you can connect the drain from the shower or tub; to the other you can connect the kitchen sink drain, if necessary. If concrete slab is used, pipes below floor level must be installed before slab is poured.

Calking the joints is done by packing them with strands of oakum. A yarning iron is helpful in getting the oakum well pushed down. When the joint is about two-thirds full, hammer it all down tight. Fill the remainder of the opening with molten lead.

When the lead is cooler but not set, tap lightly around the hub. When it is cool, pound with more force. The stack base end should point toward your septic tank or sewer. I would install the lavatory basin next. Part 3 goes on top of part I. You'll find that this fitting will slip up and down in part I. This allows you to adjust the height of the lavatory basin.

This fitting has three tappings. One is for the lavatory basin, the second is for the kitchen sink, and the third for laundry tubs if there are any. Close any unused tappings with cast-iron plugs. Before calking fitting 3, mark on the wall where the waste pipe from each fixture will enter the wall.

Adjust the height of part 3 so that the height of the lower tapping is at the same height as the lowest waste pipe. Then lower part 3 about 1/4 inch per foot of horizontal run to allow for drainage. You are now ready to calk this fitting as you did parts I and 2.

The next step is to install the vent pipe. Measure the distance from the top of part 3 to about I foot above the roof. Cut and thread the pipe and screw it into the lavatory fitting 3. Some systems use an increaser at the top of this pipe. If you are going to use the cottage only during the summer, the increaser is an unnecessary part.

Use a standard vent-pipe flashing around the top of the pipe. You're over the worst of it now. The only thing left to do is to run the various pipes from the fixtures to parts I and 3. Drum trap (4) should be installed below the floor, trap cover down, between the tub or shower and the closet-tub fitting (I).

Where it is necessary to make turns in the drainage lines, use 90-degree fittings. To install the seat, place the closet bolts in the closet collar so that the threaded ends extend upward through the flange. Set the collar in the floor over the top of the closet bend and calk in place (5, 6, and 7). The asbestos gasket that comes with the seat should be put over the closet bottom outlet, the seat moved into place, and the nuts tightened.

There is the drainage system of your cottage--except for the disposal unit. If there is a central disposal system or sewer that you can use, it is probable that the connections to it will have to be made by a licensed plumber. On the other hand, if you are going to install a septic tank, you will want to read on into the next section to find out what to do.

About the Author: Jack Hudson is a writer for http://www.log-cabin-plans-n-kits.com/ and http://www.best-house-n-home-plans.com/. These two sites work collectively as a resouce for the planning and building of log cabins as well as choosing from different house plans. Visit one of these sites for informative articles as well as free TIPS for building a log home or choosing a house plan.

What are Water Softeners?

Soap scum. Stiff clothing. Clogged pipes. No matter what you try, it's hard to get your surfaces clean. Scale builds up. Dishes come out of the dishwasher with spots on them. All of these problems occur because of hard water, a frustrating but fixable situation.

The term, "hard water," refers to water with a high mineral content. The most common minerals that cause water hardness are calcium and magnesium. As water is absorbed into the ground, the minerals are pulled from the earth and eventually end up in a household's water supply. Hard water can clog household plumbing.

Water hardness, or how much of a mineral is present in water, is measured in grains per gallon (GPG), parts per million (PPM), or milligrams per liter (MG/L). Water up to 1 GPG is considered soft, water; from 1 to 3.5 GPG is considered moderate, and water 3.5 to 7 GPG is hard water. Kits used to test water hardness can be purchased at a pool supplier or from a water softener dealer.

Many water softeners plug right into the household water supply. Ionic exchange water softeners consist of negatively charged plastic beads, a brine tank, and a regenerating system with a timer or other monitoring device. Sodium or potassium chloride is added to the brine tank when regeneration is necessary. Home water softeners range in price from $400 to $1,200, and the salt ranges from $5 to $7 per bag. Price depends on type, size, and type of softening agent. Alternatively, magnetic water softeners consist of only 2 magnets attached to the outside or inside of water pipes.

Water softeners work by replacing ions of the minerals that cause hardness with "softer" ions. Water is filtered through charged plastic beads and the magnesium or calcium ions are replaced with sodium or potassium ions. In the case of magnetic water softeners, magnetic energy causes chemical changes in the minerals.

Using water softeners poses no health risks, except for those who are on sodium-restricted diets. Keep bottled water on hand for cooking and consumption, or use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride to soften. Potassium chloride is more expensive than sodium chloride. There are also no health risks associated with choosing not to soften water.

About the Author: Water Softeners Info provides detailed information about magnetic and ionic exchange water softeners, home water softener systems and kits, product reviews and comparisons, water softener salt, and more. Water Softeners Info is the sister site of Dishwashers Web.

Forget Everything You've Ever Read About Water Heating... Consider Tankless Water Heaters

In recent times electric tankless hot water heaters are progressively making a name for themselves in the United States as optimum water heater cost savers.

In addition in many areas outside of the United States, electric tankless water heaters are considered to be far superior to the standard and more traditional hot water heaters with tanks that take up entire closets and indeed soak up lots of dollars each month.

The tank units are seen as antiquated and entirely inefficient in both water heating mechanism and costs. Yet people stick with because they are tried and true.

In many ways, this belief is true. Hot water heater tanks never quite stop working and are generally fairly reliable. But there is one over riding issue with the traditional water heaters which is that even if nothing in the house is using the heater, the heater is still wasting energy and therefore still costing money.

But despite what they have used in the past and despite what they have paid for water heating in the paste, people can actually change their heating and hot water rates if they install a tankless water heater.

Tankless water heaters are simply more efficient systems than tank units because they don't soak up the energy when the tank is not in use.

There are a large number of electric tankless water heaters available on the market. Having such a wide choice makes it much easier for people to find a unit that falls into their price range and fits into the available space they have in their home.

Even the cheapest electric tankless water heaters can still be very effective for residential use. There are also more powerful electric tankless water heaters that are designed for use in large homes.

People can find electric tankless water heaters that supply an entire home, or they can locate electric tankless water heaters that only serves only one point in the house.

Many retailers offer cheap delivery on their units especially if you purchase the unit from them and ask them to undertake the installation of the unit as well.

While most electric tankless hot water heaters are designed to allow the consumer to install them there are often more technical considerations such as voltage, amperage, or circuit breakers, and so it can often be a good idea to bring an expert in.

About the Author: John Williams works tech support for New York based Internet Publishing company, DigiLectual Inc. He's keenly interested in energy efficiency, and did a lot of research before installing tankless water heaters in his own home.

Source: www.isnare.com

How to Install a New Toilet in 5 Easy Steps

If your toilet is old and in need of repairs, it is cheaper to replace it by installing a new one. This is quite easy to do and can be completed in an afternoon. However, if you plan to install a toilet in a new location, you will have to extend supply pipes and drainpipes to the desired spot, a job you may want to leave to a plumbing contractor.

Most toilets are sold with the necessary gaskets, washers, and hardware for fitting the tank to the bowl. However you might need to buy a few parts. Here is a list of what you need to complete this task:

Parts: Toilet bowl, Toilet tank, Toilet seat, Two 1/4" bolts for bowl to flange, Wax ring, 20" water supply with fitting at valve or floor connection and Tools: Pair of channel pliers, bucket, screw driver.

Many of these can be ordered online at any DIY website such as DIY Tips UK: http://www.diy-tips-uk.com/plumbing/

1. Shut off the water to the toilet, use a bucket and a cloth or a sponge to remove the water left in tank and bowl after you flush the toilet.

2. Using a pair of channel pliers, or a small pipe wrench (8"), remove the nut where the water line fastens to the ballcock valve under the left side of the bottom of the tank. Next use a small crescent wrench, remove the two 1/4" nuts holding the bowl to the floor flange. Remove old toilet. Remove the water line from the valve or fitting at floor or wall.

3. Now you are ready to install your new toilet. Put the two 1/4" bolts in the side holes of the flange with the bolt head in the flange. Put some of the old wax at this spot to hold the bolts straight up and across from each other. Put new wax ring on flange, flat side up if tapered.

4. Set new bowl only straight down so it centers on wax ring and both bolts come through holds on each side of bowl. Sit on bowl facing wall until your weight puts bowl flush with the floor. Put metal washers and nuts on bolts and tighten until snug. Do not over-tighten as you can crack the bowl. Tighten these again after toilet is completely installed and filled with water.

5. Next put 2" rubber gasket on tank where it sets on the bowl, put rubber washers on bolts provided under the bolt head so they will be on the inside of the tank. Pick up tank and set on bowl over holes in bowl where bolts go through. Sit on bowl facing wall. Put bolts on from the inside of the tank into holes in bowl, put on metal washers and nuts and tighten. Hold tank level and tighten so it brings tank down level. Use a large screw driver inside tank and a crescent wrench or end wrench to back up nut under bowl. Tighten with screw driver. Hook water supply to tank, turn on water, check for leaks, and snug up the bolts holding bowl to floor. If there is a space between the back of the tank and the wall, put a spacer of sort there to brace tank. A piece of wood or hard rubber works fine.

Maintenance:

At least twice a year clean out the inside of your toilet tank. When cleaning the toilet tank, turn off the water, flush toilet once, add small amount of cleaning detergent inside tank to water remaining and use a cloth or brush to clean. Also clean out holes under toilet seat and rim of the bowl as well as the 3/4" hole in the bottom of toilet bowl. Replace rubber tank ball at this time if needed. Maintaining your new toilet will keep the plumber away and reduce your plumbing bill.

Copyright © 2005. Bridget Mwape writes for DIY Tips UK: http://www.diy-tips-uk.com/ which features how-to articles and products to help you with your DIY and home improvement projects. This article may be reprinted as long as all the above links are active and clickable and this author box (byline) is not edited.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Low Flow Toilets... A Love, Hate Relationship

This will come as no surprise, but were you aware that most owners of new homes are unhappy with their low-flow toilets?

Since 1992, when the U.S. government mandated the low-flows, we Americans have been subjected to considerably less flushing power...about half the water per flush than the old fashioned type. The newer units use about one and a half gallons of water versus the older ones that use about three and a half. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what will happen: half (or less)efficiency out of our new plumbing fixture.

To be sure, technology is working to solve the problem but the issue remains: we are simply not getting the service out of our "thrones" like we once did.

Among the issues are that multiple flushes are needed to dispense of the same amount of waste, clogging problems, and additional maintenance. Also, they have been reported to overflow more easily.

Some of the above issues completely work against the issue of saving water. After all, if you have to flush 2 or more times, how does that save water. Beyond that, though, clogging and overflow problems result in potentially catastrophic expenses when flooring needs to be replaced due to an overflowing toilet.

A recent survey of new home builders and remodelers has shown that they, like homeowners, are frustrated with this new plumbing restriction. They have reported huge increases on service calls from unhappy customers.

Water saving techniques and technologies are certainly a good thing. And, one thing is for sure: they are here to stay. In fact, a home with low-flow toilets and low-flow shower heads can save thousands of gallons per year. And, who would not appreciate the savings in water bills? Let's just hope that the plumbing technology continues to get better.

After all, to be king of your household, you need an efficient and affordable throne!

About the Author: Sandy Knoll, webmaster for http://www.fainplumbing.com is a plumbing expert who operates a web site devoted to providing resources on the subject of plumbing. Visit http://www.fainplumbing.com for valuable resources.

Source: www.isnare.com

Window Styles

Have you ever wondered what those funny windows you see on buildings were called?

According to wikopedia, The definition of a window is "... an opening in an otherwise solid, opaque surface through which light and air can pass. " By definition, this includes the early windows which didn't have any protection from the wind or rain. Early windows used shutters to protect the inside of the house from the elements. Modern windows may have be single, dual, or triple paned.

There are may different window styles, those more common today which are usually dictated by the weather conditions common to the area. Coastal climates, with stronger winds, tend to have smaller outward-opening windows while inland areas tend to have larger windows, with commonly open inwards.

* Replacement: is a framed window designed to slip inside the original window frame from the inside after the old sashes are removed

* New construction: a window with a nailing fin designed to be inserted into a rough opening from the outside before applying siding and inside trim. Common styles are:

* Double-hung sash window: a Vertical style window with two parts (sashes) which overlap slightly and slide up and down inside the frame.

* Single-hung sash window: one sash is movable and the other fixed.

* Horizontal Sliding sash window: has two or more sashes that overlap slightly but slide horizontally within the frame. If there are 3 part, the center typically is a fixed panel.

* Casement window: An outward-opening window with either side-hung, top-hung, or combination of sash types. Often they have fixed panels on one or more sides of the sash. These are opened using a crank, by friction stays, or espagnolette locking.

* Tilt: a window which can open inwards at the top or can open hinged at the side.

* Jalousie window: A window comprising many slats of glass that open and close like a Venetian blind usually using a crank.

* Skylight: A flat, sloped, or bubble window built into a roof structure for daylighting.

* Bay: A multipanel window, with at three sections set at different angles to create an expanded area for shelving/sitting while allowing more light into the room that a flat window. The window creates a "seat board", a small seating area or shelf often used for plants or items that would take up floor space. A bay window may be rectangular, polygonal or arc shaped. If arc-shaped it is a bow window.

* Bow: a type of Bay window, but arc shaped with four or more glass sections to simulate a rounded appearance. * Fixed: A window that cannot be opened. A non-opening window is sometimes called a "light" because its function is limited to allowing light to enter without any outside air.

* Picture: A very large fixed window in a wall, which provides an unimpeded view "as if framing a picture". Classic styles:

* Clerestory: A fixed, vertical window set in a roof structure or high in a wall, used for daylighting. You'll see these in the old churches around the world, like Notre Dame. Clerestory lights are any rows of windows above eye level for providing light.

* Oriel: Projects from the wall, and were originally a form of a porch. Often seen on upper stories of older buildings. Often supported by brackets, or by corbels (a type of architectural bracket), they do not reach the ground. These are the rounded columnar windows you see on older buildings.

* Palladian: A large arched window which is divided into three parts. The center section is larger than the two side sections. Renaissance and classical architecture often have Palladian windows.

About the Author: Eileen church, webmaster for http://www.windowsf.com is a big fan of windows and the use of windows. She operates a web site that is devoted to windows and window resources. Her email is eileen@windowsf.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Types Of Carpets

When you go out to look for carpeting it's best that you do some homework first. Before you go to the store you should know a bit about the available carpet types you're going to be presented with. Have an idea of what each of the carpet fibers have to offer as far as durability and ability to repel stains.

Most wall to wall carpet is produced of man made fibers such as olefin, nylon, polyester, acrylic or blends of these fibers. PET is made of recycled plastic. PET is one of the strongest man made fibers and is stain resistant.

Acrylic carpeting is very similar to wool (wool is considered the best carpeting available) and is sometimes called man-made wool. It resists moisture, fading, mildew, crushing and staining but is not recommended for high traffic areas in the home. Nylon carpeting is popular due to it's durability. It resists mildew, staining and soiling. Nylon carpet is recommended for all traffic areas. It is one of the most expensive of the synthetic fibers but cheaper than wool. Olefin is a very low cost easy care material that is often used in indoor/outdoor carpeting. Olefin is colorfast and strong and easy to clean. One drawback to olefin is that it can be easily crushed depending on the pile. Polyester is luxurious and durable however is not good for high traffic areas in the home.

Another consideration would be the density of the carpet. You want a high number of fibers per square inch. A closely packed pile is an indication of a well made carpet. Check the carpet backing closely to make sure you don't see any bare areas.

The two most popular types of carpeting today are loop pile and cut pile. Loop pile has individual strands of yarn pulled through the carpet backing twice, creating a small loop. Cut pile has the loop cut at the top, leaving tufts of yarn that stand straight up. A cut pile carpet is generally more durable than a looped pile carpet. Cut pile carpets come in a variety of styles such as shag, textured, saxony and velvet or plush. Loop pile carpets would be a berber, cable or sisal. Loop pile carpets are a good choice for high traffic areas.

Ask to see the manufacturers performance rating guidelines on any carpet you are interested in.

Doing your homework before you purchase goes a long way to insuring you make the best decision. The old saying "an informed consumer is a happy consumer" hold true.

About the Author: This article courtesy of http://www.carpet-answers.com

Refinish Your Hardwood Floor Like a Pro

This article is written by a pro of refinishing hardwood floors since I have done too many to count. Maybe 300 would be a good guess. My father was in the business full time (as well as aluminum windows and doors (which I'll write another article about that soon) and while I attended college, and for a short time after, I worked with him as well as on my own refinishing hardwood floors.

In fact, I just did my mother-in-law's last summer and my back still hurts!

Before you even think of starting this DIY project, you need to be fairly good shape. There is a lot of bending, kneeling and scraping...if you do it right.

Ok, you still are here reading so I guess you are serious :o)

Here are the easy? steps to a beautiful, shiny hardwood floor:

• Determine what kind of finish you would like first. There are a couple choices, flat, medium gloss and high gloss. It's strictly taste as they both wear the same. I prefer a polyurethane paint but some like varnishes. I found urethane to be a durable finish and won't yellow over time. Look for 'non-yellowing' on the can. They come in either oil or water based, and I prefer water base for the ease of clean up.
• Go to your local hardware store that carries floor sanders, edger sander, pain scrapers, sandpaper (medium) and the floor paint.
• Prepare your floor by filling in any blemishes, depressions, cracks and nail holes.
  Sweep and then vacuum floor. (at this point I would hang a plastic sheet over any door openings if the door has been removed (new construction etc).
• Sand main floor being careful to keep sander going in same direction. Start with a coarse sandpaper and switch to finer for second sanding. The first sanding is to get to bare wood and the second for a finished look.
• Sand the edges. The trick here is to use a fairly light touch and rotate the sander in semi-circle reducing sand marks.
• Now the fun part. Take your scraper in scrape the corners and under heaters. Don't worry about under heaters too much as it won't be that noticeable.
• Whew! The hard part is done. Now the fun part. Sweep and vacuum floor and if you see a swirl or sanding marks scrape the out.
• Put the sealer down. Wait at least 2 hours, hand sand the whole floor, vacuum and apply the urethane. If you don't have air conditioning, put a fan on the floor to dry it quicker.
• I usually waited at least 4-5 hours for it dry, most of the time overnight. I recommend at least 2 coats of urethane for a durable, hard finish.

You're done! Wow not so bad was it?

About the Author: Dan Farrell is the owner of http://www.closet-organizer-plan.com where you can get a free closet organizer plan and other home improvement ideas and articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

How to Makeover a Drab Concrete Patio

Without a doubt, patios have now become more of an integral part of the home rather than just a concrete pad sitting forlornly in the back yard. But as patios are increasingly used for outdoor dining, BBQ’s or just a place to relax and enjoy the outdoors, that old, drab and maybe cracked concrete pad is most likely in desperate need of a bold makeover to meet the changing requirements. And a makeover of your outside entertaining area can be one of the most cost effective home improvement tasks you can undertake to lift the value of your home.

A number of options are possible for remodeling or transforming existing concrete pads, depending on the condition of the concrete, your budget, the amount of disruption you can tolerate and material preference. For example, if the concrete is in excellent condition, then the concrete surface can simply be stained, given a textured coating or a stenciled tile pattern applied. These options involve only minimal disruption and are applied by specialized contractors.

If the concrete surface is basically sound, perhaps with only hairline cracks, then resurfacing with porcelain or stone tiles is an option that could be considered. Porcelain tiles are available in a multitude of colours, styles and sizes. Textured finishes are generally applied to exterior tiles to reduce the danger of slipping under wet conditions. Check to ensue the tiles are suitable for your local conditions as tiles with high water absorption characteristics may crack in freezing conditions. Be aware that any existing cracks in the concrete which extend through the entire pad are likely to open further and eventually can lead to cracking in any tiles laid above.

Natural stone products such as sandstone, limestone, slate or granite may also be considered but may need to be sealed against moisture or to prevent staining. Another option where additional height is not a problem is to use new or reclaimed bricks or clay pavers.

Perhaps one of the simplest, most cost effective and attractive options however, is to install modular wood deck tiles. Such tiles can tolerate a certain degree of cracking of the concrete and will not cause problems if cracks in the concrete pad are likely to expand. These DIY decking tiles are typically available as 12’ x 12’’ squares and are easily installed by just clicking the modules into place (see for example http://www.swiftdeck.com). The tiles have special tabs built onto the sides of the plastic base which keeps them firmly in place and avoids the need for any particular surface preparation, adhesives or other fixings. The plastic base is designed to allow water to pass freely under the tiles and keep the wood clear of the sub-surface. A typical patio area can be fully laid in just an hour or so and is ready to use immediately.

Most manufacturers produce wood deck tiles in several different designs, so it is possible to create borders, centerpieces, feature areas etc. to suit your individual preference. Check to ensure the wood species used is a high natural durability species such as Jarrah, Ipe, Bangkirai etc. Most tiles are pre-oiled with a penetrating deck oil but regular re-oiling every 12 month or so is recommended if it is desired to retail the original wood colour as long as possible.

In addition to interlocking wood deck tiles, a range of ceramic interlocking tiles is now available which gives further opportunities to individualize your patio. These tiles are designed to interlock with the wood tiles, so for example you could have a central patio area paved in ceramic tiles where tables and chairs are situated, surrounded by wood tiles. With the addition of some large pots, attractive plants and maybe a favorite piece of sculpture, that dull patio can soon become a place you can be truly proud of again.

About the Author: Malcolm Kay is the CEO of Intex Pacific Pty. Ltd. an international supplier of landscape materials including patio deck tiles. For more information see http://www.swiftdeck.com

My Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs!

What causes my hot water to smell like rotten eggs?My cold water doesn't smell, what is the solution for this problem? The most common cause of "smelly water" is a non-toxic sulfate reducing bacteria, scientifically termed Divibrio Sulfurcans. This bacteria often enters the water system through construction or a break in ground piping. The bacteria creates the energy it needs to survive by converting sulfate (SO4) to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas you smell in the water. Hydrogen sulfide gas is distinctive because of its rotten egg-like stench. Its presence can severely affect the taste as well as the odor of the water.

The simplest treatment available is the shock-chlorination of the system. This is a surface treatment, and often requires repeated trials in heavily infected systems. The chlorination of a system requires that you follow each step explicitly to avoid an un-treated portion of the piping system from reinfecting another part.

Longer lasting solutions include chlorination or aeration of the water supply.Want to learn more about plumbing? Visit our plumbing information section that has free repair guides and answers to your most common plumbing questions that can help even the most experienced plumber!

About the Author: 1-800-AnyTyme specializes in offering 24 hour emergency plumbing, electrical, heating & air conditioning services throughout Southern California and Denver, Colorado.

Should You Contract Your Remodeling Job Yourself?

My immediate answer would be, probably not. The long answer would be something like this:
It depends on a number of factors. Most people who contract the job themselves are trying to save the amount of money the contractor would have grossed on the project. I guarantee you, they will not have a joyous time doing it.

No different than trying to sell your house without a real estate agent. I can't speak for the Realtors but I can speak for the contractors. Contractors gross do not approach the Realtors gross. It's a good idea if you can pull it off, but most of the time you will find you can't.
You will find yourself with a mess on your hands. Not only a mess of problems, (construction defects, contractor disputes as to who is at fault etc) but you will not save nearly as much money as you thought you would.

A lot depends on the complexity of the project. If you are looking to pour a cement patio or have aluminum siding put on your house then you need only to call a cement contractor or a siding contractor. There is little preparation or coordination necessary to accomplish what you want to do. If you read my kitchens page on my web site (http://www.remodeling4dumbbells.com) you know I am surprised more homeowners aren't doing a simple cabinet & countertop redo by themselves.

I have built hundreds of shells for customers (Shells are usually projects built to a point where the exterior roof & walls are complete & the interior is left for the homeowner to finish himself.) The homeowner gets a good start on the most difficult part of the construction & is competent enough to finish the interior. In many cases the homeowner contracts the electric & heating to others. Some times, if he is very competent, he does the electric & heating himself.

Does he save money? Yes, he does. He saves all of the interior carpenter labor. The electric & heating contractor will charge him more (probably a lot more) than a general contractor who is giving them a few hundred thousand dollars a year worth of business. The homeowner still has to deal with inspections, certificates of occupancy, underwriter certificate, cleanup, etc. In addition the project will take forever to complete.

Homeowners who want to do the finish themselves have good intentions but some are not as capable as others. Let me tell you of experiences I have had when doing estimates. Over the years, at least a hundred times, the homeowner at some point in the conversation would say something like this. "I could build this myself but I don't have the time. Then he insisted he show me the finished basement, attic, deck or whatever it was he did himself. He would then say: "Would you believe I did this all myself?" After looking at his work I would answer truthfully. "Yes" There are more reasons why I believe it is in your best interest to hire a general contractor. If your project demands a building permit then you will need a set of building plans to submit to the building department. If you have read any of my books you know you do not need an architect at a cost starting at $700- $800. You will be spending money that is not necessary.

If you are going to do it right then you will have to call in three contractors on each trade involved in your project to get decent pricing on each: Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, spacklers, heating & air, cement etc. This alone is a daunting task. When you are all done you will still not get a price as good as a general contractor. Many of these contractors are so busy that they don't care whether you hire them or not. They will throw you a price (any price) & if you bite, fine. If not, they don't need you.

In many cases you will be asked to provide the material & its cost up front. You can expect appointment promises that will not be kept. You will have to coordinate the timing of the trades in the correct order. You will order yellow & have blue delivered, you will order 100 & receive 90, you will have damaged goods delivered that have to be returned & credited. You will have people falling off your roof & injuring themselves.

I could go on, but suffice it to say, it is a much tougher job than it appears to be. Will the savings be worth it? Is $500, $1000, $1500 or more worth the added time & work on your part? That is a question you will have to decide for yourself. There is a reason contractors exist. If it was easy & significant amounts of money were to be saved then most people would contract themselves.

Most people don't.

About the Author: This article was written by Bill Harbrecht of http://www.remodeling4dumbbells.com. Remodeling4dumbbells.com is a great resource for information about all facets of home remodeling in general & room additions in particular..

How to Fix a Leaking Showerhead Faucet

A leaky showerhead can be both annoying and costly. After a few hours, the constant dripping noise is as brutal on the eardrums as nails on a chalkboard. And, even though a singular drip is only a few milliliters of water, it doesn't take long before that leaky showerhead wastes hundreds of gallons - adding an extra zero to the end of the water bill.

Most homeowners don't realize that a leaking showerhead is pretty simple to fix. There's no need to buy a new one or, worse yet, hire a plumber. You can finish the job yourself in just a few short minutes with nothing more than a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and a washer that you can buy for a nickel at any hardware store.

Now that you've decided to take on the job yourself, you need to understand the two most common things that go wrong with showerheads. Either they start leaking at the point where the pipe screws into the actual showerhead, or the holes in the showerhead become clogged, causing water backups and creating a leak.

First, you'll need to unscrew the showerhead from the outlet pipe. To protect the showerhead from damage, wrap a towel around the point where the head screws onto the outlet piping. Take the pliers and remove the head from the outlet. You'll see the washer. Pull it off and replace it with the new one. If you think you need a tighter seal, use plumbers tape across the threads before screwing the showerhead back in.

Also, if you have a rotating or swiveling showerhead, you might as well take an extra step while you have it taken apart. To increase the swivel range and flexibility, take some lubricant, preferably silicone, and lube up the interior swivel ball before you screw the head back in.
If the holes in the showerhead are clogged, take off the faceplate by removing the screws attaching it to the head. If you can't remove the faceplate, that's okay, just keep the entire unit unscrewed. The reason showerheads get clogged is the lime deposits that are formed and get stuck in the holes over time. To get rid of the lime deposits, take either the faceplate or the whole showerhead, and soak it in a bowl of white vinegar for at least eight hours. This will dissolve the deposits, and make them easy to remove by sticking a toothpick or small nail through the holes in the showerhead. After that, scrub the faceplate with a stiff plastic brush and screw the unit back into the wall.

About the Author: Nancy Dean is a freelance author who frequently contributes to several websites, including http://www.allfaucets.info/. Coming from a family full of carpenters, she enjoys both doing and writing about home improvement projects.

Caulking Improves Comfort, Saves Energy

Poor caulking is the most common exterior complaint from owners of new homes. Water penetration can turn your dream home into a nightmare. For the builder it can be a recurring one, because water not only damages the house cosmetically, but can also cause serious structural damage.

The Proper Caulking Bead

I like to cut the nozzle squarely with a cross section producing the appropriate bead size. I hold the gun at about 45º to the work surface and push the caulking ahead, forcing it into the joint. The joint bead should have a flat to slightly concave surface, and when I use quality caulking I have better, longer-lasting results. Finger tool the bead with a moistened finger only if you absolutely have to, but never wet your finger in the mouth or on the tongue, as you may ingest hazardous materials. Read product labels carefully - some caulking are hazardous, even through skin contact.

Many like to cut the nozzle at about 45º and pull the caulking gun. Either way is fine, as long as you ensure the caulking is pressing into the joint to be filled. Avoid pulling the caulk into a spaghetti-like string... because then you'll be tempted to stick your fingers into it, and make a mess!

Cleanliness is job #1. Clean the surfaces to be caulked with dilute acetone or a solvent. Even the oils on your fingers can cause caulking, especially silicone caulking, to not adhere properly.

More About Caulking

Air infiltration through the outside walls of the home causes a great deal of heat loss. This can be corrected by the addition of caulking. The caulking should be applied wherever two different materials or parts of the house meet.

There are certain tools that you will need to caulk your home. You will need a ladder, a caulking gun, caulking cartridges or compound, backer rod or some other materials for stuffing large openings, and a putty knife or large flat-head screwdriver. There are several types of caulking some of which will last longer than others. The three recommended types are 100% silicone caulking, silicone with latex caulking, and acrylic with silicone caulking.

Caulking products of the aforementioned types have much greater resilience and durability, and although they are more expensive to purchase, their life expectancy is far greater and worth the investment. Caulking is very time consuming. Therefore if you use the most durable products, it will be years before you have to caulk again.

Before applying the caulking compound, clean the area of paint build-up, dirt or deteriorated caulk with solvent and a putty knife or large screwdriver. Look around the edges of a window or door. There should be filler in all of these cracks. If it is old, brittle, or broken, or if it's missing altogether, you should reseal it with a new application of caulking.

Drawing a good bead of caulk will take a little practice. Your first attempts may be a bit messy. Make sure the bead overlaps both sides for a tight seal. A wide bead may be necessary to make sure that the caulking adheres to both sides.

Caulking compound also comes in rope form. Unwind it and force it into cracks with your fingers. You can fill extra-wide cracks this way. Caulk around pipes and other holes that show from the outside. Fill extra wide cracks like those at the sills (where the house meets the foundation) with backer rod. In places where you can't quite fill the gaps, finish the job with caulking.

About the Author: Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. www.electrospec.ca is one of the web's largest, most authoritative home inspection information sites.