Building Stairs With Recycled Concrete

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Deck Building Materials

In building homes, it is always a good idea to use high quality building materials, which can ensure that the house would be able to stand the test of time. With regard to building home extensions or add-ons such as decks, the same principle applies. Such extensions should also be built using materials that will ensure a life span as long as the house itself. Using the best home building materials may involve using some of the most durable lumber such as oak or maple. However, a homeowner should not only buy the best materials but also find the right way of storing these materials during the construction of the extension of his home. Below are some tips on how this can be done.

Proper storage

The proper storage of building materials starts with the transport of the materials from the shop to your workshop or your garage. In doing so, you must ensure that the materials are securely strapped to your vehicle using durable materials such as very strong rope. However, if the load is too much for your car, you should just have them delivered to your home.

One of the most important steps you need to take in the proper storage of building materials is that they should be kept in a cool, dry place because moisture can alter the shape of lumber and can render laminated plywood and drywalls useless. Another important step is to make sure that as much as possible, sheets of wood should be stored flat, however, if you do not have the space for this, you should try to keep them as vertical as you can so that it would not bend.

If you can, you should also try to build a storage rack, wherein you can store different building materials and tools properly. Storage racks are also designed to give you easy access to your materials and tools, which can make the job of building that deck more efficient.

Apart from making sure that additional structures to homes like decks are made using the best building materials, homeowners should make sure that building materials are stored properly so that they can maximize the benefits of using these materials. Fortunately, doing so is a fairly simple process, which involves taking the necessary steps in keeping the materials as dry as possible and making sure that they are stored in positions that do not distort their shape.

Building Materials provides detailed information on Building Materials, Building Material Manufacturers, Recycled Building Materials, Deck Building Materials and more. Building Materials is affiliated with Home Buildings.

Stud Spacing And Wall Framing

Basement Remodeling

Basement Remodeling is a great way to increase the living area in your home. And unlike adding an addition onto your home, ground/site work and installing a new foundation are not required. Consequently a basement renovation project can be a much more affordable project to do and provide a much higher return on investment.

However before you decide to tackle a basement remodeling project it is important that you first develop a basement renovation plan.

Goals of Basement Project

Part of a good finished basement plan is listing the purposes of the finished basement. For example, will the basement be used for a recreation area, or for bedrooms? Is a bathroom or a kitchen area desired? Is a home theater or wine cellar part of the ultimate plan? Understanding how the basement will be utilized will help in determining what specific engineering and mechanical needs are required in the actual design and plans for the basement remodeling project.

Making Preliminary Repairs before Basement Construction

The second major item that should be addressed before tackling a basement renovation project is taking care of any problems that exist in the basement. For example if there are cracks in the foundation walls or floor, they need to be repaired before starting the basement construction project. Also, if there are leaking or sweating pipes they should be repaired before remodeling starts. In addition, if the basement construction plans include plumbing that will require demolition of some of the basement floor it is critical to do this before the rest of the basement construction starts.

Also you should consider the size and location of the furnace. You need to determine if the existing furnace will be adequate to properly heat the newly remodeled basement area? If it is not, a larger furnace may be required. You also need to consider the location of the furnace and the noise it generates. If the furnace is going to be located near a finished basement area then you may need to wall off and properly insulate the furnace room from the finished basement area. You may also need to modify the furnace design such that fresh air is pulled in from the outside of the home.

Insulation of the exterior walls should also be considered. During the framing/construction phase, rigid Styrofoam insulation can be installed to help make the remodeled basement area warmer. Consider insulation requirements before starting the basement remodeling project.

Basement Lighting

One of the most important aspects of a basement renovation project is the lighting. A finished basement that is naturally dark is very uninviting for family members and guests. To address this problem, your basement remodeling plans should consider adding natural light wherever possible. If the foundation has concrete knee walls, consider framing in windows above the knee walls. If the basement has a walk out area, consider installing glass sliders or French doors.

In addition to adding natural light to the basement, consider installing can lights in the ceiling, and sconces on the walls. They can really brighten up the basement area and make the space into a warm and inviting area.

Basement Floor Layout Tips

When developing the floor layout of your basement project, consider putting bedrooms and recreation areas near the natural light areas, e.g. near the walkout sliders.

If a home theater or wine cellar is part of your basement design goals, locate them in areas of the basement where natural lighting is not required.

If a bathroom or kitchen area is part of your basement design objectives, locate them directly below existing plumbing on the first floor of the home. This will help to minimize the amount of piping that is required in the precious head room area of a basement. It will also help to limit the amount of structural/framing work required.

Again, if there is a furnace area that needs to be contended with in terms of noise, locate the wine cellar, or storage spaces near the furnace. These areas/rooms can help to insulate the rest of the basement rooms from the noise of the furnace.

If there are Lally columns (support posts) that need to be contended with, try to develop a basement construction plan that locates walls such that the Lally columns can be buried in them. If burying them is impossible, then consider schemes for boxing them in or finishing them off so that they become less of an obstruction and eye-sore to the finished basement.

Basement Ceilings

When developing a Basement design, the ceiling choice is an important decision. Many homeowners choose to install dropped ceiling tiles, while others elect to install drywall ceilings. Both have their pros and cons. Dropped ceiling tiles allow easy access to pipes and electrical wiring, however they do impact the ceiling height more dramatically than a drywall ceiling.

Drywall ceilings, on the other hand can give a more finished looked and provide more head room, however access to pipes and wiring is limited. If a drywall ceiling is your preference or requirement due to limited ceiling height, plan for access doors underneath first floor bathtub J-traps, valves, and key electrical junction boxes.

Who will perform the Basement Remodeling Construction

Deciding on whether to hire a remodeling contractor, or do it yourself is always a big question. Yes, you can save yourself a bundle if you do it yourself. However, frequently many homeowners start a basement project and never complete it.

If you truly want a finished basement, you need to be honest with yourself on the time commitment and the skills required. If you can not dedicate your next 12-16 weekends to the project, or lack skills in framing and construction, then you should probably hire either a general contractor or act as your own general contractor.

A Basement Remodeling project is a great way to provide additional living space in your home at a fraction of the cost of building an addition onto your home. With proper planning, a finished basement can become the spot in your home where the family and friends want to spend all of their recreational time. Good luck with your basement remodeling project!

About the Author: Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more information about Home Improvement and Home Additions, and Home Remodeling and Repair visit homeadditionplus.com and homeaddition.blogspot.com

Concrete Patio Gofer Damage

Selecting the Right Bathroom Countertop Materials For Your Bathroom

Countertop materials and colors really set the tone for your overall bathroom design. Many colors, styles, pattern and materials are available to choose from - each with its own special qualities. In addition to making a statement bathroom countertops can still be practical, providing additional workspace. Choosing a particular material can set the tone of the room

By customizing your bathroom countertop, you will be able to address all of your bathroom needs and add your own personal sense of style. You will need to choose for your bathroom design project a countertop that can accent your major fixtures like your shower, toilet, vanity, etc.

Bathroom countertops are made from materials that are durable and, and are also quite easy to maintain. Most countertops are constructed by combining a base of plywood or particleboard that then spans across the top of a cabinet and the finish surface material. Materials used in bathroom countertops also include any mastic, glue, mortar or grout needed to adhere the surface to the base and keep it impervious to water and stains.

While functionality is important in the kitchen since the kitchen countertops take more of a beating that bathroom countertops do, when it comes to bathroom countertops you are more able to consider appearance above all else. Since bathroom countertops are generally custom-made, you will find that the style and design options are wide open.

Bathroom countertops come in many types of surfaces and materials. These include: laminate, solid surface, ceramic tile, marble, and granite.

Laminate

Laminate represents the lowest installed cost and a wide choice of colors, patterns and textures. While laminate is stain and scuff resistant is can still be susceptible to burns and nicks.

Solid Surface

Solid surface bathroom countertops provide more design flexibility along with easy maintenance. These surfaces are easy to clean and sanitize. Scratches and most types of stains can be buffed out. Solid surface countertops imitate the look of natural stone such as marble, granite or slate. This type of material can be machined with standard woodworking tools, although you may find that you need a professional installer.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile has long been a top choice for bathroom countertops. It is known for its variety of styles, colors, patterns and materials. Prices range widely, depending on quality, and you may find that not all tiles are suitable for bathroom countertops. Tile is made of clay, shale, and porcelain. There are different types of tiles including glazed and ceramic.

Marble

Marble is know for its beauty, but because it is soft and porous and can stain easily. Nevertheless marble still remains a top choice for bathroom countertops, walls and floors. Marble is available in slab or tile forms and in a variety of thicknesses.

Granite

Due to its beauty and durability granite is a more high-end choice for countertops. It is less susceptible to scratching and absorption than marble. Granite bathroom countertops withstand heat and the high usage that a bathroom counter would be exposed to. There are a wide variety of colors available, as well as finishes, including high polish, matte and rough-textured.

James Mahoney is the author of many bathroom design articles and has a site about bathroom design ideas and trends at Bathroom Designers Ideas.com.

Damaged Plastic Vapor Barrier

East Tawas Vacation Lodgings

Lake Huron is a popular vacation spot, particularly Tawas Bay. East Tawas vacation lodgings are plentiful and a great way to enjoy the area.

East Tawas Vacation Lodgings

East Tawas is located in the Tawas Bay area of Michigan. This area is included in the section of Michigan known as the Sunrise Side, and East Tawas is a great place to stay if you want to explore the Sunrise Side region. There are many attractions located in the vicinity of East Tawas that are great for a family vacation, and this area is a favorite family destination for visitors from all over the United States.

East Tawas's main draws are the beautiful Tawas Bay, which is located on Lake Huron, and the Tawas Bay Lighthouse, a historic building in use since 1876. This 200,000 candlepower lighthouse has a beacon that can be seen for 16 miles out on Lake Huron. The Tawas Bay has many different beaches where you can relax, swim, boat and hike, as well as being a major point of bird migration, perfect for bird watchers.

There are several different East Tawas vacation lodgings you can stay at while on your vacation to Tawas Bay, and there are different styles of accommodations to suit different tastes. The Bayview Resort, located right next to East Tawas in Tawas City, Michigan, has cabins available for rent in several sizes (studio, one bedroom and two bedroom), and also offers amenities that are great for a family stay. All cabins have full kitchens, TVs, charcoal grills and other items to make your stay comfortable, and the property also has a playground for children.

If you'd prefer one of the East Tawas vacation lodgings that are a bit homier, try the East Tawas Junction Bed and Breakfast. This quaint non-smoking bread and breakfast offers five guest rooms, all equipped with private baths and air conditioning. Included in your room rate is a bountiful breakfast, which can even be brought to your room upon special request! For those who prefer the privacy of a cottage atmosphere, but with the amenities of a bed and breakfast, the Chickadee Guest House is available for rent if you are looking to have an extended visit.

East Tawas vacation lodgings are a perfect place to have that family vacation, or even a romantic getaway. With many different vacation lodgings and styles of accommodations to choose from, there is a suitable place for any vacationer in this Lake Huron Midwest paradise. Tawas Bay is a different and less crowded choice for anyone looking to get away from it all.

Richard Rspad is with ResortSpaDestinations.com - reviews and articles on resorts. Visit us to read spa articles as well.

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How to Keep Remodeling Projects From Getting Out of Control

Two demons wait for unsuspecting homeowners, hoping for their chance to gobble up time and money on new home and remodeling projects.

The Ripple Effect lurks quietly in the background. Just like the movements on the pond surface for which it's named, The Ripple Effect starts out small and grows, expanding until it engulfs the entire project.

Pebble In The Pond

The Ripple Effect is the remodeling budget's worst enemy and can wreak havoc on small and large projects alike. A simple example is a window replacement project. At first glance, it's a simple, isolated project. But the interior and exterior trim must be replaced and painted and the exterior siding may have to be reworked, especially if the new window isn't the same size as the old one.

And that's just the beginning. Once that window is replaced and the new window trim painted, the rest of the trim in the room looks bad and so the homeowner decides to paint that, too. A pebble's been dropped in the pond, and the ripples have begun to spread.

What started out as a simple window replacement ends up as the refinishing of an entire room.

In new home projects, the ripple effect is more pronounced in open plan designs. With fewer walls to separate spaces, it's difficult to make flooring transitions from one room to another so more expensive floorings often cover more of the house. The lack of interior walls also requires a more expensive structural system and makes the placement of ductwork and plumbing more difficult.

Don't Make Waves

But the ripple effect can be controlled if you take a moment to consider the impact one project can have on other parts of the house. The root of the problem in the window replacement example is that a new standard sized window won't exactly fit the existing opening - necessitating the replacement of the trim.

But a custom sized window, carefully installed, might allow you to reinstall the existing trim inside and outside, and avoid the ripple effect entirely. Sure you'll spend more on the window but you'll save everywhere else, and avoid the ripple effect.

And in a new home project careful planning of the room layouts and space adjacencies allows flooring and other finishes to "break" where you want them to.

Project Creep

Project Creep is a close cousin to the Ripple Effect. Project Creep happens when the extent of the work begins to grow, creeping along at first, until no one seems able to control the spiraling costs.

Older homes, for example, often require building code upgrades when they're remodeled - upgrades that may have little to do with the project itself. When structural loads are changed in any way, for example, the existing structure must be rebuilt or retrofitted to meet updated code requirements. And moving structure usually means reworking the wiring, ductwork, and plumbing that's been routed through the area.

Project Creep can attack new home projects, too. Sometimes the causes are almost impossible to predict, such as when the excavation of the site uncovers poor soil conditions. Sometimes the cause is an outside force - an architectural review board, for example. But mostly, project creep is a result of a difference in expectations between homeowner, builder, and architect.

Plan To Avoid Creep

On any project, start with a clear idea of the level of finish and quality you expect. Don't assume that the architect and builder are in tune with your ideas about finishes - discuss your expectations in detail and whenever possible, see the actual finishes and fixtures. If you're not the detail-oriented type, hire a professional interior designer.

Poor quality drawings cause additional unplanned work during construction, and always end up costing homeowners money and time. My firm's been hired many times to correct drawings done elsewhere that contained glaring errors, omitted necessary structural steel, or just plain didn't work. Sloppy drawings are an open invitation to Project Creep.

On a remodeling or room addition project, evaluate the feasibility of the project in terms of the impact it will have on parts of the home that you're not intending to remodel. Often, room additions can easily be designed to minimize the effect on the existing structure.

Finally, always have realistic expectations about your project budget and communicate that budget to your architect and builder. When everyone understands the project's financial goals the chances for success are greatly increased.

Richard L. Taylor, AIA is a published author and recognized expert in Residential Architecture. He is President of Richard Taylor Architects, a 5-person firm in Historic Dublin, Ohio. Residential Architect | Luxury Home Plans

Mold Growing Under Paint

Decorating the Guest Bathroom

The guest bathroom is more important than you might think. While the bedroom that your guests stay in should be warm and inviting, the guest bath is often neglected. However, it does not take a lot of time or a lot of money to create peaceful bath for your visiting friends, but it does take knowing about modern bathroom designs as well as bathroom vanities.

What you need to know about design

When you are talking about modern bathroom designs, you will want to direct your attention to the idea of simplicity. And this is practical too. With a simple bathroom design, you will be able to create a timeless look that can be easily updated. Choose simple lines for your bathroom vanities as well as neutral bathroom faucets as well as mirror. The general idea is to create something that can be easily updated with towels or a new shower curtain instead of a complete remodel.

What you need to know about vanities

Bathroom vanities are a great way to welcome your guests without saying a world. In many modern bathroom designs, these vanities are able to hold a number of items underneath the main sink. What you can do is store any possible item that your guests might need, due to having forgotten them or misplaced them. No guest wants to have to ask their host for shampoo or soap, so make sure that it is already available to them. You may want to keep a basket underneath the vanity that you will pull out when it is needed for a new guest, but then replace it underneath the sink when the guest has left.

Other things to keep for your guests

Guests will also need fresh towels in their bathroom as well as a clear idea of where to put them once they are dirty. Many modern bathroom designs for guest baths will include a hamper so that this is easy to do as well as easy for the host to monitor. Once the hamper is full, new towels can be placed in the bathroom when the guest is away.

You may also want to keep a small token of appreciation for your guest in the bathroom as well. Bathroom vanities that have a small gift basket for the guest to take home, filled with bath and shower goodies, is always a nice way to welcome someone as well as send them on their way. In addition, man modern bathroom designs can also include candles that can be taken home as a memento as well.

The guest bathroom is truly a reflection of the care and respect that you have for your guests. By looking at modern bathroom designs and leaving a little something extra on bathroom vanities, you can make sure that none of your guests ever feels out of place; not one of your guests will ever doubt that you care about their comfort.

Dave Robert is a VP at Discount Bathroom Vanities Publishing, and an avid fixer-upper who's been restoring old houses for more than twenty years. Readers can tap into Dave's knowledge about home remodeling, and kitchen and bathroom design, at: http://www.DiscountBathroomVanities.com

Roof Fascia Section Repair

Installing a Tub Surround

If your tub/shower enclosure has seen better days, why not give it an update? One of the easiest, cost-effective ways to replace your dingy enclosure is to purchase and install a shower/tub surround kit.

Why panels?

These handy kits generally come with three or five pieces. If your enclosure is perfectly square, a three-piece kit (with a back panel and two side panels) is the way to go. But if you're dealing with crooked walls or walls that aren't plumb, the five-piece kit (with a back panel, two corner panels, and two end panels) offers more flexibility.

Not only are these panels water-resistant, they're also easy to clean and will almost instantly revive your bathroom-what's not to love about that? And they come in a variety of materials, from solid surfacing to pressed fiberglass. Though thicker panels are usually more expensive, they're more stable and easier to work with.

Prep work.

Before getting to work, protect the bottom of your tub from dings and scratches with a heavy cloth. If your current shower interior is solid, flat, and in good structural condition, you can install the panels over the existing material (just be sure to give it a good cleaning first, and scuff tile with sandpaper so it'll better grip the adhesive). For drywall, cut out damp sections and replace it with a moisture-resistant version. If you've got a tile surround, simply stick loose tiles back in place with ceramic-tile adhesive. But if several tiles are loose, just remove them altogether and replace them with moisture-resistant drywall.

Now comes the tricky part: removing the showerhead, faucet, and spout-as well as other accessories such as wall-mounted shelves or soap dishes.

Using a tall piece of cardboard, make a template of the side of the tub with the bath fixtures. Measure the exact locations of the faucet handles, showerhead, and tub spout. Cut holes in the cardboard, hold the cardboard up to the wall to make sure the holes align with the fixture placements, and mark the locations on the surround panels.

Installation.

Measure your walls and trim your panels accordingly. Following manufacturer's instructions, apply the adhesive, then attach the panels to the walls and let them dry thoroughly. Replace the hardware, and seal joints with caulk.

For more detailed instructions, check out Popular Mechanics and This Old House. Or watch this step-by-step video, courtesy of HGTV.

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Antique Bathroom Vanities - A Choice Between Genuine And Imitation

Choosing antique bathroom vanity is a serious matter though. You simply do not go in a shop and but the first piece you see. Selection involves factors such as price, design, functionality, type of wood, age, and even the manufacturer.

Basically, when selecting the piece, you are caught between this question: "Should I go for the genuine vanity or should I buy antique design vanity? Unsuspecting buyers may think that every vanity, as long as they look "antique" is the same. The truth however is that both have different qualities.

So what's the difference between authentic antique vanity and antique-design vanity?

First and perhaps the best indicator of the authenticity of it is the price. Authentic antique vanity can go 10 times more expensive as its antique-design counterpart, or even more. And just like a good pair of jeans, it looks better through the years. Antique pieces are often made from mahogany, cherry and oak, types of hardwood that are known to last a lifetime, even more if it is treated properly with wood sealant. A good crafted one will not suffer any water damage.

Antique-design vanity on the other hand is relatively cheaper than its authentic counterpart but is still quite expensive. The price of a single piece can go from $400 to $2,000 depending on its size, design, and type of wood used. While it is not authentic antique, it is designed and crafted to appear very old and to reflect the age gone by using the same type of wood from which authentic vanities are made from. One of the advantages for choosing this type is that you can get it brand new. Meaning, they have the look of all the antique beauty and elaborate designs, but without the wear and tear. Also, your options are almost endless if you choose to buy brand new pieces without spending a lot of money.

Whether you buy an authentic or an imitation antique vanity, there are things that you have to make sure of. First, buy from a reputable manufacturer or antique store. Second, check the warranties that the company offers whether you buy it online or at your local antique or furniture store. And last, choose a vanity you really like.

For tips on choosing bathroom vanities, visit http://www.bathroomvanities101.com

Upside Down Electrical Outlet

A Few Sound Thoughts on Above Ground Swimming Pools

If you are like so many other people who have woken up to the concept of above ground swimming pools then there are a few things that you may want to consider before you get started shopping around. For one thing, above ground swimming pools offer far more affordable options than a standard cement built in and you may want to consider them all prior to making your purchase.

A Complete Above Ground Pool Kit

To start with, the first decision you are going to have to make is whether to purchase your pool and all its components separately or combined in a package. As far as savings go, you are much better off with a package. However; if you plan on adding custom features such as a solar pool heater you may want to opt to make separate purchases.

You May Want a Smaller Pool for Young Kids

People often tend to assume that bigger is better when it comes to above ground swimming pools but this is far too often simply not the case. For instance, if your pool is primarily to be used by younger children you may want to consider a smaller pool with no deep end.

Smaller Above Ground Pools Are Cheaper to Accesorize

You will not only save money on the initial purchase of a smaller pool but because of its smaller size it will be far more affordable to accessorize. A complete, prefabricated, natural wood, wrap around deck will be cheaper to buy as will the smaller safety cover for the pool.

Kids do Require Safety Features

Also, with the savings you can bring a nice pool slide as well as a custom "coral reef" pool liner into the equation which the kids will love. With these savings on the entire project you can well afford the safety features you will need for smaller kids such as a deluxe retractable pool ladder and a fence.

Take a Look Through a Child's Eyes

Then there are all the great pool toys that are now available to choose from. It is important to remember that kids have a completely different outlook on swimming pools that adults do. For kids above ground swimming pools are play areas and they often prefer a shallow pool that they can stand up in safely and comfortably.

Written by Joshua Wedelet. Now you can learn all you wanted about Above ground Swimming pools as well as ">Above ground pool liners

Shower Window Installed

Bathroom Remodeling - Steps and Considerations to Take

Bathroom remodeling, no doubt, is among the most rewarding home improvement project that you could ever take. Aside from making every waking day and just every personal minute in your bathroom more luxurious, the job would greatly add up to the value of your New York home. And the fact that an average bathroom remodeling project could yield up to 80-90% on return on investment, homeowners are not as much bothered with how much it squeezes out from their budget.

As with any other home improvement project that could be undertaken, a good plan is crucial in the success of your bathroom remodeling. And if you are not a handyman yourself, nothing beats having to work with a qualified NYC contractor as a top priority. With the expertise and skills of one, going through the steps in achieving your dream bath could be made much easier, giving the most value for your money and with the least risk of remodeling problems.

If you do not have any idea yet on the design you want to take on, you can find inspirations through scouring through bathroom design websites, magazines and even showrooms in your nearest home improvement store. With a design at hand, you can discuss with your contractor estimates on budget and time. The extent of your bathroom remodeling depends on how much you are willing to spend on the project and how long you could put up with the remodeling works.

Your bathroom remodeling can be done as a surface-level project, change in layout or a total renovation which involves both. If everything seems to be in great condition and the existing layout is fine with you, a facelift can be best. A change in layout or a total bathroom renovation should be considered carefully. This involves so much more like the underlying electrical and plumbing systems. But whichever is your choice, make sure to apply for necessary permits early.

The essential keys to the success of your bathroom remodeling project are excellent workmanship as well as product selection. When choosing for materials to integrate into your project, do not stop at the cost alone. If you really need to save up, then shop for discounts but never sacrifice the quality of the products. Your aim should be set for long-term benefits. Find products and materials that offer the style of your choice, durability and less maintenance.

Clutter can easily make a disaster zone out of your bathroom no matter how good looking it is. Depending on its total area, you can implement clever storage solutions. For bigger bathrooms, you can have as elaborate cabinetry and shelving as the space can accommodate. But if space is an issue, there are also lots of innovative products you can choose from that are designed to be compact but functional.

If you can afford it, maximize every single element to make the most stylish, functional and comfortable bathroom remodeling result. If you are doing the master bathroom, a great idea is to have a his and her sink to cutback on the early morning chaos. You can even create a personal, everyday spa.

Eugene Makeev helps New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened Bathroom Contractor NYC. Feel free to use our Bathroom Calculator.

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Stair Lighting Problems

Walking up and down the stairs in the dark could become a safety issue. If the stairs in the house are not that old, there should be a light switch at the top and a light switch at the bottom of the stairway. This is a three way switch and is designed to allow you to turn the stair lighting on as you walk up the stairs and then turn the stair lighting off, once you've safely reached the top of the stairway. And vice versa as she walked down the stairs.

If you don't have a light switch, there are motion sensor lights that are battery operated and can be installed easily in the stairway. These lights can provide you with peace of mind, while protecting your family from accidents.

Stairway accidents are nothing to joke about, I lived in a two-story house with four other people and was the last one to fall down the stairway. None of us got seriously injured and the stairway was built to meet local building codes and was inspected by a building and safety inspector. The stairs were built correctly and the stair lighting was no problem, but people still fell down the stairway and it always happens in the evening.

During the day time there were two windows that let plenty of light into the stairway and in the evening the stairway became quite dark, rarely was the stair lightning ever turned on. This could have been outright laziness but nevertheless, it was rarely used and eventually became a safety issue.

Lighting your stairway might not end all of your problems but it can and some of your problems. There are plenty of stair lighting systems available on the market today and some of the battery operated stair lighting systems can be installed by most homeowners.

Think safety always and do your best to solve your stair lighting problems as soon as possible to prevent injuries or accidents.

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

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

Plywood Floor Repair

Lighting a Charcoal BBQ Grill Fast and Easy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Double Floor Joist

Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel - How Do You Begin?

Kitchen and bathroom remodels are on the rise as many people are deciding to invest in their existing homes instead of trying to sell their home and buy a new one. While the return on investment can be great, the details involved with making it all happen are often overwhelming.

The key to successful remodeling projects is having a plan in place that identifies all the major functional and aesthetic items needed to complete the job even before one hammer stroke is made. Setting up a binder or a accordion style file folder to organize all of the information you need to collect is crucial. Your contractor is going to be asking you for decisions on the big things such as flooring and counter top materials, and the small things such as cabinet hardware and towel holders. You should ask your contractor for a project plan so you are aware of the flow of work and can anticipate what materials will need to be selected and paid for, and what level of disruption you will be experiencing at the various stages of the project. Often plumbing fixtures and decorative lighting need to be ordered and there can be a lead time of up to two months. If your flooring or counter top materials are coming from over seas, there can be a three month or longer lead time.

Although it may seem counter intuitive, hiring a professional interior designer to assist you can actually save you money in the overall scheme of things. A professional designer will be able to select finite options for you to chose among, and has knowledge about the pros and cons of building and design materials. He or she will be able to help you make educated choices about where you can save money, and where there is a firm link between price and quality.

About the author:

Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID is the owner of S Interior Design. S Interior Design makes homes harmonious, functional and beautiful for families with 2-legged and 4-legged members. Suzanne has an M.B.A. and an A.A.S. degree in Interior Design. Suzanne offers years of real world experience, giving her clients the peace of mind to know that their projects will be professionally handled from start to finish. She is an experienced residential and small commercial interior designer and is the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services 'Stunning Interiors with Pets in Mind'.

For more helpful tips-visit http://www.sinteriordesign.com

Copyright 2007 Suzanne Lasky, All Rights Reserved, http://www.sinteriordesign.com

You have permission to re-publish this article as long as the Resource Box is included with the article. All rights reserved.

Home Fence Books
Furniture Restoration Books

Need Help Remodeling In Carlsbad

What you are thinking about remodeling your house and you live in Carlsbad. Let me give you some advice about some local contractors and some of the people involved. I used a company called Service Magic to find a local heating and air conditioning contractor. All I had to do was go on the internet , type in some information about my self and what I wanted to have done to my home. This didn't seem that bad of a idea at the time. But look what I found out.

I went to their web site, filled in my information and with in minutes I had received the names of at least 4 contractors. Wow this is neat. I didn't even get to start calling any of them when my phone rang. It was one of the contractors secretaries. She introduced herself and asked what would be a good time for someone to come out to look at the work I wanted done.

I was surprised at the speed things were taking place but in a way glad that I had a reputable contractor from one of the largest construction referral services on the internet. I told her 10:00 would be fine. I got a call shortly after that from one of the other companies. He wanted to meet me that mourning at 8:00 if it was Ok with me. I told him of course, let's do this. Then the next one called and I thought great you can come at 1:00. Well you guessed it the next one was coming over at 2:30.

The first contractor showed up as scheduled at 8:00. We talked about what I wanted done and he whips out his note book and starts figuring out a price. This took place around 15 minutes into the meeting. This guys good I thought. Being a General Contractor in Carlsbad myself, for a job like this I would go back to my office and figure out a price and then double check my figures for a accurate estimate. It took this guy less than 5 minutes to create a proposal of around 10,700 dollars for every thing.

Well I was thinking to myself, the job should be around 7,000 dollars but what do I know about construction. I informed him that I would think about it and that I was going to meet with a couple of other contractors that day. He ask me who the other contractors were. I proceeded to tell him that I probably shouldn't tell him who they were. Well your not going to believe this. He put on his physic hat and told me who was coming over. The only thing he didn't know was what time they where coming over.

Oh I forgot to mention before he left he told me he would knock ten percent off the job if I signed the contract right now. I pretended like I was excited just to see his reaction. He looked at me like he had won the gold metal in sales. I told him thanks but I bet your new offer with the ten percent discount will be good for the next few day. Right I asked. He wasn't looking that excited any more as he replied with a Yes it will be good for a while. I thanked him and he went on his way.

My 10:00 never showed but his secretary gave me the old, " He had to go do a emergency job and could he reschedule tomorrow at the same time. I said that would be fine. As a contractor myself I have always put the work I had to do first and foremost.

About 12:30 I get a call from my next heating and air conditioning contractor. He is running late but will be there at 1:30. I appreciate the call and I will see you then. The only problem now is that I have another contractor coming at 2:30. That give the next contractor less than one hour before the next guy shows up. I never liked going over to someone's house and running into another remodeling contractor.

The next contractor was very informative and knew his stuff. I listened and learned. He told me he was going to have to go back to his office and would have a price back in the mourning. Great I told him as I hurried him out the door.

The last contractor of the day shows up and wants to know whose been over to the house, was it these guys or those guys. I told him I wasn't going to tell him who was over. Now this guy was a salesman. He did a little more probing before he let me in on the fact that his company doesn't do complete home installations. He made up some story that his company only replaces the forced air units. I could tell he didn't want to do the job once he found out I knew what I was talking about. So I said my good byes to Mr. Salesman.

The bad part about him was latter on that week his company sent us some mailers. The kind that doesn't have your name on it and everyone in the neighborhood get's one. I couldn't believe my eyes when I started to read this letter. It said we would be glad to give you an estimate on all your heating and air conditioning needs or services. " We Do Complete Installs". I told my wife we could have used this a few weeks ago. Then I recognized the name of the company and now knew that the salesman had lied to me for sure.

That night I started to think about what was going on here it seemed like I was being set up. Everyone knew what was going on but me. It seemed clear to me that these people knew each other.

Well as time went on we ended up hiring the first guy that came over. He seemed to have the best product at the most reasonable price. His company also did a great job. Keep one thing in mind here out of five contractors that I gave the opportunity to bid the job. Only three showed up and from them I only got two bids. Why didn't I get more bids? Quite frankly I was to busy working at the time and of course the other two guys were always going to show up and that kind of strung me along. My mistake.

Here's the kicker to all of this. Service Magic calls me up one day to tell me they would like to start sending me construction leads as a General Contractor.

I listened to what they had to say and was almost ready to sign up with them again. That's right, I was signed up with them when they first started until they changed the rules on me. The salesman that originally contacted me said if I paid them the 100 dollar sign up fee they would let me pick what jobs I wanted to do. That lasted about 5 months before I noticed that they were not sending me siding referrals to pick from. I called them up only to talk to someone who didn't understand the State Of California Contractors Licensing Board.

Well I wasn't about to reinvent the wheel. I simply told them that I should a least get my money back, right. They said they would look into it further as I never heard from them again about my 100 dollars. Well things have changed at Service Magic since I was with them when they started.
As a home owner you don't think you are paying Service Magic because all you do is fill out a simple form giving some information about yourself.

I found out that Service Magic sent all four of these contractors my original information. Each contractor then had to pay 55 dollars each to Service Magic for a total of 220 dollars. All I have to say is how are they getting away with charging this much money for sending a out a simple referral to these contractors.

The contractor unfortunately passes this expense on to his customers. You as the home owners end up paying these fees as a cost of doing business with them. Some contractors think this is a great way of doing business but you might think differently in the future if you start paying over 100 dollars for a simple construction referral.

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

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

Visit us now for Home Improvement Tips

Plant Covering Window

Becoming A Handyman

Anyone who has the basic knowledge of household equipment and wants to make a career as a handyman can become a professional handyman by joining an appropriate apprenticeship program. The basic skills required to become a handyman include manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, physical fitness, and a good sense of balance. Other skills include mathematical problem solving ability and good color vision, as handymen have to regularly identify different components by color.

An individual may have special training in trades such as electrical engineering or plumbing, but needs to learn and develop other skills such as house painting or automotive repair for becoming a professional handyman. It is important to have mechanical aptitude to become a handyman as most of the jobs rendered by handymen involve mechanical components and systems.
Individuals can enroll in vocational classes at a local college or training center where many professional handyman degrees can be earned in less than two years of study. Well-trained and experienced professionals teach in these organizations and provide practical insights and guidance related to handyman services. These courses combine theoretical as well as hands on training and require the candidates to pass building codes and certification examinations.

Candidates who do not want to join a certification course can enroll for mini handyman courses offered by local community education centers. These courses aim at making the candidates aware about different tools and equipment used for rendering handyman services. These may include different types of electrical tools and other common tools such as pliers, screwdrivers, knives, scissors, bolt cutters, cable cutters, and hammers.

It is important to follow safety guidelines and wear protective goggles and hardhats. Safety guidelines and procedures form a part of handyman training and apprenticeship. Refresher courses should regularly be organized for existing as well as fresher handymen for improving quality of services rendered and minimizing the number of accidents related to handyman services.

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

Stair Stringer To Landing Framing

5 Big Reasons Why You Should Get a Shower Filter

Let's face it.Tap water is full of contaminants and there is no excuse for you not to have a drinking water filter.However, is tap water safe for bathing and showering?Studies show that bathing and showering in tap water is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous than drinking it.Here are 5 big reasons why you should consider getting a shower filter.

1. Chlorine has a very drying effect.It strips your skin and hair of its natural protective oils.If you've ever gone to a swimming pool, you know how drying chlorinated water can be on your skin.You may not realize that tap water has just as much or often more chlorine than swimming pool water.If you use a shower filter, you will notice that your skin and hair feel much softer within days.Furthermore, the chemicals in tap water are known to cause skin irritation and allergies so people who suffer from these problems would benefit greatly from a shower filter.

2. Ever feel really tired and fatigued?That is probably because you've been breathing chloroform.When chlorine vaporizes and combines with organic compounds, it becomes chloroform steam.Breathing chloroform can cause fatigue and it is a respiratory irritant.So is tap water safe for bathing and showering?It is not because breathing chloroform can lead to allergies, asthma, and bronchitis as well.

3. When you shower with tap water, more than double the amount of chemicals in tap water are inhaled and absorbed through your skin than when you drink it.Your pores open up when you take a warm shower so you absorb a high level of chemicals.Over one-fourth of the US Olympic Swim Team suffers from asthma due to the fact that they inhale so much chlorine.The easiest way to reduce the amount of chemicals you are exposed to daily is through using a shower filter.

4. Is tap water safe for bathing and showering?Not if you want to have good air quality in your home.Homes that don't have shower filters have a detectable level of chloroform in the air.If you take showers with chlorinated water, the chlorine will get released in the air and eventually cause respiratory problems.

5. In a ten-minute shower, you are exposed to the same amount of chloroform as you would be if you drank 2 liters of tap water.So is tap water safe for bathing and showering?It's easy to see that it's actually more dangerous to bathe in tap water than to drink it so your best option is to use a shower filter along with your drinking filter.

Do yourself a favor and get a shower filter for your home.Bathing and showering in tap water is very dangerous and a drinking water filter alone is not enough to protect you and your family from the harmful contaminants in tap water.Within days of using a shower water filter, you will notice that your skin and hair feel softer, your energy levels are higher, and your respiratory system refreshed.Is tap water safe for bathing and showering?No, it is more dangerous than drinking tap water so get a shower filter before it's too late.

William Lin is an avid proponent of optimum health through high quality water sources. See his groundbreaking new research for free by visiting William's site at Pure Filtered Safe Water to learn about his research on health through cleaner, healthier water.

Home Garage Books
Home Plumbing Books

Bathroom Faucet Leaks

Faucet leaks can waste more water than you think. Have you ever put a cup or bowl underneath a leaky faucet and actually seen how much water is wasted. Leaky faucets should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent the waste of water in your home. Water is a precious resource and should be used wisely.

One slow drip from the faucet can waste over 5 gallons of water per day. If you think that's not a big deal, let me put it in perspective for you. 5 gallons of water per day equals 35 gallons per week, times 52 weeks in a year, that equals over 1800 gallons of water, and that's a lot of water.

The problem with a faucet leak isn't just the amount of water it waste, it will soon start to deteriorate your sinks, bathtubs and showers and could damage other sections of the home, like the wood framing. I've seen a water drip in a steel kitchen sink, in just a few years, wear a hole right through it. Keep in mind water and wind formed the Grand Canyon, water can be extremely erosive.

Faucet leaks can attract house pests, like mice, flies, ants and a wide variety of other insects.

Most faucets can usually be repaired for under $20. Most of the time the problem will be in the valves or handles that turn the water on and on. If you're not familiar with plumbing parts, you could pick up a do-it-yourself home repair manual or go online and look up the manufacturer of your faucet, for more information.

Usually the manufacturer has a diagram of the faucet, broken down into sections and you could get a pretty good idea, what parts you will need to remove, in order to replace the damaged part or parts that are creating the water leak.

Calling a plumber seems to be most homeowners last resort. They only do it if they absolutely have to. If you don't understand how a faucet works and have no desire to learn how, I would suggest you call a plumber or contact someone who can help you with your faucet leak, but get the faucet leak fixed and quit wasting water.

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

Insulation Damage

Everything You Should Know About Log Cabins

Log cabins are small houses built from logs. These houses can usually be seen in regions with a high concentration of timber. Log cabins were famous in North America during the colonial era because of the lush timber in the area.

The architecture of a log cabin may seem simple but it is not. Builders should first cherry-pick the right log for the cabin. It should be straight with manageable taper, and it should have few limbs or knots. Depending on the size of the cabin, old growing trees are preferred for a large-sized cabin.

Building log cabins also relies heavily on the location. The site should be home to adequate sunlight and the ground should be flexible enough for a good drainage. This is because they do not follow the usual architectural structures of concrete houses. They rely on nature for most of its workings.

Frontier life relies heavily on nature and log cabin builders make it a point to maximize natural structures. For instance, a moderately rocky area would be suitable for a log cabin as compared to soft ground. Also, the cabin should be strategically built with at least one of its corners is resting on a large rock. The large rock can be used as a foundation for the house.

Cabin homes can be built with earth floors. However, people use foundations to keep out the dampness from the soil and also to make additional storage or cellar underneath the cabin.

As sturdier homes were built, log cabins were converted into shelters for animals or used as storage for equipment or tools. There are parts of Europe that use log cabins as summerhouses or as an extra room in a garden.

But more recently, people started constructing the so-called log homes. Log homes are houses built from milled logs and so can be mass-produced. There are many resorts that built log homes instead of the usual concrete houses. Usually, these log homes are built with additional stone furnishings unlike log cabins that are entirely built with timber logs.

As a carpenter Ive always wanted to build a log cabin. Maybe one day I will. If you are ready or thinking about building a log cabin, please visit me here for some great information to get you started.

http://www.details4life.com

Garage Beam With Post Framing

How to Change a Shower Faucet in 5 Easy Steps

Cannot sleep with the constant drip in the bathroom? Tired of hearing the drip-drip noise from the shower faucet every night? Then here is how to change a shower faucet in just 5 steps ...

It is not a very titanic task to change a shower faucet. But neither is it as simple as unscrewing the old and putting in new. It does require some effort and thinking on your part. Plus you also require some correct tools like wrenches, screwdriver, handle hammer, torch and goggles.

There are basically two basic types of shower faucets. One is the washer type and the other washer-less shower faucet. If the washer is worn out or hardened then that may be the reason for shower leaking. Or it may also be the rubber gasket or the ring which needs to be replaced. Sometimes washer seats may also be the cause of the problem.

• The first thing to do if a shower faucet is leaking is to close the main supply of water. Then allow the water in the faucet to drain completely.
• Next take off the faucet handle. For this you may have to turn the screw clockwise using screwdriver or knife. Next remove the handle. If it is stuck to the stem then you probably have to use a handle hammer.
• Next separate the stem and check the condition of the stem. If the threads are worn out then take them to a retailer and get a new stem. If the brass screws are damaged then they too require replacement. If the stems are dirty, clean them.
• Now examine the washer. If the washer has white vinegar or lime deposits then it requires cleaning and replacement. Take them to a dealer who will give you an exact match in size as well as style. Now check the washer seat. If they are worn out then they too have to be replaced. If they have square or hexagonal holes they can be changed. But if the seat has a round hole then you need to use a seat dressing tool.
• Now insert the new parts. You can use Vaseline to ensure that it is sealed correctly. Spread a bit of petroleum jelly on the threads of the stem for lubrication. Now put all parts in the reverse order. Switch on the water supply and take a shower test to see if you have replaced everything correctly.

Sometimes the problem may be with the stem too. In such a case you need to install a new packing. If it is noisy shower faucet problem then the problem may be due to loose seat washers. Then tighten the washer following the same steps as outlined above. Poor design and construction may also be the reason for noisiness. In such a case you will have to replace it.

Thus with a little help you can fix the faucet yourself within an hour and sleep peacefully without bothering about the drip.

Learn exactly how to generate 100's or even 1000's of positively *BRILLIANT* Bathroom Remodeling Ideas ... F-A-S-T ! And here are 25 Dirt Cheap Home Improvement Ideas that could increase the value of your home by several $1000's ...

Flooring Books
Interior Decorating Books

Bathroom Faucet Leaks

Faucet leaks can waste more water than you think. Have you ever put a cup or bowl underneath a leaky faucet and actually seen how much water is wasted. Leaky faucets should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent the waste of water in your home. Water is a precious resource and should be used wisely.

One slow drip from the faucet can waste over 5 gallons of water per day. If you think that's not a big deal, let me put it in perspective for you. 5 gallons of water per day equals 35 gallons per week, times 52 weeks in a year, that equals over 1800 gallons of water, and that's a lot of water.

The problem with a faucet leak isn't just the amount of water it waste, it will soon start to deteriorate your sinks, bathtubs and showers and could damage other sections of the home, like the wood framing. I've seen a water drip in a steel kitchen sink, in just a few years, wear a hole right through it. Keep in mind water and wind formed the Grand Canyon, water can be extremely erosive.

Faucet leaks can attract house pests, like mice, flies, ants and a wide variety of other insects.

Most faucets can usually be repaired for under $20. Most of the time the problem will be in the valves or handles that turn the water on and on. If you're not familiar with plumbing parts, you could pick up a do-it-yourself home repair manual or go online and look up the manufacturer of your faucet, for more information.

Usually the manufacturer has a diagram of the faucet, broken down into sections and you could get a pretty good idea, what parts you will need to remove, in order to replace the damaged part or parts that are creating the water leak.

Calling a plumber seems to be most homeowners last resort. They only do it if they absolutely have to. If you don't understand how a faucet works and have no desire to learn how, I would suggest you call a plumber or contact someone who can help you with your faucet leak, but get the faucet leak fixed and quit wasting water.

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

Wood Rot From Stucco

How to Find a Good Contractor

Before you find a good contractor, you must first do some "brainstorming" on the project.

Just exactly do you want to accomplish? Remodel the entire kitchen or just add some new cabinets? What style do you want for this project? What colors do you prefer? When do you want to start and finish? how much can you afford?

After these and other options have been decided, you need work up plans on exactly what you want in this project. This will not only be "black and white" proof during the construction, but also make it easier for the contractors to bid your project. You will also be able to compare bids much easier. some people hire an architect to do these plans and use him as a go between during the construction.

Next you need to collect a list of potential contractors to interview. Talk to people who have had work done. Check with the local supply houses. You can call the better business bureau for references. Drive around the neighborhood and check the construction signs. (if you find one this way, try talking to the owner to see if he is happy with the project!)

When you have compiled the list there are many questions for each contractor to determine the best fit for you. Check his insurance and bonding. Note: if he wants cash up front, immediately remove him from consideration.

At this time you should have your list down to 2 or 3 to contractors to submit bids to you. you can review the bids and select the best choice for your project.

For more information visit How To Find A Good Honest Contractor

I am a retired electrician with over 30 years experience.

Rough Framing Of Shower Floor

Bathroom Remodel Investment When Selling - Bathroom Remodeling

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Home Siding Books
House Attic Books

Hiring a Contractor For Bathroom Remodeling - Remodeling Contractors

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

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

1. Is Your Contractor Fair and Honest?

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

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

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

5. Will the Contractor Show up on Time?

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

7. Does the Contractor's Crew Have Experience?

8. Is Your Contractor and His Crew Courteous?

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

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

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

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

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

Drywall Joint Water Damage

Remodeling Costs: How Do I Pay For It?

To keep remodeling costs under control, there are four key remodeling cost drivers: The design of the remodel, the materials you use, who manages the project, and how you pay for it.

Lets review common ways to pay for your remodel and the pros and cons of each.

1. Loan against retirement account (e.g. 401k)

Pros: You pay yourself the interest on a loan against your 401k.

Cons: You lose the interest you could be making if it was invested. If you lose your job, most loans require you to pay the loan back immediately, and there can be significant income tax consequences.

2. Home Equity Loan

Pros: Usually tax deductible. Lump sum is paid to you at the start so you have flexibility of what you do with the money.

Cons: A second loan to manage. Shorter term than a standard mortgage. Requires that you have sufficient equity in your home. You have to pay interest on the entire loan amount even though you may not need the money to pay for remodeling right away.

3. Home Equity Line of Credit

Pros: You only borrow the money you need at the time, so finance charges are lower at the beginning.

Cons: A second loan to manage. Shorter term than a standard mortgage. Requires that you have sufficient equity in your home.

4. Construction Loan

Pros: Good for larger remodel projects and if you don't have enough home equity to qualify for a loan to cover construction costs.

Cons: Higher interest rate than home equity loans. Not tax deductible. Usually short term until construction is complete and then is replaced with a new first mortgage, which may have processing fees or closing costs.

5. Loan from the contractor

Pros: Available to most homeowners.

Cons: High interest rates. Not the best terms. Can lock you into working with a specific contractor. Not recommended.

6. Refinance and cash out

Pros: You only have a single loan for your home. Usually tax deductible interest. A single larger loan will usually have the lowest interest rate.

Cons: Requires that you have sufficient equity in your home. You have to pay interest on the entire loan amount even though you may not need the money to pay for remodeling right away. May have significant closing costs.

7. Credit Cards

Pros: Most homeowners have this as an alternative.

Cons: High interest rate, not tax deductible.

8. Your savings

Pros: The least expensive way to pay for your remodel.

Cons: Make sure you don't use all of your savings. Always have some available for emergencies.

For free expert advice on the best way to pay for a remodel based on your specific situation simply complete the form at http://www.remodelormove.com/forms/goapply.cfm. Or you can visit http://www.remodelestimates.com to find out how much a remodel project may cost.

About the Author
Dan Fritschen, founder of www.remodelormove.com, a homeowner advocacy organization, speaker at Home and Garden shows Nationwide, author of the award winning, 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 you have remodeling or moving questions? Email Dan directly at dan@remodelormove.com.

Copyright 2005 ABCD Publishing LLC

Structural Shear Wall Inside

Moisture Against Gravity - Destroying Walls

Well I'm going to start this article with a little information on a job I did once.

I had been repairing a rental house for one particular homeowner for about three years when all of a sudden I got a phone call from him telling me the rental house was destroyed and he had never seen nothing like this. He sounded so upset over the phone I told him I would meet with him immediately.

On my way to the house I was trying to get an idea in my head what the house was going to actually look like. Since I have been repairing rental properties for over 20 years at this point of my career, nothing really shocked me. I had pretty much seen everything that could possibly be done to rental property by the tenants that lived there. There is a lot to be said about taking care of it as if it were your own.

He was waiting for me at the front door and he looked thoroughly disgusted. As I approached him he was shaking his head and yelling at the same time can you believe these people, can you believe what they did to my house. I was expecting to see the front door ripped off and all the windows broken out of the house but this wasn't the case.

As he led me through the home and I could see the usual clothing on the floor, broken cabinets, a few holes in the walls and of course that awful smell of mold and mildew. All of this stuff was nothing new to me because I'm the guy they call to fix it when a renter moves out of the property.

As I entered one of the bedrooms I got my first glimpse of something I had never seen before but heard stories about and could not believe my eyes. Looking at the walls in the bedroom about 3 feet from the floor all the way around the room, the plaster was soft. It actually looks like someone shoved popcorn into the wall somehow.

The homeowner wasn't even looking at this because of the rest of the damage in the home. I started to explain to him I'd never seen nothing like this but I could guess it was water damage somehow since the plaster was soft. I could actually stick my finger into the wall, that's how soft the plaster was.

My first thought was to examine the carpeting a little closer to see if it was wet. Well it was damp but it wasn't as wet as I would've expected it to be with the amount of water in the walls. With a little more home inspecting I had found the culprit, it was a broken water bed. The water bed was now in the backyard looking innocent.

I couldn't believe a broken water bed could do this much damage so I looked around for broken or leaking water pipes and could not find any. The other bad news I had to inform the homeowner was that the water had damage the bathroom and closet walls also. These walls of course were on the other side of the bathroom walls that were damaged.

Well the point of this story is that water will actually wick its way up or worked its way up into a wall. I had to remove 4 feet of drywall all the way around the room. The plaster or drywall actually acts like a sponge pulling the water into the walls. Hard to imagine that gravity in this case seems to reverse. I would've never thought that water would've traveled so far up the walls creating that much damage.

To repair the rental property I had to remove the damaged drywall, remove the carpeting, dry the wood framing out and put the whole thing back together.

I'm still amazed and will remember that project for as long as I live.

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

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Crawl Space Repairs

How Retailers Avoid Price Comparisons

Price Comparison websites are websites that compare products to find the lowest price for the consumer. They have received positive press coverage. The giants eBay and Yahoo own some price comparison websites!. I will in this article explain why they do not always work. Nothing is more potent than language, and I hope the words in this article will save you money.

Price comparison websites list bathroom goods (among others) in a list format that allows the consumer to compare several prices on one web page for the same item. The prices all come from different retailers operating under free market conditions selling that same item. As many consumers now pay thousands of pounds for new bathroom goods, price comparisons should have a key role. However, increasingly clever retailers are finding ways to avoid price comparisons. I will explain how they are doing that in this article.

Retailers avoid price comparisons by product re-branding, hiding VAT, surreptitiously adding delivery charges, and disingenuously selling copies of branded products. This avoidance is done to increase prices to the consumer. I will illustrate product re-branding in the free market; re-branding is by far the commonest and most egregious means by which consumers are overcharged and price comparison websites rendered impotent.

I have no connection with the following parties at all, and their names are shown just to show a point about how the intent of price comparison methods is circumnavigated by clever retailers.

The national group called Wolseley owns Bathstore.com; it has over a hundred and fifty real stores nationwide and a large website. Bathstore sells Crosswater goods (an imported line) but Bathstore renames the Crosswater goods to avoid price comparisons.

This is one example of how they do it. Hey Joe is one product name within the Crosswater colllection and sold to retailers nationwide including Bathstore. If I look at Boundary Bathrooms, a small retailer I picked at random (it has one store versus the 150 from Bathstore), I see the product sold for 156 pounds.

The same product is sold at Bathstore for 219 pounds under the new name Idea. The Bathstore customer is paying much more for the same product due to re-branding (it is not sold as Crosswater). The Bathstore customer has been misled to paying over 40% more for the same item, with price comparison methods being ineffective.

This one simple example is one of thousands and just printed here for proof of the practice. I could have picked almost any retailers at random to show this point, and my choice was entirely random, and driven by the fact that Bathstore is a large British national company.

Re-branding is so easy in bathroom retail because many bathroom goods are made in China. The actual original manufacturer name does not show anywhere anyway. Often the manufacturer will supply several importers and each of them is able to re-brand the product. The product can then be re-branded again by the retailer to avoid price comparisons.

If that were not enough to confuse the honest consumer just looking for the best price, the retailer has plenty more swindles in his bag of swindles to get the retail prices increased without the consumer knowing that he will be swindled.

Another way retailers avoid price comparisons is to exclude VAT in advertisements. The VAT is then added at the end of the transaction. Price comparison sites require VAT to be shown in the prices, but sometimes that condition is breached. I know of one case in which a retailer hid VAT in major price comparison websites. Since VAT is 17.5%, this is an important amount of money to hide for the retailer.

Hiding delivery charges are another means by which retailers can avoid price comparisons. Some retailers excessively charge delivery, and then lower the retail cost of the goods. Therefore, the total amount payable is inflated despite a lower retail cost. Advertisements appear attractive until you see the final charge. Delivery charges can be 100 pounds or more for one shipment.

Retailers also can include illegal re-stocking charges to avoid genuine like for like comparisons. These charges can be 25% and they negate the customers legal right to get a full refund within a cooling off period. Such charges are illegal under Distance Selling Regulations. So a price may appear cheaper until the full contract of sale is examined to show hidden charges in the form of re-stocking charges.

A variation on importer and retailer re-branding is used the large copying market. In China, many companies will copy an existing design. This has infamously happened on Clearwater baths. The market is awash with copies. Sometimes the original name Clearwater will be used when the bath is not Clearwater at all. Clearwater is one of the strongest brand names in the European Union for freestanding acrylic baths; it exports from the UK to 24 countries including the USA. Its name attracted the attention of the copiers in China. Clearwater responded by adding an official certificate for genuine Clearwater baths.

To find the best prices, you have to be product wise and like everything else read the written words in articles like this, and make your judgements. Fundamentally, you should introspectively just ask one question: Is the product cost really worth that much money to me? Be careful of clever advertisements, read the contracts, and ask when unsure. One question asked can save you a lot of heart and headache.

This article is written by Trevor Oakley. He is the managing director of Merrows Bathrooms. Merrows has traded for four years selling hundreds of thousands of pounds of quality goods. He also manages the Sayworth website. That site is about consumer advice and it has buying tips.

Wood Stoves Books
Handyman Books

Choosing Whole House Water Filters

When shopping for whole house water filters, you have a number of choices. The right choice in a whole house water filter depends on the contaminants in your supply. The information here should help you choose the right product.

Do you have a private well?

If you have a private well, the US Environmental Protection Agency recommends that you have annual testing done to confirm the purity of your supply. Testing can be expensive, but you need a reliable and accurate record. It's not just about "which" whole house water filters to purchase. A testing record can be used to prove that incoming industry or construction damaged your supply.

Are you serviced by a public treatment facility?

If you are serviced by a public provider your primary need is chlorine removal. You want a whole house water filter that is UL (Underwriters laboratory) or NSF certified. WQA certifications are made by a trade group that allows members to "claim" performance, without providing the data to back up their claims.

In addition to chlorine removal, the removal of microscopic particles is recommended. Those systems that filter down to 5 microns provide the cleanest drinking water. If you are concerned about cysts, you will still need a kitchen system that filters down to one micron.

How much should you pay?

If you have a private well, a whole house water filter purification system can be quite expensive. It just depends on what contaminants are present. People who live near the coast often have a high sediment and sodium content. You will likely need prefiltration and a kitchen faucet purifier.

If you are on a public water line, the best whole house water filters on the market can be purchased for less than a thousand dollars. There are more expensive brands, but there is no reason to pay $6000 for a whole house water filter when you can get the same effectiveness in a less expensive product. If you shop at a retail store, you will pay more, simply because of mark-up.

Do I really need whole house water filters?

If you have a private well, you might not need a whole house water filter. But, anyone serviced by a public treatment facility can benefit from chlorine removal.

It is a necessary evil, as it controls bacterial growth and prevents outbreaks of waterborne illnesses. But, it is bad for the digestive system. In the shower it damages the skin and hair. Cooking with and showering in chlorinated water causes the release of toxic gases.

So, you are not only filtering your water, you are also improving the quality of your home's indoor air. If you have asthma or another chronic respiratory condition, your health will improve when you improve the quality of the air.

Your clothes will last longer and the colors will be brighter, because you are not constantly "bleaching" them. Whole house water filters can save you money and protect your health, as long as you buy the right product.

Derek Reeve runs an informational website that provides details of the best whole house water filters. If you're serious about improving the quality of water you use visit water purification systems for home to find the most efficient, effective and affordable products available.

Toilet Pipe Going Through Floor

Ways to Stop Losing Your Car Keys

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bathtub Skirt Wall Damage