Asphalt Shingle Roofing - The Facts

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

The primary attributes of asphalt tiles are:

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

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

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

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

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

Drawbacks:

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

• poor initial installation
• damage due to sever weather

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

Roof Repairs:

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

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

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

Maintenance:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Moisture Against Gravity Destroy

Rock Garden - How to Make a Rock Garden

There is no set design on how to make a rock garden, you can let your creativity abound. As long as you incorporate the basics, you can design as large or as small of a rock garden as you desire. All good gardening techniques require good drainage for watering, so bear this in mind. Make sure that wherever you decide to place your garden, you have a level surface as a base. Use well-draining sand or gravel as the foundation. A quick trip to any of the large nurseries or home building suppliers will provide you with a variety of options for materials.

Decorative stone makes a lovely wall for rock garden terraces. It comes in a variety of colors and shapes, with straight or round edges. Brick and formed blocks will also work. Your garden can be a single tier, or several staggered terraces. If you are looking to build a rooftop garden, ensure that the trusses or roofing substructure will adequately support the weight. If this is not the case, perhaps several very small, scattered gardening spots would be a better choice.

Once you have selected your materials and decided where to locate your rock garden, level the surface. Place your stone or brick border materials around the perimeter. If you will be adding another tier, place the blocks that will support the decorative stone that will be exposed first. Then place your decorative pieces on top of the supporting bricks. Repeat for as many tiers as you will want. Ensure you have left openings for proper drainage. You can use small sections of " PVC pipe between the blocks which will allow water to flow through. Fill the tiers with a potting mixture and add your plant selections, ensuring adequate spacing between each plant. Your rock garden is now complete for everyone to enjoy.

Sturat has got experience in copywriting and article marketing and enjoys writing articles on topics like How to Make a Rock Garden and Build a Rooftop Garden. For more information you can visit us.

Buying A Functional House

A Hammock For Everyone!

Hammocks and Hammock Chairs

Spring is right around the corner, which means landscaping and yard work is right around the corner. For those of us who enjoy the great outdoors we are looking forward to getting out of the house and getting some fresh air. Others are not ready or excited about the spring because it means yard clean up. All of the leftover leaves from the fall, tree branches, and fence poles battered by the winter weather. If you are looking for a way to make all this work worthwhile, hammocks and hammock chairs are the answer.

Hammocks have been around forever and are a symbol of comfort and relaxation. After a hard day of work a nap or daydream is all you can ask for. As with everything in our culture, the technology and design of the traditional hammock continues to evolve. Colorful Hammocks, Exotic Hammocks, Portable Hammocks and Camping Hammocks are just a few of the new designs.

Tired of lying around and looking for a new way to enjoy the cradling design and comfort of the traditional hammock? Hammock Chairs and Hammock Swings might be the product you are looking for! This new design allowed hunters, campers, tailgaters and backyard enthusiast more options for hanging these products.

The innovations of the outdoor furniture and hammock industry faced one challenge, differing uses and outdoor living spaces required different options for hanging these new and unique products. Focus in the industry turned to hammock and hammock chair swing stands. Available in a variety of different sizes and materials and colors, hammock chair stands make it possible to utilize almost any outdoor living space. The trailer hitch stand allows for 2 chairs to be utilized anywhere you can take a vehicle. Suelo and C-Stand Frames are a stylish way to enhance your poolside, deck or patio area. Traditional stands have also evolved into different shapes sizes and colors for more hanging options, including portable frames and stakes that allow the user to hang their hammock using just one tree!

It's time for everyone to enjoy a hammock!

-Mike Case
HangingHammock.com
Hammocks & Hammock Chairs.

Surviving As A Contractor

The Importance of Visiting a Showroom Before Choosing Your Siding

Before purchasing anything for your home it is important to make sure that you know the product that you are purchasing. One of the best ways to do this is to visit a showroom. Most contracting companies, or at least the ones that are worth using, will have a showroom that has displays of the products that it offers to its customers.

A showroom is usually used for the purpose of letting customers find and view exactly what they are in the market for purchasing for their home. It also allows them to look at a variety of different options so that the one that appeals to them most can be purchased for their home.

A showroom can be defined as a space in which products are displayed that are for sale. When speaking it terms of a contracting company, the products that are usually on display are examples of construction options that can be performed on your home. Some of the contracting projects that would be on display are paint jobs, windows, decks and patios, sunrooms and porches, roofing, railings, and of course any type of siding that your home may need.

Many contracting companies that are top of the line will have the biggest selection that homeowners can find, just so that each of their individual needs is met. A showroom that has a large selection of siding will have an extensive collection of fiber cement siding, vinyl siding, wood siding, and any other variety that their customers may need.

The people that work in a contracting showroom will more than likely be contractors themselves, or at least those that have a vast knowledge of what goes into installing the products on a home.
It is a good idea to have an expert contractor in a showroom so that when homeowners/possible customers have questions, the answers to their questions can be answered appropriately.

Choosing the siding, or any other exterior part of your home, can be a tough decision. The more choices that you have and the more of an experienced contracting company that you use, the better chance you have for making a smart, lasting purchase. Using a company that has a showroom that can show you everything they have to offer is a great way to go when making this decision.

Kathleen Whitlow is a copywriter and marketing agent of Preferred Siding. The home siding contractor provides the installation of siding throughout the Northern Virginia area. For more information on their Fiber Cement Siding please visit their website.

Stud Spacing And Wall Framing

Window Screen Repair Video

Great video on how to repair a window screen.

This video was made possible by Greg Vanden Berge who 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.

Lifes Suffering Cycles
Change Can Lead To Suffering

Lawnmower Batteries Need Maintenance Too

Choice of a Battery Operated Lawnmower and Why?

Gasoline operated lawn mowers are disadvantageous while being fuel guzzlers, noise makers and are not environment friendly too. While in the case of an electric operated lawn mower, the long cord is a hindrance and also a safety hazard for the person mowing and his family. Ideal for lawn under 1 acre radius.

Lawnmower batteries and Types

Batteries installed on a lawnmower are generally of the rechargeable type. Work on the principle of electricity storage and chemical generation. These batteries have been in the vogue for quite some time now. While the nickel cadmium batteries although are advantageous of being maintenance free over the lead acid type. Some of the common types are,

1. Lithium and other types: Low storage capacity and expensive, not used in lawnmowers right now due to cost factors.

2. Lead Acid Batteries: Presently used in lawnmowers which are slowly being replaced by the Nickel Cadmium type. Still are being used in cars.

3. Alkaline Batteries: Generally not used for lawnmowers. Used for electric devices of small capacity.

4. Nickel Cadmium Batteries: Practically replacing the lead acid battery in all aspects and low on maintenance.

Batteries in Lawnmowers - Details

While into the discussion of the types of batteries, two types are primarily used, the Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cad) and the Lead acid batteries. Even though a Nickel Cadmium battery does not contain any dangerous chemicals, they have the tendency to explode when disposed in fire. Plus Nickel Cadmium batteries are environment friendly and are also good performers. Whereas, the Lead batteries are dangerous and are known for lead poisoning. Lead batteries have to be recycled and cannot be dumped in a garbage pit. It is for this reason Lead batteries have to be returned back to the dealer.

Lead Acid Batteries - Care

In a battery compartment of a Lead acid, electrolytes are present. The following few guidelines are listed towards good and prolonged life of the battery.

1. Make sure that the hole with plug for addition of water is clear and the passage is not obstructed. This hole facilitates escape of hydrogen.

2. Hydrochloric acid is the main chemical in the battery. Proper care has to be ensured to avoid any leakage or spilling on your clothes and person. In case such an event, great amount of water has to be used to wash it away.

3. Distilled water has to be used to top up the water level. Tap water should be avoided. Water level in the battery should be topped up in such a way that the lead plates are just submerged in the electrolyte. Excess topping to the maximum could lead to the acid being spilled.

Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cad) Batteries - Care

Since we have already discussed that Nickel Cadmium batteries are maintenance free. The singular fact that has to be paid attention is that they are not charged till they are discharged completely. In case of such an event, it would lower the life of the battery. However, you could possibly run the lawnmowers until the batteries are discharged completely and the process of charging could be done. This will definitely increase the life of the battery.

Andrew Caxton enjoys writing about lawnmower batteries for http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com A focused website that offers the best articles on lawnmowers and lawnmower batteries.

What To Do If Your Home Floods

Are Resistance Piers Right For Your Home?

The resistance pier belongs to a family of foundation repair products that are sometimes referred to as micro piles, push piers, or steel piers. These foundation repair products are driven hydraulically into the soil using the structural weight of the building as a reaction force.

A friction reduction collar is attached to the lead section of pier pipe. The purpose of the collar is to create an opening in the soil that has a larger diameter than the pier pipe. This dramatically reduces the skin friction on the pier pipe as it is driven into the soil and allows the installer to load test and verify that the pier encountered firm bearing stratum or rock that is suitable to support the design load.

Resistance piers like other steel piers are an end-bearing pier that does not rely upon nor requires skin friction to produce support. Each pier is field load tested after it is installed. The piers are able to develop a factor of safety because the piers are installed and load tested individually using the maximum weight of the structure as the reaction force. The ability of the system to develop significant factors of safety comes from the different methods used between pier installation and load transfer during restoration.

The piers are driven individually and the entire structure works as the reaction; but during load transfer hydraulic cylinders are placed at multiple locations thus reducing the load on each pier to only the design working load. A building with substantial construction and rigidity can develop greater pier factors of safety than a weaker structure. A quality resistance pier system, incorporating a synchronized lifting system, is the first step towards fixing your structures failing foundation.

About the Author:

Jeff Tully invites you to view his website http://www.myfoundationrepairs.com if you are having any foundation issues including bowing walls, cracks in your foundation or any type of settlement issue. On this website you will find the truth about foundation repair methods and what you should expect. There are many misconceptions about foundation piers or tie backs, get the straight answers here.

This site was designed and built with the homeowner in mind is the only true source for foundation repair and waterproofing information. From determining if you really have a structural issue to hiring an engineer or foundation expert, you will find the answers on my site.

Large Crack In Floor

Home Care Essentials - Functional Tools You Ought to Have For Quick Repairs

A home is a place where you and your family can relax, have a nice picnic, watch TV while lying on a soft couch, and cook different kinds of food in the kitchen. In the proper maintenance of your homes, each part of it, such as the dining room, living room, bathroom, kitchen, bedrooms, comfort room, recreational room, terrace, garage, backyards, lawn, and landscape, needs to be constantly checked for proper maintenance. When we talk about properly keeping our homes clean and orderly, we do not only refer to the upkeep of these rooms, but also to the overall maintenance of essential home appliances, accessories, plants, furniture, as well as the electricity, plumbing and other utilities. For those who have a large house with a lot of home accessories or appliances, they usually hire the services of a technician or contractor to repair any damage or renovate any old portion of the house. To prevent accidents from taking place, or to lessen any unforeseen problems, homeowners need to implement a regular home cleaning routine to best keep the house orderly and well-maintained.

Whenever something breaks or doesn't work well at home, quick and timely repairs are needed. However, nothing can be more exasperating than to look in vain for the right wrench, screwdriver or pliers. Arranging and storing your necessary home repair tools in the right place could be helpful and an effective time saver, especially when something breaks or doesn't operate at all. Usually, most homeowners store their tools and repair kits in the basement, garage or stock room. However, it is recommended that they readily have a handy tool kit in the main drawer or kitchen, to allow for quicker and faster repairs.

For faster and more efficient repair of broken household items and utilities, you'll need to have a drawer in the kitchen, living room or laundry room where you can safely store your tools. Here, you need to have essential equipments in standby, such as a multi-tip screw driver, small flashlight, ruler, adhesives and removers, duct tape, heavy-duty, scissors, assorted clamps, knives, cork screws, various nails and screws, hooks, glue and other essential tools. In properly storing these tools, you may put each in a clear container and assign labels to each for easy identification. It would also be great if you create a list of tools and items that you use regularly, and then divide the drawer, much like an organizer. Old plastic silverware tray could also be used as an elegant tool kit or holder, or an old egg tray may also serve as a receptacle for assorted bolts, screws and nuts.

When you've already organized your home repair tools and listed them accordingly, it's now time to check on the stuff you don't have, and then go to a hardware or home depot outlet to buy these. Once you've already bought the tools you lack, be sure to label each with a permanent marker, or stick a label on each for faster identification. You may also paint each household tool in a different color, so that each family member will be able to identify these through a color-coding system of sorts.

Lastly, you need to keep in mind that a home should be a shelter that protects its residents, keeps them warm during cold weather, allows them to relax and cook their food, and not an environment that endangers them, or makes them sick. A home's proper maintenance is always needed to promote a healthy and livable environment. For those who are experiencing problems with maintaining their homes, there are a number of home maintenance and renovation services available on the Internet, which will offer to give sound repair and remodeling advice, and provide affordable home repair and remodeling services as well.

Jo is an author and publisher for 'EBL Group Limited' (http://www.eblgroup.co.uk), a family run, award winning and expert domestic and commercial builders stationed in Runcorn Cheshire. If you are searching for runcorn builders who are experts in complete building, maintenance and property improvement or have a domestic and buildings improvement and repairs requirement then you should take a look at EBL Group.

Damaged Exterior Drywall

Vessel Sinks Becoming More Innovative

Interests on home remodeling have been largely increasing nowadays. As a result, owners who want to personally design their own bathroom look for newer prototypes of bathroom vessel sinks. People often overlook the need to pick the right vessel sink for their bathrooms. Most people do not know that vessel sinks can be combined with properly chosen faucets to convey a unique design into the bathroom. The wide selection of vessel sink models and distinct faucet designs allows you to use your creativity to pamper your bathroom's over-all look.

Except the commonly used traditional sinks, there are many types of sinks that are released on the market. The material used in making sinks has been improved from the usual porcelain or ceramic vessel sink to a broader selection of materials such as glass, marble, brass, etc. Choosing the right vessel sink is based on your own preference. Recent remodels of the vessel sinks utilize glass as its main material due to its customizable features which may be in variations of colors, textures, and shapes. The glass vessel sinks may be personalized by embossing them with customized designs. Other vessel sinks that you may find on the market are made of metal, marble and other kinds of materials.

Glass sinks using tempered glass are mostly incorporated in newer designs provided for bathrooms. This glass material is subjected into a heating process using a high temperature and then abruptly cooled. The technique is used to strengthen the internal structure of the glass.

The thickness used for above-counter sinks may vary from to inches. These are ideal figures to add strength on the glass used. The glass material can last long if they are carefully maintained. People who are not interested in using glass on their vessel sink may choose from other materials such as china, stone, copper, marble, brass and stainless steel.

The vessel sinks also comes in wide selection of shapes. The shapes of the vessel sinks may vary from different styles such as square, oval, fluted, round, floral and other customized designs. These shapes may be accompanied by a suitable color to compliment with the shade used on your bathroom.

There are points that you should remember in buying the ideal vessel sink. Owners often neglect the appropriate faucets to be installed with the new vessel sinks. The procedure in installing the vessel sinks is included on the aspects to be considered. Please note that wall installations are more difficult compared to the usual installation.

The users of the bathroom should also be considered in remodeling your vessel sink. Counter type vessel sinks may not be reached by small children. So if you want to accommodate the needs of all the members of your family, you may want to reconsider on which type of vessel sink is to be chosen. Other factors to be considered are the vessel sink's width and depth.

The vessel sinks and faucets should also be placed accordingly on bathrooms with installed mirrors or medicine cabinets.

Looking for vessel sinks? Check our complete guide to the best vessel sinks - types, installation tips and where to buy.

Home Filtration of Tap Water and Why You Need It

Home filtration of tap water is a necessary topic to learn about. If you are like I was a few months ago, you may not have given your tap water a second thought. I turned on the faucet and expected clean healthy refreshing drink. Little did I know, I needed a home filtration of tap water in order to assure myself of the healthy drink I expected.

Let me tell you some of the things I learned about the quality of our tap water.

Our H2O contains hundreds, even thousands of toxic chemicals. Our municipal companies are out dated and do not have the right equipment to effectively take out all contaminates in our drinking water.

The chlorine that is used to prevent water borne diseases is a threat to our heath. According to the U. S. Council of Environmental Quality, "Cancer risk among people using chlorinated water is as much as 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine products."

Since chlorine is the cheapest method for our municipalities to protect us against bacteria in our water, they continue to use it. And since they don't use a filtration method to remove the chlorine we need home filtration of tap water to protect us from the dangers of chlorine in our H2O.

Besides chlorine in our tap water, we also need to remove other contaminates like lead, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals drugs and a host of other dangerous chemicals that find their way into our drinking supplies. Anyone who drinks from what comes out of their kitchen faucet, is at risk for many diseases from heart trouble to cancer, even gastrointestinal illnesses, which we chalk up to stomach flu.

I'm sure no one reading this article would considering drinking from their bottle of week killer, but essentially when you turn on your faucet you could be consuming weed killers. Weed killers get into our water system from ground water runoff, and most cities filtering systems do not remove these contaminates before sending out drinking water to our houses.

Since the cities municipalities are not removing all of these dangerous substances it is up to us to protect ourselves by installing a home filtration of tap water to adequately purify what comes out of our faucets.

There are many types of home purification products on the market. They are effective and inexpensive. For the best system on the market the cost to purify a gallon of water is roughly 9 cents. The best system on the market can remove all the dangerous chemicals I've mentioned.

Now that I've explained why our H2O is contaminated hopefully you are ready to go shopping for a home purification system. Look for a system that combine various methods of filtration, so you will be sure the system you get will remove all contaminates from your water. The best system will combine carbon filtration, multi block filtration, sub micron filtration and an ion exchange to give you the best tasting healthiest water you can find.

Don't wait. Shop online today and find the best home filtration of tap water system available.

Juanita Ruby is passionate about health. She knows our bodies contain 70% water, thus the quality of our water greatly affects our health. Visit her website at http://www.your-best-water-site.com/ to discover which Home filtration of tap water system she trusts for her family's health.

Your Home Remodeling Advice Will Be Helpful

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

Green Home Building Books
Home Door Books

Attic Odors and Strange Smells

If you've ever opened up your attic access hole, only to find one of the worst odors you have ever smelled in your whole life, I've been there too. What causes these horrible smells and what can you do about them?

Let's start with the cause of these smells, moisture, dirt, mold, mildew, dead animals, animals that make their home in your attic and the biggest problem of all is normally poor ventilation.

Poor ventilation is the biggest problem with musty smells in the attic. These smells are often caused from moisture accumulating in the building materials over time. If there is enough moisture in the attic, the wood will start to rot but this wouldn't be a normal situation, unless there was a roof or water leak.

Roof leaks can cause a constant supply of water to one part of the attic. This constant supply of water will eventually rot the wood and damage the ceiling. Water leaks from pipes can provide a steady supply of water and the situation can attracts termites and mold. Not a good thing.

One of the worst possible smells or odors in your attic would be a dead animal. Don't under estimate the size of some of these animals, they have found dead raccoons, cats, snakes, large birds, squirrels, rats and mice in some attics. These animals usually enter through damaged access holes or vent blocks, roof vents, large gaps, holes and even fireplace chimneys.

Once these animals die, their bodies start to decompose and produce one horrible odor. Once the body is completely decomposed, the smell usually goes away if the attic is ventilated properly. These smells can seep into the homes living area, often creating a room that no one wants to enter.

Home peststhat make their home in your attics, often create smells from urinating and defecating in the areas around their nest. Large birds like owls can become a problem over time.

Now that we've figured out some of the causes for attic odors and strange smells, what can we do to prevent this from happening and if it's already happened, how can we get rid of the smell.

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 having problems in your attic, find out more at pest control books and home building ideas.

Toilet Paper Under The Bathroom

Brutally Refined

I have been making sculptures ever since I was a little kid. I find that the three dimensional aspects of a sculpture are much easier for me to grasp than the flat world of the drawing or painting. I really admire people who have that talent.

At this time I have found that the logging industry has become one of my best sources for wood. They leave behind stumps and knarled wood that is useless for lumber. Well one mans junk is another mans treasure, and so is the case of the discarded wood. I find the wood no one wants to have unbelievably beautiful grain patterns, that explode with radiance once finished. It is also in these rejects I find the wood demanding to be a certain thing.

I never rush a project, especially if the piece of wood is really interesting. I have had unique pieces of wood lie around for years before I ever touch them. Then one day it will come to me and I see what is inside. It is like looking at one of those magic eye pictures with the hidden images. Once I know what is in the wood, I am compelled to release it as soon as I possibly can. I will usually sink my saw into it the very same day that I perceive the image.

The first cuts are always the most important and must be well thought out, especially if there are large relieved areas. The saws I use at this stage are a Husquavarna 372 with a 32 inch bar and my trusty Echo 346 with a 16 inch bar. Wings, legs, and fins should be left with a generous amount of extra wood for the detail carving. Plunge cuts must be the most accurate of all because once they are made the option of shrinking the shape in any way is lost.

After this series of rough cuts the piece should have a blocky appearance of the end product. Sharpening the chain for different types of wood is an art unto itself, and a necessary thing to learn to perform the best of work. I will write more on that in a later article. The second series of cuts really is where you bring out the subject to a refined rough form. I will usually use a smaller saw like an Echo 346 with a 16 inch bar for this phase.

Do not worry about detail at this point , but leave plenty of wood to create it. I will take this step as close to the finish as I possibly can.

The third and final round of chainsaw cuts are all done with a small saw with a carving bar. The Echo 346 with a 12 inch dime tip is ideal. This is where all of the detail is brought to life. After this series of cuts are accomplished some touch up with a die grinder finishes the carving part of the job.

Remember you are seeking the illusion of detail. No wood project, even a chainsaw carving is finished without some sanding. I use a combination of sanders to finish the job. Great care should be taken at this point for you are your own quality control. Removing burrs, roughness, and splinters might save your customer a nasty splinter or abrasion, besides they finish better when cleaned up in this way. There are a myriad of finishes out there for your finished project. I will cover those in another article dedicated to that step entirely. In closing remember art is the illusion of detail, especially a chainsaw carving.

Chainsaws are extremely dangerous when using the tip like you will when carving. You will need to bond with your saw and understand how and why it kicks back, once you do it will do what you want as long as you out smart it.

Can You Help Us with Your Remodeling Experience

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

Energy Saving Books

Turning Your Home Green

In recent years we can see more and more people switching to buying green homes. This is either because they are getting concern about the environment or that the standards and techniques for building green houses have improved tremendously over the past years. In addition, sellers can also get a higher price for these green homes as they tend to save more on maintenance costs and utility bills. As such, if you are keen in purchasing a green home in Texas, how do you know that it is worth the price that you are paying for the house? This article will give you some tips on how you can get yourself a good deal. Check to see if the following things are found in the house:

1. A passive solar design

This is useful for natural heating and cooling of the house. Make sure there are not any skylights or greenhouse rooms in the house because that would mean too much heat gain in the building and will be very hot.

2. Attic spaces ventilation

Attic spaces can also accumulate heat, especially in hot climates, thereby causing the house to become very hot. On the other hand, moisture will remain in these attic spaces which are not ventilated, causing the wood to rot and smell.

3. Use of recycled or renewable materials

Since you are getting a green home, you should ensure that the materials used to build the house are not damaging to the environment. Some examples are using waste wood to build decks, use materials that are locally produced and can be renewed easily or recycled wood for the flooring of the house.

4. Use of safe materials

Products that are water based, non-toxic and biodegradable are more environmentally friendly so these should be used to build the house. Ensure that there are no materials that contain ozone depleting chemicals which are detrimental to the environment.

5. Site protection

The surroundings of the house is equally important, thus, ensure that the natural vegetation and animal habitats are protected from any unnecessary harm, especially if you need to do any additional constructions to the estate.

Search Texas Home Builders and Green Home Builders today.

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Notes on Building a Home on the Coast

For many people, the ideal place to live is in a home within a short drive to the beach. Coastal living provides for panoramic views of sea and land, fabulous sunrises and sunsets, and usually, a laid back lifestyle. A home on or near the beach might be a primary residence, or weekend getaway, or even a seasonal residence.

Everyone who considers building a new home in a coastal community expects that this major investment will last a lifetime, and that it will stand up to the elements and the aging process for generations to come. Coastal living presents certain challenges not present in inland communities. If you are considering building a new home, be sure to hire a builder experienced and qualified in the intricacies of coastal construction. Here are a few points to consider.

* A qualified builder, experienced in coastal conditions, selects construction materials that resist damage caused by water, flooding, high winds, corrosion, humidity and decay. He will study the site to determine its susceptibility to these elements and design a sturdy home that will withstand storms, hurricanes, floods and insect damage.

* Your builder will choose concrete mixtures that are specially blended to be able to withstand water damage.

* Wherever necessary pressure treated lumber is used in coastal home construction, as well as naturally strong woods such as cedar and redwood which are considered to be highly durable and flood resistant. Chemically treated lumber also helps prevent termite damage.

* Your builder will consider wind resistance as a factor when installing shingles, vinyl siding, glazing and framing.

* Homes built in coastal zones must be able to resist corrosion and moisture damage. It is important that your new home's hardware be resistant to this type of damage and your builder can recommend stainless steel and epoxy coated metals.

* Protective wood finishes are important for moisture resistance. Furthermore your builder will use construction techniques that assure that the wood elements do not come in contact with standing water.

* Interior flooring materials must be strong and moisture proof and your builder can guide you in your choices. Most frequently tile, marble and other stone products are the materials of choice and will resist moisture absorption and warping from excess humidity.

Enjoy your coastal home!

If you want a great Myrtle Beach Home Builders come and visit us at ameribuilt-homes.com

Good Orange County Contractors

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

Masonry Books

Porch Screens Keep the Bugs Away

When you have an open porch you do need to look at installing porch screens to allow you to fully enjoying sitting outside. A screened porch will give you comfort from annoying pests and eliminate the need for having candles lit to keep away the mosquitoes. The heat of the sun can also take away the relaxing experience of sitting outside during the hot summer months. The addition of screens will also add to the look and feel of your home.

The screens can be purchased separately so you don't need to make any major renovations to your existing porch. They are very easy to install and if you wish you can remove them in the fall and store them for the winter months. There are two basic varieties of screens you can use - ones with fine mesh to keep the bugs out and ones that will keep bigger creatures out.

Insect screens have a small number of meshes per square inch, and can be made of wire or fibreglass. You can also have screens made from aluminum or galvanized steel, but these tend to be somewhat problematic. The coating on galvanized mesh will wear off causing it to rust. This means you will have to replace the screen. Aluminum mesh screens are not recommended for porches on houses in coastal areas.

Pet-resistant screens are made from vinyl coated polyester. They are designed to keep pets off the front porch, especially when you have guests. If you want a screen that will give you protection from the wind and rain, these are available as well. These screens are the perfect choice if you want protection from UV rays when you are sitting outside.

Screens make the perfect addition to an open porch. In times when there are not many insects and bugs around, you can open the screens partially or fully. Because the mesh is open, you will enjoy the gentle summer breezes through them, whether you have them open or closed.

For more information on porches, porch furniture and related topics, visit AboutPorches.com

Z Bar Backing From 1 X 4

Remodeling Your Home 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

Drywall Books

Bathtub DIY Repair

Repairs in your house are always likely going to cost quite a bit of money.There are many ways to cut down on these repair costs by doing some house repairs yourself.One repair which you should consider doing yourself is a bathtub repair. Fix it up a little and save yourself some money.

Bathtubs get a little discoloration here and there. There can be a few minor cracks. If the repair is minimal apply some of the DIY tips below. It is all about re-evaluating a little and choosing the cheaper option to save some money for a rainy day.

For the repair of impact damage and flaking on bathtubs with enamel, ceramic (porcelain) and acrylic surfaces.For this job you would need a repair paste suitable for porcelain, enamel and acrylic.a non yellowing repair spray(make sure about the non yellowing factor with the salesperson at your hardware store),some special sandpaper with minimal rub off on ceramic and enamelled surfaces and a wet/dry sandpaper for acrylic and fiberglass surfaces.

The area to be repaired must be clean, dry and free from oil or grease. Mix the filler and hardener well, then smooth the filler into the damaged area with a spatula. After 30 minutes, use the sandpaper to give an even smooth finish and wipe the area clean.

With minor defects use a touch up stick. Minor defects can be corrected quickly and economically. Make sure that the touch up stick is designed for ceramic, enamel, acrylic, powder coated and lacquered surfaces. A touch-up stick is a filling compound and final coat all in one. Therefore it is ideal for repairing impact damages, scratches and lacquer flaws on sanitary fixtures, tiles, fittings, heaters, kitchen sinks, ovens, washing machines, refrigerators and furniture.

Use a bath rubber to eliminate problems such as paint marks, adhesive residue, metal abrasions and tough stains on bathtub.This will enable you to thoroughly remove deposits without scratching enamel or ceramic surfaces.

Bear in mind that it is better to keep the repairs at a minimum so you can avoid paying for professional help and spending more money.This will buy you some time before you can make the final decision about whether you need to do a complete revamp of your bathroom by buying complete new hardware.

I am a proud homeowner who has done extensive remodelling on my home for the past 5 years.I initially bought a very small house and through the years have extended and remodelled. Speaking for all the DIY enthusiasts out there we all agree that remodelling your home is never a project that can ever be completed.By the time you have done your entire home, design trends have changed and it is time to start over again.For more tips and ideas on being proud of your home visit me at http://homeproud.blogspot.com

Peeling Paint On Interior Wall

Precast Concrete 101 - Home Remodeling

Unless you are a precast concrete manufacturer, you probably don't fully understand the difference between using concrete over other building mediums. Concrete is perfect for structural building because of its efficiency, strength, durability and resistance to the elements.

Since the days of ancient Roman builders, concrete has been used for basic structures. The Romans used concrete to build their complex infrastructure of tunnels, aqueducts and culverts. Today concrete is used for building foundations, storm and sanitary sewers, septic tanks, electrical and communications vaults and for a variety of other purposes.

Precast concrete refers to a construction process where contracts is cast in a reusable mold or form. The concrete is them cured in a controlled environment so it can be transported to the construction site and lifted to its ultimate destination. The process differs from using standard concrete, which is poured and cured on site.

Many different forms exist for precast construction based in different architectural applications. Concrete is the perfect material for safety, health and even protecting the environment. For this reason, more San Jose precast concrete contractors are using this material for projects of all sizes and functions.

Concrete is structurally sound and actually gets stronger over time, rather than deteriorating like many other building materials. The serviceable life of concrete can last up to 100 years or longer. Concrete is even resilient and durable enough to use for highway barriers.

Another benefit of concrete is its resistance to the elements. It is noncombustible and does not quickly lose its structural integrity under high temperatures. Concrete also withstands corrosive agents and chemicals. The UV rays from sunlight will not degrade the composition of concrete. From the hottest summer days to the coldest winter freeze, concrete stands up to all weather conditions.

Because precast concrete is already cured, construction is not as dependent upon the weather conditions. It takes less time to install so contractors find it easier to stay on schedule. This type of concrete can also be installed on demand.

Precast concrete is easily used for large projects because of its modular nature. All kinds of systems and structures are put together with ease. The products arrive at the job site ready to install. Its availability ensures a ready supply and fair pricing so the construction project is completed more efficiently.

Structures made from concrete are also watertight and airtight. High quality sealants are used along with seamless construction patterns so water and other airborne elements will not compromise a concrete structure.

Whether you're a homeowner or a large corporate mogul, concrete buildings and structures offer superior security and durability at an affordable price. With a variety of aesthetic options, concrete is the most versatile, reliable building medium around.

If you want to learn more about precast concrete visit a leading precast concrete manufacturer website to find out more. JensenPrecast.com is a leader in the San Jose precast concrete industry offering a wide variety of solutions for infrastructure projects of all kinds

ADA Compliant Commercial Elevators

Commercial elevators that have the features and safety standards specified by Americans with Disability Act (ADA) are referred to as ADA compliant commercial elevators. The law is enforced by the United States Department of Justice and defines the codes and specifications for all types of commercial elevators including stair lifts. This law was created for the comfort of physically disabled people and is mandatory for all types of commercial buildings. Most elevator manufacturers have now revised their elevator specifications to meet the standards of ADA.

Standard Features Required by ADA

ADA compliant elevators need to be automatic and the elevator car should have self-leveling features. For hall call buttons certain standards are specified; all lanterns, raised and Braille characters should be provided for the convenience of blind people. Reopening and door protection devices, door and signal timing for hall calls, floor plan of elevator calls, switch control for lights, indicator to know the position of the car, door delay for car calls, provision for communication during emergency are some other standards. In addition to that elevators should be on an accessible route and follow 4.10 and the ASME A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators.

Exemptions in the ADA Standard

As per the act, elevator exemption is given for buildings having less than 3 stories, or those having less than 3000 square feet per storey. However, for such business buildings, installing low cost elevators will be a great service they can provide for their customers.

Best Companion for Your Clients

As ADA compliant commercial elevators are provided with all required features and safety measures, they are ideal for regular day to day use. These elevators are affordable for small and medium enterprises including schools, lodges, hospitals and other commercial buildings.

Established companies including Savaria Concord, ThyssenKrupp Access and Federal Elevator provide different models of ADA compliant commercial elevators. These dealers provide all assistance for quality installation and maintenance of the elevators. On analyzing the features of ADA compliant commercial elevators, it is evident that they are the best suited models for modern commercial needs.

DAY Elevator & Lift is a leading supplier of ADA compliant commercial elevators manufactured by top companies. Commercial LULA elevators, or Limited Use Limited Access elevators, are of great utility value in commercial facilities where there is no existing vertical transportation.

Folding Shutters - Find Out the Truth About Them

Folding Shutters are one option among the many different choices you can make to protect your home from hurricanes. They are similar to roll-down models in that they can be rolled out by the sides to cover the shutters. They can be an effective choice for home protection. Here, we take a look at some the specifics about them:

1. Offer a good compromise of protection and aesthetics.

Folding Shutters offer a durable amount of hurricane and debris protection. Although they are not perhaps as good against hurricane damages as storm panels, they do offer an upgrade in aesthetics. They can often neatly be moved to the sides of the windows or doorways after the storm allowing you to keep them up year round. They tend to be very discreet as well depending on the model chosen which helps keep them from detracting from the beauty of your home.

2. Easy to install although can have maintenance issues.

The good news about theses types are that once they are installed, you are ready to go. Since you do not take them down, your work is only to open and close them when you need them. This process is much easier compared to storm panels or using plywood. However, over time, some models can have difficulty with the rolling system requiring some maintenance work. For this reason, some consideration should be given to how willing you are to put up with some maintenance work every few years.

3. Moderately priced for their value and benefits.

These are priced within the middle of the range of storm panels on one end and impact windows on the other. This makes them an attractive alternative for those who want improved beauty and convenience, but are unwilling to buy more expensive models.

Folding Shutters offer a number of advantages to homeowners concerned about hurricane protection. Although they are not the most sought after of the options, they certainly can be helpful to many families who are looking for a good compromise of options.

For more information on the Storm Shutters. Also, try visiting http://www.storm-shutters.net to get some solid tips on different hurricane shutters and impact windows.

House Painting Books

Tips to Building a List - Build a Email List For Easy Online Money Making

You can easily make money online if you use a customized email list that is built specifically for that purpose. An email list is a large body of names and email addresses that you collect from a website "squeeze page" or by using social networking techniques. Software, such as autoresponders can also be used to manage your email list without getting stuck in spam filters or junk folders. Once your list members start trusting you, they will more easily buy from you.

In order to get someone's free email id, you need to give something to them too. Many a times in order to persuade people to do so, you will have to offer them a free ebook or provide free educational training via email. The condition for getting the book should be that they would need to provide their own email address.

In order to make all the members of your list stay interested in your e mails, you will have to ensure that you send them mails which they are interested in. Over a period of time you can send a few promotional mails to them too. But in order to continue their interest in your mails, it is important that you regularly send good quality non promotional mails to them.

After a time, when you have established a rapport with you mailing list and they open your mails with the expectation of useful information, then you can sneak a few promotional mails to them too. The best things about these lists is that, if you create your own content, they cost nothing to maintain. A simple note once or twice a week about the field of your sale and in which the general public will be interested will guarantee long term readership. You can add all these addresses in an autoresponder so that you won't have to even create the mail every week. There is a lot of profit and potential in such mailing lists.

Guarantees Your Success Today Let me do the marketing for you while you sit back and collect checks. Totally automated home Based business.

Plaster And Drywall Cracks

The Benefits of Using a Link Building Service

If you are new to the world of owning a website, there are so many things that you need to know. It is not as simple as buying a domain and either selling products, offering a service or passing along information. There is much more to it, especially if you are trying to make money from your site. You have to make sure that the content on your site is 100% original; if it is duplicated the search engines may not give you any traffic.

The goal of owning most websites is to make money but in order to make money you will need a boost from the search engines. If Google or Yahoo! doesn't think that your site is worth anything you won't get any search engine traffic. The more traffic you have the better you will do. You can try to structure or design your site where the user will find it easy to navigate and they must find something useful there so they will stay on your site for a while.

But you still have to get traffic to your site and one way to do that is by using a link building service. When choosing a service company to help you boost your traffic, you should ask to see some proof that they have helped other websites in the past. There are too many companies out there that are just looking to take your money.

Once you have chosen a link building service, you should expect to see more targeted traffic to your site, a higher ranking in the search engines and if you have a product site or a service site you will want to see more business. Remember that this will not happen overnight and it may take some time. But you should see some progress in a few weeks.

Some link building services in the United Kingdom offer some great services there are a few companies that stand by their policy of no link exchanges, no link farms, no 3 way links and no links on free for all pages. They do offer anchor text that is important and necessary to your site. They promise deep links and permanent links.

You have to be very careful when you use link building to increase your traffic, you have to use White Hat methods in order not to get penalized from the search engines. Use simple methods and don't try to be too obvious, without the search engines you can't expect to make any money on the Internet. If you are trying link building on your own, try to incorporate links into the content you have on your site. It is fine as long as you do it in the right fashion, you want to keep low key and not in your face.

Natali Leeds provides how-to advice on small business and home-based work issues. He helps small businesses reach their fullest potential. His recommendation for to-day is to visit link building and company formation UK

Wood Flooring Problems In Bath

Building Links Through Network Marketing

Friends, and friends of friends have been long time ways to building a business and generating revenue. Because this is such an effective way of doing business it is no wonder that it has bubbled over to the internet marketing world as well. Today there are very technical ways to build networks throughout many different groups, organizations and across the world. There are very little restrictions and these individuals can group and help each other sell products, generate revenue by simply joining forces.

Network marketing in the online world allows for websites to join together and promote one another's sites. In most cases these sites are not in direct completion, but rather a complimenting site that individuals generally associate together. Because most of these businesses already have a website in place it is easy to place the appropriate network marketing banners, links or other advertisements. This is a positive relationship for both the site owner and those looking for advertising. In most cases with network marketing the person listing the advertising gets a percentage or set amount for every person sent to the site. It may be a payment for each and every click or only when a purchase is made. Either way this is a very lucrative money making opportunity.

There are only so many friends and family members making it important to introduce network marketing to a business on a much larger scale. This can create great traffic patterns and also increase revenue greatly! Take the time to network, it will increase the profit level and also your favor database!

Would you like to know more about the magical marketing techniques that have helped me to quit my day job? I have just completed my new ebook.

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Would you like to know more about the magical marketing techniques that have helped me to quit my day job? I have just completed my new ebook.

Mark Abrahams is a full time internet marketer who has helped others to earn a living online.

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Checking the Building For Square

The most important thing when building a home is the ability to keep everything as square, plumb and level as possible. Starting with the foundation, if the foundation is not square or level, the rest of the house is going to be out of alignment.

You've probably heard the saying, start with a good foundation. This applies to the building industry as well. There are quite a few ways to build a square foundation, it all depends on what kind of tools you have, to build it with.

Some of these tools can be quite expensive but it used every day can save you a lot of time and of course time is money.

You don't need expensive tools to build a square foundation. You could actually build a square foundation with less than $100 worth of tools. It might take you a little longer but could be done.

Let's start with the 3 - 4 - 5 rule.

Okay lets see if I can explain this in layman's terms. If no West side of the foundation is 3 foot and the north side of the foundation is for foot, then the diagonal measurement from the southwest corner to the northeast corner would be 5 foot. Out of square building can create foundation problems

This can also be done using 30' x 40' should equal 50 foot. You can use this if the building is large and you need to check it for square.

By measuring the foundation diagonally from each corner, the measurement should be exactly the same. If it isn't, the building is out of square and should be adjusted before the concrete is poured. This measurement should always be checked before you get too far along in the form building process.

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 having problems in your attic, find out more at concrete contractor basics and home building ideas.

Bathroom Mirrors - How to Determine If Its the Right One For You

A properly-planned bathroom mirror purchase ensures two things -- you get a nice addition to your bathroom to cater all your aesthetic needs and to give the room a new look that will improve its overall ambience. But there are hundreds of bathroom mirror designs in the market, so how can you find one that fits your style?

Use Of Bathroom Mirrors

A lot of homeowners today have taken a liking in installing mirrors in different areas of their homes -- especially in the bathroom. To put it simply, a mirror in the bathroom is a necessity; a place where we can check out our outfit whether it looks good on us or not, perfect for daddy and junior for an early morning shave or for mother and sisters to put their make-up on before going out into the world.

But aside from assisting us in our daily routine, bathroom mirrors can also be used to improve the design of our bathroom. The designs available in the market today ensure that it will compliment the theme of the room -- whether it's vintage, modern, or contemporary. They can also be used to improve the lighting in the bathroom -- no need to install new fixtures just to give you the light you want. It can reflect light from a single source to give your bathroom a bright and cheery atmosphere.

You can have all these with a bathroom mirror, but you need to pick one out first that fits perfectly with your taste and requirement. Here are some tips to help you out.

Tip # 1: Size

While checking out the bathroom mirror selections in the market today, you might want to consider its size whether it will compliment the floor area of the room. Avoid buying large-sized bathroom mirror for a small home -- it would only be an inconvenience than an advantage.

Tip # 2: Design

Make sure that the design of your bathroom mirror fits perfectly with the theme of the room. Avoid mixing up themes if you don't want your bathroom to have that slapdash look. It would only become an eyesore. If you have a modern bathroom -- go for a modern bathroom mirror design. Vintage should go with its same category as well. Transitional bathroom mirrors are perfect for both, but you have to pick the style carefully to make it work.

Tip # 3: Price

Bathroom mirrors are cheap compared to remodeling the room from scratch to give it a new look. But you might want to curb your shopping spree if you want to get good savings in the project. Compare them out first before purchase. Include the factors above in your comparison before looking at the price. Never compromise the look and quality of the mirror by getting the cheapest ones in the market -- even though it wouldn't look good in your bathroom.

http://mhnshopping.com/ -- Bathroom Mirror

Vanessa A. Doctor from Jump2Top - SEO Company

The Essentials of Kitchen Remodeling

The kitchen has eventually dethroned the living room as the heart of any home for a good reason. Other than its essential functions which mainly involve cooking, food preparation and eating, its uses have evolved into much, much more. Today, the modern kitchen is the place where families gather, guests are entertained, and kids do their homework, along with a whole lot of extras. This makes kitchen remodeling a must to bring about the most appealing and functional result for a good boost in your home's value and your quality of living.

In New York and other big cities, the hectic living soon causes people to crave for some splash of change, especially in their homes which ought to be where comfort soothes stress away. Being the most frequented area, any kitchen remodeling changes made would surely create an impact to the household. When kitchen remodeling, there are key essential points to focus on to achieve success.

Kitchen Cabinets

The cabinetry is considered as the building blocks as well as the visual focal point of the kitchen. In your kitchen remodeling project, you can either choose to reface or totally replace your kitchen cabinets. Your choice of material will not only affect how luxurious the cabinets would look but the length working years as well. The design should also be done in such a way that storage is maximized to avoid clutter in the area.

Countertops

Stone countertops, especially granite, are now in demand. This may come in natural stone form or engineered. But either way, these options can create the most beautiful and durable options. When thinking about replacing countertops, you might as well shop for a matching sink.

Flooring

The heavy-duty use of the kitchen flooring asks for a flooring type to withstand all the scratches, stains, spills and traffic. The options for your kitchen remodeling from which to choose from are many with hardwood, ceramic tiles, laminate, and vinyl; as the more popular choices. Recently, the 'Green Movement' which has taken not only New York but the whole country as well by storm has made famous alternatives of bamboo, linoleum, and even cork.

Lighting

Because of the many important purposes that the kitchen serves, lighting is a very important element in your kitchen remodeling project that you need to use optimally. Lighting fixtures should be present in key areas, wherever specific tasks are done. Your choice of lighting can bring out not only efficiency in the tasks at hand but the drama in the kitchen as well.

Certain kitchen remodeling trends are popular as of the moment. One benefit of going with the trend is that pricing of even the most expensive materials or features will fall due to the high demand and growing number of businesses catering to them. So in choosing your designs, you can either go for timeless ones or a trend that will stay for a while. But whatever idea you have in mind, just make sure that both aesthetic appeal and functionality is implemented. And always remember, craftsmanship and product selection are keys to your project success.

Eugene Makeev of Craftsmen Network has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common Kitchens Brooklyn, NY pitfalls by matching their needs with prescreened kitchen remodel contractors. Feel free to use our kitchen estimate calculator.

Does Home Improvement Still Make Sense In A Housing Slump?

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

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

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

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

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

Avoid Style Makeovers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keep in Step with Your Neighborhood

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

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

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

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

Invest in Home Maintenance.

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

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

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

The Bottom Line:

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

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

Sauna Or Steam Bath Which Is Healthier?

A Sauna is a Finnish hot air bath. The word sauna is derived from the Finnish word for dry heat bath. The terms steam bath, steam shower and steam sauna often get confused with one another, yet they do not mean the same thing. The first difference begins with how they are heated.

The traditional sauna uses electric, wood or gas-fired heaters. The second type of sauna is the infrared sauna. The infrared sauna uses radiant heat which heats the occupants rather than the air. In the traditional sauna the air is heated but it is a dry heat. This is why the sauna is also called a dry hot-air bath.

In a steam bath it is moist heat. The steam bath uses a steam generator. The sauna has very low humidity, whereas the steam bath has high humidity. In a steam bath the steam builds up to create a humidity level of around 100%. Because of the humidity factor the heat in the sauna is far higher than that of the steam bath. The difference in temperature can be anywhere from 40C to 60C.

The health benefits of either depend upon what you want. Both steam baths and sauna are good to unwind and relax. They both help to cleanse by sweating. They are both good for blood circulation.

The dry heat of the sauna can make it uncomfortable for some people to breathe. Those with respiratory problems may prefer the moist heat of the steam bath. The inhalation of steam is often used for treating bronchitis and allergies. Therefore those who wish to treat respiratory problems will benefit more from steam baths.

A sauna detoxifies but it also refreshes and revitalizes your body. In general saunas are easier to build and require less material and labor than a steam bath. Both can be affordable and may add monetary value to your home.

Paul Hegarty is the owner of All-About-Saunas.com your guide to Saunas.

Learn more about the difference between Steam Bath or Sauna. Read more about the infrared sauna.

Corner Ceiling Water Damage

Plans For Room Additions to Homes - Home Tips

In today's financial marketplace, many growing families need additional space to accommodate their growing families, but they cannot afford to purchase new homes right now. Many people find a way around this by adding on to their existing homes using plans for room additions to homes. These plans make additional living space available.

Planning the Room Addition
Planning an addition to a home can be a challenge for many homeowners. Homeowners must be concerned about the layout of their current homes when deciding where to add additional space. The specific layout of a house will be a determining factor as to where the room addition can be added. Homeowners must be concerned about square footage as well. Each homeowner is in a unique situation regarding adding space to an existing home and must determine how much square footage needs to be added to the home to get the best use out of the additional space.

The Purpose of the Room Addition
The purpose of the room addition will also determine what type of plans for room additions to homes is needed. Some families need a bedroom addition due to a growing family. Other families need space for the family to convene together so a family room addition is necessary. Many families just need additional storage space. One of the most popular room additions right now is the additional bathroom for ever-expanding families.

Finding Plans for Room Additions
Finding plans for room additions to meet a family's specific needs can be overwhelming. However, many different places offer resources for building plans for additional rooms. Do it yourself stores or home improvement stores often have books available for purchase that contain building plans for people who need to add additional rooms to their homes. The Internet can be a valuable resource when trying to find plans for room additions to homes. Anyone can search through thousands and thousands of plans for additional rooms.

Putting the Plan into Action
Once the perfect room addition plan has been found, it is time to put the plan into action. Some homeowners choose to build the room addition themselves while others choose to hire contractors to complete the job for them. Just as each homeowner's needs vary as to the room design, each homeowner will have to decide the best course of action for completing the addition based on the individual job.

Once homeowners establish the purpose of the room addition, finding a plan to suit that need is easier to accomplish. Once the right plan is found, all it takes is putting the plan into action. Once building begins, the room addition will not take long to complete. Homeowners and their families will be enjoying the additional room and the space it provides for years to come.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author

To learn more about room additions to homes, please visit New Room Additions for current articles and discussions

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Log Homes As Eco-Friendly Homes

While a log home may not be the first type of home you think of when you think of a green home, the fact is log homes are naturally more eco-friendly than traditionally built homes.

The Logs and Wood

The first consideration for any log home to be eco-friendly is the logs that are used. The main factor for logs to be considered eco-friendly is that the logs should be from a sustainable source. Sustainable sources would include reclaimed wood from other homes and buildings that have been demolished or remodeled, logs that come from a tree farm or other managed forest, logs from burnt out or diseased trees and wood reclaimed from rivers such as old pilings and piers. These types of wood are excellent choices to use in building a log home. The idea is to make sure that your source of logs is sustainable and definitely not from old growth forests or sensitive forest lands.

Size and Layout

Another consideration is the size and layout of a log home. The larger the home, the more logs and materials that will be required. In addition, the layout is crucial to a log home's eco-friendliness. The layout should minimize energy usage for heating and cooling, maximize outdoor sources of light with strategic placement of windows and maximize the sun's rays at different times of the day. The layout and placement of the home should also be in harmony with the existing land and environment.

Building Materials

Other than the logs, the other materials used in a log home are also essential to the eco-friendliness of the space. Carpets, fixtures, flooring, cabinets, appliances, windows, every aspect is important to making a log home green. Some materials, such as carpeting, can give off what are called VOC's or Volatile Organic Compounds when they are installed. These compounds are from the manufacturing of the product and the use of various solvents and glues in the process. These compounds take time to dissipate and can be harmful to chemically sensitive people. This is why the selection of the materials for the home is so important. Nearly every element of a log home can be eco-friendly, you just need to opt for the more organic and eco-friendly choices available.

Energy and Electricity

Like other homes, a log home can be powered by alternative energies that can either comprise the entire energy system of the home or act as an adjunct to a traditional power supply. Solar panels are a popular accessory for log homes, especially those in an area with excellent sun exposure.

When taking these aspects into account, a log home can be one of the most environmentally sound choices when building a new home.

Log Home Exchange is your source for log homes for sale and log cabins for sale in the US and Canada. Visit us at: http://www.loghomeexchange.com/

Window Flashing Under Window

Basement Bathroom Remodeling Improves Your Home's Value!

Did you know that there's a relatively simple, not terribly expensive way to increase the value of your home without expanding the exterior footprint? You can get more livable space and more equity, simply by finishing your basement. This is much less intensive than many other home improvement project, and homeowners who decide to do a basement finishing project get as much as eighty-five percent of their investment back in many cases. One important element to any finished basement is the bathroom. Basement bathroom remodeling projects are excellent for just about any home and just about any family. If you're living in an older single family residence with just one bathroom, adding another one is one of the best choices you can make.

People love the space and comfort that a finished basement has to offer. Any basement can become a rec room, entertainment room, extra or guest bedroom, library, office, and even your own personal fitness center. You just have to decide how your finished basement will best benefit. Remember to plan with care, and don't forget to include a basement bathroom remodeling project along with your other remodeling plans. No one wants to have to run up and down stairs whenever they need to use the bathroom, especially if there's something going on in the basement. Making your basement bathroom friendly, usable and accessible is important and will increase convenience while adding value.

It's not as hard as you think to add an extra room to your basement. You can even do it yourself if you happen to have the required experience and knowledge. If you know how to do part of the work, but aren't trained as an electrician or plumber, that doesn't mean your basement bathroom remodeling ideas have to fall by the wayside, either. Just contact a professional, talk to him or her about your plans, and have only the work you don't know how to do done by a pro. Remember that in some areas, local codes may require you to have your work signed off on by professionals, or even to have the major work done by someone else. It's important to know as much as you can about code in your area before you even begin to plan. That'll help you avoid legal entanglements later.

Some of the things you'll need to do for any basement bathroom remodeling project include using water resistant paints and materials, making sure the flooring is something that won't attract moisture, mold, and mildew, and being certain you're doing the plumbing and drains correctly. Installing a bathroom in a basement that's located below the drains can be tricky, often requiring use of special fixtures or additional mechanisms. This doesn't have to cost a lot, but you should know what you need well in advance. That way, you won't find yourself wasting time or money by using a solution that won't work for your situation.

A basement bathroom remodeling project should be part of any finished basement. It'll make using the finished space much more pleasant, and it'll add even more to your home's value. Since this is one of the least expensive renovations you can do in your home, there's no reason not to take on a well planned basement bathroom project. It could really make a big difference in your home.

Thomas Johnsen is the Author and Leading Expert on Basement Bathroom Remodel and the creator of the publication Basement Bathroom Remodeling. Visit the site now to find the easy-to-understand step-by-step guides on basement bathroom construction available online today.

Plywood Backing On Wall Inshower

Budget Bathroom Remodeling

New York has been dubbed 'The City that Never Sleeps' for a good reason and that is the never ceasing hustle and bustle of traffic and even people. This gives us a very good idea on how stressful living in NYC could be. What better way to avoid and fight off stress than starting off and ending your day in the utter comforts of your very own bathrooms? When thinking of just any home improvement project, a thought that often makes homeowners cringe is the cost. But you can be able to spruce things up with the least cost through budget bathroom remodeling.

One of the best budget bathroom remodeling ideas that you could ever put into work would be having a qualified and skilled New York contractor do the job for you. When considering the money to be spent, do not just think about the present costs. With professional help, you would be able to avoid the risk of having to re-do the job in case you committed some mistake while undertaking it. Another benefit which would considerably save you more in the long-run would be lesser trouble and costs in maintenance.

When bathroom remodeling on a budget, you should prioritize minor renovation works. To help you out, here are several ideas that you can use to considerably change the look of your bathroom with less the cost:

. Lighting. To set the mood and add more spark of interest, lighting is another budget bathroom remodeling project to undertake. You can start off with replacing light fixtures that can offer brighter illumination and add more to areas which may lack some light. To maximize the results, you can have mirrors strategically installed on the walls or ceiling..

. The walls are among the major contributor to the ambiance of any room as wells as the first to get noticed. With this area, you can choose to have them freshly painted or wallpapered depending on your personal preference and style.

Painting is a great budget bathroom remodeling project to invest in as it is not only cheap but quick as well. When choosing a color, it is recommended to go for light hues, especially if you also have issues with space as this can help brighten up the place and make it seem more spacious. Other than the color, other important considerations would be the product to use as well as the finish. An eggshell finish helps the walls resist moisture and makes it easier to clean.

Wallpaper is another creative way to spruce up your bathroom which offers more flexibility in terms of accents and designs. While selecting, make sure that the style complements the toilet, tub and sink. Another important thing to take not of is the wall preparation process that goes before actually applying the wallpaper.

. Update cabinetry. If your cabinets are still in good condition, you need not replace them. A great and cost-effective way to enhance their look is through refacing the existing cabinet doors with new ones to match with the rest of the design.

And after you are done with the budget bathroom remodeling, you can spruce up the area more through bathroom accessories.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened New York Bathroom Remodeling Contractor. Feel free to use our Bathrooms Calculator