How to Find a Excellent New Home Builder

Looking for a good home builder or contractor, isn't an exact science, but hopefully, by the time you're done reading this article, you will at least have a better idea, what you will be looking for. Let's get started.

As a general contractor, the most important thing that I would be looking for any new home builder, would be experience. You can't sacrifice price for experience. If you're looking for the cheapest contractor, there's a good chance that this person will be lacking experience in home building knowledge.

How long has this person been in business? Just because you're new home builder has only been in business for five years, doesn't mean that he isn't capable of building your home. The same holds true for someone who has been in business for 30 years. Just make sure that these people have actually built homes in the past.

What is their attitude like? This is the second most important thing and I tend to focus on this more than experience, sometimes. If you don't get along with the person, you're not going to have a pleasant home building experience. If you think that there lying to you, scammers or generally don't feel comfortable with them, but they seem to have the most experience and build more homes in your area than anyone else. I wouldn't think twice about getting rid of them and finding someone else.

Last but not least, you should contact some of the people that they have worked for in the past. Talking to past clients, is going to play an important role in making your final decision. You need to find out, if these home builders, treated their clients fairly and were they generally happy with the overall outcome and performance, not only of the homebuilder, but each one of his subcontractors.

I would recommend writing out a list of questions and offering your new home builders past clients a free meal. Offer to take them out to dinner, lunch or breakfast, this way you will have their undivided attention and get the low down on your potential future home builder, it could be the best money that you ever spent.

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Greg Vandenberge 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 inspection checklist to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

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Ten Places to Stay in Washington DC For President-Elect Barack Obama's Historical Inauguration

January 20, 2009 will be a date that will be indelibly written in American history and the memories of everyone alive today. It is the day America gets its first non-white president. As a result of the historic nature of this inauguration, there is already a flood of people who are planning on being in Washington DC to witness the event personally.

Hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts are filling up very quickly so if you want to be an eyewitness to history, it's time to start looking for somewhere to stay. Here is a list of places, some of which are reasonably priced, where you can stay while you're in Washington D.C.

1) Hotel Harrington
11th St. NW & E. St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Phone: (202)-628-8140

Rates: $95 and up
Location: Downtown Washington D.C. near the U.S. Capitol

2) Renaissance-Washington D.C.
999 Ninth St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Phone: (202)-898-9000

Rates: $159 and up.
Location: Only a 10-minute drive from the White House

3) Red Roof Inn-Washington D.C.
500 H. St. NW
Washington D.C. 20001
Phone: (202)-289-5959

Rates: $200 and up
Location: Downtown, close the White House and the U.S. Capitol

4) Marriott Hotels Resorts & Suites
2660 Woodley Road
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202)-328-2000

Rates: $170 and up
Location: A 16-minute drive from the White House

5) Lombardy Hotel
2019 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Phone: (202)-828-2600

Rates: $119 and up
Location: Four blocks from the White House

6) State Plaza Hotel
2117 E. St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Phone: (202)-861-8200

Rates: $116 and up
Location: Close to the State Dept and the downtown business district

7) The Melrose Hotel, Washington
2430 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Phone: (202)-955-6400

Rates: $109 and up
Location: Between the White House and Georgetown

8) Best Western Georgetown Hotel & Suites
1121 New Hampshire Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Phone: (202)-457-3777

Rates: $109 and up
Location: Within 5 miles of the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument

9) The Embassy Inn
1627 16th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Phone: (202)-234-3309

Rates: $99 and up
Location: Thirteen blocks from the White House

10) Comfort Inn & Suites
1600 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
Phone: (202)-832-3200

Rates: $99 and up
Location: Within 5 miles of the White House

There is not much time left to book your reservation for this historic occasion; but you have a headstart with this list. Use it well.

If you weren't thinking of going and would rather watch the event on TV from the comfort of your living room, you can do that as well; but I should tell you that there is absolutely no substitute to witnessing such an historical event in person. Go, be a part of history and don't forget to take a lot of pictures!

Zander Smith

Business Rankings Rep, grayboxx.com

http://www.grayboxx.com - Businesses ordered by Popularity

Fixing Ceiling Cracks - Home Repair Advice

It's not uncommon to find cracks in your plaster or drywall ceilings. It's not uncommon to find cracks in your wood ceilings either, but this article is about plaster or drywall ceilings that have small or large cracks in them and what actually causes the cracks and how you can repair them.

Believe it or not, most cracks in your ceilings and in your walls, on any drywall or plaster home interiors, are going to be the direct result of structural movement within the house. This could be from a small earthquake, the framing components are starting to shrink, as the lumber starts to dry it out or it could even be from your house settling. Larger cracks might signify problems with your foundation or even your soil.

If you have a large crack in your ceiling, and this would be something that you could stick a quarter into, you could have a structural problem and I would recommend contacting a home repair contractor in your area to evaluate your situation.

You realize that you have cracks in your ceilings and they're not very big, how do you repair them. The easiest way would be to apply a paintable caulking into the cracks and repaint the area. This could save you some frustration in the future, especially if the crack starts to become larger.

The best way to fix the crack, would be to apply some fiberglass drywall tape and then apply a standard drywall joint compound to finish the ceiling correctly. If your ceiling has acoustic or wall texture, you will need to reapply to finish over these areas to match your existing ceiling correctly.

If you have hairline cracks, I wouldn't even worry about them, unless they become larger. However, you could always apply a little bit of caulking and repaint them.

I would like to remind you something that I already said before in this article, if the cracks are larger than the width of a quarter, you might want to contact a building professional. You could have some serious structural damage occurring in your foundation or framing.

Ceiling Repair Advice and Tips

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Greg Vandenberge 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.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

How To Find A Cheap Hotel In Las Vegas

How easy is it to find a cheap hotel in Las Vegas? The thing is that you don't need to spend a fortune planning a Las Vegas vacation. Over 35 million travellers visit Las Vegas every year. Around 7 million of those people are visiting Las Vegas for the first time. I hate to think how many millions of people are paying way too much for their Las Vegas vacation. Once you know where to look it is not difficult to find a cheap hotel in Las Vegas.

Here are a few best kept travel secrets for finding a cheap hotel in Las Vegas.

How To Find A Cheap Hotel In Las Vegas Tip Number 1

Plan your Las Vegas trip during the week rather than weekends - this could halve your accommodation costs. Decide how long you want to stay in Las Vegas for. Many of the Las Vegas Downtown casinos and hotels are cheaper than accommodation on the Strip. So be sure to check them out but make sure they are in a safe area. Look into hotels that are not on Las Vegas Boulevard. They have bargain room rates and are keen for your business. It is very easy to find a cheap hotel in Las Vegas once you know where to look.

How To Find A Cheap Hotel In Las Vegas Tip Number 2

If you are staying for a week in Las Vegas then ask what the weekly room rate is. Chances are the weekly room rate divided by seven will ensure you get a cheap hotel in Las Vegas. Plan your Las Vegas trip well ahead to get the best rates for a cheap hotel in Las Vegas. An amazing 63 percent of Las Vegas visitors book at least two weeks in advance. For this reason it is advisable that you pre-plan your Las Vegas vacation to ensure you get a cheap hotel in Las Vegas. Any delays and your hip pocket could well and truly be sorry. Be sure to look out for Las Vegas hotels offering a free night if you stay for 2 or 3 nights. Book your hotel on an airline website but be sure to read all the conditions that apply.

How To Find A Cheap Hotel In Las Vegas Tip Number 3

Download Travel Axe where you can search around 20 websites at once to help you find a cheap hotel in Las Vegas. It is free for download and highly recommened to help you find a cheap hotel in Las Vegas.

How To Find A Cheap Hotel In Las Vegas Tip Number 4

If you call the Las Vegas hotel with your Travel Axe deal they will usually try and beat the Travel Axe offer and you will get a very cheap hotel in Las Vegas as a result.

How To Find A Cheap Hotel In Las Vegas Tip Number 5

It's difficult if not impossible to find a cheap hotel in Las Vegas when there's a huge convention coming into town. If a Las Vegas convention is on at the same time it could be impossible to find a room in Las Vegas, let alone a cheap hotel in Las Vegas. Some conventions have attendees of more than 50,000. It's a good idea to contact the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to find out who or what will be in town at the time you're planning to visit. Otherwise you can guarantee you will not find a cheap hotel in Las Vegas when you are competing with 50,000 other Las Vegas visitors.

A vacation in Las Vegas does not have to cost a fortune. In fact, it is very easy to find a cheap hotel in Las Vegas that will cost you next to nothing once you know where to look. I believe that Las Vegas is truly the bargain capital of the world with everything from cheap hotels, cheap airfares, cheap car rental. By spending a little time improving your knowledge about your Las Vegas vacation destination you can end up saving hundreds on your trip and having more money to burn.

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What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call

This is one of the biggest problems in business today. You have some work done on your home in good faith that the contractor knows what he is doing. When all is said and done you have a problem that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. I really don't care how long it has been since the work was done. If you have a problem the least that your contractor can do is answer the telephone.

Some companies go out of business and others get to busy to respond to your problem. You will hear the old excuse "That's not my problem" or the ever popular " I didn't do that". I have been in business for over twenty years and had very few problems. Of course I built things to last as long as possible.

Keep in mind that some contractors are a one man operation and they might be on vacation. Some contractors do not answer their phones over the week ends or after business hours. So don't sink the ship to fast.

Do not call the Contractors Licensing Board or the Better Business Bureau unless it has been at least a few working days. I would give it at least a week or so. Oh yeah don't assume that the contractor got your message. Call a few times at the least.

It has always made me mad when I have to fix someone else's problems. I get the call when the other contractors won't respond. I listen to the home owner with regret for being in a business where I am considered a crook. This is one of the reasons why contractors in my business get out of it.

If you have the contractors address and they aren't responding by phone you can always send them a letter by certified mail. Request a return receipt. That's your proof that the company received your letter. Keep a copy for your files.

The good news for a home owner when a contractor will not respond to your calling them is the Department of Consumer Affairs. Most states have a complaint department of some sort that will listen to your complaints. Does this mean it will get resolved? NO there are no guarantees here.

If your state has a licensing board for contractors, this will be your next step.

This will get your contractors attention and there is a great chance they will respond now. If there are enough complaints against the contractor and they do nothing about them the contractors board will take their license away.

If your contractor does not respond after all of this. There is very little you can do about it. Hire someone to fix the problem and look at it as a very important lesson learned.

If your state doesn't have a contractors licensing board contact the Better Business Bureau or your local government for their recommendation. Ask some of your friends if they have had any problems like this and how they handled them.

For some more tips about hiring contractors go to
http://gregvan.com/library/homeowner_checklists.htm

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Understanding Wood Shrinkage in Finish Carpentry

These days trim wood shrinkage in finish carpentry does cause some problems and has tested the reputation of even the most seasoned finish carpenters. This can be controlled some what if it is properly addressed however the shear speed at which houses get built and the use of new growth lumber these days poses a lot of the problems that are unfortunately some times unavoidable.

Trim wood should be acclimated to the inside environment of the house where it will be installed. This does also apply to the wood of a new wood floor to be installed. What this means exactly is the wood needs time to adjust to the temperature and humidity levels of the house where it will be installed. This in turn reduces the shrinkage of the wood and that helps to keep miters tight and doors working properly. There is much discussion on how long this acclimation period should be and a few variables do come into play here especially with a newly built home. A very minimum of an acclimation period would be 48 hrs. if the environment change of the storage place of the trim wood or the store to the house environment is not a huge difference. Another factor is after the acclimation period it is best to get the wood finished and sealed whether you do it before or after installation.

Ultimately wood is going to shrink and swell according to the seasons. Some places more than others due to the climate differences. The best way to reduce this is to try and keep the environment in the house relatively even with just the temperature although I have seen a new house with new trim work sitting empty with no activity like cooking or showering for a long period of time have major shrinkage in the trim wood due to no humidity. I had trimmed this house and was just sick when I went back for the final; fortunately the builder that I had done the work for understood this problem and took full responsibility. I had been in the finish carpentry business for a long time and had a good reputation of doing good work but some times that reputation doesn't mean anything to the people that don't understand these problems.

For the do it yourselfers doing trim work, there are a few things to consider. If you are remodeling or doing renovations to an existing home just simply taking the precautionary measure of acclimating the wood will eliminate the major shrinkage problem in most cases. On new homes it is however nice to know the humidity levels in the house as well as the wood. One easy way to check the wood is with a moisture meter tester. This little meter is relatively cheap or can be borrowed from a contractor that does building or remodeling. The use of a dehumidifier is recommended in a new house or new construction and doing a little research for the moisture content that is recommended for the area that you live in is also advisable. This is due to the different climates in the country and various temperature changes for the different areas. As a finish carpenter it is important for people to understand some of these issues concerned with wood shrinkage whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring a professional to do the work for you ultimately to protect yourself.

Pat Fisher is a professional carpenter and woodworking craftsman. For more information on finish carpentry and household carpentry projects, visit http://www.finishcarpentryhelp.com and pick up your free eBook.

Stair Building Codes - Home Building

The stair building code was created for building safety. Before the building code and local city enforcement (Building Inspectors), anyone could build a house. This meant Uncle Earl who had just watched a couple of his friends build a house down the street construct some sort of a dwelling. The next step for Earl would be to help these guys for a day and now he is a professional home builder. You get the point.

Stair Building Codes create the safety needed for one of the most hazardous areas of your home. You might know someone who has fallen down a stairway?

I lived in a house I built for 15 years and I redesigned the stairs from a winder design to a T shaped set of stairs. Both sets of stairs were built using the local stair building code for my city.

Wow I could not believe how many times my family members fell down the stairs. I even fell down once. I was amazed. When I switched from the winder to the T shaped stairway there were less accidents. My point is that even using the stair building codes this is a dangerous part of your house.

Having a professional stair builder install your stairs is great advice. Take it. For example this happened to me on quite a few jobs. I get a set of plans from a architect who has been designing houses for over 40 years. I looked at the stairway to find out that he has designed a stairway that is too small for the length of this part of the home. If I build the stairs using the plans that by the way were approved from the local building department, I could have a problem.

You are probably asking yourself how does this happen. Aren't these people experienced professionals. Of course they are. They probably have the U.B.C. (Uniform Building Code) in their office somewhere. Everyone makes mistakes here and there but this is one area of the home where safety is a big concern.

Just look at it like this. The stair building code was designed to improve the safety and reduce the number of accidents while using the stairs. Over the years I have seen stairs poorly designed and constructed. These stairs create problems for the owners of the buildings not just the people that use them. Did I mention lawsuits. This is one area where a lawyer will have a field day.

As a building professional I advise you to use the stair building code first for safety and second to avoid lawsuits. Get an idea from some of the pictures I have taken over the years on problems with stair building.

Use common sense while building or remodeling your home. It goes a long way.

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