Tile and Stone Pool Liners - Home Tips

Do you remember back when faux things just didn't look completely real? Fake stone, fake wood, fake anything? They all seemed to come close but just couldn't make it over the finish line in the reality contest. Now prefabricated pool designers have come up with new faux tile and stone pool liners and how do you suppose they stack up in the reality contest?

Incredibly Real Looking - Even Up Close

Get ready, because these new decorative pool liners actually create the exact look of what they are supposed to replicate! Thats no exaggeration either, because even with your nose touching them it is almost impossible to tell the difference.

The Complete Look Of a Tile Pool

OK. Remember that it is an above ground pool though, so how do they pull this charade off? The fact, is that if the pool has a deck around it, the look is totally complete. This is because the deck not only conceals the sides of the pool put the top edge, which the deck rides over is also concealed.

How is it Done?

So in the end all that is there to be seen is wood decking, crystal clear water and elaborate tile work. So how did they do it? Its all the result of state of the art manufacturing process that incorporates the latest plastics moulding technology. So what about fading?

What About Maintaining these Tiles?

With the colors blended right into the plastics that make up the tile, rather than painted on colors, fading is just not a problem. Also, unlike real tile that need to be diligently cleaned and maintained, these faux tile pool liners are as maintenance free as any other standard above ground pool liner.

Written by Alejandra Gibson. Find all the professional information you've ever wanted on Pool Liners plus Swimming Pool Liners on my site.

The Home Builder Species and Its Three Main Sub Groups - Which One Fits the Prospective Home Buyer?

There are three types of home builders building homes in America today. There is the "high end custom home builder", the "production builder", and the "small, hands-on builder". While there are variations and hybrids within these three categories, these are the basic types at work today. The trick for the prospective buyer is to identify which one is the best match for their pocketbook and home style demands.

The High End Custom Home Builders normally work out of expensive offices and drive new vehicles and maintain all the trappings of success and professionalism that the upper class feels comfortable with. They tend to be very good at what they do, but their overhead and expertise come at a high price.

A custom home's plan is often drawn by an architect who spends a lot of time interviewing the customer, drawing rough drafts, and making revisions before coming up with a final draft. Normally, a professional designer will be part of the decision-making process involving colors and finishes. The customer usually secures the construction loan and land. The building process is always lengthy and requires a lot of focus on the builder's part to assure quality and coordination. In other words, it is not something most new home buyers can afford.

What they can afford is some variation of a Production Home Builder's model homes. This is the way it is now and always has been in modern America. In the old days Sears and Roebucks sold thousands of homes by way of mail order catalogs. There is nothing wrong with the system, it enables the masses to afford the American Dream. Customer dissatisfaction normally occurs because buyers often want and may even deserve more attention paid to their individual home.

The problem is not that Production Home Builders are not good at building homes that follow normal building procedures within their system. That is what they have become proficient at and chances are that a new home buyer will end up reasonably satisfied if they stick to the builder's stock plans and options. The problem with most builders that build more than 15 or 20 houses a year is that they are not good at making changes outside their box.

Many Production Home Builders are aware of their limitations in customization as well as their strengths in production home building. The popular term "pre-sold home" is commonly used to get the notion of "custom" out of the buyers mind. The buyer is allowed to buy the builder's product any time before completion and select from a list of options when possible, but it is the builder's home until the customer pays for it with their final mortgage loan. It is a fair way of doing business.

Trouble often arises when Production Home Builders ignore their limitations and attempt to customize a home outside their comfort zone. Most Production Home Builders started their careers building just a few houses a year and were able to build anything that came along and so they reason they should still be able to even though they are no longer "hands on" and have to work through their staff. They also want to give their customer what they want and so they bend their rules to make the customer happy and get the sale.

The customer wanting special features or techniques in their new home are often frustrated with the Production Home Builder's parameters. They would be better served to look outside the big new sub-divisions where Production Home Builders have all the lots tied up and search for the Small, Hands-on Home Builder. Some of these builders are new and may be on their way to becoming production builders, but the majority are seasoned builders who prefer to build as few as 3 or 4 houses a year. They are not interested in running a big business, but instead just want to make a good living doing something they are good at and enjoy doing.

They are not as easy to find, but every city has many of them and they have been building the American Dream far longer than Sears and Roebucks and their modern day counterparts. They are the craftsmen builders who are often proficient at several trades and have a firm grasp on all the rest involved in home building. Many began as laborers on a framing crew and spent years learning the carpentry trade before gaining the experience and where-with-all needed to build their first spec home.

While the High End Custom Home Builder takes care of the upper class and the Production Home Builders take care of the masses, the Small,Hands-on Home Builders are the ones taking care of the new home buyers looking for something in between. It is often a perfect fit because they need each other. The Small, Hands-on Home Builder needs the work these customers provide and they have more time to pay attention to each project because they are usually physically working on it and not running a large home building operation. The customer with special demands and desires needs the small builder who welcomes their requests for individuality and sees them as challenges to be carried out with pride and proficiency, resulting in profit for the them and satisfaction for the home owner.

Craig Swanson is a second generation home builder in Spokane, Washington. to learn more about him or his company, Craig's Building Services, go to http://spokanevalleyscoop.com

Extreme Temperature Building

The Value of Concrete Countertops

Customization Increases Aesthetic Appeal and Real Estate Investment for Homeowners

From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco Bay Area to sprawling mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating homeowners are demanding custom designs and finishes in their kitchens. In particular, they are looking to express their individuality and distinct design preferences with the fast-growing design material of choice concrete.

In fact, concrete countertops have become somewhat of a
status symbol for kitchens, rivaling granite and other high-
end countertop surface options. Consumer Reports Magazine
(August 2004) ranked concrete highest for its customization and exclusivity among high-end kitchen countertops.

As a custom product, the amount of time and craftsmanship required to produce concrete countertops places them as the most labor-intensive and priciest among leading countertop materials.
However, concrete countertops are becoming more accessible for those on a modest budget. The latest do-it-yourself (DIY) trend to captivate homeowners and builders is building your own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has gained popularity largely due to Chengs best-selling book Concrete Countertops: Design, Forms, and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete countertops, yet the creative gains of working with concrete are plentiful.

THE SHOWSTOPPER

Increasingly, homeowners are moving away from the monotonous, manufactured look of traditional countertop surfaces and choosing concrete for its earthy, timeless appeal. Plus, the options for personalizing concrete countertops are endless: one can color, polish, stamp and stain concrete or imbed personal objects like stones, seashells and fossils into the countertops surface, adding sentiment and character. Functional features such as drain boards, soap dishes, and trivets can also be incorporated to suit the homeowners own needs and lifestyle.

Concrete is slowly becoming demystified as characteristically cold and industrial. In contrary, this age-old material is warm and surprisingly tactile; people cannot help but touch their smooth, polished surfaces. Real estate agent Joy Rasmussen, who has recently sold her mountain home a short-term investment property in Steamboat Springs, CO recounts her visitors experiences with concrete: When I had open houses, visitors gravitated to the concrete countertops many people around here have never seen them.

Joys 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was custom build by her husband, Ken Otterman, along with KJ Otterman, president of Classic Special Custom Homes. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the homes kitchen and three bathrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete countertops were polished smooth, then paired with natural slate of varying colors like charcoal, rust and gold tones that forms the backsplashes in the kitchen and baths. As a design accent, small rectangular slate tiles were added to
the rim of the bathroom sinks, which provided a unique detail to the custom vanities.

When Joy and Ken decided to sell their house, their investment in concrete countertops proved its value. We were able to list the house $20,000 over market value, and had no problems selling it, comments Joy, while discussing the long list of upgrades throughout their house, including knotty pine solid doors, natural slate wall accents and hardwood floors. The concrete countertops were easily the most unique and impressive of all the finishes. I believe they were a huge part in

adding value to the home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite countertops and I really think homebuyers are getting quite numb with granite.

Concrete countertops are a unique offering to homebuyers who see the same finishes used in house after house they visit, explains Joy, offering her observation as a seasoned realtor. Having concrete countertops almost gives you bragging rights you have something different from your neighbors.

BREAKING THE MOLD

Another advantage of concrete is its adaptability in either modern or traditional settings, especially when coupled with other materials like varied metals, wood or stone. Concrete adds so many [possibilities] to stone, and the combination with slate, which is hugely popular here, gives the mountain homes an overall warm, natural touch, says Joy.

Joy and Ken have since built a much larger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that offers expansive views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is meant to serve as a long-term investment for the couple. Theyve also expanded their list of custom finishes, including hand-troweled walls, elegant oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty pine doors that arch at the top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and their favorite concrete kitchen countertops.

Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialty crew poured charcoal-colored countertops using the pre-cast method in the unfinished basement of the new home. Before pouring the concrete, they sprinkled an array of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Turquoise. After the surface was ground and lightly polished, the finished result was an impressive blend of colors, By far, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most incredible, says Joy.

The L-shaped concrete countertop has a rough, rustic stone appearance, complementing its rugged country surroundings. An integral drain board and trivets provides function and added interest to the concrete countertop. Natural slate backsplashes, distinct wall accents, and a butcher block countertop at the kitchen island all resonate with the traditional warmth and earthiness of the concrete countertops.

Joy and Kens respective backgrounds in real estate and custom homebuilding, and as investment homebuyers, have helped them realize that concrete countertops can add tremendous aesthetic and financial value to a home. Concretes customization and show-stopping appeal is like no other countertop surface. Cheng is a proponent of emotional aesthetics and building homes that capture these emotions, as in the case of Joy and Ken Otterman. Cheng concludes: People really want differentiation, something personal, something custom and concrete can do that for them.

For more information about concrete countertops please visit: http://www.ConcreteExchange.com/

Deborah Meyer works as Marketing Assistant for Cheng Design, a Berkeley-based interior design company headed by award-winning designer and author Fu-Tung Cheng. Deborah's work includes writing press releases for Cheng Design and Cheng Concrete Exchange, with a focus on do-it-yourself stories of the companys customers.

What Kind Of Wood Rot

More Choices of Bathroom Mirrors

If you are looking for the kind of fixture that you can use to make your bathroom more desirable, then you should choose to have a bathroom mirror. What is good about today's market is that there are already many kinds that are available today. Thus, you have more choices and this can make your task of finding the right kind easier. You can select among the various kinds in the market, check their design and quality and choose which one is suitable for you.

Added to this, since you have various designs that you can choose from you can be sure that your choices is even better. You can always select the kind of bathroom mirror that is suitable to your needs and budget.

If you are in a search for a bathroom mirror, you should select the kind that looks properly in line with the other things in your bathroom. When it comes to the design, color and patterns, you should be able to make it fit. Although keeping contrast is good for some areas of the house, there are times that keeping on the common and traditional side of design would suit your bathroom more. Thus, when you use a certain kind of color in your bathroom, you should also use that color for the frames of the mirror. This would make your bathroom mirror look more suitable in your room and it would also look as if it really belongs to the room. Small pieces in the bathroom can still look unbearable when it does not suit the other fixtures. Keeping a theme is helpful if you want to make your mirror to look desirable. You should not try to deviate especially when you are not yet an expert in the designs.

When you are interested to keep a modern look in your bathroom, then you should consider a bathroom mirror that has a touch of black. When you think of the pieces that are modern, you can be sure that it has black on it. This is one of the most common qualities of modern fixtures and you can also use this when you are searching for the right kind of mirror in your modern bathroom. Thus, you should check the frame of the mirror and it should have a touch of black in it. This is a way of keeping the elegance of your bathroom. Although there are other colors that can be available it would be safer if you choose black if your aim is to have a modernized theme.

There are many kinds of bathroom mirrors that are available today. Thus, with the options that you now have, you can easily choose the kind that is suitable to your needs. This can is possible and you just have to allot enough time for your search.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson writes for Jump2top.com - SEO Company

Active Subterranean Termites

Home Remodeling - Stress-Busting Ideas

Stress is a common thing that everyone encounters in the City that Never Sleeps-New York. With the never-ending hustle and bustle, you are sure to get a good dose of stress-inducing factors. The effects may range from depression to health issues like migraine and high blood pressure. The most ideal place to help us recover from its preying claws is our homes. But what if this silent predator has already invaded your home? Then it is high time to implement some home remodeling ideas to help reduce, if not totally rid your home of stress.

Home remodeling can do fantastic things not only for you but also for your home's value. Though stress can affect people in different ways and just the same, people also have varying ways of fighting it; the following are general home remodeling projects that are great as stress-busting ideas:

De-clutter

Numerous studies have proven that disorganization is among the major triggers of stress. Just imagine having to go home with a disarray of everything piled up wherever. This not only makes things unsightly but also causes the area to not be as functional as it is essentially meant to be. What you can do first is to minimize your belongings by going through them and deciding whether to keep them, sell, giveaway or throw them out if they are already in very bad condition. The rest of the things that you decide to keep should be put in storage. If you think storage areas isn't enough then, add innovative storage solutions into your home.

Exercising in the Comforts of Your Own Home

Exercise is another great reducer of stress. An exercise room can be a great addition and home remodeling project. Other than saving considerably on gas and fitness club memberships, this is also a great way to get yourself some privacy while exercising. The feel of the outdoors is another idea that you could add into this home remodeling project making an additional sunroom to be used as exercise area ideal.

Avoid Sleeping Problems

To prevent stress, it is important that we are able to get enough sleep. When home remodeling, a good area to focus on with stress-busting in mind is the bedroom. Make sure that the lighting, noise level, and temperature in this room are well controlled, promoting a good sleep. Comfort should be at its highest level here.

A Personal Spa Out of Your Bathroom

The bathroom is where we start our early morning routine and end our day to get ourselves ready for a peaceful slumber. This makes it a vital stress-reducing area and a great focus of your home remodeling. When wanting to achieve that utter comfort in your bathroom remodeling result, you have to consider warmth, and stylish functionality. Floor heating system and towel warmers are excellent in optimizing comfort even after stepping out of the shower or tub. Depending on your budget, and preference complete relaxation can be achieved through a steam shower, home sauna, or whirlpool tub.

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 pre-screened Staten Island Contractors. For more, visit Remodeling Staten Island.

Acoustic Ceiling Water Damage

Why Settle For Boring? Ten Tips to Create Excitement in Your Bath

A boring bathroom is not the end of the world. It functions well, it serves all of its purposes, but your bath should be a pleasant room to use. You need to stop thinking about bathroom vanities and bathroom mirrors as things that are not stylish and start realizing that your bathroom has the potential to be something better than you could ever image. Here are ten ways that you can turn your bathroom from blah to wow.

1. Bathrooms should be personal. When you are looking for a way to add pizzazz to your bathroom, remember that your family will be the ones that use it primarily. As such, why not add some personal mementos or pictures on the walls? They can create interesting focal points as well as design pieces.
2. Shelving can be art. Instead of relying on bathroom mirrors and bathroom vanities to be the central pieces, you can add a singular shelf to the wall, place a few decorations on it and really turn your bathroom around.
3. Bring in a chair. If you have a larger bathroom, you are probably not using all the space you have. Try bringing in a chair or small table to add some interesting features. You can then decorate the table with something that relates to your dcor.
4. Think about adding flowers. By adding fresh flowers to your bathroom at regular intervals, your bathroom will always seem fresh and exciting. You might want to choose only flowers that are in season for a constantly rotating display, even bringing in seasonal plants for the holidays too.
5. Change your ideas on vases. You do not have to use a boring glass vase to hold your flowers. Try to use things like watering cans and interesting pieces of pottery to change up the room and expand upon a theme.
6. Look at your bathroom mirrors. If you are creative, you can add frosted detailing to your mirror for a new twist on your design. Simply go to your local crafts store to find the materials that you need as well as design stencils that will help you be consistent with the frosting. If you ever tire of the design, you can always remove it and replace it with something new.
7. Change your bathroom vanities. By stripping the bathroom vanity and replacing the finish with stain or another color of paint, you will dramatically change the appearance of the room.
8. Replace your drapes or blinds. By changing the window dressings, you can create a new look to your overall bathroom interior. Change metal mini-blinds to wooden blinds or take them away to replace with gauzy sheets.
9. Take away anything that does not belong in the bathroom. This seems like common sense, but when you want to spruce up your bathroom; you need to take away anything that might be causing it to look too utilitarian. For example, remove the litter pan from the bathroom and find a new home for it.
10. Change everything twice a year. If you just do not know what to do with your bathroom, commit to making one simple change twice a year. This will help you continuously update your bathroom mirrors and bathroom vanities without taking a lot of time or money.

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

Ceiling Plaster Crack

Holiday Accommodation North Stradbroke

North Stradbroke Island is one of the largest sand islands in the world. It is located off the east coast of Australia and is a part of the state of Queensland. Also known as "Straddie", the island is a ideal escape from the tough life of the city. The downbeat and relaxed lifestyle, the kilometres of pure white sandy beaches, and the lovely sub-tropical weather make Straddie the perfect place to relax and chill out. Most of the island is untouched with lakes such as the Blue and Brown lakes as well as the Keyhole lakes. Most of these idyllic lakes have sandy shores and are still accessible along gravel tracks. Scenery changes from the rain-forest to the pristinely clear springs and finally to the smashing blue waves along the various beaches.

There are three small areas on the island that are inhabited by humans. Dunwich is the gateway to the island for people coming over from the mainland. This is also an interesting place to explore. It is home to the island's history museum, various historical sites. It also has a waterfront cemetery that has important links with the history of the land. Remnants of both indigenous and European history are present in this particular area. Lookout is paradise for surfers with its high waves at the various popular beaches. These beaches are also the location of most of the island's holiday homes and visitor accommodation. Although there are many clubs and restaurants on the island, the only bar is at Pt Lookout and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Amity Point is the third and smallest settlement which has a simple laid back charm of its own. Although it is inhabited, the natural beauty of Straddie is virtually untouched. One of the most charming things about the island (for me at least) was the way in which modern developments have come up on it, all the while taking care not to disturb the original inhabitant of the area, i.e. nature.

Getting to Straddie
Although Straddie is not a part of the mainland, getting there is not much of a problem. There are a large number of ferries and water taxis that travel between Cleveland and Straddie at regular intervals. You can catch a train from Brisbane to Cleveland and then hop on to a free bus that will take you down to the ferry terminal.

Activities
Straddie is replete with activities for you to keep yourself busy. Being an island, most of the available activities are related to the sea. These include fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving and surfing.

Accommodation
The variety of holiday accommodations available on Straddie is simply unbelievable. You have a very wide range to choose from, both in terms of comfort and in terms of prices. The most popular mode of accommodation on the island is the apartment. A large number of properties are available for rent and most provide excellent facilities. Living in a property is the preferred for of residence for many people as it is more private than spending nights in hotels. If you are one of these people you'll certainly like the residence options on Straddie.

For more information on island activities, hotel rates and availability, and special package deals and offers, log onto http://www.straddie.info

Amanda Millard is an ardent traveller who has roamed all over the world. She considers herself a global citizen but being an Australian by birth, her heart lies here. Her writings on the various tourist destinations visited by her are both informative and fun to read.

Ceiling Repairs

Accommodation Types in Paris

Paris has a really varied selection of accommodation services. You can find everything here, from cheap accommodation in camps, through the student hostels and regular hostels after the luxuriously several star hotels.

Accommodation is paid to book and pay a deposit before departure. Avoid it, especially in the tourist season, the search for free room and save 5 euro or more per person per night.

Camps

Offering basic accommodation services, there is the possibility of accommodation, either in their own tents, where appropriate, in the chalets or bungalows. The advantage is the low price (around 10 per person), a disadvantage greater distance from the city center.

Hostels

Hostels are probably the most frequently used by people who are in the so-called Paris up on their own fist. Provide accommodation for incomparably lower cost than traditional hotels. Across Paris is a few hundred hostels. Those that are lucrative places (near the center and metro stations) are usually booked, so you pay the hostel before departure, the book and choose the one location that you will be in, availability and equipment to comply.

Prices matters by the number of beds in rooms (Dormitory - the lower price). Classic "2-bed" can be bought from 17 per person per day.

Hotels

This type mainly used by travel agents who organize for their clients and a short sight-seeing in Paris. Comfort in local hotels is compared to hostels. Large for comfort, it is necessary also to pay. Prices per night in a hotel starting at around 60 . You can also find a luxury hotel complexes, where per night touch to the wallets is 250 or more.

Check more then 2.000 Paris accommodation offers.

http://www.hotelium.com - the place where over 1.000.000 of hotels are compared.

Wood Floor Discoloring

Makeover Your Small Bathroom Within a Budget

There are several ways to live your dull and tired bathrooms without spending huge money. As several things are available in the market for bathrooms makeover within your budget, so you can renovate your bathroom easily. Every day we use our bathroom, so it's a nice thing to give your bathroom a spacious and artistic look that will relax and invigorate your self in preparation for a day ahead. Let's have a discussion how we can make our bathroom more loving and caring.

Let's start the bathroom makeover with a theme so that it can be visualized easily with a proper direction. In bathrooms design trend the nautical and aquatic themes are most popular and you can use these themes. In case if you are having trouble in getting a better theme then you can use themes from other rooms in your house. Theme such as contemporary, rustic, period and country are few of the great ideas to start your bathroom makeover.

Now this is the time for improving the flooring of the bathroom. If your carpet is old enough and looking awkward then you should replace with inexpensive vinyl. If you already have a Vinyl flooring and you want it to have a make over then use a primer and paint it with a new color best match to theme of your bathroom. You also can cover the vinyl flooring with cheap vinyl tiles.

Paints and colors are the key vehicle in the journey bathroom s design and decoration. Paint on the walls and ceilings can make a big difference in your bathroom's look and feel. Few colors can work fine in the bathrooms such as Aquamarine, refreshing blue-greens, soothing blues and purples. These are the popular colors refresh and revitalize you bathrooms

Use fabrics such as shower curtains, bath mats and towels best match to the theme of your bathroom to add some extra feels to your bathrooms. Also don't forget to use some beautiful and decorative accessories such as: beautiful wall hanging pictures, candles, pot plants and many more according to the theme of your bathroom.

If you have a small bathroom, then you have to be very careful to wards the space of the bathroom. Storage space is is the major drawback of the small bathrooms. So before go for a small bathroom decoration just think what looks you want to give your bathroom whether it is modern looks or traditional looks. So this is is your first responsibility to think of the theme you would like to give your bathroom. If you are not able to think of a better theme or design of your bathroom, you should take the help of a professional bathroom designer or decorator.

If you don't want to take the help of professionals, try bathrooms design guide, laife style gallery and interior decoration magazine. These decorating sources will provide you a lot of information about the furniture to be used, excellent color schemes and accessories for your bathrooms according to the theme.

Bathroom Storage space:

Space saving furniture is the best way of creating a clutter free bathroom, especially if you have a small bathroom where it becomes mandatory for maximum use of the space. A space saving bathroom furniture is slim which can set in your bathroom easily and no need to compromise with design of the bathroom. Due to it's slim and reduce in depth size it can be fitted easily to a small bathroom. In your bathroom furniture you can store medicines, cosmetics, towels, cleaning products and many more.

This article was written by Mr. Rudradatta Rath provided courtesy of Pure Bathrooms, which is an online bathroom shop dealing with all range and brands of products for bathrooms. Purebathrooms.net sells bathrooms, taps, showers, whirlpool baths, radiators, bathroom accessories and furniture online throughout uk.

Wall Damage From Window

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.

Lower Stair Framing

Modern Stylish Shower Doors

Are you searching of a modern and stylish shower for your new bathroom? If yes then you are using the right article. Modern showers are not only attractive but also safe. Nowadays you can find a big variety of shower doors in the market and your job is to choose the one which suits the interior of your bathroom. Nowadays lots of people are opting for frameless shower doors. Frameless shower doors are getting more and more popular.

A frameless shower door can be installed with every unit which you are planning to install in your washroom. If you are renovating your washroom or constructing a new one then it is a good idea to start from shower doors. Before purchasing anything for your new washroom you should know all the measurements.

It is a good idea to decide the design of your bathroom before you buy anything new for your bathroom. You ask for the help of a professional. A bathroom expert can help you in designing your bathroom in a modern way. You should always spend some time on the internet before you decide anything new. You should try to find all the reputed websites which give essential information about bathroom design and accessories. You can easily find some websites and blogs which provide useful information on this topic.Have you ever heard about online bathroom stores? Online bathroom stores offer high quality accessories and furniture at reasonable prices. You can also find some stores which offer discount on bulk orders.

If you want to know more about Shower Doors then feel free to visit Bella Bathrooms.

Home Basement Books
Deck Building Books

Dog Creates Remodeling Nightmare

How many homeowners normally leave their dog in the backyard or they have full time access to the backyard through a doggie door. You're probably wondering how can a little dog create a remodeling nightmare for any contractor.

This wasn't the case this dog was a large Labrador retriever and tore up everything in the backyard constantly. The house remodel we were working on was a two story room addition over a single story house. This job lasted around six months and the dog was a daily reminder of how much attention a large dog actually needs.

Let's start with the first item of value the dog actually destroyed. It was my favorite tool bags of course that I have taken care of for over five years and deeply appreciated the fact that they were broke in just the way I wanted them to be. Kind of like a baseball mitt that doesn't quite fit right because of how stiff it is until you break it in.

While the homeowner of course apologized and never even offered to replace them. Oh but after that he did mention never to leave anything lying around in the backyard. Lesson learned of course and never forgotten. Well to make a long story short this large dog could chew up tools, lumber, plumbing pipes, electrical wire and was even able to destroyed the plywood fencing we would use to keep him away.

I'm going to stop right there with the remodeling nightmare created from this dog in hopes that other contractors can learn from my valuable lesson. As a contractor you should never assume that a homeowner will replace any damaged or broken tools and materials.

As a homeowner with a dog reading this article, think about having a place to enclose the dog if necessary while remodeling work is done on your home.

I love being around dogs and other animals but sometimes a problem like this can make life extremely miserable for both parties.

Greg Vanden Berge has been building and remodeling for over 30 years and his information has proven valuable to most contractors and homeowners all over the world. He usually tries to write at least two articles a day on home improvement or remodeling problems.

Greg is in the process right now of working on a home inspection website that will revolutionize the home inspection business. He is also working on a book to help homeowners and contractors as well as other home related professions in dealing with the home inspection process.

You can visit the home inspection website currently under construction at Home Inspection Help

Soft Stucco Stucco Damage

How to Know You've Got It

How can you know when you are-or are not-tapping into the Conquering Force in your life?

When You Don't Have It

When you are not tapping into the Conquering Force, you'll feel as if you're drifting like a stick in a river. Life will take you wherever it wants instead of you controlling where your life goes. You will set goals but never reach them, and you'll feel that life is ruling you. Maybe you'll even decide to accept the status quo, thinking you can't do anything about it. You may believe that you don't have any choices and end up accepting that you'll never achieve what you want in your life. Worse still, you may view your situation as hopeless-dying emotionally or spiritually because of your limiting paradigms. If any of these things are happening in your life, you haven't yet discovered that you do, indeed, have choices and can make changes. You were not born for mediocrity or unhappiness. Because of your ability to choose, you can control a lot more than you think.

When You Do

You will know the moment when you have tapped into your Conquering Force because you'll feel alert, alive, excited about your life, and you'll know you're in charge of what you're doing. You will be enjoying the path you are on. You can find a way to do what needs doing and get results. You'll go out and make things happen for yourself. Your indomitable spirit comes from your Conquering Force. You'll have a feeling of well-being and a sense of accomplishment. You'll be happy, even through the tough times. As you accomplish what you set out to do, you will be surrounded by both tangible and intangible evidence that you have unleashed your Conquering Force to achieve your Core Desires.

RELATED FORCES

Once you have discovered your Core Desires and unleashed the Conquering Force, ten other internal forces come into play: enthusiasm, joy, creativity, focus, drive, commitment, discipline, stamina, talent, and other resources.

Like cousins in a family, these forces are all closely related. Working together, they become synergistic and dynamic. Once you identify something you want badly enough, your mind automatically becomes more creative. You become enthusiastic, focused, committed, disciplined, and dedicated, and you make better use of your talents and other resources.

Tragically, most people don't know how to employ these forces. Through my own experience-and the vicarious experiences of countless others who have overcome difficulties, past histories, and seemingly insurmountable problems-I know that the ability to learn and perform is greatly enhanced when Core Desires trigger your Conquering Force.

If you put a l00-watt light bulb into a lamp, obviously you'll get more light than with a 25-watt bulb. So it is with the Conquering Force. Getting up in the morning and going to work may only be a 25 on the Core Desire Scale. However, you may come home at night and work at a furious pace until midnight to complete the boat you are building; this effort is at 100. It's an effort you enjoy, no matter how late the hour.

How can you judge how much power you're deriving from the Conquering Force? Use this "Power Meter" to rate yourself in each of these forces.

There can still be some achievement even when the Conquering Force is seemingly dormant, because you always have some degree of desire. But if the Conquering Force is engaged at a very low level, you may never get out of bed. If the Conquering Force is engaged at a moderate level, you will do your duties-assigned tasks, shopping, and other items on the routine of your to-do list, if these are things you have to do. But when the forces of your heart, mind, and will are engaged at high levels, you will tap into amazing energy, passion, and power.

Moreover, other people can tap into the power of your Conquering Force for their own personal benefit-especially when their Core Desires are closely aligned with yours. In these instances, you will become a leader or mentor to those who want to follow your example, pursuing a similar path to progress in their lives and careers.

By Jack M. Zufelt
"Mentor To Millions

Jack M. Zufelt is a bestselling author and has achieved worldwide recognition for teaching people the true cause of all achievement. His life's mission is to impart the truth about-and dispel the myths surrounding-success and achievement.

Want to achieve better results?

How about live a fuller life with more happiness, joy, and satisfaction? Discover Jack's DNA of Success and live the life you've always wanted... Click Here -> http://www.DNAofSuccess.com

Roof Framing Drywall Backing

Make Your House Seem Bigger With Great Basement Finishing Ideas

Aside from adding a new floor or wing to your house, great basement finishing ideas can make your house feel bigger. It is more practical to utilize space that you already have than having to build the extra space.

If you are like most people, you have a basement that you do not use at all. It's just there rotting away, probably with the washing machine and dryer. Or if you are like other people, the only use you have for your basement is to store all your junk. You should know that your basement could be more than that.

Make sure you acquire the proper permits when you are about to start remodeling your basement. Call your local government center for your city or state requirements or you could always check online, most have their building requirements posted on their websites.

Here are a couple of basement finishing ideas that could help you out if you want to make the most of your basement:

1. Make your basement ceiling appear taller

Basement ceiling usually have pipes and ductwork hanging from them. This can become very unsightly especially if you transform your basement into a place where you would like to entertain friends and families.

There are three solutions to this problem:

- Working around the ductwork by boxing in the pipes
- Re-ducting your ceiling to accommodate the basement design
- Use a vaulted ceiling to give off the illusion of taller space

2. Use light colors

When you are finishing up your basement, you should avoid dark colors. Heavy and dark-hued colors will make the space seem smaller. Choosing light colors for the walls and ceiling will really brighten up the room, making it seem bigger and more cheerful.

3. Use functional items in the basement

As much as possible, everything in the room must serve a function. Space is precious in the basement and you don't want non-functional items taking up space.

4. Use proper lighting

The right kind of lighting will do wonders for your basement. When done properly, it can highlight the best past parts of the basement finishing ideas that you used.

Looking for ideas on how to remodel your basement? Find more tips and advice on basement finishing ideas.

Home Electrical Books
Pest Control Books

Removing Interior Walls

Here's a word of advice for any contractor, Carpenter, handyman or homeowner that is planning to remove an interior wall from your home or someone else's. Beware of removing interior walls, to eliminate your fears of the house collapsing. Some of the interior walls inside of the house are important structural components of the building.

Some of these walls hold up floors, roofs and other loadbearing sections that could create safety problems within the structure of the house itself. This is an area where an expert with framing skills should be consulted. What is the definition of someone with excellent framing skills? Some one with at least 10 years as a master framing carpenter.

My home building experience consists of three decades for over 30 years of assembling some of the most difficult sections of a home. During these years I have seen damage done to houses from removing structural interior walls. Most of this damage could be repaired with a little structural engineering. Some of the damage could not be repaired and caused other damage to different sections of the house. The damage caused in some cases to the floor and the roof framing had to be completely rebuilt.

I'm not telling you about every single thing I have ran into but you would be surprised if I started to make a list of all the homeowners and professionals in the building industry or home selling and buying business that contacted me to remove a structural component of a building. There have even been a few of these people that told me everything was going to be okay just go ahead and remove the structural building component.

Needless to say I would leave these people very irritated but I'm sure they found someone to do the job. The bad news is I was normally the person they would hire to go back and repair the damaged building after these people were gone and out of business. There have been cases where people have removed an interior walls against my better judgment and over the years of driving by in these homes I personally got to witness the structural damage that was occurring on the outside of the house.

I have no idea what the inside of the house looked like but could only imagine. My advice again when removing interior walls is to hire an experienced contractor or at least get some advice from an experienced framing carpenter. This does not include your basic know it all that has basic construction experience like your father in law, parents, friends, golfing associates or people you work with that tell you not to worry about it, just do it, everything will work out just fine.

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

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and What Does A Shear Wall Do

Plants Growing In Sidewalk

Home Purchasing Checklists Provides Peace of Mind

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for consumers with useful information for future home repairs or current home repairs that will need to be done before the home is sold. Home inspectors often use checklists like these, while they're inspecting the home.

If more home shoppers used home inspection checklist while shopping for houses, we would probably have more satisfied homebuyers than dissatisfied ones. Recently just purchasing a home, we had our real estate professional, the previous homeowner's real estate professional and a mortgage lender, involved in the purchase of the property.

There was a home inspection report from the current homeowners, available for us to look at. It provided us with the damaged parts of the home that were repaired or replaced. Some of these repairs were from termite damage and it was stated so on the report. This was helpful information for us as we walked around the home inspecting it for damage.

The work that was repaired to look satisfactory and the rest of the home had minor damage. Listening to one of the real estate sales people that were involved in the transaction, you would've thought we would get in the deal of a lifetime and they had nothing but good news to say about the product they were representing. I easily understood that, this person could have influenced some one into believing that the home was in great shape, if they didn't have a home inspection checklist with them.

The home had been re-carpeted, painted and was in generally good shape. The problems with the home, were the old windows that were hard to open, the heating unit leaked gas, the tile flooring that ran through the kitchen and a large room addition looked great, except for one thing, they installed the tile over linoleum.

This eventually will have to be replaced as the tile starts to separate from the linoleum. While I'm writing this article, there's about 40 square feet of tile that needs to be replaced, because it's popping up and cracking.

A home purchasing checklist does not guarantee that you will find everything but can't eliminate some of the things that homeowners have the biggest problems with. If you could just eliminate one of these problems, the small price of purchasing, one of these checklists would be worth it.

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for the shopper and I would recommend, never shopping for a home without one.

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

By Greg Vanden Berge

Metal Strap With 4 X 6

How to Come Up With a Simple Kitchen Remodeling Plan

Kitchen remodeling is a tough task and it takes a lot of time as well. But if you don't want to get indulged in complications or any extended work, it is also available in simplest of its forms. You can follow simple techniques and come up with a whole new change in your kitchen. And it won't be complicated at all.

For a simple kitchen remodeling project, you need a detailed plan before beginning. Just a plan will not be enough in this case; you also need to have a perfect design for your kitchen remodel. You can get a design very easily and you can also make your own design if you are that creative and remodeling savvy. But a detailed plan means you have all kind of information about your remodel. You need to have details of expenses regarding plumbers, carpenters as well as electricians because all these professionals are essential parts of a simple kitchen remodeling project. Making a detailed plan will save you from a lot of hassle and you will be able to cope with your project very easily.

In addition, you need to make an estimate of total costs of your simple kitchen remodeling project. See your plan find out the prices of all the things that are going to be a part of your home improvement project. But what you are going to need the most is the understanding with your kitchen remodeling designer. Discuss everything with him and make him care for your budget as well as your ideas - putting them aligned together. In addition to designers, also focus on other professionals such as carpenters because they too are supposed to handle delicate work, which puts a great impact to your kitchen.

Once you are done with all these basic requirements, you are ready to call a contractor and get things rolling for a simple kitchen remodeling project. However, you also need to be aware of complex kitchen remodeling project, designers, contractors and latest ideas that can help you out in your projects. All these things result in betterment of your kitchen.

For further details on kitchen remodeling projects and things that make it efficient, you can always visit http://www.theyarelocal.com/articles/remodeling/kitchen_remodeling/index.php.

Bathroom Books
Wood Stoves Books

Electric Vehicle Retrofitting From Home

An electric motor conversion project can be carried out by anyone who is interested to reduce their gasoline expense bill. Ever since the price of gasoline reached a historical high, refueling at the local station has become an expensive ordeal. Most American household has more than one car. Multiplied by the number of car trips we take a month, the money we spend on fuel can be very large. Are there any ways we can remove our dependency on fossil fuel? One idea is to remove the internal combustion engine and replace it with an electric motor.

Generally, an electric motor will be able to produce enough torque to propel a car forward. The concept of an electric vehicle (EV) retrofitting process is to take out the engine and its associated components such as gas tanks, radiators and fuel lines. The existing drive train such as the transmission and clutch system can still be used. The electric motor is to be attached to the transmission. To power the electric motor, a series of 20 lead acid flooded batteries will be used.

To control the speed of the motor, a variable resistor is connected between the batteries and the motor. The resistor will control the speed of the motor thus the speed of the vehicle. The whole system is connected to a centralized circuit board. The circuit board will monitor all the system and also acts as a cut off switch in case there is a power overload.

Generally, anyone who wants to convert a car to run purely on electricity can do so. What he needs is a donor car, some hand tools and a good step by step conversion guide. Most of the guides are available from the internet. All you have to do is do a query on the search engine.

Are high gasoline prices stressing you out? Why not use electricity as an alternative energy source to power your car. Cut your fuel expense bill by exploring Electric Motor Conversion guides. Read the reviews on top online resources to retrofit your car with electric propulsion system at http://www.cbElectricCar.com

Bathtub Meets Shower Framing

Stratosphere Resort Hotel In Las Vegas

It is easy to make reservations for the Stratosphere Resort Hotel when you book online. You will find the dates when the rates are lowest such as in July and August, when the rates are as low as $38.99. There are also group rates available and discounts for meetings and conventions. What a way to give you employees a great vacation and have your meeting at the same time! There are ordinary hotel rooms, suits, a casino and a freestanding observation tower.

Take in the action at Polly Esthers, a nightclub with disco balls. Within this sprawling 26,000 square foot complex, there are four nightclubs - Culture Club, Nerve Ana, Suite 200 and Polly Esthers. Here you can experience four decades of music as each one has its own unique style. Polly Esthers is capable of seating 1300 partygoers and has a Saturday Night fever dance floor. The dress code is relaxed and the service is very professional, so if you want to dance all night or just have a drink or a beer, it's all right with the staff. Take in a tribute to American Superstars, enjoy romance or just drop into a restaurant for a bite to eat.

When you want to dine, you have a choice of dining in elegance, casual or family style dining. The menus are varied so that you can dine on caviar or have a burger. The choice is yours. Enjoy roller coaster rides, such as Insanity, in which you will extend on an arm at a height of over 900 feet traveling at a very fast speed. X-Scream is a teeter-totter 866 feet high and you dive headfirst out over the observation tower. The Thrill Ride that Touches the Sky is called the Big Shot. In just a few seconds, you will shoot to the top and come back down again.

The casino is the place to be if you feel really lucky and the hotel is centrally located for you to take in all the Las Vegas has to offer.

For more information on Las Vegas hotels and other Las Vegas Travel related topics visit the Las Vegas Travel Guide at http://lasvegas.77sites.com

Home Plumbing Books
Masonry Books

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.

Discolored Roof Shingles

Planning the Perfect Bathroom

Everybody gets bored of how their room is decorated at one time or another, and so everyone will wish that they could redecorate their room. You don't actually need to spend a fortune to make your home look like new again, you just need to be aware of a few great tips.

Kitchen Renovations

The kitchen is the hub of any modern home, even if you don't cook you will still use this room on a daily basis. Whenever friends or family come over you always seem to meet in the kitchen! Kitchens get a lot of use, and so they can show the signs of age very quickly. With a few tips you can preserve your budget whilst also letting your kitchen look brand new.

If you have florescent lighting in your room then it can make the whole room look very dated. The easiest solution to this is to replace them and install something which makes your room warm and lighter. There are many different options which you can use here, including track lighting, ceiling lighting, or recessed lighting.

The second thing that you should look at renovating are your cabinets, these get dirty very quickly. Just a simple lick of paint might be enough to breathe extra life into them.

If however you have solid wood cabinets then you might not want to paint over it, you could simply sand the wood down and refinish it. You might also want to remove the centre panel and replace it with something more fashionable like a piece of clear glass.

Renovating other Rooms

The living room or family rooms are the two places that could do with a lot of renovation as they get a lot of use. If you don't have enough money to buy furniture then you could buy covers to put over your existing furniture and make it look new. New drapes can also give an old room a new look.

If there are any stains on your carpet then replacing a carpet would be a very expensive option. You could use some strategically placed rugs to hide the stains. You could also replace the carpet with laminate flooring.

Bathroom Renovations

Bathrooms also get a lot of use, and so need careful attention when renovating them. You should start by looking at your sink and bathtub, as these often start to look grubby very quickly. You can change what the whole bathroom looks like by just replacing these fixtures.

You could also paint all of the walls, but make sure you choose a paint which will cope with the steam in the bathroom.

Other Rooms

Other things which you will need to consider are storage space, nobody seems to have enough room in their house for everything that they need. This can cause many rooms to look dull simply because there is so much clutter. There are many different storage solutions which may be of interest to you, including colorful plastic bins for children's toys, or attractive wicker baskets.

The room which doesn't get much attention is the garage, this could benefit from a few of these tips! Especially the storage tips! Garages would benefit from peg boards to store tools, and possibly racks and shelves to store other tools and big bulky items such as bikes.

Being especially interested in discount drape fabric and drapery hardware, John Bakers wrote large numbers of detailed reports on this specific matter. Through his reports on drapes and discount drape fabric the author demonstrated his knowledge on the subject.

Bathtub And Sink Rough Plumbing

Holiday Rentals - How to Boost Your Bookings

If you own a holiday accommodation property as an investment then your main goal is to get as many bookings as possible to keep your occupancy rate high. While the returns on these investments can be higher than standard long term rentals it is no good if your property is sitting empty for much of the time. The good news is there are a few simple tips to boost your occupancy rates and ensure your property stands out from the crowd.

At the top of your priorities should be making your property look inviting and attractive to potential renters. A major barrier for many is that the vacation rentals by owner market is perceived to be complicated. It can be hard to know what the place will actually look like, inconvenient to wait for owners to respond to inquiries, and insulting to hit a wall of silence after your stay. To overcome these barriers to full occupancy, here are a few things you can do now to boost your future bookings.

Make the place look good: You can't judge a book by its cover, but holiday accommodation hunters frequently judge a rental by its photos. Look critically at the photos you are using to promote your rental and ask yourself:

* When were these photos taken? A common listing error is using date stamped photos that are several years old to advertise the property. This sends off alarm bells to many potential renters who may think the property is now run down or not cared for. Ensure you use up to date photos that show an accurate portrayal of your property.

* What do these photos say about my property? Many of the vacation rentals by owner listings use low quality photographs that don't show the whole home. This communicates a lack of care, low pride of place, and indifference to potential customers. Set your property apart by using clear, high resolution photographs that flatter the big three: Bathroom, Bedroom, and View. Listings that avoid showing these key areas of a property may suggest there is something you don't want them to see. One the other hand, crisp and professional photography will grab attention and convert into more bookings.

Respond promptly to inquiries: Reply promptly to each and every inquiry you receive. Promptly does not mean you reply back within a week promptly in America is 24 - 48 hours, tops. Most clients in the vacation rentals by owner market are going to be contacting multiple owners when hunting for holiday accommodation arrangements. They will be comparing response times and are more likely to book with providers who respond promptly to inquiries.

Follow up with thank you notes and encourage repeat business. The vacation rentals by owner market is competitive, and service is as much of a differentiator as price and location. Complete the positive experience for your clients by following up with them. Thank them for their stay and ensure they were happy with your property.

The thank you letter or email is also the perfect chance for you to encourage repeat visits. You can offer repeat booking discounts, or simply thank clients for their custom. Expressing appreciation to clients is rare in the modern age, and this rarity will give your clients a positive lasting impression and something to tell their friends about as they talk about their trip. The thank you will also make clients more likely to consider your property when making future holiday accommodation arrangements.

Article by Richard Greenwood of holiday accommodation rentals website http://www.makemystay.com.au

MakeMyStay allows owners of holiday homes, apartments and cottages in Australia to advertise accommodation online.

Handyman Books
Home Selling Books

Home Improvement Tip - Fixing a Squeaky Floor

Question: I have a floor that every single time I step on it I get the most annoying sound. I don't know what it does to me or why it bothers me so much. My kitchen floor squeaks and actually moves up and down if you are standing on it. The whole floor moves. How do I stop it from moving and squeaking. Help Me Greg!

Answer: It sounds like you have a broken floor joist. You are going to have to go under your house. If you have a basement this will be a little easier to fix. It is my guess that you don't have a basement or you would have seen the broken floor joist by now.

Have someone stand on the floor in the spot that squeaks and have them move up and down while you are under the house. Don't have them jump up and down while you are under the house. This could cause more damage to the structural framing of the floor. Once you are in the right position under the floor you can have them start moving slowly. What you are looking for is one of the floor joist that are moving.

If you see one of them moving. Look to see where the damage is. Is it a split, crack, wood rot or a big knot in the wood that has loosened up and fell out. Once you find the damaged floor joist you can now think about repairing it.

If you don't see any floor joist moving. Have the person on top start moving a little bit more and you can even have them jump on it a few times until you see something out of place. If you still don't see any broken floor joist. Start looking at the sub-floor, this will be plywood of some form, 1 x 6 or 2 x 6 materials.

What you are looking for is movement of any kind. Is there a separation or movement between the sub-floor and the floor joist. If you still can't find the problem maybe it is time to call in a professional.

The main thing you are going to be looking for is movement of any kind.

Most squeaky floors are caused from the sub-floor rubbing up and down on a nail. If you have carpeting and you have a squeaky floor you can do your best to locate a floor joist and screw right through your carpeting into the floor joist.

For more help on fixing squeaky floors visit http://gregvan.com/wood_repair.htm

Thanks for the great question. I hope it helps.

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

Moisture Barrier On Crawlspace

How to Build a Basement Bathroom - What to Know Before You Start

One topic that gets a lot of attention is how to build a basement bathroom. Many people find themselves wondering if finishing their basement will add value to their homes and improve their living space. Overall, the answer is yes. A home with a finished basement, including a basement bathroom, adds a lot of livable square footage without an enormous cost. If you've got a basement and you'd like to make it some place that's worth living, you'll be happy to know that finishing it and adding a bathroom can be surprisingly simple and inexpensive. You just have to know what to do and you have to have a good plan.

What's the difference between a finished basement and a remodeled basement? Finished basements change a bare area into a carefully constructed living space, often with separate room and all the amenities you'd expect in the upper parts of a house. A basement remodeling is usually a much larger project that requires more effort and money. Many older finished basements, done with low quality materials or those that are just plain wrong, can turn into remodeling projects. You need to know in advance what you're doing and what methods you're going to use. Knowing how to build a basement bathroom properly in advance is one key to keeping yourself from having to remodel it again later.

This means keeping organic materials out of your basement bathroom and basement finishing projects. Many non organic materials are also susceptible - avoid ordinary wall board in favor of moisture resistant board, for instance. You'll be willing to deal with the extra expense when you realize that using a moisture resistant board in your new basement bathroom and in the rest of the basement will keep you from having to deal with mildew and mold. After all, you only want to build your basement bathroom once!

If you're not sure how to build a basement bathroom, or you know how to do some of the work but not all of it, stop. That doesn't mean you can't get into your dream finishing project. It does mean that you should enlist the help of a professional to get through the parts of your project that you don't know how to deal with. Making it up as you go is a surefire way to end up with a basement that needs work down the road!

You'll need to make sure that your basement bathroom has the right plumbing and wiring, good flooring that won't warp or delaminate, wall materials and paint that will resist damp and mildew, and fixtures that are suitable for use in a basement. Make sure that your bathroom is well lit and well ventilated, too. You'll be happier if you build a room that's pleasant to use as well as practical, and basement rooms can often seem cave like. Good design can help counteract this tendency. If you learn how to build a basement bathroom before you get started, you'll have a much better chance of a successful finishing project.

Thomas Johnsen is the Author and Leading Expert on how to Build Basement Bathrooms and the creator of the publication Building Basement Bathroom 101. Visit the site now to find the easy-to-understand step-by-step guides on basement bathroom construction available online today.

Water Heater Vent Through Plywood

The Bible's Power Over One Child

I mentioned Sean in another one of my articles, the story of a young foster boy that we were taking care of. Sean's father was my ex-wife's uncle, and they were going through some tough times for a while and their three children ended up as wards of the state. We eventually ended up taking the oldest child because he was the hardest one to place and another home. His brother and sister ended up with a family that wanted to adopt them and eventually Sean went to live with them and I believe all three of them were adopted by this family. I don't know this for a fact though.

Sean was a emotionally damaged child. His parents would punish him with some strange and bizarre punishments. They weren't really physical punishments but seemed to leave the emotional scars on him and I often think about where he is and what he is doing.

We watched him for about a year and I learned quite a bit from this young man. He was in the third grade but was still at the first grade level for reading and math. I would spend a couple of hours each night during the week helping him with his schoolwork, I seem to have created some sort of allusion that I would be able to bring him up to the third grade level within a short period of time. Wrong. He must've had learning disabilities and of course I don't think I was that good teacher.

Sean was easy going, polite and extremely obedient. He would do anything to avoid getting in trouble and often blamed others for his mistakes. His punishments must have been more than he could bear before he arrived at our home. I think you're getting the picture about what kind of a child Sean was.

One day I found myself in a dilemma with Sean, I couldn't get him to tell me the truth, even though I knew he was lying. I forget what the problem was but I remember a hollow look in his face. It was almost like he wasn't really there. It was almost like he was just doing time, sitting on the bed, listening to me asking the same question over and over again, "Sean are you lying", but he wasn't even paying attention.

I normally would not punish my children for accidents, and never tolerated lying. I was trying to explain to him that he wasn't going to get in trouble, I just wanted to know the truth. He wasn't budging at all and stuck to his story. I remembered that his mother and father were Catholics and feared the church, almost as much as they loved it.

That's what I came up with my evil plan. I don't know where I come up with these ideas, but every once in a while one pops up in my head and I run with it.

I told Sean that I was going to bring the Holy Bible in, and if he could swear on the Bible that he was telling the truth, I would accept that and this would be the end of our conversation. I couldn't believe my eyes, as he started crying and screaming, frantically and excitedly as a yelled out, I did it, I did it, don't bring the Bible in, I won't do it again.

I couldn't believe that was all it took to get information from him. I have always been a pretty good interrogator and found myself gathering information from those people easily, but this was amazing. His fear of the Holy Bible got me thinking about how powerful this book actually is to some people. I remember when I looked upon this book, pretty much the same as Sean did.

It's just a book, like any other book. It's not made at a holy factory or a secret monastery in the Swiss Alps somewhere, it's made from paper and ink and can be damaged and destroyed like other books. I would be surprised if I threw the Bible into the fire, that it wouldn't burn. I would be even more surprised, if I seen three men standing in the fire, wait a minute that's another story in the Bible.

Is it possible for this book to actually control the lives of people. It seemed to control Sean, I wonder if I, could have actually been driving a nail home that his parents started. Could I have added to his belief, that the Bible is a book from God the creator of everything.

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

Greg is currently working on a video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion. Simple Words Create Powerful Beliefs.

Leaking Heating Duct

Bathroom Remodeling Tips - Serving Two Masters

The hustle and bustle of big city living should be left where it should belong, in the busy New York streets and commercial establishments and not at home. But if you're early morning routine involves having to deal with traffic jam just to get into the master bath, then it may be high time to consider a bathroom remodeling that aims to accommodate his and hers facilities.

A common problem that most New York City homeowners share is limited space offered by their living units. The master bathroom, most of the time is unable to serve both masters at the same time, forcing couples to make arrangements on how they use the bath. But instead of making do with what it has to offer, why not undertake bathroom remodeling and create it into something perfectly fitting for both yours and your partner's needs?

When remodeling your New York bathroom for two, the key to maximize space while enhancing functionality is knowing which can be shared and which is better provided for both. To help you create the most comfortable his and her space out of your master bathroom, here are several tips:

Style

As the goal of your bathroom remodeling is to create a haven of comfort for both of you in one shared space, the two of you should have each, a say on styling matters. Colors, tastes, and preferences should be discussed beforehand. Be creative in finding harmony in individual choices like coordinating both your favorite colors. And as much as possible, every decision to be made must be tackled as a couple.

Vanity

His and her bathroom vanity designs are increasingly becoming popular, especially for use in master bathrooms. In bathroom remodeling, this feature could be your best bet in creating a personal station for each. Other than being a source of appeal, vanities also promote organization. For your New York bath, choose a setup which already integrates built-in storage with the counter space and two sinks. Aside from saving on area, this liberates both of you in terms of keeping your own toiletries and other necessities.

Lights and Mirrors

Light and reflection work hand-in-hand in amplifying space, making any room much more spacious than it seems. For your bathroom remodeling project, choose lighting fixtures offering more brilliance. To maximize your use of natural light without sacrificing your privacy, having your windows with film treatment is a good idea. Other than this purpose, these elements are also most useful when it comes to grooming. When shopping for full length mirrors, look for the pivoting function which allows for adjustment depending on the height of the person looking into it. Another great tip, most useful for prepping up, is to have wall sconces over mirrors instead of overhead lighting to avoid unflattering shadows.

Shower or Tub

As your New York bath is limited in space, instead of having two showers or tubs, a shared one serves as a more intimate option. For either, choose a design that can accommodate two people. To spruce things up and make bathing more enjoyable avail of spa features like multiple spray settings with massaging showerhead or hydrotherapy experience.

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 prescreened Bathroom Contractors NYC. For more, visit Bathroom Remodeling Brooklyn, NY.

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Outdoor Shed Foundations - Home Building Tips

When looking to build your own outdoor shed the first place to start is with the shed foundation. Your storage shed needs to be built on a strong foundation. Whether it is wood or concrete your slab needs to be a firm base that your outdoor shed will be built on. If you don't have a good shed foundation then your shed will not last as long as it should.

Wondering when to use a concrete slab or wood for a shed foundation? Here are the two main reasons for choosing one or the other. A wood foundation for your outdoor shed will allow you to move it if you ever decide that your original spot is not right. If you use a concrete slap then you will not be able to move it at all.

After you figured out what type of foundation you want you need to start to assemble it. If you're going to use the wood foundation, make sure you use pressure treated wood. Any home improvement store will have it just make sure to ask for help if you're unsure of the type and size you need. Tell them you're building an outdoor shed and they will be able to point you in the right direction.

An easy way to build a nice strong shed foundation is to get a couple of skids. These can be found at just about any store and usually they are in the back and free. Lay the skids out and placing your pressure treated wood around the outside nail then together. Using 3/4" plywood for the floor will give your outdoor shed a very strong foundation. Using bricks under the skids will help level the shed floor off and also keep any moisture from getting into our wood foundation.

If you decide to use the concrete slab make sure you have picked out the correct location, as this will be a permanent structure on your property. If you need your outdoor shed to support a lot of heavy equipment then you want to use the concrete slab foundation. It will be able to hold a lot more weight than the wood foundation.

It's always best to have a plan of attack before starting any home improvement project: it can save you time and money. Think about what you plan to keep inside your outdoor shed, if its going to be heavy equipment and you know that the wood foundation is going to be raised up off the ground 5-8" you may need a ramp to get stuff in and out. A concrete foundation can be made to be ground level. Keeping all these things in mind before you start building your outdoor shed will make this go so much faster and give you less headaches.

Learn more about outdoor storage sheds & buildings

Windows In Framed Exterior

Installing a 32 Inch Back Door

In some older houses you will find a 30 inch back door. Have you ever tried to move a refrigerator or some large furniture through a 30 inch door? Keep in mind most bedroom doors are 30 inches wide and are in 36 inch hallways. 30 inch doors and bedrooms make it tough to move some furniture in too.

Let's start with the price difference between a 30 inch door and a 32 inch door. The cost difference is usually going to be around $20. If you are building a hundred homes this could become quite an additional expense. So we can understand why the home builder installed a 30 inch door in the back of our home.

He got the extra money in his pocket, you got a headache.

Here's the big problem. If you ever want to install a larger door you will need to replace the structural door framing. Now this is where you could run into a little bit of an expense. Changing the framing for a wider door could become quite costly. It could actually cost over $1000 in some cases.

Now if the homebuilder would have originally installed a 32 inch door in your house it might have ran him as high as an additional $45. How can this be? I will give you the first clue. There is a good chance the homebuilder will not be moving into any of these houses. If for some strange instance he did move into the house, he would learn the same lesson whenever he needed to move a large item into the house.

I'm a contactor and learned this lesson in a long time ago.

If you are building a new home you might even want to consider installing a 36 inch back door. This door will give you plenty of room when it comes to moving large items in or out of your house. The cost difference between a 36 inch door and a 32 inch door is usually around $20 also.

When building a new home most people don't give very much thought about their interior or exterior doors. Here's a simple chart I made to help with some basic door decisions.

Bathroom Doors Should Be 28 Inches Wide Minimum.
Bedroom Doors Should Be 30 Inches Wide Minimum.
Front Doors Should Be At Least 36 Inches Wide
Back Doors and Garage Doors Should Be At Least 32 Inches Wide

If you are a professional football or basketball player don't use these numbers above.

If you have large sliding glass doors or French doors throughout your home and can use them to move large items into the house you can install whatever size doors you choose that are comfortable to walk through.

Give some thought when installing a new door on your next project and keep some of the above tips in mind..

If you are designing a home give some thought to the stairways and hallways in the home as well.

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

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Bay Window Ideas

Rusting Heaters

Remodeling is the Choice For Hotels and Homeowners Waiting Out the Sluggish Housing Market

Hotels remodeling, home remodeling or home improvement is becoming more and more the choice for hotels, motels, apartments and homeowners waiting out a housing market that is in a rut. One of the reasons being that homeowners or hotel owners would rather stay in their homes than lose up to 10% of home equity in today's sluggish housing market.The advantage of home improvements is that it helps people protect their biggest investment, which is their hotels, motels, apartment complexes or homes.

As long as the housing market stays weak, homeowners would continue to make their house or property the nicest one on the block. According to the NAHB forecasts, the U.S. housing market will remain soft through 2009 but begin to rebound in the first quarter of 2010.

Homeowners are investing in both the value and security of their homes, especially baby boomers. Seniors for example, are enclosing their carports into garages and installing outdoor lighting systems. Many hotels and motel chains are using bathtub refinishing as a big part of their bathroom remodeling project.

Many hotels or motels that remodel their bathrooms for instance, do so to replace worn out bathroom fixtures. Equally important, many homeowners or nursing homes may undertake bathroom remodeling for aesthetic reasons.

The sluggish housing market is making it harder and harder for homeowners to obtain mortgage. High cost of energy is keeping more and more Americans at home and not in hotels. The hospitality industry, like all other businesses is sharing its woes of bad economic times.

Many hotel owners and homeowners are not selling their homes or hotels because of economic hardships and again because of high financing costs. Therefore it makes sense for many to save money by remodeling. As the housing market continues its correction, many hotels, motels and homeowners will continue to renovate or remodel their homes or hotels.

Bathtub refinishing is saving homeowners and hotels money because it is only about 20% of the cost of bathtub replacement. With volume discount, hotels or motels can buy a bathtub for $200, but it may cost $2500 to replace it.

The reason the price goes up for bathtub replacement is the work involved in replacement. Walls are torn, plumbers are invited and tile contractors are hand to get paid. When you add up all the sub-contractors and the payments, the cost of bathtub replacement adds up pretty quickly. All that does not include its impact on the environment.

Bathtub refinishing costs between $450 to $650. You can use your bathtub in 24 hours after it has been refinished. All work is done in the bathroom. If you are serious about saving your hotel or motel money in your bathroom remodel, let us know. All hotels, motels bathtub refinishing is nationwide. Homeowners in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville are saving money, time and the environment by using our bathtub refinishing services.

Wilson Ukah, owns Refinishing Stars, a bathtub refinishing company serving homeowners in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville. Refinishing Stars, refinishes bathtubs, sinks, and countertops for hotels and motels nationwide. Wilson can be reached at http://www.refinishingstars.com or sales@refinishingstars.com.

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Tips to Get the Best From Your Bathroom Remodeling

Many people mistakenly believe that the bathroom is the least important area of the house. Considering that this is the first place you visit after you get up, and probably the last place you go to just before bed, nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, many people spend many relaxing moments in their bathroom, luxuriating in a bath while listening to soft music or playing with their kids before they go to bed. Therefore, it is only reasonable that many people want to remodel their bathrooms to give it the looks and comfort that the rest of the home provides.

Often, people are totally defeated by the thought of giving this small space a new look. After all, what is there to do? How much can one move the lavatory or the bathtub, and what would be the point anyway? Well, there are many ways you can use mirrors, lighting, free-floating cabinets and light to give this space a large, roomy and extravagant look. In fact, a properly done bathroom remodeling job could leave you open-mouthed! But you needn't call in the experts or pay through your nose for expensive designers before you get the bathroom of your dreams. Just follow the tips below and you could well be showing off your bathroom to your friends and family.

1. If your bathroom is cramped and starved for space, get rid of the tub. Go for a compact shower unit that has gleaming faucets and controls. On the other hand, if you have a large bathroom, make use of geometric designs instead of the conventional tub, and demarcate this area from the rest of your bath space.
2. Ax bare cabinets and vanities. Instead, make use of cabinets that are concealed nicely behind large mirrors. Mirrors increase the illusion of space and give a nice touch to your bathroom.
3. With the wide array of sinks and washing bowls available, it is not too difficult to get sleek designs that are compact as well as stylish. Glass fittings are popular these days.
4. Go for compact fittings. This will increase the illusion of space.
5. Make clever use of lighting to give the bathroom a bigger look. Allow light to pour in through frosted windowpanes. Use cool colors. Vertical stripes add to the feeling of space and height.
6. Get rid of dark fabric that makes the bathroom look dowdy and depressing. Instead, use light fabric in cool colors. Glass block windows should never be covered up, as they are great style statements.
7. Place lights above mirrors. Use stylish light fixtures so that bald tubes do not give off glaring light that hurts the eye. Place lighting fixtures in a way that they are nicely reflected around the bathroom.
8. Lastly, avoid clutter. If the space is small, keep unnecessary things out of it. Functionality should nicely be amalgamated with style so that you get maximum mileage from what you use in the small space.

Bathroom remodeling is not the tough job that it is made out to be. In fact, since you have to think sleek and slim, it is by far the easiest room to remodel and convert.

Bathroom Remodeling - First Choice Stone, specializing in granite countertops, and cabinets for kitchens and bathrooms is dedicated to providing old world quality and craftsmanship with innovative technology.

Bathtub And Sink Rough Plumbing