Three Tips to Help You Choose an Outdoor Hammock

Are you looking for a hammock for your backyard? Well, if so, you'll want to do some research before you invest the time and money it takes to finish this project. Read on to learn some valuable tips you should think about before investing in your outdoor hammock.

First, you need to consider how sturdy you need the hammock to be. You may want to think of the people that will be using it, as well as their size and how many people will be using it. This is very important when you start looking at various outdoor hammocks, because the sturdier it is the more it may cost. If you can get away with one that's not as sturdy, then you may be able to save quite a bit of money.

Second, you need to think about where you're going to place the outdoor hammock to aid you in getting just the right size. If you're thinking of placing it in the relaxing location between two shade trees, then you may want to measure the distance between those trees to make certain you get the right size. This is very important because if you don't get the size you need for the right location, then you could easily just be wasting your money.

Lastly, you may want to think about the color and design of the outdoor hammock. You most likely are getting hammock for the decor in your yard as well as your personal comfort, so this is a very important aspect as well. You should pick a color that is consistent with other colors in your backyard motif. You also should get a design that is pleasing to the eye. This can really make your work worthwhile.

Once you through out all of the above, you should be certain to take the time to sit back and relax so you can get the most out of your purchase and reap the benefits that it can provide for your comfort and the addition to your backyard decor as well. This truly a winning combination for you and your backyard combined.

Find out more tips and useful information about how to choose the perfect outdoor hammock for your backyard and patio.

Visit http://www.hammocksbuy.com - your favorite online hammocks store for outdoor hammocks, rope hammocks, hammock chairs stands and more...

Oh God The Contractor From Hell

Please Contribute Helpful Information to Our Blog

How would you like to help other contractors, home improvement specialists, builders, real estate professionals and anyone else involved in home remodeling. If you have any tips or home improvement advice to you would like to share with our readers, it would greatly be appreciated. Leave all comments below.

Hiring Contractors Books
Home Repair Books

Common Auto Repair Scams and Rip-Offs

Auto repair scams and a dishonest auto repair shop are so easy to find.

First a few facts I dug up about auto repair rip-offs.

The Consumer Federation of America states, auto repair rip-offs are consistently one of the top five most
frequently reported consumer complaints. National figures indicate $20 billion is spent annually on unnecessary or faulty auto repairs.

The California Bureau of Automotive Repair receives around 25,000 auto repair complaints a year.

With that said, I have personally seen so many different ways to rip people off in the auto repair business that it is hard to pick out the most common scams because each auto repair shop has its favorite.

So I will concentrate on the most common scams and rip offs that I have seen and heard about in my 23-year career as a certified master technician in the automotive service retail business.

To get started on the most common scams we have to talk about a few different rip offs as related to the common brake job. Brake job scams are so popular that whole franchise businesses have been built around them and specialize in just doing brake jobs.

These companies have recognized the pure profit potential from performing brake service. Auto repair Brake scams are easily sold to the UN educated consumer do to the safety factors involved.
We all no the importance of being able to stop the vehicle in emergency situation.
Once again the auto repair shop uses this to their advantage and sells you unneeded services in the name of safety.

The most offten used brake service scam is the complete brake system overhaul. I will use a specific example to show you how this works. You go into a auto repair chain store to have your brakes checked. Maybe you heard some brake squeal or brake noise that concerned you.

So you bring your 1999 Chevy blazer that has 75,000 miles on it to an auto repair shop to have the brakes checked. The shop could do a standard brake job or a hang and turn as we call it. A hang and turn is replacing the brake pads and resurfacing the rotors. This service would retail for around $110.00 but the
auto repair shop would prefer to make more. So they recommend a brake system overhaul.

The brake system overhaul will mean different things to different auto repair shops. In most cases they are
talking about overhauling the brake calipers by replacing the seals in the calipers.

A caliper seal kit is very cheap in parts cost and very high in labor costs. The seal kit usually has about 3 or 4 rubber seals in it and cost the shop about $3.00
They then charge you $20.00 for the kit and another 2.0 hours per caliper to install the seals. But here is the scam part.

The caliper seals are internal and its hard to verify that they were actually replaced. The outer seal known as the dust seal is usually the only seal that will get replaced during this unneeded service.

The mechanic then throws away the remainder of the brand new seals. The shop usually includes a brake system flush in this service, which I will attack in a moment.

The first auto repair issue to address is do we really need a caliper overhaul. In most cases no we dont. Why is this true? The manufacturers make fantastic calipers from the factory. The reason being it is an extremely important safety related part.

The manufacture must be sure their vehicle meets stopping distance requirements. They must also be sure that the calipers are over engineered to last for the life of the vehicle. The manufacture cannot afford to go to court for lawsuits on brake system failures.

Now with this being said do calipers ever need to be overhauled? Yes on rare cases this is the case. But
there are warning signs that the service is required. The Number one sign that a caliper is failing is a
strong brake pull.

To explain, this is when the vehicle pulls right or left during braking only.
The harder you brake the harder it pulls to one side. This is because a caliper is binding on one side or the
other. Equal braking force is not be applied. Tell tale sign # 2 is if the red brake warning light is illuminated on the dash. This can indicate the brake fluid is low and may be caused by a brake fluid leak from a caliper.
In any case the way the caliper service should be addressed by the auto repair shop is to replace both front calipers at the same time. I do not trust the individual mechanic to overhaul my calipers.
I would rather replace both front calipers with either new or remanufactured calipers.

This way you are assured you have reliable calipers installed. Some remanufactured calipers come loaded with new brake pads and now you have new calipers and brake pads that the auto repair mechanic can just bolt on.
This requires very little skill from the mechanic and makes for a very reliable auto repair.
Most auto repair shops will do this if requested.If they are not willing to do the repair the right way this should raise a red flag in your mind and moving the vehicle to another shop would be best. Remember That an educated consumer is the auto repair shop's worst nightmare.

Mark Gittelman Is an ASE Certified Master Technician with 23 Years of front Line experience in the auto repair business. His Web site http://www.certifiedmastertech.com was created to help auto repair shop customers avoid rip-offs and scams. His new book A Mechanics Secrets Revealed is a shocking and in-depth look into the auto repair world. This new book is a powerful tool to help you fight against the dishonest auto repair shop. Visit the free blog spot at http://certifiedmastertech.blogspot.com/

Landscape Rock - Backyard Waterfalls Made With Artificial Rock

Landscape rock or a waterfall are probably the last things you want to consider when creating that special backyard landscaping project. This is entirely due to cost and the lifting or moving of large stones, right?

Landscape rock doesn't have to be expensive or difficult to maneuver with any backyard project ever again. Now there is a great new method of creating the size, the shape, and the color of your landscape rocks and stones to fit perfectly into your landscaping design. Everyone loves the peaceful serenity of a waterfall, now you can create your own quiet and tranquil setting at home.

CaveRock Design has copyrighted the first residential backyard do-it-yourself artificial rocks, boulders, and waterfall formula that literally anyone can afford and apply. The method is simple, yet very versatile and durable. They have already established customers around the globe using this ideal process of making the landscape rocks and boulders for many personal projects.

Artificial rock is now curbing the rock and stone business to accommodate the weekend warriors, who just want to spice up their landscape and not spend a fortune on the materials.

Landscape rock has always involved heavy lifting and difficult placement. Most of the time a landscaper has to work around the rock work that's in place or settle for what they can manage to do with large landscape rock. This is remarkably easy to do and the build time is virtually a couple of days for a large project. The time savings alone is priceless.

A new application has been made to create a cave-like project for the kids or grandkids and show off your new found skills. This will surely impress the family, once you tell them you are a cave builder.

Doubling as a kid's cave, CaveRock Design's process also allows the victory gardener to create a place to store the daily gardening tools or a place to put your tools away from the elements and keep them handy as well.

Prior to CaveRock Design's formula, the only place you would find this type of artificial rock formations would be at miniature golf course or a theme-park. Now when you see those picture perfect artificial rocks, and waterfalls, you can say, I can create my own artificial rocks, boulders, or stones, to make the perfect landscape design and create my very own backyard waterfall.

To see what all the fuss is about, you need only to visit CaveRock Design on the web; www.wealthsmith.com/CAVEROCK.htm

Jim is an online writer and entrepreneur that enjoys sharing his discoveries on and off the web with his faithful readers. Today it's all about landscaping with artificial rocks, boulders, and making a backyard waterfall: http://wealthsmith.com/CAVEROCK.htm or Backyard Waterfalls

Installing A 32 Inch Back Door

Spring Blooming Chinese Trees With Purple Flowers

One of the most exciting times of the year is spring. When spring arrives, there is a sense of excitement in the air; the birds sing the most harmonious song, the sun warms the earth, and everything is alive with color as the flowers show off their beautiful array of delicate petals. Could a springtime morning get any more wonderful? Yes it can! The perfect addition to any garden would most definitely be spring blooming Chinese trees with purple flowers.

If you welcome one of these gorgeous trees into your yard or your garden, it will add that special "something" that can not be described with words; it is something you will feel with all of your senses as they are awakened by the lovely purple blossoms. The birds will feel invited to make their nests there; they will treat you to music every morning. The butterflies will be attracted by the beautiful colors, and will come to flutter and dance while you observe their flight.

The color purple, in many countries represents royalty; in some Asian countries, it represents romance and love. When you plant a spring blooming Chinese tree with purple flowers, you will be adding a touch of romance and at the same time the atmosphere will be like that of a garden at a royal palace in a distant, exotic land. How nice it will be to sit in the evening under the moon in your garden, and forget all the stress of the day; or to enjoy your morning cup of coffee under the shade of your tree as you listen to the song of the birds. If you throw a garden party, your guests will feel like they are far away from everyday life as they enjoy the atmosphere that surrounds them.

You will often find yourself inspired while admiring the intricate detail of the purple petals on each spring blossom of your spring blooming Chinese tree with purple flowers.You will begin to appreciate the beauty of nature. You will find that you are able to slow down and relax.You will have something that you will be able to enjoy, again and again, year after year. You will watch it grow, and you will never grow weary of the excitement of spotting the first blossom of spring on the delicate branches. You will also be leaving a gift of beauty for future generations to enjoy.

This year, when you turn to your gardening chores; don't forget to include the planting of your spring blooming Chinese tree with purple flowers on your "to do " list. Don't put it off until a later date. The sooner you plant it, the sooner you can start to enjoy your garden in a way you never have before.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author.
To learn more about spring blooming Chinese trees, please visit Spring Gardening Today for current articles and discussions.

Painting A French Door

Different Types of Roofing Materials - How Do You Choose the Right Kind?

There are so many different types of roofing materials out there, how do you choose just one? If you are thinking about the type of roof that you might like to have, then this article might just help you narrow down the selection a bit. Before you decide upon any kind of roofing, it is important to consider the overall life of the material that you will choose.

While some types of roofing might be inexpensive, these materials usually don't last very long. On the flip side, while some materials might be expensive, they will last for many years to come without a lot of maintenance - just some things to think about while looking over the options listed below.

Let's start with one of the most popular types of roofing material: composition. Composition roofing is inexpensive, it comes in various colors and types, and it is relatively easy to repair.

However, a composite roof usually only lasts for 15 to 30 years, it tends to scar when heated, it can collect lots of mildew, and it is not environmentally friendly. If this doesn't sound like a good idea to you, don't worry - there are many different types of roofing materials that haven't been covered yet.

Wood shingles are popular throughout some areas of the world, though these shingles are not fire-friendly. In addition, they tend to be very high maintenance, since they rot, split, and mold frequently. However, they do give off a natural look, they tend to blend in nicely with any surrounding, and they will last for a long time if they are properly taken care of.

One great option is metal roofing. Metal roofs tend to come in various colors, they last a long time, and they are low maintenance. However, metal roofs are more expensive that most other kinds. Out of all the different types of roofing materials, metal roofs are often a favorite choice for many homeowners.

Clearly, there are lots of different types of roofing materials, and some of those sorts have not even been discussed in this article. Thus, the best thing for you to do is to contact a contractor, ask about the different types of materials that you might want to consider, and decide upon the right one for your home or business.

Keep in mind that the cheapest option might not always be the best choice. Instead, look for a roofing material that will last for many years.

Find out more by reading the full article which explains what you need to know about the many different types of roofing materials.

Trying to decide which roofing material to use? Be sure to visit the authors website where you will find lots of FREE Information as well as local contractors. Visit: http://www.metal--roofing.net

Horizontal Or Vertical Drywall

Waterbed Repair And Maintenance - What You Need To Know

Owning a waterbed requires the occasional waterbed repair once in awhile. In order to keep your bed in good condition, proper maintenance and care should be taken. How do you properly maintain a waterbed?

One of the first things you need to consider is the water level in your mattress. Always remember that the water will be displaced when one person or more uses the bed. Thus, fill the water system of the mattress to just below the level of the surrounding frame and allow some roof for displacement.

When a waterbed has already been filled with water by others, its always wise to check for air bubbles in the mattress. Just make sure that the air in the mattress is vented out through the valve. A waterbed that is free of air is quiet. So, once in awhile, you need to manually vent out the air from your mattress.

Setting your waterbeds temperature is also important to guarantee a good nights sleep. However, each person has his preference when it comes to temperature. Generally, a temperature of 28 degrees Celsius or the normal body temperature is the most typical setting for most mattresses.

A waterbed may be free from bed bugs and dust mites but the water inside the mattress might not be free from bacteria. Thus, to prevent formation of algae in the water, waterbed owners are advised to add a conditioner in the water at least every six months. The waterbed conditioner will not only purify the water and prevent bacteria, but it will also protect the surface of the vinyl mattress.

Aside from conditioners, it is also necessary to clean the vinyl surface using a special waterbed vinyl cleaner. Most mattresses have removable covers which can be slid off for easier cleaning. Some vinyl cleaners can be wiped directly on the vinyl while other vinyl cleaners need to be added water or moist before application.

If youre a waterbed owner, never forget to ensure that the safety liner of your bed is correctly in place because the safety liner will protect your room in case the water bed leaks. The liner will ensure that if the mattress gets a leak the water displaced will be contained inside the liner. It is wise to examine your waterbed mattress and the safety liner at least twice a year.

When a waterbed leaks, some people would immediately try to drain all the water from the bed. But this is actually a bigger job than repairing the vinyl itself. In case of leaks, the first you need to do is try to find where leak is coming from. Use a towel to dry off the water between the liner and the bed. Remember that the water is trapped between the liner and the mattress but you can dry it off without draining the entire bed.

A waterbed leak will usually come from the sides, top, or corners of the vinyl. Once youve found the leak, place a pillow under the safety liner to lift the mattress so that you can begin with the repair. First, dry off the punctured area and use the waterbed patch kit that is usually included in your package when purchasing the bed. Simply cut a patch of vinyl that is at least 1cm larger than the hole and use the waterbed repair adhesive to put it in place. The glue dries off very quickly and once its dried, the mattress is ready for use. However, double check that you have completely dried off the leak between the safety line and the mattress as the spilled water will acquire algae and odor.

Check out Richard Mersons site at http://everythingwaterbeds.com for more info on waterbeds, water bed frames, mattresses, sheets and accessories.

Can You Help Us with Your Remodeling Experience

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

Is Imagination Better Than Knowl

10 Ways to Winterize Your FSBO Home

Did you know? Preparing your FSBO home for winter should actually start during the Fall/Autumn season! As temperatures quickly drop you always remember to pull out your coat, gloves, toboggan, and scarf to protect yourself from the harsh cold. Protecting your FSBO home is just as important in order to fight off "Old Man Winter".

Here are 10 tips to help you better prepare your FSBO home for winter:

1. Get your HVAC (Heating & Cooling) Inspected - This could possibly be the most important winterization tip on this list! Call a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) professional to inspect your furnace. Make sure they check your ductwork to ensure they are free flowing and inspected for holes and/or separated duct joints. Have them change your filter if need be, but on the norm you should do this monthly for most furnace systems.

2. Inspect all your Windows for Cracks and Leaks - Its true windows are often used for air circulation and cool breezes during the summer, but you do not want cold air leaking in during the winter months. Check the exterior window wells for cracks and chipped paint, if need be caulk and seal cracked edges and re-paint wells. If you have cracked glass in your windows you should try to gauge whether or not they need to be replaced completely and if replaced make sure to prime and paint exposed wood to prevent possible air leaks. Last, if you have your summer screens still intact make sure they are swapped out with your glass storm windows as this will give you an added layer of air blocking protection.

3. Inspect all your Doors for Cracks and Leaks - If you can feel a cool breeze or cool air from the bottom or sides of your doors then you possibly need to apply weather stripping. Weather stripping alone can save you up to 20 percent in heating and cooling costs. Basically weather strips are a narrow strip of material (usually plastic) which cover the joint of a door or window to keep out the cold. It's a fairly painless job and will save you tons of energy costs.

4. Inspect Gutters and Downspouts and clean them out - During Autumn we all enjoy seeing the leaves change into many beautiful colors, but with that comes a bit of maintenance on our part. Once the leaves fall from the trees it's almost inevitable they will land in your gutter! Cleaning them out is a bore but it's an essential part of winterizing your FSBO home. Some people hire companies to do this, some people clean them out by hand, but here's my time saving tip: If your roof grade is not too steep try using a leaf blower to clean them out, it makes the job 100 times faster. Keep safety in mind first when you do these things. Never do this alone or if you do not feel comfortable doing it in the first place. Removing the leaves from the gutters and downspout will ensure good drainage when the rain and snow of winter comes, thus keeping back-ups from occurring and water seepage into the house.

5. Inspect your Roof Covering / Shingles - Inspect your roof for loose, damaged, or missing covering such as shingles. While you do this it's very important to check the flashing in order to make sure water is not running into your FSBO home. Flashing is basically a type of sheet metal installed at any break in a shingled roofline to prevent leaks. If you find your roof is leaking or sagging call a roofing professional immediately.

6. Make sure your Attic is properly Insulated - This may be one of the more expensive items on the list, but it's also one that will save you money in the long run. Since heat rises attics are the exact place your heat will escape in larger quantities. Consider adding extra insulation to your attic, especially if you can openly see your ceiling joists. If you're not sure what to look for, a ceiling joist is a parallel framing board used to support ceiling loads.

7. Protect your Plumbing - Pipes and plumbing is a huge concern during the winter. If your pipes freeze it's going to be an extremely expensive fix! Before the first freeze of the year make sure you drain and shut off your sprinkler system and water hoses to avoid frozen and burst pipes. Disconnect all hoses from the spigots and make sure your hoses are drained completely. For extra protection in colder climates you may even want to purchase and install Styrofoam cups which attach to spigots and provide extra insulation. Do not turn your heat completely off during the wintertime, and always know the location of your main water valve in case you need to turn it off for an emergency.

8. Inspect your Foundation for Cracks and Proper Drainage - The winter season usually brings tons of rain and snow. If water is not properly draining away from the house then it could possibly stand still and eventually move towards your house and into the walls. Make sure the downspouts and hose extensions (usually PVC pipe) are aimed away from your house. If need be you can shovel and reshape the dirt to ensure water is running away from your FSBO homes foundation.

9. Inspect your Fireplace - To conserve energy and heating costs make sure the fireplace damper is tightly closed when not in use. If your chimney top is not fully covered then consider purchasing a shielding cap for it with a screen. It's also recommended that if your chimney has not been cleaned in a while that you get it professionally swept to wipe out whatever creosote and soot that has formed.

10. Check your various Alarms - Unfortunately there are thousands of residential fires each year that could have been prevented by simply checking Smoke Detector batteries with the push of a button. You should probably change the batteries in your Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector at least once per year to be on the safe side. If you do not have these two detectors installed then it's highly recommended you do so.

DIY_U Bonus Tip:
Always be prepared for Emergencies and Surprises - Sometimes the winter months can be harsh leaving individuals and families without power, electricity and water. As a safety precautions try purchasing candles and matches you can use for lighting. Purchase bottled water, canned/non-perishable foods [including pet foods if you have pets], first-aid kits, extra blankets, lanterns and firewood. It's important to have a centralized location for all your items in the time of need so place them in well-known place to you and your family. Last but not least develop a list of emergency phone numbers and place them on your refrigerator or near your phone. This list should include your utility companies (electric, gas, water), phone company, local fire department, local police department, local hospital, and possibly your nearby neighbors.

To learn more about taking care of your FSBO home please visit our nationwide for sale by owner website: http://www.diyhomesellers.com

DIYHomeSellers.com, For Sale by Owner (FSBO) Real Estate

Problems With Black Mold

XBox 360 Red Circle of Death - Why? And How to Repair It

You are all set to play your favorite game and what do you see but the Xbox 360 red circle of death! Now, I know it is very frustrating, but don't go pulling out your hair or anything! Keep on reading to find that relief is in sight! You CAN repair it easily!

Of course, if your XBox 360 is still under warranty, then by all means, send your XBox to support to have them fix it. Unless you don't feel like waiting 4 weeks for it!

Ok, moving on. One of the main causes of the XBox 360 red circle of death is overheating due to a sub-adequate ventilation system and a lot of heat producing components put into a small area.

To help keep your XBox 360 is good condition and hopefully preventing the problem, place your XBox 360 on a stand by itself with lots of space around it for it to breathe. If you feel the box getting hot, you can try placing a fan near the Xbox and having it provide a constant breeze to help cool the XBox.

Now that you know that a main cause is overheating, you will most likely understand why the towel method is not a very good method to use. You don't want to fry your XBox 360! The towel method is where you wrap your XBox with a towel and let it overheat until the solder inside the XBox starts to melt to that any missed connections are reset. As you can imagine, that temperature can get pretty high.

What I recommend if you are suffering from the XBox 360 red circle of death and your XBox is out of warranty, is to get a good repair guide on this matter. This allows you to repair your own XBox and it can be done in under 2 hours!

If your XBox is still under warranty, I would not recommend these repair guides because opening your Xbox will void your warranty. But if you don't want to wait 4 weeks to get your XBox 360 back, then these repair guides are well worth it. They are safe and it is a permanent fix.

There are numerous guides out there and I have rated the top 5 at my site red-ring-of-death.com.

Floor Repairs

Can You Repair the Red Ring of Death Yourself?

The Xbox 360 has a major design flaw. If a unit is allowed to overheat, this will cause the motherboard to flex and warp. This, in turn, will cause other components to come loose. This issue is referred to as the Three Red Lights error or the Red Ring of Death. It will cause the unit to malfunction and not be able to play.

When this happens, you have two choices: you can send the unit off to Microsoft and have them repair it or you can repair the Red Ring of Death yourself. In order to make the right choice, you need to take several things into consideration.

Sending your unit off to Microsoft will take a great deal of time. It is normal to wait anywhere from 8 to 10 weeks for your Xbox 360 to return from Microsoft after you send it to be repaired. This is, of course, assuming that it can be repaired by Microsoft. It is not unheard of for someone to send their unit off to Microsoft and find out a month or so later that Microsoft cannot repair the unit at all. If this is the case, then you will have waited a month or two and you still do not have your Xbox 360 back.

Another consideration is financial. If your unit is not under warranty, then you will need to either pay for the repairs yourself (plus shipping and handling) or you'll have to pay for a replacement. Keep in mind that even if you are paying for the repairs, it could take Microsoft up to 10 weeks to return your unit to you. If you choose to have Microsoft repair your unit, it can actually cost you more money than buying a new Xbox 360.

There is a solution that will save you both time and money. You can choose to repair your Xbox 360 by yourself. There is a repair guide that will show you step-by-step how to repair the red ring of death. There are several reasons why you could choose to repair your Xbox 360 on your own.

• Time - when you purchase your repair guide for the Xbox 360, you will have instant access to the guide. This means that you do not have to wait for weeks until you can start playing games again. You can use your guide and be gaming by this time tomorrow.
• Money - you can receive a copy of the repair guide for a fraction of the cost of a new unit. To be honest, the guide probably costs less than just the shipping cost of the unit to and from Microsoft.
• Security - when you repair your Xbox 360 yourself, you do not have to worry about your console being lost or damaged during the shipping process to or from Microsoft. It will always be in your sight.

By using a repair guide to fix your Xbox 360 and repair the Red Ring of Death yourself, you will save both time and money.

There are a number of Xbox 360 repair guides around, including the 3 Red Light Fix Guide. For more information see our review of the XBox360 Repair Guide at http://topebookreviews.com/xbox-360-repair-guide-review-3redlightfix/

Leaking Heating Duct

Your Home Remodeling Advice Will Be Helpful

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

House Window Books
Walkways Books

Bathroom Remodel Budget In Vista California

As a bathroom remodeling contractor, I get calls from people, that have no idea what they want or how much anything is going to cost. Here's some simple tips that can be very helpful when planning a bathroom remodel budget.

Bathroom Remodeling Investment

In 2008, the average mid-range bathroom cost around $16,000 and you could recoup around $12,000 of your original investment upon the sale of your home. According to a popular remodeling magazine, larger bathrooms using expensive fixtures, tile, bathtubs, woodworking, toilets and showers had an average of $52,000. Upon the sale of a home, you could recoup around $36,000 of your original investment.

Finding out How Much Things Cost

My first suggestion, would be to visit your local home improvement center, lumber yard or plumbing supply warehouse. Larger stores like Home Depot and Lowe's, seemed to provide you with value pricing but don't have a large selection. While doing some research on the Internet I noticed that some of their pricing is outrageously, outrageous. Some plumbing supply warehouses can provide value but beware others won't.

Create a List of Bathroom Remodeling Parts

You can get a good idea of your bathroom remodel costs for your budget by making a list of bathroom parts with pricing and then adding them up for a grand total. If you're a total bathroom remodel budget is $15,000 and you have a $6,000 bathtub with $4000 worth of tile, you could have a budget problem.

Figuring out the Labor

You will have to contact a contractor to get an actual cost for the labor. Sometimes you can double the cost of your bathroom remodeling parts to get a rough idea. If you have a list or a couple of lists and a few pictures of some sample bathrooms, this will make the contractor's job easier and often they can give you a labor price within a few days.

Give Yourself a Cushion

I would suggest leaving yourself a small financial cushion for any additional remodeling items. For example, you could see a different toilet, or instead of painting the walls, you now choose to wallpaper, you could incur additional expenses that you haven't planned for. If you know exactly what you want and stick to the original bathroom remodeling plan, you shouldn't need the cushion.

Financial problems often transfer into construction problems, so spend some time figuring out, how much money you want to spend on the bathroom remodel and try not to go overboard on the budget. I hate to see homeowners struggling with home improvement loan payments. Try to create a bathroom remodeling budget that is realistic and will not create a financial burden upon you or your family.

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

If your looking for some more bathroom remodeling or home building ideas.

Floor Joist End Repairs
Checking The Level Floor Framing

How to Repair Your Luggage While Traveling

Traveling normally takes a lot of time to prepare for. Long distance holiday trips take more time to plan for because there is a lot of luggage to be carried. Some trips go smoothly while others normally suffer from several incidents. The incidents may vary from case to case, but the most common is the luggage getting damaged. Traveling does not have to be a hassle because of your luggage. Having some tips in luggage repair can make your trip less stressful. Here is what you can do to repair your luggage while traveling:

Carry Your Patching And Sewing Kit
During trips and camping excursions, it is common for luggage to get torn or for threads to come off. If you carried your patching and sewing kit, you may find them handy during such times. You will not have to unpack your belongings and look for alternative luggage, because you can do the sewing and patching by yourself. This saves you on time and cost that might have used by taking it to a luggage repair shop or buying some new luggage.

Carry Extra Buttons
Another common problem that holiday makers and travelers encounter is when buttons come off from their luggage. This can make the trip a frustrating one and it may lead to loss of valuable property. Travelers can carry spare buttons during their trips when luggage buttons unexpectedly come off and are lost during the journey. Travelers who have spare buttons usually save on time because they can easily fix the buttons back on to their luggage by sewing them. This saves on cost and it can save a person's valuable property. Buttons can be cheaply obtained from luggage and cloth repair stalls, or from old clothing.

Wax Sticks
Nearly all travelers have experienced luggage zipper problems during their trips. Zippers can malfunction due to many reasons like carrying too many items in your luggage. To make them function, zippers may need to be replaced with spare ones or sometimes they just need some waxing in order to get them functioning again. Candle or wax sticks come in handy at such times. If the malfunction is a major one like broken zippers, you may need to replace the zipper with a spare one.

Carry Luggage Spare Parts
If you suspect that a certain part of your luggage will experience some problems, it might be good to carry spare parts. You may suspect that your luggage handle , wheels, or other accessories may experience problems and carrying their spare parts can make your trip less frustrating and save you from expensive luggage repair costs.

Travelers and holiday makers can use the above tips to safeguard themselves against the frustrations that come when their luggage experiences some problems. The tips are less costly and save a lot of time that might have been taken in luggage repair shops. Holidaymakers going to some places for the first time will not need to worry about finding luggage repairmen or shops in those areas if they apply the basic luggage repair tips that have been discussed.

Garrett Rohde
Former Airline Pilot and Travel Expert
Luggage-Pilot.com

Benefits of Four Seasons Sunrooms

When you are considering building a sunroom to add to your home, you have probably decided to do so because you would like to spend more time in the sun without necessarily being outdoors. A sunroom allows you to enjoy the sunlight and warmth that it provides without being exposed to the drawbacks of the outdoors such as insects and other pests. Plus, if you have had the windows properly treated, you can avoid at least a percentage of the suns harmful UV rays as well.

However, you may have started to do your research on adding a sunroom and have seen that there are a number of different types of sunrooms to choose from, but they all fall into two basic categories; a 3 season sunroom, or a 4 season or all season sunroom. The type that you choose will depend on a variety of factors such as your needs for the room, your local climate and your budget for the construction.

Determining Your Sunroom Needs

When you first begin to design your sunroom, it is important to know what you actually plan to use the room for. If you your plan is to expand the living space for your family and you will be using it often, then you may want to invest in the type of sunroom that can be used year round. Otherwise, you may find that during the coldest or hottest days, your family may be uncomfortable in the room. It would be difficult for you to have the sunroom, if its been the location where your children have been playing every day, to suddenly become unusable because it is too uncomfortable to be in the room.

Many families find that their sunroom is an excellent room for Christmas to be celebrated because the addition of the Christmas tree doesnt disrupt the rest of the house operations. If this is the case, then you would probably want to invest in an all season or 4 season sunroom. However, if your plan is to occasionally use the room for entertaining and you would not find the lack of its use during certain times of the year to be a problem, then you might find that a 3 season sunroom would work just fine for you and your family.

Benefits of 3 Season Sunrooms

Probably the greatest benefit of a 3 season sunroom is that they are the less expensive type of sunroom to construct. They do not require that you hook into your homes heating and cooling system, so the amount of work that is necessary to get them set up is less than that of all season sunrooms. They can be constructed relatively inexpensively on an existing deck or cement slab that you might already have at your home.

These sunrooms can be perfect for those people who live in moderate or temperate climates because you will be able to use it without worry for the majority of the year. Since they are not hooked into the heating and cooling system of your home, you will need to alter the environment with other means. Depending on your climate, you may be comfortable for most of the year with simple ceiling fans or a space heater. However, you could also look into options such as portable or window air conditioning units for the hotter months. And for the warmer months, portable heaters or outdoor fireplaces could be used as long as there is ventilation possible so that you dont endanger yourself and your family with carbon monoxide. You can increase the length of the time in which you and your family are able to comfortably use your home by investing in materials that allow for a high level of insulation.

That way you can keep the temperature steady more easily. Once you have cooled off or heated the room, having it well insulated will mean that you are expending less energy to keep the room at that temperature. However, realize that there are certain climates where your sunroom will truly only be comfortable for 3 seasons out of the year, even with the supplemental heating and cooling options that you have incorporated.

Another advantage of 3 season sunrooms is that you can order a do it yourself kit to install the new addition. If you are a generally handy person and feel confident in your basic tool using abilities, then ordering a kit may be a great way for you to save money while still building the sunroom that you want. You can either select a standard sunroom design from a manufacturer, which will be the cheapest option for you, or you can design your own sunroom, have the kit custom designed, and then shipped to you. Either way, you will be saving a great deal of money on labor costs by doing it yourself. Yet you might want to have someone in mind to call if you should find that the job is more complicated than you thought. Plus, you will want to be certain that the work you do is within all building codes for your area as well.

Andrew Caxton is the author and editor of many resources published at http://www.allsunrooms.com . A website with tips on 4 seasons patio rooms at four seasons sunrooms

Building a Home - What to Consider When Choosing Siding

Have you seen a house that grabbed your attention and imagination - and day-dreamed about having one that looked "just like that?" It might be perfect for you - but then it might not.

Different types of siding have different visual appeal, but they also have different maintenance requirements. Your choice should reflect your personal style and taste, and also reflect the time and/or money you have for maintenance.

Vinyl siding was popular in our area for several years - because it didn't have to be painted, and seemed not to fade too badly. BUT - the wide fluctuations in heat and cold cause it to warp and crack. Some homeowners were pretty unhappy with that aspect. In a more even climate it probably does well. I'm personally not fond of the look, but I know people who think it gives a neat and tidy appearance that they appreciate.

Some turned to aluminum or steel siding. That held up pretty well, but the paint does eventually fade, and aluminum is highly flammable.

Almost everyone loves the looks of cedar siding - BUT it requires re-oiling every year or two - and if the water splashes against it or snow lays against it for months during the winter, it requires bleaching to remove the black stains. And - in a country where fires are a threat, it can be dangerous, as that oil soaked wood ignites almost instantly.

Log siding makes your home look like a log home - and it requires the same kind of maintenance that the real thing would take: cleaning and oiling every year or two. Again, unless your home is surrounded by large lawns, it's not the best choice in forest-fire country.

Wood has been a standard since our forefathers began building frame houses - but unless you're fond of the "weathered wood" look, it does require a new coat of paint every few years.

Pine and hemlock are not as flammable as cedar - but they do still burn. You can treat the wood with a fire retardant, but if you're concerned about exposing your family to environmental toxins you might not want to. The upside is that you can change the color of your home for a whole new look.

A newer choice is "manufactured wood." One such product is Hardi-board. Made of wood mixed with concrete, it is impervious to both fire and water. It comes pre-primed and the boards look like real wood - with the grain showing. Again, you have to paint - but you get to change your look occasionally. Contractors don't especially love this one, because it wears out saw blades like crazy!

Brick and rock are attractive alternatives, but even they require a bit of maintenance. Grout dries out and cracks and needs to be re-pointed occasionally.

Before you choose, consider both the looks and the maintenance.

Marte Cliff is a freelance copywriter - a former real estate broker, and the wife of a retired home builder. She has over 20 years experience in dealing with both new home construction and clients who were financially damaged over land purchases and home construction projects. That experience led her to write two consumer e-books on the subjects.

The Land Buyers Guidebook and Home Building Simplified were both written to prevent the headaches and heartaches that come from moving forward without the proper knowledge. You can learn about both at http://www.marte-cliff.com/Survival.html

Marte also offers a free report: "How to Spot a Bogus Contractor" To get your copy, just send an e-mail to: helpmebuild@getresponse.com

Stair Treads For Safety - Stair Building Tips

If you've built as many stairways as I have, this is a very simple question to answer. Should I use 2 x 12 or 3 x 12 for my stair treads? Without a doubt I would use the 3 x 12 for a couple of reasons.

The thickness of the three by material gives it some additional strength and that strength could prevent someone from falling through the stairway and getting injured. Visually looking at the 3 x 12 it gives you the illusion that the stairway is safe. Once you start walking up the stairway and the stairs seem solid and well constructed, it takes the illusion and makes it a reality.

If you're walking up a poorly constructed stairway every day, not only is it a safety problem but it takes a little bit of effort as you walk up the stairway, holding on to the hand rail with a death grip, this can easily wear someone out physically and mentally, over time. Stairways should be constructed and maintained with safety as the main priority.

If you've ever walked up and older stairway that was built using 2 x 12 for the stair treads, you probably know what I'm talking about. Walking up and down the stairway, while the stair treads are moving, does not give you a strong sense that the stairway is safe. And of course sometimes the stairway isn't.

For example if you have a 3 inch knot in a 2 x 12 stair tread, over time as the wood expands and contracts, the knot can loosen up and fall out of the stair tread, often creating a weak spot in the step. With a thicker stair tread, it will take a little more expanding and contracting to create a weak spot in the stair step.

If you're building a stairway wider than 36 inches, with no center stair stringers to support the stairway, I would suggest using a 3 x 12 or 4 x 12 for your stair treads. 2 x 12 should not be used for stair treads on any staircase wider than 36 inches.

If you choose to use 2 x 12 for your stair treads, select premium grade lumber for safety. Try to avoid using center cut building materials and 2 x 12 with knots larger than an inch and a half. Large knots are one of the biggest problems in construction safety.

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.

Learn more about the parts of the stairway, whether you're a experienced carpenter or homeowner. Stair building does not necessarily have to be as complicated as most people make it out to be. There's also a book on how to build straight stairs that can save you a lot of frustration, if you've never built a stairway before. Visit the website.

Lowest Construction Bids

Post Your Ideas Here On Deck Building

Do you have any ideas for building or repairing wood decks . We would love to hear from you in the comment area. Any useful comments that you can make on deck construction or deck building will help our blog readers.

Roofing Books

Replacement Kitchen Doors - House Remodeling Ideas

For many people, the kitchen is the focal-point of their house. It is generally the first place their children stop when coming from school, and is a relaxing environment to use while entertaining company. A lot of us consider this room where we begin our mornings. The appearance of your kitchen from its flooring to the appliances and kitchen doors can drastically affect the mood of your house.

Changes like getting replacement kitchen doors can really add a lot to your decor without having to shell out a large amount of cash. There are many different choices in kitchen doors, and they can be found in materials such as glass, solid wood, faux wood, and laminate.

Make sure that your replacement kitchen doors match the specific type of cabinet structures that you currently have. If you happen to find a set of kitchen doors that you are fond of, but they don't go with your existing cabinets, you could always consider painting the cabinets so they go together. This whole process would still be much cheaper than replacing the entire structure. A renovation such as this, paired with a couple of special items to tie the new decor together can change the theme of your kitchen from top to bottom.

When you are choosing your brand new kitchen doors, be sure not to purchase a set that is so busy that it takes away from other design features in your kitchen area. The best replacement kitchen doors will make a bold statement while still tying together and accenting the rest of your kitchen.

Don't settle for the first price quote you receive for your kitchen renovation projects. There are many stores out there with great products and services, and you should take your time to find the best items and installation options to fit your needs.

Your kitchen doors should be installed by either a hired professional, or if you are really daring, you can educate yourself in how to complete this project by yourself. Installing replacement kitchen doors is one of those home improvement ventures that can be done more easily than things like plumbing and HVAC.

Make sure you do your research and are completely confident in your abilities before undergoing a feat such as this. You will benefit greatly from speaking with a trained professional home renovator. A lot of times, you can talk to someone experienced with kitchen doors right in your local home improvement store.

A handy money saving tip is to buy your replacement kitchen doors factory direct, as this will save you a great deal of money. This option will also save you the hassle of trying to navigate a crowded home improvement store just to end up paying their steep mark-ups.

Expert advice about recent styles of replacement kitchen doors. The information packed Best Kitchen Doors website will teach you everything you need to know about replacing your kitchen doors

Metalframingrestaurants

Residential Home Improvement Contractors - Protect Yourself With These Tips

As I say so frequently that I'm beginning to bore myself, "most remodeling contractors are honest and reliable individuals who want to do quality work at a reasonable price." Unfortunately, there are just enough contractors out there (or people who claim to be contractors) who take advantage of their customers that some reminders and tips are helpful if you want to do everything possible to protect yourself and your property during home improvement.

1. Don't make assumptions about referrals. Exercise the same due diligence in evaluating and checking out all contractors. You might have friends or relatives, co-workers or neighbors referring you to contractors they have used with good results. Many people are also simply trusting recommendations from home improvement stores. Even when you are referred to a contractor, check him or her out before you sign a contract. Consumer Reports recently released findings from a study of people who hired contractors to whom they were referred by the two leading home improvement stores. Their survey indicated that people who used these referrals had more problems and were less satisfied with the work than people who used other contractors.

2. Build your remodeling budget in a way that creates a 20% cushion for unexpected surprises. Although the National Association of the Remodeling Industry suggests an allowance of 10% to 20%, I think you are safer to budget for a 20% cost overrun due to surprises. There are literally hundreds of things that can happen or that can be discovered once remodeling begins that will result in a cost overrun. It is not uncommon, for example to discover termite damage, dry rot, damage from leaking pipes, outdated wiring, etc. My point is that you should not use your entire budget on the basics. You will be much more comfortable with your budget if you leave room for surprises.

3. Get a contract - don't deal with a contractor on the basis of a proposal. If at all possible, get a contract that states a final price for the work, not an estimated cost that can go up or down. Your contract should be as specific as possible and as detailed as possible. It should also contain some kind of warranty for both the installation and the products or materials. You can also specify in the contract that all materials used will be new materials and meet the standards outlined in the contract. It should also state that any changes made during the construction period will be authorized only by written change orders that explain the difference in cost up front. If a contractor is unwilling to sign a contract stating the final price of the remodel, find another contractor.

4. Know what your insurance covers and take out a liability policy if necessary. It is usually easy to call your insurance agent and ask what is covered in terms of damage to your property, loss of property or possessions, and injury or death of a worker on your property during the construction period. You should also be certain that the contractor carries workman's compensation insurance and liability insurance against injury or death of a worker and against damage or loss to your property or possessions. If you have any concerns about adequate coverage, discuss it with your insurance agent and consider taking out an additional policy during the construction period.

5. Monitor all liens placed against your property during construction (construction liens) by any contractor or subcontractor and ensure that they are removed when the project is finished and the contractor is paid in full. There are unscrupulous contractors who accept payment for a job and then do not remove the liens. In most of these cases, the homeowner is not aware of the lien until some time later when trying to sell the home or take out a loan for further improvements. When homeowners try to resolve the issue, the contractor claims that the bill or part of the bill was never paid and demands payment before removing the lien.

6. Never do business with someone who comes to your door offering their services.

7. Never pay a contractor the entire bill up front. Work out a payment schedule that reflects work completed, and put the payment schedule in the contract.

8. Specify the quality of workmanship and the quality of materials to be used in the remodel or addition in the contract. Not only should you specify materials quality, you should check materials to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract as they are delivered to the construction site. Insist that the costs of all building materials be specified.

9. Include all job specifications in the contract. The more specific the description of the work to be done, the more protection you have. Job specifications state exactly what work is to be done, how it is to be done, the quality of materials to be used, when it is to be complete, and that it must pass inspection.

10. Check all licenses, permits, proof of insurance, and state or local certification before you hire a contractor or subcontractor. Check to be certain the contractor has or obtains all necessary permits, licenses and certificates. Check with issuing agencies or insurance companies to confirm that insurance and licenses are current.

11. Insist that the contractor show you proof of bond coverage for the total replacement cost of the project.

12. Be sure the contract includes the appropriate information about how conflicts will be resolved, when and how the contract will be or can be terminated, and that lien releases will be provided upon payment.

13. If you give the contractor a key to your home for use during the construction period, change the locks as soon as construction is completed.

14. Take the necessary steps to protect your property and your possessions. Put away all valuables in a safe place. Define the construction area for everyone - tell your family not to enter the area during working hours; define limits of access to the rest of your home for the work crew. Protect your landscaping by covering shrubs if necessary and taking other steps to reduce accidental damage. Seal off the construction area from the rest of the house to confine dust, etc.

15. If you are remodeling an old home, make sure any work with potentially hazardous materials is done under the safest conditions and that hazardous materials are completely removed from the work site immediately and disposed of as instructed by your local government. Be sure any lead paint is properly removed; be sure any asbestos is removed and disposed of correctly; be sure old horse hair plaster (that could contain arsenic) is disposed of properly.

These tips will help you protect your family, your property and the people working on your remodeling project. Residential home improvement contractors should be very willing to cooperate on all of these points.

Copyright 2008 by ABCD Publishing

Dan Fritschen, the remodel-or-move guru is President and Publisher at ABCD Publishing and operates three very popular websites, including http://www.remodelestimates.com which provides information and insight for homeowners planning remodeling projects. He is the author of three books on home remodeling.

Good Orange County Contractors

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

Home Basement Books

The Best Ways to Take Care of Wood Doors

There are plenty of good reasons why wood doors are favorite fixtures for thousands of old homes. For one, they are very strong and stable. They can last for such a long time. In fact, they can be used for more than 50 years. There are also different designs that you can choose from, and finishing them will only bring about their natural charm.

However, they can still be prone to damage. Wood doors can be delicate that they can easily contract or expand every time the weather condition changes. Thus, you can see lines all over your door. They can also chip or the paint may go off. That's why you should also learn to take care of them really well.

Here are some great ideas on how you can enhance not only the beauty but also the durability of your wood doors:

1. Check your doors at least every year. Make it a habit to monitor the condition of your wood doors. You can consider a comprehensive home checkup at the end of the year. It's how you can see any damage or deterioration into your door. See if there is already chipping or that the door is still holding well to the hinges. You can also check the texture of your wood doors.

2. Coordinate with the interior designer. There are times when you want to match your wood doors with the overall theme of your home. Thus, you may want to add some accents or raise the panels to add more character to your door. You can talk to the interior designer about it. You don't want to compromise the stability, durability, and overall quality of your doors with the design that you want to add. He can also inform you how you can better take care of your wood doors, now that you have great additions to them.

3. Check if there is warranty for your door. Most of the suppliers of wooden doors extend warranty to their customers. This is very important since your doors can suffer some defects. When you have warranty, you can use it to get a new door, or you can have their crew go to your home and fix whatever problems they have.

4. Work with a professional only. Unless you know your wooden doors very well, it's essential that you deal with professionals only. When you need to have your doors repainted or refinished, hire a real painter. When you need to take your doors off for a while, let someone do it for you. You may only worsen the condition of your wooden door if you try to fix it yourself.

5. Use cleaners that are meant for wood. If you want to get rid of dust and dirt, or even stain, in your door, make sure that you don't use any kind of chemical solution. They may only remove the finish or destroy the overall look of it. Try searching for wood polishers. If you are not sure what to use, ask the manufacturer or the supplier.

Searching for the best wood doors will no longer be a problem anymore. Lenfex has partnered with the best American and European wooden manufacturers to ensure that you don't only obtain an affordable product but one that is of excellent quality.

Floor Headout For Toilet

Great Tips For Decorating Sunrooms

When you have a sunroom, you can have loads of fun with the decorating. Decorating sunrooms involves not only the choice of furniture but the lighting and the accessories you place in the room. You need to make it an extension of your home, but at the same time it needs to be a place where you can enjoy the outdoors without actually being outside. You can make this room look elegant without spending a lot of money. Even though you want resistance from the sun and weather, you also have to take steps to prevent the buildup of moisture that.

Since sunrooms have a lot of windows and glass, you need to factor in the kinds of shades you will have at those windows. Rattan rollup blinds or slim matchstick style blinds will provide some shade from the sun and protect your furniture. You might want to take a look at sunscreen shades that will block the ultraviolet rays of the sun while at the same time allow a breeze to blow through the open spaces. If you want privacy, you might want to consider have fabric blinds or Roman shades.

The flooring choices for sunrooms are also quite vast. Since this is a room in which you will be entering directly from out of doors, you don't want to choose flooring that can become damaged by small rocks. Slate, tile and concrete work well. You can choose to paint the concrete with one of the brands that add a decorative touch to the floor and look as if you have granite or marble. These flooring types also require the least amount of care. Add an elegant touch to the floor with a rug that will resist moisture, such as one made of hemp or sisal. Indoor utdoor carpeting is also an excellent choice is floor covering for a sunroom.

Choose cushions and pillows for the furniture that work well in outdoor patio furniture. If they get wet, the water drains through and they dry quite quickly. You can get laminated fabric for covering the pillows that looks and feels like real cloth.

When you have the proper lighting, your sunroom can become a place of repose after dark, making it more versatile for your use. Unless you have the sunroom directly connected to your house, you should avoid using conventional indoor lighting. In a sunroom that is separate, you have the option of using outdoor ground fault circuit interrupters to provide you with the light you need.

Try to use the same style of interior decorating in your sunroom as you have in the rest of your house so that they complement each other. Don't forget that adding planters and wall decorations and greatly enhance the atmosphere of this room as well. You do have to think about the amount of traffic the sunroom will receive in deciding where to place the furniture so that it is easy to move around. Create small areas at each end if your door opening to the home is in the center so that you have this central space clear for those moving in and out.

For more information on decorating sunrooms, including lots of sunroom decorating ideas, as well as information on porch flooring, visit http://www.DIYHomeAdvice.com

Rusted Electrical Box Exterior

Remodeling In Carlsbad

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visit us now for Home Improvement Tips

Insulating Basement Wall Problems

Your basement is directly in contact with the earth. Not only that, it is prone to excessive moisture due to its surrounding water and piping systems. Taking this into account, it is therefore necessary to include insulating basement wall, floor, and ceilings in your basement design plan. This is will not only help keep your floor warm upstairs, it will save you from the trouble of unnecessary and troublesome air conditioning repairs.

Here are some of the important tips in insulating basement wall foundation:

1. Use fiberglass or specialty plastic products such as closed-cell foam. The advantage in using these type of materials is that it's light weight and strong. It's also cost effective and versatile. But before using it, take note of the different types also. There are those that are flammable. The best recommendation is to cover it with drywall to prevent flames to spread fast. The best insulating basement wall materials of these types should also be weather-resistant and durable.

2. Know a little bit of the theory in heat transfer. This is called thermodynamics. This knowledge may help you in figuring out some concerns not anticipated in insulating basement wall manuals. You might have a unique heat insulation issues that requires a more profound approach in finding the best solution. Understanding the principles in thermodynamics is one big help.

3. Check your foundation walls if there are cracks. This is where leaks of moisture and unwanted air flow passes through. Usually you can find them in wall joints between the ceiling and the floors. Moisture seeps into the wall and floor. Not only does it affects your basement room temperature, it also looks ugly. When you do find them, insulating basement wall materials should then be applied in these areas.

4. Prioritize your foundation walls. You don't need much heat insulation for the basement ceiling since this is not in contact with soil. The earth is open to moisture and is a bad insulator. When in contact with your basement wall, it transfers the heat inside your basement interior. The floor may also need some insulation. Insulating your ceiling is okay but it's not practical and will prove to be inefficient. Insulating basement wall is more important.

5. Work your insulation with other basement damage prevention control scheme. The closest to this is the waterproofing of your basement. They are closely related and share the same objective - to prevent future damage of your basement walls and fixtures. They also share the same enemies - moisture. Also, if you get these two damage control preventions done ahead, you'll save time and money.

There could be more. The best person to give an advice on this is someone who had experienced the hassles of not having any insulation. One of the many reasons why there is the need in insulating basement wall is because of safety. Neglecting this can translate situations into worse case scenarios such as in health and emergency issues.

Preventive measures are not to be dismissed. Otherwise, it can get you into more trouble in repairs along with expensive solutions. Your home is a major investment. Insulation should not be compromised.

Find more information on insulating basement wall. Get the latest offers on basement insulating products.

House Lighting Books

Building Your Website

If you want to conduct business on the internet, you will need to have a website. Whether you have a small business or a large corporation, having a professional website will allow you to increase the number of customers you have. if you have an offline business, building a website for it will give it a presence in the offline world. Despite this, most people aren't sure how to build their own websites. Building a website today has become easier than ever before. Not only can you easily build a website, it can be completed within a short period of time.

When it comes to design, you have a number of options. You can hire a professional designer, or you can use a template. Hiring a designer is easy, but it can be expensive. If you're a large corporation, this may not be a problem. If you're on a budget, it may be best to purchase a template. While templates can be cheap, there is a possibility that another website may use the same design. While the number of designs you can use for your website are infinite, they are basically divided into two categories. These categories are Flash or a basic design like HTML. While Flash sites are more impressive to look at, they generally do not rank well with the search engines. While HTML sites may be plain, the search engines give them more prominence.

After your site is designed, you will next want to use SEO techniques. SEO stands for search engine optimization, and these are techniques which will make your site friendly to the search engines. Since 80% of all internet traffic comes through the search engines, getting your website placed in the search engine databases is very important. Much like design, there are two ways you can use SEO techniques on your site. You can either do it yourself, or you can hire a company to do it for you. While doing it yourself is cheap, it can be time consuming. Hiring a company is easy, but it is also costly. Understanding how to optimize your site is very important.

Please feel free to reprint this article, just be sure that my signature file remains in tact and the link inside of it is clickable to the proper destination. To learn more about what Aaron Nimocks does visit his site at Blue Directory.

Pocket Door Problems

Team Building Traps - Don't Let Bad Attitudes Lapse

Most folks have a positive attitude most of the time. Obviously, right now while the American consumers, citizens and voters are feeling the pain of the mortgage crisis, banking fall-out and the recessionary changes and the tinge of cynicism has increased and spread like the plague throughout our society. However, when building a team, you must focus on the attitudes of the individuals on the team.

One bad attitude is bad enough, but two or three and you have a cancer forming and like a disease it will being to spread throughout the group. Without a good group attitude it's five times more difficult to use the team to motivate the entire group to the next level. Thus, motivation drops to a low-level and the objectives cannot be fulfilled.

If you are leading such a group, one that has to perform where failure is not an option, you must maintain a strong attitude, and if necessary get rid of the poison or negative attitude individual that is disrupting your team and slowing it down, preventing it from winning. Bad attitudes are one of the team building traps and these bad attitudes only get worse if they are allowed to lapse.

Improve the attitude of the team; make sure everyone is in it to win it. Use the team to promote itself, feed off it is own energy and you can accomplish anything; Together Everyone Accomplishes More and isn't that what T-E-A-M stands for? Make your team a winning team concentrate on the attitudes and you will win. Think on this.

"Lance Winslow" - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

What Does A Gfi Do

The Advantages of Building Green

If you are considering building a new house, consider the savings that you'll gain from building a green house. Once you've purchased the Baton Rouge real estate on which you've chose to build your home, ask your builder about what he or she can do to make your home more energy efficient and green. Not only does it help the environment, it will help your pocket book as well!

Insulation is your number one easiest change that has the largest impact in reducing the energy your home takes to run it. A well insulated home will pay for itself over and over again through the hot summer and cold winter months. You'll see a huge reduction in your energy bills.

The size of your house makes a difference as well. Consider your plans for a home carefully, and decide how much space you really need. Obviously, the larger the home, the more energy it will take to keep it running. You can reduce your costs by building a slightly smaller home.

Windows let plenty of energy escape the home. When it comes to choosing windows for your new home, choose energy efficient windows that not only keep the elements out, but actually work to keep your home protected as well. Low-emission glass actually reflects heat and cold away from the house respectively, which means lower energy costs for you.

A green home is a great way to save money. You won't just be doing your part for the earth, but you'll be saving money every month.

RE/MAX of Louisiana (http://www.remax-louisiana.com) is a real estate brokerage that specializes in Baton Rouge real estate. Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer.

What Causes Attic Odors And Stra

Home Selling Tips - Best Real Estate Advice Ever

One of the most important things to remember when selling your home is to keep it as clean as possible. If you need help or don't have the time to organize your stuff, you can hire a home staging professional in your area. Ask your real estate professional for more information.

1. Remove any clutter from the home and place it in storage. Do not store this stuff on the property if you don't have enough room. Storing clutter in closets or in your garage, will often make these areas look smaller. By removing clutter or even large pieces of furniture, the rooms will look larger.

2. Disconnect yourself emotionally from your home. This is a big problem for people who have lived in their house for long periods of time. If you've raised a family here, the children could have emotional ties also to the home. Some home sellers are looking for someone special to buy their home, if you've got the time and money to wait, you can be selective but be careful, because the longer you wait, the market could go up or down.

3. When your real estate professional is showing the house, it's always a good idea to leave the home until the potential homebuyers are gone. One example of this would be if you were in a bad mood or didn't have a good day and were a little upset at the world. Your mood could cause potential homebuyers to lose interest in the property. I've seen this more than once.

4. Make sure everything is operating properly. This would include doors, door knobs, windows, kitchen appliances, garage door openers, cabinet drawers, bathroom fixtures, toilets, faucets, lights, switches, electrical outlets and anything else that moves, slides, turns or rotates that is part of the home.

5. The Interior and exterior walls of the home should be in good shape. Make sure there's no termite damage, wood rot, peeling paint, broken windows or holes in the walls.

6. Make sure the flooring is in good shape. Some real estate professionals will suggest, replacing the carpeting with a neutral color. This method often works pretty good but I have seen plenty of homes that were re-carpeted and after the home was purchased the carpeting was replaced again, by the new owners. Just make sure the flooring is in good shape.

7. Here's a trick that definitely works a little magic when selling a home. Leave some cookies or a nice fruit bowl on the dining room table. There is no need to leave a sign that says "Eat Me". It gives the home a warm feeling, almost like a country atmosphere.

8. Even better than home selling tip number seven would be baking some cookies just before the perspective buyers arrive, it's not the cookies, it's the smell from the cookies that most people cannot resist.

These are just a few home selling tips but the most important is to keep the inside and outside of the home clean.

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.

Don't buyers sell a home without checking how the problems with poor home repairs.

A Kitchen Remodel With a Purpose

Gone are the days of the kitchen serving as merely a workhorse for meal preparation and cleanup. Today's kitchens are the multipurpose hubbub of the home. They're the place where families enjoy meals together, engage in spirited conversation, plan their daily agendas and entertain guests. What's that you're saying? "My kitchen doesn't serve all those purposes." Well then, maybe it's time you entertained the idea of a kitchen remodel.

In a recent article, ARAcontent offered suggestions for homeowners on how "to make their kitchens work harder so they can re-focus their energy away from cooking and cleaning, and put it more on their family and friends who have gathered." And who wouldn't want a little more of that in their life? So what were some of their suggestions?

1. High-tech faucets and appliances - Look for faucet and appliance designs that make each day a little bit better. You want products that not only look good, reflect your taste and are trouble-free for years to come but that also fit into your family's lifestyle. Attractive, powerful, quiet and easy to clean should be the adjectives that fill the bill when choosing appliances. Feeling overwhelmed? A kitchen remodeling supercenter can help you sort through the many options.
2. Expanded work surfaces - Counter space is a must-have in a kitchen that's going to play guest to several people at a time. A kitchen remodeling specialist can explain your options for custom countertop cut and installation, thereby affording you limitless design possibilities.
3. Carefully thought-through floor plans - No cutting corners here; if you want to make sure your family members and guests aren't bumping into each other at every turn, you need the advice of an expert. Once you've agreed upon a professionally designed kitchen layout, you'll want to choose flooring that can endure all the traffic your remodeled kitchen will be subjected to. Durability, stain resistance and style should top your list of must-haves in kitchen flooring.
4. Multiple sinks and various water sources - With all those people enjoying your kitchen remodel, multiple water sources are a desirable perk. To increase efficiency and maximize the functionality of your kitchen remodel, consider a main sink, a second sink and a bar sink. The main sink should be large and deep to accommodate cleanup. Because the second sink will likely take on the functions of meal prep and hand-washing, you can go smaller here. Just make sure you position your second sink far enough away from the main one to avoid logjams. And to facilitate entertaining, you can't go wrong with a separate bar sink. "While convenience and functionality have always been concerns, today's homeowners also want to enhance the room's ambiance and decor they've worked hard to achieve. Style can't be sacrificed for function or convenience any more," explained ARAcontent's article expert.

To get the most out of your kitchen remodel, do yourself a favor. Consult with a kitchen remodel specialist that can provide kitchen remodeling ideas and links to manufacturers for high-quality cabinets, countertops, appliances and sinks. A specialist can equip you with the ideas, inspiration, choice, assistance and advice you need to get the most out of your new kitchen.

Carmen Fontana is a Web Services Manger for Western Reserve Internet Services. You can start planning your kitchen remodel at http://www.superkitchens.com.

Add Value to Your Home - Refurbish Your Kitchen Or Bathroom

TV's Phil Spencer has recently been urging homeowners to "do everything they can" to improve the saleability of their properties saying that improvements to kitchens and bathrooms are among the best ways of selling houses. A recent Lloyds TSB Tickbox.net and Opinion Matters survey found that 73% of people in Greater London claim that installing a new kitchen is the best way of adding value to a property. The Lloyds TSB poll showed that a high percentage of people thought that an energy efficient boiler was the environmentally friendly home improvement that added most value to a property.

In a Telegraph feature earlier in 2008, '50 ways to improve your home', upgrading your existing kitchen was at number 19 whilst 'banishing broken bathrooms' came in at number 20.

There are many things that can be done to improve the saleability of your home and increase its value where kitchens and bathrooms are concerned. Here are just a few ideas:

1. Fit a spacious walk in shower - far more convenient and practical than an over-bath shower.
2. Install under floor heating in a bathroom - this will remove the need for unsightly radiators thus saving space and creating a far more seamless design. What's more, under floor heating is far healthier as the heat is more evenly distributed throughout the room rather than staying at head height, and it also keeps nasty things like mould and damp at bay.
3. Update your kitchen so that it includes built in modern conveniences - this will really make an impact on potential buyers because it's a job they won't have to do themselves.
4. A modern eco-friendly condensing boiler will help tip the scales in your favour when selling a property because potential buyers will be able to enjoy the benefits of reduced fuel bills and increased energy efficiency.
5. Consider the installation of a solar hot water heating system which will offer considerable savings on fuel bills for your potential buyers.
6. If space allows, add a downstairs cloakroom. Modern WCs and basins come in the most compact of sizes and it is relatively straightforward to liberate some space and transform it into a very convenient feature.
7. If your bathroom does not need a complete overhaul but could do with a little 'something' then go for some new taps. Choosing attractive taps from a high quality range will miraculously transform the look of any bathroom, and it should be a relatively low cost exercise in terms of your potential return.

If you are looking to improve the saleability of your property then a good place to start is by talking to your plumber who will be able to give you sound advice on your heating system options and energy efficiency for starters. A good plumber will work with reputable kitchen fitters and other professional craftsmen to provide a complete service and overall they will be able to provide you with space-saving and energy efficient solutions.

Ivor Bates is the director of Bates Heating and Plumbing Limited, a plumbing and heating company established in 2001 and covering all areas of London, Docklands and Essex. Bates Heating is CORGI registered. They can install, replace or refurbish bathrooms, kitchens and various types of heating system including energy efficient condensing boilers, under floor and solar heating. For more information visit http://www.batesheating.co.uk

Remodel Your Craftsman Style Home - Part I - Interior Features

Craftsman style architecture emerged in America in the early 1900s, marking a return to handcrafted materials that had been overshadowed with the emergence of mass production during the industrial revolution. Today, many owners of craftsman style homes are remodeling to better accommodate the modern lifestyle while preserving the warmth and charm that has defined the craftsman style for the past century. Preserving the original style of a craftsman style home may be met with some challenges, such as restoring craftsman character that has been compromised in previous renovations.

Heavy use of exposed woodwork gives craftsman homes their warmth and signature charm. A return to artistic, handcrafted wood detail is observed in original craftsman homes in decorative moldings, chair and picture railings, wood paneling and intricate staircases. Exposed beams, built in shelving and intricate crown moldings in warm wood tones are characteristic craftsman touches that can be preserved, restored or added during a renovation. Stripping and staining woodwork that has been painted is one way to restore a craftsman home's authenticity and preserve the original style of the home. Newly added wood should be matched as closely as possible to existing woodwork to preserve the home's style and give a cohesive look to the old and new elements of the home. The use of local natural materials such as wood and stone is also in keeping with the craftsman style.

The simple, functional layout that is characteristic of craftsman style homes makes the efficient use of space a priority in remodeling. Adding built in shelving or cabinets that coordinate with the original woodwork throughout the home is a great way to preserve the home's historic charm while adding the storage that is often lacking in older homes. Built-in window seats and banquettes can add functional seating and storage into small spaces while maintaining craftsman style.

In your quest to update a craftsman home without compromising its historic value, you may be wondering how to modernize kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Fortunately, resurgence in the popularity of craftsman inspired furnishings has resulted in many modern day recreations that give homeowners the option to update their homes with brand new materials without sacrificing the home's original charm. Brand new sinks, countertops, vanities, bathtubs, cabinet hardware and lighting fixtures can be purchased in designs very similar to those that helped define the craftsman style a century ago.

By utilizing period appropriate materials and styles, you can update your historic home for the modern lifestyle while preserving the warmth and simplicity that was integral to the home's design so many years ago.

Maria Polidoro is the owner of Ace Tool Online, a leading provider of electric and cordless power tools headquartered in Wantagh, New York. Ace Tool stocks the latest power tools, parts and accessories and is a premiere source for Amana products including amana saw blades, amana router bits, carbide tipped saw blades and over 70 other brands.