Do You Really Need to Get Building Permits?

When you are planning a home renovation project probably no other words form in your mind with a BIG dollar sign next to them as much as those two simple little words: Building Codes.

Depending upon your project you might find yourself dealing with inspections for foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, roofing, heating and air conditioning. Each of these could include inspections during the planning, rough in work, different stages during the actual work and of course the final inspections.

The minutia of items that an inspection can be failed for are seemingly never ending. And failing an inspection can easily result in unexpected extra costs or missed deadlines. If something gets done ahead of the inspection an Inspector can even require that the work be torn out.

Yet you can't blame a homeowner for being a little susceptible to the contractor who says, We'll just save you some money and do it on the sly without any inspections. (Wink, Wink)

In actuality, if any contractor suggests by-passing the required inspections, he should be politely shown off your property and never invited back.

Painful as they are, inspections are required for a reason. It may not always be apparent, but inspections are designed to protect your property and family. DO NOT ever try to skip by inspections.

Even if you aren't reported by a neighbor, or the work isn't seen by an Inspector driving by, not doing projects up to the local building codes can bite you in the *** when you try to sell your home down the road.

A lot of the mortgage companies require an inspection of a house before they will write the loan. Any decent inspector is going to notice work that was not completed up to code as a way to save money. You could end up spending thousands of dollars to have work redone to pass an inspection.

In truth, the only person who really benefits from avoiding the building codes is the contractor. That way he can cut corners that you can't see or don't know about. He also won't have to be as skilled or knowledgeable as the contractor who can make sure that everything passes building code inspectors.

So, it may cost you a little more initially, but it will pay of big time in the long run and potentially keep a disastrous accident from happening.

Bob Current writes on a number of his interests including home renovation. Check out his website at http://www.homeimprovementtips.info for ideas and resources.

How to Replace an Old Window in Your Home

A Guide to Installing a New Window in Your Home

If your old wooden window is drafty, does not open or close well, or is showing signs of water damage and decay, it is probably time to think about replacing it with a new state-of-the-art Low-E glass, vinyl clad window.

Also, if the glass pane associated with your existing old wooden window is foggy or you can feel cold drafts during the winter months emanating out from around it, or you need to hold it open during the summer months with a prop of some sort then it is definitely time to replace it.

Replacing an old window is something a Do It Yourself homeowner can tackle with some basic carpenters knowledge and a few basic carpentry tools that you probably already have in your home.

Purchasing the Proper New Window

Prior to installing a new window you first need to figure out what size window to purchase. The key parameter required when ordering a new window is its rough opening. This is specified by the window manufacturer and tells you how large of an opening you need for installing a specific window. Typically the rough opening is 1 to 2 inches taller and wider than the actual window itself.

You may need to remove the interior trim from around the old window to obtain the rough opening dimensions for your new window.

Make sure you purchase a new window that has rough opening requirements that are equal to or smaller than your measurements.

Removal of the Old Window

Once you have purchased your new window it is time to remove the old one. Using a hammer and a claw remove the old exterior trim and any nails that may be securing the window to the home. There may be a nailing flange around the perimeter of the old window. Simply use your hammer and claw to remove these nails.

With the nails removed the window should be able to be pulled out of the window frame opening.

Installation of the New Window

With the old window out, it is now time to install the new window. Before, installing the new window, make sure the rough window opening is clear of any debris and any old nails.

Place the new window into the window opening and center it within the window frame.

Use a level and a measuring tape to make sure the window is plumb and square, otherwise the window will not work properly. You may need to add some shims to plumb and square up the new window.

Once the window is plumb and square within the window frame, fasten it with a couple of nails. With most new windows they come with a nailing flange that makes nailing the window to the outside home exterior straightforward.

When nailing the window, start on the upper right hand side and work your way down with just a couple of nails. Check again with the level to make sure the window is level and plumb. Also take one more look on the inside of the window to make sure the window is square and centered.

If the window has remained square and plumb, go ahead and install a couple of additional nails on the other side of the window. Again, one at the top, and the other about halfway down the window.

Then go into the home and remove/cut away the retention bands that held the window square during the window installation. Slide the windows up a down and see if they operate smoothly.

If the window operates smoothly go ahead and add additional nails every 4-6 inches around the nailing flange of the window. If it does not, you may need to remove one or more of the initial nails installed and readjust the window to make sure it is plumb and square.

With the window now installed, add new trimboards around the window perimeter on both the inside and outside of the window and enjoy your new view.

For more information on installing a new window, see the Installing a New Window Ebook from HomeAdditionPlus.com. The Installing a New Window Ebook provides easy to understand, step-by-step instructions, on how to remove an old window and install a new one. Pictures are included for every key step in the process.

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

Plaster And Drywall Cracks

Home Remodeling Ideas The Finishing Touches

Building homes breaks down to several different parts. While larger chunks get the best inspection, smaller areas, those that add significance later on, tend to get ignored. These are the home remodeling ideas addition, the accessories, which might not contribute to the actual structural integrity or operation can simply add a huge factor regarding the flavor and the livability of the place. So ask yourself often: have I covered all the essentials in the designs feasibly? What types of accessories would match the specific decorating theme? What other accessory options are available? And how can I translate the homes overall style to a particular room in the house?

Take note that attention to detail gets bigger returns in the long run. These apparently insignificant details along the guide could very well make significant differences in several key locations. in particular areas. Small entries like a mini exhaust port in the corner of the room as well as above the stove may be illogical but it keeps the air cooking smoke free in the feasibility process. The right home remodeling ideas addition should be chosen and used carefully before it can add feelings to a room in an instant.

Its also been a principle that: accessorizing according to function is best served identical. Having three sets of identical loungers arranged in a martial way is better than the haphazard function with several un-identical items. Such notion is gone these modern days. Always work around the principle of accessorizing not by uniformity but by comfort and aesthetic, even if dissimilar. Add personality to your style to create an actual visual interest to accentuate or create focal points. Hence, its important to but the best items in their best places. Otherwise, youll only end up with a jumble of clutter as if youve never cleared up all the debris from the renovation.

Also, choose the right mix and balance of accessories. If you have a Tuscan lighting, then also keep your hardware or fabric in the Tuscan theme. However if you found the perfect Tuscan carpet, dont shower your entire floor with carpets just to attempt a unified look. If youll find it more convenient, you can easily create harmony rather by staying by a consistent color palette. That probably is the best home remodeling ideas addition trick.

But if you want a more standout result apart from the common relaxing hue of the room, then go an extra step intending for a traditional/formal, Asian, casual-contemporary, industrial, or a country style; you can even go vintage or eclectic, just the right choice of accessories and your on it.

In a nutshell experimenting designs work splendidly if you have something to pattern on. The tiniest bits and pieces such as towel bars, shelves, carpet, wall or desk clocks, lamps, slip cover, throws, furniture, side tables, photographs, artwork, area rugs, book cases, vases, pillows, mirrors, even plants can make all the difference in any rooms dcor. After all, its important to have a fine and finished appeal to your remodeled home.

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Remodeling and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Home Remodeling web site. For more articles and resources on Home Remodeling related topics, Remodeling Contractors, Home Remodeling Loans, Remodeling Ideas and much more visit his site at:

=>http://remodeling.need-to-know.net/

Stud Spacing And Wall Framing

Makeover Your Small Bathroom Within a Budget

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bathroom Storage space:

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

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

Damaged Wood Window

Qatar Hotels

Qatar as a nation is largely dependent on the revenue of foreign businesses as well as the industry generated by business visitors and tourists coming to see the multitude of attractions and unique features of the nation. As a result, there is a nigh on confusing level of hotels available for people to stay in while visiting, be it in the capital (and largest) city of Doha, or elsewhere in the nation.

Doha, of course, by its nature as the transportation, tourist, and business center of Qatar, is also the center of the vast and profitable hotel industry. There are numerous hotels in Doha, offering a variety of different services and several kinds of levels of amenities. The cheaper, lower end of hotels in Doha offer a full range of customary treatments for the customer, including restaurants in the lobby, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, hair salons, and assistance with booking any sort of event or participatory activity. Many hotels offer discounts for tourist packages, where you can save money with one hotel by pre-purchasing tickets for one activity or another, be it something in the harbor or something fun to do out in the desert.

The more expensive and better rated hotels in Qatar are where the nation really shines. With the Qatar Tourism Authority overseeing the accommodations nationwide, a five star hotel in Doha (or any other city, for that matter) has to really go above and beyond the call of duty in order to keep that recognition.

Take for examples, "Intercontinental Doha", a hotel on Al Istiglal road in Doha. It is close to any number of activities, and those that are not within walking distance can be reached in no more than ten minutes by taxi or bus. There are over five different restaurants inside of the hotel proper, and that is just the start of the star treatment available there.

Extra services offered by the staff are truly all inclusive, providing a number of amenities unseen and unheard of in most any other country. There are babysitters who will watch the children while you and your love enjoy an evening in Doha, and when you return, you can have alcohol delivered to your room. Travel to anywhere from your hotel is handled by a proprietary shuttle, and all rides in said transport are pre-paid when you make the reservation for your room.

Doha is not the only city to offer amazing places to stay; Al Khor has a number of resorts in its region, including the world famous Al Sultan Beach Resort. It is less than a mile from any of the attractions of the city, and is little more than a half hour outside of the capital city. Providing a number of the aforementioned travel / tourism packages for people staying in the hotel, the Al Sultan Beach Resort also features the largest pool in all of Qatar, as well a style of Jacuzzi that is not seen anywhere else in Qatar, and is certainly worth the experience.

Further outside the borders of the big cities are a number of other resorts and hotels, generally in the more naturally beautiful parts of the country. Many of these more rural hotels have stables on their grounds, providing visitors with the opportunity to ride horses or even camels throughout the sand dunes of the Inland Sea. These accommodations are far enough away from mainstream civilization to offer a fair deal of privacy as well, espoused by the number of private villas for rent and the beach houses scattered along the little coves of the Persian Gulf.

If you're staying in Qatar, there are a vast number of places to choose from when trying to pick where to stay. A good rule of thumb is that pricing is a relatively good indication of quality and features offered by the hotel, thanks to the regulation and oversight of the QTA. Places further outside of the big cities generally offer discounted rates because of lack of access to the mass transit of Doha. However, riding a horse through the desert certainly has its own appeal that is not easily discovered in the back of a bus. No matter your desire or intention, there is a place in Qatar for you and yours.

The author is simply an individual that stayed over in Doha Hotels during a tour and decided to write about his experience. To learn more about Qatar Hotels visit bestqatarhotels.com

Hard Water Deposits In Toilet

5 Ways to Add Luxury to Your Bathroom (Without Spending a Fortune Remodeling)

In ye olden days (you know, fifty years ago), the bathroom was a strictly business sort of place. You went in, did... (well, you know what you do in there!), and then you were done.

Today, though, the bathroom has become a sanctuary for many. If you have a big family with kids, friends of kids, spouses, pets, etc. running up and down the halls or constantly demanding your attention, the bathroom may be the last place in the house you can escape and remain unmolested for a while. (Three cheers for the person who decided to put locks on bathroom doors!)

As long as you're hiding in the bathroom, you might as well make it a pleasant place to hang out.

In the luxury remodeling world, it's all the rage to put in jetted bathtubs, steam showers with multiple spray heads, saunas, and other high-end spa-like features. Most of us, however, live in the real world, and can't afford these luxuries. Fortunately, there are ways you can lux up the bathroom without spending thousands of dollars. Below I've listed five ways you can get started.

1. Towel Warmer

If you have to get up early, before anyone has been up to turn on the heat in the house, getting out of the shower in the morning can be a chilly experience (especially if your door doesn't shut all the way, and the dog or the cat is always pushing its way in to check on what you're doing and leaving the door wide open in the process... not that I'd know anything about this myself, mind you).

A towel warmer is a simple way to make stepping out of the shower a pleasant experience, and prices start below $100 for simple electric models that hang on the wall and plug into an outlet (for a bit more, you can get a warming rack that can be hardwired so there won't be any cords showing).

2. A Good Showerhead

While we may drool over those jetted bathtubs, the truth is that most of us spend a lot more time in the shower than in the bath. Maybe once a week, you hop in the tub for a luxurious soak, but chances are you use the shower every day. Why not upgrade that leaky, low-pressure showerhead?

For less than $100, you can get a pretty darned nice showerhead. What's your fancy? An overhead rain shower? A double-head model? A hand-held shower? A unit that comes with a filter to get rid of unwanted minerals and chlorine?

A good showerhead doesn't cost a fortune, and it can vastly improve your shower experience. You don't have to be a DIY expert to install one either.

3. Plush Towels

If you've got a collection of mismatched, threadbare towels that were purchased sometime last millennia, maybe it's time to invest in towels that will feel good wrapped around you (especially after you've heated them up with that towel warmer!)

Visit a store that specializes in affordable luxury (i.e. Costco) and invest in a good set of towels, and then throw those old thin ones away (or turn them into car washing rags or some such). Towels last a long time, so it's worth investing in good ones.

4. Fog Free Mirror

Tired of getting out of the shower and having to use your towel to wipe a circle in the mirror so you can see yourself (and even then, it doesn't work that well)? For about $70, you can get a heater that installs in the back of your mirror. This simple device is all it takes to keep your mirror fog-free, and remove that ongoing daily annoyance from your life forever.

5. Add Seating

If you've got a tiny bathroom, this may not be viable, but if there's a bit of space, you could add a bench or chair to sit upon. Whether you're looking to take a load off or just have somewhere to plant your rump while you take off shoes and socks, a seat (besides the toilet!) can be nice to have. Make it a comfortable one if you can.

To further your comfort experience, you can even add a television or radio to the bathroom if you like to get a head start on the morning news or listen to music.

There you have it: five ways to create a bit of luxury in that last private sanctuary in the house. Good luck, and enjoy your bathroom!

Visit the author's blog for more bathroom remodeling ideas, or check out her page on towel warmers for more on that fun invention.

Damaged Ceiling Paint

Learn How to Tile a Shower

It's time to add value and quality to your home! Improvements in the bathroom can make or break a sale, don't miss out. Always check in the local designer magazines for ideas on the latest fashion. Might well be worth asking the local estate agents about the value of bathrooms and what designs are hot at the moment. Always stick you your budget, never buy way to many resources you won't ever use.

Follow each step carefully.

Step 1 Gut the shower.

Remove all unnecessary items from the shower.

Step 2 Install a vapor barrier.

This will prevent mold and mildew.

Step 3 Put up the cement board backer.

Remember to leave 1/8 inch between panels, you will seal this with silicone caulk.

Step 4 Measure.

Always use a leveling tool and sharpie when marking up.

Step 5 Dampen the cement board

Use a soft sponge.

Step 6 Trowel on the thin-set

Install a tile, remember to twist slightly when placing it onto the thin-set.

Step 7 Repeat the procedure

Repeat for each row, starting from the bottom.

Step 8 Leave to set

Leave for up to 48 hours.

Step 9 Grout the tiles

After 30 minutes wipe off the excess grout.

Step 10 Leave to set

Finally, leave to set for another 48 hours.

Plenty of money can be saved by finishing home improvements yourself, instead of calling the professionals in. Costly mistakes can be prevented by taking evening classes or purchasing books or digital video guides, recommended if your a beginner. The amount of cash used on tile replacement could definitely be better spent.

Get your detailed video guides and free downloads

Bad Termite Damage To Window

Tips To Help With Small Bathroom Design

If you have a small bathroom and want to redecorate, here are some tips to help you with the small bathroom design. First, in order to make your bathroom larger, get rid of the bathtub and install a shower enclosure. The unfortunate part of this is that you won't be able to take a long soak in the tub anymore, but since most people take a shower more frequently than a bath, this usually doesn't bother them.

If you do want to keep the bathtub and you have a shower enclosure that seems to be taking up space, take out the enclosure and put a shower in the tub. In this way, the tub serves a dual purpose.

Old toilets take up a lot of space whereas the newer models are smaller and are all in one piece, which makes cleaning them a lot easier. These newer toilets also use less water when flushing so this will save on your water bill. Installing a shelf or wall-mounted cupboard over the toilet eliminates the need for a large vanity for storage space.

You can give your bathroom a roomier look with the installation of a solid surface counter with the sink mounted underneath. Newer countertops on the market have the sink included in the top all in one piece. If you have large faucets, you can change it to a single faucet, which will seem to give you more room on the vanity countertop. A small pedestal or wall mounted sink will also take up less space than a vanity with drawers and cupboards.

The bathtub, too can take up more space than necessary. The five-foot tubs with a flat bottom are smaller than the older models and still give you enough room for a bath or a shower.

There is a big difference in the actual size of the bathroom and the illusion you create to make it look like the bathroom is large. Stay away from painting the walls in dark colors. Light colors give the appearance of a larger space because they seem to widen the area between the walls. Light colored ceramic tiles on the floor is also another trick that seems to enlarge a small bathroom. Mirrors, too, help achieve this effect, but be careful not to overdo it.

For more bathroom design ideas and other related topics, visit Bath Plaza at http://www.bathplaza.com.

Mold On Lower Wall Area

Bath Vanities at an Affordable Price

Many homeowners across the nation are stuck in their homes do to the tightening of the Credit Industry and the dropping of house prices. However, I have always been taught to look at the bright side of everything and what better way to do this then remodeling. Remodeling is a great way to increase the value of your property and what better place to start the renovations than in the bathroom.

I have been searching high and low for great deals on Bath Vanities that offer quality product with very affordable pricing. There are many places on the internet to buy Bath Vanities, however BasinsAndBathMirrors.com has grabbed my attention for several reasons:

• quality craftsmanship
• great pricing
• unbelievable customer service
• user friendly website
• secure transactions

Most of the selection you will find on their site consists of a very sophisticated look. These vanities will give your bathroom a uniquestyle that you have always dreamed of. I just purchased the Mia bath vanity with mirror and not only does my wife love it, but all of our house guests are constantly complimenting us on it's gorgeous style.I have to agree,adding thiseloquent piece of furniture truly made our bathroom one of a kind. I can'twait to see the return we get onour house withthis wonderful upgrade. It'ssure to bea profitable renovation andeye appealing one as well.

I surely hope you are now giving thought to doing some renovations to your bathroom. I promise you will not be disappointed with this vanity selection. These are truly one of a kind fixtures that will add the charm you have always been looking for to your otherwise boring bathroom.

Eric Liddic
LB Trading Company
Bath Vanities

Structural Stucco Crack

Remodeling Costs: How Do I Pay For It?

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

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

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

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

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

2. Home Equity Loan

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

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

3. Home Equity Line of Credit

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

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

4. Construction Loan

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

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

5. Loan from the contractor

Pros: Available to most homeowners.

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

6. Refinance and cash out

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

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

7. Credit Cards

Pros: Most homeowners have this as an alternative.

Cons: High interest rate, not tax deductible.

8. Your savings

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

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

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

About the Author
Dan Fritschen, founder of www.remodelormove.com, a homeowner advocacy organization, speaker at Home and Garden shows Nationwide, author of the award winning, best selling book Remodel or Move? and The Complete Remodeling Workbook and Organizer (available at www.remodelingorganizer.com) has recently been interviewed on CNN, in Better Homes and Garden Magazine and in Newsweek.

Do you have remodeling or moving questions? Email Dan directly at dan@remodelormove.com.

Copyright 2005 ABCD Publishing LLC

Roof Repairs

Build New Or Remodel?

There are three possible scenarios involved in that question:

1. Stay where you are and renovate

2. Move to an existing house and renovate

3. Build a new house for you to move into

There are numerous considerations, not the least of which is how you feel about your existing location. That word - LOCATION - should be your primary focus. Do you prefer to remain where you are, or not? Is staying where you are an option, or are you forced to relocate due to a job change, or other issues?

If you wish to stay where you are, there's no reason to read this article. Remodeling and/or expanding the place where you now live is the least expensive alternative - by far.
Your aggravation levels will increase during the construction, but they will do that with either of the other choices as well. If it gets to be too much, you can move to a motel for 2 months, eat dinner out every night, and still come out cheaper than either option 2 or option 3. If you want to be in your present home, case closed.

So let's assume you have to move, and we'll concentrate on option 2 vs. option 3. There are two important aspects of this topic which apply to both.
In both cases you have to research the property with the building department to make sure you will be able to do what you wish. Verify zoning, lot size restrictions, and access to utilities.
You will have unknown costs (moving, insurance, taxes, financing costs, etc.) in either case.

Advantages of remodeling an existing house:
Fewer hidden (or unknown) costs. New homes often have impact fees, ground preparation fees, and higher permit fees than those imposed for remodeling.
Hard construction costs will be less (usually, but not always).
You can move into the house much sooner. If you have to leave your existing home quickly, you may not have the ability to wait for a new home to be built.

Advantages of building new:
Unrestricted design potential, allowing you to end up with a more modern, better insulated home, with better traffic flow than you would have in an older building. Also, older homes have less closet/storage space than new ones.
Your long term energy costs will be lower because all of your equipment will be running more efficiently.
Less disruption to family routine. While construction is happening, you're still living in your present house. Then you move into a finished product (possibly with some decorative items to complete).

I'm sure you noticed that I haven't listed costs in either list. The determining factor is going to be the extent of the renovation to the existing building. Depending upon the condition of the house, age, building codes and other factors, it can actually be more costly to remodel than to build new.

In either case, allow an extra 20% in your budget over and above any quoted costs you've obtained. 10% is for upgrades that you decide upon after initial pricing. The other 10% is for the rising costs of material and labor. If the price of oil goes through the roof again, 10% might not be enough.

If the older home was built between 1950 and 1978, there might be issues having to do with asbestos and lead paint. Make sure you get a professional inspection performed. You may also be required to bring the plumbing and electrical systems up to date.

In conclusion, renovating a home might be very rewarding, as well as the cheaper alternative. However, you have to do your homework before making the commitment, in order to insure that you're not stepping into a money pit. Every situation is different. Your decision will probably come down to what your sixth sense tells you. Regardless of how you choose, anticipate that moving into a new home will take more time and more money than expected.

Charles Gueli

Home Helper

http://www.continuous-home-improvement-help.com

Anderson Double Hung Interior

Discount Philadelphia Hotels

Visiting Philadelphia on a budget? Do not despair; you'll be spoiled by the choices available. As a tourist city, there are plenty of hotels both within the historic district and in surrounding areas. Each hotel vies for customers and deals abound. All you have to do is search for the best deal in the kind of hotel you want.

Many hotels offer free pick-up and drop-offs to and from the airport. Free Internet access has also become very common in most hotels, especially those looking for business travelers. Frequent travelers can also be sure of getting discounts, and many hotels offer long-stay visitors concessions. Some hotels offer great amenities for the business traveler, including suites with full kitchen complete with a microwave and full-size refrigerator. Book online and avail yourself of concessions only available to those who book through the Internet.

Take for instance, the Philadelphia Airport Microtel Inn & Suites. Part of the Microtel group, this hotel has been ranked "highest in guest satisfaction among economy/budget hotel chains" for three years in a row.

The Holiday Inn Express Philadelphia Midtown Hotel is another hotel that has been commended for quality. With 85% non-smoking guestrooms, it offers free continental breakfast and free local phone calls to all guests and is a boon for discount seekers.

Other hotels from the Holiday Inn group include the Holiday Inn Hotel Philadelphia-Historic District, which offers great deals on extended stays and packages; and the Holiday Inn Philadelphia City Ave., located in a suburban setting minutes from the city center. This offers added amenities like free parking and free local calls. The eleven-storey Holiday Inn Hotel "Philadelphia Stadium" offers over-sized beds and non-smoking and handicapped rooms. The Holiday Inn Philadelphia Northeast nestled in the foothills of Bucks County, near the Sesame Place Theme Park, is ideal for families.

Other hotels that offer good rates include the Comfort Inn Downtown/Historic Area "Philadelphia, Embassy Suites Hotel Philadelphia" City Center, located off Logan Square, the Hampton Inn Philadelphia City Center Convention Center, and the Rodeway Inn.

Philadelphia Hotels provides detailed information on Philadelphia Hotels, Philadelphia Airport Hotels, Discount Philadelphia Hotels, Five Star Hotels in Philadelphia and more. Philadelphia Hotels is affiliated with Albuquerque.

House Attic Books
Flooring Books

Planning Your Bathroom Remodel Budget - Home Improvement Ideas

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.

Rusted Electrical Box Exterior

Freelance Writing Coaching

Getting started as a freelance writer is tough stuff. You have the desire, sure. You maybe even have some innate talent for writing Good for you. Unfortunately, neither of these things can help guarantee the success of your freelance writing business. You need expert advice and the perspective that comes with success.

What a Freelance Writing Coach Does for You

Hiring a freelance writing coach gives you just that. It allows you to tap into the wealth of knowledge, information, wisdom and experience that can usually only come from years in the field. When you hire a freelance writing coach, you're likely to:

- Hone your writing craft
- Gain a fuller understanding of the freelance writing market
- Learn the common pitfalls of the freelance writing business
- Discover the ins and outs of finding and landing freelance gigs
- Propel your freelance writing business forward by weeks or even years.

The Cost of Not Hiring a Freelance Writing Coach

You can go it alone. You can start your freelance writing business, and feel your way blind, in the dark. If you're lucky, you'll weather the hard times and, eventually, learn everything you need to know on your own. Along the way, you'll get stuck working for peanuts, make mistakes that ruin your reputation and hurt your business, and get some serious bumps and bruises.

Hiring a coach doesn't keep you from making mistakes, and it doesn't guarantee success. However, it does help you make sure you get paid what you're worth, sharpen your skills, and help you to protect your reputation as a writer.

When it comes down to it, you can't afford not to hire a coach when you start your writing business.

Bob Younce is a professional freelance writer living in Linwood, Michigan. Bob loves helping new writers improve their craft and fully realize their dreams.

Subscribe to his blog for free at http://www.writing-journey.com and check out his Roadmap for starting your freelance writing business.

Installed Skylight In Framing

Bathroom Layouts - Tips You Should See

So you believe that a bathroom remodel project is only about changing the vanity or repositioning the bathtub? Your much-feted remodeling project will hit a roadblock if your treat the supremely important issue of bathroom layouts flippantly. After all, isn't it the layout that has a tremendous import on the final outcome of the project and the overall costs?

Ignore the layout of the bathroom, and the results are sure to be calamitous.

Address Those Niggling Problems

If after even several feckless attempts your bathroom fails to ignite your imagination, then it's time to give the layout a fresh lease of life. Before you plunge headlong into action, make sure you consider a few rudimentary aspects earnestly.

First, you must ascertain the inherent limitations in the existing layout. Lack of storage space, no place to fit in that ornate bathtub or may improper lighting and ventilation, just to name a few. A spanking new layout is perfect to address these concerns.

It's also important that you don't mothball ideas that are closest to your heart. List out what you feel form an indispensable part of your dream space. A luxurious shower or an aesthetically crafted vanity, the choice is entirely yours.

No layout can be a winner without efficient planning. Make sure all the fittings and fixtures that you have envisioned for the space find a place in the blueprints.

Four Tips That You Cannot Gloss Over

If you are in the midst of designing the perfect layout for the bathroom, here are tips that will hold you in good stead:

• You just need a single door to access a world of opportunities.
• A rectangular or square bathroom is the best shape you can have. Make sure the length is twice as much as the breadth.
• Let there be some breathing space in the center. Fixtures like the toilet and bathtub can be safely sequestered to a corner, from away from prying eyes, I mean, the main door.
• Don't continue to remain in the dark about the illuminating radiance of natural lighting. Let windows and skylights rule the roost.

Don't be surprised if your design is already garnering rave reviews.

Learn exactly how to generate 100's or even 1000's of positively *BRILLIANT* Bathroom Remodeling Ideas ... FAST ! And here are 25 Dirt Cheap Home Improvement Ideas that could increase the value of your home by several $1000's ...

House Painting Books
Real Estate Books

New Versus Old Lumber - Structural Failure

During my 30 years of remodeling and building new homes. I have ran across quite a bit of structural framing failures. I find myself answering this question a lot when explaining to a homeowner about the structural failure I am repairing on their home, "Why Didn't They Use Better Lumber" or " Why Didn't They Use Larger Lumber." I really have a hard time answering these questions because I honestly don't know the answer.

However I can try to use some logic and reason to give these people an answer that seems to make sense to both of us. Why didn't they use better lumber, quite simply because, with most older homes that were built before the 1970s they actually do have better lumber. Now you're probably thinking how can these homes have better lumber when the lumber is old versus the new lumber used in a brand new house.

Most of the structural repairs I have made over the years has nothing to do with the lumber and whether it was new or old. A large number of these repairs were caused by neglect and poor maintenance.

The lumber in most older houses are from older growth trees. Some of these trees were extremely large and only the premium parts of the trees were used. The premium lumber is cut farthest away from the center of the tree. Now the larger the tree it makes sense that there will be more premium lumber.

A large majority of the newer lumber used in home construction comes from trees about 6 inches in diameter. Now you're probably wondering how can they cut a 2 x 8 piece of lumber out of a 6 inch tree. Of course they cannot, the larger lumber comes from larger trees.

Most 2 x 4's that are less than 8 foot long can be cut from these trees. This scrap or waste that comes from cutting these two by fours will now go into engineered building materials like particleboard, oriented strand board and engineered beams. Another name for an engineered been would be a paralam.

I hope you're starting to get the picture now when it comes to using new or old lumber. There are companies that are going into old logging rivers and retrieving old growth lumber. These were logs that sank to the bottom of the river's and were never retrieved because it was too costly.

The old growth lumber is quite expensive. Who's to say what problems we will happen in the future from the newer products created with modern day technology. When it comes to building houses it is not an exact science and as contractors we have been repairing the damage from poor engineering for years.

When I use the word poor engineering I am not pointing fingers at engineers. We now have more knowledge about home construction then we had years ago.

New versus old lumber, who wins the battle. Only time will tell.

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

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Structural Repairs.

Drywall And Framing Mold

3 Do's and Don'ts of Landscaping

Landscaping a home is like putting a cherry on a sundae. Dressing up the front or back yard will make your home look and feel complete while providing beautiful aesthetics. With so many appealing options to choose from, starting a landscaping project may seem like a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be. Your landscaping project can be as ambitious or simple as you want it to be. However, whatever the size and scope of your project, here are a few thing to keep in mind when planning the perfect garden.

Do's
1. Look before you start
Our first instinct may be to jump right into the project, but look at the overall landscape before doing anything. Consider your garden space as a whole and try to plan for an overall landscaping look and feel. This will make your garden flow more. If you choose to tackle one area of your garden at a time, without an overall plan, it may be years before you actually complete the project.

2. Develop a focal point
For the best results, you want the eye to travel to a specific point or destination. This can be done with one or two visual elements that will capture the attention and make you pause for a second. A focal point can be achieved with a pond or a fountain, a special seating area or a beautiful gazebo.

3. Mix and match
Don't be afraid to experiment and try to avoid having the same color or the same design throughout the entire landscape. This can make your garden seem boring and monotone, when it should feel relaxing and inviting. Try mix and match to achieve a more natural and appealing environment. But be careful not to over do it. Find two or three visually creative ideas and mix and match them. It will bring the landscape to life.

Don'ts
1. Don't eliminate the yard
While you do want to consider the entire yard space when planning your landscape, you should avoid completely eliminating the yard. Adding brick or stone, can be beautiful and offer low maintenance, but having greenery will liven up the yard and give it an inviting and natural feel. Also, keeping some grass in your garden will help cool the landscape on a hot day and provide a soothing feel.

2. Don't take on multiple styles
Be careful when choosing the style of your landscape. While mi and matching, in moderation will liven up your garden, trying to mix completely opposite style may backfire. Try to avoid combining a minimalist stone courtyard with a formal English garden. The idea is to keep the landscaping flowing with an overall style and some focal points.

3. Don't skip out on unseen materials
As with building a house, the foundations of a landscaping project are very important. Don't skimp out on the materials. Make sure your drainage is done properly, that the deck sits on solid foundations, that the pond has the appropriate amount of sand and gravel underneath it, that you have enough good quality dirt for your flower beds, etc. By investing in these foundation materials and following the directions correctly, you will reap the benefits of a beautifully landscaped garden without having to worry about future problems.

Specializing in Brampton property, Harry Saggu is a professional agent with Century 21 Peoples Choice Realty Inc. and has a background in economics. If you are in search of a Brampton condo please feel free contact Harry or visit his site

Windows In Framed Exterior

Las Vegas Hotels

Las Vegas has come a long way since it was first discovered in 1829. This city, which is located in the state of Nevada, is one of the largest cities in the United States, with a population of over two million. The city remains the strongest contender for the world's major international tourist attractions. And since a lot of tourists come every year, Las Vegas hotels become more in demand to accommodate these people during their grand vacation.

Las Vegas is a home to many casinos. Most people come to this city to try their luck at playing different games in casinos. That's why most Las Vegas hotels are hotel casinos so that seasoned gamblers have easier access to slot machines and other casino games.

However, there are some families that prefer family vacation hotels that cater to a younger crowd. Fortunately, there are several fine hotels that are able to ensure that the entire family will have a great time.

Las Vegas Family Vacation Hotel Options

Circus and Excalibur are some great choices for family vacation hotels in Las Vegas. The Circus is comprised of three towers with a connecting sky shuttle, which is viewed by most children as the grand attraction. Inside the complex, there is the Adventuredome, which is considered the largest indoor theme park. The hotel also has a miniature golf, bungee jumping, and over 200 choices for carnival games.

Just like the Circus, Excalibur is another family-oriented Las Vegas hotel, named because the design that replicates King Arthur's Camelot home. This Las Vegas hotel allows children an experience like walking into a fairy tale. The first floor is full of carnival games, themed entertainment, and arcades. There is also a large pool area and a popular dinner attraction called the Tournament of Kings.

These are just some of the family-oriented Las Vegas hotels that families can check out in Las Vegas. So, the next time you take a trip to Las Vegas with your family, consider these fine hotels so that everyone can have a great time.

Las Vegas Hotels provides detailed information on Las Vegas Hotels, Discount Las Vegas Hotels, Las Vegas Hotel Reservations, Las Vegas Hotel Casinos and more. Las Vegas Hotels is affiliated with Cheap Las Vegas Hotel Reservations.

House Window Books
Home Skylight Books

Inerrancy of the Bible - Are There Mistakes in the Bible

What does the word inerrancy main? Inerrancy would refer to text that is accurate and totally free of any errors or without any mistakes. Does this sound like any book that you have ever read or have knowledge of. Maybe there is a one sentence book that could fall into this category.

Most books however and even this article has mistakes. If I made a decision to base my life, my entire life and that of my children and grandchildren, I would want to make sure that it was accurate as possible.

Is the Bible, 100%, 90%, or even 50% accurate. Are these stories that were written by people many years ago and the lessons have been helpful but now need to be rewritten.

Does the Bible actually contain the will of God? Some scholars believe that certain sections of the Bible meet this criteria while others do not. How can these people judge if they are not God and how can we believe in this stuff is not true.

If the Bible was inspired by God but written by men, this could actually mean that God had complete control over writing the Bible or does this mean that the man wrote the Bible with gods inspiration. I'm inspired by God daily and often write about it, but don't seem to have enough followers to make it into the biblical Hall of Fame. I'm writing with inspired beliefs right now.

If there are errors in the Bible, how extensive or how many errors are there actually. There are actual stories that can be documented as historical facts. This doesn't mean the rest of the Bible is factual, nor does it mean it is historically inaccurate.

The Bible has some errors in it and some facts that we can prove but leaves us with the question, is this a book from the Creator of the universe or a book written by men, to make us believe, it was written by God and if so why are we still believe being in it. Why do some people read this book and other religious text daily? What motivates them to read holy Scripture regularly but doesn't seem to allow them enough time to find out if they are reading accurate information.

The biggest problem I have with the inerrancy of the Bible is the fact that most people tend to ignore certain truths and cling to their childhood beliefs about religion. If this is not the way or the truth, I would want to start looking for it, instead of following someone else's dreams or religious doctrine.

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

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

Mold Behind Shear Wall

Fiberglass Shower Pan Tips - Fallbrook Home Remodeling

Fiberglass shower pans are a quick and relatively cheap shower floor. The traditional way to install a shower floor is to build a masonry base and then set ceramic tile over the base. As you can see, the skill level for installing fiberglass pans is much lower.

You can find standard shower pans at your local building supply store. These pans will be standard sizes, but you can special order other sizes and sometimes even custom sizes. If you have an odd drain location or size, the price for your application will be much higher..

Often a fiberglass shower pan fits into an existing location without replacing the walls. For your older ceramic tile shower, you can replace just the floor and enough of the walls to get the replacement pan in place. That's assuming the walls are still in good shape. Often the walls are damaged if water has worked behind the walls. The walls will often break as the floor is removed.

If you are installing a new shower, fiberglass shower pans can be used with ceramic tile walls or with fiberglass walls that match the floor. Often the pans are used in handicapped access showers so there is little or no curb and a special non-skid surface.

Compared to traditional masonry shower pan construction, fiberglass options have advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are: easier to install, quicker, cheaper, easy to keep clean. The traditional masonry and ceramic tile advantages are: lasts longer with proper care, looks better, less subject to wear and damage.

Note also that a fiberglass shower pan available at your local store is not suitable as a base for ceramic tile. There are tile ready shower pans, but they are different and more expensive.

Puzzled about fiberglass shower pans? Visit our site for fiberglass shower pan tips

We invite you to visit http://www.installingceramictile.net for free answers to your shower questions.

Ceiling Beam With 4 X 4 Post

5 Big Reasons Why You Should Get a Shower Filter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Home Fence Books
Home Siding Books

Surviving As A Contractor In California

So you want to make big money making a living as a contractor in the state of California. Well now I bet you have seen contractors on TV or maybe you know someone who is a contractor. You see these men and women playing the part as Mr. or Mrs. Money bags. If you have the slightest thought that becoming a contractor will provide you with a life of riches think again.

Most contractors that I know and have worked with over the years don't think of there jobs as easy. They have to work everyday and a lot into the night doing estimates or meeting with potential clients because they are to busy during the day. The life of most contractors in the beginning will be difficult to say the least. But if successful you will make a great living for yourself and your family.

Now that we got the false illusion of the contractor answering his cell phone all day at some nice golf course having lunch talking about the money that he just made selling his oil stocks. We can start on reality. If being a contractor was that easy everyone would be a contractor. Right..... Well maybe not everyone.

I have been a contractor for over 22 years and in construction for 30 year. I have seen a lot of changes over the years. I remember when a few contractors that I worked for made a lot of money during the late 1970's. These guys had Ferraris and money to burn with one exception they had no idea how to save any of it. These guys went on vacations and bought extravagant toys for them selves. Out of most of the big framing contractors I worked for about 10 percent are still in business or actually saved their money during the good times so that they could make it through the bad times.

These contractors never thought it was going to end. Life on easy street that is. But it did and most went by the way side. I guess that is the nature of business. Especially the current economic business cycles that we seem to go through over the years. If you don't have the money to advertise or carry a payroll. Your business is going to suffer during the bad times. Sure there is credit and bank loans but you still have to pay that money back. IF you can't save your money stash some away for advertising.

Some of the best advice I can give a contractor anywhere especially in the state of California is " Don't Think The Great Times Of Easy Money Will Last Forever". Save some of the money you make just in case you need to get through the bad times. You will thank me for this latter, Some time down the road. Take this advice and put it into action starting right now.

Greg Vanden Berge has over 30 years of experience in residential home building and remodeling. This provides you with the comfort of knowing that you have a professional with the knowledge and skills to complete your construction projects in a timely manner.

Our low overhead along with our new online estimating system will provide you with the most competitive construction pricing in the area. We continue to educate ourselves about the new home improvement books and building systems in the construction industry. If we have any doubt that something might not work we don't use it. We have found some of these products to be the root of some major home building problems.

Click on the Home Remodeling Ideas to get more information and a possible online estimate for your home improvement project.

Hole In Roof And Roofing

Things to Consider When Building a Second Floor Addition

Building a second floor addition onto a single story home has become a very popular option for home owners looking for additional living space without the hassle of uprooting their family. However, you should keep in mind that building any home addition is a major enterprise and that building a second story is not a simple undertaking. Here are a few things to consider.

Verify the local zoning laws of your neighborhood. Some zoning laws restrict the construction of second floor addition because it will impact the aesthetics of the neighborhood or create other issues to adjacent properties.

Local building codes should also be examined to ensure that a second floor addition onto an existing single story home is allowed. One thing to consider is the home's existing foundation. In order to determine if the foundation can support a second floor, you will need to enlist the help of a building inspector, foundation contractor or an architect who will examine the existing foundation. Adding a second story onto a ranch style home will create significantly more load on the concrete footing and the foundation walls. The footings and foundation walls are typically built wider and stronger for two story homes which means that you will most likely need to reinforce your existing foundation.

Before removing the roof of your home, you will need to plan for potential obstacles that will need to be addressed. For example:

- What is the size of the ceiling joists? Can they support a second floor?

- Are there mechanical elements such as plumbing, electrical and HVAC running on the top of existing ceiling joists?

- Are there any utilities attached to the existing roof and how much overhang does it have?

- Is the roof sheeting made of plywood or 1x boards?

- How many layers of shingles are on the existing roof?

- Are there any stacks or flues protruding through the roof such as vent pipes, fireplace chimney or furnace flue?

The mechanical infrastructure of your home will also need to be carefully examined. Elements such as the heating, plumbing and electrical will need to be upgraded and modified to support the second story addition. Typically, a larger furnace and electrical panel will need to be installed.

There may be some repair costs associated with your second story addition. Although your contractor will make every effort to ensure that the integrity of the main floor is maintained, inherently there are risks of damage to the first floor's walls and ceilings. This type of damage frequently occurs while the roof is being removed and while the second floor addition is being constructed.

The cost of building a second story addition onto a single story home is relatively expensive on a cost per square foot basis. Typically, there is a 30 to 50% premium for adding a second story over the standard construction costs per square foot. However, the alternative of selling your home and buying a new one is, in most case, a more expensive alternative. Keep in mind that you may be able to tap into your home equity or take out a home renovation loans to cover the costs of your second story addition, making your dream of a larger home a reality.

Lee Callero is a specialist in foundation repair which is the main cause of basement leaks. Visit the site to learn more about how crack injection can fix your foundation problems

Bathtub Filler Wall

Bathroom Moisture Problems - Home Repair

Right above my bathtub in my master bathroom the paint is peeling off the wall. The area is peeling above the tile in my bathtub and shower combination. I tried to glue the peeling paint back and only made the situation worst.

First things first. The paint is peeling because there is to much moisture in the bathroom while you are using it. Do you have any windows you can open or a ventilating bathroom fan. If you have a window crack it open part way while you are showering.

The water droplets will accumulate on the walls and drip into any cracks. Right above the tile grout is a great place for moisture to accumulate. Oh yeah moisture loves grout and drywall. If you have any unpainted areas or an area that has cracked. Guess what you have now.

Your paint is peeling because the bathroom gets hot and cold. Moist and dry. If you have the door and windows shut. You just created a moisture trap. Most people prefer their privacy and will closes the door when using the shower. Well then open the window and let some cold air in while you are taking a nice warn shower. I don't think so. Most showering fools don't like that idea either.

Ok one more idea keep the windows shut so you don't let the cold air in. Then lock the door so no on barges in on you. If you have a ventilation fan turn it on. This will at least pull fresh air in from under the door and send the moist air out of the house.

But the fan is so noisy and I can't enjoy my nice warm vapor producing shower that will eventually cause me to get sick from mold particles floating around in the air while I am using my bathroom.
Does this about sum it up for you and don't we all do this from time to time. We want to enjoy our shower time, so we close up everything and when we are in our bath sauna environment relaxing our house is getting some damaging moisture that could cause mold and mildew.

Open a window or door a little when you shower. Get some air circulating through the bathroom and prevent damage to your nice house.

Put up with a little inconvenience for you homes sake and your pocket book.

Greg Vanden Berge has been in the home building and remodeling business in California 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 provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building in North San Diego Home Remodeling Carlsbad Home Remodeling

Visit us now for Bathroom Ideas

Concrete Stained Sheathing

Bathroom Remodeling - Let Your Imagination Bring About Transformation

Throughout the decades the functions of a bathroom have greatly revolved turning it from simply essential to so much more. The changes have been somewhat the answer to the hectic lifestyle of modern people, and are especially needed in the bustling big cities. In the City that Never Sleeps-New York, it definitely pays to be creative in creating a haven of comfort out of your baths. Some imagination integrated into your bathroom remodeling project could give you more than a good boost to your home's value. It could also afford added luxury to your and your loved ones' quality of living.

Depending on your lifestyle and taste, you could recreate your personal space through bathroom remodeling, achieving the most functional and stylish transformation. Typically, it is in the design phase that homeowners get stuck. With the thousands of possible ideas that they could use as inspiration, the task can seem overwhelming. To help you out on this, here are several creative ideas that you can choose from to integrate into your bathroom remodeling:

A Dash of Modernity

Your contemporary home could use a modern bath. If you are a homeowner who wants everything downright functional in a stark, sleek look then this bathroom remodeling style is perfect for you. Organization and surfaces are keys to achieve modernity in the design. Clean lines will give an effect of needed spaciousness. High sheen black counters, stainless steel sinks and features, glass and mirrors would also do great in the design.

Tropical Extravaganza

Wouldn't it be great to be seemingly transported to some tropical resort each opportunity you get to take your time in the bath? Of course.

This bathroom remodeling idea could be realized through using earthly elements. Plants, mini-waterfalls and even some white pebbles could do just the trick. You could even have an open shower if your property could afford you the needed privacy even if your shower area opens up to the heavens.

Asian Invasion

Give in to utter peacefulness and feel the Zen. With a modern Asian bathroom remodeling design, oriental crafts can spruce things up inside your bath. Some of the things that you could implement in your design include jars and other forms of pottery, bamboo walls, and even French doors overlooking a rock garden.

Your Everyday Spa

Wellness and rejuvenation has become more than a therapy thing as it has revolutionized the way people live through its integration in home improvement designs. This bathroom remodeling idea is made possible by innovative spa products that you can find in the market today. From steam showers, to home saunas, whirlpool tubs, to chromatherapy; the options are many. And the best thing about having such is that these products are equipped with state of the art features like radio, telephone, CD player, remote control full-dimensional massages and others.

So which serves as the most tempting way to spend time in the bathroom? But if you can still squeeze out a little more of those creative juices, then by all means do so. Exhaust every possible option to make your bathroom remodeling idea fit your way of living perfectly.

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

Tile Setting Books
Tile Setting Books

Plans For Room Additions to Homes - Home Tips

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author

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

Framing Three Interior Windows

Finding Homes Using the Internet - Home Shopping

You can simply type the words real estate or homebuying into any search engine on the World Wide Web and you will come up with hundreds, maybe even thousands of websites that are extremely helpful and full of great information. Like the one you're on right now.

Finding homes with the internet, combined with a skilled real estate salesperson, provides you with the most effective technology available today. Most websites start out, having you select a state you would like to search in and then, select a city, with your price range.

By answering their questions, this narrows the search down to all of the homes available in the area. The internet has made home shopping very simple. Considering what you had to go through in the 1970s. You found a realtor or by looking in the yellow pages, sometimes you found a good realtor and if you are lucky, maybe you would find you a good home.

Most of the time, the first homes you would look at, were owned by the real estate professional you were working with.

There are however a couple of problems with using the internet to find your dream home. Some of the verbage used and photographs taken can create a wonderful illusion of a tropical paradise but the reality, it's a regular home in a decent neighborhood.

Some of these photos are taken by skilled photographers who take advantage of every angle and tend to give an illusion of grander. When you actually start driving around and looking at these homes, only then will you get a reality check, of what the home actually looks like. You'll get used to it.

After you've looked at a few of your future dream homes, you will get a better idea of what I'm talking about with these wonderful pictures and the extraordinary home descriptions like "Beautiful Three Bedroom House with an Ocean View." When reality it's a two-bedroom house with an extra closet for the third bedroom and the ocean is 45 miles away, but you can see it on a clear day if you actually climb to the top of the largest tree on the property.

Take your time when searching for your dream home and don't let any one push you into making a decision if you're not ready. If you find your real estate professional a little too aggressive or pushy, get out of your contract, if you've signed one and find another, more helpful real estate salesperson to help you with your home purchase.

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.

Find other real estate tips and great advice, from another one of the Internet's best website creators.

Electrical Wire In Living Room

Home Remodeling - Stress-Busting Ideas

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

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

De-clutter

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

Exercising in the Comforts of Your Own Home

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

Avoid Sleeping Problems

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

A Personal Spa Out of Your Bathroom

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

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with pre-screened Staten Island Contractors. For more, visit Remodeling Staten Island.

House Attic Books
Home Inspection Books

Building a New House!

Building a house is a once in a life time project to most. The right choice in design can make a house durable and maintenance free. The choice of materials used and professional services employed in constructing the house determines the cost and quality of construction. Same day payday loans help you with draw short term small cash and build a new house or revamp an old one..

The following factors need a careful consideration while building a new house as they determine the cost of the project- type of foundation, type of super structure, and kind of wood used.

Foundation: The building foundation varies with the soil condition. An ideal soil condition needs minimum investment at this stage. The soil needs to be hard so that it takes the weight of the structure with minimal structure below the floor.

Each soil type behaves differently when structures are built on it. In some places, the soil is loose and cannot take the load for several feet until a hard soil or rock is hit. One of the cost effective foundation is pile foundation. Some plots need soil treatment like soil compression to make them strong.

Appropriate foundation type is chosen to suit soil of different types.

Load bearing walls with red bricks or table bricks is the most popular when the soil is hard. The surface could be soft but as it is dug deeper soil is found to be hard. The house built on this type of soil does not require any concrete structure to support it from below the surface. The wall is broad at bottom of the foundation and becomes thinner as it grows up. Typically building structures have ground plus two floors.

Sized stone masonry foundation suits hard soil like red soil that can carry a load of ground and two floors. The obvious disadvantage is that the structure cannot be altered as every wall bears the load above it. When the soil is loose for considerable depth before the hard soil is hit, the load being walls is not the right solution. A super structure with concrete and beams are built first and walls are filled in subsequently.

Concrete column with footing is the solution when room sizes need to be altered without damage to the structure as a whole. These columns have footings which are again concrete structure extensions to the column. These footings distribute the total weight of the building to the earth.

Pile foundation is used in surfaces which have loose soil with very less load bearing capacity. Like other foundation types, pile foundations are used for load bearing and load transferring systems. Components of the foundations are the pile cap and the piles. Materials used for piles are typically steel and concrete. Piles made from these materials are driven, drilled or jacked into the ground and connected to pile caps. Avail same day loans and get an instant cash for your short term needs.

Kirthy shetty, Expert Author, Platinum status

Your same day payday loans information is available at: same day payday loans

Cheapest secured loan assistance: cheapest secured loan

Filling In Outside Bay Window

Surviving As A Contractor In California

So you want to make big money making a living as a contractor in the state of California. Well now I bet you have seen contractors on TV or maybe you know someone who is a contractor. You see these men and women playing the part as Mr. or Mrs. Money bags. If you have the slightest thought that becoming a contractor will provide you with a life of riches think again.

Most contractors that I know and have worked with over the years don't think of there jobs as easy. They have to work everyday and a lot into the night doing estimates or meeting with potential clients because they are to busy during the day. The life of most contractors in the beginning will be difficult to say the least. But if successful you will make a great living for yourself and your family.

Now that we got the false illusion of the contractor answering his cell phone all day at some nice golf course having lunch talking about the money that he just made selling his oil stocks. We can start on reality. If being a contractor was that easy everyone would be a contractor. Right..... Well maybe not everyone.

I have been a contractor for over 22 years and in construction for 30 year. I have seen a lot of changes over the years. I remember when a few contractors that I worked for made a lot of money during the late 1970's. These guys had Ferraris and money to burn with one exception they had no idea how to save any of it. These guys went on vacations and bought extravagant toys for them selves. Out of most of the big framing contractors I worked for about 10 percent are still in business or actually saved their money during the good times so that they could make it through the bad times.

These contractors never thought it was going to end. Life on easy street that is. But it did and most went by the way side. I guess that is the nature of business. Especially the current economic business cycles that we seem to go through over the years. If you don't have the money to advertise or carry a payroll. Your business is going to suffer during the bad times. Sure there is credit and bank loans but you still have to pay that money back. IF you can't save your money stash some away for advertising.

Some of the best advice I can give a contractor anywhere especially in the state of California is " Don't Think The Great Times Of Easy Money Will Last Forever". Save some of the money you make just in case you need to get through the bad times. You will thank me for this latter, Some time down the road. Take this advice and put it into action starting right now.

Greg Vanden Berge has over 30 years of experience in residential home building and remodeling. This provides you with the comfort of knowing that you have a professional with the knowledge and skills to complete your construction projects in a timely manner.

Our low overhead along with our new online estimating system will provide you with the most competitive construction pricing in the area. We continue to educate ourselves about the new home improvement books and building systems in the construction industry. If we have any doubt that something might not work we don't use it. We have found some of these products to be the root of some major home building problems.

Click on the Home Remodeling Ideas to get more information and a possible online estimate for your home improvement project.

Wood Post Bottom With Filler

Miami Airport Hotels

If you are a traveler who is short on time, you could choose to stay in one of the Miami airport hotels. There are several good airport hotels in Miami where you can book your rooms directly through the website of the hotel or through their toll-free numbers. Famous airport hotels in Miami include Holiday Inn Miami, Crown Plaza Airport, and Holiday Inn Express Airport.

You can also collect more detailed information on Miami airport hotels from the Airport Hotel Guide. The guide is a popular information source, and it has been recognized by news organizations including USA Today and TSI International.

Rates for the hotels are available on a nightly basis. While searching for a good airport hotel, you might find hotels offering you a good discount. Roughly, the normal charges of the airport hotels can range from $300 upwards. For example, Hampton Inn and Suites charge an average rate of $208, while Mandarin Oriental Miamis average price is $561.

Miami airport hotels offer everything that you might need for a perfect stay. Hotels like Hilton advertise their services on their websites. For example, Hilton claims to provide in-room movies, mini-bar, hair dryer, coffeemaker, state-of-the-art alarm clock, and cable television with premium channels. It also talks of an ergonomic chair and business-friendly desk, wireless high-speed Internet access and dual-line telephones with speakerphones.

While you seek to make that business trip and lodge in one of the Miami airport hotels, you will usually experience a good ambience for business discussions and a personal serenity. And it wont be an exaggeration to say that Miami airport hotels can offer you the best mix of a business as well as a vacation trip.

Miami Hotels provides detailed information on Miami Hotels, Miami Beach Hotels, Discount Miami Hotels, Miami Airport Hotels and more. Miami Hotels is affiliated with Miami Beach Real Estate.

House Lighting Books
Building Handrails Books