Home Improvements to Consider

Are you wondering how you can improve the value and function of your home? As our homes age we often have to replace items that are breaking down or just not as efficient as their new counterparts. There are a lot of improvements that you can consider to make your home look better, be as comfortable as possible, and even add value to the home. Such improvements include gutter installation, window installation, siding, and even roofing. Each of these home improvements can be done over time or you can plan an entire facelift of your home, either way you'll be improving the look and functionality of the home.

Roofing is generally not something that the average consumer wants to take on themselves, so they will need to go about choosing a roofing contractor if they need a new roof. This can be a process, but when you take your time and you choose the right contractor you will find that a new roof can update the look of your home, make it more energy efficient, and add to the overall value of the property.

You may also need to go about choosing a siding contractor. Many times the same contractor can do the roofing and the siding, but often times you will need to have two different companies perform this duty. Siding will also update the look and feel of the home, adding value to it if you are interested in selling in the future.

Window installation is a great way to improve the value and appearance of the home. Windows age a home like nothing else, so replacing them will change the whole face of the home. This is something that will take time and resources, but the replacement will add to the beauty of the home as well as the energy efficiency.

Article written by Francesa Terrandas. I encourage you to visit my site if you want to learn more about Window Installation Bethesda MD. Here you will also get the latest information on Montgomery County MD Gutter Installation as well.

Building Safe Stairs

Slate & Tile Roofing - The Facts!

Cement & Clay Tile Roofing:

Available in many different shapes and colors, manufactured from clay or concrete, roofing tiles are increasing in popularity as a finished roofing material throughout North America. They bring a rich, elegant and beautiful aesthetic quality to any property and definitely increase the value of any home. More and more builders are using roofing tiles on new construction to enhance and improve the marketability of the property. A tile roof gives instant credibility to the feeling of quality construction and produces an excellent property eye appeal.

The flexibility and creativity in the manufacturing process as lead to a variety of tile shapes textures, and sizes. Some the more popular designs being, rounded, shingle, shake and slate. The manufacturing processes have been so well refined that in may cases tile roofing does not look like tile at all. Spanish mission, rounded, style tiles are very popular in the southern US states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California.

Tile Roofing Drawbacks:

Similar to slate tiles, the primary drawback to concrete or clay tiles are their weight. It is important to verify, with your contractor or a consulting engineer, that the rafters and trusses used to form your roof have the inherent strength to support the load created by clay or concrete tiles. The cost of installing a concrete or clay tile roof is not unlike that of wood shingles. However, tiles have a life expectancy of more than 50 years, are noncombustible, and do not require a lot of maintenance.

When installing any roof the price of the material and installation has to be taken in context with other factors including ongoing maintenance costs, warranty and the value added to the property should you wish to sell. Because it is noncombustible, the concrete or clay tile itself has a Class A fire rating, which provides you and your family with a level of safety that is difficult to put a dollar value to. Some insurance companies will reduce the premium for fire insurance to homes that have clay or concrete tiles installed on their roofs. The installation of concrete or clay tiles should reduce heating and cooling costs, as they are very energy efficient.

Slate Tile:

What is more beautiful or aesthetically pleasing than a natural slate roof? A slate roof is one of the most durable roofing materials available. When properly installed, and maintained, a slate roof will last for hundred's of years. The specific life of a slate roof is dependent upon a lot of variables and it is wise to discuss your requirements with a local professional installer.

Life Variables:

• type and origin of the slate
• roof style
• climate

Another consideration is the weight of slate tile. Many roofs are not structurally designed to handle the load represented by a slate tile installation. Before committing to the installation of a slate roof, ensure that your rafters and/or trusses have been designed and installed to handle the additional weight.

Considered to be the most stylish and sophisticated roofing materials, slate comes in a wide range of colors, textures and quality levels. Because a slate roof installation requires skilled, professional and experienced roofers (actually an expert slate installer is not a roofer, they are stone masons - craftsmen), slate is not an inexpensive roof covering. In addition, because of the products weight special handling equipment is required and freight charges will add to the cost. You can expect to pay in the order of $100 per square foot or a $1,000 per roofing square.

Because of the high investment made in installing a slate roof, they should be inspected yearly and after major storms. Most companies that supply and install slate roofs offer annual service contracts, which include inspections at regular intervals. If properly maintained and cared for slate roofs have an indefinite life.

If you are considering replacing your current roof with a new slate installation, check the reputation of the contractor you are using and make sure that the slate they will install comes from a reputable high quality quarry. The capabilities of the contractor and the quality of the slate will be the biggest factors in determining the longevity of the roof.

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

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

Electric Dryer Gas Conversion Ki

Spring Blooming Chinese Trees With Purple Flowers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ice Dam Problems And Solutions

Exploring Available Roof Services

Are you having problems with your roof? If so, you may want to contact a roofing service to help you resolve the problem. But, you may not be aware that there are actually many different types of roofing problems that roofing services may address. Therefore, in order to make certain you get the type of service you require, it is a good idea to learn more about roofing services and what they can do to help you repair or simply improve your roof.

Shingling Your Roof

One service that roofing services may provide is shingling your roof. When shingling your roof, the service provider may replace shingles that have become damaged. Before you hire a roofing service to completely reshingle your roof, however, you should look into the possibility of simply repairing the shingles that are already there. In some cases, a roofing service can salvage the shingles if they simply slipped without getting damaged. This can be a far less expensive option that may be better suited to your budget at the time.

Tiling Your Roof

Depending upon the type of roof you have, you may choose to hire a roofing service to tile your roof. If you have a roof that contains clay or wooden tiles, you may need to have these tiles repaired or replaced. It really is a good idea to hire a professional to repair or replace roof tiles, as they can be quite fragile and you could accidentally ruin them as you try to install them yourself.

Adding Insulation

Roofing services can also come in handy when it comes time to add insulation to your roof. Unfortunately, many homes have inadequate insulation in the roof, which allows heat to escape and can cause damage to the roof. Of course, allowing heat to escape is also inefficient and results in higher energy bills as well. Even if your roof appears to be in good shape, it is a good idea to have a professional examine the roof every couple of years to make certain the insulation is in good shape.

Felting Your Roof

If you have a flat roof, you likely have felting in place in order to make it waterproof. This felting, which is simply rolls of cellulose that are backed with tar or asphalt and then melted to the roof with a torch, should also be inspected every few years in order to make certain your roof is receiving the type of waterproofing protection it needs.

Installing Leadwork

In some cases, copper or lead rolls are used to waterproof a roof. Although this method is not commonly used on homes, it is fairly common with large public buildings.

Installing Gutters

Another service that is provided by most roofing services is installing gutters and performing maintenance on gutters. While it is true that you can clean out gutters on your own, hiring a roofing service to clean the gutters is a safer option. In addition, professional roofing services have the equipment necessary to do a thorough job and, while they are up there, they can check your roof in order to determine whether repairs are necessary.

Repairing Chimney Stacks

Roofing services are also able to repair chimney stacks or, if necessary, they can install or remove them from the roof as well.

In addition to all of these services that are typically performed by professional roofers, some also specialize in other types of roofing services. For example, you can hire a professional to help you create a bird guards or a roof garden if you so desire. The key is to simply make certain you hire a professional with a solid reputation so you can be certain to get the results you desire.

Steve Travis is the marketing specialist for FourSeasons Roofers. We are a roofing company servicing Bellevue, Bothell, Mukilteo and Edmonds.

Architects And Home Design

Stair Building Video For Decks

Stair building tips for installing lights and decking, handrail tips and some deck advice.

For more helpful home improvement information visit: http://www.gregvan.com

Stair Building Tips

Sometimes Your The Problem
Quit Waiting For Help

Waterproofing Basement Products

To prevent future problems that may harm your home, foundation waterproofing is something all homeowners and home builders should consider. The effects of waterproofing basement products can last a lifetime. Waterproofing basement products prevent against condensation, which can soon develop into mold.

Mold can cause a variety of problems such as coughing, trouble breathing and allergies. It can also cause fatigue, nausea, headaches, and respiratory irritation. The buildup of mold spores in the air can be extremely dangerous for people with asthma, causing increased attacks and infection. To prevent these problems from occurring, waterproofing basement walls is something everyone should do.

There are many waterproofing basement products available from which to choose. Ask a professional at your local home or hardware store what product would best suite your needs. A waterproofing contractor can assist you in the process and handle your waterproofing needs.

Besides mold, waterproofing basement products prevent against cracks and leaks in your home's foundation. Concrete that has been cracked must be repaired before the waterproofing process can begin. If a foundation is already damaged, an epoxy injection must be made to the current cracks before waterproofing basement walls.

Prevention is the best way to keep your home safe and healthy. By using a foundation sealant, you are preventing your home from the foundation problems that can cost you quite a bit of time and money to fix in the future. Repairing foundation can be expensive, so it is better to act sooner rather than later.

What better way to eliminate the risk of foundation failure than to take the proper precaution and use a waterproofing product on your basement walls? Many problems that exist in homes are those which you cannot see. You may not be able to see the effects on an unsealed basement, but over time, you will certainly suffer from them.

For more tips on how to improve your basement including http://www.betterbasementideas.com/basement_sealing_paints basement sealing paints and http://www.betterbasementideas.com/how_to_design_a_home_theatre_in_basement

Horizontal Or Vertical Drywall

Microsoft Repair Registry - 10 Telltale Signs That Your Registry Needs Repair

So how do you know if your computer's Windows registry has become corrupted or unoptimized and is in need of some Microsoft repair registry utility?

Here are some of the telltale signs:

1. Several minutes elapse from the time you power up your PC until you get to the login screen.
2. Several minutes elapse from the time you log onto your account until you are finally able to actually use the operating system.
3. If you try to use the operating system before it finally reliquishes control to you as described in #2, your Windows session actually locks up, requiring yet another reboot.
4. Windows takes forever to shut down or log off, or it just plain outright ignores your request to shut down or log off.
5. Despite being on a high-speed Internet connection, web pages take an unbearably long time to load.
6. Your mouse pointer turns into an hour glass and stays that way for no apparent reason.
7. Applications spontaneously crash and cannot be terminated, no matter how hard you try, with the Windows Task Manager.
8. You are being greeted with unwelcome spyware pop-up ads no matter how hard you try, even if you have run an antivirus and antispyware scan against your PC.
9. Your applications in general exhibit a sluggish response.
10. Add / Remove Programs and USB device autodetection take forever to process.

These just a few of the signs that your Windows registry has become corrupted which might require you to run a Microsoft repair registry utility.

Unfortunately, as luck would have it, Windows does not come with its own built-in Microsoft repair registry utility. Fortunately, you can download one from a third-party.

Give your PC a free registry scan and you'll be reaping the benefits of a much more stable, more highly optimized, more robust, and much faster operating system!

Wood Post Repairs

Energy - Reduce The Costs of Gas Line Repair By Not Having to Destroy the Pavement

If you work with an industrial work and repair crew that does a lot of city work, there are a couple of things you can do to win more contracts than the competition:

1-Get better results

If you don't get great results, you're probably not going to get as much return business, that's economics 101. But let's be honest, this is the city government we're talking about, here. If we could rely on politicians to always make smart choices, we wouldn't be stuck in the middle of a gas crisis right now. So step two might actually be more important...

2-Do it for a lower price

If you can cut costs without sacrificing quality, then do it. No matter how skilled you and your crew are, there are plenty of city officials who only look at the bottom line. If you can work quickly and cheaply, you've got an Ace up your sleeve in securing contracts for industrial work and repair.

When it comes to repairing gas lines, you may want to consider cutting cost and hours by switching to adhesives.

The main benefit of using adhesives to repair cracks and put gas lines together should be obvious. You don't have to rip up the entire sidewalk (or pavement depending where in the world you are) to remove huge chunks of pipe. Once you've determined where the problem is, you only need to dig until you've found what needs to be repaired, apply some industrial strength adhesive to it and call it a day.

Whether you're using sealant tape or adhesives, it's a lot easier, a lot cheaper, and a lot safer to repair and assemble gas lines this way. Using any kind of torch or soldering kit might not be safe, even if the gas has been turned off (which is why a lot of gas lines are made of plastic alloys these days). Any worries about there being some gas still floating around in a damaged pipe are greatly reduced when you're using adhesives or sealant tape instead.

Really, it just doesn't make sense to replace huge chunks of pipe that could easily be sealed with adhesive and it doesn't make sense to tear up the sidewalk to make room for more complicated repair methods. If you're offering to fix gas lines with adhesives, you can offer to do the job for a fraction of what you might require otherwise, allowing you to win more contracts, and without spending too much time on each individual job, so you can quickly move on to the next one.

Another benefit of using adhesives and tapes for repairs is that the price of production materials like PVC pipe and so on is undeniably rising all around the world. This is thanks in large part to the current cost of oil. Heavy materials cost more to move around. Adhesives on the other hand, have retained a pretty low price because they're less cumbersome when it comes to shipping and handling.

Permabond is a leading manufacturer of engineering adhesives, supplying high-quality industrial adhesives to customers worldwide. Permabond has offices in The Americas, Europe and Asia and a worldwide network of distributors to assist you with your specific bonding and sealing requirements. To learn more, please visit Adhesives.

Fireplace Drywall Ceiling Damage

Roman Showers For Your Bathroom

Everybody owns a special home. Every house has it's own necessities. Showering and bathing needs change from one home to another. Nowadays in the market you can see a great variety of roman products which can be bought according to your needs. With the help of these modern products you can create a perfect bathroom. You can give a complete new look to your washroom no matter what are the size limitations. Roman products include shower enclosures, bath screens and shower trays and other bathroom items.

If you want to add some more options in your bathroom then it is a good idea to install an over bath shower. Roman range of shower screens is one of the best screens available in the market today. Nowadays people are widely using mini-fixed bath screens which function perfect with a shower curtain. Modern range of roman bath accessories can completely fulfill your requirements.

With the help of shower enclosures you can make your shower space look more spacious. You can install a shower enclosure in any corner of your washroom. A standard shower enclosure does not need lot of space. You can choose among three different types of enclosures according to your needs and requirements. With the help of enclosures you can change any place of your washroom into wetroom. It is also possible to design an enclosure according to the measurements of your bathroom. It is a good idea to hire a skilled interior designer with whom you can discuss your expectations.

If you want to know more about Roman Showers then feel free to visit Bella Bathrooms.

Basic Repair - Refrigerator Parts

If you're having problems with your refrigerator, you may not need an expensive repair. The problem could be small and simple, and a minimum of work or a few refrigerator parts you install yourself could do the job. Let's take a look at some of the most common issues that people have with their refrigerators and how to solve them.

1. The refrigerator is not running, and the light is not working
This problem means power isn't getting to the unit, and may be caused by a plug that's not in the outlet securely, a damaged electrical cord, or an outlet that's not providing power. Blown fuses and tripped circuit breakers are a common cause of problems, but the outlet itself could be damaged, too. Check the voltage if all other systems are functioning. If you're using an extension cord, try removing it to see if the cord is damaged. Sometimes, the only refrigerator parts you need are a new plug or cord.

2. The refrigerator isn't running, but light is functional
This is a little more difficult than a simple lack of power. Check the temperature setting to see if it's been turned off or to zero, and be sure there is a space of at least three inches between the sides and back of the unit and the walls and furniture around it. A one inch gap above the refrigerator is also required for proper air flow.

If these are all correct, you'll next need to clean the condenser coils carefully. If this doesn't help, unplug the refrigerator and wait two hours, then plug the machine back in. If it starts, there's a compressor problem causing overheating. It may also be necessary to test the temperature control, evaporator fan, defrost timer, compressor relay, overload protector and compressor motor to find out what's wrong.

3. The refrigerator is working but the light isn't
In this case, you should try replacing the bulb and testing the switch to make sure both are working.

4. The refrigerator runs, but isn't cold enough
First, check the temperature setting and make sure there's enough space for airflow inside and outside the refrigerator. Look for objects blocking the vents, test temperature control, and clean condenser coils. Door seals or a faulty door switch may also be a problem. Look for functional defrost heaters and timers, as well as testing the evaporator fan. A clogged drain tube or a refrigerant leak may also be the source of your problems.

5. Refrigerator is too cold
This should be a simple fix for most units. First, check the temperature setting. Then, try the temperature control if that doesn't work.

6. The refrigerator makes a lot of noise
If you hear hissing and popping from a frost free unit, this is normal. The defrost heater causes this noise. If other noises occur, make sure the unit is level, then check the drain pan and the fans for the condenser and evaporator. The compressor mounts should also be inspected.

7. The refrigerator won't stop running
This common problem could have a number of causes. If you just adjusted the temperature control, live in a humid area, or recently loaded the unit, the machine may run for over twenty-four hours before becoming entirely cool. If this time has passed or none of those circumstances have occurred, defrost the freezer. Cleaning the condenser coils, checking the door seals and testing the door switch may also be necessary. A new switch or other refrigerator parts can be a real help.

Eric Stein is the eCommerce manager for Midwest Appliance Parts, which specializes in helping people find the appliance parts they need to cost effectively repair their appliances by themselves. MAP has a huge inventory of new appliance parts for all the latest models and also obsolete appliance parts. So next time your machine has a problem, save time and money by starting your search for appliance parts at Midwest Appliance Parts! http://MidwestApplianceParts.com

Any Advice Will Be Helpful

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

Solar House Books
Building Handrails Books

Hong Kong Property And Discovery Bay

Discovery bay in Lantau is set to become one of the most expensive places to live in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong resorts to day announced they are planning on developing plots for individually designed house starting from wait for it - HK$300 million dollars!

Hong Kong property is already expensive but this brings Discovery Bay into the realms of the most expensive places to live in the world let alone Hong Kong.

Will it be that the Hoi ploi will soon be hobnobbing it down at the plaza with some real celeberities.

Will the park n shop be replaced with Olivers?

Mcsorleys pub torn down and a new "Pierre a DB " built in its place?

Will they be joined by a fleet of gold plated golf carts or will each house come with a helicopter landing pad as standard?

A HKR spokesman said they had already received interest from some 10 parties for the houses, she declined to comment however that such celebrities as jackie chan or oprah were on the list!

As a matter of interest for our members we have listed some alternative venues for plonking down HK$300 Million.

1:HK$300 Million A rare opportunity to acquire an imposing detached period residence located on one of London's finest tree lined roads. In addition to the main house, there is a newly constructed family house benefiting from its own private entrance on Townshend Road. The two properties provide in excess of 14,000 sq.ft / 1,300 sq.m of internal accommodation and both feature indoor swimming pools.

The main house offers parking for four to five cars behind electric gates whilst the second house benefits from a double garage

No 2:Take a deep breath in and enjoy this new vision of Old Hawaii.

The very finest oceanfront estate, Tara Plantation, is now offered for the first time!

Embracing a secluded crescent cove of white sand beach on the tropical island of Kauai, set in a gently sloping fertile valley, complete with its own meandering tropical stream, spring-fed pool and silvery waterfall and panoramic views, Tara Plantation is an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy Kauais finest island property. Extraordinary privacy is assured on the Plantations approximately 171 acres located on Kauais sunny northeastern coast.Enter your gated compound and lazily drive down a country road to your spacious 15,000 square foot classic Hawaiian style main home with two 4000 square foot guest bungalows all of which have been tastefully furnished by the famous California designer, Waldo Fernandez. T

he main home has 6 bedrooms and 8.5 baths with his and her private living rooms.

Exceptional wood finishes, a professional kitchen, and generous ocean view lanais allow for easy island living. A swimming pool, beach cabana, yoga studio, a 3 bedroom caretakers home, horse stables, numerous fenced corrals, super large workshop and barns add to this perfect estate.Attention to detail is an understatement at Tara Plantation. The property has been enhanced with a full security system, internet video camera, satellite TV/Cable, and T1 line. In addition, there are two large generator systems, private diesel and propane supplies, and 2 potable wells. The purchase also includes a Jeep, Trucks, Carts, and 4 -Wheel Mules.

Generously stunning ocean views, easy island living, design, desire, imagination and ceaseless vision celebrate Tara Plantation.

3:Palm Beach

This spectacular Mediterranean estate is newly completed and sits on 1.6 acres of prime real estate in Palm Beach. There are roughly 2,500 single family homes on the Island of Palm Beach yet only a few can be directly situated on the ocean, and only a highly coveted 23 properties are "estate-sized" - and this newest one is the only one that is brand new construction. The estate is large enough to cater to the needs of the most discerning buyer yet the use of natural materials, the craftsmanship and design create a lightness and warmth that gives the home a sense of intimacy and comfort. The home is a beautiful blend of function along with beauty - lots of light, incredible views and a seamless indoor outdoor living experience with a sense of privacy and serenity.

Or then again there is discovery bay!

Hong Kong property for sale: http://www.852realestate.com

Can Home Selling Books Save You Money?

I was talking to a friend of mine, who had just purchased a new home about two months ago and he was practically yelling at me as he was talking about all the problems that he had with his realtor and previous homeowner. He was so mad, he had forgot about the problems he had with the home inspection. My friend was usually a very easy going and calm individual but this had upset him and almost turned him into an irrational person.

As I was calming him down and trying to get to the core of the problem, it seem like he didn't have enough information about buying or selling homes. He was confused with all the paperwork that was involved during the entire process. His real estate salesperson had him sign a contract that wouldn't let him use another realtor for a specific period of time. He really didn't know what he was signing and according to him, it wasn't explained properly to him.

After a couple of weeks of shopping for a new home, he became irritated with the realtor and wanted to end the relationship. Think again, said the realtor as he explained to my friend that they had a binding contract and his current realtor would get a percentage of the transaction, no matter what for that specific period of time. Was my friend mad, he was practically foaming at the mouth as he was telling me about the real estate professional.

It didn't stop here and they don't want to go into a long story about the real estate transaction from purgatory. My friends pain had come from the fact, that he had purchased a home 15 years ago and it was a smooth transaction and he was under the impression that buying and selling homes was a simple process.

I handed my friend a book called "The Consumer's Guide to Home Buying" and asked him if this book would have been helpful, before he started shopping for a home. I was curious because I build websites and do a lot are writing on the Internet. I told him to take the book home and I would get back with him, in a few weeks.

He contacted me the next day and couldn't believe the information he gained, just by scanning through the book in a few hours. He started to get mad at me for not giving him this book, before all the home buying problems occurred. I informed him quite simply that he had never even told me, he was looking for a home.

Can home selling books save you money, you bet they can.

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 home inspection or home building ideas.

Bathroom Remodeling Problems

Real Estate Leads - Build Client Leads Through Seminars

Participating in seminars as a panelist or instructor is a fantastic way to generate leads, build contacts and position yourself as a real estate expert, particularly in the eyes of prospective clients. If you're interested in broadening your marketing with seminars, keep reading to learn how.

Network with Bank Lenders and Mortgage Brokers

Today, many lenders and brokers offer first-time home buyer information sessions. These informal classes are a way of educating first-time home buyers on not only how to manage financing and mortgages, but also start the home purchasing process.

By networking with lenders and brokers, you can offer your services as a real estate expert at these informal education seminars. Your face and business card will be front and center with prospective clients who are actively pursuing the purchase of a home. When it comes to lead generation, it doesn't get much better than that.

Contact Your Local HUD Office

The Department of Housing and Urban Development offers or sponsors HUD-approved courses and seminars for first-time home buyers or those interested in purchasing an FHA loan home.

These classes are often taught by local lenders, HUD officials and real estate experts. So, contact your local HUD office to find out how you can volunteer to be a panelist at their next seminar. You can visit the HUD website for more details.

Offer to Guest Lecture or Teach a Class

If your local community college offers continuing education or night classes on real estate - whether directed at homeowners or even prospective real estate agents - get in touch with them about guest lecturing for an evening or even teaching a full course.

Many colleges also allow you to pitch a night course or workshop. For example, you could teach a How to Flip A House weekend workshop in conjunction with yourself, a local broker and a building contractor.

Host Your Own Seminar

If you're unable to find a place on an existing seminar, you can always host your own. With little more than a room, a microphone and a bit of advertising, you can be presenting to a group of prospective clients on topics ranging from How to Sell Your House Fast to How to Stage a Home for Sale.

Other seminar hosting options include pulling together a roundtable discussion, hosting a breakfast and speaker's seminar or inviting a well-known guest speaker to speak while positioning yourself on the bill as an opener.

For valuable information on real estate agents & brokers, please visit realtorsbrokers.com, a popular site providing helpful home recommendations including, Realtors in Martinsburg, estate agents in Valencia, and many more!

Post Your Ideas Here On Deck Building

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

Home Electrical Books

Goal Planning is Not Just a Work Thing

We all set goals whether deliberately or not. At work your boss may set you targets to achieve, or you may look at the pile of work on your desk and set your goals by deciding what you will complete that day.

That promotion at work could be you prime motivator. However many people only set goals which are work or career related, where your goal planning is easy to measure success or otherwise.

There is also a need to set goals in your personal and social life. What sort of goals? How about one goal to achieve is to make sure that your family immediate and distant know how much you love and appreciate them before it is too late and they or you are gone forever.

A goal to wake up every morning with a smile and determined to make the life of someone else better because they know you.

Why is it that 'Gurus' and self improvement teachers only believe that by setting mighty goals you will have a sense of achievement. This is just not true and many people do not set goals because they feel they should only set lofty goals, and when you do not achieve your goals you feel a sense of frustration and failure and believe you will never make anything of yourself.

Your goals to achieve could be to learn to play golf, the piano or any other thing that you have been putting off through lack of time. Goal objectives do not need to be massive or complicated; Your daily goals should be ones that keep you involved with what is going on around you every day but gradually change your life for the better.

Just try writing down one thing that you would like to do today, regardless of where it is at, work or home. A goal to do something today has to be simple or you will not do it. It could be simply to write or to visit someone you have not see or heard of in a long time.

How many times do you look at your 'To Do' list and wonder where you should start, so you decide tomorrow is a better day for looking at it. If you find writing a 'To Do' list frightening because you have so much 'To Do', try writing a 'Have Done' list at the end of the day, you will be surprised at what you really achieve each day, from making another person smile to clearing out your garage.

Giving yourself a reward for getting something on your list done today is a great motivator in making tomorrow better. When you have compiled your 'Have Done' list for a number of days or weeks, whenever you feel a little down with yourself get it out, you will feel lifted again just reading through your achievements, large and small, without the need to read a book by a 'Famous Guru' that can make you feel inferior.

In order to achieve your goals, large or small, there are techniques to help you achieve all of them. These are techniques that have been used by successful people throughout the ages and the beauty is that once you have been told what they are you can use these same techniques to achieve what you want no matter what it is.

You do not have to study a Masters Degree or belong to the intelligence, you have to be you, just what you are, what you know and what you can do now. Goal planning, goal setting and achievement are pleasurable things that give your life value.

A dreamer has a dream and takes action one who fantasises has a dream and then another one. Turn your dreams to reality by creating your own future history. David Dutch has helped hundreds to achieve their life time goals now he want to reach out and help you through his books; articles; website and Blog

What A Patio Needs

Termite Baiting is the Most Effective Termite Control

There are essentially two distinctly separate parts to all of the commercially available systems, firstly a method of intercepting and aggregating termites and then a method of remotely killing the entire termite colony by feeding the aggregated termites a bait toxicant which they then share with their brothers.

An aggregation device can be very simple or there are quite complex ones available. In essence all that is needed is for the device to contain a food source that is suitable for termites, and that it is installed in an area where termites will find it. Given their subterranean nature it is most probable that termites will find the "bait" when it is dug into the soil. A higher "hit" rate tends to happen when the stations are placed in areas known to be at higher risk e.g. near a leaking tap or pipe.

Once installed the aggregation devices then need to be monitored for termite activity. Regular monitoring is the key, if the stations are not monitored you will not find the termites when they enter the stations. Monitoring should be carried out at least monthly in the warmer months of the year and bi monthly is usually sufficient in the cooler times.

It can take some practice to make the ritual of checking the stations automatic, quick and easy, however over time this can happen. Dependent upon the type of station that you install you may need to remove the bait to check it for activity or with very good systems such as the Nemesis termite monitoring and baiting system, you need only lift the lid, as it is visually apparent if attack has occurred.

The second part of a good system is the bait toxicant. The bait toxicants available vary somewhat in that the active constituents work in similar ways, but are mostly different products. It is very important for the toxicant to be palatable to the termites otherwise uptake is poor. Once the termites start to feed on the bait and share it through the colony they are well on their way to destruction. Most of the toxicants are IGR's (insect growth regulators) and chitin inhibitors. Chitin is the outer body wrapping or skin of the termites, they shed their skin regularly to permit growth. Once they are affected by the toxicant they lose the ability to grow a new skin so hence when they shed their old skin there is no new skin formed and this causes there death. Once a few termites die, disease and sickness spreads through the colony increasing the speed with which the colony meets its demise.

In a case where termites have already attacked a structure then they are already aggregated and so introducing them to a bait toxicant can be quite simple. All of the systems on the market have what is called an above ground station, this is a plastic box that has a removable lid and openings in the back of it to allow termite entry. The station is fixed with screws to an area where termites are active and the bait is introduced to the termites, the station is filled with bait and the lid replaced. The station is now left undisturbed for 3- 4 weeks. The stations are regularly checked and the bait topped up. In Sydney and particularly the Hills district, the average time to colony elimination that I have recorded is 15 weeks.

The time that it takes for the elimination of an entire colony can vary greatly and is dependent on many, often unknown factors. Termite species, time of year, distance from the colony to bait station and the size of the colony all have varying impact upon the time taken to elimination.

It is very important for homeowners to understand that dealing with termites in a DIY fashion is fraught with danger and often ends up with more cost than would have been necessary if only the issue was dealt with by a professional.

The aggregation of termites is a different story because the actual aggregation can be carried out in a variety of ways by the homeowner and to have a regular monitoring regime that you carry out yourself is great. Just remember that once you know where the termites are, call a professional.
A very good system that is commercially available and that allows for the homeowner to monitor, is the Nemesis termite monitoring and baiting system. You may be able to have this professionally installed and then monitor it yourself. The important thing with this system is that the bait toxicant that is a part of the system works extremely well, and is widely available to pest management professionals (you cannot add the bait yourself).

Most importantly, have a full inspection of your home carried out regularly and take the advice of your termite control professional.

Rowan Gregson

rowan@pestec.com.au

Rowan has had twenty five years experience in the fields of termite inspection detection and eradication. Rowan has gained the highest qualifications that the pest management industry has to offer as well as being an accredited industry trainer and assessor. Rowan has served as the NSW state chairman of the industry body, the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association AEPMA, as well as in various other industry volunteer roles. Currently Rowan is a director of Pestec Pty Ltd a specialist termite detection company in Sydney Australia, and welcomes all comments and questions regarding this article. http://www.pestec.com.au

Homeowners with Good Contractor Stories

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

Home Inspection Books

Marble Bullnose Appear in a Variety of Colours, Sizes and Designs

A tile made of marble is considered the most exotic aspect of a home decoration. Since ages marble has been admired for its flawless beauty that has been exclusively utilized in sculpted art,monuments, building structures,thereby enhancing all the man made sculptures of modern civilization.

Bullnose is nothing but a flat chisel with a circular curve for creating curved surfaces. Basically, marble bullnose is a distinct type of tile that is used to enhance the beauty of your bathroom. The main purpose of a bull nose marble is to aggravate the appeal of your bathroom as well as shower stalls of your home. Surprisingly, not many are aware of the existence of bullnose marble in the bathroom and this could be because it blends extremely well in their bathroom. You can also use bullnose marble in other corners of your house such as your kitchen or big walls that are covered by tiles.

A marble bullnose tile has a curved edge which is quite distinct in its own way. Depending upon your choice and preference,you can use a matching marble bullnose tile over the line tile to provide a better appeal to your existing tiles.

There are some of the main advantages of using Travertine tumbled marble and they are as follows:

*Long lasting: Marble travertine tiles that are tumbled are quite strong than poured concrete because it doesn't lead to any crack on the surface .

*High value: Marble pavers add beauty to your house through their visual appeal and durability. Your house gains it sale value.

*Reusable: Travertine Marble pavers can be set up, replaced and removed at the same time quite easily without any hassle. Having a marble patio paver is quite useful during the humid season because of the cooling effect that it gives to your feet. However, applying and installing a patio is quite a tedious task as there are varied styles, sizes and colours to choose from.

Whenever you think of using a coping stone on the top of a certain wall, then marble coping should be the best alternative because of the beauty. Marble coping has been used for the purpose of covering a wall since ages merely due to it distinct and exotic appeal. Whether a marble bullnose is conventional or a contemporary one, they generally appear in standard thin size, that are comparatively convenient and simple to set up. Some of the common colors of marbles tiles available in the market are white, black, gray, green.

The author is an expert & posses extensive knowledge about various kinds of stones used for building purpose. The author writes on various topics like Marble Bullnose, Driveway Pavers, Pool Deck.

2 X 10 Roof Rafter Vent Blocks

Home Building Books and Construction Help

If you're a do it yourself or or a homeowner who every once in a while, once to tackle a small or large project but doesn't know where to begin, can gather useful information from home building books. I have been using these books for years and may have been worth their weight in gold.

I started my career working for my father and my father worked for his father as a Carpenter. Our job was to frame the house and we built a Lotta homes. I learned how to frame and developed some great carpentry skills from my father and working with other skilled carpenters. Over the years, if you're paying attention, even a monkey can figure out, how to assemble almost anything.

The only problem that I faced, was learning how to build the rest of the home. I would often ask questions to other building trades like plumbers, electricians, roofers and construction superintendents. Some of these people were helpful and others were not. When I was in my early 30s, I purchased my first book on home building. This book lead to other books and soon I found myself with more home building knowledge that my father.

I had about 50 books on home building and soon found myself doing large home remodels, with no formal education. I would attribute almost everything that I learned outside of house framing to books. These books have proven invaluable to me over the years and with a relatively small investment. I couldn't have spent over $200 purchasing these books but have used the knowledge from them to save myself thousands of dollars.

One $20 home building books or home repairs, can save you lots of money, if you're willing to do a little research and the labor to complete almost any home building project.

By the way, if you're interested in learning how to repair a roof, build your own house, interior decorating, structural engineering, building a deck, gathering some more information about home painting or even remodeling your bathroom. An online home building bookstore can save you money if you're willing to do the work.

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 home inspection or home building ideas.

Home Plumbing Books

Attic Odors and Strange Smells

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Advantages Framing With Steel

Advice on Antiquing Bathroom Cabinets

Ask any homeowner that has made feckless attempts at antiquing painted furniture with a plethora of faux painting methods, and he is sure to recall his experience with trepidation. His tryst with rags and paints is something that he would like to brush aside. After all, it isn't just about applying a stain to a fresh coat of paint in a muted shade, and then just wiping it off with a rag, right?

So if you are completely besotted with all things that exude a nostalgic echo, the very thought of antiquing bathroom cabinets is sure to send you into raptures. But since you are not exactly buoyed by the results the last time, will your dream remain nothing more than just a black hole?

It Comes At A Price

Antique bathroom cabinets that have been inspired by the vanities of the 18th and 19th century do have a certain aura that's so hard to torpedo. Hand crafted to perfection, these breathtaking pieces are carved out of antique woods like pine and chestnut. Little wonder then that one requires tremendous wherewithal to acquire these awe-inspiring pieces. Allowing a drain of $1500- $4000 on your bank account does sound blatantly absurd, correct?

Paint Your Imagination

There's nothing like a new coat of paint to give a fresh lease of life to your too-generic-to-be- effective bathroom cabinets. Metallic paint glazes create that absolutely mesmerizing antique look on the cabinets, and that too without you requiring any kind of painting or glazing experience.

With standard tools like painter's tape, paint brushes, paint rollers and trays, you can embark on this truly exhilarating project.

First, you need to sand the bathroom vanity, followed by applying a coat of primer. Once this dries, paint the cabinet with the most apt base coat of terracotta colored latex paint. Once that's completed, it's time for the copper glaze to weave its magic in all directions.

Finally, you have managed to win that interminable battle with mediocrity and drabness.

Here's exactly how you can generate 100's or even 1000's of positively brilliant Bathroom Remodeling Ideas ... FAST ! And you could easily increase your home's value by several $1000s fast with these 25 street-smart tips for Dirt Cheap Home Improvement.

Mold On Lower Wall Area

Basement Finishing 101

So, you have been dreaming of finishing that basement for years now. Every time your family, or friends come over you talk about where your home theater room will be, or where the pool table is going to go, and so on.

Now I know homeowners want to finish their own basements to save money, and more power to you if it can be done.

I just have to say a few things to say about this subject:

1. Most of home owner finished basements I have seen are not top quality.

2. If you plan to sell your home in the future, I just want to say buyers do notice quality.

3. Real estate appraisers may not give you top dollar for work not done right.

4. Home buyers today due hire home inspectors, who will point out issues such as structural, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.

5. Most General contractors have been working in the industry for years and have developed relationships with suppliers/sub-contractors. For example, if you tried to hire my plumber, electrician, framer, etc. they will charge you more money to do the same job. The money General Contractors make is basically the money you would spend on hiring the work yourself, so in the end you will get quality work, pay the same price, and with much less headache.

OK enough of that, if you still choose to finish your own basement, instead of hiring a professional, here is the order of items that will need to be completed. Please hire licensed/professional contractors for all work performed.

1. Basement Layout & Design

2. Permits

3. Framing

4. Plumbing

5. Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC)

6. Electrical

7. Sheetrock/Drywall

8. Prime Sheetrock

9. Trim: Doors, Windows, Base, Crown Molding, Entertainment Centers, Etc.

10. Painting: Caulking, Putty, Wood Filler, Etc.

11. Kitchen Cabinets, Bar, Bathroom Vanities, Etc.

12. Counter tops: Granite, Marble, Laminate, Tile, Etc.

13. Flooring: Tile, Hardwood, Carpet, Vinyl, Etc.

14. Final Plumbing: Toilets, Sinks, Fixtures, Etc.

15. Final Electrical: Switches, Receptacles, Fans, Cans, Lighting, Etc.

16. Final HVAC: Unit start up, Installing grills, Etc.

17. Final Trim: Install shoe molding, tie in misc. trim, Etc.

18. Hardware: Cabinet pulls, door knobs, door bumps, mirrors, blinds, bathroom accessories.

19. Final paint touch up.

20. Cleaning

Thanks for reading

For all of your contracting needs please visit us at http://www.north-georgia-contractors.com

Wood Post In Dirt

Stair Building Books

Where do we go to buy stair building books? Do we go to the major retailers like Amazon or Barnes & Noble? I have found over the years the information in most of these books I have purchased from these stores has a lot of fluff with very little common sense stair building application.

I bought one stair building book that had information on handrails. The front cover looked great and I thought this was going to be a great book reading the reviews from Amazon. When I finally got the book in the mail, I would say about one third of it was math tables for building elaborate wooden hand railing's. These tables were not easy to understand along with the rest of the book.

Back when I bought the book on building stair handrails it dawned on me that most of the construction workers I have met during my 30 years of working in the field were not very good outside of basic math. Now I knew a lot of carpenters that could read a measuring tape and use a framing square pretty good. But when it came to advanced geometrical construction projects like a stair hand railing system this was out of our league.

Reading this book or should I say parts of it gave me an idea to write a book of my own, starting with basic stair building I took all the fluff or the hard to understand advanced stair building applications out of my book, How to Build a Straight Set of Stairs.

I put a lot of time into creating an illustration for every possible part of building a simple set of stairs. I have probably built over 2000 sets of stairs during my lifetime and have explained and taught basic and advanced stair building to other carpenters. Understanding what parts of the stair construction process they understood, I was able to improve my skills as a stair building teacher.

Most people do not need advanced stair building skills to construct a simple straight set of stairs. If you are building a straight set of stairs and would like a stair building book with lots of easy to understand illustrations along with simplified directions you have found it.

We're building more stair building books to help contractors, carpenters, handymen and homeowners understand the stair building process.

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

What You Need to Know About Vinyl Shake Siding

Vinyl Cedar Shake Sidings have some obvious benefits. Otherwise, they would not be preferred over the conventional wooden sidings, which have been serving a lot of home improvement activities for some time now.

With benefits like low maintenance costs and excellent longevity, you would find Vinyl Cedar Shake Sidings increasingly finding favor with a lot of home owners. If you wish to be using sidings for your home or business space, then you should definitely consider some top quality products, for example The Foundry.

Variations in the exterior and the tone coupled with splits along the granular lines are typically some characteristics of cedar vinyl shake siding.

Austere and Simple - Two words for Cedar Vinyl Shake Siding

These sidings are known to grant a very good, old and a rustic look to your home. Though at times, some people may find this a touch too expensive, especially on the lines of some wood shake sidings, but the fact that these sidings allow so many benefits to people make it an excellent prospect to be used in most homes. With that being said, polypropylene shakes allow an extra touch of finesse to the wood shakes and also helps in reducing maintenance costs.

Homes that have these sidings definitely look a class apart. Ask people who stay in the home, and they would tell you that their homes are now calmer and much more pleasing to stay in. In earlier days, wood shakes with cedar finishing used to be done with the rather arduous method of hand sewing. Of course, with time, this has been replaced with much sophisticated techniques to give cedar sidings.

More about Vinyl Cedar Shake Siding

For a moment, think like a termite (Not a creature you would want to think of)! If you really were a termite and wished to have a family, trust you would head for the wooden places to establish your base. The good news with Cedar Shake Sidings is that they do not encourage termites. Bad news for you if you are thinking like a termite as yet!

Cedar shakes that are hand-hewn can be good, but not many people like its appearance. If that really is the case, you should go for vinyl cedar shake sidings, which anyways will impress you with their style and low maintenance costs.

Jim Warren is a consumer advocate who enjoys writing about the right way to purchase and take care of Vinyl Log Siding. Be sure to visit http://vinyllogsidingreport.com for more important vinyl siding tips and resources.

Tips For Removing Linoleum

When it comes time to get new flooring you can save money by removing the old flooring yourself but if you have old linoleum on your floors you might be in for quite a challenge. Depending on how old the linoleum is and the type of adhesive that was used it can be extremely difficult to get up.

First of all, it's unlikely that you'll be able to just remove the linoleum and adhesive all at once. The surface under the linoleum and the damage you might cause it needs to be considered - especially if that surface is wood. Concrete floors can take a lot more in the way of rough treatment. The type of scraper you use has a lot to do with your success as well as the damage to the floor underneath. Many people use paint scrapers but those with a razor blade are usually more efficient. Be prepared to break some blades it if the adhesive is hard, and you're working on concrete.

Try cutting the linoleum into strips or sections instead of removing the whole chunk at once. This will make it easier to get an edge to pry up. Of course, the linoleum probably wont come up in nice neat sections so be prepared to deal with a lot of left over backing and glue that is still attached to your floor.

One way to deal with those remnants that just wont come up is to apply some kind of solvent or remover. A popular brand is Krud Kutter, which appears to work very well from the customer feedback comments. Follow directions on the label of whatever product you employ, and wear gloves to protect your hands. Do a small section at a time, and then move to the next one.

Another technique is to use boiling water and pour it directly on the backing and adhesive. Let it soak and then scrape up. If you dont want to use water, you can try to heat up the glue with a hair dryer or heat gun. Pick a very inconspicuous area, such as behind a door, to try it. Heat the adhesive with the hair dryer and scrape it up with a straight-blade scraper (like a stiff putty knife with a beveled edge). Move the scraper in the direction of the grain of the wood if you are uncovering a hardwood floor. Have a pan or some other container handy to drop the scrapings into - one that is unlikely to either melt or ignite when coming in contact with hot materials. Be very careful if you are using a heat gun as this can easily damage the floor underneath if it is wood.

If worse comes to worse and you are left with some stubborn adhesive on the floors, it might be time to sand. Of course, if your floors are wood and you plan to refinish them you would need to sand anyway, but during this step you must be careful not to damage the particular area by keeping the sander on it for too long.

Once you finally get the linoleum and all traces of adhesive up, you are ready to seal the floor as recommended for the type of flooring and apply the new floor as recommended!

Lee Dobbins writes for A Kitchen Decorating Idea where you can find more tips on kitchen remodeling and decorating on a budget.

Swimming Pool Books

Affiliate Marketing Info - Landing Page For Online Home Based Business

One of the easiest way to start an online home based business is by signing up as an affiliate with a merchant. There are many benefits in doing so. The main advantage is you get to sell and make a commission from a product that you did not personally create. All the back end operation such as customer service, technical support, accounting etc are all being taken cared of by the merchant. For an online product, the merchant will also create the website, advertising banners, sales copy and etc. All you need to do is to promote it.

To have a good online promotion for your affiliate product, you will need to drive targeted traffic to your web page or landing page. The landing page is basically used to capture the name and email address of the visitor. You can also drive traffic to your merchant page, but there are a few benefits when using your landing page versus the merchant sale page.

Remember, when your visitor sees your landing page, it is all about them, not you. The landing page should spell out what it is for them. Your visitor has to see the value and how it can improve their live by utilizing it. When that caught the interest of your visitor, they will buy or opt-in to your follow up list.

The design of your landing page does play an important part. Make sure you use an attention grabbing headline. You want your visitor to read through your copy and take action. For search engine optimization purposes, include main keywords in the first six words of your headline. This will help your web page ranking when the spider index and list your page in their search results.

To be successful in online home based business, you must have a good marketing strategy. All you marketing strategy should have a key goal of driving traffic to your landing page. Make full use of the page to capture your visitor's name and email so you can follow up with them later.

Looking for more affiliate marketing information? Will Yap is an Online Affiliate Marketing enthusiast and has a huge array of internet marketing experience. He runs a website that provides hot affiliate marketing tips. To take advantage of these cool stuffs, be sure to visit Will Yap's site at http://www.wealthy-pages.info

What To Do If Your Home Floods

Building Your Dream Home Green

In this day and age, there is a big push for everything around you to be built green. That means that it is better for the environment in many different ways. There are many different components of each individual home that when combined, make for an earth friendly space to live in. Building your own home and building it green requires quite a bit of knowledge in the ways of what is earth friendly and what isn't.

There are numerous ways that you can accomplish building your prairie plans house. The first and foremost item that most of us know about is starting with the use of energy efficient appliances. These specially labeled appliances use less energy for heating, cooling and the dispensing of water. The appliances also generate less greenhouse gas emissions which in turn lead to less air pollution. Not only are these energy efficient appliances better for the environment, they are also friendlier for your pocketbook. These special appliances can save the average household up to 30% on their electricity bill in one year.

Another way to save the environment might be less obvious to you and me. One of the best ways to build your colonial home plans into a green home is by reusing items that would have otherwise been considered waste materials. A good example of this is by recycled glass countertops. Not too many people know about these revolutionary countertops, but they don't get much greener than these. These countertops are made out of waste glass, such as bottles and windows. The end result is a countertop that is extremely earth friendly. The glass isn't porous, so you don't have to worry about applying a coat of sealer. Nothing could be more innovative than one of these glass countertops.

One more way to make your ranch style home plans turn into your green home is to install a tankless water heater. A standard water heater continuously heats the water that the tank is holding regardless of whether hot water is needed or not. Not only is this using way more energy than is necessary, it is most likely contributing to your high utility bills. With a tankless water heater, water is heated only when the hot water is turned on. When the hot water is turned off, the water is no longer heated, saving a tremendous amount of energy.

No matter what are doing in your home to make it greener it is already helping the environment. Every little thing that each of does contributes to a healthier earth. Even if all you can do is to change out your regular light bulbs for a lower energy fluorescent light bulb, even that is a great attempt. When it comes to saving the earth, no attempt is too small.

If you are looking for a prairie plans house or colonial home plans be sure to visit House Plans and More for more information. House Plans and More also has a wide variety of ranch style home plans.

Oh God The Contractor From Hell

Easy Assemble Buildings - The Steel Building Kit

If you are in need of a new building, whether for work or home then you should certainly consider a steel building. Buildings that are constructed with steel are durable, long lasting and easy to put together, saving you in material and construction costs.

There are many steel building companies that offer steel buildings today but most of them are brokers, not the actual fabricator like Absolute Steel. While they all offer fairly concise kits that can be trucked to your location along with written instructions and or videos, only with Absolute Steel will you be talking to the "horse's mouth". If you have a question and have dealt with a broker, you're going to be dealing with a salesman in a bullpen so be sure to check the company out you're going to be dealing with to make sure they have an easy building to erect and that you have knowledgeable people to help you after the sale.

Absolute Steel fits the above criteria better than any other company in America!

Since you can assemble the entire building yourself, you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars on labor. All you need to do is assemble the frame and attach the exterior panels and trim. Once completed your steel building is virtually maintenance free, and you will never have to worry about common lumber building issues such as insect infestation or rot.

Pre-fabricated steel buildings are more efficient to assemble and there is no construction waste as everything you need is pre-cut and welded. Steel buildings can be used for garages, sheds, workshops, warehouses and even airplane hangars and offices. The exterior of a steel building can take on the appearance of wood or stone so it can look as tasteful as the surrounding buildings to blend in.

There are hundreds of different shapes and styles of steel buildings to choose from, and nearly every layout imaginable. The building can even be designed so that additions can be easily made in the future as your office, work or family expands.

Since steel lasts much longer than conventional building materials it is a great choice for anyone who wants a building that will last a long time. Once erected the steel building is extremely durable and dependable, requiring very little upkeep. In fact, to say they are maintenance free would not be an exaggeration.

And for those of you who live in an area of heavy snowfall, with your new strong steel building you will never have to take your life into your hands while shoveling snow off your roof. Most often the snow will simply slide off with just a touch of midday temperature change.

When constructing your new steel building, you will find it is much easier to work with than lumber. Not only is steel lighter, there is no chance of warping or knots. All corners in your steel building will be perfectly square. All windows and doors can be installed easily in the pre-cut openings without a leak or faulty seal. Once completed, you can enjoy the use of the building without having concerning yourself with continual upkeep or maintenance.

It is not hard to see why steel buildings are becoming much more popular these days, with their easy installation, low maintenance and durability. A steel building can weather the test of time in even extreme conditions such as hot summers and cold winters, not to mention high winds and moist climates. Save yourself time and money with a pre-fabricated tough steel building that Absolute Steel can fabricate to your exact requirements.

For more information on steel buildings, visit AbsoluteRV.com

Soft Stucco Stucco Damage

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.

A History Of Orangeries

Orangeries were basically large ornate conservatories for tender plant varieties. Orange trees were the main intended plant for propagation; this is where the name Orangeries and orangery originated. Soon after the use for Orange and lime trees the varieties of plants, shrubs and exotic plants that were housed became very extensive. Mainly by the wealthy who could afford to travel and bring back samples of these plants and be able to pay for the upkeep of these delicate plants in the cold winters of England and northern Europe. This soon created a situation where Orangeries became symbols of status among the wealthy.

We have found that as early as 1545 an orangery was built in Padua Italy. These first Orangeries were not as well thought out or as ornate as our modern versions, most had no heating and in the very cold nights had to have open fires made up to keep them warm.
The building of Orangeries became fashionable after the end of the eighty years war in 1648, the countries that started this trend were France Germany and the Netherlands, these were the countries that sore merchants start importing large numbers of orange trees, banana plants and pomegranates to cultivate for their beauty and scent.

The need to build these Orangeries came from two areas the need to house such delicate plants and the image status from the wealthy, both however were constricted in there choice of materials available for the task, if they were south facing then they were constructed with brick or stone bases, brick or stone pillars with a corbelled gutter arrangement and mainly had large tall windows to benefit from the warm sunlight in the afternoons, if north facing then very heavy on the solid walls and much smaller windows to be able to keep the rooms warm. Insulation at these times was one of the biggest concerns for the building of these Orangeries, straw became the main material used also many had wooden shutters fitted to keep in the warmth.

The first examples were basic and built using the garden wall as the main wall of the new Orangery, but as Orangeries became more and more popular they started to become more and more influenced by Garden Designers and Architects, this led to the connection between the house Architecture Orangery Design. This became further influenced by the increased demand for beautiful exotic plants in the garden, which could be grown and looked after in the Orangeries. This created the increased demand in Garden design for the wealthy to have there own exotic private gardens, further fuelling the status of the Orangery becoming even more the symbol of the elite. This intern created the need for Orangeries to be constructed using even better techniques such as under floor heating and the ability to have opening widows in the roofs for ventilation.

Creating microclimates for the propagation of more and more exotic plants for the private gardens that were becoming creations of beauty all around Europe.
With the development of modern materials in the insulation and glazing industries it is now possible to construct Orangeries with the beauty of ornate Garden Designs and Architural influences more in keeping with modern design and todays use requirements. Orangeries are now constructed for more and more people who wish for something more than an extension or a Conservatory and want all year round additional space to there homes which adds one of the most luxurious and beautiful rooms that are possible to be build today.

Are among the most relaxing and luxurious additions to any house and are genuinely able to be used all year round in comfort. If you would like to experience a newly completed Orangery, experience the Beauty and comfort at first hand then visit our show site and sit in our display Orangery or visit our web site.

Understanding the History and evolution of the modern day Orangery and Orangeries http://www.heartwood-conservatories.co.uk

Creating a Coffee-Themed Kitchen

If you're like me, you feel right at home at your local coffee shop. There's just something about that place that makes you want to pull up a chair and stay awhile. Why not create your own comfortable coffee shop right in your very own home?

The first thing you'll need is a can or two of paint. Choose warm, rich tones like gold, burnt orange, and burgundy. You can also experiment with sage and chocolate brown. Don't be afraid to paint one or two walls a different color than the rest. Painting a wall a different color can distinguish that area from the rest of the room.

Next, go to your local home improvement store and find some modern lighting. Hang sconces or small dangling lights in bright colors. If you use standing lamps, pick metallic bases and bright colored shades. Put your main lighting on a dimmer so you can lower the lighting in some areas of the room.

Find some small cafe size tables and chairs in light wood tones. Pick modern streamlined styles. Use one or more sets to create a cafe feel. If you have the room, buy a small love seat or a few small side chairs in dark, comfy jewel tones. Set them in a cozy corner of your kitchen/dining area.

For the walls, choose bright, colorful abstract prints or coffee-themed pictures. You can even mix the two for an eclectic feel. Get dish towels that have a coffee-theme. Add any other accessories that seem useful including plants, small end tables, or even a magazine rack. Set up a music player in the kitchen area to pipe in soft music. Leave a few books or magazines on the tables.

To complete your coffee-themed kitchen, make sure you stock plenty of coffee. If you buy bags of coffee, display them in baskets on your countertop. This also works if your coffee maker takes pods or k-cups. Just pile them up in the basket. You can buy coffee and espresso cups that stack in a display stand. Stock an array of sugars, creamers, and syrups so everyone can customize their coffee drink.

Now that you've created your perfect coffee-themed kitchen, you'll be able to enjoy your coffee right in the comfort of your own home and without the high coffee shop prices!

Amy is a writer who runs several cooking and diet related web sites. Visit http://www.thecolorfulkitchen.com to get more ideas on creating a colorful kitchen.

Fiberglass Shower Pan Tips

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.

Remodeling Green Takes the Right Mindset

To a real estate investor remodeling green may mean the money they are going to make from renovating that ugly house they just bought for a SUCH A DEAL price. To others, it means they want to preserve the earth and not waste energy, building materials or resources when they remodel their home. Some homeowners and contractors look for and use only products that are advertised as being green, or being manufactured in a way that is as non-toxic as possible. They may put in new appliances and HVAC units that are energy efficient. And build new properties with an eye to energy efficiency in the construction methods applied. That's all good.

Another way to remodel green is to think about what may be thrown in landfills when it could be used again. Some demolitions are done too quickly and roughly to save much of anything. Taking some time there can keep hundreds of pounds of good building materials out of the waste stream. I once had someone tease me on a job site because I was taking some time to remove a few nails from lumber. I had found some 14 foot long hardwood 2x6s with no knotholes and two or three nails in each of them. Hey, I'll spend 15 minutes any day to save $100 worth of wood from being dumped. I doubt you could get lumber that good anymore in most places without paying a stiff premium price. Bring me a truckload, please. You woodworkers know what I'm talking about. Yes, there IS wood pretty enough to admire and remember. Think about each component that you are removing, or working on, during a renovation and decide on a way to remove it with the least damage. Someone may want it if you don't. Haste DOES make waste!

One of the tricks I've done is to keep the area of a countertop that has to be cutout for sinks, etc. I install legs using common items I may have recycled from somewhere else and add those little caster wheels that can be bought cheaply in most large home improvement stores. The ones with locking mechanisms are nice. All you have to worry about is smoothing the cut edges and installing edging or simply routing the edge into a nice shape. You can have a matching rolling portable countertop space without spending much time or money. Oh yeah, don't forget to see if someone can use the old countertop and sink for a garage parts washing basin, garden potting center or maybe a fish cleaning station for the outdoors folks.

If you cruise the tool aisles, I'm sure you know about the great numbers of handy dandy gadgety items for sale. Nail sets are nice, but if you don't have one, try using a nail with a slightly larger head than the one you are driving. A tap or two with the nails head to head and your nail is set. Ever seen one of those plastic nail holders that keeps you from banging your fingers and waking the neighborhood cats with your wailing? Try a small piece of cardboard instead. A little notch and your fingers can be protected. Or the plastic spreaders sold to apply many materials. You can use the plastic lids found on many food containers in the grocery store. You can cut a round lid in half and have a nifty spreader of a custom size. Or the plastic pans sold to hold a small amount of the liquid materials for outrageous prices. Try one of those plastic tops they use on bakery cakes, or the microwave convenience food plastic bowls instead . Instead of buying a sanding block, why not try using a small scrap piece of wood from your projects? Egg cartons can be used to organize small items. It's my mission not to let any plastic have only one use in my household. Only problem is, if it is a while before you need them, these saved treasures may change your nickname to pack rat, but multiple use recycling is remodeling green so who cares? You get the idea. Go for it!

For more interesting information and resources visit us at: http://www.mynetmagic.com

Car Runs Into Garage Damage

Is a House Inspection Worth It?

If you have purchased a house last year, when the market was crazy, a home inspection may not have been an option for you at the time of purchase. With multiple offers flying in on almost every property, the offers with the least conditions were sold first and this meant skipping a home inspection.

Conditions are a point or points in the Real Estate sales contract that needs to be met prior to the buyer finalizing their purchase. Common conditions are home inspections (to confirm there are no major surprises), financing conditions (to ensure the banks will finance you), and now even the condition of selling your current home. There is usually a seven to 14 day period where the buyer has to have these conditions of the sale removed and then from that point the contract is legally binding.

Without any conditions, the buyer can be in a hazardous position. If they cannot purchase the property, the seller has the legal right to sue the buyer for breach of contract. This could result in a large penalty, or even forcing the buyer to carry through with purchasing the home.

Imagine putting an offer in on a property without any home inspection conditions and then finding out from your lawyer that the home was formerly a marijuana grow operation and was never properly remediated. This is on the extreme side, but even discovering the basement was wired incorrectly and without permits could cost the new owner hundreds to even thousands of dollars.

Now with the current buyer's market occurring, where many sellers are eager to look at any offer, a home inspection should be one of the first conditions in any offer. A qualified home inspector will inspect the home from top to bottom and depending on the size of the property and scope of the inspection; this may take from a few hours to half of a day to do a thorough inspection.

Usually after the inspection it takes a couple days for the report to be finalized, although we have had some inspectors print their reports out on site. The final report will have information on the major parts of the home including, the building structure, plumbing and heating, electrical, and landscaping. Most reports even include information on the remaining life expectancy of major items such as the roof, furnace and hot water life.

Armed with this type of information you can go into the purchase of your new home with your eyes wide open. If the seller neglected to mention the furnace was on its last legs this may give you some additional bargaining power. Or if they had considered this, and priced it accordingly you can find out in advance what your costs to replace it immediately will be so you are not taken by surprise after your purchase.

Some discoveries may be so costly as to dissuade you from even removing conditions and thus saving you from purchasing the proverbial money pit. This is why the inspections are so important for a buyer.

Home inspectors can be found in the yellow pages, via referrals from friends who have recently purchased homes or if you are purchasing with a Realtor, they will have several they can usually recommend. Don't buy your next home without an inspection, it is simply too large a gamble to take with such large sums of money.

Bill Biko
http://www.investors.housez.ca
http://www.housez.ca
Helping people create wealth while they sleep through Real Estate

Paint Mistake On Wall Register