Escondido Homes and Tips

Important Home Repair Advice - Do it Yourself

2009-10-06T06:01:00.001-07:00

There are plenty of homeowners that would like to do their own home repairs, but lack the skills necessary to accomplish the task. I would like to give them a couple of tips that can drastically improve their home repair abilities.

Let's start with the basics, you need to acquire the basic information necessary to accomplish the task. Where are you going to find this information, who's going to teach you how to do your home repairs. Most building professionals don't have the time to explain the process to you, because it takes time away from them, for making money to support their families.

Here's the best advice I can give you, buy books, buying as many books as you need to gather the information to help you accomplish your home repair or home remodeling project. These books can provide you with lots of useful illustrations and the step-by-step instructions that will be necessary to understand the construction process.

I have been using great books with lots of illustrations, my entire life and have learned many things about the home repair and construction process. If you're planning on repairing your bathtub, try to find fix-it books that have some information on what you are trying to do.

There are plenty of great books out there and I would recommend any of them that apply to your needs. If you need a lot of pictures, find a book with a lot of pictures, if you have an easier time understanding step-by-step instructions, find a book that has plenty of step-by-step instructions.

I hope this has helped you, because it has helped a lot of people in the past.

If you're really interested in learning more about remodeling, new home construction, home maintenance, home repairs and really want to get the nuts and bolts of home improvement. Visit our web site and select from the best-selling home building books on the Internet.

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

If Your Serious About Home Improvement You Should Visit Our Newest Site On Home Repairs

Basic Home Electrical Wiring - For the Do it Yourself Home Electrician

2009-10-05T14:45:00.001-07:00

The Green Bay Packers were one of the most successful football teams and Vince Lombardi said something to them that I will never forget," This is a football." All the football players laughed and he said that we're going to start with the basics and that's what I'm going to do, with this article.

Let's start with our electrical wire, the two most common electrical wire sizes, that will be used in most homes, will be 14 and 12 gauge electrical wire. Let's clear something up, right off the bat, the smaller the number, the larger the wire. In other words a 12 gauge electrical wire is a little bit larger and will carry more electricity, for longer distances than a 14 gauge wire.

What about electrical outlet plugs? These plugs are usually the same, except for the fact that they come in different colors. When I said that most electrical plugs are the same, I'm talking about your standard wall outlet plug. There are different electrical plugs that will be used for air conditioners and some kitchen appliances like 220 Volt electric stoves and ovens.

What about your home's light switches? Your standard two way light switch will usually turn a one light on or a group of lights on, from one location. A three way light switch will usually turn one light on or a group of lights on from two different locations. A four way light switch, will usually turn one light or a group of lights on from three different locations.

It doesn't get any more basic than that. I hope this gives you a better understanding about your home's electrical system.

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The Only 7 Star Hotel in the World Has Competition

2009-10-05T07:21:00.001-07:00

The Burj Al Arab, shaped like a sail and towering above the ocean on it's man-made island, may be quaking on its sand foundation as there are many projects claiming to be equal to or better than the best and most hotel in the world currently in the process of construction.

Firstly, the Burj Al Arab has possibly been dealt a blow in terms of the most famous hotels in Dubai. The Atlantis the Palm Dubai just opened with the most expensive fireworks show ever in the world and sits at the head of the Palm Jumeirah Islands, the latest man-made island network off Dubai's coast which was a much more ambitious project than even the island that now supports the Burj Al Arab. However, it is not classified as a seven star hotel but a mere five stars. You wouldn't know it from it's extremely hyped opening ceremonies, though. Also, the Burj Al Arab soars to the title of world's tallest operating hotel, but the Rose Tower in the same city, once complete, should take over that title. Although, it may not reach the opulence of 7 stars.

There are several other projects set to seriously rival the Burj Al Arab, however.

Royalties Castle in the Philippines
Morgan Plaza in Beijing
Laucala Island in Fiji
Flower of the East in Kish, Iran
Grand Chola in Chennai, India
The Centaurus in the somewhat surprising location of Islamabad, Pakistan

Ever since the Burj Al Arab came to be known as the only 7 star hotel in the world and now (as it has competition in this category) one of the most famous hotels in Dubai, others in the world dreamed of creating something similar. Nobody has yet claimed to be an 8 star hotel project but can that be too far behind? When and if that comes to pass, it surely would have to be something special to authentically hold that title. Until then, we will just have to make do with 7 star hotels as the penultimate level for luxury.

Jeremiah Iverson is a world traveler and has made it his passion to find cheap accommodation for any budget. Search http://asianahotels.net/ to book the Burj Al Arab and cheap Dubai hotel deals at the best possible price available on the internet. You will get the best deal is asianahotels.net has over 900,000 hotel deals allowing you to get the best price. Is that enough for you?

Important Home Repair Advice - Do it Yourself

2009-10-05T03:15:00.001-07:00

I hope this has helped you, because it has helped a lot of people in the past.

If Your Serious About Home Improvement You Should Visit Our Newest Site On Home Repairs

Do I Need a Home Inspection? - Real Estate Advice

2009-10-04T22:59:00.001-07:00

Most home inspections today run between $300 to over $1000 and sometimes you don't really get your moneys worth. There are home inspection companies that guarantee, any problems that they miss will be repaired at their expense over a desired period of time, usually a year. It seems like, most home inspection companies are just inspecting the property and have no guarantees or liability from their inspection.

It's not a good idea to buy or sell a home without getting a home inspection from a licensed home inspector. This is like having a second opinion from someone who is usually skilled in the process. I would like to point something out to unsuspecting, potential home buyers and sellers. Sometimes a home inspection company will get a little behind in their work and need to hire other home inspectors if these home inspectors don't have any experience in the construction business or have never inspected a home before. In other words there fresh out of home inspector school. You might not get a good home inspection.

You can always ask the question, how long have you been in business?... How long have you been a home inspector?... have you ever worked in the construction business or have any skills in home building and remodeling. If the answers to these questions are satisfactory, it doesn't mean, that they're telling the truth and being sincere and could lead to problems later if they are lying to you.

Let me rephrase the question now, "Do I Need a Home Inspection" from an unqualified home inspector? Absolutely not. But how can you really tell the difference and is the report going to be worth the money that you paid for it.

What would you say, if I had the solution to your problem. How about a pre-home inspection, using a home buyers checklist? What if I could give you a check list with questions, that you could ask your home inspector? Some of these questions are not going to be part a regular inspection but should always be asked and make sure you get the answers to them, before purchasing the property.

Would you be interested now? What if I told you, for under $20, you could purchase a home buyers checklist, now for the tough question, this checklist could save you thousands of dollars and prevent you from purchasing a home with major construction problems or defects, and can be used on every house you look at.

Don't buy a home without purchasing a professional home inspection checklist. These lists of questions can save you some serious headaches and stress in the future.

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

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

Retaining Walls Suffer From Moisture Problems

2009-10-04T21:59:00.001-07:00

Whether you're driving down the road or through a neighborhood and you notice a retaining wall that has large cracks in it, or is severely discolored, or one that has white calcium deposits from moisture covering the entire wall, you've got problems with moisture.

The retaining wall is designed to hold the dirt back, that's it's sole purpose. It's not going to hold any moisture back unless someone has installed a waterproofing membrane to separate the soil from the concrete block wall. If the soil isn't ever going to get wet, then you probably don't need to waterproof the retaining wall.

However that's normally not going to be the case. So we need to waterproof the interior of our retaining walls to eliminate future moisture problems that could eventually, deteriorate as moisture starts to accumulate, inside of our block wall for a longer periods of time.

If you don't know anything about waterproofing, I would suggest that you hire a waterproofing expert. Waterproofing looks easier than it actually is, and might be out of your scope of work.

I'm not going to suggest that you use waterproofing paints, because I haven't seen great results with these products. However, if you're not that concerned about your retaining wall and are looking for a cheaper way to apply any waterproofing materials, these paints might not be a bad idea. Sometimes, Something is better than nothing.

If you live in a relatively dry climate, it might not be necessary to waterproof your retaining walls. But if you live in a damp or moist area, especially an area where the ground is moist all year round or more than six months out of the year, I would suggest that you waterproof the back of your retaining walls.

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Dryer Vent In Basement Window.

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How Many Bathrooms Do You Really Need? Building New Homes

2009-10-04T16:54:00.001-07:00

When my dad was a kid, they lived in a two bedroom house with one bathroom and the family consisted of him, his two brothers and his mother and father. When I grew up, we have it a little bit better. We had the same sized family as my father did, but we lived in a three-bedroom house with two bathrooms.

How many bathrooms do you really need? Think about it. Here's what I would like to suggest, if you have more money than you know what to do with and would love to help the economy, then you should put as many bathrooms as you need in your home.

If you really need to tell your friends, that you have a 250 bedroom house with 275 bathrooms, and you have the money to pay for it, do it and knock yourself out. However, if you are building a new home, I would like you to consider, this question. How many bathrooms do you really need?

If you want each one of your children to have their own bathroom, then go for it. It will require more cleaning, more money to build these bathrooms and is it really necessary.

Here's what I would suggest as a guideline for deciding, how many bathrooms you really need. One bathroom for two or less people, two bathrooms for five or less people and three bathrooms for eight or less people. You could actually add one bathroom for every three people as a general rule of thumb.

Don't get carried away and start installing bathrooms all over your house, it doesn't make sense. Bathrooms are expensive and I have been in the homes, where I was the only person that used at bathroom. Some bathrooms might not ever be used.

Click here if you are looking for some more Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

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Tips To Help With Small Bathroom Design

2009-10-04T16:08:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call

2009-10-04T11:47:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is a Three Way Home Electrical Light Switch?

2009-10-04T07:40:00.001-07:00

A three way home electrical light switch is a special light switch that can be used in your hallways, large rooms and stairways. These light switches are specially made to operate one light or a group of lights from two different locations.

They are most commonly found in hallways and provide a homeowner with the option of turning the light on at one end of the hallway and turning it off, when they are finished walking through the hallway and are about to enter into another room.

Before three way home electrical light switches were made, people would turn the hallway light on and leave it on or they wouldn't turn the hall light on at all, because they knew that after they walked down the dark hallway, they wouldn't be able to turn the light off at the other end.

Three-way light switches are also used in stairways. It makes a lot of sense, to be able to turn your stairway light on, at the bottom of the stairs and then after you have walked up the stairway safely, you can simply turn the stair lights system off.

As homes become larger, it's not going to be uncommon to find three way light switches being used at either end of large rooms. If your living room or family room was located within the center of your home and had an entrance at each end, it wouldn't be a bad idea to install a light switch at each end, for travelers who are simply walking through these room.

Remember that three-way light switches, are used to operate lights from two different locations.

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10 Things a Homeowner Won't Tell a Contractor - Common Courtesy

2009-10-04T06:35:00.001-07:00

I've been a contractor in the state of California for over 20 years and there are some things that a homeowner won't tell a contractor. These are a few things that a contractor might want to hear, but a reluctant homeowner, might have second thoughts telling their contractors how they really feel.

1. We are happy with all of the work that you did in a timely manner and we appreciate your services.

2. We are happy with the way you performed your construction tasks, efficiently and we appreciate your services.

3. The work was done by a true professional and we would recommend you to any one of our friends.

4. The payment plan that you created in the contract worked out perfectly and never made us feel uncomfortable. It never seemed like you had too much of our money or we were putting you in a bad spot financially.

5. Thanks for keeping the job clean, it meant a lot to us, because we have seen other construction jobs that look like a tornado ran through them.

6. Thanks for helping us with our design. Working with your contractor on a daily, weekly or monthly basis can be frustrating or joyful. Let the contractor know either way how you are really feeling.

7. You and your crew are extremely hard-working and we appreciate the simple fact that you didn't come to work late or leave early.

8. Thanks for the reasonable priced estimate on our project. You helped us say a lot of money and we appreciate that sincerely.

9. Thanks for doing the extra work at a reasonable price. You could have gouged us at certain times, but you chose to be fair and work things out, in a way that would benefit both of us.

10. This one is the most important and often overlooked by homeowners and it's simple and easy to do. Thanks for doing what you said you were going to do and actually doing it.

Just a simple thank you and paying them on time, for a service well done is enough for most contractors. However, a little common courtesy can go a long way, even in the construction industry.

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Click here if you're looking for additional Homeowner Contractor Advice. If you're interested in gathering more information on how to hire a good contractor, make sure that you visit our website.

Pest Droppings in the Attic - Pest Problems

2009-10-04T01:32:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I wonder how these large animals can get through such small holes in our homes and into our attics and crawlspace's. A few years ago, I was working on a home that had water damage to the siding that needed to be fixed. The homeowner of course didn't want anymore water damage and this required repairing roof, the original cause for the siding damage.

When I bid the job, I had no idea what I was about to run into. The first day on the job, went smoothly as I repaired some damage fascia board, but the next day I was in for a surprise, as I removed the damaged siding, I found what looked like dog poop in the attic.

I was looking around in the attic and trying to figure out how a dog could of got up there. I know that I shouldn't have, but I walked around the home inspecting it for a large hole, any holes, something that a small dog could have wiggled his way into. I got my latter off of the truck and then went on the roof, trying to find a place where a dog could have got into the attic.

I couldn't find any holes and after wasting about an hour, I decided it was time to get back to work and since the homeowner wasn't there, I couldn't show him my new findings or ask him any questions. I cleaned up the mess and repaired the water damaged siding, but in the back of my head I kept thinking about how in the heck a dog got up in the attic.

To make a short story even shorter, when the homeowner arrived home that day, I showed him my findings and he informed me that he didn't have a dog. He did however inform me that he has been hearing something walking around in his attic for about a year now. He had a pretty good idea that they were raccoons.

I told him, that I had inspected his home and only found one small hole on top of his roof underneath the roof eave, but there's no way that a small raccoon could fit through that hole. He told me that you would be surprised, what these animals were capable of squeezing into and out of.

Well that's about it, the mystery was solved, I repaired the small hole in the attic and have never heard from the homeowner again. Hopefully that meant I did my job well and not that he was embarrassed about the poop in the attic.

Pest Control Ideas, House Pest Pictures

How to Shop Smart For Your Home Improvement Projects

2009-10-04T00:46:00.001-07:00

There seems to be a myth out there that you have to spend a lot of money to have a great bathroom. This simply is not true! You can create a beautiful bathroom design and have quality fixtures without spending a fortune if you know where to look, and how to shop smartly. It's easy once you get the hang of it, and once you get it down for your bathroom home improvement project, you will have the tools to transform every room in your house within your means. Here are a few tips for making your bathroom a great new space without spending a fortune.

1. Shop for the discounts. Yes, we all know that sales are good and we want discounts, but there are a couple tricks you may not know about. When you shop for that new bathtub, ask for discounts. Many times, stores will be willing to give you a 10%-20% discount if you ask for one, but they usually don't tell you that, because many customers don't know this and will gladly pay full price for the tub. And you'll have better luck getting discounts at a smaller private business than at a huge chain store, so go ahead and take your business to a local retailer who will be more flexible with discounting the pricing to make the sale.

2. Shop online. It may sound a little weird to shop for something as big as a bathtub or bathroom vanity online, but you can actually snag some great deals this way. Just make sure to take accurate measurements of your bathroom so that you know if vanities or discount clawfoot tubs you find online will fit in your space. Online sellers know that it's harder to sell big fixtures online, so they will often give you a better price than the neighborhood chain home improvement store. Don't forget that things like "free shipping" and no sales tax can actually take hundreds off your final price, so remember to look for the best price, including these incentives.

Now you are armed to be a savvy bargain hunter for your bathtubs American Standard or any other types of tubs, so get out there and get to it. You can use these money saving tips for other shopping adventures as well, and we hope they help you transform all of your rooms to create the home of your dreams in an affordable fashion.

If you would like more information on discount clawfoot tubs or where to find a good deal on bathtubs American standard, please visit the Simply Bathtubs website.

Take Pictures of Your Growing Foundation Damage Or Cracks

2009-10-03T20:27:00.001-07:00

I champion people and try to get them to look at their house, at least once a year. One of the easiest ways to inspect your home is to use a home inspection checklist and if you really want a good home inspection checklist, there's a good chance that you are going to need to purchase one. You get what you pay for and don't ever forget that.

Foundation repairs usually start with a small crack and that's no joke. If you notice a crack, take a picture of it and save it somewhere. If you think, that the crack is actually getting a little bigger or starting to separate, you can simply take another picture and compare the two photos.

I would like to give you an example of what I'm talking about. Sometimes we look at something and we think that it's getting larger, but we don't have anything to compare it to. As time goes on, we think that the crack is still getting larger, but our mind is creating an optical illusion. This happens to a lot of people.

If you had a picture, from a few years ago, you could refresh your memory and this could be very helpful in reducing your anxiety or jumping to conclusions about foundation damage. Trust me, sometimes, I'm like a medical emergency crew, going to visit a homeowner to relieve their foundations stress. People panic over foundation cracks and I'm the doctor they call for any one of their home emergencies.

I would also advise you to take pictures of the rest of your home. How hard would it be to take about 300 pictures of your home each year and store them on your computer or on a disk, for easy access later? A picture is worth a thousand words and don't ever forget that.

Click Here for Some More Great Foundation Repair Solutions.

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Attic Handrail Safety - Do it Yourself Home Repair

2009-10-03T16:59:00.001-07:00

Some stairways that lead up to your attic will have a safety or guardrail to prevent people from falling down the stairs or off of them. Attic handrail safety can provide homeowners with a little peace of mind if they just follow the few simple steps. Make sure that the handrail is at least 42 inches in height. 42 inches is the minimum height for guard rails and can be found in the uniform building code.

The uniform building code is the Bible to the building industry and sets the standard for new construction and remodeling.

The 42 inches will be measured from the floor to the top of the handrail. Some older homes will have handrails that are 36 inches and some of them will be even 30 inches in height. A 30 inch handrail provides limited protection for anyone who is over five foot tall. 30 inches becomes the center point for any one over 60 inches and these people could easily fall over the short handrail.

Now for the homes that don't have any attic handrail safety systems. Some homes that were built before the 1960s won't have a handrail system at all in the stairway. Keep something in mind here, when these people were building these houses, some of them were trying to save money, some of them figured that it wasn't going to be a big deal and other builders simply forgot to install them.

It's not hard to install a working attic handrail for safety but keep in mind, that if the handrail isn't the right height, it will provide you with limited protection. Attic handrails that are lower than 30 inches can provide young children or others who are shorter than five feet with very little protection but can be a safety hazard to anyone over 5 feet tall.

If your attic doesn't have a safety handrail, use caution and be careful in these areas of your home. It wouldn't be a bad idea to install a locking doorknob if your attic access has a door that can be secured to prevent small children or other people from entering these unsafe areas.

Home Attic Repairs

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Building Codes - Stairway Construction

2009-10-03T15:15:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

2009-10-03T10:24:00.001-07:00

Isn't tile grouting supposed to be simple, if you read the directions and watch a couple of videos? What could make tile grouting so difficult? Grouting your tile isn't that difficult, by the time you're done reading this article, you should have a pretty good idea how to grout your floors, bathrooms, kitchens and anything else that requires tile.

I used to have problems grouting tile, but after I read the directions, I became a grouting wizard. This sounds hard to believe, but after reading the directions on the tile grout bag, I became a grout master. I know, you the type of person who never read the directions, you simply add water, mix and start grouting.

It's time to change your thinking about, whether or not the directions will be helpful. Whether it's about grouting your bathroom floor or putting together your home barbecued. I read one thing on the grout bag and it changed my entire grouting career.

The grout should slake. After you're done mixing the grout, you should wait between five and 10 minutes to let the moisture soak into the grout mix. Do this once, and you will never go back to mixing your grout and applying it, as quickly as possible after it has been mixed.

For more information on grouting, remodeling or home repairs, I would recommend reading books on home improvement and home repairs. Some of these books can make a big difference in your home improvement abilities as a handyman. I would also recommend reading more articles, there's plenty of information about tile and grouting, all over the Internet.

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Holiday Rentals - How to Boost Your Bookings

2009-10-03T09:39:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is a Three Way Home Electrical Light Switch?

2009-10-03T05:11:00.001-07:00

Remember that three-way light switches, are used to operate lights from two different locations.

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How to Find a Excellent New Home Builder

2009-10-03T02:34:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Avoiding Mistakes For Do-It-Yourselfers - Drain Clearing

2009-10-03T00:04:00.001-07:00

The other day I was in a popular home improvement center picking up some irrigation parts for our house, when I was ease dropping on a conversation between an older man and one of the stores representatives. The man explained to the so-called in house plumbing expert that he had a clogged drain and was looking for a product that could be poured into the drain and solve his problems.

They were both standing in front of the liquid plumber selection of fine products(that was a joke). What product do you recommend the older man asked. The do-it-yourselfer plumbing expert answered by pointing to a product that he recommended, this seems to do a pretty good job at clearing drains. The older man, having been around the block before, a little more educated than he was a few years ago, from his previous purchases of a product that claimed to perform a task, but didn't.

If this was a young man or woman, I would have waited until the home improvement specialist left the area and then, I would've explained who I was, and my experience with a few of these products. However, I felt that this man, who looked like he was in his late 60s or early 70s, should've known better. I chose the let him help the economy with his purchase. I guess in a sense, I was doing my good deed for the day.

Their conversation soon ended as the in-house plumbing expert left to advise another customer, hopefully on something that he actually knew something about. The older gentleman selected a different product and quickly scaned the area to make sure that the person who had assisted him wasn't around as he scampered off in a hurry.

Here's a quick tip on how to avoid mistakes as a do-it-yourselfer. Don't assume that liquid drain cleaning products will solve your problem. Try not to get caught up in your home improvement advisers solution to your problem. I have watched them sell products to unsuspecting customers and even had them try to sell me something that didn't work.

I personally, have never had any luck unclogging any drain pipes with any liquid drain cleaner. I don't know if my message is loud and clear here and hope that anyone who has gotten this far, reading the article will not believe everything that they read, because the book or product says professional plumbing expert or listen to someone because they're wearing a shirt that says ask me, I'm a home improvement expert.

If you choose to ignore my advice, know this, you will be forever doomed to repeat the mistakes that others have made before you.

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

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Subfloor Damage From Poor Bathtub Installation - Read Bath Tub Fixture Manuals

2009-10-02T18:58:00.001-07:00

You should never under estimate the amount of damage that water can do to your wood subfloor. Especially if this wood is underneath your bathtub. If the bathtub is not installed properly, you could find yourself replacing the wood underneath, within a short period of time. This repair is not uncommon and as more homeowners and handyman seemed to be doing projects like these, without the proper experience, it's becoming even more common.

I wish I had a solution to the problem, however, I don't. The best advice I could give anyone who is going to be involved in any home remodeling project, would be to get some books on what ever task you are about to undertake and read all of the information that you possibly can about the products you are going to be installing. This is extremely helpful for anyone who has never installed a bathtub or any bathtub fixtures.

If the product fails and was installed properly, the manufacturer should be responsible for the water damage. I have been reading the manufacturer's installation manuals for quite some time now and every once in a while, I find something that is of great value to me and I get to pass it on to my readers. That's what I'm doing right now.

Whether you want to remodel your bathroom to save money or you want to accomplish a task that you haven't done yet. I would recommend, taking the time to understand, exactly how the water flows off of and on to another section of the bath tub or shower on its way to the drain. Understanding the basics of bathroom remodeling can save you big money in the future.

Save yourself some money and make sure that you install your bathtubs properly. Taking a little time before you start to read the bath tub fixture manuals, can save you some money and grief in the future.

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Clawfoot Shower Curtain

2009-10-02T18:19:00.001-07:00

Many people that are building or remodeling their bathrooms have made the decision to use the clawfoot bathtub. While many people enjoy the sit down bath, a lot of people would rather use the stand up shower. It is now possible for you to have the best of both worlds. The clawfoot shower tub allows for the transformation of any design of clawfoot bathtub to become a shower as well. The clawfoot bathtub of any design, from the antique clawfoot bathtub to the newer acrylic clawfoot bathtub can use the shower enclosure set. This is great for the times when you are in a hurry and do not have the extra time for the the relaxing, soaking bath that the clawfoot tub allows.

To turn one of the clawfoot bathtubs into a clawfoot shower tub, the shower tub enclosure set will have to be installed. The enclosure set usually will include the shower, the enclosure ring and the enclosure ring fittings that allow you to hang the enclosure ring. Many of the shower curtain enclosure manufactures offer a few simple instructions for hanging the enclosure ring so it will be the right height.. First, hold the curtain with a few of the curtain rings attached on the shower curtain to help determine where to install the clawfoot shower bathtub. This will help you to determine where to hang the shower curtain enclosure.

Most of the enclosure sets do not include the shower curtain or the shower curtain rings. But the industry has realized the need for a shower curtain to fit the enclosure ring. It was necessary before to use three or four different curtains to close up the tub. This lead to several different problems. First the unsightly seams was a bother and also unpleasant to look at. The seams would open and allow water to escape to the floor, causing the person to have to clean up the mess or have damage to the floor over a period of time. Also the gaps of the seams would allow for the drafty cold air also.

The enclosure curtains can be purchased along with a wide variety of shower curtain rings. There are many different styles and finishes to help you to match your own personal decor. Also do not forget to look for the different accessories to help finish to complete look of the bathroom. Items like a soap dish or even new clawfeet are available. Even items like the feet coasters are available.

The use of the clawfoot shower tub will allow for the complete use of the clawfoot bathtub experience. Along with the clawfoot shower curtain, now you can enjoy the best of the sit down baths when you have time but also the stand up shower when you are in a hurry.

Nailing Or Screwing Drywall

2009-10-02T13:49:00.001-07:00

Nails versus screws who will become the winner. When drywall first came out the installers used everything from regular steel nails to galvanized roofing nails. After a short amount of time they started to develop major problems from nails popping out of the finished drywall.

Nail popping results when the nail is driven into moist lumber and as the lumber shrinks the house settles and nail can actually pop out to the walls. Hard to imagine the nail could actually pop out of the drywall as the wood was drying out.

How far the nail would actually pop out was determined by how far it was driven in to the framing studs or ceiling joists. Well pretty soon drywall installers started to use ring shank nails to eliminate this problem. This worked great but these nails were hard to drive in and would often break.

As time went on the nails improved and were made out of galvanized metal with cupped shaped heads and came in a few different sizes. The size of the nail used was determined by the thickness of the drywall. These new nails worked great and had good holding power and eliminated a lot of nail popping.

Using nails means driving them in with a hammer. If you miss the nail you damage the drywall. This seemed to be a big problem and was virtually eliminated with the screws.

Well pretty soon people started using screws which had greater holding power and pretty much nail popping. Another advantage to using screws over nails is the simple fact you need less screws than you do nails to attach the drywall to the metal or wood framing.

This means less labor installing and finishing the drywall.

There is one problem with the screws and that is they have to be set perfectly. They can not break the paper surface on the drywall but have to be set enough into the drywall so that it can be finished properly. Most screw guns have an adjustable setting used to get just the right depth for the screws installed in the drywall. But this also was a problem when screwing into a hard piece of wood you can actually snapped the screw head off, strip the screw head or break the screw.

Nails on the other hand can bend while driving them into a hard surface.

Who wins the nails versus screws while installing drywall? I have got to give it to the screws. That doesn't mean the nails just got screwed or the screws just got nailed.

I couldn't resist. I actually preferred the screws over the nails except for when nailing the drywall corner bead on. Some drywall professionals use nails to hang the drywall and go back with a screw gun and some screws to finish the job. The nails sometimes seem handier than the screws when installing the drywall.

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

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Fixing Ceiling Cracks - Home Repair Advice

2009-10-02T11:24:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ceiling Repair Advice and Tips

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Fixing Ceiling Cracks - Home Repair Advice

2009-10-02T08:39:00.001-07:00

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

Ceiling Repair Advice and Tips

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12 Days of Staging, A Home Staging Series

2009-10-02T05:59:00.001-07:00

The art of great marketing is in the ability to position your product in the mind of the buyer as a product that will fill their specific need and desires. This well-known marketing concept is very powerful when it comes to home staging. "Positioning" focuses on what you do to the mind of the buyer rather than what you do to the product. In other words, a home seller does not need to make expensive renovations and redecorations to have a profound influence on buyers. Small improvements can make a big impact. For example: very thorough cleaning, removing unnecessary furniture, and de-cluttering. In our series "The 12 Days of Staging" we will show you some easy tips and tricks to speed up the sale of your home or listing.

Day 1 Positioning: Start the "Positioning" process by having the homeowner take an active roll in the sale of their home. A wonderful source for information is right close by: take advantage of peoples opinions. Survey friends and family about the way your home looks and feels. Ask them to write down their comments to ease any discomfort involved in critiquing your home. After all, most home owners forced to sell in this market know that it won't be easy. Put them to task to expedite the sale of their home. The days of simply putting a house on the market without any preparation and selling it in a few hours or days is long gone.

Day 2 Curb Appeal: Many times curb appeal is at the top of our list because it literally is the first impression. This first impression is all-important because it sets the tone for the way the buyer will view the rest of the house. The clock starts ticking at the curb and within fifteen seconds the buyer will develop an attitude toward your house, either positive or negative. Then the buyer will be looking to reinforce their positive or negative initial impression throughout the rest of the home tour. By making the first impression a positive one, the buyer will seek other positive aspects of the home to reinforce their initial impression.

A great exercise to get the ball rolling is to standing in front of your home with critical "buyers eyes" and write down everything that comes to mind. It is always difficult for any home seller to see all the shortfalls of their own home yet it is critical in the success of the sale. To help you in this task ask trusted friends, neighbors, and family what they see when standing in front of your home. Ask them to be brutally honest, or invite them to write down their comments and put them in a hat to be pulled out only after everyone has commented. This way you might get better results and avoid making people feel uncomfortable about criticizing your home.

Day 3 "Here Kitty Kitty": Who doesn't love the sound of a cat purring in your ear? So soft, so fluffy....so SMELLY! Well, not always, but cat odors can be a big problem for home sellers. As cat owners ourselves (or "captors" as most felines would put it) we know just how stinky kitty can be sometime. For a home seller this issue can mean the difference between a buyer that stays and looks and one that runs for the door.

1. On days that you know your home is going to be shown consider taking kitty for a car ride. Cats become well accustomed to being in the car and most actually will enjoy the ride. (Note: Do NOT leave your pet in the car unattended. Especially during warm to hot days. Cats can overheat and suffer brain damage or death if left in the car. Dogs too!)
2. If possible on show day's move the litter box to an out of the way area, or better yet, out of the home.
3. Take up any wet food. Besides being unappetizing to look at it stinks to high heaven!
4. Keep litter boxes scooped as often as possible and replace every couple of weeks with fresh litter. Your cat, and potential buyers, will thank you.
5. Have you noticed that your cat produces an unimaginable amount of hair? We thought so. Keep it swept up. We know, it's a never ending cycle but our job is to help you sell your home. Tufts of hair on the floor make buyer's think "dirty house" and that is the last impression they need.
6. Kitty go outside the litter box? If this is a new problem you should take them to the vet. Cats can get crystals in their urine, which can be deadly if left untreated.
7. Help is on the way! Behold the "Stink finder"! This tool is a great way to spot just what kitty has been up to. Also known as a black light you can purchase one at your local pet supply store. Simply turn off the lights and walk around the walls of each room. If kitty has made a mess it will show up in the light. Also, move over every inch of carpet. (Keep blinds closed so your neighbors won't think you've gone crazy as you crawl around on your hands and knees in the dark holding a black light.)
8. If you find an area that is suspicious you will need to confirm with the good old fashion smell test. (For those of you not familiar with the unmistakable smell of cat urine, it can best be described as somewhere between ammonia and the worst smell imaginable. Consider yourself warned.)
9. After your blood pressure has returned to normal it's time to tackle the problem. Luckily today there are a number of good products on the market. First, pull up the carpet and seal the concrete to eliminate the smell. (Kilz is a good product) Cat urine does not lose its odor so it's imperative that you seal off the smell from the source. Next, either have the carpet professionally cleaned or purchase an enzyme type cleaner from the store. If kitty has gone on the walls or baseboards repeat the first step above using Kilz and then repaint the wall. (Aren't cats fun?!)
10. Lastly, keep your home as clean as possible. Pet dander is a real problem for some people so clean, clean, and clean and replace your air filter often. A buyer having a sneezing attack upon walking in your front door is more than likely not going to be a buyer clamoring to purchase your home.

Day 4 It's OK To Point...Focal Point That Is: Focal points throughout a home are particularly important. They pull a buyer into a space, bring emotions into play, and tell the story of a home's details. Every area has a focal point and every focal point must maximize the positive impact on a buyer touring a home.

As a seller ask yourself some tough questions concerning your home's focal points. Write down the questions and answers, and then ask friends and family to answer the same questions. You might be surprised at some of the answers. It's very hard for people to be impartial about their own home.

Use the questions below as a template:

1. What is the first thing someone notices when they walk into this room?
2. Is it positive or negative?
3. What is the focal point in this room?
4. What should be the focal point of this room?
5. Is it a positive or negative?
6. Does it compete with another focal point?
7. How can we complement the focal point?
8. Is your seating reinforcing the focal point?
9. Does the focal point pull you into the space?
10. Is the focal point well lit, clean, and inviting?

Once you have identified every room's focal point be sure to emphasize its positive attributes so it naturally draws the buyer's eye and inspires a positive emotional reaction. A buyer's attraction to a beautiful focal point is not just endearing, it also serves to downplay any negative elements a space might have.

Day 5 Skeletons in the Closet: Closets throughout a home are important, yet often overlooked by sellers. Buyers touring homes always look into closets, checking out the size, functionality and capacity of the space but that's not all buyers are looking for. Buyers are also looking to see if there is a story to tell just under the surface. A well organized closet says volumes about the seller, a home's maintenance, as well as the home's unseen details.

Everything in a home and every space throughout a home, even the closets, must look their very best.

Since you will be packing things away anyway tackle one closet at a time starting with the master closet.

1. Pack away anything you have not used or worn in four months. For most of us, it's about 80% of our wardrobe.
2. Group by item starting with shirts, blouses, jackets, skirts and lastly pants (If you have a walk-in closet, pants should be in the back.) Separate the His and Her's sections.
3. Make sure each item is facing the same direction (away from the door).
4. Organize shoes preferably in a rack on the floor.
5. Clear off and pack away anything on the top of the closet shelf.
6. Organize any "loose" items such as belts and scarves in matching boxes or baskets on the top of the closet.
7. Consider buying inexpensive hat boxes/nesting boxes for accessories to add a little drama.
8. Consider buying a closet organizer (Target has these now) which can be very appealing to homebuyers.
9. Finally, since closets usually don't have any natural light, make sure your artificial light is extra bright by replacing the bulbs and cleaning the fixtures.
10. Remember, preparing your home to sell is a process that takes time but will net you thousands in return!

Closets are an area that home buyers pry into, so it's a good idea to appear spacious, neat and organized. The neater you appear to be, the more your homebuyer will view the house as well "taken care of".

Day 6 Dog's playing poker: What is "art"? Webster's dictionary defines art as: the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

When it comes to selling a home it's best to leave the art critics in the galleries. In other words, your "Dog's playing poker" or 5' tall velvet paintings of Elvis is not what buyer's are looking for. Think simple, classic and neutral (yes, art can be neutral). Landscapes, flowers, and abstracts are a great way to soften walls without detracting from what the space has to offer. We never know what a buyer's particular taste is going to be and in the high stakes game of real estate we need to make sure that your space feels like their space. This can mean all the difference between getting an offer or not.

You can often find nice quality looking art pieces at places like Ross or Marshalls. If you don't have a lot to spend consider purchasing some inexpensive frames and making your own art by printing out non-copyrighted pictures on high gloss paper. Place in a frame and "Voila!" instant art. Yard or estate sales are also a great way to find some bargains.

Remember, the key to a home that shows well is neutrality. You will have plenty of time to make a new home your own, so create a space that buyers will love. It's a simple as that.

Day 7 "It's a jungle out there": Today's will focus on the one of the common problems that sellers often overlook: the front and back yard of a home.

Sellers need to keep in mind that when a potential buyer is looking at their home they are not just looking at the inside, but the exterior as well. This article will help you prepare your exterior so that your home will be the best one on the block.

1. A brown lawn does not enhance curb appeal. Add fresh sod to any brown or dying areas of your lawn. This small investment will make a huge difference.
2. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Which houses look the best with regard to curb appeal? Ask yourself why?
3. Take pictures of yards that you love. This way you can use them as a template for your own yard.
4. Plant some fresh blooming annuals. They are inexpensive and will add a nice burst of color. Remember, as we talked about before but worth repeating, curb appeal is extremely important and your home truly needs to stand out.
5. Make sure that weeds are pulled and any dead growth is trimmed. If a buyer is distracted by untidy landscaping they will not only start a mental "To do" list but also feel that the home is not being kept up.
6. A few bags of red mulch can have a huge impact on the look of planting beds by freshening and providing contrasting colors in the plant beds.
7. Keep bushes and hedges trimmed down so that the exterior of the home can be seen. When trimming pay close attention to windows; trim all vegetation to expose all windows to maximize the available ambient light inside the home.
8. If you know that you are going to have a big open house weekend consider hiring a lawn service to come out the day before so that it is fresh looking.
9. If you have a pool make sure that swept clean and looks inviting.
10. Keep hoses coiled up and put away. Put away any gardening tools and maintenance equipment.

Too often sellers only focus on the inside of the home and neglect the all important exterior. Don't let this happen to you.

Taking care of these simple things can make all the difference in how your home shows to a buyer, and in today's real estate market you need all possible things to show in your favor.

Day 8 Is that take-out from two months ago? Yum!: When you place your home on the market it becomes a commodity or product. Today's buyers are faced with an almost overwhelming number of choices so to be competitive you must make your home look and show its best at all times.

An often overlooked, but still very important, area of the home is your kitchen. Having shown potential homes to thousands of people during my years in leasing and marketing I can tell you that buyer's will look in your refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, even the dishwasher!

Guess what? That take out container of General Tso's chicken from two months ago is not appealing. A dirty refrigerator with spoiled food can literally ruin a home tour. Why? Simply put, if a buyer sees that you aren't willing to clean out your fridge then they start to wonder "What else has not been taken care of?" Remember from our previous letters that the last thing we want during a home tour is a buyer to start a "To do" list in their head. This only reinforces negative opinions of the home.

Solution: Keep the refrigerator, cabinets, and the rest of the kitchen absolutely spotless at all times. Throw out any expired food, take out containers and make sure the refrigerator is wiped down and spotless. Keep a fresh box of baking soda in both the refrigerator and freezer to absorb any odors. And finally, have all items lined up and labels facing out and in one direction. Sound crazy? Nope and here's why. If I buyer opens your fridge and sees all the Coke cans lined up and orderly then they immediately assume that the rest of the home sees the same attention to detail. It's often the little things that can have a major impact on the way a buyer sees your home. The same goes for the pantry and cabinets. Selling a home is not just about the physical aspects and pricing. It's also about a psychology with regard to the buyer. This is why staging is so important in how a home shows.

Day 9 Feng shui: It's day nine in our "12 days of Staging". Feng shui (or Fung shui as some spell it) is not the dinner special at your local Asian restaurant. In fact Feng shui can be a powerful concept in real estate marketing, relating precisely to our ongoing discussion centered on the concept of "Positioning", which focuses on what you do to the mind of the buyer rather than what you do to the product.

Do buyers run through a particular listing? Never refer to it again? Turn their nose up when it's mentioned again? Does the space feel cramped, dark, or stale yet the home is spacious with lots of windows? Your listing may be suffering from bad flow, negative energy and bad feng shui.
Feng what? Pronounced ("fung shway"), it's a complicated philosophy from the Far East quickly making inroads in many cultures around the world. Simply put feng shui studies the art of placement, the art of living life, and the energy that stirs emotions. It could just as well be called "the art of flow." This ancient Chinese practice, literally translated as "wind" and "water".

In real estate sales feng shui is used to maximize the beneficial movement of energy through a space. A home's flow is crucial to buyers when touring. Buyers want to meander gracefully through a space, like a gentle breeze or a winding stream. They want to feel the exhilaration of taking in fresh air, warm sun light, and a clean environment. When buyers are nourished buy positive energy in a home it usually means the tour was a success. Buyers will aspire to live in a space that is clean and open and start to visualize their life in these surroundings. To accomplish feng shui walk through a home looking for natural flow in all the spaces. Ask does this space flow from one room to another? Is the flow natural? Are the windows easily accusable? Are rooms blocked with too much furniture? Does the space feel clean and look bright?

When the flow through a space is blocked, weak, or misdirected the buyer's perceived relationship to the home suffers, resulting in an unsuccessful tour. Dark, dirty, or stale spaces can choke the positive reaction to a home. Buyers may feel tired, run down, depressed, unable to focus, hampered in their efforts to move forward with the tour. It is almost impossible to turn that around in the buyer's mind. Once buyers have a negative feeling toward a home it permeates every reference to it. Remember most homes are purchased based on emotions. Often emotions can't be reasoned with, so it's important to manage every aspect of a tour keeping the energy positive and the buyer's imagination nourished by every aspect in the home.

In today's real estate market it is essential to minimize any negative aspects of a home, but even more important is highlighting the positive beneficial aspects of the home. Use the art of placement and feng shui to create that positive space crying out to be purchased.
If sellers think feng shui (natural flow, fresh air, immaculately clean, bright sunlight, uncluttered, and attention to detail) it will greatly influence every tour. As I mentioned, feng shui is complicated so take advantage of the resources you have available; contact your local home stagers who are ready and willing to complete an extensive analysis of your listings incorporating powerful tried and true philosophy such as Positioning, Feng shui, among many other marketing tactics which focuses on what you do to the mind of the buyer rather than what you do to the product.

Day 10 On day #10 of "The 12 Days of Staging": we discuss staging the master bedroom by further highlighting the concept of "Positioning", which focuses on what you do to the mind of the buyer rather than what you do to the product.

A Master Bedroom should be an escape, a sanctuary away from the chaos of life. Relaxing colors, plush linens, and fluffy pillows all subtly display this desired effect. Blue is a favorite color for a Master Bedroom because subconsciously it is very calming to buyers. It is also a neutral color that goes well with white, the second favorite color in bedrooms.

Ask yourself: "What is the first thing someone notices when he or she walks into the master bedroom? Is it positive or negative?" Usually a beautiful bed with comforter and many pillows is the first thing buyers notice, it's the focal point. Due to the importance of the master bedroom we highly recommended that sellers purchase a new neutral colored bed set for their bed and lots of fluffy pillows. It will be one of the best staging investments you can make for this space and the great thing is you get to take it with you!

It is important to neutralize the master bedroom as much as possible so buyers don't enter and immediately profile the home seller. Buyers want the master bedroom to feel like it is their own escape, not yours. The bed should be on the longest wall across from the doorway with easy natural flow through the space to windows and master bath. Try not to position the bed so buyers have to walk around it to get to where they are going.

Bright, warm and inviting is always good for this space. The master bedroom should invite the buyer to linger and enjoy the space. Accomplish this by allowing as much natural light in as possible. Remove window coverings that are blocking out the sun. Add more lighting in the form of bright bedside lamps or a standup lamp. Make sure the bulbs are the brightest kind you can safely put in the lamps.

The master bedroom should not be a space that has accumulated clutter although many of us still tend to do so. Buyers are distracted by clutter and don't respond well when they see it especially in the master bedroom. Keep the furniture and accessories to a minimum, queen bed, two nightstands, a dresser and mirror.

Part of creating your sanctuary in the master bedroom is adding a reading space. Nothing draws a buyer emotionally more than a cozy chair that is complete with an ottoman, pillow and throw. It just makes the buyer want to curl up in it with a great book and cup of hot java. So if the space permits add an inviting, comfortable reading nook.

Day 11 "Update the Style": When it comes to prepping a home for sale one of the most important things to do is to make sure that your interior reflects what is current with design trends and what is "in". Buyers don't like outdated, especially when it comes to something as large as a purchase of a home.

If your home is older or outdated you might have some tough decisions to make. In addition to the master bedroom and living room, buyers are really interested in the kitchen and master bathroom. If your kitchen has older or outdated appliances this could potentially turn buyers off.

Replacing the major appliances can be a way to add serious value to your home. With the economy in such bad shape most of the appliance retailers are slashing prices in order to move inventory. What this means is that you may find some incredible bargains. Also, consider donating your old appliances to a charity such as "Habitat for Humanity" "The Red Cross" or a local organization. Besides helping someone else you can take advantage of a nice charitable tax deduction (see your tax advisor for specifics).

If you can afford it, consider stainless steel appliances. They are still very popular and look great in most applications. If you don't go the stainless steel route then make sure that your appliances compliment your kitchen cabinets and flooring. White cabinets and black appliances are a "No, no." If you have dark cabinets, say cherry wood for instance, then you should use dark appliances. Contrast should be limited in the kitchen, especially if the kitchen is smaller.

Another great way to update the look of your kitchen is to add new handles to the cabinets. Often times your locate discount store will have a great selection of handles. This quick, inexpensive trick will pay off in the long run.

A small or outdated master bathroom can be the death of a potential sale. Short of doing a full bathroom remodel (which can cost thousands of dollars) consider some cosmetic changes. A large number of master bathroom come with a standard non-framed mirror, plain sink, 3 or 5 strip lighting and a medicine cabinet. Yawn! Replacing these items with a new light fixture (around $80.00), framed mirror ($100.00) and adding a new vessel sink/cabinet combo ($300.00) finishes off the look. Adding plush towels and an appropriate shower curtain and you have a fresh and new looking master bath; and buyer's LOVE the word "New".

Red walls: Bad. Taupe or cream colored walls: Good! The color of your walls can make or break a sale. Sure painting is a relatively easy and inexpensive investment but today's buyers are looking for "Plug and play". In other words they don't want to have to move in and spend time and money changing your Pepto Bismol pink master bedroom back to a more neutral color. (And to answer your question: Yes, we have seen a pink master bedroom, on more than one occasion in fact.) A fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference and is something that should be highly considered.

Day 12 Open House Tip: Well here we are the last in our "12 Days of Staging" series. Our last topic is one of the most important, yet is often neglected by the home seller. There are differing opinions on whether an Open House is effective or not with regard to selling a home. No matter what your belief it is important for a seller to keep their home "Open house" ready at all times, especially if the home is on lock box.

The prospect of keeping your home neat, spotless and show ready at all times starts to become a daunting task. Everyday life, kids and pets can mean that sellers feel overwhelmed. What we're going to offer are some tips and tricks to maximize the homes appeal while minimizing the inconvenience to the homeowner.

Tip #1: Baskets are your friend. Buyers hate clutter, but clutter is often inevitable. A great way to minimize clutter is to purchase several wicker baskets of varying size to hold lose belongings. Toys, medicines, toiletries and the like can easy be placed in a basket and moved out of sight. Big Lots often has a nice selection of fabric lined wicker baskets starting at around $2.50.

Tip #2: How about some fresh air? During the cooler months take the time to open all the windows and let some fresh air circulate. Homes are great for trapping everyday odors and by letting a little air in we can all breathe easier. Store bought air fresheners are often effective but they can have a strong chemical smell and can even be a trigger for some asthma sufferers. A trick we like to use is to purchase a small bouquet of eucalyptus from Joann fabrics or Michaels. Separate the bouquet into smaller bundles (depending on the number of rooms), wrap the bundles in cheese cloth and place under the couch, behind the bed, in the laundry room, etc. They will make the whole house smell great, last a long time and are inexpensive. Note: Eucalyptus often has dye coloring added to it and can come off on carpets and fabrics if it gets wet, so please be careful.

Tip #3: Music to your ears. A great way to create a calm and pleasing touring environment for buyers is to have soft music playing in the background. (Think "Elevator music") If you have cable turn to the smooth jazz music channel on your receiver, turn the TV off and you now have a pleasing environment. (If you don't have cable or music channels use your stereo and tune to your local smooth jazz station.)

Tip #4: Turn up the lights. When you know your home is going to be shown make sure you have every light on in the home. A bright and open space is what buyers are looking for. They need to be able to see each room's features. Furthermore, open all blinds and shades to let in as much light as possible.

Tip#5: High end hotel. The last, and final, tip is to "stage" your home like a high end hotel room. Neutral spaces that are warm and inviting can go a long way in enticing buyers to consider your home over the many others they are possibly looking at. Neutral bedding, throw pillows and floral art is a good route to take. Remove all traces of your personal items (family pictures, religious artifacts, political affiliations) from the home. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to sell your home and move on. It becomes hard, if not downright impossible, to accomplish this if a buyer feels as if they are in "your" space and not theirs. A little bit of inconvenience now can make all the difference later.

We hope that you found the articles to be informative as well as interesting. By incorporating these tips into your sales tactics you will be leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. Stay focused on positioning your product and happy staging!

Jeffrey Johnson

Home Staging Design Pros

Orlando Fl. 32801

407-690-9500

http://www.HomeStagingDesignOrlando.com

Fiber-Cement Siding Compared to Vinyl Siding

2009-10-02T02:50:00.001-07:00

In the world of remodeling the exterior of your home, there are several things to consider when comparing fiber-cement siding to vinyl siding.

Disguising the Problem

Vinyl siding is sometimes used as a cover-up to be placed over the old damaged cladding. The current problems may still exist. Sometimes it may be improperly installed. This invites insects and moisture to build up behind the panels, and may even go through the structure of the home.

Flammable

Vinyl facing may melt or burn if it too close to a heat source such as your grill or a close by fire. The flammability of the cladding is such a concern that some counties/districts are starting to educate homeowners about its natural flammability.

Fiber-cement facing is non-combustible when exposed to significant amount of heat or flame. It has been appreciated for this safety feature. It is also approved for fire-rated structure.
Fading

All colors fade from the sun and there are several options that you can do to replace vinyl cladding. You can install a replacement piece and try to find the matching color of your original siding. You can also replace all the cladding again if you can't find the matching color. You may also paint the facing, but keep in mind this type of facing is made to expand and contract which will cause the paint to chip and peel over time.

Fiber-cement facing can be painted any color that you desire. It will also remain longer than with wood. It won't crack and peel as quickly as vinyl.

Warranty

Always look at the warranty before your purchase. Look closely at the "Life-Time" to see how many years the warranty really covers and also what is covered. Check the "Normal Weathering" section to see what their definition is of normal weathering.

Fiber-cement facing may be found to have a 50 year transferable limited product warranty, and a 15 year finish warranty. This warranty is good for even the most sever climates.

Poor Quality and Aesthetics

Vinyl siding may not look as natural as wood. It has overlapping seams and fake wood grains that try to copy the appearance of wood.

Fiber-cement siding has the beauty of real wood with the ability to be painted any color and not have the chipping and peeling of vinyl or wood. There are no overlapping seams to take away from the natural appearance it will lend to the home.

Weather Resistant

Fiber-cement cladding is a very durable product that can even withstand the most severe climates. It will not go brittle in the cold or be damaged by flying debris like the other type of cladding is known to do.
Thickness

The great amount of thickness that accompanies fiber-cement cladding adds to the products strength that provides impact resistance from wind or hail.

The finest vinyl siding is only 5/100th inch thick.

These are several things you need to consider when investing in the exterior of your home. In the long run, having fiber-cement siding is aesthetically and financially more sound than having vinyl siding which is an inferior product.

Mr. Oliver is a marketing agent of Blue Ridge Exteriors. The siding contractor provides James Hardie Siding throughout the Richmond Virginia area. For more information on their James Hardie Siding please visit their website.

Stress-Free Holidays Aren't Just a Dream

2009-10-02T00:44:00.001-07:00

Planning ahead is key to creating stress-free holidays filled with positive energy and endearing memories. People get so wrapped up in their daily lives with meetings, health issues, "must do lists," children's or grandchildren's activities that they totally lose track of time and the passage of the seasons. Now with political electioneering and financial doom and gloom in the 24/7 new cycle, stress has tripled when you start thinking about the holidays. Do you find yourself constantly running behind, frustrated, worried about finances and dreading the season instead of looking forward to every joy filled moment?

Begin now to create a memorable joyous holiday season this year. This doesn't mean you necessarily need to start the shopping and the food preparation today although even those projects should be on your long "to do" list by the first week of November. It's the short list you can and should take care of now so you can eliminate all negative energy producers that create a feeling of being overwhelmed and out-of-control. They prevent you from enjoying all the reasons you celebrate the holidays.

Clutter leads to Stress

In the world of Feng Shui, clutter is truly Enemy No. 1 because it creates chaos, leads to stress and prevents new energy from entering your life which brings with it hope for a better tomorrow and improved well-being. Every place you have "stuff" or clutter stashed, stagnant energy collects.

For example, if the clutter is in your health area, it will affect someone's well being in the family. If it is under your bed, once you remove it you will sleep better. If it is in the relationships area of you home, you will find a relationship (one or more) that seems to be slipping away or changing into something less than desirable.

Everything has energy and it either affects you positively or negatively. Therefore it is important to remove as much clutter as possible from your surroundings and eliminate the negative stagnant energy. The fresh new energy that replaces it brings prosperity and abundance which can be enjoyed by you and everyone in your household. This is what also allows you to enjoy a stress-free holidays.

Make Room for Holiday Joy to Enter

The place to begin to make room for holiday joy to enter is with the most common of negative or stagnant energy distracters, clutter. No matter how hard you try, clutter seems to collect everywhere.

In your house is the kitchen counter or table a constant drop-off area for "stuff." Keep a daily vigil to make sure it is cleared and clean at days end ready for the new day to begin. You will love the newly found energy you just created by eliminating that chaos.

Use the same philosophy for your closets. There is always laundry to be done, clothes to be folded or mended and items to be put aside for donating. Yet the closet can get away from you in an instant if you do not keep up with its daily maintenance. Pay special attention to the clothes in your closet because that is a part of your personal energy. The rule of thumb is if it doesn't fit, look great on you or make you feel like a million dollars, get rid of it. It is that simple. You are better off with several really good looking outfits than a whole closet filled with clothes that make you feel mediocre. If you do not feel great wearing an outfit, get rid of it - it is no longer providing you supportive positive energy.

What about purchasing new things and new clothes, where do you put them? A great rule to use as a guide is when something new comes in, something old goes out. Apply this rule to all purchases, even those wonderful new holiday decorations.

Magazines, newspapers, books and an endless barrage of junk mail seem to collect everywhere as stagnant energy. If you happen to be young parents, toys and children's clothing quickly become another clutter issue. Just what do you do with all those clothes and toys they so rapidly grow out of in their early years? Recycle them. Give them to friends, donate them or hold a neighborhood garage sale where everyone wins. Eliminating the chaos that comes with all this stuff puts you in-control while getting rid of the added stress.

Proceed through each room of the house uncluttering as you go. Get rid of stuff or donate it to charity so you can have fresh new energy enter your home while providing others a source of positive energy through the things that no longer serve you well.

Don't forget the Garage

The garage should also be high on the list of areas to unclutter (check attics and basements too). Somehow it is the first place "stuff" is stashed and the last place to be cleaned out. More often than not, it is also the last place you see when you leave your home and the first place you see upon your return. Is that the image you want to remember every time you leave or enter your home? A clean well organized garage provides you positive transitioning energy whether coming or going.

It really is this simple. Clutter and the chaos it brings leads to stress. By eliminating the clutter and chaos you eliminate the stress and have more positive energy surrounding you. You will also have more time to do those things that are really important such as shopping baking and planning a truly memorable holiday season you can thoroughly enjoy with your family and friends.

You don't have to just dream about having a stress-free holiday season. Take control of your surroundings and eliminate the clutter now and you will truly enjoy a stress free holiday season.

Pat Heydlauff, president of Energy Design, uses Feng Shui design principles to eliminate chaos and stress at home and within oneself. More than a Feng Shui expert, Pat is a consultant and speaker who helps remove clutter and negativity while encouraging personal growth, improved relationships and prosperity. Her forthcoming book, "Feng Shui: So Easy a Child Can Do It" shows how small changes can lead to a big improvement in one's personal and professional success. For information on her consulting, speaking and artwork, visit: http://www.Energy-by-Design.com

The Polar Express - What a Wonderful Story!

2009-10-01T19:29:00.001-07:00

This book is a wonderful classic that we share every Christmas Eve.

Before going off to bed, my children, husband and I snuggle together to listen to William Hurt narrate this story as I turn the pages. We purchased this book through the advice of a old friend and we loved it from the first time we heard the story. Through his advice we created a tradition that has stayed with us for the last 18yrs!

The story begins with a boy who boards a train to the North Pole. Upon his arrival, Santa pulls him out of a large crowd of children and elves to choose any gift he desires for his gift, "The first gift of Christmas!". The boy chooses not a toy, not an item of great expense, but instead he chooses a bell from a reindeers harness. He loves this bell! He places it safely in his pyjama pocket so as not to lose it.

When the train drops him off at his home he reaches into his pocket for the bell only to find that it had fallen through a hole in his pocket. He tries to yell out to the conductor to tell him that he lost the bell, but he cannot hear him over the noise of the steaming horn of train. Instead he yells back to the boy to wish him a Merry Christmas.

He goes off to bed disappointed that Christmas is ruined. The following morning he gets up with his family to open gifts. After all the gifts have been opened, his mother finds a small box under the tree addressed to her son. As he opens this gift with curiosity he finds the bell with a note from Santa telling him to fix the hole in his pocket. He and his sister are so excited to find this bell. They shake the bell to hear it's glorious sound. As his mother admires this bell, she cannot hear the ringing of the bell and comments, "That's too bad. It's broken"

Is the bell really broken or can its sound only be heard by those who have the true spirit of Christmas?

Maybe this story will find a place into your Christmas traditions for you and your family to share.

2007 Silvana Rosati-Capizzano

Silvana is a well respected Interior Decorator, International Feng Shui Expert and the Principal of the Award Winning Home & Life Design Firm: Blue Avalon. Along with her years of study in Home Decor and Feng Shui, she has the unique ability of being able create luxurious interiors with balance and optimum energy flow thus creating a beautiful environment of positive energy, balance and harmony. Silvana is also a well respected Holistic Therapist practising as a Reiki Master and Certified in Reflexology. She offers also Indian Head Massage and Hopi Ear Coning at the Dove Spa, Canada. She has devoted her life in the work of Universal Life Force and Energy through Feng Shui and Holistic Therapy to bring positive results in our environment, body, mind and spirit.

Blue Avalon specializes in Interior Decorating, Feng Shui and Abundant Living. Blue Avalon is the publisher of The Blue Avalon Journal; a monthly e-zine packed with ideas, tips and insider secrets! To subscribe, log onto our website today at http://www.blueavalon.com and you will receive a bonus book, The Number One Feng Shui Secret That Will Transform Your Life!

Blue Avalon - "Harmony for your home...Balance for your life http://www.blueavalon.com

Activities Grandparents Can Do With Kids

2009-10-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

Time spent with grandparents is special for kids. There is something about the role that a grandparent plays in a child's life that just cannot be duplicated anywhere else. Time together can mean anything. There are all sorts of fantastic activities that are sure to be a good time and make some meaningful memories. Don't sit around the house when you've got your grandkids. Get out and do something you will both remember for years to come.

Go to the zoo. This is the kind of experience that never gets old. All children love to look at the animals and learn more about them. Take a trip to your local zoo. It gives you a great opportunity to get some fresh air and spend time with your grandkids while admiring wildlife you would only otherwise see on television. There is something about seeing those animals in real life that can't be beat. Just watch the wonder and joy it brings to your grandchild's face.

Take a lot of pictures. No matter what it is that you're doing when you spend time with your grandchildren, pictures are a must. It's the best way to capture and cherish memories indefinitely. Photos remain for a very long time when well cared for. Have some fun and get camera happy. It's also a nice idea for creating the ultimate personal Christmas card. Pictures can be used for fun crafts too like scrapbooks or in home made picture frames.

Go out to a movie or do some shopping together. Taking the kids out is a great way to give their parents a well deserved break. But that doesn't mean you have to sit around. Go to the park for a nature walk or see the latest movie the kids have been waiting for. You might just fun that these activities do wonders for helping you to stay young at heart.

We can all relate to times when we learned something valuable from our grandparents. They lived through times that most of us can only imagine. Take the grandkids out to a historical museum where you may have personal experience with the content inside. It's a great way to introduce them to a world they would otherwise never know. Take the opportunity to leave them with something significant, a learning lesson that came straight from someone who lived it.

Play games with your grandchildren, even video games on occasion. The best thing about it is getting on their level and being part of what they enjoy. It also will be great fun for them to have you play. Watching Grandma play Guitar Hero is something many of their friends can't claim. They will be delighted to see something so unexpected.

Let yourself feel like a kid again and try something that you would normally not do. You may be pleasantly surprised by how much fun you have. Grandchildren have a way of keeping you young and high spirited. Embrace their world and have a good time doing so.

Find helpful and creative ideas for parents and grandparents while you shop our great selection of kids furniture (including our popular safe toy boxes) and classic toys. Visit http://www.TheMagicalRockingHorse.com today!

Wall Spacing For Home Building

2009-10-01T11:57:00.001-07:00

Remodeling and building homes over the years I have seen all sorts of stud spacing measurements in bearing and non-bearing walls.

How far should we space a framing stud in a bearing wall?

Most plans will give you this information. If you have a structural shear wall the plans will tell you what size of lumber to use at the plywood breaks. The normal spacing on a bearing wall will be 16 inches on center unless otherwise noted on the building plans. This is the most common spacing for studs in a wall.

How far can we space framing studs in a nonbearing wall?

I have seen studs spaced as far as 24 inches on center in a nonbearing wall. Over the years looking at the building code books I have found this to be acceptable for most framing applications. Do not confuse a nonbearing walls with a structural shear walls because there is no weight sitting on the shear wall.

Interior structural shear walls will require 16 inch on center spacing or less depending on the structural engineer and your local building department.

What are the disadvantages of spacing the studs 24 inches on center?

Using half-inch drywall with 24 inch on center stud spacing can give the wall a week or spongy feel. I have been in houses that have 24 inch on center's stud spacing and can actually push the wall and see it move. Using 5/8 drywall will solve this problem in your walls.

What are the advantages of spacing the studs 24 inches on center?

The only advantage in spacing the studs farther apart is the fact you will be able to save a few dollars on the overall cost of building or remodeling your house. I personally do not recommend this process because the savings is miniscule compared to the overall cost of building the entire house.

If you look on a measuring tape between 19 and 20 inches you will usually find a little diamond. This little diamond is another measurement for laying out eight-foot walls or floors. So instead of using 16 inch on center layout you can use 19 1/4 for stud spacing. This will save you an additional stud in your wall or floor joist every 8 feet.

I have been writing more articles on home construction problems trying to help contractors and homeowners build safer stronger houses.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as

well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes in San Marcos Home Building

Cotton Candy

2009-10-01T09:26:00.001-07:00

This delicious dessert made of sugar and food coloring was first introduced during St. Louis World fair, in 1904 by William Morrison and John C. Wharton. It's also known as fairy floss. Unlike the olden days, today there are improved and better machines used in making candy cotton. Generally this machines are made up of a small ball in the middle where sugar is poured and food color added. This mixture is then melted through heating, after a few steps of spinning it's solidified and ready.

Traditionally, candy cotton is pink in color. However, it's also available in other colors such as orange,white, yellow, blue or purple. Carnivals,amusement parka or circus are some of the places where we can easily get it. Have you ever watched it when it's being made? If you've, then you'll agree with me its quite interesting. Actually what's funny, its as big as an adult head in the first stages when making it.

I know you don't buy that story of how it can cause cavity in your teeth, well am not saying your folks are wrong but it's not as bad as some make it look. Did you know that there 130-170 calories in a can of soft drink compared to only 100 calories in candy? Well, you do the math. The most important thing is to take care of your teeth.

Generally, most of us think that cotton candy is only for children. To be honest, if you enquire from your grand parents, you would be surprised when they first tasted it's sweet taste. They might even wonder around in their mind just reminiscing of the good old days.

Peter Gitundu Researches and Reports on Candy. For More Information on Candy Cotton, Visit His Site at CANDY COTTON You Can Also Add Your Views About Candy Cotton At My Blog here CANDY COTTON

Subfloor Damage From Poor Bathtub Installation - Read Bath Tub Fixture Manuals

2009-09-30T07:42:00.001-07:00

Find More Facts On Home Water Damage.

Check out These Amazing Home Damage Videos.

Five Things That a Termite Inspection Company Might Not Ever Say

2009-09-30T01:19:00.001-07:00

I don't think that I've ever heard of a termite inspector, ever go to a home and not find any termites. Even if the home doesn't have any damage that is visible from the termites, it seems like it's always a good idea, to tent the home, just in case, for protection. Anyway, here's five things that you might not ever hear a termite inspector ever say.

1. Your house is free of termites. This means that there isn't, one termite on your property and the termite inspector isn't going to make any money. Let's face it, termite damage, whether it's visible or invisible, keeps these guys working.

2. Your house isn't going to fall down, if I don't do anything to stop the termites. I have seen homes, where termites have been working on them for quite some time and they still seem to stand up and function properly.

3. Termites don't eat much and I wouldn't worry about the damage. Most termite inspectors will tell you how much a termite in Hawaii or Africa will eat in a day, but doesn't seem to have an honest idea, how much damage they are doing to your home, if they can't actually see it.

4. Every one that works for our company, has at least 30 years experience, repairing any termite damage. Don't even get me started with this one.

5. We will replace all of the termite damage wood, back to its original condition. What they might say, is that they will replace the wood that is damaged by termites, that you can actually see.

There are plenty of great termite companies out there and this article was meant just to have fun with most of them. Termite damage can be a serious problem with some homes and I would suggest that you contact at least three termite inspectors, before proceeding ahead with any home repairs or use of chemicals.

Try not to forget, the only way that a termite inspection company will make any money, looking at your house, will be to find something wrong with it.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Easy Home Repair Tips . Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link San Diego Remodeling Contractors

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What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call

2009-09-29T19:04:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

Plumbing Problems and Solutions - Repair Manuals

2009-09-29T12:31:00.001-07:00

If you've owned a home for over 20 years, there's a very good chance, that you've had a water pipe break, a drainpipe clogged, a toilet that wouldn't flush right, or a water leak that damaged part of the home. If you don't know, what you're looking for and you have no idea what damage can be done, over time, this could mean trouble for the homeowner.

Plumbing problems like these have been around and will be around for many years. Knowing what to do about them, how to repair them and what materials will be needed, can be found in plumbing repair manuals for books. How would you like to have a professional plumber to advise you on your plumbing repairs. What if I told you that you could have a plumbing professional on hand at all times. Is this something that you might be interested in.

Well I can't guarantee that, so let's forget about what I just said and go to the next best thing. Plumbing repair manuals are full of tips and advice that when needed can sometimes be priceless. If water is leaking from the ceiling in your home and you have no idea, where the water is coming from or how to stop it from leaking, any information could be priceless and I mean priceless.

Plumbers, usually charge over $100 an hour for emergency service. I've seen plumbers come to peoples homes, turn the water off to the house, stop the water from leaking and now it is no longer an emergency. The plumber quickly pulls out an invoice for the plumbing repairs and it could be over $1000, if you decide that this is ridiculous and choose not to pay it, the plumber can hand you a bill for stopping the water leak. Some of these bills are what I would consider quite ridiculous, for just shutting the water off.

You're not paying the plumber for the amount of time it took him, you're paying him for his knowledge. If you knew where to shut the water off, you wouldn't have an emergency situation and could contact a plumber during normal hours. This could save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

With a simple home repair manual or a home plumbing book, you could prepare yourself for a situation like this and other plumbing problems. Most home repair manuals have general solutions and advice and can solve most of the problems around your home. If they can't solve all of the problems, they can probably save you from major catastrophes like a water leak.

Most of the time it's not the water leak that will cost the most money, it's the damage the water will do to your furniture, carpeting, wood flooring, walls or ceilings. A little information and preparation can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Home Plumbing Books

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

Basic Home Electrical Wiring - For the Do it Yourself Home Electrician

2009-09-29T05:59:00.001-07:00

It doesn't get any more basic than that. I hope this gives you a better understanding about your home's electrical system.

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

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Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

2009-09-28T23:34:00.001-07:00

Click here if you are looking for some more Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

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How to Protect Foundation Plumbing Pipes?

2009-09-28T17:21:00.001-07:00

If you install any underground plumbing pipes, in your concrete building foundation, you will need to protect them, from the concrete. You can use a variety of products and the most common of them will be a Styrofoam wrapping that can be purchased at most plumbing supply stores.

Let's start with the waste pipes, that are made out of plastic. The concrete could actually start to put pressure on the plastic pipes as the concrete starts to expand and this pressure could actually damage your new waste pipes.

You don't need to wrap all of the plastic waste pipes, only the parts of the waste pipes that will be exposed or in direct contact any concrete, but you do need to protect every copper water supply line that will be buried under the ground or exposed to the concrete, with a plastic sleeve. These products can be purchased again at most building supply or plumbing supply stores.

If these pipes aren't protected properly, you could find yourself within a short time, repairing the pipes that are either inside of your concrete foundation or buried underneath your concrete foundation. Either way, this isn't going to be a good thing.

You definitely need to wrap a plastic sleeve around the water supply pipes that are going to be buried or in direct contact with the concrete. This is a must and most building departments will require your plumbing pipes to be wrapped, before it they will sign off on your rough foundation plumbing inspection.

However, for the waste pipes, you can actually use cardboard to protect them. If you're short on funds, why not grab some cardboard boxes, dismantle them and start using cardboard to wrap the pipes, with a little duct tape.

There are plenty of ways to save money in the construction business, buy a few books, read a couple of articles, with a lot of pictures in this can provide you with lots of construction information, from experience building contractors.

Check out some of the best selling Home Building Plumbing Books all on one website

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repairs. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

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10 Things a Homeowner Won't Tell a Contractor - Common Courtesy

2009-09-28T10:26:00.001-07:00