Remodeling Your Garage

Ever thought of improving your garage or remodel it to add more
space to your house? A very cost-effective way to gain more space
for your house is to remodel your garage. If you no longer use your
garage to park your car, you can greatly expand your homes living
space. Apart for that, remodeling your garage can help you become
more organized and stop storing everything in your garage.

Garage has been traditionally been used as workshop or to park your car
as it provide a perfect environment to work. Many people are converting
their garage to used for a gym or for another living room designed for
special activities. However, remodeling your garage does not necessarily
mean that you have to sacrifice your storage space or your parking area.
Garages today have become multi functional, allowing cars, general storage,
a workshop and even a home office all in the same place.

Because many garages are attached to the home they can benefit
from the same comfort as a home: phone wires, heating and
cooling and plumbing. All you need is a little imagination, a fixed
budget and a plan.

Moreover, when remodeling your garage you should consider an
addition above the garage. Adding a room for work space and even
for living, for one of your kids(they usually love this) above the
existing garage can give you additional space and also increase the
value of your home without major changes to the floor plan.

If you feel the need to remodel your garage but you dont know
exactly what you want or need, you should consider the following
ideas.

1. Converting your garage into a laundry room, if you have your
laundry room in the basement, will eliminate the need to go up and
down the stairs.

2. A music studio can be a great choice for your garage remodeling
plans if you or your kids have some tendencies in this direction.
The garage is the place where many garage bands got their start.
To avoid your neighbors complaints consider soundproofing your
garage walls.

3. Transform your garage into a gym. If you do not have enough place to
store your equipment, you can always move it into the garage and have
plenty of place for your daily exercises and training.

Before you decide to remodel your garage, first consider your budget
and determine how much you can allocate to spend on your garage.
If you are converting your garage to a living area, you need to consider
adding additional phone lines, electrical wires, heating, cooling, and
plumbing,.

However if you prefer your garage to remain your workshop, you could
consider the following things that need to change or improve.

1. Storage cabinets

2. Workbench

3. Drywall

4. Flooring

5. Plumbing

6. Electrical

7. Heating/Air/Ventilation

8. Countertops

9. Ceilings

10. Interior walls

11. Interior/Exterior doors

12. Laundry/Mud room

13. Bathroom

Discover the insider secret to a successful home improvement at http://www.perfecthomeguide.net

What To Do If Your Home Floods

House Pocket Door Problems

Just a few months ago I went over to repair a pocket door that was closing at a weird angle. This was the first time I had ran into this sort of situation and was definitely confused. I got a flashlight and started looking inside the pocket door frame. I had a hard time finding the problem but when I did it was obvious.

As the pocket door was sliding closed it would work perfectly but when you went to open it the bottom of the door would stick out about an inch and a half passed the door jam. The problem turned out to be the track was missing a screw in the very back and as the door slid back into the frame the tracking would hang down at an angle from the weight of the door. There was no way to reach the screw because it was at that very back of the pocket door frame near the framing itself.

In order to fix the pocket door problem I was going to have to remove a good sized area of the plastered wall at the upper right hand corner of the pocket door frame. This was the only thing I could think of and would require a simple wall patch and some paint to make the repair complete.

This job took me about one hour to cut the hole and replaced the screw that had fallen out of the pocket door tracking. I then use some fast setting drywall plaster and some fiberglass drywall tape to repair the wall. This took another hour to finish the drywall properly.

Some pocket door problems are a little easier to repair than this one. Most pocket doors seemed to have problems sliding and eventually are left closed, never to be used again.

Painting the doors over and over again can actually add to the thickness of the door or excessive moisture in the home over long periods of time can also cause the door to swell preventing it from opening properly.

Painting the rollers themselves or the track that the rollers ride in can create a problem with rolling the door easily and effortlessly. If the pocket door rollers or tracking is damaged they will have to be repaired or replaced, obviously. Some people actually spray silicon on the rollers or grease the pocket door wheels and over time the track becomes caked with dried grease and dirt making the door hard to open and close

Here's one most people don't ever think about and yet I have faced this problem more than once. "The Dreaded Picture Hanger". Most people don't realize that the pocket door will not operate very well with a nail driven through it. I have had people complain about their pocket door not operating properly but they can wiggle it a little.

When I come upon a situation like this it usually just requires removing the nail that the picture is hung upon.

I have also seen instances where the home has been remodeled and new floor trim or door trim has been installed. The finish carpenter using his nail gun without changing to a shorter nail has himself nailed the pocket door shut. This could be a big problem because the nails are so thin they could be hard to remove.

Well that's all I can think of for pocket door problems that I have ran into for now. Until the next article have fun remodeling your home.

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

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Vista Door Repairs

Extreme Temperature Building

Add Value to Your Home - Home Tips

Basement bathrooms are possible, but be prepared for a sizable project.

Basement bathrooms can be installed in the same manner as any other bathroom with a few wrinkles. Since there are no windows, although an exhaust fan is usually a good idea to handle the moisture and special arrangement may be needed if your basement bathroom is below the level of the utility lines.

Basement bathrooms can be a real pain in the neck without the proper insulation. Let's just say that the toilets can get really cold! Basement bathrooms are possible, but be prepared for a sizable project. Basement bathrooms tend to be large, busy places with a dozen or more stalls and no place for your partner to hide. Bathrooms on upper floors tend to have less traffic. Basement bathrooms can be a real source of mold and mildew buildup. Clean the bathroom regularly and properly ventilate the room so the moisture doesn't have a chance to collect.

Suspended tile basement ceilings are easier to install, surprisingly cost-effective, and their removable tiles allow continued access to HVAC ducts, plumbing and wiring. Easy access to these important systems in your basement ceiling will be important over the years. A suspended ceiling is another option, especially if you need access to shut offs such as gas and water valves and if you can install this under pipes and have your 763 finish height.

A bathroom wall that won't encourage mold and mildew, or be damaged by condensation, is hard. Because concrete in contact with the ground is always cool, it can become a condensing surface for water vapor in the warm air escaping from a finished basement bathroom.

Installing tiles is a long, tedious, and involved project. After installation, they will need to sit for at least two days without being used in order to seal correctly on to the floor. Installing a basement bathroom is a great idea, and it pays back for itself by 80% or more when the home is sold.

DiCicco Building Company has been a Macomb Township Home Remodeling Contractor for over 20 years. We are also leaders in Bathroom Remodeling along with being an award winning custom residential home builder. We also specialize in Finished Basements and home additions.

Hole In Shingle Siding

11 Tips For Hiring Landscape Contractors

This article will list the biggest mistakes homeowners make when hiring a landscape contractor and also show you how to avoid them.

These useful FREE landscaping tips can help homeowner avoid costly mistakes and will save money when hiring a landscape contractor.

Here are 11 costly pitfalls and how you can identify them, and more importantly, avoid them:

1. Hire only licensed landscape contractors. Look for the following license:
   • Landscape Contractors (C-27)
   • Swimming Pool Contractor (C-53)
   • General Building Contractor (B)
2. Check the contractor's license number by calling the Contractors State License Board (800) 321-2752 or and California Landscape Contractors Association to make sure their license and liability insurance are current. Also check out their website if they have one.
3. Get at least three references from your prospect contractor and review past work and visit several sites if possible.
4. Get at least three bids. You can do this on your own by going on-line to research contractors in your area or use our recommended contractors. (If you hired a landscape designer , you should already have a set of landscape concept design plan for biding).
5. Get a written contract from the contractor and do not sign anything until you completely understand the terms. Ask questions if something is not clear.
6. Pay 10% down or $1,000, whichever is less. This is an industry standard for a contract.
7. Keep all records of payments to avoid any issues with respect to payments.
8. Don't pay cash as cash payments have a way of disappearing from the books.
9. Don't make final payment until you are satisfied with the job because it will be very hard to get the contractor to come back and fix something once they have gotten paid.
10. Keep all documents and papers relating to your project, including any project changes and amendments. Just remember, if it is not in writing then it does not exist.
11. When in doubt, hire only a licensed professional contractor who is current with landscape industry. A professional landscape contractor's primarily focus should be a client's interest first and foremost.

Do your homework before making any decisions. Not all the contractors have the same specialty and skills. Your desired style should match the contractor's ability/skills to get the most benefit.

Roxanne (Roxy) Kim-Perez is a professional landscape designer providing landscape design service in and around San Diego. Her design firm http://www.forget-me-notlandscapedesign.com is a landscape design company that specializes in modern residential landscape designs with emphasis on energy efficient, low maintenance, sustainable and comfortable designs for Southern California home owners.

Internet Marketing Secret - The Shocking Truth!

Would you be absolutely shocked if I shared a secret about internet
marketing with you?

Would you take the information and use it to your
advantage...or...would you simply think that I must be some guy just
trying to sell another highly successful program of my own...designed
to drive highly motivated targeted traffic to your website?

Possibly you might think that my intention in writing this message
might be to try to convince, coerce, manipulate or simply SELL you
something, right?

Well, if you think that is the case, then you don't know me...and you
don't know what I stand for. Hey, I am just an average guy, ok. I know
how to successfully promote people's website on the internet. I know
how to build a highly search engine friendly website that will get to
the top of search engines by the process of organic positioning.

You know what? Its really is no secret at all, but most people can't
see the forest for the trees on the internet. They think that they need
to program that will automatically fulfill their wildest dreams and
make them rich...and they payout great deals of money to get these so
called internet marketing masterpieces...and most of the time...they
fall pitifully short of the mark in terms of actually making money
online.

I work with a large amount of people online. They are great people...I
think the folks online are among some of the nicest and most
intelligent people I have had the pleasure to meet. But nearly all have
the same problem. They believe that they must buy something to become
successful!

You know what? You don't have to buy anything at all to become
successful on the internet. You can save all your money to buy
inconsequential things like groceries, gas, mortgage payments and such.
Now, having said that...I am going to tell you exactly what to do to
drive highly motivated targeted traffic to your website.

So...take a notepad document in hand and be prepared for a lengthy
dissertation about how the internet works.

All you have to do to have success on the net...to get people to look
at your opportunities...to make sales of your product...is just one
thing.

An article a day...sends motivated-targeted individuals your way.

After all, you are taking the time to read this, right? If you only
knew the ultimate promoting power that you have in front of you right
now...if you only knew that the ezine article you are reading at this
moment in time will pop to the top of the the keyword category you
choose...if you only knew that writing is all you need on the net...if
you only knew that this powerful tool called EzineArticles is
available for FREE...you would become successful on the internet.

So...the ultimate question is...will you take the advice?

Or...

Had you rather spend thousands of dollars for software?

The ultimate choice is yours...make the move...or do things the way
everyone else does...and have no success!

Butch Hamilton is an SEO|SEM Specialist. Living on the internet has become a way of life...a succesful way of life. His talents for obtaining top positions on the search engines have led him to the point in his life where he has always wanted to be.

"Life-What a Ride!"

Says Mr. Hamilton, "Writing has always been my passion. Gone are the days when I placed blatant ads on the internet for exposure. I have found my life's work in writing articles.

Reliable and credible information is what the internet is all about to Butch Hamilton. His experience as a self employed building contractor...steel fabrication...has led him on an incredible journey.

He now resides in his beautiful home in Texas with his wife. Writing is the passion behind his successful promoting ability on the net.

Butch Hamilton's Quote: "What we think-is what we become."

http://ButchHamilton.com

http://butchhamiltonsbestdomains.com

http://butchhamiltons-search-engine-optimization-services.com/Ghostwriting_Services.html

View of the Economy From Below

This is just my view of the economy as someone who tries to live within our means. Our retirement funds are down about 30%, gas and medical expenses are up over 40% and our net worth is about what it was about 4 years ago. Yet I feel that we are doing quite well, we live in a 40 year old ranch that is very comfortable. We have moved down stairs to the mother-in-law apartment and our parents in their 90's have main floor bed room, den and master bath.

The company that I retired from has dropped our live insurance, dental insurance and started phasing out the health insurance starting in 09. On the flip side, our daughter is married and they are doing well, my retirement is available after my death, so the insurance is not so critical. The dental insurance did not pay for that much anyway so I doubt that we will miss it. As for the health insurance, for now our increase in social security is covering the added premium for 2009.

A year ago I was asked to return to work part time for someone I work with years ago so the added income has helped. We are completely out of debt and pay all the credit card bills off each month. I have started a savings account for a replacement auto due in about four years.

So all things considered in this time of tough economy I believe that we are weathering the storm just fine.

Housing crunch;

For years we have watched the building boom around us and wondered where these people were getting all the money to buy these huge houses. Not only could we not afford one but did not want to live in such a big house knowing how much cleaning and up-keep was involved. We instead opted for a small log cabin along a river in north Georgia.

A friend of ours who was a building contractor in the 80's told me that the only way to make money as a contractor was to build the biggest houses that the market would handle. At the same time congress and other groups were pressuring loan companies to lower the qualifications for home buyers to the point that they could not afford to pay for them.

I experienced this first hand when I sold a rental house in 2007 just as the housing crunch was starting and had already hit in Florida. The buyers had no problem getting a zero down loan and even increased the purchase price and loan for cash to furnish it. I just could not believe what I was seeing. Now I wonder if they have let it go back to the lender. We need smaller homes and time for the need for large homes to catch up with the surplus.

Jobs;

Skilled labor is still in demand. Work is always available for someone who is willing to work hard and has the necessary skills. My son-in-law is always looking for good people to work in his company that he can count on to still be on the job after several years. I recently referred a friend's brother to him for work. He delayed hiring him until he could pass the drug test and was doing well until he decided to move out of state. My son-in-law took the loss in stride stating that it usually takes over a year before a new hire starts to show a profit for the company. People have been taught by our society that it is OK to treat others with disregard and than only of them self. Employers are viewed as evil and trying to take advantage of the workers instead of someone who looks after and provides income for others. Is in now wonder companies take the jobs to areas where they are appreciated.

Retirement;

Some are starting to save now for retirement and all you hear on the news is that we are not spending enough. The government is now throwing money at banks in an effort to encourage more loans instead of saving. We all know that the social security will not be enough to retire on by itself, yet we are not saving to meet the upcoming need. I have another friend who has not even paid the minimum into the social security system to qualify, works odd jobs with no benefits and is not even thinking about the future. We truly live for the now and not the future.

Where will it all end;

The government is heading toward paying all of our debts, covering all of our medical cost, bailing out all the failing companies with high wages and poor products. The feeling is now that we should not worry as the government will take care of us.

As far as the economy is concerned, for those of us who have lived within our means and not over extended our finances, we should come out of this just fine. But the nation overall will remain in trouble and drift toward a more social state, with inflation hurting us all until we wake up and work our way out of these troubled times.

For a complete viewing of my articles with photos please visit my article web page at: http://hubertcrowell.name/

Log Homes - What's Different About Log Homes?

Newcomers to the world of log homes will notice that log homes look different than conventional "stick-built" homes. But are log homes really different, other than in appearance? If so, how?

Let's take a look at some of the ways in which log homes differ from conventional homes.

Log Walls - This is the main difference. Instead of walls constructed of 2x4 or 2x6 framing lumber, packed with insulation, covered on the outside with with sheathing, moisture barrier, and siding, and on the inside with sheetrock and paint, log homes simply have solid log walls. The logs act as their own thermal and weather barrier, as well as being the primary load-bearing structure in the house.

Style - Although log homes can be built in practically any style, most log home owners prefer the traditional "cabin" or "lodge" style. This style is often distinguished by such features as wood flooring, wood interior, stone fireplace and chimney, porch, loft, rustic staircase, open floorplan, raised-seam metal roof, cathedral ceilings, and exposed interior beams.

Maintenance - Conventional home exteriors typically need to be washed, repaired, and painted every few years. Log homes are similar except that, instead of paint, they require a preservative stain combined with a treatment to prevent insect damage. As with any home, log walls must be protected from excessive moisture.

Utilities - Since many log homes are built in rural or mountain locations, some standard utility services may not available. Often, log homes use propane gas, water wells/pumps, and septic waste systems.

Cost - Log homes typically cost 10%-30% more than a similar conventionally-built "spec" home primarily because most log homes are custom-built with unique features. However, there are many ways in which costs can be eliminated or reduced.

Financing - Construction loans for log homes are usually different that those for conventional homes, primarily because log home "kit" providers want to be paid up front, and getting comparable appraisals can be somewhat difficult. Therefore, some banks and mortgage companies don't like to finance log homes. This may mean a little more legwork to find a cooperative bank or a mortgage company that specializes in log home loans.

Al Hearn is owner and operator of http://www.LogHomeAdvisor.com, a web site for log home enthusiasts that provides information and advice about planning and building log homes.