Rumah

Rumah Tool and Materials

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:03:00 +0000

Tools have their own integrity.
Integrity: Kind of an old-fashioned word. Our tool buying advice is kind of old fashioned, too. Buy the best quality tools you can afford and take good care of them.

Tools aren't disposable. They won't become obsolete. A well balanced hammer will last for decades, so will good wrenches and pliers. There's a certain pleasure in using and caring for good tools, too. Each becomes something like a dependable friend, something you can count on.

Start small, with only the necessities. Buy more as you learn what you truly need and what qualities are important to you.

Whit this chapter you'll:
1. Find out what tools to buy to maintain your home, without taking out a second mortgage to pay for them.
2. Know what hardware and fasteners to keep on hand for common householder repairs.

3. Learn how to mix your own cleaning supplies to save money and the planet.

General Repair.
Tool lust. Almost every homeowner develops at least a mild case just about the time they discover how much easier it is to do a job with the right tool. It's easy to give in to the urge to splurge, but it's not necessary. For general repairs, you need good, durable versions of the basics and a few specialty tools for plumbing, electrical and HVAC repairs. How much your tool kit expands after that is limited only by how much money and storage space you have to spare.

Basic tools.
Claw hammer: drives nails. Also removes nails and pries thins apart.

Screwdriver: drives and removes screws. Buy an assortment of sizes, including both slotted, which have flat tips, and Philips, which are cross shaped.

Utility knife: cuts everything from cardboard to carpet. Choose one with a comfortable, easy to hold handle and a sturdy mechanism to extend and retract the replaceable blades.

Tape measure: measures anything. The metal tape and the mechanism should be sturdy enough to stand up to being used hundreds of times, and the hook at the end of the tape hold be straight and true - a crooked hook can skew the result enough to ruin a measurement.

Aviation snips: cuts lightweight metal, such as flashing and wire.
quick clamps: hold pieces together when you need an extra hand; compress joints while gluing.

Stud finder: senses framing studs within walls. Some models also indicate the presence of wiring and other obstructions beneath the surface.

Adjustable wrench: tightens and loosens nuts and bolts; adjusts to a wide range of sizes.

Flashlight: illuminates dark corners and helps you find the service panel if the power goes out.

Pliers: grip objects tightly and give you extra torque as you turn, pull or squeeze. Pliers with locking grips are especially helpful when you need an extra hand.

Carpenter's level: indicates true horizontal (level) and vertical (plumb) planes. A level helps you get it straight when you hang pictures, shelves, window treatments, and much more. Traditional levels use bubbles that float in small tubes; laser levels shoot out beams of light as reference points.

Caulk gun: compresses caulk tubes to deliver beads of caulks.

Palm sander; quickly sands flat surfaces.

Cordless drill and bit set: drill holes in walls, wood, metal and plastic: drives and removes screws; with attachments can be used to buff and polish. Choose a variable speed, reversing drill with a keyless chuck. Get an extra battery so you always have a spare charged and ready to go, or invest in a quick charger that will put you back in business in minutes.

Jig saw: cuts plywood and other wood. Especially useful for making cutouts.

Solusi Mengatasi WC Mampet

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 02:25:00 +0000

oleh: Ir. Boy DS. Tambusai

Musim penghujan mulai tiba, dan beberapa email yang masuk meminta Pak Boy membahas hal-hal yang mungkin terjadi disaat musim hujan. Ada banyak usul dari para pembaca agar yang dibahas ini dan itu. Sebelumnya Pak Boy mengucapkan terima kasih atas masukannya. Dan dari sekian masukan yang masuk, mungkin yang pertama kali kita bahas adalah cara mengatasi WC mampet. Hal ini penting karena biasanya, dimusim hujan, WC selalu mampet. Nah, untuk itu sebaiknya kita membahas yang ini dulu.

WC (Water Closet) alias toilet yang di Inggris sana lebih dikenal dengan istilah "lavatory" atau "loo" dan di Amerika "restroom" dan "bilik air" atau "tandas" di Malaysia alias "kamar kecil" atau "kakus" di Indonesia, merupakan bagian penting yang harus ada saat membangun rumah. Namun keberadaannya seringkali terabaikan disaat rumah tersebut sudah dihuni dan digunakan. Perlakuan semena-mena terhadap WC dan komponennya seperti lubang WC, pipa pembuangan dan septic tank, akan membuat umur WC dan komponennya pendek. Hal ini biasanya diawali dengan seringnya WC mampet dimana kotoran yang sudah disiram, beberapa saat kemudian balik lagi. Belum lagi bau kamar mandi dan ruang WC yang akhir-akhir ini kurang sedap. Padahal sudah diberi pengharum ruangan, tapi kalah harum sama bau yang lain.

Cari Sumber Permasalahannya

Banyak faktor yang sering menjadi penyebab WC mampet. Ada faktor teknis dan faktor non teknis. Biasanya penyebab awal WC mampet adalah faktor non teknis alias faktor salah penggunaan atau pemakaian.
Parah tidaknya faktor non teknis ini akan menentukan kondisi faktor teknis dan cara penanggulangannya kemudian. Faktor teknis itu sendiri biasanya bersumber pada dua hal yakni pipa saluran pembuangan dan septic tank. Untuk itu, langkah pertama yang harus Anda lakukan adalah mencari sumber permasalahannya pada kedua komponen ini.

Periksa Kondisi Septic Tank

Bila WC Anda mampet, cobalah periksa kondisi septic tank. Biasanya septic tank ditempatkan di belakang rumah atau di samping depan rumah. Siapkan senter dan bukalah pintu septic tank yang ada di bagian atasnya. Septic tank yang sudah lama tidak dikontrol biasanya pintunya susah dibuka. Anda bisa mengetoknya pelan-pelan dengan palu atau menggoyang-goyangnya agar sedikit demi sedikit bisa bergerak. Bila ada rumput atau tanaman liar yang tumbuh di sela pinggir pintu septic tank, cobalah cabut. Akar rumput yang menempel akan membuat pintu septic tank rapat dan susah dibuka. Kerok juga sela pinggirnya dengan pisau untuk mengeluarkan tanah yang tersisa agar pintu septic tank semakin mudah dibuka.

Bila pintu sudah terbuka, lihatlah kondisi dalam septic tank dengan senter. Bila isi septic tank penuh melebihi level lubang pembuangan, mungkin itu penyebabnya. Anda bisa memanggil mobil tinja untuk menyedotnya. Atau bila Anda ingin berkeringat sedikit untuk memanfaatkan lumpur dalam septic tank sebagai pupuk, Anda tinggal mengeroknya. Gunakanlah ember atau timba kecil yang muat bila dimasukkan melalui pintu septic tank. Ikatkan ember kecil tadi dengan tali. Lumpur septic tank pun bisa Anda pindahkan seember demi seember ke tiap tanaman bunga yang ada di halaman rumah Anda . Badan berkeringat, bunga di halaman subur dan septic tank pun terkuras.

Bersihkan Saluran Pipa Pembuangan

Namun bila Anda melihat kondisi septic tank tidak penuh dan level air lumpur dalam septic tank jauh berada di bawah mulut pipa pembuangan, itu artinya tidak ada masalah pada septic tank Anda. Dugaan terbesar masalahnya ada pada saluran pipa pembuangan. Pipa pembuangan WC yang "bermuara" ke lubang septic tank bisa jadi tersumbat. Yang jelas penyebabnya adalah faktor non teknis alias salah penggunaan sebagaimana yang telah disinggung di atas tadi. Ini bisa berupa kelalaian penghuni rumah yang sering membuang sampah ke dalam lubang WC. Sampah yang tidak bisa terdaur ulang seperti pembalut wanita, tissue, bungkus sabun, kantong plastik kresek dan semisal dengannya sangat mudah tersangkut dalam pipa pembuangan. Apalagi bila jarak pipa pembuangan menuju septic tank itu sangat jauh dan berkelok-kelok. Kemungkinan sampah jadi tersangkut makin besar.

Untuk mengatasi hal ini, ada tips sederhana yang bisa Anda lakukan, khususnya bila pintu septic tank Anda cukup besar dan jarak antara saluran pipa septic tank ke WC tidak terlalu jauh serta lurus. Siapkan kawat jemuran atau kawat aluminium yang bisa dibeli di toko bangunan.

Perkirakan panjang kawat tersebut minimal sama dengan panjang saluran pipa pembuangan. Ikat ujung kawat dengan segumpal kain bekas yang sudah dililit sebesar kepalan tinju atau lebih kecil dari diameter pipa. Berlahan masukkan ujung kawat tadi melalui lubang pipa yang ada di dalam septic tank. Masukkan kawat tadi maju-mundur sampai jauh ke dalam. Cara ini efektif membuat sampah yang tersangkut terlepas, sekaligus membersihkan permukaan pipa dari lemak dan kotoran yang menempel.

Bila telah selesai, langkah terakhir adalah mengguyur pipa pembuangan tersebut dengan air panas. Rebuslah air panas lebih kurang satu ember atau kira-kira secukupnya. Sumbat ujung lubang pipa pembuangan yang ada di septic tank terlebih dahulu dengan kain. Lalu masukkan air panas mendidih tadi semuanya melalui lubang toilet. Biarkan beberapa lama. Air panas yang memenuhi saluran dalam pipa pembuangan akan menggelontorkan berbagai kotoran dan lemak yang menempel.

Membongkar dan Mengganti Pipa Pembuangan

Namun bagaimana bila saluran pipa pembuangan WC ke septic tank jauh dan berbelok-belok? Selama ini belum ada tips yang penulis temukan selain membongkar lantai dan membersihkan sampah yang menyumbat secara langsung. Ini memang pekerjaan berat dan butuh biaya lumayan. Oleh sebab itu Anda harus mempersiapkan pendanaannya jauh-jauh hari dan mencari tukang bangunan untuk melakukannya.

Permasalahannya yang rumit adalah menentukan di posisi mana sumbatan pada pipa terjadi. Berdasarkan pengalaman, biasanya sumbatan terjadi pada belokan pipa atau pada sambungan antar pipa. Oleh karena itu yang pertama kali dibongkar adalah perkiraan posisi tempat dimana pipa berbelok. Namun bila semua perkiraan sudah dicek dan tidak ada sumbatan, langkah terakhir adalah membongkar seluruh saluran pipa yang lama dan menggantinya dengan yang baru. Hal ini lebih menyelesaikan masalah dan hemat waktu.

Perawatan
Setelah semua tips di atas dikerjakan dan permasalahan pun selesai, langkah selanjutnya yang sangat penting adalah perawatan. Makna perawatan disini adalah menghindari hal-hal yang bisa memicu terjadinya mampet dan tersumbat terulang kembali. Untuk itu, Anda perlu tahu apa-apa saja yang "haram" dilakukan agar semua kemungkinan di atas tidak terjadi.

Pertama, dalam membilas sehabis buang air besar atau "istinjak" alias cebok, gunakanlah air seperlunya. Volume air yang masuk ke dalam septic tank harus seimbang, tidak berlebihan dan tidak pula kurang. Bila berlebihan, maka septic tank akan over quota alias cepat penuh. Sebaliknya bila volume air dalam septic tank kurang, maka akan memperlambat proses penguraian. Bila proses penguraian lambat apalagi terganggu, maka zat metana (CH4) yang ada pada kotoran akan berproses menjadi karbondioksida (CO2), gas hidrogen sulfida (H2S) dan amoniak (NH3), sehingga mengeluarkan bau tidak sedap yang berlebihan. Inilah salah satu penyebab timbulnya bau yang berlebihan pada septic tank. Biasanya ini terjadi di musim kemarau dimana volume air dalam septic tank kurang atau malah kering sama sekali.

Kedua, jangan membuang benda-benda padat yang tidak bisa diurai ke dalam lubang WC seperti bekas pembalut wanita, plastik kresek, bungkus shampo atau sabun, dan lain sebagainya. Salalu sediakan tempat sampah khusus di dalam kamar mandi untuk tempat membuang sampah semacam itu. Sampah plastik kresek yang tidak sampai mengalir ke septic tank karena tersangkut di sambungan pipa pembuangan akan menghalangi mengalirnya kotoran tinja ke septic tank. Akibatnya, kotoran dan sampah lain yang dibuang ke dalam lubang WC akan tertumpuk di sana. WC pun jadi mampet dan kotoran di lubang WC tidak bisa disiram.

Semoga dengan tips-tips di atas dan mengetahui cara merawat WC berikut komponennya, tidak ada lagi istilah "WC mampet" di rumah Anda.***
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Accessories With a Patriotic Edge

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:44:00 +0000

By Gail Anderson

As far as accessories go, cushions have been one of the favourites for several years and these days it is possible to get every conceivable design to suit every home and style requirement. From traditional to contemporary, from rustic to funky they are all there to be used and enjoyed but one of the most appealing and unique designs has to be that of the union jack.

All over the world this emblem is instantly recognisable and the bold colours stand out in any environment so it is only fitting to use this truly unique standard in choosing to use a union jack cushion. The emblem itself can be 'tweaked' by for example keeping to the actual motif but using different colours or fabrics to fit in with a particular colour scheme. If the three traditional colours are going to be used then make sure that your design scheme is able to handle the boldness comfortably but as the design is timeless it should be fairly easy to incorporate it into any interior design project. There is no doubt that a union jack cushion would make a great fashion statement injecting a certain humour and patriotic touch to your domestic environment.

It would obviously be too much to try and co-ordinate a whole interior scheme based on this design so it is best to keep it as a major focal point bearing in mind that you can change the colours around, substitute primary for pastels, and use any type of material you think may be suitable for this purpose. You can, for example, play around with the shape whilst still maintaining the actual 'theme' or use colour coordinating piping bringing the three colours back into play. In some cases the union jack cushion may be for display only and you could go for the option of using glass beads, sequins or even semi precious stones but remember this choice would not be practical for every day living and would fall under the specialist category. Likewise, the use of luxurious materials look and feel magnificent but bear in mind any general wear and tear; natural silk is an extremely hard wearing fabric but is prone to quickly fading if exposed to direct sunlight so the more unusual fabrics should be used with care but they are the last word in luxury!

On a more practical level a rich velvet in contrasting colours would look fantastic or perhaps a soft chenille which tends to be more hard wearing and durable.

If a rich opulent look is a requisite, the use of beads, tassels or mirrored shapes might be what you are after or perhaps heavy appliqué or tapestry work - the comfort level of this would not be that of a boucle for example but there is no doubt that it would look absolutely fantastic and undoubtedly a scene stealer. It is intriguing to think that purely by using different materials and decoration features based on the original design, so many variations can be created and yet remain instantly recognisable as the union jack so why not play around with ideas and colours in your mind and you will see that you can have your cushion(s) exactly as you want making any design statement to suit your personal surroundings in the home of workplace.

Author Gail Anderson is a pet owner and writes for a wide variety of online specialty shops including a very popular online boutique with a great collection of patriotic cushions. The range includes a stylish Union Jack Cushion, available in a variety of colours and fabrics. Visit http://www.swankymaison.com today.

Rumah | Antique Mantle Clocks - A Comprehensive Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:43:00 +0000

By Chris Poulsen

The availability of a wide collection of old mantle clocks can be quite confusing and overwhelming. On that regard, you have to become familiar with available antique clock options to easily narrow down your choices. Apart from that, you also have to know how to distinguish an authentic antique from those that are not. The best way to check if you are acquiring an authentic old mantle clock is to inspect its clock mechanism. Real antique clocks are typically driven by a key wound mechanism. Like the antique grandfather clock, mantle clocks must be wounded either once a week or several times a week depending on the type of mechanism they use. This is important to ensure that they will keep providing accurate time.

In terms of construction, old mantle clocks were produced from an array of materials, including wood, glass, porcelain, brass, and wood. However, if you are looking for a great heirloom piece, then it is highly recommended that you find durable wooden ones. Distinctively designed wooden antique clocks are typically produced from walnut, mahogany, cherry, and other types of hardwood presenting a natural earth tone that can complement mantles and room décors.

Just like when purchasing antique wall clocks, it is vital that you look into the following factors when buying old mantle clocks:

    * the overall quality and condition of the clock
    * the age of the clock
    * the amount of wear and tear present
    * the clock maker or manufacturer
    * appraisal document (if available)

Make sure to pay careful attention to these criteria to ascertain a good value for your money.
http://www.antiqueclocksguide.com/

Rumah | Make a Room Look Larger With Wallpaper Designs

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:42:00 +0000

By Robert Crowley

When you are designing a room, most times you do not have the option of making the room physically larger, but what you can do is add visual space and make the room appear larger than it actually is. Using wallpaper to affect the look of your room's size is an effective way to use this decorating medium.

Light Colored Wallpaper
Many of the rules that apply to paint and how it affects the appearance of a room also apply to wallpaper. Light colors will make a room seem larger than it is while dark colors will make a room feel smaller. If you paint a room in light color and keep your furnishings light, the walls will actually appear to recede and the space opens up visually. The same applies to wallpaper. Choose light pastels or neutral colors to visually expand the size of a room.

Take Care with Patterns
When you are trying to increase the size of a room visually, using wallpaper devoid of pattern is usually the best way to go, because patterns can visually shrink a room. If your wallpaper has a very large pattern in it, you can overpower a space with the pattern and actually make the room feel much smaller than it is. If you are going to include pattern on your wallpaper, a good option is to use a medium to small pattern that has little color contrast; this will keep the visual space open. Either a tone on tone pattern or a pastel on cream background will work.

Where pattern works particularly well is when your room is out of proportion. For example, if you have a narrow room, you can add horizontal stripes to the wall to make it feel wider than it is or vertical stripes to make a room seem taller. If you do not need to change the shape of your walls and you are considering a pattern to simply add interest to the walls, you may want to use textured wallpaper.

Add a Little Shine
You can also make a room look larger by reflecting light around the room, and one really effective way to do this is with wallpaper that has a little shimmer in its finish. By coupling shimmer with texture, you can add interest to the walls while still visually expanding the size of the space.

Wallpapering a Single Wall
Another really lively way to use wallpaper in a smaller room is to use wallpaper on a single wall in the room and paint the remaining walls a pale, coordinating tone. Adding wallpaper to a single wall will make that wall a focal point in your room, so if you add it to the wall at the far end of the room, it will pull your eye through the space and make it seem longer.
http://www.walldecorandhomeaccents.com/fish-wall-art.html

Rumah | Save Time and Money Building With Great Plans For a Table

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:33:00 +0000

By Doug Turley

Nothing beats a great backyard table, or at least that is what my wife tells me. When we bought our house a couple of years back the entire backyard was landscaped and manicured perfectly, along with having a beautiful children's play-set. The only thing missing was somewhere to sit, eat and enjoy the surroundings. And that's all it took for me to know that I would want a table for the backyard. What I needed though was some plans for a table, which I would use to build it.

I did what most people do and visited a home improvement store, hoping to find some type of plans for a table. I was directed to a project area of the store where several different project plans were located, but I didn't realize how many plans for a table that they carried. I had several to choose from, but in the end found the one that would be perfect for my backyard.

This is my first time tackling a project of this nature and I had never followed any type of project plans before. The plans for a table I had decided on were inexpensive and provided me with a complete listing of all the materials needed, all the way down to the types of nails or screws to use.

I have to admit, I was flabbergasted at how meticulous all of the steps were to build this table. I was able to complete this project in what I felt was an extremely reasonable amount of time and my table looks and fits in perfectly with the rest of my backyard setup.

Looking back, I originally didn't know what to expect, but I was so completely satisfied with the plans for a table that I single-handedly built that I won't hesitate to purchase plans for any future projects.

By purchasing the plans for a table, it allowed me to put the table together on my own and in the end I saved a lot of money, rather than having to pay someone else to build it for me. This woodworking project gave me a great sense of accomplishment and the table is a welcome and much used addition to our backyard.

If you have been looking to save time and money and end up with a project that you can be proud of, don't wait any longer - visit http://woodworking-plans1.info/ right now!

Rumah | Basement Wall Crack Repair - Seal and Fill Foundation Voids With Epoxy Or Polyurethane Injection

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:28:00 +0000

By Louis Cole

When a homeowner thinks about waterproofing the basement, the immediate concern is the high cost that often comes with it. Typically, a basement wall crack is something that the homeowner will easily notice, but puts off addressing until it becomes a serious problem. Thankfully, a low cost and highly efficient solution exists for the repair of both leaking and structural cracks in poured foundations - low-pressure injection. This process has become the most practical concrete crack repair solution for basement waterproofing and foundation repair contractors throughout the United States and Canada. However, to a homeowner unfamiliar with crack injection, such a simple and effective process may sound too good to be true.

The idea behind crack injection is to inject a liquid polymer (typically a two-part polyurethane or epoxy) into the crack. This process allows the material to travel throughout the void in the foundation, effectively filling the crack upon curing. Prior to injection, the crack is covered with a sealer (the best being an epoxy adhesive) to ensure that the injected material does not leak out the front of the crack.

The crack injection process has given homeowners an affordable solution to a problem that has the potential to be quite lingering when not properly addressed. For example, in years past, the most common remedy for a leaking crack was to install an interior drain tile system or to excavate around the home - both requiring a significant amount of time and labor, resulting in high expenses to the homeowner. Crack injection not only is more cost effective, it is also an effective repair solution because it actually addresses the void areas that makes up the crack, unlike drain tile which only collects the leaking water while allowing the crack to remain open.

One of the most common questions has to do with the injection material - which is better suited for foundation crack repair? Both polyurethane and epoxy work well, but there are specific parameters in which one material would be preferred in place of the other.

Most cracks form as a result of shrinkage - typically, it is not a matter of if, but a matter of when a foundation crack will begin to leak water. When a crack does not appear to be structural related, I have always recommended polyurethane. As a result of contact with water, polyurethane has the ability to expand anywhere from six to 30 times its initial volume (expansion rate depends on the manufacturer and the type of polyurethane). The result of the expansion makes the injection process more user-friendly for the applicator - as the urethane expands, the foam is essentially filling any void areas inside the foundation. With epoxy, it generally takes significantly more material than urethane to repair the same crack because epoxy does not have the same expansion capability.

The use of epoxy is necessary for structural related cracks in the foundation. With the injection of epoxy, the repaired crack essentially becomes significantly stronger than the surrounding area - the added strength of epoxy becomes vital for such repairs. Pending the severity of the structural problem, additional reinforcement products may be necessary to ensure that further movement or settling does not create additional cracks around the repaired crack.

Before one commits to a foundation repair using crack injection, the applicator should consult with a credible supplier to ensure familiarity with appropriate curing times of materials and correct use of all components. For example, when purchasing a two-part component epoxy or polyurethane, its viscosity will determine which size mixing nozzle will best accommodate the injection of material. The capability of the materials reacting properly is critical - does the supplier guarantee that materials meet manufacturer specifications? A supplier (either a distributor or a manufacturer) should be openly available and honest to ensure that the contractor is best serving his customers.

Crack injection has been used by waterproofing and foundation repair professionals for more than 20 years. It has proved to be a highly efficient and low cost solution for homeowners, while providing contractors a viable business endeavor. Not all things in life are too good to be true.

Lou Cole is the founder and president of Emecole, Inc., a manufacturer of concrete repair epoxies and polyurethanes since 1987. Since then, Emecole has become a trusted name for contractors throughout the United States and Canada for all of their basement waterproofing and crawl space repair needs. For additional information on how Emecole's waterproofing and indoor air quality solutions can work for you, call (800)-844-2713 or visit http://www.emecole.com.

Rumah | Basement Remodeling Can Provide the Perfect Playroom

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:26:00 +0000

By Chris Copper

When sitting down to decide what to do with extra space in the basement, many options probably come to mind. However, if the house has small children, a playroom may be the ideal thing. Basements often provide blank canvasses to work with and a great playroom can be designed to work well for any needs and budget.

Of course, one of the first things to consider is budget and space. Depending on the budget, a minimal but functional playroom can be created or if the sky is the limit with funds, the children can have a fantasy playroom. The amount of available space will come into play as well. Will the playroom take up all of the basement or just a room or section? After answering these questions, the remodeling can begin.

With a smaller budget, a great basement playroom can be designed, and a key thing to remember, is that the children will be happy with any space and the more organized it is and accessible toys are, the more open to play it will be. Depending on the handiness of the homeowner, walls may be created or taken down without a contractor, or else some temporary walls can be made with curtains or other dividers to create smaller spaces.

Another great saving measure is to do it yourself painting, whether it is one color on the walls or a more creative play on color with perhaps a couple of colors, polka dots, names on the walls, even a mural or chalkboard spot. Many of the craft stores have stick on decals that can brighten the room without the commitment (or artistic talent) of paint. A bright, fun color will make a huge difference. Storage is another key component. Cube storage, open bins, or chest type boxes are great for little hands to have easy access to, and it is important to have spots for everything.

If the budget is bigger, more customized remodeling can be done. Perhaps a new room in the basement can be built so the playroom does not take up the whole thing, or the reverse, a wall or two could be knocked down for more space. With paint, the same idea holds true, fun colors will make the area playful, perhaps a mural with the child's name in it. Built in cabinetry and or desk stations are a great organizational idea. Make sure these are low enough for young children to reach, but also big enough to grow with the children. Cork board walls or chalk board are great to display and create artwork.

For any budget, having kid friendly furniture is necessary. Bean bag chairs for gaming, reading, or small tables for tea parties and puzzle building will work great. With a well thought out basement remodeling, a new playroom can provide children with a space of their own for years to come.

If you are thinking about diving head-long into your lower level, stop by Basement Remodeling Service to get a quick peek at what you are in for as well as how to avoid the curse and keep a dry basement.
http://basementremodelingservice.com/

Rumah | Basement Finishing - Warming to the Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:24:00 +0000

By Joel S Nelson

One of the most common complaints in new construction is "dead spots" in the home; areas which heat and cool inadequately. You may find it no surprise that temperature control in your basement finishing project is just as important, and just as troublesome.

While many of these problems can be attributed to some of the limitations inherent to forced air heating (e.g. gas-fired furnace), the most common culprit is simply poor design.

Your home may already be pushing your furnace to the limit. Adding additional living space with a basement finishing project will only make matters worse, and might seriously affect the rest of the house.

Think about the absolute coldest night of the year... and the absolute hottest day of the year...

Now, imagine that your furnace or air conditioning is working only half as good as usual. If this is a grim prospect, then you need to do some homework before your basement finishing contractor starts your project.

What you need is a qualified professional who can check the capability of your current furnace and air conditioning units, then analyze what kind of impact your basement finishing efforts will have. He can then make recommendations that will ensure continued comfort in your home, PLUS comfort in your new basement.

While I can't speak for every basement finishing contractor, this service should not cost much if anything. We provide this service at no additional charge to our customers because their comfort is a top priority.

If your current system is found to be deficient, the recommendations a qualified professional will make might be very simple and easy to implement. However, waiting until after your basement is already complete could complicate things tremendously.

You will need to make the determination if this pre-construction furnace analysis is important to you, but our bet is you'll warm to the idea as soon as you hear about.

Building more...

Joel Nelson is a remodeling expert serving the local market of Parker, CO, and specializing in basement finishing and kitchen remodeling. While building is his first passion, the increasing demand for educational resources in construction has led him (back) into a familiar passion: that of coaching and teaching. For more information, to view recent projects, and to inquire about upcoming Parker Basement Finishing seminars, visit http://www.constructingtrust.com.

Rumah | Construction Dumpster Rental Keeps Your Business Flowing During Renovations

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:23:00 +0000

By Matthew Owings

Every construction project involves tons of trash and rubble. You can enjoy order and cleanliness during an environmental construction project by renting a dumpster. This is the quickest and easiest way to remove trash and debris. Excellence and beautification at your business sight is possible; it does not have to look trashy, dirty and unkempt. Excellence in every construction process is achievable through the usage of an appropriately sized and quickly removed dumpster at your location.

Environmental safety is the number factor of importance for employers and employees while working in this type of environment. As customers approach your environment for business, beautification is the key to a successful business deal. An on sight construction dumpster rental is the answer to a well keep environment. If your business is located in Washington DC area you can call for a Maryland dumpster rental: you can also go online and request a quickly delivered dumpster rental. Business can still continue to run smoothly in the midst of the construction and renovation at your business sight.

There are various Maryland dumpster rentals available with a vehicle that is designed to carry and dispose of bulk materials. These dumpster are distinguished from dump trucks by configuration. Large dumpsters can be placed in the location of your choice at your business sight. Next day delivery options make cleanup easy and efficient; you can call and achieve a next day delivery of your dumpster. Quick pickup of a full dumpster is also an asset to construction dumpster rental. Using a construction dumpster rental makes trash disposal much easier and efficient as it does not require debris to be left on your property which is your place of business.

Keep your business environment clean and danger free with the usage of a construction dumpster rental. Your business can look its best even during construction and renovation during business hours by consistently placing all disposed items into the dumpster. Dumpsters are available for a clean and smooth transition from destruction and demolition to a well kept environment. Your construction process can be made easier with a dumpster. Varieties of sizes are available; choose a size that will best suite your trash removal needs. Keep your business up and going while under-going construction by keeping all trash and debris safely located in a dumpster.

Matthew Owings works for Next Day Dumpsters for more information on excellent dumpster service and care for every project and need visit: http://www.nextdaydumpsters.com/ order your dumpster online or call and order at: 301 960-4419

Rumah Images Gallery 1

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:16:00 +0000

Rumah Images Gallery 1

Many of the rumah are not good examples of design that it would except to see from a design house.

Rumah Design

Are You Eligible For a Home Improvement Grant?

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:11:00 +0000

By Rogelio Noah F Mcclure

Nearly all the grants are specifically created and provided towards the kinds, who're living under an underprivileged scenario. Even for that home improvement grant, the qualification mainly depends on the requirements from the candidate instead of the earnings and credit rating variables of the person. These awards focus about the households that endure from low earnings as well as credit issues. Usually, most of the grants are issued through the federal too as various state and community governments. They appoint authorities to check the qualification of the applicants, pondering their needs and income of the entire loved ones, in order to pick out the neediest families.

Obviously, the US residents who utilize for home improvement grant do not have the same cause. However the essential and urgent expenditures such as repairing the leaks on walls or roofs, repairing pipes, getting rid of gas, repairing pipes to potable water facility, removing electrical power or fire hazards, including a bathroom for that very first time, garbage disposal and such are provided because of importance through the authorities.

Apart in the low income group of people, the home improvement grant concentrates the disabled people, too. If you are a physically disabled individual, apply for house repair awards, to raise fund to perform necessary adjustments in the home, to ensure that it gives more accessibility and comfort. For instance, the individuals who need to move on a wheelchair may want to construct exterior and internal ramps or desire to set up elevator.

In these cases, they can certainly contact the due web site or workplace and apply for the house improvement grant. Of course, the approval to get these grants is not very simple. You require to provide all of the needed documents, without having fail. Immediately right after the approval of home improvement grant, you can have your money and begin the repair functions. The repayment time period could be stretched, so that each month only menial amount is paid. But if you concentrate on the home improvement grant, try to apply for as many grants as feasible, as there is no limit for applying and your success probability increase.
http://www.moneyoids.com/

Rumah | How Can You Make Use of the Home Improvement Grant?

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:10:00 +0000

By Rogelio Noah F Mcclure

Maintaining an asset is similarly tough, as acquiring it. Millions of American home owners are going through this difficulty and these people can utilize for home improvement grant, to build immediate equity within their home. Actually, this may be the perfect period to make a claim for such government funded scholarships for house improvements, since the US government is allotting millions of dollars for the grants. Take advantage of this free of charge money to create repairs, to remodel and required alterations, if you're qualified.

The American house owners, who are conscious of this exclusive technique for free of charge finance, regularly mend their home and properties, so regarding raise the value of their properties. There are multiple on the internet sites that fetch you the complete know-how about the home improvement grant and make you avail the grant cash. To avail the generous funding of home improvement grant, you ought to be a resident of US. Follow the links given by the federal government agencies or the legitimate sites, to hit the grants.

Instead of shelling out hundreds and thousands of cash from their pocket, individuals depend on these scholarships. Certainly, this upkeep is essential to assure the security of the habitants and also the government is prepared to fulfill their requirements. The savings made on the repair functions via home improvement grant, assists to renovate the house inside a better way, especially, when the value of the house is staggering.

Really, the home improvement grant is backed through the aim to enhance the house worth, to ensure that the worth of entire locality receives elevated. Every government is fascinated to add value to their lands. The grant cash is collected in the name of house tax, and you get completely up-to-date house with all power effective products. The piece of know-how gathered from this article ought to be applied practically, to avail grants. The government is ready together with your tax cash, to repair your home and why should you hesitate to make use of it, act instantly and grab your share.http://www.moneyoids.com/

Rumah | Tips For Choosing Bathroom and Kitchen Curtains

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:09:00 +0000

By Ian MckIntosh

The use of curtains is an integral part of human life today. Houses (bedroom, kitchens, and living rooms), offices, cannot be thought of without eye-catching curtains. Due to the use of technology, breathtaking curtains are now available in market. Curtains and blinds play a vital part in the interior designing of your bathroom and kitchen. If selection of curtains and blinds is not done thoughtfully, this could ruin the style of the room. You should at least feel contented when inside.

As far as kitchen curtains are concerned, you have many varieties at your disposal. However, it finally depends on which style you prefer - valances or blinds with today's modern style. Tier-blinds are popular and if you choose the best ones according to the color of the kitchen, guests will appreciate them.

You have to be careful while choosing the blinds, though. The blind should add to the beauty of the interior of the kitchen. You might be having shelves, cabinets, and drawers in your kitchen. Blinds and these accessories should be complementary to each other. The same goes for the curtains too. If there are printed curtains, they will look much. That is because, light reflects well on such curtains and it helps to freshen up the environment and the atmosphere around you.

Whatever you choose for your kitchen, blinds or curtains, keep in mind that, they should not be too lengthy, the reason being safety first. The blinds should not envelop the stove in your kitchen or that can prove to be the most harmful. Therefore, it is better not to increase the length of the blinds and not allow them below the window hem.

Never use long curtains for your bathroom else they may touch the floor and it will not take time for them to get dirty. It will be another additional work in your schedule to wash the curtains from time to time. Such curtains also take away the eye-pleasing atmosphere that a shorter curtain could have created. Bathroom curtains should always be short in length.

Another very simple thing to know when, you are choosing bathroom curtains. These curtains should preferably match the interior of the bathroom. Fabric curtains are advised for bathrooms, as they are easier to wash than curtains made from other materials. Cotton-curtains are the best for any kind of a bathroom. Even if these curtains get wet, which probably will almost happen in a bathroom, they are comparatively easier to clean. Cotton made fabrics can easily be cleaned - even in a washing machine.

If the bathroom is not spacious or large enough, some might think it as a conundrum to hang curtains. There is still no need to worry. Going for optical illusion will help you. If you go for bigger curtains, they will occupy a lot of space and your bathroom will feel like a shorter one even when it is not.
http://www.terrysfabrics.co.uk/cat/blinds/vertical-blinds/

Wallpaper and Borders - Tricks of the Trade For Decorating Or Accenting a Room Decor With Ease

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:02:00 +0000

By Daniel P Elliott

Putting up wallpaper is a task which very few people enjoy. Aside from the obvious mess, it can take an extraordinary amount of time and preparation. There are a couple of tricks or techniques to avoid a challenging mess. However, before a finger is even lifted to open a roll of wallpaper or border, choosing the pattern, color and theme can take some length of time.

The selections available for the various patterns, themes and colors of wallpaper and wallpaper borders are astounding. Big block home improvement stores almost always have a very limited stock available. The most popular designs are kids' themed or flowery types. Settling for what is in stock is never a good idea. Ask the clerk for a catalogue or other samples. Better yet, visit a shop specializing in wallpaper, paint and home décor. It will be far easier to match up color palettes so that clashing does not occur.

If the home owner is decorating from scratch, it will be much easier to pick the main colors to be used from swatches and coordinate wallpaper with those swatches. Should the walls already have a main paint color or wallpaper applied to the walls, try to find the original piece of wallpaper or paint to create a swatch. Sometimes this just will not be possible. In this case carefully remove a small obscured piece of the existing wall decor, if possible, from the wall to use as a sample.

Once the wallpaper or border has been purchased and the home owner is ready to begin applying the wallpaper, there are a couple of tricks to take advantage of in order to maintain the neatest work area possible. Having a large open surface, such as a countertop or dining room table in or near the room to be decorated, is a must. If none is available, an inexpensive 4' by 4' folding table will serve to set the water trough on used for submerging the wallpaper. Having the trough elevated near waist height will save a good amount of back pain and stiffness later. The worst case scenario is using a bathtub which is clean from any cleaning chemical residue or a wide plank of wood.

A very sturdy foot stool in prime condition will usually be easier to maneuver than even the smallest step ladder. If the room being decorated has cathedral type ceilings the home owner may not have this choice. It is vitally important not to step on the top or the second ladder rung from the top. Over extending one's reach while standing on a foot stool or ladder is also the most common cause for ladder injury. It is almost guaranteed that the individual will fall. DO NOT DO THIS!

It is always recommended to have a helper nearby when hanging full rolls of wallpaper and sometimes borders. Not only will this speed up the process, but will also be easier for the decorator. There is a well kept secret "trick", however, which even many professionals are not yet aware.

There is a specialized tool designed to make applying a wallpaper border quite simple and fast without a second wallpapering or border buddy. The tool allows an individual to spool out the border, with only one hand and temporarily and quickly secure itself to the wall while the user slides the foot stool over to continue spooling the border out. What can easily take two people a couple of hours to apply a border to just one average room; the average person with this tool can do it in perhaps a half-hour.

Many websites provide additional information on the topic of applying wallpaper and borders. One such site worth visiting is http://www.borderbuddie.com/.

Rumah | 8 Reasons for the Popularity of Pub Tables and Chairs

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:01:00 +0000

By Stanley Hardi

These days, pub tables and chairs are quite popular due to a variety of reasons, one being their extra height as compared to the conventional dining tables. Below are provided eight reasons of the increasing popularity of pub tables and chairs.

1. These have sizes of the order of two to three square feet which makes them excellent for lighter breakfast meals.

2. The pub table and chairs can be customized like using candles for a candle lit dinner.

3. People of all heights enjoy high chairs as those having small height can have a good look around and taller ones can stretch their legs.

4. The pub table and chairs have an added advantage; these can be used for addition of available space for serving and sitting.

5. These can be utilized for amusing activities like playing board games.

6. While watching entertaining shows on the TV, like any sports event, these can be used for serving snacks.

7. These offer an advantage of addition in capacity of guests that can be handled in a particular area. One can get these made from sturdy material while being able to clean them easily.

8. These are best fit for rooms where you can enjoy various types of games, besides serving as excellent places for private conversations.

These can be put to exciting other uses as well, one being limited only by his/her imagination. One can get information about available designs, shapes and colors by searching online, saving quite a lot of effort, time and fuel. Various offers like discounts, free shipping can be checked out besides the availability of money back guarantee. One can also check out the testimonials left by different customers on the sites of the company. These can be quite helpful in gauging the effectiveness of the service of the manufacturer and helpful in making an informed choice. Further, one can also check out the toll free number of the company about any information that is needed.

Learn more about pub table, please visit http://www.ddksyxx.com/general/do-it-yourself-and-save-great-deal-with-the-pub-table-and-chairs/.

Rumah | Why Remove Moisture From Your Crawlspace?

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 10:00:00 +0000

By Brandt Peterson

Some customers have asked me "What would happen if I continued to allow moisture in my crawlspace?" It's a valid question, what's the big deal about a little moisture under your house, right?

There are many problems that could arise if you continued to allow water or moisture to seep through or under your foundation, it most cases, you should resolve these issues as quickly as possible. In this article, I will exclude the topic of moisture in the actual basement; the obvious to allowing this to continue is damage to the contents and interior of your home, not to mention mold spores.

Speaking of mold, even if it is underneath your house and in your crawls space, this fungus can still produce health problems and some types produce mycotoxins which can cause rashes, respiratory problems, severe fatigue, and even dementia or memory loss. Toxic mold needs to be removed, followed with the elimination of future moisture problems, often times resolved with waterproofing your foundation.

The U.S. Department of Interior states: "Uncontrolled moisture is the most prevalent cause of deterioration in older buildings. It leads to erosion, corrosion, rot, and ultimately the destruction of materials, finishes, and eventually structural components." If your home is exposed to moisture for a long period of time, you may have to start replacing rotted floor joists, sub floors, and actual flooring. As a homeowner, it's important to address your moisture problems before it gets to this point.

If you are in the process of selling your home, typically a home inspector is going to make a big mark on the report for the lender and buyer to clearly read addressing the concern about the moisture in your crawl space for the reasons stated above. No resolution to problem, no sale of house!

If you are a landlord, you are liable for anything that happens from neglect. Based on what I've mentioned above, it could include anything from tenants health related problems, tenant injury, or personal property damage. As a landlord, you should and probably have a policy to protect yourself, but often times a policy will only protect you to a limit, and in this litigious society, you want to do everything you can to avoid such a scenario.

I hope this article answers the question as to why you need to prevent moisture in your crawlspace, and remember you want to have a permanent solution, not a temporary fix.

Brandt Peterson is the owner of All Water Solutions (AWS), a Seattle contractor specializing in waterproofing foundations www.callAWS.com. Brandt has spent his entire, adult life in the construction field operating equipment, managing projects, and educating homeowners on keeping their homes free of moisture.
http://www.callaws.com/

Rumah | What is Dangerous About Poor Indoor Air Quality?

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:59:00 +0000

By Paul A Buchanan

Our good health is a very important thing to look out for. Without it, our lives can take a serious turn for the worst. So how to we protect ourselves? Of course there are vitamins and exercises that add to our healthy lifestyles, but what about our breathing air? Granted you cannot take on changing your outdoor air, but you can change your indoor air quality. A poor breathing environment can be dangerous to your home and health.

I am sure you have all experienced the feel or smell of a musty basement or a home that allows smoking indoors. Neither situation makes it easy on your health conditions and are both negatively affecting your breathing air. The masked cause to poor indoor air quality though is mold. It can live in your walls or crawl spaces without you even knowing it. The worst part about this fungus is it will spread and can be very dangerous to your home and health.

Poor indoor air quality means there is something contributing to the cause of the poor breathing environment. If that cause is rotting and mold then you have something to seriously look out for. This can cause entire walls to be torn down and is detrimental to a home's foundation. Even worse, it is dangerous to your health. You could be experiencing unnecessary coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and itching just because you have poor breathing air. Allergies and asthma attacks can be completed avoided by having clean air.

If you are experiencing poor air quality in your home, it is a good idea to get to the root of the problem. Poor breathing air could be the cause of more than just your home's foundation, it can be taking a toll on your health. It is a smart idea to get your home tested regularly.
http://www.airqualitytest.ca/

Rumah | Do it Yourself Garden Shed - 7 Helpful Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:56:00 +0000

By Tricia Deed

Spring has sprung and you have awakened out of your woodworking hibernation and ready to pursue a woodworking project that you have never done. This year you want to build your own shed, a do it yourself garden shed.

As you evaluate your planted garden you remember the size of the crop from last year and as you imagine what it would be like if every one of those seeds takes root this year you know there is a need for a working and protective area to prepare your vegetables.

Here is your garden shed with 7 helpful ideas:

   1. Need plumbing as running water is needed to clean the crop.
   2. Work table housing cutting board, knife holder, strainer and other vegetable containers.
   3. Organization shelves necessary to store seeds, fertilizers and other plant products.
   4. Storage bins for bulky garden items would keep flooring clutter free.
   5. Hanging racks and a pegboard or two would be very helpful for hanging items.
   6. Need to consider how to shelter lawnmower, larger weeding tools, and garden hoses.
   7. Electricity may or may not be a luxury, but would be very handy.

Remember what it was like last year harvesting your large garden? This year you want to be prepared to make your work easier. Wake up your woodworking creativity and skills. Consider plans for sheds and the possibilities of how this garden shed is to be designed and built.

Here is a five item checklist to jump start your imagination:

   1. Do you want one large building to house everything within the building?
   2. Do you want a small building with external lean to on the outside of the building?
   3. Do you want two or three separate buildings each having separate uses?
   4. Do you want a lean to?
   5. Do you want construction to be made of all wood, all metal, or plastic?

Your decision will be dependent on:

   1. How much land space is qualified to be used for a garden shed?
   2. Does your land have the allowable distance to the water well or plumbing, and electrical outlets?
   3. Will your property meet zoning rules and regulations as required in your community?

After deciding how you want your garden shed constructed you may wish to design your own wood shed plans, assemble a metal shed or purchase a plastic shed.

Did I make your head hurt with more thinking? My apologies, perhaps I can ease your thinking by recommending that you order your garden shed plans from professionals that have made their career designing and testing plans for sheds and providing blueprints for building sheds.

Tricia Deed of http://www.Infotrish.vpweb.com brings you through internet marketing hobbies for your leisure and recreation and business hobbies to increase your household income. I invite you to my web pages to visit and review hobby companies of your choosing. Do take advantage of their free giveaway

Rumah | A Better Basement Finishing Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:54:00 +0000

By Joel S Nelson

You might think its strange to discuss foundations in a basement finishing article. Your foundation was already constructed with your house right?

Yes, that is correct, but the foundation we're going to discuss has nothing to do with the foundation holding your house up. Of course, a basement finishing project doesn't have a foundation in the traditional sense of the word, but nonetheless, the concept of starting with a strong foundation still applies.

In this case, the strong foundation we're talking about is the framing that will be the basis for every other part of the basement finishing project. As more and more fly-by-night contractors have entered the market, we've noticed some disturbing trends in basement framing.

The first is the use of 2x3 and 2x2 studs instead of the traditional 2x4 studs. The second is the practice of spacing wall studs 24" (or even more!) apart.

While on the surface this might seem like a good area to save some costs, you should be careful of any basement finishing contractor who wants to use these methods.

We affirm that 2x4 framing is vital to a quality basement finish. A 2x4 wall with wall studs spaced every 16" will provide for a better, stronger wall, that is less likely to move and lead to future drywall cracks. This type of wall framing is also more consistent with the rest of the house and provides the framing depth needed for other building components (electrical, plumbing, insulation, etc.)

Additionally, the cavity depth that 2x4 wall framing provides is better for getting the full benefit of the insulation that will go into your walls and provide the comfort needed. With anything less than 2x4 framing, the insulation will crush and reduce the overall benefit of the insulation.

Ultimately, after your basement finishing contractor leaves, you are the one who will be enjoying the benefits (or cursing the shortcomings) of your basement. The vast majority of homeowners prefer a solid foundation (e.g. framing) in their basement finishing project because they don't want to deal with drywall cracks down the road, and they want a more comfortable basement environment

And at the end of the day, don't you deserve a better wall to a weaker one?

Joel Nelson is a remodeling expert serving the local market of Parker, CO, and specializing in basement finishing and kitchen remodeling. While building is his first passion, the increasing demand for educational resources in construction has led him (back) into a familiar passion: that of coaching and teaching. For more information, to view recent projects, and to inquire about upcoming Parker Basement Finishing seminars, visit http://www.constructingtrust.com

Basement Finishing - Permit Me to Explain

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:53:00 +0000

By Joel S Nelson

So you're thinking about doing that basement finishing project without pulling a permit, eh?
Well, before you do, consider this...

Permits for basement finishing efforts are required by statute or ordinance almost everywhere. As a homeowner, if you are caught without a permit either during or after your project, you will be fined at a minimum. Even worse, you could be forced to demolish all or portions of your project to allow for inspections, and then be forced to re-complete the project within a certain time period, regardless of available funds.

Aside from the doom and gloom, there are several very good reasons for getting a permit.

Number one, it can add significant value to your home. I fully recognize this is also an argument against pulling a permit. Yes, the valuation of your home will increase -- meaning that your property taxes are likely to increase. However, when it comes time to sell the home, a savvy buyer will value homes with un-permitted (and thus un-inspected) elements less than ones that were properly finished.

Your basement finishing project has added square footage, a bedroom, maybe a bathroom, and could potentially add tens of thousands of dollars or more to the sale price of your home when it comes time. Without a permit, that value could vanish!

Second, a basement finishing contractor who encourages you to move forward without a permit may not want you to discover that he is unlicensed. In most areas, unlicensed contractors are not able to obtain building permits. This should alert you to potential fraud or substandard building practices.

Third, while the occasional building inspector may be difficult to work with, believe it or not he is looking out for your best interest. The inspector verifies that your basement finishing contractor has included all health and safety elements, and that the construction is done according to building codes and best practices.

Are there disadvantages to having a permit? Yes, but they are extremely over-stated. The advantages are a benefit to you and your basement finishing project that shouldn't be ignored.

Joel Nelson is a remodeling expert serving the local market of Parker, CO, and specializing in basement finishing and kitchen remodeling. While building is his first passion, the increasing demand for educational resources in construction has led him (back) into a familiar passion: that of coaching and teaching. For more information, to view recent projects, and to inquire about upcoming Parker Basement Finishing seminars, visit http://www.constructingtrust.com.

Rumah | A Fresh Look With a Brick Fireplace Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:51:00 +0000

By Samuel Turner

Like everything else in your home, a brick fireplace needs to be maintained. Since it is generally the focal point of your room, when it gets grimy or dirty it is likely to be very noticeable. So it is important to keep your fireplace looking crisp and clean so your room will always look its best. You can clean your fireplace, and if you have an old brick facade on your fireplace, you may want to update its look as well.

Assess the Firebox
If your fireplace has been properly maintained, and the bricks are just a little grimy, then you can give it a good cleaning before you decide what else you may want to do with it. To clean your fireplace, begin by giving it a good sweeping. Remove all of the ashes, and you then give the firebox a good scrubbing. Even after all of your elbow grease you may not be able to get all of the black soot marks off of the firebox walls. If this is the case, you may wish to simply paint the firebox a uniform black with heat resistant black paint that is designed just for this purpose. By making the entire area the same color, even though it is black, it looks planned, not grimy.

Assess the Face
After cleaning the inside of the fireplace, you can turn your attention to the outside of the fireplace. Get your vacuum cleaner out and start by giving the whole area a good vacuuming. Use a soft sweeper brush to clean out all of the little nooks and crannies in the brick façade, and then take a critical look at it. If it still looks a little grimy then you will want to give all of the brick and grout a good scrubbing with a solution made of one cup of plain apple cider vinegar and a one half gallon of warm water. Use a stiff scrub brush to scrub the area. You want to work in a single, small area at a time. Give the solution a few minutes to work on the area after scrubbing, and then use a towel to sop up any remaining moisture. If your brick looks clean, then move on to the next area, however if it is still a little grimy, then you will want to retreat the area with your vinegar mixture. If the surface is particularly grimy, you may have to repeat the process several times. As your vinegar water becomes discolored, make a fresh batch and continue cleaning. After scrubbing the entire surface of your fireplace, you can go over it with clean water for a final rinsing.

Sometimes Paint Helps
If you have scrubbed and scrubbed, and still your bricks are looking a little dingy, you may want to consider painting your brick to give the whole area a fresh look. If you are thinking of painting a good time to do it is right after you have cleaned the area and after it has had a chance to completely dry. Mask of any area that you do not want to paint, and begin with a thin layer of high quality masonry primer. Use a plush roller to make sure that you get full coverage, and after you primer layer is completely dry, you can paint on you latex color. Since bricks are a rough and porous surface, you may need to apply several coats of paint to get good, even coverage.
http://www.metal-wall-art.com/tropical-metal-wall-art.html

Mechanical Systems (2)

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:07:00 +0000

Heating: In your house (rumah), you most likely have a furnace or a boiler, where heat is released from burning fuel and transferred to air or water. The heated air or water is circulated through a series of ducts or pipes to register, radiators or convectors to warm individual rooms. Other common heating systems include electric baseboard heaters, fireplaces and gas or wood burning stoves.

Ventilation: Whether they're as simple as open windows and ceiling fans or as complex as air to air exchangers and elaborate filtering units, ventilation systems have a sole purpose; to supply fresh air to your house (rumah). Fresh air helps regulate both temperature and humidity, eliminate smoke and odors, and provide combustion air for fuel burning appliances. Oh yeah, fresh air keeps you and your family healthy, too.

The upside of the 1970s energy crisis was the advent of superefficient furnaces and elaborate house (rumah) wrapping techniques that helped homeowners conserve energy and save money. Unfortunately, the downside of this efficiency was the drastic reduction of fresh air cycling through our homes (rumah).

Just as we need fresh air to remain healthy, so do our homes (rumah-rumah). Good ventilation keeps indoor air from becoming stale, dusty and too dry or too humid. A constant supply of fresh air reduces susceptibility - especially in children - to viruses, chronic respiratory ailments, and the effects of carbon monoxide. ironically, older, drafty houses (rumah) are often better ventilated than newer, super insulated homes (rumah). Poor ventilation can actually reduce the efficiency of your HVAC system.

So, how do you know if your home (rumah) is property ventilated? Look for these telltale signs of excessive humidity and insufficient air exchange:
- Frequent condensation on the room side of windows.
- Stale air.
- Persistent, lingering odors.
- Mold and mildew in carpets or on walls, especially in kitchens, bathrooms and basements.

Poor ventilation also could be the cause of chronic allergies or asthma. If you feel your family or home (rumah) is at risk, don't hesitate to call an HVAC expert.

Air Conditioning: Both central air conditioning systems and window units work the same way; by capturing heat in a refrigerant and transferring it outside the house (rumah) while cooled air is circulated through the furnace ducts or blown directly into a single room or area.

Heat Pumps: If you live in an area with relatively moderate winter temperatures, you may have a heat pump that acts as both a cooling unit and a heating unit for your home (rumah). This single unit extracts heat from cool outdoor air during cold weather and removes heat from indoor air during hot weather.

Humidity refers to the moisture in the air. In winter, higher humidity makes air seem warmer; in summer, lower humidity makes air seem cooler. However, humidity is volatile - finding that delicate balance is key to keeping your home (rumah) comfortable and safe.

To help reduce indoor humidity levels, use portable dehumidifiers, fresh air vents, and bathroom and kitchen vent fans. Additionally, clean furnace mounted humidifiers as recommended by the manufacturer, typically once a month. This will help prevent mold and mildew from growing in the moist environment of the humidifier, where it can be dispersed throughout the house (rumah) via the ductwork.

Heating and cooling is the biggest continuing expense related to your house (rumah). Regular maintenance will help ensure your hVAC equipment runs efficiently, keeping you and your family comfortable and healthy, as well as saving you money.

That's your home (rumah). Sure, each house (rumah) has its own particular elements and idiosyncrasies, but at the very basic level, that's it. So, how do you maintain and take care of this structure and its interrelated parts? Well, turn the page and we'll get started....

Coaching Rumah Program Course Special Offer

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:01:00 +0000

The thing is, if rumah don't do this, get your coaching program up and running, rumah will continue to lose out on the coaching income rumah could have. I know this sounds like a sales pitch from me - and it is - but the truth of the matter is - rumah need this.

I have been generating over $100k per year for the past 3 years just on my coaching (not counting product sales) - shouldn't rumah have $100k a year of coaching income as well? And today is your chance to get in with my 3 pay option. Before I forget...I have added a 3 payment option for a limited time, if rumah want to get the coaching program course but don't want to shell out the full amount upfront.

Also - thought I would share with rumah - had a great time skiing today - spur of the moment, realized there was 7 inches of fresh powder at Loveland today, left the house about 5:30 AM to drive up (it was still snowing, the roads were still nasty) - anyhow, my wife and I had a great time -

Hence - the reason I am working tonight instead of today - so if rumah are still up and have any questions - send them my way, I intend to stay online for a few hours, working on the new site. And - a few days ago I had a contest to win a copy of the home study course. ALL of the entrants could have won, great job, but I am only giving away one - so...the winner is Don Hughes. In case rumah are interested, here was his entry.

Here are the 3 reasons I want the [course]:

1. I am broke but I have a vision for making money the way rumah do. I am working on my product offering now, as I think rumah know, due to your graciousness.

2. I have also long thought about the coaching thing. I built the web site but didn't know the steps to take, but rumah have that information and I need it from you. See the site I built early last year...and to which I now intend to add coaching offers based on your inspiration.

3. I am a team player. I want to work with rumah in the future to create programs that will help others gain financial stability and prosperity. A network of people committed to the same cause gets better results than isolated individuals. My unsolicited "testimonial" during the call is an example of my feelings about the need to encourage people... even the guru himself!

Thank rumah for considering me for the free coaching course. Ok, folks that's all for now - rumah have probably noticed this email isn't my "typical" - something to do with really tired and 8:49 PM? Who knows? Anyhow - let's talk soon.

P.S. What is your goal for next week? (I know, I know, goals should be longer term than that. But rumah know what I have found - when people make 6 month goals without weekly goals, they rarely achieve their goal). So...what are rumah doing next week that is going to bring rumah closer to your 6 month goal?

This Freebie Could Get Your Rumah on TV

noreply@blogger.com (Eva Maryam) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

And that is where your opportunity is - now is the time to cement a top expert ranking and status on this new site.

Take a look at it now, and ask yourself, how would it increase my exposure and credibility (and long term, sales revenue) if I were a #1 author on this site when it achieves top rankings in google and online?

If rumah can see how it would benefit rumah - I recommend reading the section for. Advanced and Expert Internet Marketers (middle column, second section down) and clicking through and reading the game plan for achieving expert credibility. If not - no worries, if it's not for you, then that's ok.

But if rumah can see the value - and rumah are willing to go on a ride with me, an exciting ride, as I launch this site aggressively over the next few months (to give rumah an idea of my commitment to this, I have over $1300 per month of web hosting dedicated to this site and already dozens of hours of custom coding that is going into it, and many dozens more hours of coding planned), then I believe rumah will be positioning yourself for great things as the site unfolds - with rumah as a #1 expert author.

Ready? Great - check it out here, get started if rumah are ready to take your content
exposure to the next level. Imagine how much traffic rumah could get if your business or website were featured on a huge national TV show like Oprah, Good Morning America, Today Show, CNN, etc. Grab this freebie from a client which tells how to get that kind of publicity:

For today only - I have created a special 3 pay offer so rumah can get the coaching program home study course now: This is the same course that Mark Terrell used to generate over $5000, the same info Jeff has used to create a $3000 per month income, and the exact same method I personally use to enroll 10-15 clients per month into my own coaching program.

I give it all to rumah step by step. I will only leave the 3 pay link up until tomorrow, after that if rumah want this course, use: By the way, the course comes with 30 days unlimited email access, so I can help rumah with getting your coaching program up and running...