What Does a GFI Do? - Electrical Problems

In your bathroom you should have a GFI electrical outlet. Most new homes or newly remodeled homes require you to have GFI electrical outlets in the kitchen. Most older kitchens do not have GFI electrical outlets. GFI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter.

Why not call it a GFCI instead of a GFI electrical outlet? Well it is called a GFCI in some instances. GFI is short and is the most common name used by most electricians and builders for this type of outlet.

GFI 's come in 15 amp and 20 amperage outlets. GFI outlets must be wired properly. Make sure you're using the proper wire size when hooking up the GFI outlet.

How do I know which size wire to use? This all depends on how far away you are running it from the electrical panel. There are charts you can use to figure this out. If you are not running the electrical wire more than 80 feet from the electrical panel you can use 12 gauge electrical wires for a 20 amp GFI. This is a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

If you're going to be using a 15 amp GFI and you are going to be less than 80 feet away from the electrical panel you can use 14 gauge electrical wires. Again this is just a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

A GFI is a light duty electrical plug used in bathrooms, kitchens and the exterior of your house. The sole purpose of the GFI is to shut the breaker off faster if there is any moisture or light load problems.

Let's say for instance you have your hair dryer plugged into the GFI outlet. The hair dryer somehow falls into the sink while it is on or plugged in. The GFI outlet will instantly shut off because of the sensitivity of the breaker inside of the plug it self.

The GFI plug has a test button and a reset button on it. If you are continually resetting the GFI you will wear it out eventually. I have had GFI plugs after resetting the button about 10 times break and no longer able to use them.

The GFI electrical plug is a great idea and if you don't have them in your bathroom or outside of your home it would be a great idea to have an electrician install them for you.

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

San Diego Termite Damage

Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets

Most framing contractor's look at the building plans and order all of the material, according to those that are specified on the plans. This works out fine, and can often save you money, but rarely produces the best home that you could possibly frame.

As a professional framing contractor, I would like to share one of my house framing tips with you. Most plans require half-inch plywood or oriented strand board as their roof sheeting. This product is fine and if you're building a lot of homes, you're not going to have the choice. Ordering larger sized plywood could cost you thousands of dollars, especially if you're building a lot of homes.

However, if your framing or building a home for someone or even yourself, you might want to take my advice and think twice about it, before ordering the roof sheeting. Half-inch plywood, works okay for 16 inch on center roof rafters or engineered truss roofing systems. It doesn't work well on 24 inch on center roof rafters spacing.

It is usually flimsy and weak at the center point, directly in between the 24 inch roof rafter bays. If you're going to use the half-inch plywood, I would recommend using plywood clips that are relatively inexpensive and can be placed in the direct center of each roof rafter bay on each sheet of plywood. These can be purchased at most home improvement centers or lumber yards.

The other alternative, and this is what I recommend, would be to use 5/8 inch plywood. This plywood works great for 24 inch on center roof rafters and you will have a nice sturdy roof to walk on, while roofing your home.

I have actually seen people step through the flimsy plywood, while lifting heavy roof tiles and bundles of composition roof shingles. Experienced roofers try to walk directly on top of the roof rafters, when loading their roof shingles or even carrying them on the roof.

If you're a home builder and your concern is about making a profit, you will need to use the half-inch plywood. If you want to build a superior roof, use the 5/8 of an inch plywood.

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Attic Handrail Safety - Do it Yourself Home Repair

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

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

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

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

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

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

Home Attic Repairs

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

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Important Home Repair Advice - Do it Yourself

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Retaining Walls Suffer From Moisture Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dryer Vent In Basement Window.

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How Many Bathrooms Do You Really Need? Building New Homes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pest Droppings in the Attic - Pest Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pest Control Ideas, House Pest Pictures

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

Take Pictures of Your Growing Foundation Damage Or Cracks

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

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

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

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

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

Click Here for Some More Great Foundation Repair Solutions.

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

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

Building Codes - Stairway Construction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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What is a Three Way Home Electrical Light Switch?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Avoiding Mistakes For Do-It-Yourselfers - Drain Clearing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more information on plumbing check out our house plumbing books

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find More Facts On Home Water Damage.

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

Check out These Amazing Home Damage Videos.

Whole Grain Vs. Whole Wheat - What is Best for You? Part I

Whole Grain Vs. Whole Wheat - What s the best for you? Part I
We have all seen it, 100% whole wheat bread that sits next to the white bread. It looks like white bread, but it says enriched. Enriched with what? Well, let me back up a little. When wheat is harvested the whole grain is taken to the refinery. REFINERY, did you see that! The wheat is heated to a point when the germ and the bran fall off. What is left is the starch, the white part, the not good for you part. The part that has a long shelf life and is bug resistant. Do you know why it is bug resistant? Bugs CANNOT sustain life in it. They will die if they only eat this refined grain. So why on earth, with the abundance of good life sustaining food do we eat white flour, which is the starch of the wheat grain ground up. Honestly do I need to answer that? Take a look around and you will see obesity on the rise, and now not only are adults overweight, but kids, little kids are getting more and more fat. Why? We are feeding ourselves all kinds of unhealthy food. Some do it because it is cheaper, some because of taste, and some just because they don't know any better.

So now that I explained what white bread is made of, let me continue to answer the question of "what exactly is enriched"? After the refinery takes the grains apart and makes white flour, which has no nutrition, they add some vitamins, some minerals, and some fiber, but not even a gram worth. The white bread is enriched with some of the very things they just worked so hard to take out. However, they do not add in as much of the grain they take away, otherwise it would be whole grain. Just enough to add some flavor and calories to it.

What is whole grain? It is the WHOLE grain used in the process of making bread, cereal and the building blocks of many other foods. For it to be truly healthy whole grain needs to be listed on your bread, cereal or other food in the number 1 or number 2 position on the ingredients list. No, whole wheat flour which is followed by (enriched white flour, niacin, and iron) is not healthy, it is a way of making people believe that they are getting a whole grain bread. They are not lying, it is whole wheat flour, but not whole grain. It did come from the wheat plant and it is all wheat, but not all grain. Whole is just another word like all. If you look a little farther down on the list you will see molasses, why molasses you ask? It colors the bread to make it look brown. Yup, white flour plus vitamins and minerals still does not bring the bran back into the bread. Bran is what helps to give the natural brown color to bread. So, they again, add something to it, to try and make it look like something it is not.

Linda Cramer is the owner of Oregon Gourmet Foods and Gifts. Visit our website. http://www.oregongourmetfoods.com

Feng Shui Symbols to Protect and Enhance Your Marriage

A happy and long lasting marriage so sacred and rare, that we should all be so lucky to be involved in one. The Chinese has been using feng shui symbols to attract relationship luck for hundreds of years. Here are some great feng shui tips to protect and enhance your marriage.

The dragon and the phoenix are extremely auspicious creatures that represent a happy marriage (the dragon representing the husband and the phoenix representing the wife). If you can find an amulet with these two creatures on it, carry it around with you at all times. If not, a small (never too big) picture of the dragon and phoenix in the bedroom will bring luck into the marriage. These celestial creatures are benevolent beings that not only bring happiness into the marriage, but also protect the marriage against malevolent influences.

A pair of mandarin ducks is also most auspicious for a marriage. In the wild, mandarin ducks mate for life, and will only look for a new partner after the old one has died. These are excellent feng shui symbols for a happy marriage. Have a pair of mandarin duck figurines in the living room or bedroom. You must never have more than a pair of mandarin ducks in a room. Having more than one pair symbolize extra-marital affairs.

As we all know the Southwest direction represents your luck in romantic relationships and is dominated by the earth element. Place a crystal figurine of a pink lotus in the southwest to enhance your marriage. The lotus flower is symmetrical from all angles, and is the ultimate symbol for perfection and purity. Placing a crystal lotus in the Southwest will ensure that the marriage will be free of obstacles.

For more practical feng shui tips visit - http://fengshuimania.blogspot.com

Feng Shui Tips For Renovating Your Home - Part 2

Light plays a very important role in creating good feng shui. Dark corners in homes attract a lot of negative energy that can be harmful for the family. A brighter home is always more auspicious than a dark and gloomy one. If you were planning to renovate your house, the addition and widening of windows to let in more natural light would be a great idea. Sunlight rejuvenates the energy of a room. As much as possible, all rooms in the house should have window, especially the bedrooms. Although bedrooms are predominantly Yin areas of the home, it is inauspicious for the bedroom to be too Yin (passive and dark), as it would resemble a tomb. Having a window allows the bedroom's energy to a renewed everyday by letting in fresh air and sunlight.

On the other hand, it is also a bad idea to have too much light in the house. Floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors tend to let in too much light. A room with too much Yang energy is also a bad idea, as it may cause restlessness and petty irritations.

A fresh coat of paint would also do wonders to the room. The walls and furniture is should be painted or cleansed regularly to get rid of accumulated negative Chi. This is the quickest and easiest way to renew the Chi of the home.

As much as possible, important areas of the home such as your bedroom should not be located next to toilets and the kitchen. If this is inevitable, at the very least, make sure your bed or work desk does not share a wall with the toilet or the stove (with the toilet and the stove on the other side of the wall).

For more practical feng shui tips visit - http://www.fengshuitipstoday.com/

Chicken in a Shell

When the Gringo Came

To its pioneer days much of San Francisco's Bohemian spirit is due. When the cry of "Gold" rang around the world adventurous wanderers of all lands answered the call, and during the year following Marshall's discovery two thousand ships sailed into San Francisco Bay, many to be abandoned on the beach by the gold-mad throng, and it was in some of these deserted sailing vessels that San Francisco's restaurant life had its inception. With the immediately succeeding years the horde of gold hunters was augmented by those who brought necessities and luxuries to exchange for the yellow metal given up by the streams flowing from the Mother Lode. With them also came cooks to prepare delectable dishes for those who had passed the flap-jack stage, and desired the good things of life to repay them for the hardships, privations and dearth of woman's companionship. As the male human was largely dominant in numbers it was but natural that they should gather together for companionship, and here began the Bohemian spirit that has marked the city for its own to the present day.

These men were all individualists, and their individualism has been transmitted to their offspring together with independence of action. Hence comes the Bohemianism born of individuality and independence.

It was only natural that the early San Franciscans should foregather where good cheer was to be found, and the old El Dorado House, at Portsmouth Square, was really what may be called the first Bohemian restaurant of the city. So well was this place patronized and so exorbitant the prices charged that twenty-five thousand dollars a month was not considered an impossible rental.

Next in importance was the most fashionable restaurant of early days, the Iron House. It was built of heavy sheet iron that had been brought around the Horn in a sailing vessel, and catered well, becoming for several years the most famed restaurant of the city. Here, in Montgomery street, between Jackson and Pacific, was the rendezvous of pioneers, and here the Society of California Pioneers had its inception, receiving impressions felt to the present day in San Francisco and California history. Here, also, was first served Chicken in the Shell, the dish from which so many later restaurants gained fame. The recipe for this as prepared by the Iron House is still extant, and we are indebted to a lady, who was a little girl when that restaurant was waning, whose mother secured the recipe. It was prepared as follows:

Chicken in a Shell

Into a kettle containing a quart of water put a young chicken, one sliced onion, a bay leaf, two cloves, a blade of mace and six pepper-corns. Simmer in the covered kettle for one hour and set aside to cool. When cool remove the meat from the bones, rejecting the skin. Cut the meat into small dice. Mix in a saucepan, over a fire without browning, a tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of flour, then add half a pint of cream. Stir this constantly until it boils, then add a truffle, two dozen mushrooms chopped fine, a dash of white pepper and then the dice of chicken. Let the whole stand in a bain marie, or chafing dish, until quite hot. Add the yolks of two eggs and let cook two minutes. Stir in half a glass of sherry and serve in cockle shells.

Cheers,

Gary

I'm a member of a private money making society online. Want to join me? http://MoneyPeckers.Com

Benefits Of Alfalfa Plant Juice

Alfalfa plant or Alfalfa sprout juice Alfalfa plant, which is also known as lucerne or bum clover, is usually known to fatten cattle, and the juice has long been employed to put weight on people. Combined with carrot and lettuce, alfalfa juice is reputed to aid the growth of hair. Like comfrey the alfalfa plant has exceptionally long roots, sometimes over 120 ft (37m).

These enable the plant to be an efficient concentrator of trace elements. Alfalfa plant is a very concentrated source of vitamin A, which is not lost when the plant is dried and sold in tablet form, and of vitamin C. Not all of us live near a source of alfalfa, but it is as easy to sprout, to mustard and cress, and the resulting sprouts are not only of a high nutritional order but are also exceptional providers of a wide spectrum I minerals.

The high vitamin K content is important as a blood clotting factor and has been found in animal studies to control high blood-pressure, although the importance of this to man is not yet established. Alfalfa juice is normally taken in combination with carrot because it is very strong alone and the two complement each other well. It must be said that it is not very tasty on its own so its use as pan of a juice combination is the more acceptable way of using alfalfa as pan of a healthy diet.

Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on home based natural cures and remedies for some of the most common illnesses and some tips on raw juice therapy.

Brutally Refined

I have been making sculptures ever since I was a little kid. I find that the three dimensional aspects of a sculpture are much easier for me to grasp than the flat world of the drawing or painting. I really admire people who have that talent.

At this time I have found that the logging industry has become one of my best sources for wood. They leave behind stumps and knarled wood that is useless for lumber. Well one mans junk is another mans treasure, and so is the case of the discarded wood. I find the wood no one wants to have unbelievably beautiful grain patterns, that explode with radiance once finished. It is also in these rejects I find the wood demanding to be a certain thing.

I never rush a project, especially if the piece of wood is really interesting. I have had unique pieces of wood lie around for years before I ever touch them. Then one day it will come to me and I see what is inside. It is like looking at one of those magic eye pictures with the hidden images. Once I know what is in the wood, I am compelled to release it as soon as I possibly can. I will usually sink my saw into it the very same day that I perceive the image.

The first cuts are always the most important and must be well thought out, especially if there are large relieved areas. The saws I use at this stage are a Husquavarna 372 with a 32 inch bar and my trusty Echo 346 with a 16 inch bar. Wings, legs, and fins should be left with a generous amount of extra wood for the detail carving. Plunge cuts must be the most accurate of all because once they are made the option of shrinking the shape in any way is lost.

After this series of rough cuts the piece should have a blocky appearance of the end product. Sharpening the chain for different types of wood is an art unto itself, and a necessary thing to learn to perform the best of work. I will write more on that in a later article. The second series of cuts really is where you bring out the subject to a refined rough form. I will usually use a smaller saw like an Echo 346 with a 16 inch bar for this phase.

Do not worry about detail at this point , but leave plenty of wood to create it. I will take this step as close to the finish as I possibly can.

The third and final round of chainsaw cuts are all done with a small saw with a carving bar. The Echo 346 with a 12 inch dime tip is ideal. This is where all of the detail is brought to life. After this series of cuts are accomplished some touch up with a die grinder finishes the carving part of the job.

Remember you are seeking the illusion of detail. No wood project, even a chainsaw carving is finished without some sanding. I use a combination of sanders to finish the job. Great care should be taken at this point for you are your own quality control. Removing burrs, roughness, and splinters might save your customer a nasty splinter or abrasion, besides they finish better when cleaned up in this way. There are a myriad of finishes out there for your finished project. I will cover those in another article dedicated to that step entirely. In closing remember art is the illusion of detail, especially a chainsaw carving.

Chainsaws are extremely dangerous when using the tip like you will when carving. You will need to bond with your saw and understand how and why it kicks back, once you do it will do what you want as long as you out smart it.

Heroes of The New World

The abundance of the universe is ever before those who wish to see it. The treasures that await us when we open our minds to the unlimited resources we have at our disposal are amazing. With this power, we can transform our world into one of wonder and beauty.

Unfortunately, There is also the abundance of greed and lifestyle seeking zealots who have little regard for the planet or their fellow man. We have become a society of people who's only purpose is to have and consume more. Our goal should produce more so others may also have as well. When the world is full of need, it is pointless to continue with the consumption mentality. With knowledge comes the responsibility of using it wisely that is beneficial to mankind. I am not proposing communism, but rather people willingly doing taking care of the business of world stewardship.

This world has great potential for good when generosity, purpose, value, courage, and honesty rule the actions of those with power. Everyone on this planet has some level of power, capacity for action, all with the ability to enact some level of change within their circle of influence. If you are in the Home Based Business Industry these principals are part of the mantra. Unfortunately, greed has also become a major part of that mantra as well, consuming some peoples entire thought life. The visions of huge mansions, sports cars, jet planes, and exotic vacations become the main focus.

Great leaders from all walks of life and nationalities have resounded a message of service repeatedly. That message is being spread again with the new President of the United States of America. Will it fall on deaf ears? Has mankind's greed overwhelmed their capacity for the changes that are necessary to save our world? As for me and my house we will work daily to ensure a better tomorrow for future generations.

Change is a process, we all know this to be true, and nothing happens overnight. If we as residents of this amazing miracle called Earth begin to clean our house it will shine like never before. If we make the move to more efficient energy sources and toys now it is possible to change the future of our planet. If we give a little more without having some hidden agenda we will still have more than we need. If we make honesty, value, and action our guides this world will never want.

It is time to do our part. For those who live in America it is past time. It is time to give back to a world that has given us so much. It is time to be worthy of the lifestyle we are fortunate enough to have in America. Even now as our economy is uncertain we still enjoy one of the highest standards of living the world has ever known. If you have been blessed it is time to step up to the plate and invest your time, money, and energy for a better world. There is an old saying "When good men stand still evil flourishes." It is time for good to flourish and for those with power to exercise it.

"In the cocoon of failure await the wings of opportunity."

William Muncrief 2007

Tips on the Best Composite Deck Materials

The best composite decking materials are composed of different recycled materials, mainly plastics and wood. The best composite decking materials take away the problems of standard wood decking. Wood can fade, be a place mold to develop, crack and splinter. Wood decking requires seasonal treatment by sealing for the deck to maintain its original beauty, durability and feel. In the last 10 years when composite deck materials came to the marketplace, consumers were given some relief from these common maintenance problems typically associated with wood deck materials.

Composite deck materials are generally a bit more expensive than wood materials. The extra cost (sometimes 2 -3 times the cost of wood deck materials) is offset by the money saved in that you do not have the maintenance costs of wood with composite deck materials, it won't deteriorate over time (although some wood deck materials have a long life span) by cracking or splintering requiring replacement. The best composite deck materials have uniform coloring that will last the lifetime of the material.

There are almost a dozen different brands of composite deck materials for the consumer to choose from. The choices are quite broad and can be overwhelming. Some brands manufacture only the deck boards, while others provide a complete system including matching railings, and other decorative components to truly customize your deck. Some are more structurally sound, although most will stand up to the most rigid consumer standards and tests. All offer a wide choice in color and texture, the choice is really up to the consumer and which brand will fit the end-users final design criteria.

Since composite deck materials were introduced, many of the leading manufacturers continue with aggressive in-house testing and support of their products to live up to tough industry standards and consumer demands. These products are now more resistant to staining, higher UV resistance (fading) and structural integrity over the life of the product.

Many of your big-box home improvement stores can provide you with a number of different brands to choose from. My suggestion is to talk to a local deck building contractor for suggestions from a professional installer. They have years of experience in working hands-on with the various composite decking materials and give you valuable information on what will work best in your particular geographic area and value for the money.

My name is James, My business partner and I have spent the last 12 years designing custom single family homes and numerous additions and remodeling projects. I have over 20 years experience in the area of residential construction. To read my blog on home remodeling and renovation tips go to:

http://www.renovate-remodel-tips.blogspot.com/

The Best Marketing Tool on the Net

Let's see...19.95 for this program...29.95 for that new and improved tool, 197.00 for this sophisticated software revolution...1500.00 for that system...4000.00 to learn from the masters and become successful on the internet is what is needed, right?

Nope!

All people have the inherited necessary ingredient sitting right on top of their body that they need to become successful at promoting a website.

Its called the brain.

No product, software program, internet guru, internet legend, hype, bs and any of the other associated lies that come in the email every single day is needed to learn successful internet marketing strategies.

All living breathing people have the inherited characteristics to know what is good for them...and likewise...what is not. The brain, the soul and the mind tell people every day how to react to situations. The key is to tap in on this wonderful device and let it work for them. The truth is...most fight that natural urge and wind up doing something totally stupid!

For example..."jump onboard with this program...I will make you $10000 within a month!" It is known that is nothing but a bald face lie, but sadly, people fall into that trap time and time again, making some "slick" richer and richer.

Is it not time to stop that insanity?

Good people are milked from their good hard earned money for future promises of Ferraris and mansions every single day, when all that would really be needed is to think for one split second before signing that online agreement.

The universal spirit will inform that it is a lie...time to walk away.

The greatest promotional tool in the world is right in front of the eyes at this moment?

Interested to know what that is?

Thought..."what are you reading right now?"

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

Search Engine Optimization-Search Engine Marketing: Marketing Successfully on Google

The ultimate goal of driving traffic to a website in the hopes that someone...somewhere will read the information...click on link...and make instant money. This, in theory is a great way to do business, but misinformation...lies...hype...scam...people too scattered out to focus on just one thing...all lead to failure on the net.

Many suppose that if only they could get to the top of a keyword category then sales would just fall like leaves into the bank account. This is certainly not the case. Its only about half the battle. The other half of that supreme battle between winning and losing...between making money and losing money lies in the fine art of networking and relationship building.

Without a relationship of some type...whether it be on the net or in "real" life, people are simply not going to invest money without a bond of some kind. The art of search engine optimization is very important in nailing a top spot on Google...but its not all the story.

Whether people like to admit it or not...they are simply not going to do business simply through a site of some kind. One has to realize that good guys have websites...but so do the bad guys. Often the bad guys build better websites that the good guys.

There is a strong possibility that the so-called great looking website could belong to some guy sitting in a 1967 trailer house drinking beer in his jockey shorts telling people how much money he has made! The scenario has presented itself too often on the net and people are beginning to be much more careful about giving credit card info, ssn numbers, driver's license numbers and so on...that they have not a clue as to the origins of those people.

This is a good thing. Caution in NOT joining every program that comes along hoping that this is the magic button for success. In all actuality...there simply is NO magic button like people may think on the internet...or anywhere else in life.

Consistent effort pays off to big rewards for the far sighted individuals that have a clear objective defined on the net as to what they want to accomplish. Working steadily day by day with the intent of producing a good name and a feeling of trust that will follow that name.

The internet, while confusing at times, is really not that big. Once a person breaks into the inner loop and begins to make contacts with many of the same people over and over...a sense of community evolves. From this community atmosphere...there may even be money made at some point. But that should not be the ultimate internet marketing goal.

In dealing with a large number of people, it has been noted that most people grab onto an internet connection...get the plastic out...and hope for the best without a clue as to what they are doing...and with nothing more than "selling" something in mind. Woe to those with this mentality because is will not work on the net.

It takes time and consistent effort in building a sphere of influence...always being credible and reliable...always doing for people exactly what they want done...to the best of the ability of the person involved.

Its about building relationships that last a lifetime on the net. Its definitely NOT about taking the money and leaving. This does not work...and sooner or later the laws of Karma come around to take a huge bite out of the rear end of the person striving for this kind of 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://butchhamiltons-search-engine-optimization-services.com
http://butchhamiltonsbestdomains.com

Tips For Dealing With Contractors

This week continues my series on opening a brick and mortar retail store from scratch. So far we've talked about startup plans, market research, and scouting for locations.

This week we discuss how to find a capable building contractor to build out the location. And as this series has been thus far, this segment is based on my personal experience and offered to you warts and all. As with all of my columns only the names have been changed to protect the innocent, the ignorant, and the overly litigious.

OK, so I signed my name in blood on the lease agreement and the space was mine for the next two years, succeed or fail. It was a large single room, about 1600 square feet, with a small storage area and two restrooms in the back. The floor was painted concrete, the walls were an odd shade of orange, half the lights didn't work, and there was no hot water or air conditioning. And that was just scratching the surface. There were a few dozen other things that would have to be repaired or installed before I could move in.

Now a lesser man would have been intimidated by the huge task of converting this empty money pit into a thriving retail store in less than 60 days, but I'm an entrepreneur - which is a French word meaning "idiot who takes on the impossible," so I was energized by the challenge.

The question then became: who will build out this space? It certainly wasn't going to be me. When it comes to construction I'm about as handy as a one-armed man in a clapping contest. It was time to line up contractors.

I don't know about you, but it's been my experience that a capable, reliable contractor is hard to find. Let me rephrase that: it's been my experience that a capable, reliable contractor is damn near impossible to find. It's easier to pin the tail on Bigfoot while blindfolded in dense fog than to find a contractor who understands the concepts of appointments and commitments. Nevertheless, my quest began with the Yellow Pages and referrals from friends.

I quickly felt like Henny Penny, desperately seeking anyone who would help me bake my bread. I talked to flooring contractors, painters, plumbers, electricians, security system installers, heating and air conditioner guys, and general building contractors. Most of them didn't seem to give a rat's backside if they got my business or not. Several didn't bother returning my calls. Others came late to appointments and others didn't bother showing up at all.

Now I don't mean to say that all contractors are unprofessional, uncaring, and undependable. I'm sure there are many reputable contractors out there who show up on time, do great work, and bill you fairly. Then there's the other 99%, many of whom are good old boys who operate out of their pickup trucks without the benefit of license, bond, or concern for their customers' satisfaction. If you're a contractor and want to argue these points let's make an appointment to talk in person. I'm pretty sure you won't show up.

Fortunately for me I managed to find a contractor in the 1 percentile that went above and beyond the call of duty to get the space built out on time; in spite of my demanding nature and daily changes to the plans. I was very, very, very lucky...

So how can you better your chances of finding a reliable contractor to build out your space? Pray, my brothers and sisters, and follow these guidelines.

Don't be pressured by deadlines. When starting a business you're usually under a tight schedule, which puts you at the contractor's mercy (they can smell fear and desperation). They know that you need them more than they need you. This is a lousy place to be, but you have to be patient and don't hire a contractor simply because he has a hammer and a pulse.

Ask to see licenses and bonds. As mentioned earlier, many contractors forego the formality of business licenses and security bonds. They prefer the "have hammer will travel" mode of business. If the contractor you're interviewing can't show you a business license and proof of a surety bond, move on to the next candidate.

Are they wearing a watch? If the contractor isn't wearing a watch it's probably because he has no concept of time or regard for schedules. I want to see a contractor wearing a watch that he looks at often. I want to see him carrying a daytimer and a cellphone with a number that I have on speed dial.

Ask for references and check the BBB. This should be a no brainer, but I'd bet most entrepreneurs never bother to ask for or check references. You want the names and numbers of at least five previous customers and always check their history with the BBB. Anyone can stencil their name on the side of a truck. Don't be fooled into thinking that makes them a professional.

Next time we'll discuss building permits, zoning laws, and building codes; and how your ignorance of these items can cost you a ton of time and a bundle of cash. The voice of experience sings again.

Tim Knox, Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Radio Host
Founder, The Insiders Club, Giving You The Power To Start Your Business Today
http://www.theinsidersclub.com
Bestselling Author of: "Everything I Know About Business I Learned From My Mama"
http://www.timknox.com

Making Google Love Your Web Site - Part 2

Tip #2 - Optimize Your Web Site Copy: Your web site copy is another important aspect on how your website is viewed by the search engine spiders. Try to make it as interesting and informative as possible while pleasing the search engine spiders too. You can follow this three step process. Begin with an introductory paragraph that outlines, or tells your visitors, what you are going to tell them. Then in your next few paragraphs follow through and tell them your message just as you outlined in your opening paragraph. Finally, wind up you're your article, or sales presentation by summarizing, or telling them what you have just covered in the proceeding paragraphs.

This may seem overly simplified but it works and it works very well. Speak to your
viewers as though they were 10 years old. Don't patronize them, but inform them in simple easy to understand terms that anyone can understand.

When writing your copy focus on one or two key words per page. If you are selling acne treatment, focus your presentation on acne treatment and don't use,
acne cure, acne medicine etc. Stay focused on your main keyword.

Next you should establish an acceptable key word density within your copy. When you optimize your website copy you should also establish a keyword density that is acceptable to the search engines. Opinions differ on what an acceptable keyword density should be, however it is agreed that, it shouldn't be over 5 or 6 percent. This means that for every 100 words of copy your key words should appear about 5 or 6 times maximum. Any higher and you may run the risk of spamming which could damage your search engine ranking.

Where your keywords appear is also important. If possible, try to use your main keyword or keyword phrase at least twice in your first paragraph and then once in each of your following paragraphs. You will also get the best results if you use your main keyword to start and end your first paragraph. Take some time and think this step out very carefully. Make sure your message flows easily and doesn't appear to be forced.

Proper use of Meta Tags and key words will definitely make your website search engine friendly and increase your traffic. In our next article we will be covering some other great traffic building tips. We will go through how to get more traffic through back links so be sure to stay tuned.

Terry Day is an Internet Marketer and an International Hall of Fame Photographer. You can sign up for his free photo tips and view a portfolio of his work @ http://www.photographylessoncenter.com

Want some Marketing Tips? View our blog for some Great Marketing Information and Product Reviews @ http://www.safehomebizreview.com/blog/

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Contractor Web Design - Content Critical!

When a customer calls you to schedule an appointment for service, how do you "sell" them on your company. Do you use glossy handouts? Do you use your knowledge of your service to convince them to use you? Are you and your sales help just charismatic? Or do you build a relationship with them in order to earn their business? Or do you simply use a mix of all of the points above? If you're like most contractors, it's probably a mix. When closing a sale as a contractor, in most instances, you must draw on all of your options to sell the customer. It is the same when developing a contractor web design. You must gather a reasonable mix of flash, knowledge, expertise and past experience to convince your prospect to do business with you over your competitors. Even if you're not a good writer, the benefit of developing your contractor web design around great content is of great importance. The content is what your prospects are looking for to make a solid buying decision before they even talk to a live human.

To accomplish this, you must first get your arms around what caused your prospects to do business with you offline. As above, is it because you're a nice person or is it because they have confidence in your abilities because of the information you have shared with them. Let me save you some time thinking about the right answer to the question. There isn't one answer! Every prospect is different than another. some prospects won't do business with you unless they view you as a friend, others have to be given ALL of the information every created before making a decision to buy and still others will draw information out of you just for the sake of qualifying you as the company for them! So when developing a contractor web design, all of the different ways you sell your offline customers must be incorporated into your website.

The key to a successful "pre-selling" contractor web design is to engage the online viewer as completely ignorant of your business process. I don't mean in a condescending way, but you will have as diverse a viewership on the web as you do in your everyday business, if not more diverse. So, in order to inform as completely as possible, you need to give more information than you ever dreamed to your online prospect. The concept quite simply is to give the most uninformed and the most informed equal amounts of solid information about your company, its processes and the services you provide.

For example, if you are a general contractor and your specialty is custom homes, how important would it be to tell your customers about the products that you use in the homes you build, that make them better than those of your competition. The reality is, the components that you use in your homes may in fact be the same exact ones your competition uses, but do you think your competitor is sharing this basic information with his prospects? Probably not! What this does is creates a relationship with your prospects and gives them illusion of superior quality that is exclusive when doing business with your company over your competitors. In a similar example, if you are a window and door contractor and you fill the voids between the window frame and the opening with foam insulation, do you think this is worthy to mention in your contractor web design? Absolutely! Again, just about all window and door replacements do it, but until you bring it to the attention of a prospect, it may go as unnoticed.

These are just a few very basic ways to differentiate your business from you competitors on the web. You see, when selling your business on the web, you don't have the luxury of responding to questions you didn't anticipate. on the web, you usually get one shot at sell your prospect. If you miss the most basic detail it may result in a significant drop in leads coming from your site. It is extremely important that from the most basic to the most complex questions be answered and the most specific, incidental detail be mentioned to fully inform your prospects on ALL of the reasons why the should do business with you instead of your competitor.

The level of detail and professionalism you share in your contractor web design, the higher the conversion rates will be in converting that prospect into a lead and ultimately closing the sale with them. In most properly designed contractor web sites, the sales cycle will be dramatically reduced because all of the information your prospect needs is available to them all day, every day, online. When developing a contractor web design, please remember that the more quality, relevant, usable content you have in your site, the better it will perform at the human level as well as the search engines.

Contractor Web Design LLC
513-546-5409
Our business was founded by contractors, for contractors. If you are in need of information about building contractor websites, or need a web site built for a contracting company, contact us today at 513-546-5409

http://www.contractor-web-design.com

Tips For Dealing With a Manufactured Home Builder

If you are considering buying a prefabricated or manufactured home then you will be dealing with a manufactured home builder. They are much easier to deal with then your average building contractor is, but all the same you will want to get the best deal that you can get.

A Lot of Design and Decorating Choices to Make

One quandary that you will face is the astounding number of choices and options that you will encounter prior to your home being built. It's just not like it used to be, because todays manufactured home builders are all out to offer more then the next guy in design and decorating options.

Take Your Time and Study Your Options

The secret to making the right decisions is to first get yourself acquainted with the information. Also, do your absolute best to avoid any snap decisions that you may regret later.

Choices in Fireplaces

For instance, you will be offered any number of choices in custom fireplaces and mantels. If you have never owned a home with a fireplace then you must take into consideration whether you want a gas or wood fireplace, so give it some thought beforehand.

Take a Virtual Three Dimensional Tour

Another new marketing trend for todays manufactured home builder is three dimensional computer software that allows a prospective client to actually take a virtual tour of their home before it is even built. It's a great tool for helping a buyer to make the right choices when selecting out their options.

Study Up and Ask Questions

So study the process well and don't be afraid to ask some questions. Can they install speakers in each room of the home your are considering buying? Also, what types of security features can you get with the manufactured home that you are considering buying?

Written by Jayden Jefferson. Come visit my website for more info on modern modular homes as well as modular manufactured homes.

Should You Hire an SEO Company to Promote Your Website?

Going for the gold...reaching for the summit...obtaining notoriety for your website is the goal of the seo company. There are distinct advantages in hiring a qualified seo specialist to perform for you the necessary elements in reaching for the grand prize of page 1 rank on Google, Yahoo, and MSN.

The obvious results are increased traffic to your website, branding of your url for search engine placement, giving people the idea that your site is at the top of the Google search for a reason. That reason being that you have the best information about the keyword category that they are searching for and possibly, they will come to your site and signup for the project that you are promoting.

Its really all about keywords, ad content and linking on the net. There are absolutely no magic buttons, even though some disreputable so-called gurus, may tell you that there are software programs that will do it all for you...but you need to fly right past that notion. There are NO programs that allow instantaneous success on the net. In order to become successful on the information highway you need to blend all the necessary ingredients together for the perfect seo campaign. It requires consistent and diligent work to obtain these positions.

The advantages of hiring a qualified and tested seo specialist to handle the promotion of your website are many...I will list a few below.

1. If you do not have the time to devote to your mlm project or service, then the hiring of the seo specialist will free up your time for other pursuits. Successfully promoting on the Internet does require time and effort. Unless you have the time to spend doing it, the money that you will pay for the seo's craft will be good money spent.

2. If you do not have a clue as to how the Internet actually works then hiring the seo master will be far better than buying ludicrous software programs that they claim will drive motivated visitors to your sites for only $297. Bottom line here...and take it from someone who knows...there are NO programs that will drive traffic. There are only time tested and proven strategies and Internet marketing techniques that do work. So, you will actually save money by hiring the expert rather than trying to do it all by yourself.

3. When the seo expert places your website on the top notch of a keyword category you will be putting your project, your goods, or your services in the best possible position for traffic and will ultimately make sales. There is one rule in marketing...NO TRAFFIC=NO SALES! If no one ever sees your site...and unless you have a top position on Google they probably will not...then you are dead in the water. The money that you invest in building your online business will be dollars well spent. No seo specialist will ever tell you that they will make sales for you. This is an unspoken law of seo promoters. There is absolutely no way that the seo specialist can guarantee sales for its clients. Its a false statement and if you are ever in contact with one of these pseudo-masters...you are urged to not become involved with them. They are out to steal your money.

4. The successful seo master can save you time and money by telling you the programs to become involved with...and those to stay away from. Any seo guru will be the best judge of programs (or should be) and he or she can ultimately save you money in the long haul by not becoming involved with certain programs.

All in all the ultimate goal of a successful Internet marketing campaign is to make sales. You know that a top spot on Google does not insure this success by any means. You get into an entirely different area in the content and appeal of your site...the different promotional elements of that site and other features that lead to success with a website.

Websites only need one thing to become successful. They need to offer the best information about the program promoted. The do not need fancy graphics and flash presentations. As a matter of fact, search engine spiders do not read graphics, so those may appeal the human eye, but are absolutely not necessary for promoting on the Internet.

You may have built what you think is the greatest website on the Internet, but unless someone sees that site...what are the chances that you will ever make money with that site? The answer would be almost zero.

Hiring a qualified and proven seo master will be the best money that you ever invest in your new online business.

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/SEO_Services_For_You.html

Home Building - Getting it Right and Saving Money

Like most people you have heard the nightmare stories from family and friends about the home they built or the remodel they did and how things didn't go right .The project took far too long and ended up costing more then initially discussed. The owner blames the contractor, the contractor blames the owner and it's the same old song and dance. What's the key thing usually missing in the scenario?

Communication between all parties

As an owner builder you may look at the process and think how hard can it be, hire a guy to do this another to do that and it's done right? most likely it's not. There are so many things that can be overlooked or go wrong, and you may be surprised to learn that most people working in the trades simply just don't care about quality nor do they care to work with other trades for the common good of the project. It takes someone to orchestrate, and someone with experience to get the job done right.

You may be hiring an architect and/or building contractor and more often then not they can't seem to get it right either, they simply don't understand that it takes a team working together towards a common goal. The goal being making sure your project comes together as you envisioned it, on time, and on budget. As a building contractor we have built many custom homes and in most cases struggled through the process using plans and specifications that frankly just weren't thought through completely.

Nine out of ten times the building contractor doesn't even see the plans until it is time to put the numbers together for the project.

On average most people looking to build will hand off their plans to about three contractors for pricing before they make a decision. Now let's assume the plans and specifications don't have all the necessary information needed to price the job out correctly, these three contractors now have to call the architect and the customer to get their questions answered, or they don't bother to ask any questions at all and the customer is left with the contractors interpretation of the plans.

We have seen time and time again where the customer says, "I thought that was included" and the typical response from the contractor is, "it wasn't on the plans", and or "you didn't ask for it.

Or how about this one, the customer states to the contractor, "why didn't you tell me I shouldn't use this type of stone in my shower?" the typical response is usually I didn't know, or you didn't ask. So many times the architect will call out for materials in their specifications that they saw or read about in a magazine without understanding the application process, what it takes to be installed properly, or how it will adhere to the other materials surrounding it.

The point is, there is so much to know about building a home correctly, it takes years of actually working with the materials, and doing the installations to understand the what, when, and how.

The bottom line is, if you're thinking about building yourself or decide to hire someone to do the build, hire yourself a consultant first, most likely it will save you time, money, and more importantly your sanity.

Sunroom Contractor Choosing 101

The contractor that you choose to oversee and construct your sun room is very important. That is why you want to make sure that the person that you choose is experienced and dependable. There are many different ways to make sure that you are choosing the right contractor for your addition.

A house builder should be bonded and completed insured to ensure that you are protected. If there is a problem with your house addition, then you need to have some way to get the problem taken care of. Another issue that insurance can cover is if the workers or contractor is injured on your property or if they damage your property, the insurance will cover any costs that you could incur. Ask the contractor if subcontractors will be used. If they are, you want to make sure that they are insured and licensed, too.

Check with the better business bureau that services your area to make sure that there have not been any complaints against your contractor. This can give you some measure of how reputable that they are.

Now that all of the legal issues are taken care of, you are ready to make a decision on what patio room that you want to have constructed. If the company that you are using has a showroom, then you will want to visit the showroom so that you can see what they offer up close and in person. If they don't, then ask for references from customers, so that you can call them and see if they are satisfied with the work. You may even want to ask if you can see the work that was done.

It is now time to get quotes for your new building. Choose companies that offer free in-home visits and free quotes so that you can get several quotes for the patio room that you want to have constructed. You want to be sure that the quote is detailed, so that you can compare it with other countries. Ask if the quote covers a warranty or guarantee. Have the company specify the materials that are going to be used.

Now that you have some quotes, then you will need to compare them line by line to see which one comes out on top. Be sure that you include future costs as well. Are the materials that are being used energy-efficient to save you money on energy costs? Considering all of these details will help you to determine which sun room or house contractor's quote is the best one for you.

The best way to find a reputable sunroom builder is to ask for references from friends or family members who have recently has an enclosure constructed. Carefully choosing your contractor will help to make sure that you have someone that you trust to build a room that you can depend on.

Andrew Caxton is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics like conservatories for http://www.allsunrooms.com A website with tips on sunroom contractor.

Ingredients of Winning Kitchen Design

Designing a new kitchen is both exiting and daunting. Where do you start and what are the must-haves? Mark Nash real estate author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and columnist for RealtyTimes.com shares the top things that go into today's kitchens.

-Good lighting. In addition to decorative lighting which can match any style, remember to but abundant task lighting over food preparation areas. Mood lighting can accent glass front cabinets and cove ceilings.

-A functional layout. The basic mantra in kitchen design is to keep the work triangle composed of the stove, sink and refrigerator grouped near one another. It will save you countless steps through the years.

-Over-sized, deep sink. I never thought it would be important, but we put one in our home. It keeps the water in the sink, especially when washing large pots and pans. Don't forget the best faucet you can afford, with sprayer. We did a black porcelain sink to match dark granite counters.

-Lots of countertops. Clear work surfaces make cooking alone or with family and friends a snap. Make sure that you have at least one surface four feet long for baking. Don't skimp on materials either, countertops take a beating from knives, food acids and people, buy the best within your budget.

-Proper ventilation. Smelly kitchens are a turn-off. Specify adequate ventilation to the outside, near cook tops. Recirculating fans just stir up smells, not rid your kitchen and home of them.

-Storage. Plan for plenty of functional and easily organized spaces to store every day and seasonal stuff. More is more.

-Forget standing room-only. People want to stay in the kitchen. Make seating a design priority in your new kitchen. Seating around an island and a cozy table for breakfast all say, stay!

-Cabinet hardware. The finishing touch to a new kitchen.

Mark Nash's fourth real estate book, "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home" (2005), and working as a real estate broker in Chicago are the foundation for his consumer-centric real estate perspective which has been featured on ABC-TV, CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, CNN-TV, Chicago Sun Times & Tribune, Fidelity Investors Weekly, Dow Jones Market Watch, HGTVpro.com, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Realty Times, Universal Press Syndicate and USA Today.

Conquering Fears

Fear is one of the greatest killers of all time and it is from fear that hate, violence, abuse, doubt and a host of other emotions are conceived. Fear is responsible for more failure than any other single emotion for it is the catalyst by which all negativity is brought into being in ones life. Fear should be considered an enemy to success and dealt with the enemies are dealt with. Unlike taking prisoners with human enemies fear must be annihilated for you to truly win.

One of my favorites analogies is the one of a diver. If you are to become proficient at spring board diving you must first conquer your fear of the landing, everything must play out within your mind with the intended result of success or failure will occur. The degree of failure can vary from a poorly executed entry to the proverbial belly flop. Business is much the same way with the same ramifications of success and failure.

The first step in anything is the mental learning, the how, why, when. Once we are educated in something then we can try the physical motion and that is what really starts the process. Failure is part of the learning process and during the early stages of any physical motion it is going to happen. How long failure will last is a matter of perspective with varying degrees of success that are inextricably within each one. When we focus on these little bits of success rather than the failure we set the stage for great progress.

We all try new things from time to time with good and bad results. It really is not whether we win or lose it is how we perceive the event that really matters. In the undertaking of any process fear must be displaced with determination, diligence, and faith in your abilities to overcome. Being afraid of what the day, event, or outcome holds for you is the your ticket to an unfulfilled life.

So how does this all play out in the business world? Simple you are going to fail and have failures time and time again. The degree of these failures is relevant only if you choose to dwell on them for they will never give you the strength to break free. Instead a healthy awareness of failure is appropriate but an awareness that never slips into the dwell mode. Unlocking your potential to move the mountains in your life, and business will begin with your mastery over fear. Success in your business will only come through properly applied actions borne from a spirit of success.

If you are considering a vocation of Internet Marketing fear is a killer you must lock up and throw away the key. The nature of Internet Marketing is one of change and challenging aspects. Even though one day may bring success another may bring failure and everyday will have its challenge. By consistent fearless actions that are based in the knowledge of the Internet inner workings you will win by playing the game. By maintaining a winning attitude you will become a winner in Internet Marketing or any endeavor you might choose. It is time for you to win in all you do.

Succeed in all you do in style. Believe in a favorable outcome even if you have failed a thousand times. Let everyday bring new promise for your dreams. You and you alone have this power over your life, and fear is your single greatest enemy. Do not let fear rule your life, you must rule your fear.

MCWGOLD.COM

"In the cocoon of failure await the wings of opportunity." William Muncrief 2007