<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652</id><updated>2009-10-28T05:40:51.852-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Stair Builder Help</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><link rel='next' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default?start-index=26&amp;max-results=25'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>443</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-8380632972903260602</id><published>2009-10-05T12:33:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-05T12:33:25.193-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Favorite Small Boutique Hotels In Playa del Carmen, Mexico</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Which Small Boutique Hotel is your favorite in Playa del Carmen, Mexico?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a relaxing, quaint, or even romantic beach vacation, try one of the Small Boutique Hotels in Playa del Carmen listed below. Each hotel is unique in its own way, but all of them do have one thing in common... they are geared to those who seek rest and relaxation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to get away from the stress of the city, one of these hotels would be your very best bet for accommodations for a wonderful and relaxing beach vacation. Even though these hotels are small and quaint, they are still very conveniently located in the heart of Playa del Carmen....on or around Fifth Avenida! Location, location, location!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Playa del Carmen, Mexico offers vacationers a wide variety of activities for the whole family! From the ocean and beach, snorkeling and diving, deep sea fishing, the Mayan ruins, to shopping on Fifth Avenida.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plan your next vacation on the Mayan Riviera. Start with a Small Boutique Hotel in Playa del Carmen...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.mayan-riviera-family-vacations.com/playa-small-hotels.html"&gt;For more information regarding Favorite Small Boutique Hotels in Playa del Carmen, go to Mayan Riviera Family Vacations.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Acanto Hotel - Creates a Unique, Blissful Elegance and Ambiance. Feel the Energy of the Mayan Riviera! Acanto Hotel &amp; Suites offers concierge service, 24 hour security, private chef, swimming pool, luxurious gardens, roof-top sun deck with barbecue facilities, and a spectacular sunrise-sunset vista of the Caribbean. Those who are looking for quality, privacy and style - from singles to newlyweds, family reunions to business getaways and even celebrities - have enjoyed a safe, exotic, environmentally friendly, refined haven with them. They have 7 very private and charming suites. Whether you choose a private suite at Acanto Hotel &amp; Suites or a room at one of their other properties in town, they offer a full complement of guest services, including internet access, secretarial services, daily maid attention, linen service and currency exchange.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Blue Parrot Hotels - Synonymous with the Playa del Carmen Beach Experience for hundreds of thousands of guests from around the world! Today, Blue Parrot is the gateway to the best of Playa del Carmen. The three boutique hotel properties, two restaurants and world class clubing has been lovingly designed with its own unique flavor--enabling them to offer a flexible range of options to fit your personal style and budget. American-owned and operated, the Blue Parrot is staffed with a highly experienced international team committed to making your stay pleasant, carefree and memorable. Join them once and you'll understand why the Blue Parrot has been a favorite choice for discriminating visitors to Playa del Carmen for 23 years.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Blue Pearl Suites - Enter a Relaxed and Authentique Atmosphere. Each Suite is Unique and will Delight you with its Personality and Intimate Ambiance.... In the heart of "Playa", a few steps from the beach, the Blue Pearl Suites are the key to your dreamed vacations. Follow your senses...Enter a relaxed and authentique atmosphere. Find yourself on endless beaches and turquoise seas...or rest in your private jacuzzi, indulging the view. Free yourself from the stress of big hotels, enjoy the food you like sharing wonderful moments with the ones you love. Here's a brief account of what they have for you in these 8 suites with private jacuzzis...Each suite is unique and will delight you with its personality and intimate ambiance, as it becomes the starting point to many expeditions throughout the Mayan Riviera.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Playa Maya Hotel - "Of the beach hotels in downtown Playa, this one would be my first choice". "One thing that really strikes my fancy is that you enter this hotel from the beach...it just sets the mood of the place". "The design and location make it a quiet hotel, too". Frommer's Review. Playa Maya, a cozy hotel that first opened its doors in the summer of 2002, is located right on the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, the capital of the Mayan Riviera. A tranquil site located quite close to 5th Avenue, the heart of activity in Playa, they offer you a perfect base from which to explore all the wonders of the Mexican Caribbean, including the wealth of scuba diving, snorkeling and deep sea fishing activities on offer, the archaeological ruins of the ancient Maya at Tulum, Cob and Chichn Itz, eco-parks such as Xcaret and Xel-H, and the attractions and facilities of Cancun and the island of Cozumel, less than an hour away by car and by ferry, respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hotel Posada Mariposa - Here Life Slows to a Peace as Gentle as the Caribbean Breeze... Hotel Mariposa is a little cozy hotel in Playa del Carmen, where you can find the vacation you are looking for. It is located on the famous 5th avenue only a few steps from the beach. It is building in three levels with 23 comfortable rooms. Here, life slows to a peace as gentle as the Caribbean breeze. Delight the turquoise waters and unique charms of a once sleepy fishing village that has become a favorite destination of visitors from all over the world. Welcome to enjoy their little town, Playa del Carmen is the perfect place to set up your trip to Mexico.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;----------&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.mayan-riviera-family-vacations.com"&gt;Mayan Riviera Family Vacations.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mayan Riviera Family Vacations -&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Advice from an experienced family, to families vacationing on the Mayan Riviera!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.mayan-riviera-family-vacations.com/playa-small-hotels.html"&gt;http://www.mayan-riviera-family-vacations.com/playa-small-hotels.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-8380632972903260602?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/8380632972903260602/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=8380632972903260602' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/8380632972903260602'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/8380632972903260602'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/favorite-small-boutique-hotels-in-playa.html' title='The Favorite Small Boutique Hotels In Playa del Carmen, Mexico'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-2025199496071259457</id><published>2009-10-05T04:36:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-05T04:36:34.183-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Take Pictures of Your Growing Foundation Damage Or Cracks</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Click Here for Some More Great &lt;a target="_new" href="http://books.gregvan.com/house_foundation_books.htm"&gt;Foundation Repair Solutions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://homerepair.gregvan.com/"&gt;Home Repair Problems&lt;/a&gt;. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-2025199496071259457?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/2025199496071259457/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=2025199496071259457' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2025199496071259457'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2025199496071259457'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/take-pictures-of-your-growing.html' title='Take Pictures of Your Growing Foundation Damage Or Cracks'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-7067579537933517511</id><published>2009-10-04T21:26:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-04T21:26:41.946-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Make Your Shower and Tub the Centerpiece of Your Bathroom</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;We allshoweror bathe; the time we take in a relaxing shower or bath should not be taken for granted. In need of a new shower and tub design? There are great solutions out there. From the tub, to the type of shower faucet, to the shower walls, crafting a new shower is easy, and you'll be able to find something just right for you and your family.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The shower faucet should offer the shower experience you desire. Modern shower faucet equipment offers pressured jets of water. Many showerheads come with adjustable heads for the type of water flow and effect you desire. Shower faucets come in different styles and finishes for a perfect find for you and your bathroom's design. Traditionalists will love the time-honored chrome finish, or maybe go with oil-rubbed bronze for a Victorian look. Contemporary tastes can find a suitable finish in brushed nickel or pewter. The newest trend in showers is body jets combined with a rainshower showerhead or handshower for a true spa experience. Check out a Delta, American Standard, or Hansgrohe shower faucet for durable and reliable timeless designs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can't beat the convenience of a shower/bathtub combination. Trusted bathtub manufacturers American Standard, Jacuzzi, Kohler or Duravit offer bathtub solutions to suit your dcor, budget, and personality. Tubs are available in acrylic, fiberglass, cast iron or even copper. Add a whirlpool or air bath feature for ultimate relaxation. Bathtub lengths and widths will accommodate any bathroom size, so be sure to measure and evaluate your tub space to find the right bathtub for you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Have a clawfoot tub? The nostalgia and good looks of an old-fashioned clawfoot tub are legendary. Clawfoot tub faucets will complete the design and offer a unique shower experience. These faucets have coiled hand held spray nozzles that are flexible for an incredible bathing experience. Choose a traditional telephone-style handshower for real old-time charm. You can even attach a pole shower for a more conventional shower experience. All types of clawfoot tub faucets are a classy and fashionable way of showering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From the shower and bathtub to its faucet plumbing, wrap up your shower's design with shower walls to help protect the integrity of your bathroom. Shower walls are solid, heavy gauge, easy to clean and maintain, and can be a stylish alternative to tile in the bathroom. Discover shower walls in shades of brown, white, neutral, off white or other colors in contemporary and transitional styles to suit your bathroom and your personality. Check out Swanstoneshower walls for contemporary elegance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don't let this pass you by. Update your shower today! If you're building or remodeling a bathroom, this is a key to its design. Discover shower faucets and tubs to match your design theme. Trusted brands like American Standard, Belle Foret, Danze, Delta, Kohler, Moen, and Price Pfister are just a few recognized for their great bathroom and home plumbing product superiority. Check them out today for your shower design.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;FaucetOutlet.com carries a wide selection of high quality &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.faucetoutlet.com/faucets/advSearch.pl?ct=8,14,48,52,125"&gt;bathroom faucets&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.faucetoutlet.com/faucets/advSearch.pl?ct=125"&gt;shower faucets&lt;/a&gt; in the styles you want at prices you can afford.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-7067579537933517511?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/7067579537933517511/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=7067579537933517511' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/7067579537933517511'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/7067579537933517511'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/make-your-shower-and-tub-centerpiece-of.html' title='Make Your Shower and Tub the Centerpiece of Your Bathroom'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-6498290582390630812</id><published>2009-10-04T13:09:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-04T13:09:07.767-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Home Purchasing Checklists Provide Protection</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Home purchasing checklists provide protection for consumers with useful information for future home repairs or current home repairs that will need to be done before the home is sold. Home inspectors often use checklists like these, while they're inspecting the home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If more home shoppers used home inspection checklist while shopping for houses, we would probably have more satisfied homebuyers than dissatisfied ones. Recently just purchasing a home, we had our real estate professional, the previous homeowner's real estate professional and a mortgage lender, involved in the purchase of the property.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There was a home inspection report from the current homeowners, available for us to look at. It provided us with the damaged parts of the home that were repaired or replaced. Some of these repairs were from termite damage and it was stated so on the report. This was helpful information for us as we walked around the home inspecting it for damage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The work that was repaired to look satisfactory and the rest of the home had minor damage. Listening to one of the real estate sales people that were involved in the transaction, you would've thought we would get in the deal of a lifetime and they had nothing but good news to say about the product they were representing. I easily understood that, this person could have influenced some one into believing that the home was in great shape, if they didn't have a home inspection checklist with them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The home had been re-carpeted, painted and was in generally good shape. The problems with the home, were the old windows that were hard to open, the heating unit leaked gas, the tile flooring that ran through the kitchen and a large room addition looked great, except for one thing, they installed the tile over linoleum.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This eventually will have to be replaced as the tile starts to separate from the linoleum. While I'm writing this article, there's about 40 square feet of tile that needs to be replaced, because it's popping up and cracking.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A home purchasing checklist does not guarantee that you will find everything but can't eliminate some of the things that homeowners have the biggest problems with. If you could just eliminate one of these problems, the small price of purchasing, one of these checklists would be worth it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://houseinspectionhelp.com/homebuyersguide/index.htm"&gt;Home purchasing checklists&lt;/a&gt; provide protection for the shopper and I would recommend, never shopping for a home without one.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your looking for some more &lt;a target="_new" href="http://houseinspectionhelp.com/"&gt;home inspection&lt;/a&gt; or home building ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By Greg Vandenberge&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-6498290582390630812?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/6498290582390630812/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=6498290582390630812' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/6498290582390630812'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/6498290582390630812'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/home-purchasing-checklists-provide.html' title='Home Purchasing Checklists Provide Protection'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-8150193799438869155</id><published>2009-10-04T06:02:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-04T06:02:31.327-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How to Choose Bathroom Cabinet Knobs and Handles</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;We have all heard the old adage that the small things in life matter most. This proverb can be applied to almost anything in life including your at-home projects. Every detail, down to the last square inch of your room should be meticulously planned ahead of time. Skimming over the fine points and solely focusing on the big picture can turn what was planned to be a perfect room into a major disaster. When remodeling your bathroom, therefore, invest proper time and effort in choosing the best bathroom cabinet knobs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Make a Splash With Color&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Believe it or not, you can vary the color of your cabinet hardware to add a unique element to your overall design. Average households and apartments feature traditional cabinet knobs in traditional metal such as chrome, iron, copper, brass and nickel. However, matching the metals with a complimentary finish could easily transform your mundane cabinet knobs to the perfect accent pieces on your cabinet drawers and shelving units. Popular elegant finishes include: oil rubbed, satin, matte, Swedish, weathered, polished and antiqued.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not sure if these options are for you? There are other ultra trendy options available for you. Accent your white cabinets with colored glass cabinet pulls. The colored glass is literally available in any color in the spectrum. This way, you can perfectly match your towels, throw rugs and shower curtains with the right color. For a more contemporary style, mix and match these colors to create a funky, unique look. Be sure to limit your colors to two or three primary colors-you do not want too many bold colors competing with your eye.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Re-Install for Easier Access&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Like many homeowners, there is probably just one door knob or towel rack that just does not seem to be in the right position. Oftentimes, previous owners move the height of light switches, cabinetry hardware and racks to accommodate their needs (which, chances are, are different from yours). Do not be afraid to change the location of your current bathroom cabinet handles. By moving these units just a half inch up, down, left or right, you might just find yourself having an easier time in the bathroom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Shape Up Your Style&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Your bathroom should reflect your and your family's personality and style. Unless you prefer plain cabinet pulls, consider installing new shapes that reflect, well, you! There are endless novelty cabinet knobs out there, just use your imagination. If you're a sea lover, adding delicate nickel sea horses, dolphins and starfish add a cozy, comfortable feel. Sports lovers can choose from the plethora of equipment pieces for football, soccer, baseball and basketball. Imagine redecorating the kids' bathroom - incorporating what they like; they'll love it!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When deciding what elements of your personality to include, do not limit yourself to bathroom hardware. By hanging photographs of the family at the beach, or the picture of your son's first home run, you'll create a comfortable environment that feels therapeutic instead of plain and sterile.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Practice Safety First&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, one of the most important elements to any bathroom is security. We have all had one embarrassing "walk-in" moment in our lives, and we'd sure like to prevent them. Test out your current locks; be sure that you cannot force your bathroom door open when the lock mechanism is engaged. This will prevent any accidents as well as ensure privacy for your guests. Additionally, if your family includes children and pets, you must install proper locking devices on cabinets that contain harmful chemical agents. Often, plastic child-proof locks can be easily manipulated. Chances are that if your child has seen you open the cabinet, they will figure out how to do the same. Do not take the risk of having an accident. Eliminate the dangers by keeping prescription medication and dangerous chemicals in a high, dry storage area where children and pets will be less likely to reach.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Amanda works for Your Home Supply (YHS) the definitive website for home improvement tools, and gardening supplies. Your Home Supply offers a wide range of products, like &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.yourhomesupply.com/c-5-cabinet-knobs.aspx"&gt;cabinet door knobs&lt;/a&gt;, to help customers with common household repairs, as well as decorative accessories for the home. Visit them now at &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.YourHomeSupply.com"&gt;http://www.YourHomeSupply.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-8150193799438869155?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/8150193799438869155/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=8150193799438869155' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/8150193799438869155'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/8150193799438869155'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-choose-bathroom-cabinet-knobs.html' title='How to Choose Bathroom Cabinet Knobs and Handles'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-3022418850294235707</id><published>2009-10-03T22:20:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-03T22:20:54.334-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Do-It-Yourself Concrete Room Addition Foundation</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;This information can also be very important to do-it-yourselfers that will be building other projects, for future home improvements. How can a do-it-yourselfer learn to build a concrete room addition foundation? Let's get started.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first thing that you're going to need is a set of plans or building blueprints and they should have been approved by your local building department and planning department. There should be specific architectural details, that you will need to examine carefully, to build your new concrete room addition foundation correctly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let's get started with the digging. You're building plans, should give you the width and depth and the exact location, of the building footings that will need to be dug. Grab your shovels and get started. Make sure that all of the dirt is removed properly, before you start to form the room addition foundation footings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Next you will need to form the foundation. This can be done using 2 x 10 or 2 x 12 form boards. You can easily apply these form boards, in the exact location, that the building plans are suggesting. You can use 1 x 3 wood or metal stakes that can be purchased at any home improvement or lumber yard, to hold up your form boards in the correct position.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The sole purpose of the form boards, will be to hold the concrete in, once it is poured. Next you will need to install all of the rebar and building hardware, that will also be required on your building blueprints. Make sure that you examine these building plans to find the exact location, for all of your anchor bolts, hold down bolts and all of your structural rebar.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once this is done, you're ready to pour your concrete, but don't pour your concrete, until you have contacted your local building inspector to examine your new room addition building foundation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com/escondido_remodeling.htm"&gt;Escondido Remodeling and Home Repairs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Click Here For Some Great Ideas About &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com/ideas/concrete_ideas.htm"&gt;Room Addition Foundations&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks For Reading My Articles&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-3022418850294235707?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/3022418850294235707/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=3022418850294235707' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/3022418850294235707'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/3022418850294235707'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/do-it-yourself-concrete-room-addition.html' title='Do-It-Yourself Concrete Room Addition Foundation'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-6735501372301941882</id><published>2009-10-03T14:53:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-03T14:53:29.717-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How to Give Your Bathroom a Custom Look With Knobs and Pulls</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Many homes today that have been purchased brand new or have been recently built suffer from something like a case of the blahs. The home itself is, of course, beautiful, or you wouldn't have bought it, but you may also find your new surroundings a bit sterile, particularly in the bathroom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Brand new bathrooms are often done entirely in white - white walls, white tile flooring, white tub, white shower stall, white sinks...that's a lot of white, and certainly doesn't do much to show your personality. To really start feeling at home and comfortable in your new house and bathroom, you will want to put your own personal stamp on things, you'll want to express your unique sense of style, and the good news is that all that white makes the perfect canvas to put your creativity to work on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Many of the things you can do to dress up your bathroom fall into the do-it-yourself home remodeling category. A bath remodel does not have to involve a contractor and a plumber, particularly when you just want to decorate the room, not tear it apart and start over again. If you don't want white walls, then a coat of paint in your favorite color will go a long way towards sprucing things up. Since much of the space in your bathroom is taken up by other things - toilet, tub, sink and vanity, medicine cabinet, shower stall - you can get away with painting the walls a bright or bold color without it being overpowering.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The next thing to look at is the shower curtains and window treatments. Adding in draperies for both the windows and the shower in a fabric that you love will instantly change the whole look of the room, and when you add in other matching bathroom accessories like rugs, toothbrush holders, soap dishes, and more, your bathroom is blah no more!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The last area to focus on is bathroom lighting and cabinet hardware. A beautiful new light fixture that blends in well with everything else you've done is an addition that is both functional and decorative, and to finish things off, choose knobs and pulls that complement either the room as a whole, or match the material your lighting fixture is made of. Bathroom cabinet knobs and drawer pulls come in a huge array of different styles and finishes, and while they are necessary items that you need in order to access your bathroom cupboards, your cabinet knobs can also be highly decorative.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is easy - and if you shop carefully, also inexpensive - to put your mark on your plain bathroom and give it a custom look that lets your personality and style shine through.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Amanda works for Your Home Supply (YHS) the definitive website for home improvement tools, and gardening supplies. Your Home Supply offers a wide range of products, like &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.yourhomesupply.com/c-2-cabinet-hardware.aspx"&gt;cabinet hardware&lt;/a&gt;, to help customers with common household repairs, as well as decorative accessories for the home. Visit them now at &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.YourHomeSupply.com"&gt;http://www.YourHomeSupply.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-6735501372301941882?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/6735501372301941882/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=6735501372301941882' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/6735501372301941882'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/6735501372301941882'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-give-your-bathroom-custom-look.html' title='How to Give Your Bathroom a Custom Look With Knobs and Pulls'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-5360341975916253024</id><published>2009-10-03T07:22:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-03T07:22:12.846-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Avoiding Mistakes For Do-It-Yourselfers - Drain Clearing</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you choose to ignore my advice, know this, you will be forever doomed to repeat the mistakes that others have made before you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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:&lt;br&gt; 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 &lt;a target="_new" href="http://houseinspectionhelp.com/homebuyersguide/index.htm"&gt;home buyers guide&lt;/a&gt; to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your looking for some more information on plumbing check out our &lt;a target="_new" href="http://books.gregvan.com/home_plumbing_books.htm"&gt;house plumbing books&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-5360341975916253024?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/5360341975916253024/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=5360341975916253024' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/5360341975916253024'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/5360341975916253024'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/avoiding-mistakes-for-do-it-yourselfers.html' title='Avoiding Mistakes For Do-It-Yourselfers - Drain Clearing'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-8699442147932398121</id><published>2009-10-02T23:37:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-02T23:37:37.020-07:00</updated><title type='text'>More Hotel Tips For Women Travelers</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;To continue the discussion from my previous article, &lt;i&gt;Hotel Tips for Women Travelers (and a few men too)&lt;/i&gt;, the following are a few more tips, from an insider, to help you when traveling make your trip and your stay at a hotel pleasant, smooth, and successful.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;While Staying at the Hotel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not leave your key lying around in public areas like the pool or exercise room. Some hotels still put room numbers on the keys and you do not want anybody unknown to you to know what room you are staying in. If you should happen to lose your key or lock it in your room, the hotel will need photo ID of the registered guest to receive another copy of the key. Most hotels have a strict policy regarding the issuing copies of room keys and will only provide them for the guest registered to the room. This is a safety issue, not a service issue and most hotels treat this safety issue very seriously for your personal protection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;If There is a Problem&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While the hotel staff is trying their best to provide the best customer service they can, to hundreds of people each day, the unforeseen may pop up and you might experience a problem during your stay. In this situation you should speak with the front desk to explain the problem and ask for it to be resolved. The front desk is the communication center of the hotel and they will be able to contact the right person to address the problem. If you can think of a solution that you feel is fair to both you and the hotel, suggest your solution as a possible way to fix the problem. Most hotel staff members are trained to take care of situations to the guests satisfaction and if they know up front what you consider a satisfactory solution they may be able to provide that solution much more quickly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Remember to remain calm and to act in a professional manner. If the staff member feels that you are making a personal attack against them, when they are trying to help you, your problem may not be resolved completely to your satisfaction or in a timely manner. Threatening to never use their hotel again may cause the staff member to decide that, in your case, nothing can be done because they already lost your business. Acting like the Big Shot may cause a hotel employee to think you are trying to get an extra service for nothing and could possibly doubt the validity of your story. You are a guest of the hotel, a customer, and that should be enough to have your problem fixed. Should you feel that you are not getting the help you desire, ask to speak with a supervisor, the hotel manager or the propertys general manager.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some unhappy guests feel they get better results by calling the hotel chains customer service department at the national level. In practically every case they will ask if you said anything to the hotel staff while still at the hotel, where they could have the opportunity to resolve the problem before you left. Usually they will refer the complaint back to the hotel anyway and just act as intermediary until the case can be closed. Should you feel it necessary to call the national customer service department, have as much information available as possible. Give specific information to describe the problem, include the date, time and location of the event, they will need your name and confirmation number, and the name and title of any staff members you dealt with and a description of any actions taken by those individuals. It is always best to deal with the hotel staff and managers directly, that is what they are there for, to make your stay a happy one, as best they can.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;When Ready to Leave&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Search your room completely. Open every closet door and every drawer, even if you never used them, look on the back of the bathroom door for the robe or swim suit you hung there. Check under the edges of the beds to find that shoe and unroll the bedspread to find the map or the car keys. Check any shelves or tables in the room as well as the vanity in the bathroom. If the hotel has a refrigerator, be sure to look in there for that bottle of water or piece of fruit you put in the night before.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;At Check Out&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Watch your luggage from the room to your car. If you used the hotels safety deposit boxes, make sure you gather everything from the box. Turn in all the room keys the hotel issued to you. Look over your hotel bill thoroughly to make sure the charges are correct before signing. Verify that the correct credit card is applied to the charges and, if you are a club member, that your premium membership number is noted. Take your receipt, especially if you paid in cash.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;What to Tip&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the service industry it is customary to Tip those who provided you good service. The appropriate amount to tip for those who handle your luggage range from $1.00 to $2.00 per bag, if they are taken to your room. It is nice to leave a tip and a small thank you note for housekeeping. From my years as a hotel manager I know first hand that housekeeping is the hardest working department and they get the least amount of recognition. Typically $1.00 to $2.00 per day is appreciated for their service. In restaurants or for room service the typical amount is from 15% to 20%, if you ordered room service many times the hotel will add the gratuity automatically.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I hope these insider tips will help you to have a smooth and safe trip.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Will Maguire, CHA&lt;br&gt; &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.freewebs.com/borderlandhosp/"&gt;http://www.freewebs.com/borderlandhosp/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over 20 years working in the hospitality industry in jobs from dish-washer to hotel general manager. Will demonstrates success in every stage of his career. Most notably in the service side of the industry. His last hotel went from the mid 50% to the top 5% in brand service rankings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit his blog where he shares some of his thoughts and insights about guest (customer) service.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_new" href="http://x-cellentguestservice.blogspot.com/"&gt;http://x-cellentguestservice.blogspot.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-8699442147932398121?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/8699442147932398121/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=8699442147932398121' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/8699442147932398121'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/8699442147932398121'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/more-hotel-tips-for-women-travelers.html' title='More Hotel Tips For Women Travelers'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-6203318185111732487</id><published>2009-10-02T16:34:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-02T16:34:49.056-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Important Home Repair Advice - Do it Yourself</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I hope this has helped you, because it has helped a lot of people in the past.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 &lt;a target="_new" href="http://books.gregvan.com/"&gt;home building books&lt;/a&gt; on the Internet.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If Your Serious About Home Improvement You Should Visit Our Newest Site On &lt;a target="_new" href="http://homerepair.gregvan.com/index.htm"&gt;Home Repairs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-6203318185111732487?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/6203318185111732487/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=6203318185111732487' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/6203318185111732487'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/6203318185111732487'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/important-home-repair-advice-do-it.html' title='Important Home Repair Advice - Do it Yourself'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-2979685197570111686</id><published>2009-10-02T07:58:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-02T07:58:22.362-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Horseshoe Bay Resort</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Just 45 minutes from Austin, nestled in the heart of Texas, is the Horseshoe Bay Resort. The resort is a "members only" resort, but guests of Horseshoe Bay Marriott and The Waters at Horseshoe Bay receive a temporary membership allowing visitors access to all the wonderful amenities during their stay.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Horseshoe Bay is conveniently located in the center of the Texas Golden Triangle, where two-thirds of the states wealthiest people reside. The resort is on Lake LBJ, in the middle of the Texas hill country.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are two hotels at the resort, The Marriott, which boasts 350 rooms, including 117 suites and villas which have beautiful views of the lake. The Marriott has many wonderful amenities and has something for everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another luxurious place to stay at Horseshoe Bay is The Waters at Horseshoe Bay. These luxurious condominiums have one, two or three bedroom floor plans available. The Waters at Horseshoe Bay has made sure that its visitors have everything they need; including two flat screen high-definition televisions, Apple I-pod docking stations and to top it off, fully furnished balcony and a gourmet kitchen, nothing is left out.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are so many things to do at Horseshoe Bay. From the four swimming pools, twelve adult tennis courts; and even three USTA-sponsored kids' tennis courts, to the seven dining facilities, there is something for everyone.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If golfing is your game, Horseshoe Bay has that covered! It was named "One of America's Best Golf Resorts," by Golf Magazine. This resort has three championship Robert Trent Jones, Sr. golf courses, and to top it off, all three have been featured in "50 Best Courses in Texas." The resort even has an 18 hole miniature course, it is designed like a regulation course, but scaled down, and is complete with water hazards and bunkers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For visitors who have kids, Horseshoe Resort has something just for them. There is a kids' facility that is called "Kids Club." Parents can enroll the kiddos in this program, complete with counselors and an action packed fun filled journey, which is sure to satisfy every kid who said they were "bored!"&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Horseshoe Bay has many restaurants, grills and bars to keep its guests happy and content. From casual dinning for visitors who like hamburgers, Slick Rock Bar &amp; Grill is the place to be. If visitors get hungry while playing a round of golf, they can stop in at the Cap Rock Grill &amp; Bar. Its location is on the 18th hole Apple Rock Golf Course, making it easily accessible for hungry golfers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether it is burgers or fine cuisine, Horseshoe Bay has everything you can imagine, all set in beautiful scenery.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Horseshoe Bay even has its own airport, for those visitors who just want to pop in for a round or two of golf. The next time you are looking for the perfect vacation, whether it is for the entire family, or just a quiet romantic weekend getaway, come discover Horseshoe Bay Resort.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Homes are searchable on Escapeso's website. They furnishe a free search on available homes in the &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.escapesomewhere.com/realestate_searchthemls.html"&gt;Austin MLS&lt;/a&gt;. Their site also has information on &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.escapesomewhere.com"&gt;Austin real estate&lt;/a&gt; and Horseshoe Bay real estate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-2979685197570111686?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/2979685197570111686/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=2979685197570111686' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2979685197570111686'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2979685197570111686'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/horseshoe-bay-resort.html' title='Horseshoe Bay Resort'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-2886254539426461764</id><published>2009-10-01T17:11:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-01T17:11:17.673-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Perfect Kitchen Island Lighting</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;When you and your husband decided to tackle a kitchen remodel, you had no idea what you were jumping into; it turned out to be much more work than you originally anticipated. The contractor, eager to be hired no doubt, promised you the changes you needed were simple and easy to accomplish. However, everyone always runs in unexpected issues once the remodel starts happening. Why the one wall you wanted to knock out had to be the main support wall for that section of the house, no one knows!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, after several weeks of dealing with construction crews and plumbers, everything finally seems to be coming together. You have chosen your new sinks and decided on the final design for your custom kitchen island. A beautiful granite top, an extra kitchen sink, and some cabinets underneath for pots and pan storage is what you and your husband decided on after several days of analyzing the hundreds of different choices. The next step is to choose the perfect kitchen island lighting!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It would not make any sense to have a beautiful kitchen island and not be able to use it! That is why the type of lighting you choose is very important. The most common choice is pendant lighting, which means that the lights hang down from your ceiling. These light fixtures come in several different styles and sizes. You can pick a single large light design or opt for one that has several smaller lights. Popular designs have bowl shaped glass lampshades that hang down. The hardware, from which the lights hang, come in everything from brass and bronze to iron and pewter. Multiple pendant lighting helps keep your workstation well lit so that you do not have to squint while you are preparing dinner or reading the newspaper in the evening.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One thing you should consider when you are look at kitchen island lighting options is the cost. These pendant lights are priced anywhere from $50 to thousands of dollars. After all the remodel costs, you might not be able to buy your dream lighting chandelier, but as long as you find something that is simple and gives you the light you need, it will work out just fine. Talk to your contractor to find the best deals on all your kitchen fixtures!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you would like more information on &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.kitchenislandshop.com/"&gt;kitchen island lighting&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.kitchenislandshop.com/work-tables/"&gt;work tables&lt;/a&gt;, please visit the Kitchen Island Shop website.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-2886254539426461764?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/2886254539426461764/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=2886254539426461764' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2886254539426461764'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2886254539426461764'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/10/perfect-kitchen-island-lighting.html' title='The Perfect Kitchen Island Lighting'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-1421530393625789024</id><published>2009-09-30T04:18:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-30T04:18:57.936-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Take Pictures of Your Growing Foundation Damage Or Cracks</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Click Here for Some More Great &lt;a target="_new" href="http://books.gregvan.com/house_foundation_books.htm"&gt;Foundation Repair Solutions&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://homerepair.gregvan.com/"&gt;Home Repair Problems&lt;/a&gt;. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-1421530393625789024?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/1421530393625789024/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=1421530393625789024' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/1421530393625789024'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/1421530393625789024'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/take-pictures-of-your-growing.html' title='Take Pictures of Your Growing Foundation Damage Or Cracks'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-7372357720139766217</id><published>2009-09-29T21:58:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-29T21:58:25.522-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Do I Need a Home Inspection? - Real Estate Advice</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Most home inspections today run between $300 to over $1000 and sometimes you don't really get your moneys worth. There are home inspection companies that guarantee, any problems that they miss will be repaired at their expense over a desired period of time, usually a year. It seems like, most home inspection companies are just inspecting the property and have no guarantees or liability from their inspection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's not a good idea to buy or sell a home without getting a home inspection from a licensed home inspector. This is like having a second opinion from someone who is usually skilled in the process. I would like to point something out to unsuspecting, potential home buyers and sellers. Sometimes a home inspection company will get a little behind in their work and need to hire other home inspectors if these home inspectors don't have any experience in the construction business or have never inspected a home before. In other words there fresh out of home inspector school. You might not get a good home inspection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can always ask the question, how long have you been in business?... How long have you been a home inspector?... have you ever worked in the construction business or have any skills in home building and remodeling. If the answers to these questions are satisfactory, it doesn't mean, that they're telling the truth and being sincere and could lead to problems later if they are lying to you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let me rephrase the question now, "Do I Need a Home Inspection" from an unqualified home inspector? Absolutely not. But how can you really tell the difference and is the report going to be worth the money that you paid for it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What would you say, if I had the solution to your problem. How about a pre-home inspection, using a home buyers checklist? What if I could give you a check list with questions, that you could ask your home inspector? Some of these questions are not going to be part a regular inspection but should always be asked and make sure you get the answers to them, before purchasing the property.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Would you be interested now? What if I told you, for under $20, you could purchase a home buyers checklist, now for the tough question, this checklist could save you thousands of dollars and prevent you from purchasing a home with major construction problems or defects, and can be used on every house you look at.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don't buy a home without purchasing a professional home inspection checklist. These lists of questions can save you some serious headaches and stress in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 &lt;a target="_new" href="http://houseinspectionhelp.com/homebuyersguide/index.htm"&gt;home buyers guide&lt;/a&gt; to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your looking for some more &lt;a target="_new" href="http://houseinspectionhelp.com/"&gt;home inspection&lt;/a&gt; or home building ideas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-7372357720139766217?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/7372357720139766217/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=7372357720139766217' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/7372357720139766217'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/7372357720139766217'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/do-i-need-home-inspection-real-estate.html' title='Do I Need a Home Inspection? - Real Estate Advice'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-2594783179491687236</id><published>2009-09-29T15:36:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-29T15:36:38.097-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com/"&gt;House Framing Contractors&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 &lt;a target="_new" href="http://houseinspectionhelp.com/homebuyersguide/index.htm"&gt;excellent home inspection checklist&lt;/a&gt; to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks For Reading My Articles&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-2594783179491687236?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/2594783179491687236/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=2594783179491687236' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2594783179491687236'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2594783179491687236'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/plywood-roof-sheeting-roof-framing_29.html' title='Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-1410768917578091628</id><published>2009-09-29T09:07:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-29T09:07:09.086-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Subfloor Damage From Poor Bathtub Installation - Read Bath Tub Fixture Manuals</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Find More Facts On &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com/structural/wood_damage_from_bathtub.htm"&gt;Home Water Damage&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out These Amazing &lt;a target="_new" href="http://homerepair.gregvan.com/"&gt;Home Damage Videos&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-1410768917578091628?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/1410768917578091628/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=1410768917578091628' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/1410768917578091628'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/1410768917578091628'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/subfloor-damage-from-poor-bathtub.html' title='Subfloor Damage From Poor Bathtub Installation - Read Bath Tub Fixture Manuals'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-589630457398369043</id><published>2009-09-29T02:30:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-29T02:30:53.709-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Five Things That a Termite Inspection Company Might Not Ever Say</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;I don't think that I've ever heard of a termite inspector, ever go to a home and not find any termites. Even if the home doesn't have any damage that is visible from the termites, it seems like it's always a good idea, to tent the home, just in case, for protection. Anyway, here's five things that you might not ever hear a termite inspector ever say.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1. Your house is free of termites. This means that there isn't, one termite on your property and the termite inspector isn't going to make any money. Let's face it, termite damage, whether it's visible or invisible, keeps these guys working.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2. Your house isn't going to fall down, if I don't do anything to stop the termites. I have seen homes, where termites have been working on them for quite some time and they still seem to stand up and function properly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;3. Termites don't eat much and I wouldn't worry about the damage. Most termite inspectors will tell you how much a termite in Hawaii or Africa will eat in a day, but doesn't seem to have an honest idea, how much damage they are doing to your home, if they can't actually see it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;4. Every one that works for our company, has at least 30 years experience, repairing any termite damage. Don't even get me started with this one.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;5. We will replace all of the termite damage wood, back to its original condition. What they might say, is that they will replace the wood that is damaged by termites, that you can actually see.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are plenty of great termite companies out there and this article was meant just to have fun with most of them. Termite damage can be a serious problem with some homes and I would suggest that you contact at least three termite inspectors, before proceeding ahead with any home repairs or use of chemicals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Try not to forget, the only way that a termite inspection company will make any money, looking at your house, will be to find something wrong with it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://homerepair.gregvan.com/"&gt;Easy Home Repair Tips&lt;/a&gt; . Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com/"&gt;San Diego Remodeling Contractors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks For Reading My Articles&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-589630457398369043?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/589630457398369043/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=589630457398369043' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/589630457398369043'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/589630457398369043'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/five-things-that-termite-inspection_29.html' title='Five Things That a Termite Inspection Company Might Not Ever Say'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-9104232996403896108</id><published>2009-09-28T20:19:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-28T20:19:09.603-07:00</updated><title type='text'>What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your state has a licensing board for contractors, this will be your next step.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For some more tips about hiring contractors go to &lt;br&gt; &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com/library/homeowner_checklists.htm"&gt;http://gregvan.com/library/homeowner_checklists.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvandenberge.com/"&gt;Greg Vandenberge&lt;/a&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His website &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com"&gt;http://gregvan.com&lt;/a&gt; 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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-9104232996403896108?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/9104232996403896108/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=9104232996403896108' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/9104232996403896108'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/9104232996403896108'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-if-my-contractor-does-not-return.html' title='What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-612093924781494489</id><published>2009-09-28T13:38:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-28T13:38:31.170-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Plumbing Problems and Solutions - Repair Manuals</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;If you've owned a home for over 20 years, there's a very good chance, that you've had a water pipe break, a drainpipe clogged, a toilet that wouldn't flush right, or a water leak that damaged part of the home. If you don't know, what you're looking for and you have no idea what damage can be done, over time, this could mean trouble for the homeowner.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plumbing problems like these have been around and will be around for many years. Knowing what to do about them, how to repair them and what materials will be needed, can be found in plumbing repair manuals for books. How would you like to have a professional plumber to advise you on your plumbing repairs. What if I told you that you could have a plumbing professional on hand at all times. Is this something that you might be interested in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well I can't guarantee that, so let's forget about what I just said and go to the next best thing. Plumbing repair manuals are full of tips and advice that when needed can sometimes be priceless. If water is leaking from the ceiling in your home and you have no idea, where the water is coming from or how to stop it from leaking, any information could be priceless and I mean priceless.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plumbers, usually charge over $100 an hour for emergency service. I've seen plumbers come to peoples homes, turn the water off to the house, stop the water from leaking and now it is no longer an emergency. The plumber quickly pulls out an invoice for the plumbing repairs and it could be over $1000, if you decide that this is ridiculous and choose not to pay it, the plumber can hand you a bill for stopping the water leak. Some of these bills are what I would consider quite ridiculous, for just shutting the water off.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You're not paying the plumber for the amount of time it took him, you're paying him for his knowledge. If you knew where to shut the water off, you wouldn't have an emergency situation and could contact a plumber during normal hours. This could save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With a simple home repair manual or a home plumbing book, you could prepare yourself for a situation like this and other plumbing problems. Most home repair manuals have general solutions and advice and can solve most of the problems around your home. If they can't solve all of the problems, they can probably save you from major catastrophes like a water leak.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most of the time it's not the water leak that will cost the most money, it's the damage the water will do to your furniture, carpeting, wood flooring, walls or ceilings. A little information and preparation can save you a lot of money in the long run.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.bookshelf4u.com/home_plumbing_books.htm"&gt;Home Plumbing Books&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 &lt;a target="_new" href="http://houseinspectionhelp.com/homebuyersguide/index.htm"&gt;home buyers guide&lt;/a&gt; to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-612093924781494489?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/612093924781494489/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=612093924781494489' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/612093924781494489'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/612093924781494489'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/plumbing-problems-and-solutions-repair.html' title='Plumbing Problems and Solutions - Repair Manuals'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-5578447457110377473</id><published>2009-09-18T20:49:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-18T20:49:10.361-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Five Things That a Termite Inspection Company Might Not Ever Say</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;I don't think that I've ever heard of a termite inspector, ever go to a home and not find any termites. Even if the home doesn't have any damage that is visible from the termites, it seems like it's always a good idea, to tent the home, just in case, for protection. Anyway, here's five things that you might not ever hear a termite inspector ever say.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1. Your house is free of termites. This means that there isn't, one termite on your property and the termite inspector isn't going to make any money. Let's face it, termite damage, whether it's visible or invisible, keeps these guys working.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2. Your house isn't going to fall down, if I don't do anything to stop the termites. I have seen homes, where termites have been working on them for quite some time and they still seem to stand up and function properly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;3. Termites don't eat much and I wouldn't worry about the damage. Most termite inspectors will tell you how much a termite in Hawaii or Africa will eat in a day, but doesn't seem to have an honest idea, how much damage they are doing to your home, if they can't actually see it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;4. Every one that works for our company, has at least 30 years experience, repairing any termite damage. Don't even get me started with this one.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;5. We will replace all of the termite damage wood, back to its original condition. What they might say, is that they will replace the wood that is damaged by termites, that you can actually see.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are plenty of great termite companies out there and this article was meant just to have fun with most of them. Termite damage can be a serious problem with some homes and I would suggest that you contact at least three termite inspectors, before proceeding ahead with any home repairs or use of chemicals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Try not to forget, the only way that a termite inspection company will make any money, looking at your house, will be to find something wrong with it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://homerepair.gregvan.com/"&gt;Easy Home Repair Tips&lt;/a&gt; . Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com/"&gt;San Diego Remodeling Contractors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks For Reading My Articles&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-5578447457110377473?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/5578447457110377473/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=5578447457110377473' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/5578447457110377473'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/5578447457110377473'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/five-things-that-termite-inspection.html' title='Five Things That a Termite Inspection Company Might Not Ever Say'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-7785699056818974388</id><published>2009-09-18T19:51:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-18T19:51:30.359-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How to Protect Foundation Plumbing Pipes?</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;If you install any underground plumbing pipes, in your concrete building foundation, you will need to protect them, from the concrete. You can use a variety of products and the most common of them will be a Styrofoam wrapping that can be purchased at most plumbing supply stores.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let's start with the waste pipes, that are made out of plastic. The concrete could actually start to put pressure on the plastic pipes as the concrete starts to expand and this pressure could actually damage your new waste pipes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You don't need to wrap all of the plastic waste pipes, only the parts of the waste pipes that will be exposed or in direct contact any concrete, but you do need to protect every copper water supply line that will be buried under the ground or exposed to the concrete, with a plastic sleeve. These products can be purchased again at most building supply or plumbing supply stores.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If these pipes aren't protected properly, you could find yourself within a short time, repairing the pipes that are either inside of your concrete foundation or buried underneath your concrete foundation. Either way, this isn't going to be a good thing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You definitely need to wrap a plastic sleeve around the water supply pipes that are going to be buried or in direct contact with the concrete. This is a must and most building departments will require your plumbing pipes to be wrapped, before it they will sign off on your rough foundation plumbing inspection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, for the waste pipes, you can actually use cardboard to protect them. If you're short on funds, why not grab some cardboard boxes, dismantle them and start using cardboard to wrap the pipes, with a little duct tape.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are plenty of ways to save money in the construction business, buy a few books, read a couple of articles, with a lot of pictures in this can provide you with lots of construction information, from experience building contractors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out some of the best selling &lt;a target="_new" href="http://books.gregvan.com/"&gt;Home Building Plumbing Books&lt;/a&gt; all on one website&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://homerepair.gregvan.com/"&gt;Home Repairs&lt;/a&gt;. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for reading our articles&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-7785699056818974388?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/7785699056818974388/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=7785699056818974388' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/7785699056818974388'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/7785699056818974388'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-protect-foundation-plumbing.html' title='How to Protect Foundation Plumbing Pipes?'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-7215517921547094762</id><published>2009-09-18T18:47:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-18T18:47:42.336-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://gregvan.com/"&gt;House Framing Contractors&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 &lt;a target="_new" href="http://houseinspectionhelp.com/homebuyersguide/index.htm"&gt;excellent home inspection checklist&lt;/a&gt; to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks For Reading My Articles&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-7215517921547094762?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/7215517921547094762/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=7215517921547094762' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/7215517921547094762'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/7215517921547094762'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/plywood-roof-sheeting-roof-framing.html' title='Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-5658496639984825323</id><published>2009-09-18T17:49:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-18T17:49:03.300-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Click here if you are looking for some more &lt;a target="_new" href="http://books.gregvan.com/bathroom_books.htm"&gt;Bathroom Remodeling Ideas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link &lt;a target="_new" href="http://homerepair.gregvan.com/"&gt;Home Repair Tips&lt;/a&gt;. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks for reading the article&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-5658496639984825323?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/5658496639984825323/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=5658496639984825323' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/5658496639984825323'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/5658496639984825323'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/tile-grouting-tips-for-your-bathrooms.html' title='Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-2187531553630240204</id><published>2009-09-16T22:55:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-16T22:55:04.552-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Understanding More About Home Improvement Contractors</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Home improvement contractors cannot legally take up projects and otherwise work as contractors unless they are licensed. There is one license issuing authority in every state of the USA. Note the following points:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- The license is proof of the competence and capability of the license holder to work as a home improvement contractor.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- If you employ an unlicensed home improvement contractor, the work carried out shall be considered illegal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- If such a person is utilized to install a product, the owner of the product faces the risk of losing the advantages of all warranties and insurance policies on the product. If something goes wrong during the installation, the owner shall have no protection whatsoever.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Any person desirous of starting a home improvement business should contact the proper authorities to obtain the licenses and registrations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The process is a time consuming one and should be commenced at least six months prior to the planned date of commencement of business. So plan ahead.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Home Improvement Is Not As Easy As It Seems&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is dangerous to think that home improvement is an easy task with no further specializations in the field. The truth is that each home improvement contractor, sooner or later, chooses to specialize in a particular aspect of his work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The general areas of specialization are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;a. designing&lt;br&gt;b. plumbing&lt;br&gt;c. electrical work&lt;br&gt;d. engineering work&lt;br&gt;e. joining work&lt;br&gt;f. interior designing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You may notice that your home improvement plans stretch over multiple areas. Hence, simply employing one home improvement contractor to do the entire job irrespective of his specialization may lead to shoddy work. Rather, it makes sense to employ different contractors for doing different works so that you get the best quality work done. At the end of the day, quality matters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The worst mistake that you can make is to presume that anybody can do the work of a home improvement contractor. That is not true. Pulling down parts of your home and rebuilding it or adding new parts to it is a specialist's job.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not be penny wise and pound foolish!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Avoid undertaking home improvement works on your own. Search for efficient and reliable contractors. Spread the work among your friends and relatives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get them to recommend a contractor they know. You can get good quality work done at very affordable prices. Your house will look good and your wallet will not end up empty. Many people employ specialists to build or modify their houses but choose to do the interior designing on their own. All your efforts at home improvement will go waste if your house looks ugly from the inside.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you know nothing about interior designing, get a specialist to do it. These specialists will do a good job in making your house look pretty from the inside as well. However, they tend to be expensive and the cost of the consultation, materials and labor can weigh down your budget. Prefer specialists only if you can afford them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When a home improvement chore comes up, honestly appraise your abilities and ask whether you can do the job yourself. Unless you are totally certain, do not do it yourself. If you decide to employ home improvement contractors, make sure you choose licensed contractors only. Irrespective of whether the job is big or small, quick or lengthy, cheap or expensive, never choose an unlicensed contractor.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more free information on interior designing and to sign up for a great newsletter visit &lt;a target="_new" href="http://myhomeimprovementtips.com"&gt;http://myhomeimprovementtips.com&lt;/a&gt; for your home improvement projects! Save on the latest &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.ezhomeimprovementstore.com"&gt;home improvement products&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a href=http://hometips.gregvan.com/exterior_wood_beams.htm&gt;Exterior Wood Beams&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-2187531553630240204?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/2187531553630240204/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=2187531553630240204' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2187531553630240204'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/2187531553630240204'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/understanding-more-about-home.html' title='Understanding More About Home Improvement Contractors'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2650816931567628652.post-6538347553334037251</id><published>2009-09-16T10:29:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-16T10:29:34.218-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Guide To Whole House Water Filter Replacement Cartridges</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;The vendors who carry whole house water filter replacement cartridges cater to those customers who have a whole house system. This is a filter system that connects to the main water line going into a home. The typical connection comes before the point where the line splits, sending part of the line to the hot water heater.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When a homeowner has a this type of water filter system then all the residents of the home can enjoy access to clean and pure water in the kitchen, the laundry and the bathroom. Of course that access remains a benefit of residence in the same home only one overriding condition-the homeowner takes the time to get replacement cartridges.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As any homeowner thinks about investing in a filter system for the entire house, he or she might have a few questions. Frequently homeowners ask this question: Can I use this filter to get pure water for the plants in my garden and the grass on my lawn?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The homeowner must examine the blueprint for the house, in order to obtain an answer to that question. The homeowner needs to learn where the city's main water line splits into a "house" line and a "yard" line. Of course, no garden or lawn can receive filtered water if a homeowner fails to purchase the needed whole house water filter replacement cartridges.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) applauds homeowners who invest in a whole house filter system and also make the effort to get the necessary filter replacement cartridges. A survey done by the EPA in 2001 showed that 82,655 city water systems in the U.S. had unsafe drinking water.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Water safety experts at in the EPA know how the drinking of unsafe water can affect the health of those who remain unaware of the dangerous substances in that water. Sometimes water contains radioactive contaminants. When the residents of a home drink water with those contaminants they increase the likelihood that they could develop cancer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If city water contains antimony, and if that water enters a home unfiltered, then the residents of a home could have rising cholesterol levels or falling blood sugar levels. If city water contains arsenic, then it could cause the unsuspecting city residents who drink that water to have unexplained skin damage or circulatory problems.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If a city water system contains barium, then the physicians in that city might find that a number of patients have a rising blood pressure level. Were those same physicians to inquire about the use of water filters in the home, they could probably link those rising blood pressure levels to the absence of a whole house water filter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Having emphasized the importance of a water filter for the whole house, this article needs to offer help to those who plan to purchase whole house water filter replacement cartridges. Those who go in search of such cartridges should know exactly what size they need. Cartridges have varied lengths. The most commonly used cartridges have lengths of 5 inches, 10 inches and 20 inches.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Those in search of replacement cartridges should also know that there are three basic types of filters. Some come with sediment pre-filter; some have a high flow carbon filter. Homeowners can also buy a house filter with both sediment pre-filter and a high flow carbon filter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Any homeowner with a water filter system for their residence should become familiar with the available sources for these replacement cartridges. Only the regular replacement of such cartridges can insure the purity and the good taste of water in a home. Only necessary replacements can guarantee the functionality of carbon filters with an ion exchange and of micron filtration.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The homeowner who has purchased a whole house water filter system has made a safe choice. The homeowner who, in addition, regularly takes the time to get whole house water filter replacement cartridges has made the safest choice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Discover why you need &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.safewaterpurifier.com"&gt;whole house water filter replacement cartridges&lt;/a&gt; in your home.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laurel Tevolitz is a dedicated researcher of critical issues that affect health and well-being. Visit her water purification blog now at &lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.safewaterpurifier.com"&gt;http://www.safewaterpurifier.com&lt;/a&gt; to discover which water purification system she recommends after extensive research.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a href=http://hometips.gregvan.com/getting_rid_of_horrible_attic_sm.htm&gt;Getting Rid Of Horrible Attic Sm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2650816931567628652-6538347553334037251?l=stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/feeds/6538347553334037251/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=2650816931567628652&amp;postID=6538347553334037251' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/6538347553334037251'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2650816931567628652/posts/default/6538347553334037251'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stairbuilderhelp.blogspot.com/2009/09/guide-to-whole-house-water-filter.html' title='A Guide To Whole House Water Filter Replacement Cartridges'/><author><name>Pat Morrow</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06833109666902173434</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='07814636434317696346'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry></feed>