Home Insulation - Should You 'Do It Yourself' Or Use A Professional Contractor?

The Energy Saving Trust in the UK estimates that the average home can save several hundred pounds off its annual heating bills, and prevent the emission of over two tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, by installing insulation throughout. Insulation is the single biggest measure you can take to cut the amount of energy you use in the home. Plus this will also make the average home more comfortable by making it warmer in winter, and cooler in summer. It's no wonder that hundreds of thousands of people a year in the UK are getting their homes insulated.

When thinking about insulating your home you are immediately faced with the choice of employing a professional contractor to do it, or attempting a bit of DIY. At first the DIY option can appear tempting. For example, some types of insulation, such as loft insulation, are not normally technically difficult to fit. The materials are readily available in most DIY stores. Plus many people automatically think that DIY is going to be cheaper than employing a professional contractor, because with a contractor you are paying for their labour.

However, in many cases they will be wrong because using a professional contractor is either cheaper or roughly the same cost as DIY. This is because installing insulation in the UK is now heavily subsidised by gas and electricity suppliers, in order that they can meet their carbon emission targets set by the government. These subsidies are funded by the power companies regardless of household income, and currently amount to between 50 and 70% of the cost of having the insulation installed. This usually means that using a contractor becomes price competitive, or in many cases even cheaper, than DIY.

Plus if you receive certain benefits from the government in the UK, you can get your insulation installed by a professional contractor completely free. This is because the government tops up the grants from the energy companies with its own subsidies to cover the entire cost of the work.

As well as financial considerations, there are other reasons why employing a professional contractor can be attractive. Firstly, some types of insulation do require special technical expertise. For example, to install cavity wall insulation - filling the space between your outer walls with insulation material - requires special machinery, as well as training. You should always use a reputable contractor for this. Although not technically difficult, installing loft insulation is often still a challenging DIY job. The working conditions in a loft are often cramped and unpleasant. Employing someone else to go up there is in many cases a much more attractive option!

As well as the technical challenges, DIY can also have a number of safety issues. For example, the mineral wool that is commonly used to insulate lofts can be hazardous. It is extremely important to handle it with care, as it can severely irritate the throat and skin. You need to wear protective clothing, including face mask, safety goggles and gloves. You also need to make sure that you do not expose the living areas of the house to the material, either when you unpack it, or dispose of any waste material.

If you use a reputable contractor, you can be sure that these issues will be taken care of, with much less hassle for you. You also know that the job will be done to a good standard, because of their training and experience. In fact, cavity wall insulation carried out by professionals in the UK comes with a 25 year guarantee if they are registered with the Cavity Wall Guarantee Agency, which most reputable firms are.

Given all of these advantages, we recommend that most people use a professional contractor to get their home insulated. It's generally competitive on cost or cheaper than DIY, safer, less hassle, and will be done to a high standard if you choose the right contractor. There are many reputable firms who can be accessed through the Internet They will offer you a free no-obligation survey, after which you get a quotation. They also give you access to the attractive grants and subsidies mentioned above. If you like what they tell you, then you can simply go ahead and get a date booked for the work, and look forward to a warmer home and lower heating bills.

Alex Perry is a founder of http://www.DownwithCO2.co.uk, which helps people cut their personal contribution to climate change through providing information and contacts.

Floor Repairs

Tips in Remodeling a Small Bathroom

Being among the top players world-wide in the financial, commercial, entertainment and cultural industries, New York City has become the most densely populated city in the country. With such reputation, the cost of housing soars leaving smaller living spaces a more popular option. Making a home out of these amply-spaced to smaller units is a challenge to many. This includes making important features of the home seem much cozier such as remodeling a small bathroom.

When remodeling a small bathroom, a complete focus on space fused with the right amount of creativity is key to the success of the project. Another important thing to ponder on is that quality does not come cheap. But it does not mean that you would have to always stick with the most expensive service or product, it only means that you should take careful considerations before letting go of your hard-earned cash to be able to give the most value to the money that you spend.

There are various ways to make less space appear much bigger. Enlisted are helpful tips in remodeling a small bathroom:

First off, unless you have significant skills and experience in plumbing, carpentry and electrical works, or the project is not a major one; you should seek the expertise of a competent NYC contractor to help you. Following this first tip in remodeling a small bathroom would save you a whole of time and money in the long run.

Instead of having a tub, maximize the space by having a shower instead. Rather than the traditional shower pan construction, a simple one-piece pan would serve as a much sleeker option as well as a leakproof solution. But if you still prefer a tub over a spacious shower, then go for the soaking bathtubs that are smaller but deeper designs.

In remodeling a small bathroom, choose a lighter and cooler hue for the walls and delicate patters for wallpapers or tiles. Light colors have an airy feel to them creating an illusion of more space. To create a better impact out of these designs, install fixtures offering heavy lighting. Another way to better illuminate the small bathroom is through skylight features. A bay window is a good choice as its alcove may also offer additional storage space.

Two elements have long since been known to give an illusion of more space. Reflection
and vertical objects and designs such as unframed mirrors and tall bathroom products that have shiny surfaces can be used in remodeling a small bathroom. You can have two mirrors installed opposite each other or facing the window. And when shopping, choose a tall but compact model of toilet and either a wall-mounted or sleek sink.

Important considerations when remodeling a small bathroom are the storage of toiletries and room for decorative items. Choose to have spaces cut out into the walls to serves as additional storage or display area rather than having free-standing cabinets or shelves installed into the walls. Lesser things protruding from the walls would help make the space seem larger.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened NYC contractor. To know more about remodeling a small bathroom, visit Contractors New York

House Pocket Door Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finding a Good Deck Builder

An outdoor deck is becoming an increasingly important asset to the homeowner and family because it provides a perfect space to enjoy the good life in the outdoors day or night. So it's important to find a qualified deck builder who can construct this new outdoor living space for you.

The search involves five simple steps.

Step one involves asking relatives, friends and neighbors about contractors who have worked for them. Try talking to staff at the home improvement retail outlets for deck builder contractors that they recommend.Try contacting your local home builder association for a list of recommended deck building contractors. And finally, look in the Yellow Pages for companies that specialize in deck building.

Once you have decided upon at least three companies to provide you with a deck estimate complete step two. This involves checking with the Better Business Bureau to discover if they are members. Arrange for a time when each of these deck builders can come to your home and discuss your project. Explain clearly when they arrive what you want in terms of deck shape, dimensions, materials to be used, railing type, stair type and placement as well as any special features that you wish built.

In step three ask the deck builder to provide customer references for projects similar to yours. Make a point to call these homeowners. Ask them if the work was done properly and if the work was completed on time. Ask if the project was completed on budget and find out if any follow-up work was required. Inquire if the follow-up work was done satisfactorily. Determine if these customers would hire the contractor again.

Most importantly, go and see for yourself the work done by this deck builder on projects that are similar to yours.

Step four deals with ensuring that you are protected from any risks:

1. Check to see that the deck builder has a registered, legitimate business license.

2. Ensure that the contractor has business liability insurance in case he or she damages your home or a neighbor's or causes an injury to a third party like your neighbor.

3. Make sure that the deck builder has worker compensation coverage to protect against the risk of claims or financial loss if a worker is injured on your project.

4. Ensure that the contractor's written warranty specifies what is covered and for how long.

5. Make sure that the contractor's name, address, telephone number and business license number are on the contract.

6. Check that the contract contains a full description of the work to be done as well as the materials and products to be used in the construction process.

7. Ensure that the contract states when the work will start and when it will be completed.

Step five involves making sure that a building permit is obtained for the project by the contractor. This will automatically guarantee that the local building codes are complied with and that a local building inspector will visit at required intervals to check on the progress and quality of your deck's construction.

Following these five steps will make the construction process stress free because you will have found a good deck builder qualified to do the job professionally and honestly and who will completed the project to your satisfaction.

So, save yourself a lot of headaches and follow the 5 step to finding a good deck builder.

Richard Vande Sompel is a professional deck builder of 35 years and over 850 decks built and is the author of "How to Plan, Design and Build a Deck from Start to Finish". To Learn More About a Good Deck Builder and Claim your 2 FREE Deck Plans, Insider Report, MP3 Audio and discover everything to know about building a deck visit: http://www.DeckBuildingRevealed.com

Mechanic's Lien Source Book - Home Owner Advice

A mechanic's lien is a powerful device to enforce payment on a construction project. But is there a limit to the amount you can claim? What about damages for breach of contract?

I am not aware of any state which would allow direct or consequential damages to be inserted into a mechanic's lien. The reason is that such claims are strictly limited to the labor, materials, and equipment conferred to the project which results in some form of permanent improvement. Your damages, over and above the amount owed on the contract and change orders, would be outside this scope.

Here are some examples of damages which could not be included:

Loss of profits on other jobs. As a result of not being paid $10,000, you were unable to use that money to advance labor and materials for another large job you were just awarded. You had to turn that job down and lost a profit.

Lack of productivity. Assume there have been so many changes and miscommunications on the job, that you had to start, stop, mobilize, demobilize, expand, shrink, fabricate, re-fabricate, and change your work force and productivity. You have lost countless hours and had to pay your employees out of pocket. This is normally not included in the mechanic's lien.

Delay damages. You have been delayed in the start of the project as well as during the course of construction.

Extended overhead. The architect has made so many changes to that you have been on the job much longer than expected and have had to carry a substantial overhead.

It is important to remember that although these items may not be included in your lien, you can include them in a lawsuit or arbitration for breach of contract and consequential damages against the person you have your contract with.

Sue Malone
442 Diablo Road, Suite 137
Danville, CA 94526
Email: info@NationalLienLaw.com

Sue Malone is the owner of National Lien Law, a site devoted to contractor forms for use in the construction industry. For Mechanic's Lien Forms and more information on this subject, including free lien law summaries and time deadline tables for all 50 states, visit our website at: http://www.NationalLienLaw.com Or call (925) 899-8449 and ask for Bernie. All representatives are graduates of an accredited law school, but are not lawyers and cannot give legal advice. Please consult with a construction attorney if you wish legal representation.

2008 NationalLienLaw.com. All rights reserved.

Best Hardwood Floor Tips To Save You Money

Most consumers choose hardwood flooring for the feeling of warmth, beauty and comfort it can give a room. Because of today's modern technology, many manufacturers are coming up with great new synthetic flooring that not only looks good, but is also durable and low-maintenance, a definite plus for those who are always on the go but want stylish floor coverings; however even though synthetic flooring is a great alternative, many people still crave the look and feel of all-natural floor coverings such as stone or wood.

There are many other reasons to go with hardwood floors, such as the value they add to your home, easy care and easy cleaning, great style and durability and they're natural and safe for the environment. Although carpeting is an easy alternative to floor decorations, many home decorators are now setting a new trend with exotic hardwood flooring.

If you know a building contractor or hardwood floor contractor, they may be able to help you get a nice discount. In most cases, refinishing your floors will increase the value of your home, not to mention, adding style and beauty. Some of the most well known hardwood floor manufacturers include Bruce, Shaw, Mohawk, Mannington and Armstrong.

If you're looking for great ideas get a copy of Hardwood Floors magazine; it's sent to more than 24,000 hardwood flooring professionals throughout the world, including contractors, dealers, distributors, manufacturers, builders, architects and many other industry professionals. If you own an older home, if the floors are structurally sound, why not go ahead and refinish them and bring your old hardwood floors back to life. After all wood is wood, and what can be more ecologically clean than natural wood planks after very little chemical processing?

There is no need for cleaning chemicals, carpet shampooing, or replacement carpets whenever you have big spills. When you're deciding on what type of flooring is the best for you and your home, the first step to making sure it's really right for you is to list all the pros and cons. Many people are now installing hardwood floors in their kitchen and it can also be installed over concrete.

Today's hardwood flooring has made advances in style, durability, maintenance and care, making it more widely usable throughout the home, except in the bathroom where its use is not recommended due to possible moisture problems. You may be able to get your flooring or prefinished planks through a hardwood floor lumber liquidator or supply; shop around for discounts and low cost flooring buys. The cost of hardwood flooring depends on what type you choose.

With tons of web pages online, you can easily check online for all types of hardwood flooring including: red oak, white oak, American cherry, Brazilian cherry, maple, red birch, ash, hickory, walnut and even bamboo. And many of the hardwood flooring retailers and manufacturers offer discounts if you have a lot of square footage. If you're thinking about a do-it-yourself project, you can easily learn how to install flooring with a few of the proper tools like sanders, nailers or nail guns etc. which you can easily rent or borrow.

Summarizing, we can say that hardwood flooring provides the utmost warmth and beauty for your home. Most hardwood floors almost never need to be replaced and can add thousands of dollars to the value of any home.

Hardwood floors are the healthiest choice for interior living, especially if you live with children. If you're looking for a great way to improve the look, durability and value of your home, they are definitely the way to go. They are one of the most important design elements in any home or business.

For more info on buying and choosing the best hardwood floors online and offline go to http://www.Hardwood-Floor-Contractor.com for money-saving tips, help, facts, reviews and advice including do-it-yourself on all types of hardwood flooring

Dealing With Condensation

Last winter I had a major problem with condensation which was especially prominent under the bay window in the living room and the built in wardrobes in the front bedroom. I spent some time researching the causes of condensation and found that ventilation is key. The built in wardrobes were especially bad because they were located on a North facing external wall. They were also full of clothes and the when the doors were closed there was no ventilation.

Last winter I stripped the wallpaper in the built in wardrobes because it was covered in black mould and smelt musty. I bleached the walls and painted them with an anti-condensation paint. This did get rid of the smell but the walls were so cold that the anti-condensation paint didn't make any difference. When the warm air in the bedroom hit the cold wall within the wardrobe there was no stopping the water vapour from appearing.

Last week I thought to myself - "I need to do something about this condensation before winter arrives". Not knowing what the solution was I took a trip to B&Q and had a look around for anything that might have helped and there it was - 'Warmaline wall lining', basically a roll of polystyrene that you use just like wallpaper which provides an amazing insulation from the coldness of the wall. I added three layers in all just to ensure that it worked and to my amazement the walls have been consistantly warm. Not only does Warmaline insulate the wardrobe it also stops your clothes getting cold which in turn stops and damp and mould growth on the clothes.

http://victorianproperty.blogspot.com

Building Projects With Treated Wood - Home Remodeling Ideas

Building with treated wood and the idea that this project will last forever because of the wood you used is not necessarily true. Over the years I have seen contractors and homeowners use treated wood for projects like building decks with this idea in mind.

I just met with a homeowner that was asking me about vinyl fencing. The homeowner approached me with some facts about vinyl fencing. She started to explain to me how long a vinyl fence would last verses a wood fence. I reminded her that the vinyl posts usually slip over metal or wood building materials.

She proceeded to inform me that treated wood will last a lot longer than wood used when building a wooden fence. It took me a while to change her mind and reprogram her with a few picture this from my website. I know this is hard to imagine but wood rots and steel rust.

All you end up with is a vinyl fence that is in pretty good shape if taken care of properly laying down in your yard with broken or rusted fence posts.

Do you know that some people use treated wood for countertops and food preparation areas when building certain projects like an outdoor barbecue? Do you know people build outdoor furniture with treated wood and then sit in it with a chance of toxic chemicals entering into your body? This is where Redwood comes in as a natural building product or other nice looking woods. Redwood is classified as a softwood and if used for a countertop and a barbecue kitchen area you will have to protect it from heavy pans and people using the countertop for a cutting board.

Do not use treated wood for a projects that will be used for food preparation later.

It's a good idea to wash your hands after handling treated lumber. It's a really good idea to wash your hands after using treated lumber if you are going to eat something or make something for another person or yourself.

For all the homeowners and building contractors that use treated wood and bury it in dirt. Or build a low lying deck right above the ground I would like to share something with you. I have been repairing and replacing your work for over 30 years now. You guys keep me busy and I want to thank you for all the years you guys have been in business.

I still can't believe the amount of work I see being done using treated wood with the illusion that it will last longer than regular construction standard wood. I don't know how else to put it except to say treated wood will rot fast in the right conditions.

Treated wood does need to be protected from rain, snow, heat and other elements of the weather. It cannot sit in the dirt or lay in water for long periods of time without slowly disintegrating. Oh yeah one more thing termites will eat sections of the wood that is not completely treated.

Use treated wood properly when building and inform other people about some of the stuff you learned in this article. Reread this article later and save it for the future.

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

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

Mold Growing On Cement Wall

Match Your Old House

A large percentage of people who renovate their homes do so to update, add value or prepare their home for sale. All too often though, home owners plan a renovation with no thought of making the new work blend with their older home.

This can result in the new work looking like an ugly wart stuck onto the original home. This often even effects the resale value of the home.

This is because when people shop for an older home they are looking because they like the style and look of the older homes and bad renovations will turn them away.

This means that you should consider the era your home was built in to make sure that renovations and upgrades flow naturally together in your older home. This is most noticeable on new exterior walls of additions, windows, doors and door hardware, light fixtures and things like heating vents, trim and flooring.

That doesn't mean that you need to forgo any new conveniences or not make improvements to increase energy efficiency or convenience. It just means that you need to carefully consider the style of your home before you act.

Look around neighborhoods that are the same age as your home to get ideas about how other people have successfully blended upgrades in their homes.

When you choose a contractor make sure that he has done renovation work with your age of home and understands your goals. Fortunately there are several companies that offer period style hardware designs in new materials.

A good project should make it hard to recognize where the older house ends and the new work begins.

Bob Current writes about a variety of subjects including tips on home renovation. Get his free report about tips for Choosing The Best Contractor for your renovation at http://www.homeimprovementtips.info

Moisture Against Gravity Destroy

How to Install Ceramic Tile - Proven Steps to Success

You can quickly learn how to install ceramic tile and have stunning success with your project. Sure installing tile is usually left to the pros. But with the right tips, most people can build beautiful surfaces. It's just a matter of getting the right tools and learning how to prepare the surfaces and put the tile in place. Following are the four basic steps for getting tile installed the right way.

Gathering the materials is the first step. Now materials includes getting the few basic tools required for tile installation. There are just a few special tools required. The most important tools you don't already have are the tile cutting tools. That would include tile nippers, maybe a tile cutter board and usually a tile saw. You can rent a saw or start with a very inexpensive saw too.

The other part of gathering materials is deciding on the tile you will use and how much tile you need. That may be the hardest part of the whole project. That's because you have so many tile choices. After you decide how much tile you need, you'll know how much tile adhesive and grout you'll need too. Your tile supplier can help you figure quantities of all the materials. Once you have your materials you're ready to get started with the installing.

An important preparation step is getting the base for the tile solid and clean. A surface that moves will cause cracked tiles. Often the easiest way to get a solid smooth surface is to put down cement board. But that's not necessary since tile can be installed over many different materials. Once you have your materials and your surface preparation done, the actual installation is not very hard.

Laying the first tile is the hardest part. That's because the position of the first tile determines how much cutting of tiles you'll do. It also determines how straight the joint lines will be. Getting the tiles lined up correctly will make for a neat installation. The best way to get the lines straight is to use your chalk line early and often. Actually setting the tiles involves some art. Setting tile is easiest if you gently twist the tiles into position. You don't want to drop the tiles into place or slide the tile into place either. Make sure you have enough mud on the tile so you have a little extra so you can bump the individual piece into place.

Once the tiles are in place, the grouting of the joints goes quickly. Grout does come in several types. Whether you choose sanded or unsanded grout depends on the size of the joint. Another option is using epoxy grout where the tile is in a constantly wet place. After the grout sets briefly, it is easily cleaned to finish the job.

You can learn how to install ceramic tile with the right instruction and some practice. There's no reason why you can't do a professional looking job on your first project. There are quite a few tricks to learn to make it easier to lay tile.

Video tutorials showing how to install ceramic tile can be found at our website.

Al Bullington invites you to visit http://InstallingCeramicTile.net for answers to your tile questions.

Door Fill In With Damage

Hiring a Contractor For Bathroom Remodeling - Remodeling Contractors

Well here's the age old question, how do we go about finding a decent bathroom remodeling contractor.

Here's some things you will be looking for in a contractor.

1. Is Your Contractor Fair and Honest?

2. Does Your Contractor Have Experience Remodeling and Designing Bathrooms?

3. Can You Actually Find a Contractor Who Will Complete the Job in a Timely Manner?

4. Do You Think the Workers Will Be Able to Clean the Job up Daily?

5. Will the Contractor Show up on Time?

6. Is the Contractor Going to Work At Least Eight Hours a Day?

7. Does the Contractor's Crew Have Experience?

8. Is Your Contractor and His Crew Courteous?

If you find a contractor for your bathroom remodeling project that has answered yes to all questions above, hire that person immediately. Most contractors can sincerely answer yes to half of the questions above. If you're looking for the ultimate bathroom remodeling contractor, you could be searching for quite a while, you're looking for some one that is competent and you feel comfortable with.

When hiring a contractor, look for someone who has your interest in mind first and not theirs. Find someone who is willing to help with the designed process of your bathroom and the remodeling. If you find a contractor to be arrogant or controlling, there is a good chance, your bathroom might not turn out the way you envision it.

When hiring a contractor for your bathroom remodeling project or any home improvement project, the most important thing to keep in mind is, whether or not you feel comfortable with this person or not. Never hire a contractor you're not comfortable with.

If a contractor is referred to you by someone you trust, this does not guarantee you will be happy with the bathroom remodel. Most referrals that I have gotten over the years are like rolling the dice, I believe I would have done just as good picking a name out of a hat.

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

Electrical Wire In Living Room

Your Home Remodeling Advice Will Be Helpful

To would appreciate any home remodeling tips for ideas that you have that could help other homeowners, building contractors and other people involved in home remodeling. Post all your comments below.

Old Electrical Wiring

Home Improvement Tip - Fixing a Squeaky Floor

Question: I have a floor that every single time I step on it I get the most annoying sound. I don't know what it does to me or why it bothers me so much. My kitchen floor squeaks and actually moves up and down if you are standing on it. The whole floor moves. How do I stop it from moving and squeaking. Help Me Greg!

Answer: It sounds like you have a broken floor joist. You are going to have to go under your house. If you have a basement this will be a little easier to fix. It is my guess that you don't have a basement or you would have seen the broken floor joist by now.

Have someone stand on the floor in the spot that squeaks and have them move up and down while you are under the house. Don't have them jump up and down while you are under the house. This could cause more damage to the structural framing of the floor. Once you are in the right position under the floor you can have them start moving slowly. What you are looking for is one of the floor joist that are moving.

If you see one of them moving. Look to see where the damage is. Is it a split, crack, wood rot or a big knot in the wood that has loosened up and fell out. Once you find the damaged floor joist you can now think about repairing it.

If you don't see any floor joist moving. Have the person on top start moving a little bit more and you can even have them jump on it a few times until you see something out of place. If you still don't see any broken floor joist. Start looking at the sub-floor, this will be plywood of some form, 1 x 6 or 2 x 6 materials.

What you are looking for is movement of any kind. Is there a separation or movement between the sub-floor and the floor joist. If you still can't find the problem maybe it is time to call in a professional.

The main thing you are going to be looking for is movement of any kind.

Most squeaky floors are caused from the sub-floor rubbing up and down on a nail. If you have carpeting and you have a squeaky floor you can do your best to locate a floor joist and screw right through your carpeting into the floor joist.

For more help on fixing squeaky floors visit http://gregvan.com/wood_repair.htm

Thanks for the great question. I hope it helps.

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

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

Visit us now for Home Improvement Tips

Dealing With Invisible Gods

Coach Outlet Store and Authentic Coach Purses

Good evening and thank you for spending some time reading this article that I have spent so much time thinking about. Here I will give you some material about the Coach brand and were to purchase a Coach handbag (Coach Outlet Store). So lets get started. I wanted to discuss the Coach brand and how the marksmanship has taken the brand to far outreaching levels. I will not try to sell you anything. I just express how well made these bags are and let them speak for them selves.

So, lets get started. I pose this question to you. Have you ever owned a Coach handbag? If you have not then you are missing an experience. Here is another question. Have you ever owned a bag that last for a significant number of years. If you havent had this experience then you are not purchasing the correct bag.

I know what most people would say. These bags are too expensive. Well, let take a look at this. Why would Coach handbags be so expensive? That is a good question. I would say it because of:

1. The material used

2. The time that it take to manufacture each handbag.

3. The premium of how long the bags last.

Now, lets take a look at the material of these bags. Coach only uses the best leather on the market. Coach knows that when you use a cheap material you get a cheap bag that will not last. Take a look and fill the leather of these bags and feel a cheaper bag. You will feel a difference. A Coach bag has softer leather. While fake leather product is hard and brittle. Also, take a look at the latches. Some are real gold. Do you see a difference from a cheaper bag?

How about the manufacturing process? Coach designers take their time to manufacture every single handbag. If a handbag has a flaw it does not make it to the show room floor. It is mostly destroyed on sold at the Coach Outlet Stores around the world.

How about how long people actually keep these bags? You know Coach Handbags actually get better the more wear you put into them. This is true because the leather has time to mature and become softer. Just like a baseball glove. The more time curing the glove the better it gets.

Now that I have explained why the Coach brand is so great. Lets take a look at were to purchase a authentic Coach handbag. I have to confess that I believe that Coach Outlet Stores are the best places to purchase these gems. I guess I am looking for a deal also. Coach outlet stores usually carry all the collections but at significant prices. But these stores are not stationed like a Walmart. You will have to travel to find just one. If you want to find one, check out prime outlets on the net. Prime outlet has an exhaustive directory of these locations across the United States.

I hope this helps in your decision making about purchasing a coach handbag. Hope to talk with you soon.

Kenneth Elliott is the proud owner of Coach Outlet Store. A resource for Coach purses, Coach Shoes and many other Handbags. Also See: Gucci Handbag

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Nailing Or Screwing Drywall

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

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

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

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

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

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

This means less labor installing and finishing the drywall.

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

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

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

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

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

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Carlsbad Home Improvement

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Xbox 360 E74 Fix Tips

In this article you are going to learn some of the best Xbox 360 e74 fix tips, to help you repair your console and get gaming again as quickly as possible. You don't need to put up with a broken Xbox any longer- today you are going to learn what causes the Xbox e74 error, as well as the steps that you need to take to be able to fix it as quickly, easily and cheaply as possible. Keep reading to find out how you can be gaming again in less than one hour.

The cause of the Xbox 360 e74 error is overheating. Excessive levels of heat damage the video scaler chip, as well as the motherboard and lead to malfunctions in your console, one of the most common being the e74 error code. If you want to fix your Xbox 360, you will need to therefore repair the damage that the overheating has caused.

There are two primary ways of achieving this. Firstly, you could send your Xbox 360 to Microsoft and have them fix it, and then return it to you. The major benefit of doing this is that you won't have to do any repair work yourself, making life easier for you. However, you won't be able to use your Xbox for at least a couple of weeks, whereas the other method can have you up and gaming again in less than one hour.

So what is this other method to fix the Xbox 360 e74 error?

Believe it or not, but you can actually repair your Xbox 360 console yourself. It really isn't that hard to do, provided you have the right instructions. The best way to get these is in an Xbox 360 repair guide, which will contain video instruction files that really do make it much, much easier to fix your console and banish the e74 error permanently. You can get a repair guide online, in digital download format- all you need to do are follow the video instructions using basic household tools, and soon you'll be gaming again!

Fixing your Xbox 360 console yourself is definitely worth it, as can be gaming again quickly and will feel a huge sense of accomplishment. Click the link to learn more about an easy step-by-step Xbox360 e74 fix and repair guide that will allow you to fix Xbox e74 error codes in under one hour, in the comfort of your own home.

Read free customer reviews on the top repair product, get a quality free video sample and learn how to fix Xbox e74. Don't put up with Xbox e74 errors any longer- they can be a thing of the past.

James Philipson has been involved in the electronics industry for over 10 years and has repaired more than 30 Xbox 360 consoles since the platform's release over two years ago. He is well regarded in the Xbox 360 repair industry.

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

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

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

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

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

A DIY Guide for Vacuum Cleaner Repair

It always seems that your vacuum will malfunction right before company is set to arrive. What do you do if your vacuum is not working correctly? Many people will simply throw away their vacuum and purchase a new one. However, did you know that it is quite easy to repair a vacuum cleaner?

You can find a lot of great information by checking out the website of the manufacturer who made your vacuum. For instance, if you have a Hoover vacuum, you can learn specifically about Hoover parts and how they work.

In order to repair the problem, you first need to determine what is wrong with your vacuum cleaner.

There are actually not a lot of vacuum parts which malfunction. The most common problem is a belt malfunction. To check out the vacuum cleaner belt, you will want to flip the vacuum on its front so that the brush is facing you. You will notice a small plate around the brush. Unscrew this. Check the belt. It is possible that it has snapped or has wrapped itself around a portion of the brush. If it is broken, you will want to take the belt with you to a store to purchase a new one. Many stores carry vacuum cleaner parts, including stores like Walmart and Target. You should be able to identify the proper size belt and many times a package will contain several size belts making it easier to insure you have the right one. Vacuum cleaner belts are not expensive at all.

You also will want to check the vacuum agitator brush. Sometimes it can become tangled with hair, pieces of carpet or string. You should use a pair of scissors to cut all of that out. Once it is clean, you can simply replace the belt and screw the plate back on the front.

If your vacuum is having poor suction, you might have something blocking one of the hoses. Remove the hoses one at a time, consulting your owner's manual if needed. If you have trouble reaching the blockage you can use the end of a mop or broomstick to push the obstruction through.

It also makes sense to do some routine maintenance on your vacuum. You will want to check the vacuum filter frequently to insure that it is not too dirty or blocked. The vacuum filter can affect the performanace of your machine. Also check the cord of your vacuum to make sure that it hasn't become frayed. Vacuum cords can often become damaged when they are run over by the vacuum.

Most of the problems you have with your vacuum will be related to either the agitator brush, the belt, or a blockage. You can save yourself a lot of time and money if you do the repairs yourself. You will be surprised how easy it is.

Sometimes a vacuum has electrical problems and those are a lot more difficult to fix on your own. In that case it is probably better to take it to someone who knows how to repair vacuums or make the move to a new machine.

Next time you have vacuum trouble, try these simple tricks. They might just breathe new life back into your vacuum!

Natalie Aranda writes on home and garden. It always seems that your vacuum will malfunction right before company is set to arrive. What do you do if your vacuum is not working correctly? Many people will simply throw away their vacuum and purchase a new one. However, did you know that it is quite easy to repair a vacuum cleaner? It also makes sense to do some routine maintenance on your vacuum. You will want to check the vacuum filter frequently to insure that it is not too dirty or blocked. The vacuum filters can affect the performanace of your machine. You can find a lot of great information by checking out the website of the manufacturer who made your vacuum. For instance, if you have a Hoover vacuum, you can learn specifically about Hoover parts and how they work.

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How to Build Your Own Wind Turbine For Home

If the increasing cost of electricity is one of your problems at home, you might want to consider some alternatives like build your own wind turbine or install solar panels on the roof of your home. In recent years, more people have seen the wisdom in using these alternative sources of energy to alleviate their growing electrical expenses. Through any of these options, you will surely see a significant cut in your electricity bills, allowing you to enjoy more savings.

In particular, there are three important concerns to be thought of before deciding and starting to build a wind turbine that you can use at home. First, you need to find a place where strong wind force can be experienced. For wind energy to be converted into electrical energy, minimum wind speed should be about 10 kmph. This almost always does not happen in urban areas so you would have to consider a rural place for this endeavor. Moreover, the place where you are to place your wind turbine should not be surrounded by trees and other obstructions so as not to impede wind strength.

Second, you have to carefully follow the steps in making a wind turbine. The Internet is a rich resource for comprehensive guides in building such. Also, make sure that you have all the necessary materials for making the turbine. Some of the more common materials for this type of project are blades, generator, and battery. A tower where the wind turbine is to be attached to is also required. To avoid functional problems, make sure that you complied with all prerequisites and followed the procedures enumerated in the guide carefully.

Lastly, make sure that you are not violating any local government provision before you build your own wind turbine to avoid being penalized later on.

Tired of high electric bills? Discover how thousands of families are using homemade power systems to power their homes!

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Solar Power Generator - Save the Future Energy

The future of the planet is in your hand. You can help to save the future energy by switching off the electrical appliances at your home. You probably have been thinking that you will not help much with just a small contribution like this, but if I am going to show you that you can save at least 80% of your electricity bills or maybe you don't even have to pay anything for that. Would you be interested to do that? Not only you can save your power bills, you can also help to save the earth. One of the ways to save the electricity is to switch off lights when not in used but I am not going to explain all these kinds of methods.

Actually, the answer to save much on your electricity is to get a solar power generator for your home. Today, the price of electricity is skyrocketing. Worse still, our energy waste is polluting the world. Hence, we have to fight the climate change together.

Buying a new solar power generator may cost a lot but it is no longer expensive if you are going to make your own solar power generator. Making a new generator yourself will only cost less than $200. Just imagine the thousand that you are going to save for your electricity bills in the future?

It is not difficult to make one yourself. All you need is to get a step-by-step detailed guide that can show you the instructions. The materials needed are also easily available at many places. You can either get it online or at your nearby stores.

Tired of high electrical bills every month? Get your instructions on how to DIY Solar Power Generator

Discover how you can save the future energy for the earth by building a brand new Home Solar Power Panels.

Loft Garage Plans - How to Choose the Best One

The beauty of the best loft garage plan is the tremendous space it offers. Something like this is more open than an attic. An expert opinion of a skilled Engineer is essential for finalizing a plan like this as it involves the safety and security aspect along with convenience and accessibility.

Design

A simple design with an elevated platform, which allows the hood of the car to drive in under it, would be a good model. Loft garage Plan should be sturdy and practically designed keeping in mind the needs of the user as well as the space availability. The loft garage plan serves as blueprint and so the design is as important as the construction.

Positioning

The primary consideration in this project should be height and depth of the storage room, considering the items stored in there. If it is not very tall, the space has to be positioned high enough above the floor, so that one can stand under it without stooping. A well-planned loft provides adequate lighting and proper walking space. Usable space in a garage can be increased by 50% with a proper loft garage plan without altering the structure and shape of building.

Storage and Work Areas

A fine print would leave the garage floor empty for vehicle and other movables. It will furnish more usage area and storage space. Shelves, cabinets, pegboard and hooks would be accessible and placed in locations that are safe and reachable. Maximum utility of space is a distinguishable feature for a good loft garage plan. The surface area of the loft can be used as the main space for storage of long and valuable things. The side of the garage space can be used as a makeshift wall that can be helpful in placing commonly used tools and tangibles. In a loft garage, always plan to keep the heavy things with load towards the back of the loft as it helps to transfer the load to the ledger board and not the front beam.

Safety and Durability

By design and by default the loft garage plan must be safe to accommodate heavy weight. It should be durable and strong enough to hold the weight of the articles intended to be boarded on it or loft would cave in, causing a mess and damage to the hood of the vehicle parked in the garage. Seasoned wood and metal are the best materials suitable for loft garages and the plan, which is in accordance with these structural supplies, shall be more durable and beneficial. Metal framed lofts are expensive but not susceptible to termite attacks as woods. Also, while making loft garage access plan, always avoid models with stepladder access because they are unstable and risky.

The style of loft may vary. Finally, in actualizing any loft garage plan, materials used for erecting the structure, their proper fixing and storage convenience are of more importance than style and display.

Thomas Johnsen is the Author and Leading Expert on Loft Garage Plans and the creator of Garage Plans 101. Visit the site now to see find the easy to understand step by step guides on garage building available online today.

Repair Windows Problems Easily and Inexpensively and Save Your Sanity

The Windows registry is like a database within your operating system. It's basically the core of the operating system and possesses information that is critical to hardware and software that you have installed on the computer. It holds the data that allows your computer to operate the way you desire it to.

Problems with the Windows registry are a usual cause of Windows crashes, slow performance and error messages. Have you experienced any of these problems? If so, your registry needs some definite help. Does your PC take longer than it used to while loading? Is start-up not as fast as it used to be, or does it crash on start-up? Do you receive error messages that keep popping up and the programs not working? Is your system grievously slow? Does your computer crash and you have no idea why?

As hardware or software is deleted or removed from the system, some files don't get removed completely. When the registry becomes very large, your computer's performance will be decayed and unstable. Thus, your Windows operating system will slow down drastically and not perform to its full potential. Other problems that may be caused are crashes, pop ups, error messages, and other frustrating annoyances that occur when it does not have enough resources to continue running. A full database means that more memory is used up.

Warning: You can cause your PC to have critical, expensive problems if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or careless registry editing. Not only can this be a daunting task, it is also a risky one. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system or cause irreversible damage. Modify the registry at your own risk. Or better yet, spend the few dollars it takes to have the repairs done right!

Now that you know what the problem is, what's the next step to repair Windows registry? You can manually delete entries that you don't need--that is if you're a highly-trained technician. However, you can make the wrong deletions, and your computer will be worse than before you started. So I highly recommend using an inexpensive Windows registry cleaner software program to scan and locate invalid registry entries that are causing the problems. In most cases, the software will fix problems automatically. Most Windows registry cleaners provide a backup mechanism for any repaired files, so that you can easily recover any changes if required.

Absolutely nothing compares to a smoothly-running computer when you have important tasks to accomplish. If your computer gets bogged down, starts to act suspiciously, or is not responsive, before you pay a lot for computer repair, consider downloading a Windows register cleaner. It's a most necessary PC tool for efficient operation of your computer.

Jonathon Vegas is a retired Math and Computer Education teacher. Since retiring from teaching, he has started his own successful computer consultant business. What types of problems can a Windows Registry Cleaner fix? Get the details and a free download HERE

Window Repair Video

Great video on how to repair a window screen.

If you're thinking about buying a home, check out this home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping. For under $15, you can save yourself a lot of frustration and money.

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3 Strategies For Home Remodeling Projects in a Tough Economy

No matter what the economic conditions we're currently facing, investing in a home remodeling project can be a much more affordable option than trying to move to a more modern home. When you consider the costs, time and "hassle factor" that comes with moving to a new home, many homeowners are opting for home renovation instead. The good thing is that home renovations done now will also give a boost to your home's value when you're ready to sell down the road. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you decide whether or not a home upgrade is right for you and your family.

Understand Why You're Remodeling Your Home

There are several reasons you may be remodeling your home. You may decide to remodel your home to make it more marketable and easier to sell. Or you may find that it's become outdated and that you need more space, more modern features or amenities. These are all good reasons to invest in a home remodeling project. However, whatever your reasons, you want to be sure that you're clear on what your intended goals are since those goals will drive some of the decisions you'll need to make down the road.

Choose a Project that Offers a High Return On Investment

Some of the projects you may have in mind for your home remodeling might appear to be a good value to you, but you also have to keep in mind how others will view those additions or upgrades and whether or not you'll get a good return on your money. Some of the factors that influence this are the perceived value of the upgrade and the cost of the upgrade. A few renovations projects that have proven to have a high return on investment include kitchen remodeling, bath remodeling, and painting (interior or exterior). Other projects that offer a good return include roof replacement, adding a recreation room, upgrading flooring, replacing windows, or upgrading your heating or air conditioning system. Keep these in mind as you decide how to invest your limited resources in your home renovation project.

Keep Energy Savings in Mind

One practical consideration these days that you should keep in mind is the energy savings that result from your home renovation project. Upgrades that reduce the operating costs of your home can be a great investment, both when it comes time to sell and as you continue to live in your home in the meantime. Some proven money-savers include upgrades like energy efficient furnaces, air conditioners and appliances, improved insulation, energy efficient windows, and low flow toilets (among others).

If you're a Maryland resident and want to learn more about how you can invest in a premium home remodeling service at an affordable price, we invite you to visit our website at http://www.GlennConst.com Glenn Construction is a full service Maryland home improvement contractor offering a wide range of home remodeling services including Maryland drywall repair and painting services. Visit us today to find out more.

Reprint Rights: Publishers and Webmasters, feel free to reprint this article for your sites as long as you leave all links active, leave all article content as-is, provide author credit and follow the EzineArticles Terms of Service for Publishers.

Stair Building Codes - Home Building

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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