When a potential owner/builder has decided to move toward the process of building a new home, I regularly see a bit of confusion where the “cart before the horse” comes into play. What I mean by that is owner/builders try and concentrate on the design or plan idea before they have secured land or a lot.

I understand the excitement of the plan design process and putting on paper their ideas for their dream home, and let me share some insight on why it is important to have your land purchased first. Here are some considerations before sitting down with a plan designer:

1. Does the land/lot have any covenants you are not aware of? What I mean by this is you should check with the previous owner, Realtor and County or City planning Department and see if there are any restrictions or covenants on what you can actually build there.

2. What are the setbacks for the land/lot and how will that affect the size and footprint of your proposed home? A setback is designated space, pre-determined by the local planning Department, which is not available for your home to sit on. This is usually for right-of-ways for utilities, widening the roads, etc. So for example, if the lot you are considering is 50 feet wide and you have a 5 foot side yard setback, that means you have to take off 5 feet from each side leaving you 40 actual feet for the width of the home foundation. This is an issue also for a City lot where you may want a side garage.

3. Are there height restrictions in the area? What is the maximum height of the roof from grade (level of the land) that you can build? May be a problem for a larger 2 story plan with a steep roof line.

4. Where are the views? Once you have the land and walk around it, you will get a pretty solid idea where you would like the kitchen, living areas and bedrooms to face on the lot. If you have a plan already, you may find that the existing drawing does not account for the right positioning or amount of windows that would take advantage of the view.

5. Sewer and septic. If this is an acreage lot, then you need to see if the land has “perked” and what size of septic field and system you can build and how many bathrooms you would be allowed per how many bedrooms. Your Realtor and local Heath authority should be able to answer that question. A perk test is used to see how the actual soil absorbs or retains water. A failed perk test means alternative septic systems which can be very expensive. A city lot will usually have a sewer system to tie into, but check with the Realtor or local planning department.

6. Privacy. If you find a piece of property that has steady traffic on the front street, you may change your mind on where you want your master bedroom or living area to be. If you have plans already done, this may be a re-draw.

7. Engineering. More and more States and Provinces are requesting engineering reviews on plans before they will issue building permits. If you find land that may be of interest to you, research the local Building Department and find out if structural or civil engineering is required. Better to find out now before you already have plans done that can’t be engineered for that zone.

There are many variables in the owner/builder process, especially if things are not thought out correctly or done in a specific order. I have seen too many clients spend thousands of dollars on “dream plans” only to have them restrict where they can find land, are too big for the lot they found, or just don’t take advantage of the views, slope of the land, area etc. and end up either getting new plans or giving up altogether.

I am not saying that if you have a set of drawings done that you cannot find the perfect lot for them or that you have done something wrong. What I am suggesting, is that it would be easier and more prudent in the early planning stages to have finding land as the priority before plans and increase your success for a great new home building experience.

Hundreds of years ago the upper class people started to give wedding favors to their guests, this started a tradition that continues today. Some people prefer the traditional gift, the fun and humorous, or the romantic reflecting the bride and groom themselves. Traditional items include things like ornate bottle-stoppers, cake servers, and serving spoons.

The traditional wedding favor ideas include items like candles, jewelry and boxed chocolates, you can choose just about anything or create the wedding favors from scratch, just be as inventive as you can. They now continue to be a very popular traditional wedding favor. Many people like to have traditional wedding favors, but others choose more modern or contemporary favors and other like to give traditional gifts

Wedding guest favors should make your guests think of you and your partner, so something personal is always a good choice. Homemade wedding favors are a uniquely personal way to say thank you to your guests for sharing in your special day. The little gifts presented to your honored wedding guests should be a reflection of your own personal taste and style, as well as a compliment to your guests. Since your guests are likely to look upon the favors you choose as a cherished memento of a special day, it is important to take care when choosing them, and to choose items that the guests will appreciate.

From the bridesmaid gowns, wedding dress, invitation and flowers, there are so many essentials things you must take care of when you are planning your wedding. When you're planning your wedding, one of the decisions you'll need to make is in the selection of wedding favors for your guests. When it comes to planning a wedding, there is certainly no shortage of things to take care of. Planning a wedding is very time consuming, getting the bridesmaids dresses, finding the perfect dress for yourself and choosing the food, wedding cake and finding the reception hall, there is so much to do to plan your wedding so don’t wait for the last momenment. One of the most exciting parts of planning any wedding is planning the shower.

In the early planning stages of your wedding it is important to choose the theme and within that theme are the flowers. Try to choose wedding favors that are suitable for all guests. In fact, there are so many different types of wedding favors to choose from that it can be hard to choose only one type of favor.

When choosing your wedding favors be you do not need to spend a lot of money, they don’t have to be the most expensive favors. Choose from a range of brightly colored favors to bring sunshine to even the coldest winter celebrations. You may choose to give them to your guests on the day or you may choose to give them to guests back home that could not travel to enjoy your special day.

The purpose of rendering is two-fold, namely to weatherproof the building wall and to provide pleasing finishes of various textures. Plastering is a skilled trade and an expert plasterer should be employed wherever possible, as there are many points that can only be learnt by experience. However, if skilled help is not available, it is necessary to know the elementary principles involved, that is, how to prepare the surface, choose the mix, proportion the materials and apply the plaster.

The proportions of cement, lime and sand to use depend upon the purpose of the plaster and the nature of the building surface to which it is to be applied. A pure lime plaster is comparatively soft and weak and is slow setting, so it is usually gauged with cement to increase its strength and hardness and to shorten the period of hardening. The strength increases and the period of hardening decreases as the amount of cement increases in proportion to the amount of lime, until with a pure cement plaster with no lime, the strength is a maximum and the hardening period the least. However, as the proportion of cement is increased the plaster becomes less workable and more difficult to apply. The proportion of sand should not exceed three times the combined proportions of lime and cement. A stronger plaster should not be applied to weak porous backing or a strong finish coat to a weak first coat.

For external building plastering or 'rendering' on a dense material such as concrete, dense concrete blocks and hard clay bricks of low porosity, the best proportions to use are 1 part cement, 1 part hydrated lime and 6 parts sand by volume. On exposed building walls subject to driving rains the proportion of lime may be decreased and the cement increased to say 1 ¾:¼: 6 mix or a 1:4 cement plaster to which up to 10% of lime by weight of the cement is added to make it workable.

On external building walls of low strength and high porosity such as low quality breeze concrete blocks the external rendering should not be stronger than a 1:1:6 mix as above and a strong cement mix with little or no lime should not be used.

For internal plastering the best proportions are 1 cement, 1 lime and 6 sand; or 1 cement, 2 lime and 9 sand; or a lime mix only of 1:3 or 4 may be used, remembering that the cement increases the strength and hardness and reduces the period of hardening. For water containers such as fishponds only cement plasters should be used.

The weather during plastering and rendering may have considerable influence on the finished work. External rendering should be started on the shady side of the building to keep it unexposed to the sun as long as possible. No plastering should be done in frosty weather. In cold weather plaster hardens slowly and a longer period of time between coats should be allowed. In very hot weather the successive coats must be kept damp and protected from drying out for at least two days after application. Draughts and local sources of heat may cause too rapid drying out. Gentle heat and moderate ventilation are the best conditions for plastering.

Market Overview

Textile and Apparel industry has a great contribution to the Turkish economy. The industry has been denominated as the locomotive of the Turkish Economy for years. Turkey's textile and apparel exports continued rising recently after began falling in January, with elimination of EU and US quotas.

The industrialisation efforts of the 60's and 70's gave birth to the modern textile industry in Turkey. At the beginning, this sector was operating as small workshops. But the sector showed rapid development and during the 1970's began exporting. Today, Turkey is one of the important textile and clothing producers and exporters in the world.

Turkey's textile and clothing manufacturers began relocating production in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In the last three years, Turkish textile and apparel companies faced raising difficulties, after having substantially succeeded in the eighties and the first part of the nineties.

Chinese textile exports after a decades-old quota system limits ends on January 1, 2005 and the World Trade Organization believes that within three years the Asian giant could be producing over half of the world s textiles, up from 17% in 2003.

The end of the quota regime has spawned fears of widespread job losses around the world, including in Turkey, whose own textiles and apparel exports stand at around $20 billion a year.

Thus, it is necessary to understand the Turkish textile and apparel sector, the weakness and the strength it has in the World market.

Current scenario of Textiles and Apparels in Turkey

The textile and apparel sector has been the backbone of the Turkish economy with a vital role to play in the industrialisation process and market orientation of the economy in the last two decades. In the 1980s, it was the leading sector related to the global economy and the export revenues of this hard currency earning sector contributed substantially to the overall economy. The textile sector continued to be one of the major contributors to the Turkish economy, being one of the fastest growing sectors in the 1990s with an average 12.2% annual growth, while the Turkish economy had an average growth of 5.2% per year. Total investment in the sector exceeded US$ 150 billion, of which more than US$ 50 billion was invested in the last 5-10 years.

Textile industry started out in the 1960s in small workshops, have rapidly developed and transformed Turkey into a global competitor.

The total number of firms in the sector, dominated (95%) by the private sector, number around 44,000 and 25% of them are active exporters. The apparel industry is constituted mainly (80%) of small and medium sized firms whereas the technology-intensive textile production has been undertaken by large-scale companies. Today, around 20% of Turkey's 500 largest companies are involved in the textiles and apparel sector.

Low labor costs, a qualified workforce, relatively cheap raw materials have played an important role in the significant growth of the sector; as well as a liberalized economic environment and export-led policies in the last two decades.

The production value of the sector is over US$ 20 billion. Employment in the sector is estimated to be about 4 million people (2.5 million employed directly and a further 1.5 million indirectly through the sub-sectors). Official statistics also reveals that around 500,000 employees in the sector due to unregistered labor force.

The apparel sector exports approximately 60% of its production. Capacity utilization rates are approximately 75% especially among exporting manufacturers.

How can you start an agressive home buying plan? This is reality and cannot be overlooked. The following information is no fairy tale. If you are serious about buying a home, just understand the situation you are currently in and ask yourself the following questions:

Do homes appreciate in value?

Can I persuade a bank or lending institution to provide a mortgage given my present credit situation?

Will the US Government give us the money to buy a home with our credit the it is?

How serious am I about buing a home?

Studies conducted by HUD and the FHA concluded that most Americans are deprived of home ownership because of credit issues and not due to not having enough money for a down payment. With that in mind, compare these two scenarios:

A. Why would I give an apartment house a couple thousand dollars for the privilage of moving into a building I do not own? I might have to pay a higher rent after one year; I don't have any place to plant my tomatoes;I don't have any place for my buddies to park for the Sunday football games. And what are my chances of getting the security deposit back?

B. Would I be interested in having control of a $200,000 investment where I would only have to put the closing costs down (which is less than the amount required to move into an apartment in most cases)? How about the fact that the US Government will provide me/us an opportunity to resolve our credit isues,and if we prove we're serious we can get a Federal Housing Administration guarantee that will provide for the lender the assurance that the loan will be paid back? It has never been easier to purchase a home than now.

In my next article I'll continue with your home buying plan and how you can take further advantage of the FHA's generosity.

Do you think you would choose what state to retire to based on the style and appearance of the homes located there? No, you laugh, how absurd to even think of making an important decision that way. However, styles of homes vary so much, depending on the region of the U.S., that the style of home you find appealing may be a reflection of your personality, and a clue as to where you might like to live.

I reviewed the styles of new homes in active adult retirement communities. Take a look at the following styles by region or state and ask yourself which you prefer. It may tell you something about your personality and where you would like to live. And it turns out most of these home styles are what you would envision them to be for that region.

Florida: - The stucco sidings of condos and single homes are frequently painted a rose color. Sometimes the rose is deep and sometimes pale but a lot of pink to rose paint is used. As you would guess, the roofs are Spanish tile that is preferred for tropical climates but recently a more up-to-date look combines three color tones and in lighter rosy hues. The use of columns and enclosed porches sometimes called "Florida rooms" is prevalent. Florida's style is tropical and unique and not used anywhere else in the U.S. The landscaping in Florida features palms of all kinds.

Georgia: Georgia is a Southern state but the architectural style is strikingly different from its next door neighbor, Florida. In Georgia the colors are more neutral and surprisingly somber. Lots of bright white trim along with the muted taupe colored paint of the wooden clapboard siding. English cottage style seems to suit Georgia. Long shutters seem more New England but here they are happily displayed in Georgia along with boxwoods, blooming roses and floor plans named after English towns.

California: This is my favorite style and my preferred place to live. Lots of unabashed Spanish styling. Heavy Spanish tiled roofs and heavy wooden doors in that Canyon grey color. It's such a California classic look and it never goes away. California developers also still love the low-slung ranch look with recessed entries. Architectural details are combined in such a way that these homes are always surprising and never boring. Creamy stucco abounds and today the tan shake roof is more popular than the dark. Lots of clingy twining vines. A hint of an Old California Mission style is everywhere even if only in the heavy rustic wood of your front door. California style is fabulous.

Southeast: Brick homes are the standard here. Do you like homes with a permanent anchored feeling, colors of neutral taupe that, well, look staid is the word that comes to mind. Dark roofs seem preferred. These homes lighten up with the use of filmy clouds of flowering trees and shrubs in masses. These home styles give the appearance of possessing financial security and responsibility and if you like to appear that way, you may like the homes of the Southeast. North Carolina floor plans had names like Dogwood and Cardinal.

Northeast: Lots of wood and brick siding and sometimes in combination, dark shingled roofs, colonial and English manor touches or Federal styling. Sometimes Northeast homes border on looking boring but elegant at their best. Floor plans can have English names.

New England: New England homes change in appearance from their Northeast neighbors and become a misty grey as if trying to blend with the sea. Grey wood siding with crisp white collars of molding. Shake or shingle dark roofs. Dark pine trees surrounding the landscape and to brighten up they use classic colors of cardinal red and forest green in painted shutters. This is a refreshing look--so different from anywhere else in the country.

Midwest: Contemporary ranch, bungalows, lots of shutters, colors of taupe, very straightforward, honest, and some might call plain but what those living in the midwest like--the heartland of our country. Very Americana names for floor plans such as Heritage.

Northwest: Very near to California but the home styles aren't at all alike. This is surprising since so many Californians retire to Washington state. These homes appear more like a rugged version of the Northeast style. Dark colors, woodsy, more plain as if trying hard to not look like their flashy neighbor. Some Northeast touches are dormers, bay windows and faux brick trim.

The following paragraphs summarize the work of Real Estate Appraiser experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of Real Estate Appraising. Heed their advice to avoid any surprises.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about Real Estate Appraisals, keep reading.

Are you thinking about purchasing a real estate property for personal use or as an investment? One Appraisal can make it or break it, so you’ll need to hire the services of a real estate investor. If you plan to finance your home through a bank or other lender, you’ll more than likely need to get the property appraised first. Banks and most lenders want to know the value of the home for your protection, as well as make sure that the home they are financing is worth the total amount that you take on the loan.

In most cases, the appraisal indicates that the home does indeed meet or exceed the asking price. In some cases however, the appraisal will come back saying that the home is worth less than the selling price. If this is the case, the buyer normally has to either drop the deal or try to negotiate with the seller to get a price that meets the appraisal.

Hence, a real estate appraiser is very important. Even if you may not be financing your purchase through a lender or the bank, you should still make an effort to get the home appraised and find out the true value. It is important to make a point to find the best appraiser that you can afford. If you hire an appraiser who isn’t that experienced, you’ll pay for it later when you discover that the property isn’t worth what you paid for it.

So, what is a real estate appraiser and why do you need to choose wisely when come to choosing one? A real estate appraiser will go through the home performing an evaluation, and then provide you with a written evaluation after he has gathered all the necessary information. Real Estate Appraisers will also take into consideration the replacement costs. They will have to very land descriptions as well. Appraisals are tedious, which is why it’s so very important that each step of the process is performed correctly by a qualified real estate appraiser.

Get a recommendation from your real estate agent, however, keep in mind that this doesn’t mean the recommendation is the best; it’s just someone who your agent works with or know. To ensure that you get the right appraisal on your home you’ll need to find yourself an appraiser who is capable of completing the job. If you take your time and search for the best real estate appraiser that you can find – you’ll normally get an appraisal that is right on target.

Carpet Cleaning Business: Always In Demand

So, you’ve decided to open your own carpet cleaning business. Think about it, nobody likes to have a stained carpet. They have carpet in their home and they want it to continue to look nice for as long as they own their home. Most people can go out and buy carpet cleaning solutions but these aren’t guaranteed on every type of stain and they’re not very practical for an entire carpet cleaning treatment. They can also rent carpet cleaning machines for the big jobs. However, these machines aren’t as powerful as professional carpet cleaners have. That’s why a carpet cleaning business will always be needed as long as people use carpeting to cover their floors.

A carpet cleaning business can be a very fulfilling job. You get to see the inside of many people’s homes. Their homes are, essentially, your office. No two days are ever the same. A carpet cleaning business is ideal for those people who like change in their daily activities. You are essentially improving the look of their home and this alone can be fulfilling to a lot of people. If nothing else, you are helping people and what can be better than that? A carpet cleaning business has, when compared to most other businesses, has very little overhead and that makes it a great option for starting your own business.

What Services Are You Going To Offer?

A carpet cleaning business needs to decide what types of carpet cleaning services to provide of if they want to incorporate as many different types as they can. For instance, is the carpet cleaning business going to offer steam cleaning, chemical dry cleaning, both or more? The more methods you offer, the more expensive your venture will be because you’ll have to buy more products in order to take care of many clients’ needs.

To start a carpet cleaning business, you’ll need the right equipment. You can find pretty much anything you want over the internet. The great thing about having a carpet cleaning business is that your services are always in demand. You never know when someone is going to have important company over and they want to have their carpet looking like new. A bland looking carpet can make even the most decorated home look mediocre. For this reason, someone will always seek the help of a carpet cleaning business. Good luck with your business and get ready for a very non monotonous, fulfilling job.

Tampa is a city that merges Anglo cool and Latin heat—a melting pot whose cultural ignition induces much vivacity and potent energy. Tampa is situated in western Florida near the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded by Tampa Bay, Clearwater and St. Petersburg. Tampa is on the brink along blue bays and is characterized by a subtropical climate. The area is the home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a National Football League team, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, a Major League Baseball team. This location is highly suitable for those who love to live in a place that combines the high dynamism of a metropolitan area and the vibrant feel of sunny-rich climate. Living in Tampa is the right choice for people who want to witness a teeming wildlife amidst the hustling and bustling of city life. Tampa is essentially warm for much of the year. Because of the city’s strong Latino influence, many professionals in Tampa speak Spanish, or at least understand it as a second language. Tampa has been comfortably bilingual from its founding in 1824.

Tampa’s history began when Col. George Mercer Brooke sited his Army post adjacent to a small Cuban fishing village at the mouth of the Hillsborough River. Tampa has gone a long way since then, and over the years, it has evolved into a city of sleek high-rises and serious business types who chuck out the serious and cut loose after work hours. While some call Tampa the Gold Coast because of its economic boom in the 1970's and '80's, others call it the Sun Coast because of its sunny beaches. There are numerous public access beaches left in the Tampa Bay coastal area.

One benefit of living in Tampa is the attractions around us. The most well visited of all is Busch Gardens, which offers a full day of activity and entertainment. There are a lot of activities that can be done in Tampa, even if you have become a permanent resident for a long time. Tampa locals still find awe in visiting their natural wildlife parks. If you are the health buff type, a trip down the Pinellas Trail is sure to offer you a healthy spree of walking, jogging and biking. The Lowry Park Zoo, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary are suitable places to learn a lot about animals, especially for the kids. St. Petersburg’s Baywalk offers cocktails, dining, shopping as well as hitting the movies.

Tampa area students enjoy generous access to the Hillsborough County Library as well as to its neighborhood branches, which offer area residents an immense amount of information resources and services that include online book clubs, large print books, reciprocal borrowing, books by mail, interlibrary loan, and a talking library. Living in Tampa is also enriching for school children as it integrates learning with environmentalism. A priceless benefit of living in Tampa is its having various park services that ranges from allowing students to enjoy nature to providing them with a venue to relax during stressful weeks. Tampa has over 160 parks, 4 miles of hiking and nature trails and 16 miles of road bike lanes. Apart from the beaches, Tampa also has a number of recreational areas such as baseball and softball fields, football and soccer fields, tennis and racquetball courts, community and craft centers, gymnasiums, picnic areas, golf courses, playgrounds and swimming pools.