Building home

Why Is It Better To Build Custom Homes

2010-12-08T04:35:00.000-08:00

Why Is It Better To Build Custom Homes Over Buying The Already Built Ones?

If you always have dreamt of living in homes made according to your ideas and planning, and not an inch has been made without your consent, custom homes is the best option for you when it comes to building a new home. If you build your own home no one would question your preference of having an extra large door or a too high ceiling. You could make your home the way you like. There are loads of benefits of building custom homes over the ready-built ones. Here is a list of those advantages that you have in building up custom homes over purchasing the existing ones:

1. If you have even the slightest ideas regarding real estate properties, you'd know that unless the builder is a reputed one, you'd get "builder's grade" materials for building up the homes. You should know that a not-so-reputed builder would provide sub-standard or below standard materials with the intentions of making profits by saving as much money as they can. So, it is advised that either you choose a reputed builder or else opt for custom homes.

2. If you are buying a fully furnished apartment with various appliances and cabinets installed, after a few days you might find your appliances giving problems and cabinets with tendencies of breaking off at the slightest thump. So, it is better to avoid such hassles and opt for custom homes where each and every appliance and furniture will be handpicked by you and would fit in the places you desire; not according to your builder's wish.

3. When it comes to custom homes - what you prefer is what you get! In terms of the sizes of the rooms to the space of your cabinets, every corner of your house - the entire layout - can be made exactly the way you want it to be. So, if you do not want to keep large drawing rooms and instead wants the bathroom to be larger, so it will be.

4. Right from the color of the interiors to the type of doors and windows you'd like your apartment to have - everything is just made according to your consent.

But, you must know that building a house all by yourself is hectic. While there is loads of paperwork to be done, you also need to be present at the sight to supervise and instruct the workers and the masons on what needs to be done and what not.

Custom Homes for Sale Mesquite NV - Ence Homes Realtors has been building quality homes with superior craftsmanship for over 50 years. Visit http://www.encehomes.com for more information!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathleen_Chester

Modular Homes

2010-12-08T04:34:00.001-08:00

Unlike site built homes, they are built in a factory with controlled climate. What makes it unique is the environment that it is built on. Since most accounted occurrences of molds in lumber are associated with storage facility, transportation, and climate, you are given an alternative in eliminating the possibility of lumber damage with the help of modular homes.

Eco-friendly, the latest and most recent techniques in construction are applied when making this type of home. It guarantees an economical way of owning a home, along with the assurance of living in a comfortable home despite the weather. Most often, it comes with a 2x6" framing for walls. Meaning, constructors are able to place more insulation which spares a great deal of energy.

The examination of modular homes is thorough. Even before it is built, the house plan is to be reviewed for approval in any state the manufacturer plans to sell it to. The houses will then be designed and built according to the standards of the state it will be shipped to. These homes will then undergo scrutiny from other third-party companies that the state will hire, including the housing areas. Once all the requirements have been completed, the said company will then certify the home as one of the approved homes that is compliant with the building code provisions.

Despite the features, the price you pay for it is economical. Most often, the delays experienced in making houses are due to weather-related reasons. This will also account for waste in expenses for idle workers, wasted time, and resources. Since these homes are made in a factory with regulated climate, there will never be construction delays, the resources will always be in good condition, and the workers do not have any reason to slack off.

Aside from preventing unwanted delays and preserving resources, there are also benefits for those with housing loans. As the construction time is decreased, the interest on your loan construction is also reduced. Meaning, you will pay less amount with modular homes. In addition to that, the bulk of modular homes are increasing in a year. So, the more customers wanting to have modular homes, the more materials will be needed to create one. This implies that manufacturers will receive bigger discounts from their suppliers. Therefore, customers will get the chance in acquiring great discounts from the manufacturers.

Modular homes are unique. Unlike site built homes, it gives you endless possibilities when it comes to creating your own design. It is possible for you to visualize the house you have always dreamt of since it uses a computer in creating a blueprint of your home. The house and floor plan is basically more interactive in creating a home whether it is for a family or a single individual.

In this world of recent innovations, even the issues faced in making houses has been taken care of. With all these benefits of modular homes and the number of people opting to have one, the accuracy of these facts are undeniable.

http://Modulars.com offers FREE consultations and modular home prices estimates for manufactured homes and custom modular homes from modular home builders across the United States!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caster_Megoc

Seven Steps To Build His Own Home On

2010-12-08T04:33:00.000-08:00

Seven Steps To A Foundation That A Concrete Contractor Would Build His Own Home On

Picking a foundation contractor is a critical issue that can cost or save you thousands of dollars when building your structure. There are very specific items you should have knowledge about to ensure that you are getting the best foundation for your structure. Some contractors may prefer that you did not know this information as it will reveal areas that their business is lacking. And let's face it, in construction, as in life, not all things are created equal.

1. Square and Flat
Every item used to build your home in one way or another will be affected by the accuracy of your foundation. The terms square and flat refer to the exactness of the outside dimension of the foundation and the flatness of the slab itself. If you foundation is not constructed square and flat every trade that follows will have more work to fix a foundation that was not constructed properly. And added work to the following trades can result in extra charges to you for the work required to correct a foundation that was constructed poorly. Framing, trusses, cabinets, flooring, etc. will all be affected greatly by the foundation. To protect yourself from added expenses make sure your foundation contractor is willing to guarantee the accuracy of his work and fix any problems he may create for the following trades.

2. Slab on grade foundations in 15 days or less
Slab on grade foundations are completely flat foundations with no steps and or walls. This type of foundation should be completed within 15 working days or less when weather is permitting. Anything longer than 15 working days and you are spending more money than you should on carrying costs. Have your foundation contractor guarantee a timeline and make them stick to it. You can even try implementing a $100 per day penalty if they don't finish during the specified time frame. Foundations with walls and steps will take more time depending on the complexity of the work.

3. One price for everything
The dirty little secret many contractors use is to quote a low price so their estimate is accepted. Then they will charge you for the equipment and material required to complete your foundation saying that it was not included in their original proposal. Every contractor quoting your foundation work should be including all of the items required to complete your foundation. Do not accept additional charges. You can use the checklist provided called "31 Items Your Foundation Contractor Should Include to Complete Your Foundation" as a guide to guarantee that you will not be billed for anything additional.

4. Suppliers are paid
Imagine that your foundation is complete and you have paid your foundation contractor for everything. Then within a month or two of your contractor getting paid you receive a letter or phone call from the concrete supplier stating that your contractor never paid for the concrete. This may sound unlikely but believe me, it happens, and more than you think. Especially today as more and more contractors are struggling to stay busy enough to pay their own bills. You must ensure that all material and labor is paid for before releasing your final payment to your contractor. You can use the enclosed Lien release forms to help protect yourself from this occurring. Another good idea is to check with your contractor's suppliers before you hire them to see if they have accounts in good standing.

5. Licensed and Insured
State law requires that anyone who contracts to do construction work, must licensed by the Contractors State License Board in the license category in which the contractor is going to be working. In the case of your foundation this will require a C-8 License (Concrete). Go to http://www.cslb.ca.gov to check out every contractor you are considering. You can also verify the status of the contractor's Workers Compensation insurance on the CSLB website. Be careful with this one. For you to be completely protected a contractor must carry Worker's Comp. on every employee they hire to work at your home. Go to http://www.cslb.ca.gov to check out the extent of the Worker's Comp. carried by each contractor. Time and time again we have found that our competitors are severely lacking in Worker's Comp. compliance.

6. Highest quality materials
Your engineer will design your foundation to perform to a certain structural criteria for performance and for your safety. To achieve this result the engineer will specify the type, strength and design of the rebar and concrete that is used when building your structure. Generally this information is never verified by the building inspector when they are on site for an inspection. It is a good idea to check with your contractor to verify that the materials specified in the plan are the same as the materials being used to build your structure.

7. Experienced Staff
Do you really want a contractor to be experimenting when they construct your foundation? Custom foundation construction differs greatly from tract home construction and commercial construction. If you want the project done right you need to hire a foundation contractor that has many years of experience with the type of structure you are building. Check every contractor's references and verify their experience.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it useful. If you would like to know more about choosing a concrete contractor and get a lot of free resources, please visit my Temecula Concrete services website at http://www.precisionsetup.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clinton_Halley

How to Find a Really Good Builder for home

2010-12-08T04:30:00.001-08:00

You have two main options when looking for a home builder. There a builders who work on multiple house developments and then there custom home builders who offer more individual attention and work with you to create the house you particularly want.

Regardless of what type of builder you elect to do the building there are certain things you need to be watchful of. Failure to check out the building company thoroughly before signing a contract can result in some pretty horrible consequences.

Here are three ways to find a reputable home builder:

1.Use the internet to find a building company which does quality work. See if they are members of a recognized body that endorses best practices. You should be able to find out if they have any display homes in your area.

2.There may be some one in your social circle who has knowledge of a good builder. Ask as many of your contacts as possible and you might get luckly and get a good lead.

3.Try print media such as the yellow pages, newspapers and local magazines to find ads from local builders.

Once you have the names of a few builders you can begin contacting them by phone. When you meet with a sales representative you need to have a fairly clear idea of what you want.

Be clear about what your budget is. Get an idea of what designs are available and how much flexibility there is in case you want modifications.

Check on warranties for any of work completed. Get information on how you can get the most energy efficient home to reduce heating and cooling costs. Get a detailed list of all the construction costs involved.

A highly professional builder will answer all your questions honestly.

Next, go to http://homebuilderscanberra.com to get more useful tips on how to get the very best homebuilder

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Trevean

Want to build your own home

2010-12-08T04:28:00.002-08:00

If you want to build your own home, you could use the help of architects in your area. If you know an architect or want to hire one for the job that you want done, they are trained to do their job right and will make sure that your home is safe and secure for you and your family to live in. They do not only design homes, but they design many buildings. Have you ever looked at those funky buildings that you see all over the place and think: how did they do that? It is the job of a building designer to make different buildings but make sure they are secure.

You cannot always find an already built home that you love; sometimes you need to build your own home to make sure that it is everything you have ever dreamed of. Whether you want a big, nice kitchen, a master bedroom with a nice big walk in closet, or a nice backyard for the kids, the nice part about it is that you can make it anything you want. As long as you provide the land, hire someone to design it, and someone to provide the materials and actually build it, you can have a save, sturdy, and beautiful, not to mention brand new, house to live in.

Unfortunately, not everyone can purchase and build a brand new home. It does not cost as much to buy a home because you do not have to buy the materials, hire someone to design, and someone to build. After all of that, the expenses add up and they add fast. If you are going to build a new home, you will need furniture as well and that can be very costly too. If you are going to go through with this, you need to set up a budget so that you do not run out of money before the project is completed. That would be the worst case scenario. Also, you are going to need somewhere to stay while your home is being built because it can take up to about a year or more to build a house.

As long as you have the finances that are needed to build a home, you can do whatever you want. You can decide anything from where you want each room to where you want all the outlets. If you already have certain furniture that you want to put in the home, you can build the home around the furniture. You will have the best looking house and it will be a nice space to have people over. If you have certain hobbies, you can have an extra room for your crafts or hobbies.

When you work directly with the people who are designing and building your home, you can let them know exactly what you want and they will make it exactly the way you want it while making sure that it is safe and secure. You will be the ones giving directions and they can give you their professional input.

Stewart Wrighter recently remodeled his vacation home using a couple of Cincinnati architects. He was very pleased with the house plans drawn by a local Cincinnati architect.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stewart_Wrighter

New Home Builders Should Be Top Consideration

2010-12-08T04:28:00.001-08:00

Many buyers put the most value on one thing when looking for new home builders to bring their dream house to life: Budget. Your initial budget for your home is immensely important, no doubt, but there is one thing that is often overlooked, which you should consider to have equal if not greater value. In a word, this can be called 'service'.

Where budget is concerned, you would normally consider the funds that you're willing to spend on your dream home, and then compare this with the prices and financing options offered by the company that you finally choose to build your home. But a home builder with an excellent sense of service would also remind you that building the home from the ground up is not the end of all expenses. Before you know it, as a buyer-turned-homeowner, you'll be paying for utilities, maintenance and modifications for your new home.

When a service-oriented home builder representative gets to know you well, and takes the time to understand your financial situation, that representative is likely to suggest energy efficient designs and features, offer low maintenance building materials, and work in close contact with the home buyer in order to eliminate the need to make new modifications any time soon.

Certainly, in the long run, excellent service trumps your initial concern of budget. You may be able to save a small percentage of the initial cost with small-time new home builders, but a reputable builder with an excellent sense of service helps you create a home that lasts. And this is a mere example of what excellent service can do for you.

Resource Box:

David Weekley Homes offers incomparable design choices, excellent financial options, and, above all, high level customer service for those looking for new home builders. The company enhances people's lives by giving emphasis to the buying experience in order to ensure that buyers get exactly what they want from their new homes. To experience their excellent customer services, call 713-963-0500 or visit DavidWeekleyHomes.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_M_Patterson

Finding the Right Builders for New Homes

2010-12-08T04:25:00.000-08:00

The Importance of Finding the Right Builders for New Homes
By Jack M Patterson When it comes to choosing from designs for new homes, you might be tempted to put appearance on the very top of your list of priorities. And home builders that are merely concerned with getting the job done quickly might let you go on believing that appearance is the most important thing. However, an experience home builder that knows better, and is concerned with your quality of life even after the house is built, will stop you from making a grave mistake.

It makes perfect sense to prioritize looks because you probably already know what your dream house is supposed to look like. There's no arguing with the fact that a beautiful home will make you feel good about living in it. But a quality that is often overlooked that's just as important, if not more, is functionality. Concerned builders will not measure new homes in terms of square feet, which is often the basis for costs. Instead, they'll consider cubic feet, and the flow of light in every room.

One other major concern is budget. Some of the less experienced home builders are likely to offer lower costs on the same square footage of a house, but this won't necessarily save you money in the long run. These cheaper companies may resort to using poor quality materials and employing inexperienced or shoddy workers that will have you paying through the nose for maintenance down the road. A builder who cares, on the other hand, would work with you so that you know exactly what's being put into your home. Designers could suggest high-quality, low-maintenance materials, as well as energy saving that will cut down on utility costs.

Find home builders who care by looking into customer reviews, testimonials, industry awards, and referrals from your friends and co-workers who just got new homes.

Resource Box:

David Weekley Homes is the epitome of home builders who care. Apart from its incomparable design choices and great designs on offer, the company takes pride in its well-documented high-level customer services. Anyone interested in new homes should call 713-963-0500 or visit DavidWeekleyHomes.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_M_Patterson

Green Building: Air Leaking, Utility Bills and a Caulk Gun

2009-10-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

"Ah-ha moments", those times when something is triggered in one's mind that opens up a new understanding or way of seeing things. Day three of West Coast Green 2009 brought together some of the brightest minds in the "green building" movement and provided the platform for the cross-pollination of innovation and ingenuity that led many to "ah-ha moments".

One attendee, Jason Lear of Batt + Lear Designers and Builders who traveled from Seattle, Washington to attend the show shared some of the information that led to a complete rethinking for the way he conducts projects at his family-run business. During a previous show, Mr. Lear sat through a presentation given by Rick Chitwood, President of Chitwood Energy Management. The presentation by Mr. Chitwood was so simple yet so powerful, it changed Mr. Lear's business overnight. The subject of the inspiration; properly sealed attics.

You may wonder: "Properly sealed attics??? Who gives a crap and how is this relevant to me?" Think about it, you are sitting in a room right now and most likely somewhere in the structure you inhabit, there is an attic. If your structure is anything like the millions of structures built without proper air sealing (filling all the cracks and holes that allow air to escape from your home into your attic) and insulation, chances are your heat is rising up through your rooms, finding small holes and leaking into your attic and out of your roof. Mr. Chitwood explained that when this happens, the air you pay to heat or cool is replaced with unwanted air which increases electric bills, reduces air quality and make a home less comfortable. The average home leaks the equivalent of having a two foot by two foot window open every hour every day of the year.

According to Mr. Lear, "I walked away from his presentation and said, if he can do it, we can too." From that day forward Batt + Lear began to pay much more attention to all the little spaces that normal builders don't think twice about. He found that sealing all the holes, gaps and spaces made his clients' homes more comfortable, healthier and required much less energy.

During this year's West Coast Green, Mr. Chitwood provided another shocking presentation. This time around he described the results of his company's work in the build of a luxury show home. During this project, his team focused on making the home as airtight as possible throughout the building process. This is important because it means that the air someone has paid to heat or cool will stay inside the house. Proper air sealing also means that all seams, spaces, and holes which typically exist during the building of a home are filled with insulation, foam or caulk. Additionally, duct sealing means that the air ducts running from the HVAC to the vents throughout the home must be sealed completely rather than to code (code in California allows for 6% leakage in newly built homes). The average house is California has 30% duct leakage. The result of Mr. Chitwood's attention to detail? Without all that air leaking through the walls, the home was able to downsize its HVAC from a 4-ton unit to a 2-ton unit. That meant two less horsepower chugging away to provide cooling or heating and two less horsepower to pay for unnecessarily.

A less expensive HVAC unit? Less wasted energy? Lower utility bills? A more comfortable home? All from air sealing properly? Ah-ha.

Reprinted with permission from CleanTechies

Two Ways to Work at Home

2009-08-12T22:22:00.001-07:00

There was a time that working at home meant your home had an office and you worked for an employer rather than yourself. Nowadays, it may mean you started your own business from the comfort of your home and it's taken off. Here's a thorough look at the two ways a person can work at home.

Two Ways A Person Can Work From The Comfort Of Their Home

Telecommute

Working at home is growing quicker day-by-day as people opt to do so. Sometimes working from home is done out of necessity; other times it's just for a bit of luxury and extra money. What kinds of folks tend to telecommute?

Actually, sales people can work at home. They'll use their computer and the connection to the Internet each morning to call customers. Then they'll use the phone to follow up. Any customer service representatives have the ability to work at home because they only need to answer the phone. Why bother driving in to do something like that?

Two other jobs that are frequently done from home include freelance writing and website design. However, there are many other employment opportunities a person can do and work at home to do it. Some websites where you can find a company offering telecommute services include: careerbuilder.com, journalismjobs.com and TJobs.com. These places are looking for not only telecommuters but also full and part-time personnel.

Businesses From Home

With the advent of the Internet, many people are turning to it to start a business. They know it's a wonderful way to stay home, be the boss and work when they want to. Sometimes the money a person make will depend on the field they choose to invest their time in and how much effort they put forth to see it succeed. At home business owners know that they have the power over their free and work times.

Many work at home persons who use the Internet are becoming millionaires or can pay every single bill each month with money to spare for extracurricular activities or savings. All it takes is something people will buy, a blog you can market on and several marketing/advertising skills, which will bring traffic/visitors to the blog.

Many people are using blogs to sell their product rather than building their own website. When people have a blog, there's no need to leave their home. Keep in mind that working at home doesn't mean you need a product to sell. In fact, you can market another person's product and still work at home. It's not uncommon to find a business looking for people to market their products. Folks who do this type of work are known as affiliate marketers. Companies who hire affiliate marketers will provide services such as shipping and money collecting.

While there are only two ways listed that can let you work at home, there are others. Either you're the boss or work as someone who can do a job without supervision. The only thing you need to do is narrow down what way works best for you and do it.

Dillon Loh is an internet entrepreneur. He is passionate in his work. His passion is to help others to achieve what they desire. He believes in learning from others by helping them to succeed. Get the free tips of the success in Make Real Money on the Internet Book now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dillon_Loh

Six Popular and Lucrative Work at Home Jobs

2009-08-12T22:21:00.002-07:00

People often associated work at home jobs as something stay at home moms and low paying persons would do. However, work at home jobs doesn't just need to be for mothers looking for some extra income or low income persons needing to boost their income. Work at home jobs can be for anyone who wants the opportunity to stay home and work.

The trick to working at home is finding a niche that is enjoyable and gives the ability to make a little money. If you know you can work just as hard at home as you would at a "regular" outside job then you're an ideal candidate for work at home jobs.

It's important to understand that many "work at home" jobs include using your computer, Internet and telephone. There are six "work at home" jobs that can bring in a decent profit. What are they?

Six Profitable "Work At Home" Jobs

Option 1 - Selling Products

One way to make a little extra money is to sell products such as memberships. At one time network marketing was a difficult thing to sell. However, any person has the ability to make money by selling some type of Internet product to anywhere in the world.

Option 2 - Becoming An Affiliate Marketer

Instead of looking for your own product to sell, consider selling products that other people are marketing. This is a popular business since you don't need money to start off plus any business you choose to market for will provide you with the product. The business will collect the money; in turn, paying you for your time and effort.

Option 3 - Providing A Service

You can always make money by providing a service to another person. For instance, writing is huge. Consider writing blog content for someone who doesn't have time to do it. You can also build a website for a person who needs a website but doesn't know how to do it and bring in visitors.

Option 4 - Typing Or Data Entry Jobs

Many companies are more than eager to compensate a person for their data entry or typing skills. The only thing you need to do is locate them. One way to begin is to find a small business, perhaps in your hometown, who don't mind you working at home and still do the office work.

Option 5 - Completing Surveys

Do you need an additional method that will allow you the option of working at home? Why not complete surveys for reputable companies? You'll need to narrow down the companies who are scamming you from those who are legit. There have been many people who've made a living at completing surveys; all they did was run down the survey work and treat it as if it were a business.

Option 6 - Become An eBay Seller

EBay is a great place to sell things and make a little money. However, you need to learn a few things before you can make the money you expect to get from the website.

These are just six options to making you money as you work at home. The only thing to really remember is that you have to want to make that money and find a money-making tactic that works for you.

Dillon Loh is an internet entrepreneur. He is passionate in his work. His passion is to help others to achieve what they desire. He believes in learning from others by helping them to succeed. Get the free tips of the success in Make Real Money on the Internet Book now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dillon_Loh

A Great Way to Have a Successful Home Business

2009-08-12T22:21:00.001-07:00

When you have a home business, it generally means you run it from the comfort of your own home. If you're looking to increase your median income, the best way (and the most popular way) is using your Internet connection to make the money. How can you make money by using your Internet connection?

There's no reason to look at the past when it comes to the dot com era. Remember there was a time that the measure went belly up? Nowadays, people are turning to the Internet to create a home business and make their money without ever having to step foot outside the home. How can you make your residual income? Start by selling your products, which will pay you time and again, sale after sale.

What does this do for you in the long run? It means you can make the money without having to do any work. Has anyone been able to do this? Some have; insurance salesmen, for quite some time, have done this very thing. Network marketers are also a part of this money making ability group. However, other people often make the effort for the network marketer.

A great way to make some extra income is to sell membership products. The way you make money is to have paid members to make you that money. For starters, if you want a home business, any private label right courses will pay you a 50 percent commission to members who can recruit new members.

What does it cost to do a PLR program? It's roughly $100 a month, which means you'll get about $50 from the first sale, with this dollar amount continuing each month that the member stays active. If you want to earn $5,000 a month, you'll need to make 100 sales.

What does it take to make this home business get off the ground? For starters, you'll need two important things. You'll need a computer that has an Internet connection. You might also want a phone and/or a fax machine.

The best part is that you bring in new customers as you get paid for the established ones. Who wouldn't like to have money coming in many times over as they seek out new customers?

How can you begin selling these PLR programs? Start by using Google and inputting the keywords PLR or private label rights. It's always a great idea to be paying for any PLR program but you need to keep in mind that some places will make this a requirement before you can earn money from the sales.

Keep in mind that PLRs are just one way to have a successful home business that allows you to make money using the Internet. Don't forget that using this kind of program allows you to walk away when you need to.

If you like the idea of having an online home business, then doing something such as PLR program is the way to go.

Dillon Loh is an internet entrepreneur. He is passionate in his work. His passion is to help others to achieve what they desire. He believes in learning from others by helping them to succeed. Get the free tips of the success in Make Real Money on the Internet Book now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dillon_Loh

Setting Up a Home Office For a Home Based Business

2009-08-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

If you own a home-based business, having an appropriate work space is critical to your productivity. Depending on the nature of your business, your office could be anything from a small computer cart on a closet, to a full room complete with meeting area and library. But whatever you choose, it's important to do some planning prior to buying furniture or storage.

First, clarify your needs. Do you spend a lot of time at the computer, or do you spend more time meeting clients or producing product? If you're a consultant, you may need to bring clients in to your office regularly; this would necessitate having a seating area for two or three people. If you're a writer, you may only need a desk and a comfy chair in a quiet corner. The most important thing is to decide whether you need a full room or not, and where in the house it should go. Generally, a room away from the main flow of traffic is best, and one with good natural light all year is especially good. If you don't have the space to dedicate an entire room (I sure don't!), using a spare bedroom, dining room, or other similar light-use room can work fine.

Second, you need to figure out exactly what type of work will be done. If you write, you may spend most or all your working time at a computer, necessitating the need for a very good desk and chair, and proper storage for a myriad of computer equipment. If you produce hand crafts to sell, you'll likely spend time both on the computer and creating your product, so you'll need a computer workspace and an appropriate production space, complete with storage. If you're a consultant who meets with clients regularly, you'll need a good, clean computer area with a professional, comfortable seating area. These are just examples, but the important thing is to know exactly what will be going on in your office so you can properly furnish and arrange it.

Finally, you need to decide your furniture and storage needs. A large corner computer desk with plenty of shelving and drawers and a comfortable ergonomic chair may be perfect for someone who does a great deal of computer work, and needs to reference books, magazines, or other paperwork regularly. A small computer desk with just enough space for electronic devices, a large work table, and a good chair to use at both would work well for someone who produces their own goods. Storage products are quite varied, with everything from large drawer and shelving units, right down to small fabric boxes and bowls for small items. Make sure you consider what you frequently keep in your office and need to have at hand, and what you use less frequently and thus can be stored away from your workspace.

Setting up a home office can be easy or difficult, depending on how you approach it. It can also be made more difficult and stressful if you don't take the time to plan ahead of making purchases. If you spend some time considering your needs, you can prevent headaches and difficulties down the road when you realize your space just isn't working.

Christina Keightley is a stay-at-home mom, freelance photographer and writer, and owner of TiKi Photography. She also writes for several blogs, including http://christinakeightley.ca and http://bbb.christinakeightley.ca

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christina_Keightley

Home Building-Development or Custom Built

2008-09-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

If you are new to home building as a first-time buyer, you may feel intimidated and overwhelmed about the all of the choices you will be making. Home building can be a very rewarding and very stressful experience. Home building in a development is very different from building a custom home on your own lot. Working with a contractor is different from building your own home. You have many choices for features and building materials for your home as well. It is important that you educate yourself as much as possible when you go through the home building process.

Homes in a development will generally not have as many unique features and customized design options as other homes. But, if you have limited funds this may be the best way for you to get into a home of your own because you will not have to pay so many design costs. If you have more money to spend on your home building project, some luxury housing developments allow for more elaborate features and more customization.

On the other hand, you may want to have a custom built home. Custom home building requires a lot more decision making because not only will you be deciding on where your home is built, you will also decide on your own floor plan and features. If you are working with a contractor, you will also need to find a reputable one. You can check with the home building organization or contractor’s organization in your local area or state for recommendations. The Better Business Bureau also keeps tabs on local contractors. Your contractor should be licensed, bonded and insured.

Many people who are trying to save money on their custom home building do some of the work themselves. If you are working with a contractor, you will want to make sure that this is something they are willing to have you do. You can save a lot of money by doing work on the home yourself and you may even learn a few new skills in the process.

In a custom home and in some developments you can choose what types of materials are used in your future home. One choice that is getting more popular is “green” building materials such as steel framing or roofs, energy saving windows and recycled or salvage materials. This is a way that you can save money now and in the future.

The location of your custom home depends on what you can afford and your lifestyle and tastes. It will affect the value of your home in the future and should be chosen carefully. Think about access to utilities and amenities as well as how much land you want.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about building. If you would like more information about homebuilding visit reedbuilding.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eriani_Doyel

Home Builders From the Atlanta Area

2008-09-14T22:54:00.002-07:00

Atlanta Home Builders - Like the idea of living in the state of southern hospitality? Take a look at the Atlanta home builder communities to see if you can find something for you and your family. Available below are some links to notable home builders in the Atlanta area.

McConnel Homes - Have your own idea of a home? Have yours custom built with McConnel Homes. This home builder is respected in the Atlanta community and offers energy efficient and environmentally friendly homes.

Beazer Home Builder - Beazer Homes is an Atlanta home builder that offers townhomes and single-family homes between $100,000 and $600,000. Take a look at the floor plans to see if any of the designs catch your eye.

John Wieland Homes - Move to you new Atlanta home in one of John Wieland's communities. There are 37 communities in the Atlanta area, so finding something that fits your taste should be no problem. Take a look at the different locations and price ranges to see which you like.

Eco Custom Homes - Just as its name hints, Eco Custom Homes is a builder that offers eco friendly solutions to new and already existing homes. You can buy one of their semi-custom homes, which are older homes that were remodeled with eco-friendly features. There are also some current or recently completed projects you can look into, so make sure to take a peek.

Dr Horton America's Builder - This is a national home builder that creates over 41,000 houses annually. You can find some of their various homes in the Atlanta area. There are 36 communities available with various price ranges and designs.

Looking for your new home from an Atlanta home builder? Browse through the available links to see what you can find for your family. There are all types of home sizes to fit families of all sizes, so you are bound to find something.

Paul is a principal of NewHomesSection.com. Search home builders and Atlanta home builders today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Escobedo

The Cost of Building a House in Cyprus

2008-09-14T22:54:00.001-07:00

Building a house nowadays, is a decision which entails heavy costs, problems relating to finance and construction, delays in delivery and quality problems, titles, delays on building permits etc. Building a house is an investment decision, which should be studied carefully, as most families built a house once in their lifetime and the final decision in most cases can be irreversible. Below are some general guidelines, which could help the owner to assess the cost of building a house, since small items, which could build up the cost of the house, are usually ignored.

Cost of building plot

Prior to the commencement of construction of your own home, at least the plot should be, or nearly be paid. This will certainly give you an advantage with the financing of the building cost for the house and it is a prerequisite for all financiers. For the transfer of ownership of the plot a Governmental transfer fee of 7%-8% (on average) is required on the market value (not necessarily what you paid for) of the plot.

Cost of the Mortgage & Finance

To register a mortgage, a fee will be paid to the Land Registry Office of about 1% on the Mortgage amount. Normally the mortgage amount is the actual loan %2B 20% on top. You will have to pay the stamp duties and other Bank expenses, which could take the form of once and for all Bank charge (say, on average CYP1000). If you borrow from a bank there is an additional charge of approximately 1.5%-2.0% p.a. on top of the legal base rate of 4.5%. There are now many alternative housing schemes including Life Insurance finance, Co-Op financing etc which extend for 25-40 years and own contribution approximately 20% (usually through term life insurance).

Cost of Architectural Drawings

It is imperative to use a qualified Architectural Office which will have the responsibility for the work done. You should not compromise on this, since the Architect is the most important person in the whole process of building your house. Yes, go to different offices and do discuss fee levels and then make your decision, but always use a qualified architect. Rates are normally around 5% on the total cost of the building and includes the design and supervision. Some architects go up to around 6%-8%.

You will also need to employ a Civil Engineer to carry out the structural design. This cost, with supervision is approximately 1% on the cost of the building.

The cost of the building referred to, includes all items, but not the fees paid to the Authorities and decorative items. So please clear the matter with the Architect, Engineer, etc., what is included is the total building cost.

Cost of Building Licence

The Town Planning Department charges for the issue of the licence will cost you around £300 and for the building licence an added amount of £150-£200.

Cost of the Quantity Surveyor & M/E Engineer

If you wish to engage a Quantity Surveyor for the building, a fee of 1% of the total building cost is required. The cost for a mechanical engineer (for large buildings) is approximately 3%-5% on the cost of the Electrical and Mechanical Budget. Although the use of the above is optional, it is recommended for large and complicated buildings.

Cost of the building

Below you will find a guide of the building costs:

Normal quality house

* CYP500 per sq. meter for the covered area
* CYP150 per sq. meter for the uncovered veranda
* CYP250 per sq. meter for the basement

Good quality house

* CYP550-CYP650 per sq. meter for covered area (depending on quality/facilities)
* CYP180 per sq. meter for uncovered area

Plus the cost of a garage (£3000), water borehole (£1500), fencing and garden (£3500-£4500) for normal plots sizes.

Costs to other Authorities

Extra costs have to be paid for connection to the Water Board, Electricity, Telephone and Land registry Office (demarcation, issue of title etc) estimated at about £1000 in total.

-Total cost/sq.m. for a (250 sq.m.) house
-House 250 sq.m. @ £550/sq.m. £138.500
-Fees and Licences £9.000
-Interest on Loan (say) £6.000
-Other Authorities £1.500
-Garden etc. £3.000
-Sundry other expenses £4.000
-Total cost £162.000 or (£745/sq.m.)
-on top add 15% V.A.T.

The purchase of equipment and installation cost of central heating is an addition and costs approximately £20/sq.m. and for the airconditioning system, an additional amount of approximately £40/sq.m.

A large number of people act as their own contractors for the building and subcontract all the various jobs and supplies of the work. Where the owner is able and with sufficient knowledge and has the time to carry out the supply and coordinating function, there could be a possible saving of 8-10% on total cost. Going further, if "weekend housing" is put into effect (whereby all the family and friends offer themselves as labourers, skilled and unskilled) then the cost can be reduced by 12%-15%. Obviously, in both cases there is the strong danger that the quality will suffer and the time of completion extended.

In recent years, with the introduction of VAT and the increase in labour costs, we have experienced an increase of 7-10% per year, in building cost, a level which is higher than inflation. This has made the building of a house that much more difficult. A house can take approximately 18 months to be completed.

A last item that can cost between 5%-8% in addition, is the right of the Contractor to ask for increase in labour costs and materials prices during the period of construction. Therefore a certain amount for unforeseen costs should be included in the final costing.

Unfortunately in Cyprus we have not reached any stage of prefabrication, whereby sections of the house, windows, doors, kitchens, etc., are prefabricated so that there is a reduction in costs. Also the shortage of skilled labour has created a certain indifference to the quality produced and should always be watched.

The problems related to the building of a house and the related delays have caused the market to direct its interest towards ready houses (a circumstance which did not exist 7-9 years ago). We expect this trend to continue with a positive effect on the value of ready homes.

http://www.aloizou.com.cy

nicosia@aloizou.com.cy

Mr Antonis Loizou FRICS, is the Managing Partner of Antonis Loizou & Associates, a professional service provider based in Cyprus.

Mr Loizou has practiced in the UK and Cyprus for over 30 years, has a long track record of providing advice on complex real estate projects, writes regularly in the financial press, and is involved in the highest levels of the Cyprus government influencing policy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Antonis_Loizou

Choosing Land For Your New Home - How to Select Vacant Land and Communities

2008-09-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

In this modern era of convenience shopping, buying a house is probably the most longwinded purchase you'll ever make. One of the major time eaters of the whole house buying procedure is the conveyancing process, which is the transfer of ownership of real estate from one person to another. It may sound like a very simple process but it can easily take two or even three months to complete.

As it a legal process, a large majority of people employ the use of a solicitor or licensed conveyor to carry out all the legal work. The conveyancing process begins in earnest once an offer has been made and accepted on a property and both parties have exchanged details of their solicitors. However, even once you have accepted the offer, you must remember that it has been made subject to contract and survey. Your solicitor then liaises with the other solicitor at what appears to be a snails pace to complete the legal documentation that is required in transferring ownership. As the process can be very slow it can become very costly, so many people are now making the decision to do their own conveyancing. However conveyance is one of the areas of the property transaction that is the riskiest, most labour intensive, and filled with a vast amount of legalese (legal jargon). But you will find that doing it yourself will save you hundreds of pounds, as there will be no fees to pay, no mark ups or VAT on any disbursements that you may have to pay to a legal professional..

If you do some research before hand it can be beneficial because it can help you have better knowledge of the whole process of conveyance. The main benefit of doing your own conveyance is that you maybe able to do it much quicker if you devote the sole of your time to it.

However not everyone should rush out and do their own coveyancing, this is because it is very complicated and you need to be confident in your ability of not to make a mess of it, as you could face severe penalties for any mistakes. Also make sure that you do not miss any thing from the list of activities that a solicitor would normally do. If you do everything in a sequence and in plenty of time it should be fine.

The main problem that you are likely to face would be the lease and the contract. This is because it is the part where the solicitor would draw on their expertise on the process. So you need to careful and attentive and thorough in all your dealings with these documents. Also make sure you understand all the terms and conditions and the implications of all the clauses. Keep checking everything you have done and make sure everything is spelled correctly.

Even when you are sure you have done everything, it may still be worth getting a solicitor to give your work the once over and to ensure you haven't missed anything important or made a huge blazing error. You should be able to find a solicitor who will do this for you for around £100. Hopefully after getting every checked over by a professional it should bring you peace of mind.

The process of doing the conveyance may seem to be long a labour intensive, but if you are dedicated enough and organised enough to do as much research as you can, any thing is possible. But it is important to remember to keep checking what you have done.

Fazila is the author of several conveyancing related articles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fazila_Mir

Home Building Software Can Be a Great Help

2008-08-17T21:52:00.002-07:00

Designing a home can actually be quite a difficult and technical thing, there are always certain things that people don't feel comfortable doing by themselves and so would always want to leave in the capable hands of a professional. Most people do not bother designing their home renovation project, instead they will get a professional to help them out.

Lots of people simply don't realize that they could do all of this planning by themselves and fairly easily too, you can do this using computer software. This doesn't only help with planning but will also help you understand certain aspects of the interior design process.

There are many different types of home design software which is available, you do not actually need to choose the most advanced piece of software. You should choose carefully depending on what you want and expect from interior design software.

Walls

The best lesson that you will learn from any home design software is about walls. This software should show you how you need to place walls so that things don't just fall down. It's very important to understand load bearing walls and the dimensions of the walls. These things may all seem very easy, however they are very important things to know. You not only use home design software to learn how to build a home, but also to see how it will look when it's completed down to the country curtains covering the windows.

It might not be possible to create a wall at a particular angle for a number of reasons. This design software will help you to understand the reasons behind this and why it's just not possible. You might also discover that some seemingly simple elements of design are extremely complex, home design software can make it much easier for you to know these things. This software can also give you a better understanding of how different elements of home design work together.

Studying Things

A house needs to have protection to make sure that the rain and elements do not damage your house. To understand this protection you need to know about water tables, and how they affect the building. You will be able to learn plenty of information about water tables using this home design software. Few people are able to understand how they should design the outside of their homes to prevent water getting inside. It's very important to thoroughly understand how to weatherproof your home

Building a home is quite complicated, there's a lot that you need to learn about. Using design software is a fantastic way to learn about this complicated project. You will no doubt be surprised just how much you can learn from this valuable piece of software.

Home design software can make a complicated task much simpler and more enjoyable. Spend time choosing the right piece of software and you won't go far wrong.

The essayist Ken Morris is particularly passionate about news associated to country ruffled curtains. His observations on country curtains are published on his webpage as well as various other online sites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_C._Morris

Inside Secrets Banks Don't Want You to Know

2008-08-17T21:52:00.001-07:00

1. What is a good construction loan?
A typical construction loan nowadays is a construction to permanent loan that may or may not allow you to lock-in todays low interest rates until the home is completed. If you choose a loan that does not allow you to lock in upfront, the interest rate may end up higher along with your monthly payment.

2. Should I use A Broker?
The most important thing when searching for a good construction loan is to find an experienced construction loan specialist that knows which banks are the best. A broker is a representative for hundreds of banks. Although the broker serves as middle-man, his or her services will not cost you anything extra. That's because brokers get loans at wholesale rates, and pass them along to their clients at retail prices, just like any other business.

* Wholesale and Retail - The difference between wholesale and retail is how brokers make money. Therefore, you get the same rate from a broker as if you went directly to the lender yourself.

* In Fact, because or their volume, many brokers are able to offer their clients better deals than you can get by talking to the banks on you own.

* With an experienced construction loan broker you can shop dozens of the most competitive banks nationwide, work with wholesale pricing and can negotiate on rates and pricing. Also by submitting multiple loans at the same time you will not lose extra points on your FICO score.

3. When Should you lock in your construction loan before you start building, or let the interest rate float?
If the rates are heading upward, lock. If the rates are stable, relax. If the rates are headed downward, float. Right now interest rates are at an all time low and can only go up. Lock into the best interest rate with the ability to float downward.

Inexperienced loan officers will offer their customers an enticing low adjustable rate during construction without an upfront lock-in and the customer may end up having to lock into higher interest rates when the home is completed. Or the customer is sold on a higher rate during construction with a float down option after the home is built. Again, the rate could be much higher when the home is completed. Meanwhile the loan officer has been paid and has moved on to the next loan. The only time you want this type of loan is if it's the only loan you qualify for.

Most loan officers do not explain this to their customers until it's too late (Closing). Always ask. Is the construction loan rate locked upfront or floating during the construction loan period? Then ask, is the rate during the construction loan the same rate when the loan converts into the mortgage period.

How do I qualify for a construction to perm loan, and what are the procedures?
The first thing your loan officer wants to see is your completed loan application. The loan application called the (1003) will tell a story of your financial picture.
The completed loan application will tell the loan officer many things including,
1. What type of loan you want.
2. How much money you need.
3. Your social security number.
4. Your current employers.
5. A list of all you assets (money) and liabilities (bills).
6. How much money you make.
7. How much real estate you own.

Once the loan officer has your loan application in hand they can determine whether you can qualify for a loan. One of the first items pulled is your credit report. The credit report is going to tell 3 main important things.

* Show your current credit score. The credit score can range from 500 to 800.

* Show a complete list of all your monthly liabilities (bills).

* Show all past credit problems including bankruptcies, foreclosures and late payments.

With this information the loan officer will do an analysis to determine if you can qualify for the loan amount that you're looking for. This analysis determines a ratio called the (income to debt ratio) and depending on the banks underwriting guidelines this ratio will usually range from 36% to 45%. The income to debt ratio is the percentage of monthly debt payments (including your new mortgage payment, taxes and insurance). This ratio should not exceed 36% to 45% of your monthly income. Some banks will allow you to exceed this ratio if you have an excellent credit history and excellent credit score. The current and the most popular method of qualifying for a loan today is the stated income loan. Banks are currently changing underwriting guidelines because of the amount of bad stated loans they are foreclosing on.

Stated income allows you to qualify without verifying your income on your tax returns, W 2's or pay stubs. The only thing the bank verifies when applying for a stated income loan is your credit score, liquid assets and that you're employed.

4. "Bait and Switch" Don't be taken by one of the oldest tricks in the book
The mortgage lending business is notorious for baiting and switching. Baiting and Switching is when a loan officer or advertisement offers you one thing and then tries to sells you something else.
Typical signs of baiting and switching are obvious, some basic examples are:

* Over the phone, you are offered a much lower rate than any other quote and once you've sent in your application the rate you were quoted has all of a sudden vanished.

* You are offered a construction loan with no points and no loan fee's. What you are not told is that you are paying for it with a higher interest rate and the costs are built into the loan.

* You are told that you will not have any payments while you're building. What you're not told is that all construction loans have this option and it's called "interest reserves" and the payments are added to the loan amount.

Remember three important facts and you will always be in good shape.
1. If it sounds too good to be true there's usually a reason.
2. Always get your quote in writing, (ask for a good faith estimate).
3. If you are satisfied with the rate and construction loan program that you are quoted, ask to lock it in upfront.
On the flipside, it is very important to realize that most loan products typically go hand in hand with banking guidelines. These guidelines are provided to loan officers to coincide with the customer's qualifications.

For example, if you have a very high (FICO) credit score with land free and clear, you have more loan options than the person with a very low (FICO) score and no land equity.

5. Banks really don't want you to know this!
All banks have access to the same rates and the only reason everyone ends up with a different rate is directly related to how much your loan officer and bank is going to profit from you.
You should probably read that one again.

Your loan officer gets paid like all sales people either by:

* Salary plus commission

* Commission only

It doesn't matter if you walk directly into a bank or work with a broker, basically everyone gets paid the same. If you walk directly into a bank the loan officer most likely gets a basic salary and a percentage of the loan origination fee (points and yield spread premiums). If you work with a broker the broker usually works on a straight commission (points and yield spread premiums). Becoming a broker allows the loan officer the ability to offer their customers the best loans with the most options.
It always amazes me when I see TV commercials or hear radio commercials advertising $395, zero closing costs. I always wonder if people understand how they can do that.
Ok, here is how it is done.

The inside secret is that in exchange for these low or zero closing costs the lenders will make their profits and cover the costs of the loan by charging you a higher interest rate.
This higher interest rate pays what they call in our industry a (YSP) yield spread premium.

By charging you a higher interest rate over the life of the loan the bank can easily afford the commercials, commissions, payroll, and cover the costs of the loan while still making a profit. Also the service is usually very poor and impersonal.

So the next time you see advertising with no closing costs you will know exactly how they are doing it.

So please remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch in any business. Business wouldn't be business if there were no profits. The most important thing is that you want the best loan available at a fair price with an experienced loan officer.

6. What are interest reserves and contingency funds doing in your closing costs?
The two things most customers do not factor into the cost of the building their new home are interest reserves and contingency funds.

Interest reserves are added to your loan amount to make the monthly payment on your loan. Yes, you read that correctly, you will not have to make a monthly construction loan payment while your home is being built. The payments are made from this interest reserve account and no, it's not free. This reserve is added to your construction loan amount. Interest reserves were designed for the benefit of the customer. Most people building a new home are either paying rent or have an existing mortgage payment while their home is being built.

The last thing a customer needs is another monthly payment while building. So, banks created the interest reserve account by adding up the estimated interest payments over a 12 month period and add this to the loan amount.

If you do not want interest reserves added to your construction loan amount you can ask to make your own monthly construction loan payment. Contingency funds are added to the loan amount just in case you need more money to build your new home.

With all good intentions construction loans tend to have cost over runs. The bank adds 5% to 10% of the cost breakdown and adds this amount to the loan amount just in case you have cost over runs or need better appliances. If you don't need or use this extra contingency fund then it will not be added to your mortgage upon completion of your new home.

So when you apply for a construction loan ask your loan officer to provide you a copy of the estimated construction loan budget. The budget is created from your costs and includes every cost within the loan including land balances, closing costs, interest reserves, contingency and bank fees.

http://orlandoreunionresorthomes.com - http://orlandoreunionresorthomes.com/blog F. Lanni is a Top Producing Realtor In The Million Dollar Club

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=F._Lanni

How to Choose a Good Builder

2008-08-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

"Rogue builders" although in the minority definitely give the construction industry a bad name and hardly a week goes by without there being yet another TV program about the so called "Builders from Hell". With the help of hidden cameras these "Rogue Builders" are exposed in front of millions of viewers when they blatantly try to cheat customers out of their hard earned cash.

So how can you protect yourself from these unsavory characters who unscrupulously rip off unsuspecting members of the public? The following are some helpful suggestions to consider before hiring a builder.

1. Always ask for references and details of previous jobs. Go to see these jobs wherever possible. A good builder will be only too pleased to show you evidence of his expertise.
2. Be wary if they offer 'cheap deals' for "cash-in hand" jobs or suggest you can avoid paying VAT for cash.
3. If they do not want to commit themselves to a written contract they should be avoided like the plague.
4. If they say they can start immediately be wary, as a good builder is usually busy.
5. If they give you a surprisingly low quote you should treat this with suspicion.
6. If they seem reluctant to look at plans or to discuss the details this should also set off alarm bells.
7. If they can only be reached by mobile phone and are reluctant to divulge where they live then this should be seen as a red flag.
8. If they try to baffle you with complicated explanations when asked seemingly simple questions they may be graduates of the "If you can't convince em confuse em" school of builders and you know that it may not be in your best interests to employ them.
9. If they say they are a member of a trade association, make sure to check it out as anybody can say they are a member when in fact they are not.
10. Get at least three written quotations from various builders and be very specific about what you want done.Leave very little room for misunderstanding and this will pay dividends further down the line.
11. Now is the time to clarify everything and make sure that no gray areas exist especially regarding payments and when they should be made.
12. If any problems arise during the building work sort it out with your builder straight away and make sure he fully understands your instructions.

If the above guidelines are adhered to then there is no reason why the build should not be painless and trouble free. If you need to hire a reliable builder go to http://www.thelondonbuilder.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_O_Loughlin

Buying Property in Turkey

2008-03-01T02:48:00.003-08:00

For people who are looking for an investment where it is also possible to enjoy a bit of travel and take in some culture from a different country, Turkey is renowned as the most popular tourist destination in Europe and for this reason buying property is also becoming popular in Turkey. So, for those who are hunting for the perfect investment and holiday destination in Europe, get busy and buy some property in Turkey that will bring you profitable returns in the future. Turkey is still an unknown gem for property investors, prices for beautiful housing is still low, therefore when the housing and property boom which has overtaken the world hits Turkey, ensure you are in “ the driving seat” where you can benefit from buying an affordable investment and sell it for a great profit.

If you think this may be a good option for you, where you find yourself in a position to have an overseas investment in property, consider the benefits of investing in Turkey and seek the advice of Turkey property investment professionals. Getting professional help and assistance in acquiring your dream holiday property/ investment property can be beneficial in that you will be able to get expert advice on property investment opportunities, assistance with the paperwork, assistance in translation and more. Professional property experts can, in the end, save you time and money when you are making decisions and purchasing your Turkish Villa.

The property land value in Turkey is increasing by over 30% year on year for the last five years, therefore, using a Turkey investment property expert may help you find your investment property faster and help you finalise the buying of your chosen property quicker. We recommend that you buy now, and watch your property value climb. For many holidaymakers who are interested in having a permanent holiday house in Turkey, the option to rent out your Turkish villa is also available. Professional Turkey property investment companies will not let your Turkish Villa stand empty while you are away, you will benefit from a growing rental market in Turkey that will allow you to pay off and contribute towards your repayments.

Using a Turkish property expert company means that you will get individual and personal attention, this means that these professionals are aware that each person has different needs. Property investment professionals will help you find the perfect investment property to suit your individual needs, tastes, desires and dreams. So, save yourself time and unnecessary stress and use a investment professional when searching for the perfect investment opportunity in Turkey.

New Home Construction Loans

2008-03-01T02:48:00.001-08:00

New House Construction loans are different from those loans that are used to purchase already existing homes or what is called a refinance. Mortgages used to purchase homes which are already constructed, use the home as collateral for payment of the loan. If in case you fail to make scheduled mortgage payments, then the bank takes ownership of the home and it will sell to get the amount of the loan.

With a new home construction loan, there will be no home to use as collateral because the home is still to be built. In that case, the bank will have your word as guarantee for payment of the loan. It would be good if banks could simply consider your word for it, but when hundreds of thousands of dollars and sometimes millions are at stake, John Smith’s signature is not enough for the bank to simply hand over a check for you to begin construction.

Because of the nature of the home building process, the financing process concerning a new home construction loan is more stringent. Once the lender has accepted you to borrow a new home construction loan, a schedule will be outlined again. In this draw schedule, the lender tells how the loan will be disbursed.

Typically, new home construction loans are disbursed in 25% increments. 25% of the loan amount will be given to you by lender,when you complete 25% of your construction. The lender requires an appraisal of the progress to ensure himself that said work has been completed.

You need not make any payments on your new home construction loan until or unless the original disbursement has been made. At that moment, only interest payments will be due on the loan and a good news is that you need to pay only for the portion of the loan that has been disbursed.

The more you construct the more loan of your's is disbursed, your monthly payments will be increased and this will happen because each time you are paying interest on a huge amount of money when a disbursement is made. Your entire balance of the new home construction loan will be due,when you complete your construction completely.

Don’t panic. You will have a way to pay this balance well in advance. “How”, you ask? Before you make a approval for a new home construction loan, the lender will ask you first to approve for a mortgage. To ensure mortgage approve, the new home construction lender will request a assurance letter from the lender of your mortgage.

Once construction is complete, the amount of the mortgage is used to pay you back the balance of the new home construction loan. You have a chance to choose between a one- or two-time to close new home construction loan. The primary difference between the two types of loans is the time at which the interest rate is locked in. When you choose one-time closing, both the construction loan and the mortgage closes at the same time,and locking the interest rate for both loans. On the other hand, when you choose two-time closing the construction loan closes first, and then the mortgage closes when you complete your construction.

Make Custom Home-Building Process a Dream with Seven Steps

2008-02-20T04:11:00.001-08:00

You probably know someone who has built a custom home. Chances are you heard their stories of construction delays and going over budget. These situations often result from a homeowner not being fully prepared prior to beginning the process. While the thought of the ultimate home with all of your desired features is intriguing, you don’t have to let the actual process of building your dream home be overwhelming.

So, go ahead and come out from hiding and remember this wisdom from Anatole France who once said, “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

It is true with a dream home isn’t it? It would not be called a dream home unless it was first a dream. But with all dreams, there is reality. And in the case of building a dream home, the reality is having a sound plan in place. Otherwise, you could be faced with a nightmare situation of delays and budget problems.

Follow these seven rules to get past the hurdles and start on the path to successfully build a custom, dream home:

1. Look at Needs vs. Wants: You typically will not get everything that you want in your dream home. Determine your needs first, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, an office, garage, kitchen, and family room. Then evaluate other features that you want in your home but are willing to forego if they cannot work into the overall plan.

2. Evaluate Costs: Look at the costs for the features you want, such as a pool, media room or a wine cellar. Then prioritize the rankings of your wants. Be prepared to nix some from the list.

3. Determine the Style: Deciding on the style of home you want is very crucial in determining the home you want to build, but keep in mind that the style can affect your budget as well as building and supply costs. Round turrets, multiple elevations and complex roof lines can be costly.

4. Look at C.C. & R.’s: Make sure your home’s style, elevations, exterior finishes, colors and square footage comply with the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC & R’s) for your neighborhood before you finalize your house plans and break ground on your project. Also, be sure to obtain architectural approval if required.

5. Set a Realistic Budget: Accurate budget planning is important to prevent any surprises when it comes time to start building your dream home. Obtain actual quotes with itemized costs and supplies from subcontractors to prepare a detailed budget.

6. Feel Comfortable in Decision-Making Process: Be prepared to make decisions. When building a custom home, you will be picking everything from lighting and plumbing fixtures to appliances and exterior veneer materials, so it is important to feel comfortable in the decision-making process. Do not labor or fret over your decisions. If you like it, go for it and do not second guess yourself after the fact.

7. Get Detailed House Plans: Obtain a set of stock plans or custom design them with a home designer or architect. Make sure the plans provide specific details about the size, specs and dimensions so that you are getting the exact house that you want. Also, be sure to have your plans engineered by a licensed structural engineer.

London Property Price Increases Are Starting To Slow Down

2008-02-20T04:10:00.000-08:00

Although London now ranks above Monte Carlo in terms of property prices, recent figures released by estate agents Rightmove show that London house prices rose at their slowest rate in five months, with the cost of a home falling in more than half of the United Kingdom's capital's boroughs.

While other regions across the country saw the average house price rise by 0.8 per cent in June, property prices in London rose by 0.7 per cent in comparison - half the rate that had been seen in May, prompting experts to predict a drop in property prices over the next few months.

A nationwide property boom, led by demand from rich foreigners and bankers in the city might be reaching its peak as interest rates reach a six-year high deter homebuyers with record debts. With another interest rate increase looming, it is widely expected by property analysts that another increase may crimp price growth.

The slowdown saw the cost of a home fall in seventeen of London's thirty-two boroughs, with Southwark, an area south of London's financial district showing the largest level of decline with prices falling 2.8 per cent. Hounslow, close to Heathrow Airport showed the next biggest decline with a 2.4 per cent drop.

However, property prices within London's upmarket boroughs continued to increase, with property in Kensington and Chelsea, areas popular with bankers, footballers and Hollywood celebrities recording gains of 3.4 per cent on the month and a staggering 73 per cent compared to the previous year with an average price of £1.4 million. Furthermore, the average time a property remained on the market rose to 69 days from 65 days in May. The average asking price in London is still 23 per cent higher than a year ago, with the prices rising from £315,224 to £387,898.

Property prices across the U.K roise by 13.2 percent in June to an average cost of £239,317, climbing in seven out of ten regions. The West Midlands showed the greatest level of gain with a 5.8 per cent increase, while East Anglia, the North-West and Yorkshire and Humberside all recorded negative growth. The increase in property values has highlighted the growing divide between homeowners and those not on the property ladder, with more than four4 million people expecting never to be able to own their own home.

Why Buying A Green Home Is Good For You, Good For The Environment, And A Good Investment!

2008-02-19T04:32:00.002-08:00

If you’re considering constructing a new home, consider going green.

A lot of green construction initiatives are out there, which advocate building everything from pre- measured, pre-fabricated parts.

The savings for this are two fold – the first savings is in ease of construction. By building everything from pre-measured parts, you save on labor and assembly. You also save on garbage hauling fees.

The second place where you save is avoiding building waste in your local landfill. Most homes are constructed by bringing raw lumber on site and cutting it to fit over the course of construction.

The same (to a lesser extent) is done with flooring, drywall and siding.

Good green construction techniques use the mantra of "measure twice, cut once" to its logical extreme, and can eliminate construction waste (and the attendant fees) by as much as 80%.

Green construction also ties into how the house is designed as a home and living space, and how it uses energy.

A house can be precisely placed to maximize thermal warming in the winter, and shade placement in the summer.

Similarly, green construction helps with energy bills.

By building the houses out of precisely measured prefabricated components, the insulation effects can be greatly improved – most homes, when it comes to insulation, have the equivalent of two full sized doors open in terms of air flow.

Green construction, done right, solves this problem, and a well insulated home is less expensive to heat in the winter, and cool in the summer.

Proper heating and cooling design/installation methods are a major contributor to good green construction practices.

A more recent trend in green construction is photovoltaic cells as an integral component of construction, rather than as an unsightly add on to the home.

These can reduce utility bills (through net-metering) or provide cash flow to the home owner through an offset-tariff, and will, over the course of 20 years or more, pay off the cost of their investment.

Ultimately, doing a green home means doing a completely green home – you can’t do it part way. It doesn’t mean you have to "give up" the life style – but it does mean an initial investment in planning and a commitment to hold on to the home for a while to recoup your investment.

New Homes Georgetown Texas - Building A Better Home

2008-02-19T04:32:00.001-08:00

Georgetown is a growing city that has the real estate to fit each resident’s needs. Located about twenty minutes from downtown Austin, Georgetown is a small city with developing real estate. Georgetown continues to benefit from the annual population increases in central Texas. This city has become popular for residents looking to avoid crowded town around the city like Pflugerville and Round Rock. Georgetown real estate ranges from apartments to ranch land to master planned communities. All of these home choices are available in and around the Georgetown area.

There are two master planned communities within Georgetown. One is a master planned active adult community that has strict age restrictions on home buyers in their community. This master planned community has private golf courses and fitness centers to make sure their residents are active adults. The other master planned community is a luxurious community with a private championship golf course and world class fitness facilities. Homes range well into the millions and can be as large as 7,000 sq. ft. This is a resort community that offers residents the best amenities to accompany their world class homes.

Town homes around downtown area of Georgetown are very popular. These homes located along Highway 29 and resemble a farm town community where mail men deliver mail to your doorstep each day. Most of the homes in this area were built in the 70’s and 80’s and provide home owners with a historic living situation. Many of these homes are owned or rented by Southwestern University students. Some of these town homes are smaller and college students benefit from the low cost, close to campus locations.

Apartments and condominiums have become popular in this area. The apartments in the area are located around the downtown area of Georgetown. Apartments in this area give residents a chance to live in a small town, and many tenants are college students. There is one condominium complex within Georgetown. This complex overlooks the San Gabriel River and gives residents the chance to enjoy the environment from their back landing.

Area neighborhoods give Georgetown residents the chance to live within communities and enjoy the communal atmosphere that neighborhoods have. There are many neighborhoods in the Georgetown area. All students are given the chance to attend the public school system and Georgetown High. Georgetown residents understand the history of the town, and the history of the people who built the town. This is why Georgetown has been able to keep its small town atmosphere as the city continues to grow.

A Structured Approach to Buying a Home - Part 5 - Home Inspections

2008-02-13T04:57:00.001-08:00

You have now reached an important point in your hunt for a suitable home. You have organized your finances, and in your preliminary search you have come fairly close to finding a house that meets your needs. You will now be approaching the major step of legal processes of making offers and completing the deal.

Before making an offer, however, you have to satisfy yourself that the house is in good condition and that it has no defects that would be noticed only in a professional home inspection. An inspection will show up any structural or roof concerns, plumbing problems or any other issues that may affect safety or trouble free occupancy.

If you are considering a new house after short listing, chances are that you will be reasonably safe on this point. In a new house there is very little chance of hidden damages. Moreover, the property will be covered by the builder’s warranty.

In case of an old house, however, there is always a possibility of defects or damages in the construction and in equipments such as heating, etc. that even the seller may not be aware of, or he may not have divulged them to you. There are two courses open to you:

• Commission professional home inspections to be carried out so that the condition of the house is known to you before you make an offer. The inspector will look at the structure and type of construction and mechanical systems. Depending upon the extent of the inspection desired by you, the inspector will inspect plumbing, waste disposal, water heating, electrical, heating and ventilation system, foundation, doors, windows, roof, floors and walls. He will also check for potential presence of infestations and pests. In case of repair work being required to be carried out you will know the defect and the estimated expenditure. You may then either not make an offer at all or may use this information to get the estimated cost of repairs taken off the price while making the offer.

• The second alternative is for you to make an offer subject to your approving the results of one or more inspections to be carried out after the seller accepts your offer. After the seller accepts your offer, you may then arrange for home inspections.

In any case, you have reached a point at which you have to discuss the matter with your solicitor and chalk out the next course of action which we shall deal with in the next part.

Construction Equipment Basics

2008-02-13T04:46:00.000-08:00

Cranes, excavators, loaders, and any other large equipment you might find on a construction site are considered construction equipment. While some of you might see construction equipment as hammers, saws, and other smaller items they are in fact construction tools. Are you looking for some construction equipment to help you with your next job? If so you need to know a little bit about the equipment available.

Cranes: You can have many types of canes from the all terrain hydraulic crane, to the boom truck. A boom truck is a piece of construction equipment that has a flat bed with a crane on it rather than a smaller cab for the crane with tracks. This crane system can be used to haul the material as well as move the crane about while hydraulic cranes tend to need a trailer and then roll off to be placed on the ground. These types of cranes tend to rotate 360 degrees.

Excavators: These are consider bobcats, and backhoes of the construction equipment. The size you will need is again dependent upon the job you will have. Most construction companies have a variety for the type of work and land they will have. Bobcats usually work out well when you have a little job, where as backhoes are great for digging larger holes.

Loaders: The are also many types of loaders from a front end loader to a wheel loader. Loaders are often seen used for road construction as well as other construction jobs. These are tractors that have a bucket on the front and use a hydraulic system to raise the bucket and dump the material either in a dump truck or off to the side.

Vancouver BC Canada Housing Market and Real Estate - Still Viable

2008-02-12T02:37:00.003-08:00

There are four main reasons for this assessment.

The first of these is that British Columbia is enjoying period of unprecedented growth and prosperity. This period of economic prosperity forms the bedrock upon which the Vancouver housing market can consolidate its position.

In the February 20,2007 Budget and Fiscal Plan for 2007/08-2009/10 which was released by the Ministry of Finance , the outlook for the BC economy in general and the Real Estate Market in particular, is exceptionally bright.

The second item to consider is the influx of immigration that is expected to flood into British Columbia the years leading up to the BC Olympic Games. The Council projected that “total net migration” to British Columbia would continue to rise to unprecedented levels. In 2007 alone, projections averaged from a “low of 35,423 people to a high of 55,000 people”. The general expectation is that this trend will continue in to increase in the coming years with the anticipation that “total net migration to average about 47,000 people in 2008, rising to over 50,000 through the 2009 to 2011 period”.

The third area of consideration is the inflation of the Canadian Dollar and its effects on interest rates and the Real Estate Market. The expectation is that Bank of Canada will raise interest rates an average of “4.08 per cent” in 2007. Over the long term the rates should hold fairly steady or even come down slightly. The “Council's forecasts for the Bank of Canada's overnight target rate averaged 4.13 per cent in 2008, falling to 4.01 per cent over the 2009 to 2011 period”.

The last piece of information needed to navigate in the complex Real Estate Market, is the forecast for Real Estate Market movement in British Columbia and its implications for you as a home-buyer. The news is good, according to the bi-annual press release published by The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA). In the Housing Forecast Report, Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist gives us this insight, “The market has shifted away from strong sellers’ conditions and is expected to operate in a band between a strong balanced and weak sellers’ market over the forecast horizon.

Building Your Lake Home

2008-02-12T02:37:00.001-08:00

You might have a dream of building a lake home for retirement, for enjoying summers at the lake or for an investment. No matter what your reason for owning a lake home by starting out with a good builder and knowing some of the basics about home building, you will be able to have a positive experience during the home building process.

Start by looking in your area for a builder that suits your needs and has a good reputation in the area. Make sure that the builder is sensitive to your needs and will listen to what you want in a lake home. Notice whether promises are kept or broken. Some contractors are skilled at giving good impressions early but lack the character to do what they say. You can save yourself many headaches by learning to spot this deficiency early on.

Ask your builder the following questions:

1. How many years of experience do you have in building lake homes?
2. What special skills and qualifications do you have to offer?
3. What happens if the project goes over-budget?
4. What type of homes do you normally build?
5. How much input will we have into the design of the home?
6. Are you licensed and insured?
7. Who is responsible to get building permits?

Take your time when looking for a builder. Some of the best builders in the area may be booked up several months in advance, but they also may be able to fit you in as many times builders work on several homes at one time. For instance, as the concrete is drying and setting up at one location, they may be doing the framing on another home.

Have a one-on-one meeting with the builder and see if he/she is open to your ideas and suggestions. Does the builder give you his/her complete attention? Or is he busy taking phone calls during your meeting? If so, the builder might not devote his/her full attention to your project. Then ask to meet some of the key staff who will be working on the home. Do the employees seem professional and interested in their work?

By taking your time when looking for a builder, you will go a long way in the process of having what you want in your lake home. Make your dream home a reality by taking things one step at a time - and starting with a qualified builder.

London Property Price Increases Are Starting To Slow Down

2008-02-11T02:38:00.003-08:00

Why Buying A Green Home Is Good For You, Good For The Environment, And A Good Investment!

2008-02-11T02:38:00.001-08:00

A Structured Approach to Buying a Home - Part 5 - Home Inspections

2008-02-09T05:07:00.000-08:00

Construction Equipment Basics

2008-02-09T05:02:00.001-08:00

Vancouver BC Canada Housing Market and Real Estate - Still Viable

2008-02-08T02:45:00.003-08:00

Building Your Lake Home

2008-02-08T02:45:00.001-08:00

California Mobile Home Lenders and Mortgage Programs Explained

2008-02-06T04:48:00.000-08:00

Mobile homes are becoming more popular than ever. People are opting for mobile homes around the country, including the state of California, for many reasons. Mobile homes are more affordable than traditional style homes, and they can be moved if necessary. If you need a mortgage loan for a mobile home, you will need to find a lender who specializes in this. Mobile home lenders are individuals and/or businesses who provide loans to qualified buyers. You will find that the majority of loans for mobile homes in California are high interest. This is because they are not regulated by the United States government.

Even though these loans may be high interest due to lack of government regulations, this may work in your favor if you have less than ideal credit. The loan is going to cost more, but for people who have had problems obtaining low interest loans they can be worth the money. If you want to own your own home but have had trouble obtaining a traditional mortgage loan for a traditional style house, buying a mobile home can make your dream of home ownership a reality. It might not be exactly what you pictured, but as you'll discover today's mobile homes are quite spacious and attractive. There are often land-home packages that help you buy not only the mobile home but a nice lot to put it on as well.

Lenders for mobile homes do have a few regulations even though they are not governmentally imposed. For example, the mobile home for which you are getting the loan for must be your main residence. The term of a loan for a mobile home can range anywhere from 10 to 25 years on average. It all depends on what kind of monthly payment you can afford and the amount of money you borrow. If you are interested in purchasing a California mobile home, many companies that sell mobile homes also provide loans for their customers. If they don't, they can possibly refer you to one or more lenders who can help you.

Zero Energy Homes, Made Affordable

2008-02-06T04:41:00.000-08:00

How’s this for a challenge? Create a zero net source energy (as opposed to site energy) home as defined by the Department of Energy’s Building America program. Design it to operate in the extremes of Denver’s unpredictable climate, using off-the-shelf, readily available technologies. Keep the mechanical systems as simple and uncomplicated as possible. Incorporate energy-efficiency strategies that don’t require the home owners to be experts in sustainable building operations or conduct any maintenance beyond that required of a ‘normal’ home.

Not overly difficult, you might say? Add that the design must be replicable for future Habitat for Humanity homes, utilize low-cost construction materials, and allow volunteer- friendly construction techniques. Still with me? The clincher: The target market is the affordable housing sector. Impossible, you might say? Challenging yes, but not impossible for an integrated design team of NREL engineers and Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers. The finished product is a 1,200 square foot, three-bedroom reduced income home that actually produces more source energy than it consumes!

Design Considerations

The combination of energy engineers, a construction manager a real estate development manager and Habitat volunteers on the design helped strike a balance between engineering ideals based on energy modeling, cost realities inherent in affordable housing, and considerations involved in a volunteer construction crew.

Habitat’s volunteer labor advantage steered the design team to approaches that favored low materials costs and high labor costs. While this approach minimizes the substantial labor cost, when combined with the affordable housing requirement it restricts the range of sustainable strategies available. For example, strategies such as structured insulated panels (SIPs) and insulated concrete forms were not considered because of their high cost. Similarly, the requirement for volunteer-friendly construction techniques and ease of replication eliminated the option of using Straw Bale. The design simplicity requirement eliminated the possibility of a combined solar space heating and water heating system. Finally, the zero energy requirement, given Denver’s cold climate and the current high cost of PV systems, required some trade offs that some ‘purists’ might consider controversial.

Design Approach - Envelope

Given the considerations described above, the design team decided to focus first on reducing the home’s energy load as much as possible, and then size the PV system to meet the remaining electricity needs. The first place to look? Yes, you guessed it – a passive solar orientation with a ‘super insulated’ envelope. Starting with a standard Habitat three-bedroom, 26 x 46 square foot design with a crawlspace, the team increased the South-facing glazing area and reduced the North, East and West facing glazing area. Next, a double-stud wall with fiberglass batt construction was selected to take advantage of it’s relatively low cost, volunteer-friendly technique and Habitat’s low construction labor cost. Blown fiberglass installed in the attic achieved an R-60 rating and insulated floors achieved an R-30 rating. While the double stud wall design, with exterior structural studs spaced at 16 inches O.C. might not achieve LEED Homes Advanced Framing Techniques points, the interior studs spaced at 24 inches O.C. certainly meet the requirement. The R-3 fiberglass batts in the exterior wall cavities and the R-13 filling the space between the exterior and interior walls as well as the interior wall cavities definitely help optimize energy performance. An outer vapor-permeable house wrap and fiber cement siding, with and an inner poly vapor barrier plus drywall adds to a very ‘tight’ whole-wall-R value. Blower tests yielded a natural infiltration rate result of 0.15 ACH, a very ‘tight’ indication.

Heating and Ventilation

With the house’s heating energy needs drastically reduced through this super-insulated shell, the design team then focused on the heating and ventilation system. Note that I didn’t mention heating, cooling and ventilation system. Yet another design challenge! Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver has a policy of not equipping its homes with air conditioning. This meant that the final design had to maximize heat reduction (for example by maximizing solar gain) without increasing the cooling energy load.

To supply a proper amount of fresh air to the house while minimizing potential for energy loss, the team opted for an energy recovery ventilation (ERV) system with efficient electronically commutated motors. The system exhausts air from the kitchen and bathroom, and supplies fresh air to the living room and bedrooms. Heat loss from ventilation is reduced because the ERV system heats the incoming air with warmth from the exhaust air.

The design team soon discovered that a very low heating load is a double edged sword. On the one hand very little energy is required to heat the house. On the other hand, most commonly available heating systems are oversized for such low heating needs, and overly complicated or expensive systems cannot be cost-justified. After carefully considering a variety of high-efficiency heating systems, and much internal debate, the team decided to follow a hybrid approach of electricity from the PV system, and natural gas.

Controversial Approach

Some of us who are ‘purists’ may turn up our noses at the thought of a zero energy home using natural gas. However, the economics involved convinced the design team that a hybrid approach was the best solution (see side bar)

The PV system selected by the design team uses the local utility grid for storage, thus eliminating the substantial cost of the storage battery. When the system is producing more energy than is being used, it delivers energy to the grid. When the system produces less energy than it produces, it draws electricity from the grid.

When the system draws electricity from the grid, it is likely drawing fossil-fuel generated electricity. Although a larger sized PV system may minimize the volume of electricity drawn from the grid, the cost of larger systems is prohibitive. The design team opted to include natural gas in order to reduce the size of the PV system by 1.1 kW, making it much for affordable for a Habitat Home. The team designed the system to offset the natural gas used, thus achieving, and even surpassing, the goal of net zero source energy.

The hybrid approach allowed the team to size the PV system that is affordable, offsets the use of natural gas as well as any grid generated electricity, and thus allows the home to achieve (and even surpass) the goal of net zero source energy. The hybrid space heating system combines a pointsource direct-vent natural gas furnace in the dining room and living area, with small baseboard electric-resistance heaters in the bedrooms.

Water Heating

The design team selected a solar water heating system – rather than a combined space/water hearing system – for simplicity, backed up by a natural gas tankless water heater. The team calculated that the 96 square foot collector area and 200 gallon water storage would result in an annual solar-savings fraction of 88%. They opted for the tankless natural gas back up heater after finding that the tankless system uses zero heating energy whenever the solar water tank is at or above 115 degree water delivery temperature.

The Crowning Element

Having reduced all possible energy loads as much as possible, the design team zeroed in on the lighting, appliances and miscellaneous electric loads (MELs). They installed compact fluorescent light bulbs throughout the house, and ENERGY STAR label appliances. This left the miscellaneous electric loads, from TV, hair dryer, toasters, computers, and anything else that could be plugged in by the occupants. Using Built America benchmark assumptions on MELs, the team settled on a 4kW PV system. Because the Built America assumptions on based upon a national average of a ‘typical’ American household, the actual occupant use and local climate may either block the home from achieving zero energy usage, or propel it to the ranks of ‘net energy producer’.

The Verdict

Initial test results were encouraging. From the February to July of 2006, the PV system produced 1,600 kWh more electricity than the house consumed. Factoring in the natural gas used for space heating and water heating backup, the house produced 75% more source energy than it consumed. Although a longer testing period is required, it’s a safe bet to say that the house will be an annual net energy producer rather than just achieve net zero energy user. However, this could change if the occupants begin using more than the average calculated into the Built America benchmark.

And the home owners? While it is true that the house is a net energy producer, they unfortunately are not free from utility bills. There is the monthly charge for the natural gas, as well as fixed charges for the electric grid and natural gas connection fees. From October of 2005 to May of the 2006, the owners shelled out an average of $18.25 per month in energy bills. Because the fixed monthly charges averaged 80% of those bills, in actuality the family used on average $14.60 worth of energy.

For those of us who suffered through $200+ monthly energy bills during that same period, those results are very compelling.

KEY RESIDENTIAL SUSTAINABLE FEATURES

Energy and Atmosphere

Passive Solar Design
• The house was designed with increased glazing area on the long South facing side, and reduced glazing area on the North, East and West facing sides.

Renewable Energy
• 4kW Photovoltaic system using utility power grid storage to eliminate need for and associated high cost of, storage battery

Insulation
• Raised heel trusses in attic allow 2 ft of blown fiberglass insulation, achieving R-60 rating for thermal envelope top
• Floors insulated to R-30
• R-3 fiberglass batts in outer 2 x 4 structural stud wall cavities, and a second, interior 2x4 stud wall with R-13 fiberglass batts placed horizontally between stud walls and vertically in interior wall cavities
• Outer vapor-permeable house wrap and fiber cement siding
• Inner poly vapor barrier and drywall

Space Heating
• Hybrid natural gas/electric heating system, combining a pointsource direct-vent natural gas furnace in the living room and dining area, and small baseboard electric-resistance heaters in the bedrooms. This combination provides the added bonus of zone heating, as each appliance has its own independent thermostat.

Water Heating
• Solar water heating system with 96 square feet collector area and 200 gallon water storage tank as primary water heating system, with natural gas tankless water heater as a back up system

Windows
• Double – glazed, low –e glass installed in South facing windows, with U-factor of 0.3 and SHGC of 0.58. For the East, West and North facing windows, Double – glazed, low – e glass was also used, with a U-factor of 0.22 and SHGC value of 0.27. The U-factors of all windows exceed (ENERGY STAR requirements by 20%). Appliances
• ENERGY STAR® appliances were installed.

Lighting
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs deployed throughout the house

Indoor Environmental Quality

Local Exhaust
• Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) system with efficient electronically commutated motors, exhausts air from the kitchen and bathroom, and supplies fresh air to the living room and bedrooms.

Outdoor Air Ventilation
• The ERV system heats incoming fresh air with warmth of the exhaust air, thus significantly reducing heat loss from ventilation. Materials and Resources

• Advanced Framing Techniques: Walls consist of inner 2x4 stud wall, 24 inches O.C.

A DIY Guide to Home Building

2008-02-05T06:13:00.002-08:00

So you want to build your own home. Have you considered everything you need to in order to undertake this challenge? If you feel you are ready to start home building then read the following eight tips to see if you really are or not. These tips will really help you consider everything that must be considered before you begin building your own home.

Tip #1 Organization
You must be organized in order to build your own home and you need to have everything laid out in a step by step way to help you along the way. Takeoff software will help you stay organized so this is a good investment early on.

Tip #2 Construction Crew
You won’t be hammering every single nail and installing every single faucet by yourself, or at least most won’t be. So, a construction crew is important. Know who to choose to be on your construction team in order to make your home building project a fun and enjoyable one not to mention one that is successful!

Tip #3 Finances
You need to know how much the home will cost so you know what you can afford in regards to style, framework, style, and the like. Use construction estimating software to help you in this area if you are not good at estimating.

Tip #4 Budget
If you will be applying for a mortgage or construction loan you will need to have a very detailed budget. Your construction estimating software will come into play here as well and help you create an estimate and stick to it.

Tip #5 Style
There are a lot of choices to make when it comes to the style of your home. This includes the foundation and everything else. So, be prepared to choose the styles you like best.

Tip #6 The Perfect Plan
A perfect house plan is important if you are building your own home. You will want to know where you want to go and a guide to get you there. Your house plan will work wonders.

Tip #7 Home Structure
If you have a lot of experience building homes then you are probably well aware of home structure and the internal and external elements. If you are not be sure to do your research ahead of time to avoid all potential problems. It is guaranteed you will run into problems if you are not prepared.

Tip #8 Use Quality Materials
You want to use quality building materials in your home so make sure you are aware of where you can find them. DO a little research to find the best quality materials and the best prices.

Property - Buying Tips Part 3

2008-02-05T06:13:00.001-08:00

This section follows advice given in my previous piece "Property-Buying-Tips-Part-2" and assumes that you have done some preliminary searching and are attracted to a particular location or neighborhood. A very good, but often unconsidered source of information is your local law enforcement office. Be warned that they might give you a somewhat negative view of a neighborhood since that is the nature of their profession. Once you have explained that you're considering a property in an area, they may tell you some very useful information such as problems with neighbors or in the locality.

The realtor / estate agent will have informed you of other amenities such as transport, shopping, access and leisure facilities such as parks and open space. Your legal people should have checked any factors likely to affect your future property such as local authority planning applications, road and other proposals. Similarly, your legal team should check for hidden costs such as service charges (particularly in shared facilities such as apartments, etc), or basics such as water and sewage systems and charges.

Now that you are attracted to an area and are reasonably happy about the neighborhood, what other factors should you consider? If you have children or are considering a family, you will already have checked the local schools and colleges. Another useful way of picking up information about an area is to apply to the local school as a prospective parent; you will be surprised how much information you can get from enthusiastic head teachers! Their school bulletin or prospectus will have some relevant information. While you're visiting the area, don't forget to see i there is a local newspaper. Many localities have free newspapers delivered and some have long-established titles; you should ask in the local shops for these. You will have probably checked internet sources such as bulletin boards to get a feel for an area but don't forget to post a question on Yahoo Answers about particular areas since there are some very helpful people on this free service.

Finally, the often forgotten factors in home purchasing. You have probably asked about facilities such as TV, cable and broadband provision but don't forget to switch on your cellphone and check reception! Another forgotten factor is the effect of light during various parts of the year. This is not so crucial where you are searching in areas nearer the equator, but more important in more northerly or southerly regions. Since the property-viewing market tends to revolve around summer, you might be viewing during the best possible time of the year when daylight is long and the sun's elevation is constantly high. Imagine the effect of the winter sunshine when the angle of the sun is much lower. Conversely, you might be searching in a hot country and looking for shade! The opposite applies - if you're viewing in winter, check the possible trajectory of the sun in summer when that tree or building in the distance will make no difference.

I hope you have enjoyed this series - this is the concluding article. If you found these suggestions useful, please explore and support my websites below.

A musicologist by profession, Dr Scott writes two travel guides in his spare time. _Hidden Dublin_ contains over 200 unique pages, giving advice and tips of many aspects of his native Dublin (Ireland). _Hidden Italy_ is a more recent venture, offering an alternative look at regional Italy. He was awarded his PhD by the University of Durham, UK in 2005 and also holds the Associateship of the Royal College of Organists diploma.

Property - Buying Tips Part 3

2008-02-01T06:14:00.001-08:00

Living Off The Grid

2008-02-01T06:13:00.000-08:00

In 2006 our family started contemplating the possibilities of living off the grid, producing our own electricity with Renewable Energy sources. Our electricity bill was about $200 a month and it just kept on growing. We knew there was a better way, so we looked at living off the grid. We decided we wanted to find ways of living off the grid mainly for economic reasons but we also wanted to keep the lifestyle we were already living.

We just didn’t want to give up all of our regular household appliances. As we dug deeper it became clear that with a bit of planning and patience and some serious conservation practices we could achieve this goal. It looked like we could be living off the grid within a few months if we worked hard at it.

Thankfully, we already owned a small cottage that we had been planning on moving to in the future anyways. It was an easy option for us, but there are a lot of country properties for reasonable prices out there too, if you decide to make this option work for you.

Our property was only 40 minutes from town, so there would be no job finding necessary either, just a slightly longer commute to work. We also made arrangements to work from home a couple days a week, so we could enjoy our new found off grid lifestyle.

Years before we had looked at bringing electricity to the cottage, but the hydro authority had told us that it would cost over $14,000 to do so. We didn’t proceed with it because of the high cost. Why would we bring in grid hydro if it would still cost $200 a month and $14,000 just to get it there. Living off the grid now made perfect sense from an economic point of view.

We could use the $14,000 to install Renewable Energy to run our cottage/home. Plus, if we added a conservative 2 years of electricity service expense to the total what would have otherwise been spent on electric bills that’s another $4800.

The total would be $18,800 we could spend on a Renewable Energy system and still be money ahead when compared to bringing in grid electricity. After 2 years we would be money ahead! We would not have to pay electric bills ever again.

We chose solar panels to install in our new home because they were easier to install. We found a great website that offered up tons of advice and really helped with the installation. We wanted to put up a wind generator but we just didn’t have the resources at that point. Later we actually built a wind generator with plans we found. We also had a back room that we could convert into a battery storage area and control room for the inverter, charge controllers etc.

We bought 12 Kyocera solar panels, all of them about 170 watts of power producing capacity. That would give us about 2Kw of production and that was a good start. An electrician friend helped us wire up the system with 16 huge forklift batteries and an inverter for AC power, all charge controlled and set up in case of lightning too. He said that it happens occasionally and you have to protect your investment, so we did.

We run a DC deep well pump and DC lights directly from the batteries. The whole house is run from this system and only occasionally do we have to start up the backup generator.

How To Choose A House Plan - Part 10 of 10

2008-01-31T02:21:00.002-08:00

I hear it every time. It's the question ten out of ten people ask me when I tell them I design custom homes: "Oh? What builders do you work with?"

Anyone who's the least bit interested in building a new home is thinking about builders before they think about floor plans, decorating, building lots, or anything else. Why? Because the builder is the key player; the captain; the guy who manages the entire building process for you; the guy you'll be writing the really big checks to (and you thought house plans were expensive!).

And because everyone knows that the builder can make or break a project.

But how can that be? Wouldn't any builder you choose be working with the same set of plans? Don't all builders have to build to the requirements of the building code? Don't they get the same prices from their suppliers? Doesn't your building contract spell out exactly what the builder must do?

The answers to the questions above are: yes, yes, no, and maybe. But those answers have almost nothing to do with the success of your project.

How Much Do You Know?

If you read the other articles in this series, you might remember my comments about "test-driving" a house. You can't, of course - so without some knowledge you're completely dependent upon others. Through this site you're learning about how to make wiser choices of house plan designs. But if you don't take a few minutes to learn about builders, all that knowledge might just go to waste.

Let's be clear here - the world is full of excellent builders. Great builders, in fact - a few I know are extraordinary. I'd go so far as to say most builders I know do everything in their power to provide a quality service and product to their clients.

Those are the guys you're looking for. There are also guys to avoid.

Horror Stories

Remember that neighbor of yours - the one whose 2-month kitchen remodeling took a year? And then the granite countertops cracked and had to be replaced? What about your cousin who was quoted $300,000 to build his new house - and it ended up costing him $400,000?

Everyone's heard horror stories about houses and it's one of the biggest fears of new homeowners. It's not always the builder's fault when things go wrong - sometimes it's your fault. When it is, it's because you A) didn't thoroughly research your builder's credentials; or B) didn't prepare a detailed set of plans and specifications; or C) tried to get high quality work for a low quality price.

Differences In Expectations

Differences in expectations are the root of all evil in the design and construction business. I had an interesting conversation with a young couple at a party a year or two ago; they'd built their dream home with a local builder and everything had gone wrong. It took too long, it cost too much, and the builder declared bankruptcy before the house was done, throwing the whole project into chaos. What a shame!

I knew of the builder and I knew of his reputation (he'd declared bankruptcy several times before) so I asked the couple what had convinced them to go ahead with him given his checkered past. "We didn't know," they answered. As it turns out, they hadn't checked him out at all - the new model home and the sign in the yard was enough to convince them to hand over $500,000. I'll bet they spent more time researching their plasma TV purchase.

That builder has fled town and is now setting up shop outside of Nashville, Tennessee - watch out Vols!

Difference In Expectations Lesson Number One: just because the builder has completed projects successfully before don't expect that yours will be successful too. You must thoroughly research the qualifications and financial history of anyone you're going to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars too. I can't stress this enough - do it!

Difference In Expectations Lesson Number Two: don't sign a contract without a full set of construction drawings and complete specs. This is the cause of most problems. The neat features and details you saw in the model home won't be in your home unless you specify them in the construction contract. That's what "specs" are - a listing of all the finishes, fixtures, and features that will be in your home. Without that, you can only hope you'll get what you want.

Difference In Expectations Lesson Number Three: don't automatically pick the cheapest guy and hope that he'll deliver a quality product. There's a reason why he's cheapest, and it's not because he's giving away free granite countertops. I'm constantly amazed by how many otherwise intelligent and accomplished businessmen are drawn to the lowest bidder like a moth to a flame.

10 Steps To Your Dream Log Home

2008-01-31T02:21:00.001-08:00

1. Know Your Budget
How much can you afford? How much do you want to spend? Or how much should you spend? If you are looking at the home as an investment for future turn-over, you may not want to build a log castle on a city lot. If this is your dream and you plan on living there a long time, then you plan for that. Looking at resale is always good with any home purchase. You should write out your plans and discuss them with your spouse, investment partner, banker and financial advisor. Be practical and allow for unforeseen expenses. Consider how much of the work you will be doing yourself. This could allow you to go larger on the home or buy a nicer piece of property.

* Total budget $_______________

* Land $____________

* Home $_____________

2. Purchase Land
For some this step may come at different times. The obvious point is that you will need some land to put your home on.

3. Decide On A Plan
Once you know your budget you can begin to look for a plan. You can get estimates on different plans to figure out the basic size and style of home that will work within your budget. Some folks have been working on this step most of their life, hence the dream. The design process of finding and working with the home style and floor plan that’s right for you can be painstaking. However, this is probably the most important part of the process.

4. Decide On A Log Home Provider
Sometimes finding the provider first can help put some of the other steps in order. The company you decide to buy your log package from should be able to:

* Either build your home or put you in touch with a builder.

* Help you find the right style you are looking for according to your budget, needs, and dreams.

* Supply quality products of the style you have chosen within your budget.

5. Find A Builder
In some cases the log provider is the builder, but you may need to find a contractor / builder. Most log home companies only provide the materials to complete the project. Your log provider should have a network of builders and other contractors and know their qualifications. As the customer, you would be responsible for contracting with the builder and should always check out who you are going to be dealing with for the next one to two years or even longer on some projects.

6. Get Your Permits
Check with your local township and get the paper work for their specific building and inspection process. Find out what type of septic and well you will need for your area. This should be one of your first steps as some areas have specific sizes for homes and septic sizes. Drive around and get the names of other homeowners and builders in your area. Most often they would be happy to share their success story. Tell them you would like to build a log home and ask them for names and numbers of contractors in the area.

7. Hire Someone To Put The Foundation In
The best time to find a foundation contractor is in the off-season. So begin early to secure your spot for when the frost leaves the ground. If you have a builder, he may already have a subcontractor lined up that he likes to work with.

8. Order Your Log Package
Order the log portion of your package as soon as possible to ensure that your logs are cut, peeled and dried when you’re ready for them. At Classic Log Homes, Inc. we are able to provide high quality log products and save you money on your log home by cutting your package to order. We use small, family owned log mills with low overhead and we don’t have a large advertising budget. We are then able to pass the savings on to you. Your best savings comes from our air dried, natural peeled logs. We also have more modern milled, kiln dried, and true handcrafted log packages to fit your budget and individual taste for your one-of-a-kind dream home.

9. Compare Products and Prices With Other Companies
At Classic Log Homes, Inc., the cornerstone of our business is exceptional quality products and services at lower prices. We are confident that you will get larger, higher quality logs for less. So we encourage you to compare with out competitors.

Zero Energy Homes, Made Affordable

2008-01-30T02:36:00.002-08:00

A DIY Guide to Home Building

2008-01-30T02:36:00.001-08:00

Property - Buying Tips Part 3

2008-01-29T05:55:00.003-08:00

Living Off The Grid

2008-01-29T05:55:00.001-08:00

How To Choose A House Plan - Part 10 of 10

2008-01-25T05:20:00.001-08:00

10 Steps To Your Dream Log Home

2008-01-25T05:19:00.000-08:00

How To Choose A House Plan - Part 4 of 10

2008-01-18T05:44:00.001-08:00

Most plan services provide construction drawings that are minimally compliant with building codes. You're going to need more information before you sign a contract with a builder, and before you submit your plans for a building permit.

Before You Sign A Contract With A Builder

In addition to the construction drawings you've purchased, you'll need a set of specifications. "Specs" are the details of all the stuff in the house. The plans show where the toilets are placed, for example, but don't specify what kind of toilets they are. The plans show where the cabinets and countertops go, but don't tell you anything about the style, finish, or cost of these items.

How important are the specs? They are often the difference between a happy new homeowner and an unhappy one. Good, accurate and complete specs will prevent the frustration and disappointment you'll feel if the completed house isn't exactly what you expected, or if it costs a lot more than you thought. Lack of good specs is the root cause of many contractor "horror stories".

Specs will also tell you - up front - how much the finished house is really going to cost. The finishes and fixtures in your house (flooring, lighting, paint, trim, etc.) make up 30% to 40% of the cost of the house - it doesn't take much of a change in the specification of those items to show up in a big way on the bottom line.

Before You Submit For A Building Permit

The building department issues the building permit - but only after your plans pass muster at the zoning department.

The good folks at the zoning department will require you to submit a site plan for review. The level of detail they'll require on the site plan varies - from not much more than a quick sketch to a highly detailed drawing prepared by a surveyor or a civil engineer.

Expect to pay extra for this service, from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the size of the property, the size of the house, and the requirements of the zoning department. And some rural township zoning departments may not require a site plan at all.

Tips on Purchasing Costa Blanca Villas

2008-01-18T05:43:00.000-08:00

Costa Blanca villas have become more popular in recent years. Purchasing a villa in the Costa Blanca region is a good investment and can be a good source of rental income since it is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Spain. The best place to start in gathering information on how to find a Costa Blanca villa is with a reputable real estate agent.

A few things should be taken into considering when beginning your search for a villa. First, consider the location. The most popular areas with tourists are those areas close to beaches and other main attractions. If you intend to rent the villa, you definitely want to consider the villas proximity to these attractions. Villas near the beach, for instance, may cost you more upfront at the time of purchase but keep in mind that you will also be able to charge a higher rental fee. Also consider the amenities offered with the villa. Tourists often desire a private pool, a scenic view, maid service, convenience to the beach, shopping, night life and restaurants. The décor is also something to consider. When advertising online, pictures of the villa are important in advertising and a nice decorated villa will attract much more attention. Again, spending money to furnish and decorate the villa may cost you more money upfront, but it will be a good investment if you are renting the villa. Finally, you should also consider the resale value of the villa since you may decide to sell it at some point in the future. Popular locations will provide more flexibility and options when you do decide to sell.

Once you have purchased a villa, you can get a good weekly rental rate if it is in a location popular with tourists. This can become a great source of income, especially during the summer season. The rental rate you can charge is influenced by such factors as the villa’s size, location, amenities and features, and proximity to public transportation, the beach and other attractions. June through September are the prime months for vacation rentals, and you may find that your villa is booked almost every week. Be sure to advertise your villa in advance as people begin planning and booking accommodations up to six months prior to their trip. You will find that July and August have the highest demand for rentals, as well as Christmas and Easter holidays which are also especially popular. Many travelers visit the area for these holiday festivals, processions and celebrations. During the winter months, you may be able to rent your villa to those coming from Northern Europe to escape the colder weather. You may also find retired individuals seeking somewhere to rent during the winter months, which can be a good source of steady rental income during these seasons not as busy as the summer months. The basic rental rate will be less than in the summer, but at least it is still a source of incoming rental cash flow.

The Advantages of Building Wealth in Real Estate Investment

2008-01-10T02:10:00.002-08:00

Real estate investment is one of common choices for building wealth for many reasons: 1) it provides stable return in long run because of the limited land on planet earth and growing population; 2) it is a market that every people have certain knowledge; 3) it allows investors to take advantage of deferred tax. When stock market is booming, the return from real estate investing looks modest. When stock market crashes, real estate market either grows slightly or sustains its current level.

Of course, you need to understand some of the basics of wealth building. This factor includes understanding real estate investments and the wealth building cycle in this area. If you begin your cycle making sure that you own a home free of any mortgage, you will be given a big step.

A real estate investing seminar toward wealth building will teach that you must never accept the temptation to borrow money using your home as collateral. Even with supposed low interest rates, you will be involved in lifetime house repayments, a thing that is not good to begin building your dream of wealth by investing in real estate.

Whatever your motivation, begin with conservative values and only use the money for planning purposes until you fully establish the foundation for wealth building. If you can enroll in a real estate investment seminar to learn more about real estate fluctuations, you will be more prepared to face loss and gain in this specific market.

Wealth building based on real estate investment is not as easy as you might think, because of too many factors that are out of your control. Investing in real estate resembles a game where there are chances, risks and odds, but a rewarding game if you learn to adequate your plans to the ups and downs on any wealth cycle.

Because real estate is more than a kid’s game, you need to get prepared for not only building your wealth, but also attending a real estate investing seminar to learn how to manage your own business. As this activity will provide you with many financial advantages, you should learn how to manage both wealth building and a formal real estate business to achieve all the success you desire.

Metal Building Kits

2008-01-10T02:10:00.001-08:00

Metal building kits are a great alternative to traditional building. Companies that specialize in metal building kits provide a high-quality product that allows the home or business owner several options. Metal buildings are a sturdy, cost-effective alternative to traditional wood structures.

Metal building kit options exist for both homes and businesses. You can purchase kits for extra storage, sheds, garages, and even metal houses. There are also a lot of commercial and industrial options. You can find kits for airplane hangars, extra storage, larger buildings, and even correctional facilities.

There are many advantages to choosing metal building kits over the more traditional building methods. Metals such as steel are more durable than wood, especially in climates that have extreme weather. However, even if you are not in a climate with weather extremes, the extra benefit of durability is always a positive, especially if you consider factors such as fires, which can exist in any area. Metal buildings and houses offer extra protection against damage from things like fires, floods, and insects.

If you do choose a metal building kit for your latest construction project, keep in mind that it doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to install it yourself. Hiring an expert can save you time, money, and extra hassle. They have experience putting together kits and can do so in half the time. Also, mistakes made by someone who is inexperienced can end up costing more money in the long run.

Metal building kits are a great alternative to traditional buildings and structures made of wood. Metal buildings and houses are more durable than their wooden counterparts. Choosing metal buildings can also help save you money both on the design of the building and the construction. Since the kits are well designed and engineered, you can be assured of a high-quality

Tips on Purchasing Costa Blanca Villas

2008-01-03T00:11:00.002-08:00

Buying Maui Hawaii Real Estate

2008-01-03T00:11:00.001-08:00

If your looking to buy in Maui there are numerous Maui, Hawaii real estate companies that would be more than willing to help you achieve this. You can find realtors on line that will help you purchase your dream home, but in addition to this there is also advice you can get before buying so that you don't fall into a trap you can't get out of. To buy a home there are a few procedures you have to follow to ensure you'll end up with what you want.

If your looking for a cheaper price one way to ensure this is get pre approved by your lender before you start looking. It gives you a better chance at snapping up a bargain when you see it. This gives you added strength in the power of buying. Make sure you are fully approved and all that's left is the appraisal of the property and the price you will be paying. Go in to see your lender. Don't do this over a phone, they may say yes but it means nothing if it's not in writing.

If you are the owner of property already, make sure this is sold before you start looking. It is no good to try to buy on the hopes that what you have will sell later. Do all the work that is necessary to clean up the loose ends on your old home so that when the right opportunity comes along you are ready to jump into the deal free and clear. Nobody is going to wait until your old home sells. Go looking before you really get into purchasing. You don't have to fall in love with every house that's available and it will give you a better idea of what's on the market to suit your needs.

Make a list before you start as to what you want in a home and what you don't want. This will give you some idea when you're looking of what is available on the market. Take this list with you and decide which of the houses have what you're looking for. If you find one that has it all, then that's the home for you.

Property-Buying Tips Part 2

2008-01-02T23:13:00.001-08:00

For those who thought the term 'location' meant convenience to your daily routines, it is much more than that. It implies the constantly-changing effects upon a specific home or property, caused by other people and the natural environment. Your concern should be pinpointed against other people – what type of people are your prospective neighbors? The viewing appointments will probably take place during office hours when neighbors are at work or school, but how does the neighborhood change in the evening? Are there people in the area who make life unpleasant at night? Do many people work shifts, coming into the area during unsociable hours and waking up everyone else? Any location requires a careful survey to allow assessment of the pros and cons; after all, you're investing a large amount of your money in this.

A certain amount of caution is required when undertaking the following exercise; I can't advise on specific locations and each one is unique. What I wish to do is suggest various ways by which you can thoroughly assess a location, so here's my next tip:

# 2: Bring a 'prop' when you visit your intended neighborhood and avoid inspecting it alone. Nothing draws more attention than a solitary adult loitering around an area and , in some countries, this is illegal. Look at it from the neighbor's point of view; they are protecting their family and property against possible threat and can't tell from glancing at you that your motives are innocent. You don't want to draw adverse attention to yourself or have the neighbors phone the police because you look suspicious. What do I mean by a prop? It could be a partner or friend, preferably from the opposite sex if you are male (two men together make people suspicious since their first thoughts are you are 'casing' their home before breaking and entering). If you have a child, bring him/her along (but avoid bringing several at the same time since they might attract too much attention - ration them out for subsequent trips if they are keen to accompany you).

An accompanied child often attracts positive attention from strangers, and may be a good way to introduce yourself to a prospective neighbor or for you to ask useful questions once you have explained that you're checking the neighborhood. Another useful prop is a dog (providing you bring a bag in case it fouls the path/sidewalk!). Like a child, a dog allows you to pass slowly through an area, paying attention to detail and innocently surveying the scene. Where possible and safe, examine on foot, rather than arrive in a car, eve if it means parking in a car park some distance away. For those who cycle, this is a non-invasive way to arrive and spend a little time without drawing undue attention. You can feign a mechanical problem and spend some time on the path/sidewalk 'fixing' your bicycle. If you can adapt or combine these props, you can make several visits to your location. Always bring a brochure/prospectus of the intended property which you can produce to demonstrate that you are a genuine prospective buyer.

Such surveys will yield a lot of useful information about an area that you might have missed by visiting during office hours. It allows you to take an informed decision about an area, to privately decide which factors might affect your quality of life and to use any adverse effects as bargaining power when negotiating with the property's owners.

How to Find a New Home Builder in Florida

2008-01-02T23:12:00.001-08:00

Are you interested in relocating to the Florida area or even just buying a new home in the state of Florida? If you are, do you know if you would like to buy a home that is already listed on the Florida real estate market or would you like to have your own home built? If you are interested in having your own home built, you will need to use the services of a new home builder in Florida.

The first step in using the services of a new home builder in Florida is to find a builder to do business with. When it comes to finding a new home builder in Florida to do business with, you will soon see that you have a number of different options. Before you familiarize yourself with those options, you may want to think about what type of new home builder in Florida you want to do business with. For instance, there are some individuals or companies who are referred to as home manufacturers and there are others who are referred to as custom home builders. Custom home builders allow you to take part in the design of your home and home manufacturers tend to only build pre-designed homes.

Once you have decided which type of new home builder in Florida you would like to do business with, you can begin to start searching for a professional. One of the easiest ways to go about finding a new home builder in Florida is by using the internet. Online, there are a number of different approaches that you can take. You can try to find a new home builder in Florida by performing a standard internet search. When performing a standard internet search, it may be a good idea to search with a phrase like “Florida home builders,” or something else along the same lines. Your search results will likely lead you to the online websites of local Florida home builders.

In addition to performing a standard internet search, you can also use online phone books or online business directories to help you find a new home builder in Florida. The only downside to using these online resources is that the information given to you is minimal. Often times, you will only get the name of a new home builder in Florida, their business address, as well as their business telephone number. This information is similar to what you would find in your local phone book. In fact, you may also want to think about using your local phone book to find a new home builder in Florida.

Although the above mentioned approaches are ways that you can go about finding a new home builder in Florida to do business with, there is an even better way to do so. That way involves using the assistance of a professional real estate expert. A professional real estate expert is often referred to as a buyer’s broker or a real estate agent. These types of professionals can not only assist you with finding land to build your new home on, but they can also help you obtain the needed financing, as well as a quality new home builder in Florida to do business with.

Benefits of Doing Business with a Florida Custom Home Builder

2008-01-02T05:11:00.001-08:00

Are you interested in owning a new home in Florida? If you are, you likely already know that you have a number of different options. For instance, you can buy a home that would be “new to you,” you could build your own home, or you could hire a professional to do it for you. If you are like many others who want to own a new, personalized home, you may be interested in seeking the assistance of a custom home builder.

When it comes to seeking the assistance of a professional custom home builder, it is important that you know that there is a difference between a home manufacturer and a custom home builder. Florida residents, possibly like you, who want to have some say in how their home is constructed, are urged to do business with a custom home builder. Florida home manufacturers may be willing to a little bit of customization, but not always. In most cases, home manufacturers are those who produce pre-designed homes; homes that cannot be altered.

Although it is important to know that you should do business with a Florida custom home builder, you may be wondering why you should do so. First, you should know that there are a number of benefits to doing business with a custom home builder. Florida residents, just like you, who want more information on those benefits are encouraged to continue reading on.

Perhaps, the greatest benefit of doing business with a custom home builder is that you are able to get the home of your dreams. There are many home buyers who spend months, even years, trying to find the perfect home. Unfortunately, many end up settling for second best or even less than that. That is the beauty of being able to have your own custom home built; you can have the home of your dreams and there is no having to settle for second best. Doing business with a Florida custom home builder can get you the home of your dreams.

Another one of the many benefits of doing business with a Florida custom home builder is their experience. An individual who has undergone the proper amount of training and has some work experience is often considered a professional custom home builder; Florida has a large number of them. What does this mean for you? It not only means that you have a number of different Florida custom home builders to choose from, but it also means that you will get professional results. When it comes to your home, professional results are not only important, but they are necessary. That is why it is advised that you choose to do business with a professional, highly rated and recommended custom home builder. Florida residents who have are almost always satisfied with the results.

The decision as to whether or not you want to do business with a custom home builder is yours to make, but it is something that you should definitely examine, especially if you want a customized, personalized home. You can use the internet, your local phone book, or recommendations from real estate professionals to get information on a local custom home builder. Florida residents have been using custom home builders for years now and you may now want to start doing the same.

Do You Need to Use the Services of a Florida New Home Builder?

2008-01-02T05:10:00.001-08:00

Are you interested in relocating to the state of Florida? Or, if you already live in the state of Florida, are you interested in moving into a new home? If you are, have you already started to examine the real estate market? If you have yet to do so, you may want to get started soon. Examining the real estate market, with or without professional assistance, is a great way to determine if you are able to find the Florida home of your dreams.

Although a relatively large number of Florida home buyers are able to find existing homes to buy, there are many others who do not. Unfortunately, when many potential home buyers do not find the home of their dreams, there are many who make the decision to give up, even just temporarily, or settle for second best. Yes, the decision as to whether or not you want to hold off your move to a new Florida home is yours to make, but you may want to look at your alternatives. One of those alternatives is using the services of a Florida new home builder. A Florida new home builder can help to give you the home of your dreams, literally.

When it comes to doing business with a Florida new home builder, there are many potential home buyers who wonder if they really should do business with a Florida new home builder. If you are one of those individuals, there are a number of important questions that you will want to ask yourself. These questions, which are touched on below, may help make it easier for you to decide if you should hire a Florida new home builder to build a home for you.

One of the many questions that you will want to ask yourself, concerning a Florida new home builder, is whether or you were able to find the Florida home of your dreams. A large number of Florida residents or even just hopeful residents would prefer to find an existing home, one that they do not have to build. However, if you are unable to find the home of your dreams, or at least one that you could see yourself living in for years to come, you may want to think about at least meeting with a Florida new home builder for more information.

It is also advised that you ask yourself whether or not you can even afford to use the services of a Florida new home builder. When it comes to doing business with a Florida new home builder, you will find that have a number of different options. For instance, there are some Florida new home builders that specialize in making manufactured homes or those who build custom homes from scratch. You will want to examine your financial situation, as well as your ability to obtain financing, if you need it, before determining what type of Florida new home you would like or which Florida new home builder you would like to do business with.

If you are finding it overwhelming, deciding on your own whether you should use the services of a Florida new home builder, you may want to think about seeking professional assistance from a real estate expert. A real estate expert can not only help you find a lot of land to buy, but they should also be able to connect with a highly rated and recommended Florida new home builder.

How To Choose A House Plan - Part 3 of 10

2008-01-01T06:39:00.002-08:00

Almost every house plan site offers to change their stock drawings to suit your specific requirements. That's a valuable service - but be careful, some seemingly small changes can be expensive to make, and even more expensive to build.

One Change - Lots Of Drawings

There was a time when changes to house plans were done in the field with no documentation at all. If you wanted to make the house a little bigger, you only needed tell your contractor - and you didn't have a plans examiner and a building inspector looking over your shoulder.

But as we'll learn in Chapter #4 "A Set Of House Plans Isn't Enough", building codes across the country are getting tougher and plans examiners are looking at house plans more closely. When a change is made to a set of drawings, that change must be as well documented as the original plans, regardless of the size or complexity of the change. Sometimes that's not a big deal but sometimes it requires quite a few changes to the set of drawings and expensive changes to the house itself.

Consider for example, a theoretical two-foot extension of a family room at the back of a two-story house with a basement. If you're working with a typically complete set of plans, your two-foot extension will require a change to all of the following drawings in order to be accepted by your local building department:

Foundation plan

First floor plan

Second floor plan

Roof plan

Left side elevation

Right side elevation

Rear elevation

Main building section

Those are just the "architectural" drawings - you'll also need to have structural changes made, which may require review by a Registered Architect or Professional Engineer. And in areas that require compliance with energy codes, those calculations will have to be redone.

Don't let this scare you away from considering altering your design - just be sure you get a firm quote on all of the work needed to get your drawings completely ready to submit for permits. Or better yet, find a plan that doesn't need these changes.

Some plan services have popular "pre-designed" additions and alterations with all of the necessary drawings already completed. If one of those designs meets your needs, that's a much more efficient and cost effective way to go.

Consider The Impact On The Rest Of The House

If you find that the change you want to make isn't offered as a pre-design, you may want to have a custom alteration made. But don't get caught up in major changes - the trick is to avoid doing so much modification that you'd have been better off choosing another plan, or designing a custom home from scratch.

Every day, my staff counsels homeowners who have gotten their home design almost done - and then added just one more room. Too often we find that final room (frequently a screened porch) is difficult or impossible to blend seamlessly into the design.

If they don't consider the entire design from day one, they risk "cobbing up" a perfectly good home plan.

The same concept applies to pre-designed house plans. Don't buy one that has almost everything you want and assume that your other rooms can be easily added. That one more room could mess up everything you fell in love with about the house plan in the first place.

Adding rooms to a completed plan can sometimes start a chain reaction of changes - the new room blocks a bedroom window; the window can't be moved without moving a wall; the moved wall makes the bath too small...etc.

Instead, take advantage of the "study plans" that most services offer. Buy a study set of the plan that's closest to what you want, and have the plan service or your design professional evaluate it for the feasibility of the change you want. Study sets aren't cheap, but they're a lot cheaper than having to rework an entire plan.

Architects Can't Stamp Plans

It's written somewhere on every plan service website: "You may need to have your house plans reviewed and stamped by a local engineer or architect."

Unfortunately, that's against the law in many jurisdictions - for Architects. By statute, Architects must prepare or supervise the preparation of architectural drawings before they can affix their seal or stamp to them. To do otherwise is called "plan stamping" and is a practice than can cost an Architect his license.

It's a bit of a catch-22; you have permission from the plan's author to alter the plans, but not from your state's Architect licensing board.

An Architect can - in some instances - stamp a set of plans he didn't prepare if he's made significant alterations to them. What's considered "significant"? That's for your Architect and his State Board to decide. If you're making lot of changes to the plans, you're probably in the clear, although there's no accepted legal threshold for what are "significant" changes. But what if the design you've found is ok as is, and you simply need to get it ready to submit for permits?

Ironically, a "non-architect" - a residential designer, drafter, or structural engineer - might be a better choice in this situation. As an Architect myself that's tough to say, but the law is the law!

For structural review the answer is easy - find and hire a local structural engineer to review the plans, size the structural members, and place his stamp on the set. An experienced structural engineer might catch a few "non-structural" code issues along the way, too.

For non-structural issues you may be able to have an Architect provide a sheet of standard notes that you can attach to the drawings - without the need to stamp the drawings. You may also be able to get this information from your builder, or from a residential designer or drafter.

But then again all this might be moot - since very few jurisdictions in the country require an Architect's stamp on single-family home construction drawings!

So check with your building department first - but don't assume an Architect can always "stamp" your pre-designed plans.

Minimum Code Compliance

Plan services sell plans that conform to the code that was in effect in the location the house was built, and at the time the house was built.

In the United States, local building codes are based on one of four current "model" codes. Each of those codes share similarities, but each has its differences, too. Each code goes through periodic revision, so they're constantly changing.

It's very likely that the house plan you buy will need some changes to bring it "up to code".

More importantly, however is the idea that the plan you buy will at best be only minimally compliant with the building code. That will get your plan past most building departments but will leave quite a bit of the specifications and details of the house undecided.

That's the case with most single-family construction drawings, even the ones you get from an Architect. It's your job to work with your builder and maybe your interior designer to address all the details you need to build out the interior and exterior finishes.

Check your plan service's list of drawings - some services include more detail than others. The plans are a good start, but you might still have a lot of work yet to do!

How To Choose A House Plan - Part 1 of 10

2008-01-01T06:39:00.001-08:00

House Plans are 2D; Houses are 3D

Does this statement seem a little obvious? Of course it does, and yet it's at the root of the dissatisfaction of the buying and building experience of many house plan purchasers.

The drawings that you see on house plan websites and in plan books aren't well suited to describing the design of the house to you. They're really just marketing diagrams - at a very small scale - that tell you a little bit about how big rooms are and which rooms are next to each other, and not much else.

The Design Process

Architects and home designers are "three-dimensional" thinkers; they draw on paper in two dimensions what they see in their heads in three. Architects can look at a "2D" drawing and accurately imagine what it looks like in "3D" because they do it every day. It's a learned skill and one that you probably don't have (yet!). You've probably said to yourself while you looked at a house plan, "This is so frustrating - I just can't visualize it!"

So why don't home designers prepare drawings that show more about the "third dimension" for consumers? Well, they do - during the design process - you just never get to see them! The design process involves lots of 3D sketches, computer modeling, interior elevation sketches, detail studies, and 3D "massing models". But these are tools for the designer, not information to be presented to you, the consumer (unless you've hired an architect for a custom home design). Once the design is done, the 3D information is coded into the construction drawings to be interpreted by the builder.

Construction Drawings

When a plan service purchases the rights the sell a house plan, they receive a full set of "construction drawings" from the designer. Construction drawings are engineered for use in the field and should contain all the information needed to get a building permit.

But all that detail gets in the way of selling house plans - it clutters up the drawings and it "gives away" too much information; information the plan service doesn't want you to have until you purchase the plans. Some of that information describes the "third dimension" of the spaces in the house.

So house plan services "clean up" the construction drawings; all of the notations and details are stripped out before they're placed in the plan book or on the website. The only part of the house that's represented to you in 3D is the front elevation (that nice color rendering we talked about earlier).

Finding The Hidden 3D

But if you know where to look, there's still some 3D information in the plans - maybe enough to give you an idea of what the spaces are like. Here's how to ferret it out:

Find the "stacked" rooms In a two-story plan, some rooms are going to be "stacked" above others but this isn't always immediately obvious. Find a common "reference point" on both floor plans - a stair is good for this - and look at where the rooms on each floor are located relative to the stair. You should be able to see that some rooms can only be "one-story" spaces, while other are or have the potential to be raised or two-story ceilings.

Compare the plans and the elevation Two-story spaces will often have taller windows, or windows "stacked" above others. They're usually in the larger living spaces - family rooms, living rooms, etc. Sometimes they're next to stairs. Look for these kinds of windows on the elevations and line them up with the rooms they're in on the floor plan.

Look for "ceiling breaks" on the plan Ceiling breaks are places where the flat ceiling intersects with a sloped ceiling or where two sloped ceilings intersect. Ceiling breaks are (or should be) indicated on the plans with a dashed line; usually fairly close to the wall. You'll want to know how tall the ceiling is, how steep the slope of the roof is, and how tall the wall is. Sometimes the elevations will give you a clue if the room with the ceiling break is on an outside wall.

Understand ceiling profile terms The terms for common ceiling shapes aren't common at all. It isn't unusual for different builders in the same market to call the same ceiling profile by several different names. Occasionally, designers will include notes on the plans that describe the ceiling profile and/or height.

Complexity of roof shapes Finally, the exterior of the house can tell you a lot about what the rooms inside are like. Sloped ceilings are sometimes reflected in the slope and shape of the roof. If you can put the roof shape, window height, and ceiling break lines together in the same room, you'll have a great start on understanding the character of the space inside.

The list above is intended as a reference to be used while you're looking at plans. The most important this to remember is this: don't assume that what you're looking at on paper is what you think you see in your head - take the time to find exactly what the "third dimension" of the spaces are before you commit to a design.

Here's To Being At Home...On Eco-Friendly Terms!

2008-01-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

There is no question about it. "Going Green" is in. No matter where you are or what you do, you have probably heard the buzz on global warming, conservation, or at least the words, "reduce, re-use, re-cycle". As neutral a topic as the weather, most people are interested in at least discussing anything eco-friendly. In fact, nine out of ten Americans are interested enough to choose a more energy efficient home over a lesser one, yet eight out of ten Americans said no one talked about energy efficiency during the buying process, according to a survey by energypulse.org. Two out of three Americans surveyed were also willing to pay a premium for homes that have solar systems installed. So for your next party conversation or your next real-estate foray, listed below are the most basic of eco-friendly terms to be a savvy real estate buyer or just somebody "in the know":

A green home: A green home is designed to conserve the environment – whether it is energy, water, building materials and land. Equipped with one or more renewable energy systems, a green home uses alternative resources for heating and cooling - solar electric, solar hot water, geothermal, bio mass or any combination of these.

Green remodeling: Green remodeling is an upgrade where the goal for builders and architects is to use as much as the older structure and materials as possible. A green renovation can cost 5 to 20 percent more than a normal one, however, it also means that there will be reduced energy costs and reduced maintenance costs durability.

Greenhouse gases: Greenhouse gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone allow sunlight to enter the atmosphere freely, and trap the heat in the atmosphere instead of reflecting it back towards space. This causes temperatures to rise and form the atmosphere known as the Greenhouse effect.

Energy star appliances: Every one knows that energy star appliances save energy, but it is a little known fact that it saves as much as 20% annually of your energy costs. These appliances help you get the most out of the products you purchase and also meet all the efficiency guidelines set to prevent greenhouse gas emissions.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL): Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) is the one-step of going green that is the easiest to do. These may seem three times as expensive compared to incandescent bulbs but last approximately ten times as long and use one-fifth of the energy.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels or Solar Heating: Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels or Solar Heating refers to the technology for harnessing solar power or usable energy from sunlight for practical applications from heating to electrical power generation, usually good for domestic and light industrial applications. Passive Solar Design: Passive solar building design involves the modeling, selection and use of new technologies to maintain the building environment at a desired temperature in a way that minimizes the use of energy.

Xeriscape gardening: Xeriscaping gardening is where plants are specially selected to suit their environment, creating a landscape that makes the most of watering. Plants are grouped by their water needs, while mulch and drought tolerant plants are integrated to conserve water usage.

Low-emittance (Low-E) windows: L-E windows are coated with thin metal or metallic oxide layers, which are almost invisible. These coatings reflect radiant heat originating from indoors back inside, keeping heat inside in the winter, and infrared radiation from the sun away, keeping it cooler inside in the summer.

Geothermal heating/cooling: Geothermal heating/cooling is a method of heating and cooling a building, using the earth’s temperature. Pipes are drilled deep into the earth, where temperature is around 55 or 60 degrees. Water, antifreeze or other transfer fluids are circulated and a heat pump uses these as a heat source in winter and a heat sink in summer.

Now that you’re at home on eco-friendly terms, here are a few points again that you have probably gathered. If you are looking for a green home, it will always appear to be more expensive compared to others. However, it is designed to save your energy costs over several years besides giving you bragging rights. If you are adding green elements to your home, it is a value-added upgrade. You will be able to add to your asking price too since there is no question that “going green” is the movement of our times.

Snagging Reports - Ensuring A New Building Is In Perfect Condition

2007-12-27T04:12:00.001-08:00

So a new home or office building has just been constructed. It’s brand new, so it should be in pristine condition and without a scratch, right?

Not always. The very process of constructing a new building can cause small amounts of damage all around the interior and exterior of the structure. There is a lot of potential for builders to cause damage to walls, floors, and other parts of the building, often without realising. And it can be frustrating to move into a new home or business premises only to discover that there are already repairs that need to be made.

Which is why many construction companies in the UK now commission ‘snagging reports’. A snagging report is an inventory of every item of damage to a new building. Everything from chipped tiles to stained flooring, scratches and dents in walls to cracked window frames, is itemised and entered into the report. Contractors are then brought in to repair each item of damage, ensuring there are no nasty surprises left when the new occupants move in. If the snagging report caught every problem, and the contractors did a good job, the whole process should have gone unnoticed by the new residents.

But working from a snagging report can be expensive and time-consuming. Each different type of surface or material requires a different type of contractor – carpenters to repair wood, tilers to repair or replace damaged tiles, plasterers, roofers, and many more. Paying for each of these different experts and finding the time for them each to do their part in the repairs can cause a lot of unwanted expense and delay.

What if there was one type of contractor who could make all these repairs in one visit?

There is.

Magic Man are specialists in repairing, resurfacing and restoring all kinds of damage to the inside or outside of buildings. They work with the construction and insurance industries, as well as private clients, to fix everything from burnt worktops to antique baths and radiators. Magic Man’s technicians are trained in the repair and restoration of all types of surface within the home, including tiles, brickwork, flooring, window frames, and enamel sinks and baths.

This all-round expertise makes Magic Man the perfect contractor for dealing with snagging reports. In just one visit, they can tick off every item on the list, going from kitchen to bathroom to bedroom, making all the repairs necessary and saving a great deal of time and money in the process.

If you’re in the construction industry and need a reliable and cost-efficient contractor to deal with your snagging reports, get in touch with Magic Man today. They could make a big difference.

Log Home Construction

2007-12-27T04:11:00.000-08:00

Not all log homes are created equal. In fact, there are a variety of methods and materials utilized to create the look and feel of log construction which either use manufactured or milled logs, half or split log, log panel, or a combination of these various elements.

Manufactured or milled logs are complete log components throughout which require chinking ( a type of caulk ) to seal the surface joint where the logs rest on one another. Since they are machined, this method usually requires a hidden spline detail as well as an additional means of adjoining the two components.

Half log or split log is essentially a facade treatment which affixes half log components to a conventionally stick framed structure as is the method of log panel type construction.

The highest level of craftsmanship can be found in the method of hand scribing where each log component is hand scribed and then hand-peeled using a draw knife. The result is a tight fit that requires no chinking. This is achieved by the hand scribing and wedge notch corner detail.

Improvements in technology and engineering have brought innovations to the industry which have allowed for improved standards of quality such as the use of through- bolting which secures the vertical walls through the sill plate and into the foundation or footing walls. This allows for periodic adjustments and take up as the logs continue the process of drying and the structure settles which maintains a tight fitting, straight settling wall.

The look and feel of a true log home is quite incredible. They engage all of the senses as there is an almost surreal aura about them. As you walk through you experience the wonderful aroma of the wood, the vastness of the open truss construction, the visual beauty of large scale natural building materials, and an overwhelming sense of tranquility and belonging.

It has long been noted that earth tones are calming and there is probably no better illustration of this notion than an organically constructed home.

The written word does not capture the essence and beauty of such a home. It must be experienced first hand.

Robert Kaufman is a licensed Realtor as well as a Township Zoning Administrator in Southwest Michigan with an extensive background in Land Use Controls and Planning.

Home Business - A Few Years Of Hard Work Pays Off

2007-12-09T20:54:00.000-08:00

Your work at home business should not be taken lightly if your goal is to make a serious six figure income from home. It will take a lot of your time and effort during your first two to five years to start making a nice income. You may find you spend more hours working your work at home business then you do on your full-time job. If you start having any second thoughts about starting your work at home business, think about how long it will take you to earn a six figure income working on your job. Work hard and sweat for a while building your home business and have freedom to do come and go as you please in the long run.

Building a home business while still working a full-time job and caring for your family can be very challenging. Time management will play a very important part in helping you juggle your daily activities. It will be to your advantage to sit down with your family to go over your daily schedule. Make sure they know when you are working at home and should not be disturbed, and when there is time for family time. Do not overlook family time in your schedule. You should still find time to have fun and enjoy being with your family.

Every successful business have systems in place to help them work more efficiently. Your work at home business should not be any different. Using systems and good time management will help keep you from getting stressed out or burned out while building your home business. In the world of business, SYSTEM stands for "Save Your Self Time, Effort, and Money". All of these factors are equally important in your home business.

Working from home can be very rewarding. There are many advantages to a work at home business than there are to working a 9 to 5 job. Besides being able to make more money working from home, having flexible work hours and being available for your family when they need you are just to name a few advantages. If these things are important to you, you should definitely pursue a work at home business.

Lucrative List Building – How I List Build For Money

2007-12-09T20:53:00.000-08:00

Lucrative list building – what does it involve? First of all, what is lucrative list building? Lucrative list building is building a list to make money!

Some of you might be list building because you want the prestige of having a big list. Maybe you are list building so that you can meet new people online.

I have been list building for the last 4 months for the express purpose of making money – lucrative list building – and 4 months later I am making a fulltime income online.

So how do I do it?

1) Lucrative list building starts with bringing new subscribers into your list that are willing to spend money. You are not looking for freebie-seekers. To build a lucrative list, you must target people who are willing to spend money. If you are working in the internet marketing niches, you must only target people who are willing to spend money to make money – you are not looking for the person who is looking to get rich quick – you and I both know that doesn’t work.

2) Lucrative list building looks for ways to constantly monetize the list. Once someone signs up for my newsletter, they are immediately offered one of my online books to buy. Why? Because that is a hot moment in my relationship with them – they are looking for more information, or they wouldn’t have requested my newsletter –so it is a great time to offer them a paid product that will give them great information fast.

3) Lucrative list building finds new products to present to the subscribers that offer exceptional value. One of the things that is important when you are building your list, is that when someone buys something from you, they have to get their money’s worth. If they do, they will buy again. If they are let down, they will not buy again. It is just that simple. To build a lucrative list, you must offer exceptional value.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, ‘Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide‘

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Promotion

Do you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 400 articles in print and 8 published ebooks.

Redecorate, Remodel, Build A New Home, Or Move?

2007-12-05T03:56:00.001-08:00

So you're outgrowing your house, or the kids are leaving you with an empty nest, or you wake up one morning and realize that your carpet and paint are twenty years old. You want to know what makes the most sense for you and your family - how do you decide whether to redecorate, remodel, build new, or move? When you start thinking about your home design, remodeling, or redecorating project, you'll probably find that everyone from your kids to your mailman has ideas about what you should or shouldn't do. Everybody just wants to help, but their opinions conflict and you're not sure who really knows what they're talking about. But you're eager for some advice, since the design process is new to you and you don't want to make mistakes.

A Little Market Research An experienced real estate agent is a great source of information as you begin to form the first thoughts about your project. If you're leaning towards remodeling, a good agent can tell you about neighborhood trends and clue you in to what's going on in your area - is money being spent on remodeling, or are people moving away? Maybe you live in a "hot" area and your house has appreciated dramatically - do you stay there or do you cash out?

If you're thinking you'd like to build a new home, a well-informed real estate agent can quickly narrow down your property choices, saving you a lot of time. He might also know about lots that haven't come on to the market yet - and might be just what you're looking for.

Most far-sighted agents will be happy to consult with you at this point whether or not you're planning on buying a house or a lot; be sure to choose someone who knows your area very well.

Get Organized Before you jump into the deep end of this pool, get organized - that's the key to sorting through the advice you're hearing, and to managing the hundreds of decisions you'll have to make for even a small redecorating project. A good place to start is with a design notebook, a three-ring binder filled with manila pocket folders, each one labeled with a room in the house or a design task you want to accomplish. Into these pockets go paint chips, magazine clippings, photos, and notes scribbled from conversations with friends. The design notebook becomes a record of your decisions and helps you explain to others what you're trying to do.

With your impeccably organized design notebook in hand, you'll find - as if by magic - that the advice of your confidants becomes much more focused and clear. Suddenly their comments will start to help you (rather than add to your confusion) and you'll be able to ask their opinions on specific choices you've made.

Making Plans Now you've got a pretty good idea what you need, but what form should it take? Your neighbors have suggested adding a room on the first floor; your uncle (the part-time carpenter) thinks you ought to tear off the roof and add a second floor; your boss insists that finishing off the basement is the cheapest way to go; your niece (who's taking evening classes in interior design) is sure that new furniture and window treatments will do the trick, and you'd like to look into building a new home. How do you make sense of all the possibilities?

The design process is all about making choices, often about subjects you're not very familiar with. Design professionals (architects and interior designers) are trained to help you organize your ideas and sort through all of your choices in addition to their "traditional" design tasks. They can review the factors that influence your decisions and show you what's possible and what's not. They'll document the design process through meeting notes and drawings. They'll show you more than one solution and help you to decide what fits you best, and the best pros will be able to help you accomplish all of this creatively. Design pros can help you choose a builder, and keep an eye on the construction process.

And you don't necessarily have to engage a design professional for a full range of services. Most will be happy to work up a few preliminary sketches for you, or even just consult with you for a couple of hours.

Before long, you'll find the whole process much less daunting, maybe even exciting. You'll be making informed decisions, and looking forward to construction. Your friends and family will be able to point out with pride the ideas of theirs that you found a way to incorporate into your design. Your kids will appreciate the rooms you designed just the way they wanted, and even the mailman will remind you of how he suggested the location for the mailbox.

Building Codes And Remodeling

2007-12-05T03:55:00.000-08:00

Building codes are regulations that control almost every aspect of home design and construction. Every new home, remodeling project, or room addition must be designed and built in accordance with the codes that regulate the structural design, energy efficiency, construction quality, and overall safety of structures occupied by the public.

Codes dictate the size and configuration of stairs; the number and type of windows and glass; the amount of energy the house consumes; methods and materials of construction; the location of smoke detectors; and hundreds of other items.

A new homeowner may only be minimally aware of the impact of building codes on his home, since most code issues are addressed before he occupies it. But homeowners undertaking a remodeling or room addition are likely to become very familiar with how building codes affect the design, construction, and cost of their project.

That's because building codes often require work to be done to parts of the house that seem otherwise sound - it can be an unpleasant surprise to find that you've got to tear out the ceiling of a room in which you'd planned no significant work.

Below are a few of the larger code-related issues often encountered in home remodeling, and some suggestions on how you can plan for them.

More Power!

It should be assumed that any home more than thirty years old will require an update of the electrical system. Usually the culprit is too little power to serve the needs of modern life; current electrical codes require about three times the number of power outlets than a few decades ago.

These additional outlets will necessitate a larger electrical panel, which may in turn require a larger electrical service (more power!).

Unfortunately this is a hard problem to avoid. If you're planning to add on or remodel, be sure your contractor budgets for an electrical upgrade.

What's Holding You Up?

The older a home is the less it's likely to meet today's codes for structural strength. If work is done in an area of original construction, the structure will probably need some reinforcing - even if the structure's been standing solidly for years.

Any remodeling that exposes existing structure or changes the way loads are distributed on the floors and walls will require a review of the home's structure. Additions also often cause structural changes as existing supports are altered or removed to make way for the new work.

But reworking the structural elements of a home often plants a bigger (and more expensive) obstacle in the way - the necessary relocation of existing electrical wiring and ductwork that may be routed through the framing. It's part of what's called the "ripple effect" - a small change in one area ripples throughout the house. Whenever possible, minimize the ripple effect by designing an addition that doesn't disrupt the house's structure and by remodeling existing rooms without moving walls.

Where there's Smoke...

Smoke detectors are of two types, battery powered and "hard-wired". Hard-wired detectors are powered from the homes' electrical system, and are interconnected - when one goes off, they all go off. Residential codes require that all new homes have hard-wired detectors, and most jurisdictions require their installation throughout the home when any part of it is remodeled.

Carbon monoxide detectors are a new addition to many local codes. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America. CO2 detectors are similar in appearance to the more familiar smoke detectors and cost about $40 retail.

Plan on being required to add both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to any significant remodeling or addition project.

Watch Your Steps

Stairs are probably the single most dangerous part of any house. Accidental falls on stairs happen for many reasons (each year about 239,000 or 9% of all stair accidents happen to women in high heels and children). In the past several years, residential stair requirements have been gradually increasing to make stairs less steep and easier to negotiate.

The least restrictive stair geometry allows a maximum step height ("riser") of 8 ¼" and a minimum step depth ("tread") of 9". Code writers are in the process of decreasing the riser height to 7" and increasing the tread depth to 11", resulting in a much less steep stair and hopefully, improved stair safety.

But these safer stairs are also larger - be sure to know the stair codes in your area before you lay out the design of your project.

Good Help Isn't Hard To Find

Experienced architects, remodeling contractors, plan examiners, and building inspectors can help you to anticipate many of the potential code issues hidden in older homes. A little time and money invested in a qualified review of your ideas can help you to avoid expensive surprises later on.

Kit Houses - Building a Home in Less Than One Day

2007-11-27T04:54:00.002-08:00

Would you believe that you could be looking at pictures of new homes in a catalog one day and just a few weeks later that one of these homes could be built for you from several boxes of materials? That is just how over 100,000 people built new homes across the United States during the period between 1908 and 1940. This offered affordable housing to people who would otherwise not have been able to own a home of their own. Also, when the boxes arrived at your door the home could be assembled and completed that day!

Many people received the Sears catalog and would look through more than a hundred different models to find the one that would suit their needs. They ranged in price from about $400 for a three room model without a bathroom to over $3,000 for a seven room home with oak doors, shutters, and a granite bath tub.

These homes were referred to as “kit houses” and were very popular during this time. Sears offered a payment plan, a cross between a credit card and a mortgage, so that people could live in the house while they were still paying for it. You could also pay extra to have a construction supervisor assist you with putting the kit together.

Other companies like Montgomery Ward and Aladdin also sold homes by mail, but Sears was the most well known and sold more than the others. This was seen as an affordable and quick way to build a house for your family. Entire neighborhoods across the United States consist of these homes. Sometimes a company needed housing for its workers and ordered a dozen or more at a time. Water and sewer lines were connected and the new neighborhood could be completed within a week of receiving the materials.

Today there are still kit homes available from many companies that specialize in them. They are primarily used as vacation homes or cabins. Many communities prohibit manufactured homes in certain areas of town because of the belief that they will bring down property values.

Sears destroyed many records over the years so it is now impossible to find all of the homes. There are people who have made a hobby of locating them and listing them as historic buildings. Many times someone currently living in a kit home is not even aware that their home is of that type.

This is another part of the history of home building across the United States. The American dream of owning a home can take on many different forms and this is just one of them.

Live in Spain - Enjoy Life

2007-11-27T04:54:00.001-08:00

Many people consider departing UK shores and creating a new life in Spain. Such a consideration is not limited only to those approaching retirement, but encapsulates the entire age spectrum; and those that do make the move find that they are stimulated and invigorated to adopt a new and refreshing alternative lifestyle. In excess of a half million people have purchased a property in Spain – and many have now made their home in the country.

But, what is the attraction of living abroad from the UK? Often, it is a growing element of dissatisfaction with living in the UK which often triggers the deliberation process. The most common complaint is the UK weather with its short summer period and lengthy dull winter; however issues such as security, congested roads, expensive living costs and the demanding pace of life are also becoming more prevalent considerations.

Once the decision to consider living in another country has been made, Spain rapidly becomes the number one choice. Spain was originally recognised as a place to spend holiday time, but recent years has seen Spain grow in stature as a country - particularly since joining the EU. Only a short two hour flight away, the people of Spain are warm, friendly, welcoming and accept those who arrive to develop the country. However, Spain has much more to offer potential property buyers than a warm welcome.

As a country, Spain is modern in outlook yet retaining an old world charm, and despite being a country five times the size of the UK, Spain has many obvious appeals, such as a lower population, an excellent communications network and a massive coastline, as well as mountains ranges in the north and inland all waiting to be explored. Meanwhile, all of Spain’s major cities have magnificent buildings, parks and museums to satisfy the most discerning culture vulture; while age-old traditions are maintained, with celebrations and fiestas occurring throughout the year.

Being a warm and substantially Mediterranean climate also has its advantages in dietary terms; masses of fresh, locally produced fruit and vegetables; an abundance of fresh fish caught the same day, and cooking with olive oil are all staples of typical Mediterranean cuisine. Furthermore, embracing the outdoor life also lends itself to a healthier lifestyle. All types of sport and leisure can be enjoyed in Spain, with football, basketball and cycling being especially ardent activities; additionally buying a Spanish property near to the coast affords the option of water sports. And of course, there is golf; courses are available for play every day of the year with no winter greens or course closures, and Spain boasts a superb choice of courses from nine holes to championship courses.

However, it’s not just the attractions that Spain offers that make it a popular choice. Everyday living costs are generally lower than in the UK, with the weekly food bill being the obvious one; as for motoring, not only is petrol cheaper but also road tax is lower. Plus, the need to heat a Spanish home is a rarity, thus considerably reduced heating costs are attained. Furthermore, Local authority service charges are also low in comparison to the UK.

Moving abroad doesn’t mean cutting yourself off from your friends and family left behind either. With the UK being only two hours flight time away, visits to family in the UK are easy, with an array of flights serving most UK airports. This travel time compares favourably with driving time from Manchester to London, for example, and can prove to be a lot less stressful.

For those considering moving to Spain, a key element in finding a suitable property is to make contact with a reputable, established property agent. In Costa Calida and Costa Blanca - two of the most established and growing areas - many companies offer a search-and-find Spanish property service. However, it is essential to choose an agent carefully so that professional advice is provided to cover all aspects of the buying process. SpainDirect4U, for example, not only provide a full search-and-find operation for new build Spanish properties, but can also effect introductions to companies providing all the necessary services to cover every eventuality arising from ownership of Spanish home.

Accessible Home Design

2007-11-26T04:18:00.002-08:00

“Accessibility”, as it pertains to the design of buildings, is a term that most of us are somewhat familiar with. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (the “ADA”) mandates that most buildings used by the public be designed for ease of use by persons with many kinds of disabilities. We’ve all seen accessible parking spaces, ramps, and washrooms in retails stores, airports, and office buildings.

Homes, too, should incorporate design features and products that are easier to use by people of all ages and abilities. It’s a concept called “universal design”. For most people however, the image of an accessible home is one of fluorescent lights, wheelchair ramps, and white porcelain plumbing fixtures – more like a clinic than a home.

But an accessible home needn’t be like that at all. In fact, many design features and fixtures that work well for accessibility are also well suited for just about anyone. Accessible design is often just plain good design - a well-integrated accessible home design can and should extend a home’s usability through more than just one phase of family life.

Start In The Kitchen

Making a house more accessible isn’t particularly difficult or expensive. You might even have some universal design principals at work in your kitchen now.

“Side-by-side” refrigerators are more usable by a person in a wheelchair - unlike a unit with the freezer mounted on top. Inside the refrigerator, sliding shelves eliminate the need to reach all the way to the back to retrieve what you want.

A very common disabling condition associated with aging is reduced physical strength, which can make cooking in a large pot difficult if it has to be lifted into and out of the sink to fill with water. Instead of a standard kitchen faucet, install a “goose-neck” spout that allows the pot to be filled without lifting it into the sink. And place the cooktop nearby so that the pot can be easily slid across the countertop to the burner – no lifting required.

The latest in dishwasher design is the “drawer” type like those from Fisher & Paykel and KitchenAid. Drawer dishwashers don’t require as much bending over to load and unload and because there’s no door in the way, they’re more easily used from a sitting position.

Staying Home

As the American population ages and as housing prices escalate, many homeowners are trying to stay in their homes longer. Too often however, family homes are primarily designed for young families and become rapidly obsolete when they can no longer provide the convenience and safety that older citizens need. It’s an unfortunate result of a “disposable home” mentality – but that’s a topic for a future article!

A few simple design changes can make almost any home better able to support changing lifestyles, as ease of use and safety become important issues. One of the easiest is the installation of blocking for grab bars at appropriate places in the bath when the house is built. These simple and inexpensive structural supports are used for the future installation of grab bars, which provide increased safety in showers, tubs, and at toilets.

Another easy change is using “lever-type” door hardware - popular because of its looks and ease of use but also a requirement for persons with reduced strength or restricted mobility. Widening the doors a few inches can also extend the useable life of the house. Standard thirty-inch doors aren’t wide enough for wheelchairs and can be difficult for anyone with trouble walking. A thirty-six inch wide door solves both problems and makes moving furniture a lot easier, too.

Ups and Downs

Stairs are the biggest obstacle to making any home accessible. Typically, a fully accessible home must be all on one level – no stairs, step-downs, or even door thresholds. But a one-level home is more costly to build than a two-story and may require a larger property.

A better solution is a residential elevator. Sound expensive? Compared to the cost of a one-level home on a larger lot, an elevator is a very reasonable expense. It only adds about sixty square feet to the floor plan, and enables easy access to the first floor, the second floor, and the basement. Even better, only the elevator shaft need be installed now – the actual elevator equipment doesn’t have to be in place until it’s needed, maybe many years down the road.

Easier Than You Might Think

In most cases, accessible or universal design isn’t much more than good design sense and a desire to make houses usable by everyone – and isn’t that a worthy goal for any house, regardless of the current occupants? Our houses are sometimes a little too disposable – we can easily make them less so by making them more functional for a wide range of homeowners with and without disabilities. We’ll all benefit from design that helps people stay in their homes longer.

Searching For Benidorm Propertry

2007-11-26T04:18:00.001-08:00

The growth in Benidorm has been occurring at a rapid rate. There are many reasons for this. It ranges from people building a vacation home to those that are using the property as an investment to use as rental or lease property.

Here are some tips for buying property in Benidorm, Spain. First do your research. Look into potential areas of growth as well as locating the hot spots. Look at the trends and determine where people are buying the most property or which section is the most likely to be developed so as to attract the most people if you are looking at investment property. Look at the location and talk to local realtors to determine where the best spot will be.

Make sure that you go and look at several areas on your own to determine what you view to be the best investment. Look into making multiple trips or making multiple stops on a single trip in order to help you in your decision making process.

Make sure you know how much you can spend when you are looking into getting these properties. Determine your limits and figure out how much house or rental property that you will be able to maintain. You do not want to lose your primary property in the process as it will in most cases be used as collateral.

When you do decide to go and visit different locations on your visit to Spain make sure that you use a real estate agent. They will be able to get you in and out of properties easier as well as be able to set up multiple visits in one day. If you do not speak Spanish, be sure to locate an agent that speaks your language.

Make sure that you have an attorney who is familiar with real estate law in Spain to make your purchase go smoother. This will make your Benidorm property purchase smooth and easy.

Determine If You Will Rent Or Own In Benidorm

Make sure that if you will be renting during your visit that you do book far enough in advance so as to secure the property that you want to use while you are there. Make sure you know when the peak seasons are on the Costa Blanca so as to determine what will work best for you.

If you want to own and do not want to live in n area that is very busy you may want to consider looking into one of the outlying areas of Benidorm.

Tips For Building a Log Home

2007-11-22T21:38:00.002-08:00

Log homes have a long and valued tradition in the United States and other countries, and despite our modern age, they've never really gone out of style. In fact, they're more popular today than ever. In our busy stressful lives, more and more people want a first home, vacation home, or retirement home that's off on a piece of land of their own, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. If this sounds appealing to you, and you're seriously thinking of taking the plunge and building a log home, let's talk about some tips that can save you time and money.

First off, buy the land on which you're going to build. Do this before you make a commitment to a log home manufacturer or decide on a particular design. Often the lay of the land will dictate the best way to go about building a home on it. (And going against the lay of the land will only cost you money and trouble.)

Second, have a realistic idea of how much the total project will cost before you sign up for a log home package. What they quote you for the kit and what the actual costs will be are going to be a lot different. To get a feel for how much more you'll end up paying once labor and non-kit necessities are included, talk to builders, contractors, and other homeowners who have built a log home. Don't be afraid to ask the manufacturers how much actual costs tend to run in your area.

Whether you're browsing kits or planning to have an architect design your dream home, keep a scrapbook of pictures and clippings in the months leading up to your purchase. Trying to say everything you want in words can be difficult, but if you can point to a picture and say "do the kitchen like that and the bathroom like that..." you'll be more likely to get the home of your dreams. Don't be afraid to spend months in the planning process, considering everything, before actually committing to a design.

Before you buy, check references. Look for a log home manufacturer that is a member in an organization such as the Log Homes Council. This means they have a comprehensive construction manual and have agreed to hold up to certain log-grading standards.

Make sure you've taken care of financing before starting construction (and make sure that financing will cover the cost of the whole project--there are too many tales of partially finished log homes out there that have been abandoned because the erstwhile builders ran out of money). Some home buyers with disposable income will start the process paying out of pocket and then try to get a construction loan when they run out of cash. This is a bad idea, since lenders usually refuse to loan money on construction that is in progress.

Make sure you understand the manufacturer's terms of purchase and that your financing covers those terms. Especially pay attention to the time period of the agreement (and what happens if you exceed the time limit). Examine the refund and warranty policies.

Keep these tips in mind as you think about your future log home. Plan copiously and don't rush. This way you'll be more likely to survive the building process and get the home of your dreams.

Before You Build A New Home

2007-11-22T21:38:00.001-08:00

Buying or building a new home should always be a memorable and cherished experience. Unfortunately, it is not so for most people. This is because you as customers should be aware of certain loopholes the builders try to cover up. Lack of awareness of this, will result in a nasty experience.

Some of the things to be aware of are:

Constructors are always on the lookout for the cheapest ways to get the work done. A business will always place the bid in the hands of the lowest bidder while handing out work. Hence, never believe the builders when they say that they use the ace craftsmen in town. The reality is that they go in for the cheapest labor available, many a times hiring unskilled people with no experience. However this may not be true in the case of certain long standing builders who have their fixed team of workers throughout the year.

Before signing the deal, always have an attorney carefully scrutinize the terms and conditions. Look out for the options you have in case of a defect or malfunctioning. Never sign the contract if the builder is not legally bound to fix the defect or sort it after you move in.

Before moving in, it is beneficial to take your own certified home inspector to check for abnormalities and general quality inspection. Never trust the inspectors got by the builders. In most cases they are either unlicensed or hand-in-glove with the builder. These inspectors just come as a formality and are rarely bothered to check for the defects present. The government or county inspectors are generally worse. You must realize that they are so loaded with work that they can hardly spare 15 minutes per house. Also they are more concerned about health and hygiene conditions than labor defects.

Do not believe the sales representatives of a builder as they are generally not licensed or regulated by the state. So they go about making false promises. Never sign the contract before verifying all the said claims and better still, take them in writing.

With builders facing a land crunch, a lot of reclamation work is being done swamps and marshy areas and builders are building on them. These are not favorable areas to have the foundations of your house sunk into.

A lot of states have different rules so always beware of what happens to your token money in case you decide against going forward with the deal. Never assume the course of action and always take it in writing from the builder. You do not want to forego all your earnest money if you back out of the deal.

Choosing A Builder For Your Custom Home

2007-11-21T03:14:00.001-08:00

If you have not been able to find the perfect house on the market and you decide to build on a vacant lot, you’ll be faced with a very important decision – choosing a builder. Your builder is someone you are going to have an ongoing relationship with for about 12 months. There will be some bumps in the road as the process unfolds; and you must have an open and frequent line of communication and share a common goal and vision that goes beyond the blueprints for your new home. Start your search by asking your real estate agent for a few referrals. He or she will have local knowledge about area contractors, their reputation and the quality of their work. Once you have some direction, here are a few basic tips to help choose a builder and keep your project on track:

Get references - and don’t hire a builder until you have visited 2 or 3 other houses completed by the builder. Ideally, get the address of every house the builder has built in the last 2 or 3 years and contact several of the owners randomly. Don’t expect a perfect report card. Building a house is tough business and it is almost impossible to make a homeowner happy at every turn. Ask what each owner might have done differently if they could build the house all over again.

Pick a day and time to meet with your contractor each week and in person. Don’t ever miss this meeting - it will keep the project on track, keep costs and changes to a minimum and establish a great working relationship. Make sure that all “change orders” are reviewed and signed during the meeting. Above all, make sure that your builder agrees in writing to the weekly meeting in your contract.

Visit the builder’s other working job sites to make sure that they run a tight ship. Specifically, look to see if unused materials are organized and protected from the weather. Make sure that there is some evidence of a temporary workspace to review plans. Insure that garbage and construction waste is routinely removed from the job site. Also, investigate to make certain that work begins and ends each day on a regular schedule – same time, every day.

Make it clear to your builder that you expect progress every day of every week. Your money is being used to build a house that you cannot move into until it is completed. A day of inactivity at the site costs you money and you deserve progress in exchange for that money.

Don’t expect your builder to have a crystal ball. Do expect some minor deviations from what is planned. You will have fewer surprises cost-wise if you take the time to make sure that every possible item is included in the construction price. Before making a commitment to use any builder, make sure you have a comprehensive list of what is included in the price and what is not included in the price. If you add something extra in mid-stream, that will result in additional time and expense to the builder. Don’t expect changes for free.

Building a house can be a great experience. Chances are, if you take this advice, you will move into your new house on time, within budget and as a happy customer. The builder will be happier at the end also.

LAs Vegas - The Right Choice For Your Dream Home

2007-11-21T03:12:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas is among the most popular cities in America and it is known as the fastest growing city too. Having a house in Las Vegas is always an intelligent decision. Buying a house in Las Vegas is all about vision. Buying a house in a city that is one of the fastest growing cities in America can surely benefit you for what you pay for it that's why we call it a vision.

Las Vegas is full of growth and it is an exciting place. It has become Mecca in the area of home construction. You can find almost every type of house or you can build as well.

You can easily find agents here that can give you right guidance and help you to buy a house of your choice.

But before you go and buy one try to get some information about Las Vegas real estate online. When you have an idea how things can work, you can start finding a house. There are a lot of advantages of buying a house in Las Vegas.

This is an ideal place for sports lovers. Las Vegas is full of enthralling golf courses. So the essence of suggestion is, you have a lot of things to do here if you are a sports freak.

So this place is becoming popular like anything. People are hunting this place. This place is a center of attraction for tourists also, so you can imagine the standard of your life in such a city.

We hope that in near future, it is going to emerge as one of the most expensive places. So those who hit this place early will be earning a lot.

Some Fun Facts About Las Vegas

2007-11-13T05:41:00.001-08:00

Las Vegas is a place to live. Here we present some of the fun and amazing facts about Las Vegas.

On May 15, 2005, Las Vegas Celebrated its 100th birthday. On this day, 110 acres of plots were auctioned. All this happened in the city of downtown. In 1910, gambling was illegal in Las Vegas. Later on gambling could come up as legalized gambling. The court approved gambling as legal in 1931.

Golden gate hotel was the first hotel in Las Vegas. The first casino in Las Vegas was opened in 1906.

Hoover dam, which was made in 1935, was made with the workforce of 21,000 men working for five years.

The famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign that you have seen was made in 1959. Betty Willis takes the credit of making that sign.

More than five thousands people keep moving to Las Vegas on monthly basis.

Clark county school district, which manages 280,000 students currently, is the fifth largest school and Las Vegas is considered to be the home to this district.

The amazing thing is, that the Las Vegas Strip mostly is not situated in Las Vegas. The major part of it exists in Clark.

If you are thinking of getting a marriage license in Nevada, it is going to cost you 55 dollars. But the best part about Nevada is that no blood test or waiting is to be undergone.

Fremont Street once was closed for a year. In 1994, it was closed due to high traffic. It was opened again in 1995.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sebanti_Ghosh

Buiding Homes - Why Choose Las Vegas

2007-11-13T05:39:00.000-08:00

If you are planning to build a home, Las Vegas can be a very good option for you. This place s full of happening and it offers everyone a choice of living a lifestyle of one’s own.

This city is a attraction for tourists also. This city will provide you nonstop excitement and unforgettable recreation.

It is an ideal place for those who want to enjoy their life nearer to nature and for those who want a lot of happenings in their life as well. So this city has so much to offer.

If you are a sports freak, be happy because Las Vegas is full of green and beautiful golf courses. This city has a lot of professional golf clubs that have a lot of things to offer you.

Las Vegas serves those too who want to relax here. The city is full of very good and international quality hotels. Anyone can enjoy the peace and hospitality in the hotels.

For people who like to undergo thrilling experiences, Las Vegas has two roller coasters. These roller coasters are situated on the top of the stratosphere hotel, approximately nine hundred feet above in the air.

So, Las Vegas is a very good and happening place and has a lot of things to offer you. Living in Las Vegas will surely make you feel good. If you are really interested to build a house in Las Vegas, do a little research on internet.

Internet has a lot of information to feed your need. You can at least have an idea about how much it will cost you to get you a house in Las Vegas, And then you can make a choice easily.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sebanti_Ghosh

Inspections on New Construction - New Homes Are Not Perfect

2007-10-31T00:32:00.001-07:00

It is a common belief that new homes are fault free. The truth is that all types of new construction should have third party inspections performed to ensure that your home is being built with quality standards.

Most major cities in the United States enforce a required number of inspections at different stages of the process. Many builders of residential real estate will cite these inspections as being the reason why inspections aren't necessary.

Time and time again, regardless of the number of city inspections, real estate consumers purchasing new construction commonly find problems after moving into their homes within 5 years. Many times, these problems can be attributed to a defect during the build process of their home. Unfortunately, consumers are forced to rely on the warranties provided by their builder. This home warranty process has been known to be time consuming and stressful.

What can you do when buying a new construction home? Get your own inspection. Inspections can be performed in two key areas during the construction of your home; pre-drywall and final walkthrough.

Pre-Drywall Inspection
Before the drywall has been installed in your home, ask your sales counselor or real estate agent about performing an inspection. At this stage of your construction, main load bearing studs, wiring, and plumbing can be easily seen by an inspector. Builder sales counselors will usually recommend that you perform your inspection prior to your pre-drywall walkthrough so that all items found on your inspection report can be addressed with your builder's superintendent (the person managing the build out of your home).

Pre-Walkthrough Inspection
If you performed a pre-drywall inspection, this follow up visit by your inspector will simply be an assurance that all items requiring repair were repaired or replaced. This inspection will also verify that appliances, fixtures, and building code violations are reported and given to you to provide to your builder.

Many new construction builders of residential properties will not bring up your options to an outside inspection for your new home. Performing one, however, is highly recommend and can offer a significant piece of mind to you and your family well into the future.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Castaneda

Home Construction - Is My Bathroom At The Right Place

2007-10-31T00:31:00.002-07:00

If you are going to build a house now, we have a lot of things to tell you. We, however, do not claim that whatever we are telling has a certain scientific explanation for it.

In India, this science of making house according to the directions is called ‘Vaastu Shastra’. It is believed that, if you construct your house as per its rules, you will observe the happiness in your home.

This rulebook says that your day to day life problems can be related to your bad house design. So it’s better if you go for a design as per the guidelines given in this book.

According to 'Vaastu', the universe is made of five elements known as Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space. The orientation of a building is related to the nine planets as described in astrology. So, proper orientation will lead us to a happy life. Wrong orientation can, however, lead us to even disaster.

We need to understand the eight directions as described in books, that are east, west, north, south and four directions in between. Northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest are considered to be the house of water, air, fire and earth respectively.

So now it is clear that a bathroom should be in a north east direction. If it is situated in a wrong direction like southeast, it is likely to give bad results.

To know more about ‘Vaastu’, do a little research. You can even hire a ‘Vaastu specialist’ to advise you now a days. These specialists are very popular in India today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sebanti_Ghosh

Home Construction - Is My Bathroom At The Right Place

2007-10-31T00:31:00.001-07:00

One Of The Common Defects On House Renovation

2007-10-27T05:40:00.001-07:00

Now is common that people has their house renovated. It mainly carried out after house owner has obtained approval from relevant approval agency. Normally we will not know when house defect will be happened. Most of the defects will happen after certain period of time. But it may have sign of immediate effect. Immediate house defects shown mainly due to very poor qualities of workman ship, poor material used, building structure is under designed and ground condition. There are a number of possibilities of house defects will happen. It will depend on case by case basis.

One of the common defects that are the cracks line will be appeared along the joint between new building and existing building. If the building foundation is pile foundation then the effect of cracks will be more significant. It is because most of the extension works that carried out by renovation contractor is using pad foundation. If existing building is pile foundation and new extended building is pad foundation; then there will be significant of differential ground settlement. This differential settlement will make cracks happened.

It is happened because a lot of people who want to renovate house will look for building contractor, but they have forgotten that they need to look for engineer first before engage a building contractor. Un-reputable contractor will not help house’s owner to engage a structural engineer, contractor will build the house based on his owner experience. Furthermore; he only expertise on builder works, he does not has expertise on ground investigation, theory of structure and design of structure. As a result, the finish product will cause the cracks line happen as mention above.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chee_Shai_Choon

New! The First Do-It-Yourself, Predatory - Lending - Proof Internet Mortgage

2007-10-27T05:39:00.000-07:00

Remember when the only way to buy stocks was through a full-service broker? Even if you already knew which stocks and how many shares you would want to buy, you would still need to pay the broker's hefty commission fee. You may not have needed or even wanted his or her advice, but you had no choice but to pay the full fare anyway.

The Internet changed all of that. You can now do your own investing without having to worry which particular stock the broker is attempting to push that day. He or she may have had little regard for you and your needs, but primarily had the need to fatten his or her own wallet.

An area of investing that could be made far more efficient is mortgage lending.

Everyday in America, thousands of consumers are victims of mortgage loan officer schemes that ultimately cost the borrower thousands of dollars more than they originally were led to believe. This is so common, that “predatory lending” and its impact is a growing concern among consumer interest groups and government regulators.

Wouldn't it be nice if, like in the ability to purchase your own stocks, you could do your own research and choose your own loan without having to worry about the needs of a greedy, self-serving loan officer (many of whom have been written up, after the fact, in the press)? Their extreme practices have even led some trusting consumers into foreclosure.

Thanks to a mortgage company in Chicago, the Internet and technology, you now have the ability to go online and within about 15 minutes receive a loan approval for their client without having to go through the traditional mortgage process. The system is so sophisticated that it is predatory lending proof. The computer does not have the ability to charge a consumer more because it thinks the borrower does not know any better. It simply evaluates the client and gives him or her the right program at the right price, saving the consumer’s money and time.

Jonathan Cosie, CEO and founder of MortgageTrends & RealEstatePro News, has endorsed this technology as a 2006 Top Industry Technology pick stating that “This is the first, true self-serve online mortgage solution we have ever seen. Other online lenders state that you can do a mortgage online, but the reality is that you either give them information that they sell as a lead to loan officers or they have a loan officer call you. Both of those scenarios often lead to added costs and frustration to the consumer. Our team is very, very impressed with this concept.”

Once your information has been entered, a loan manager works with you to complete the loan package in a low pressure environment. After the financial information has been evaluated, you simply selects the type and term of loan that they are interested in and the system then immediately begins the underwriting process. You can view all actual (not estimated) closing costs for each loan match presented. This leaves little margin for error and no opportunity for predatory lending practices. Once a loan is selected, the loan manager gets the client to closing on time, with no “packing” of fees. No games and no gimmicks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ted_Janusz

Buiding A New House - Can My Home Change My Life

2007-10-25T03:07:00.000-07:00

If you are going to build a new house then we have some very important instructions for you. Building a new house is a dream for everyone. When we make it, it brings us happiness, joy and lots of compliments too.

Some people believe that it brings a good luck too. May be you do not believe it but in some countries like India, these people used to believed that your life is very much influenced by the way you make your house.

In ancient India, people used to follow a literature that was called ‘Vastu Shastra’. This literature describes how directions are important while making your dream house. If a house is designed properly, it will surely bring good luck for you and a badly designed home can cast bad vibration on you.

In China also people used to follow certain literature to describe house architecture. However, it is not scientifically proven but there are a lot of incidents when people have to believe that the architecture of a house is very important and influences our life.

Here are a few guidelines about the shape of the house you are going to build. The rule is that the shape of the house should a proper shape. It must not be uneven or zigzag type. Even if you did not pay heed to this thing when you bought the area, the best way is to consult an architect and ask him to give it a proper shape.

The next thing you can pay heed to is which direction your main gate will face. The houses that face to east direction are said to be the best. We recommend you to study more about this Indian literature before you are making your house.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sebanti_Ghosh

Renewable Energy Options for the Home - Part 2 (Solar Energy)

2007-10-25T03:06:00.000-07:00

The sun is a very powerful source of energy which powers natural cycles on earth like wind, water flow and plant growth.. Solar power is the technology of obtaining energy from the sun. There are three approaches to gain maximum benefit of solar energy in our buildings.

Passive Solar

Passive solar technologies convert sunlight into usable heat without the assistance of other energy sources. Passive solar architecture is a design approach which seeks to:

- maximise solar gains in the building (through orientation such as a south-facing site, layout, glazing etc)
- avoid the loss of heat from the building through high quality insulation
- ensure a high degree of comfort by using controlled ventilation and daylighting

Passive solar systems have little to no operating costs, often have low maintenance costs, and emit no greenhouse gases in operation. Passive solar principles can help reduce heating requirements of a home by up to 80%.

The Passive House Standard can be found at www.passive.de

Active Solar Heating

Active Solar technologies are employed to convert solar energy into usable heat, cause air movement for ventilation or cooking or store heat for future use. Unlike Passive Solar, Active Solar uses electrical or mechanical equipment such as pumps and fans to increase the usable heat. The most common use of active solar in Europe is Solar water heating. It is estimated that a correctly sized solar water heating system can provide for up to 60% of your water heating needs. Indeed, studies have shown that one square metre on your roof receives the equivalent of more than 100 litres of oil in free solar energy per year. Solar panels, generally located on a south-facing roof, transform solar radiation into heat which is stored in a large hot water cylinder for whenever you need it.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Photovoltaics, or PV for short, is a solar power technology that uses solar cells or solar photovoltaic arrays to convert energy from the sun into electricity. Solar cells produce direct current electricity from the sun’s rays, which can be used to recharge a battery or to power equipment. When more power is required than a single cell can deliver, cells are generally grouped together to form “PV modules”, or solar panels, that may in turn be arranged in arrays.

Solar arrays are increasingly incorporated into new domestic and industrial buildings as a principal or ancillary source of electrical power. In a typical installation, an array is incorporated into the building (roof or walls). In this way, Solar PV can be used to provide free solar electricity to houses. Recent developments in regulation mean that it will shortly be possible to connect solar PV systems to the grid, opening up a new era for solar PV in Ireland. Arrays can also be retro-fitted into existing buildings, normally by sitting them atop the existing roof. One new feature of note came in August 2006 when Currys, the major high-street retailer decided to stock PV modules at a cost of a thousand pounds sterling per module.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_O'_Connor

A Home Inspector is a Home Buyer's Best Friend

2007-10-15T02:42:00.002-07:00

After weeks, maybe even months of searching, you’ve finally found your dream home. It’s everything you wanted and more. You’re already envisioning how your favorite chair will look in that charming little corner by the window. But before you move in, it’s important that you get better acquainted with the property you’ve fallen in love with.

While the hardwood floors are to die for and you love the bay window in the den, some of the things that may not be visible to the typical buyer’s eye need to be taken into account. Are the electrical systems up to date? Is the home properly insulated? Are there any signs of deterioration on the exterior of the home? Are there any areas of concern in the crawl space or basement such as mold or fungi? These are all questions that should be asked. However it will take a trained professional to answer them. That’s where your new best friend, the home inspector, comes in.

A home inspector is trained to diligently assess damage, deterioration and potential danger in a home. “A complete home inspection covers all of the major systems of a house, including structure, exterior, roofing, electrical, heating, cooling, insulation, plumbing and interior,” says Scott Dana, owner of Dana Home Inspections in Roswell, Georgia and an officer in the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Home Inspectors.

Once a home inspector evaluates the home, he or she writes a comprehensive report, including photos, which explains in detail any defects or hazards that are apparent. Unfortunately not every report will be favorable and high hopes can suddenly become deflated due to bad news. But regardless, a home inspection is critical to the safety, security and sealing of the deal in any real estate transaction.

Naturally with every major transaction there are risks involved. Even home inspectors can’t guarantee every aspect of the property. “Inspectors are limited by what they can see and touch. Thus, there may be issues inside walls or in inaccessible areas that may have problems that inspectors will not be able to see,” says Scott Dana. However, as the buyer you can rest easier by doing your due-diligence and taking every measure to ensure that your dream home doesn’t turn into an unfortunate nightmare.

SAFETY

While style, location and affordability are all important factors when purchasing a home, safety comes first. There’s nothing more important than being assured that the property you purchase will be free of harm for you and your family. A home inspection will help you determine that there are no hazardous conditions. Something as simple as a defective safety reverse mechanism on a garage door or a garage door opener installed lower than the manufacturer recommended 60 inches from the ground would probably not be noticed by an eager buyer. But these oversights could be potentially dangerous for a small child in the home. Buyers also may be unaware of problems in crawl spaces or basements such as pests, infestation or hazardous substances such as mold. Inspectors will know to look in these areas and determine if there is cause for concern.

“When an inspector finds something that appears to be mold, they typically tell their clients that they have detected a "mold-like" substance and that further testing is needed by a company that specializes in mold detection and remediation,” says Scott Dana. These precautions are critical and are imperative in determining that the home you’re buying will be a safe and healthy environment for your family.

SECURITY

Because your home is one of the largest investments you will make, you want to be sure that your investment is secure. What may seem initially like a charming fixer-upper could turn into a money pit if substantial needed repairs are not discovered before the deal is closed. A home inspection will allow buyers to make more informed decisions about the soundness of their investment by determining exactly how much work and money may be required to resolve any issues. Homes that are in need of a little TLC can still be great deals as long as the repairs required are primarily cosmetic and affordable rather than structural and costly. Major issues can be a real deal breaker.

“By far the biggest deal breakers are those requiring the most money to fix, including problems with the foundation or structure of the home. Conversely, deal breakers can also be lots of little cost items that, when taken as a whole, cause the buyer to not feel good about the home. Lastly, if a house has a more-than-minor mold problem, or high levels of Radon gas detected, that might cause the deal to fall through,” Scott Dana remarks.

SEALING THE DEAL

Once your home inspection has been completed, what next? If the home inspector’s report doesn’t note any serious problems, you’re well on your way to moving into your dream home! If the report lists a number of issues and areas of concern, you still have a few options. Firstly, you can ask the seller to make repairs. A motivated seller may be eager to appease a willing buyer and work to remedy areas of concern noted in the inspection report. Secondly, you can negotiate. “[Buyers] can get estimates of repairs and place a bid on the property taking into consideration those potential costs,” says Scott Dana. Lastly, if the inspection report lists a large number if issues, you can continue your home search and find a property that will require less maintenance and attention.

Land Loans For Upcoming Construction

2007-10-15T02:42:00.001-07:00

When it comes to financing the purchase of land for upcoming constructions, constructions loans are the solution to your problems. These loans are called Land Loans or Lot loans and are actually constructions loan specially designed for that purpose.

These loans, since there is not that much money involved, have very few requirements for approval. Yet, it is important to understand what you need to meet in order to obtain them as it will also determine whether a particular lot is suitable for getting hold of a construction loan later on. That means that if a particular lender offers you a land loan for upcoming construction, provided that you meet the further requirements, you’ll also be able to obtain the corresponding construction loan.

Lot Characteristics Needed For Loan Approval

There are some characteristics that the lot needs to meet for most lenders to approve your loan. This is due to the fact that as long as you are financing the purchase of the lot, it is not only your investment but also the lender’s (usually the lot guarantees the loan). Thus, the lender will want to make sure that the land purchased will not lose its value or be useless for the construction of the property.

The land you plan to purchase must be standard for the zone, which implies no excessively long extensions or very small lots. It needs not have characteristics that turn construction more onerous like inadequate soil components, etc. Also, most lenders will require at least one or two utilities available from the surroundings (i.e. water pipes, gas, electricity, communications, etc.).

Land Loans And Stated Income

Similarly to regular construction loans and other loan types, you can obtain a land loan without having to show proof of your income. This implies that the loan approval and terms will be determined taking into account the income amount that you state to have on your application instead of the one you can prove by providing the proper documentation.

This doesn’t mean that you won’t be required to provide any documentation as some lenders claim. Truth is that you’ll have to show proof that you have a source of income with letters from your CPA or employer. But the amount of income will be disregarded and only the amount you state on your application will be taken into account at the time of loan approval. Bear in mind though, that this increases the risk and thus, you’ll end up with less advantageous loan terms.

Repayment Programs And Limitations

Most of the loan repayment programs for construction loans can last up to 30 years depending on the applicants credit score and history. Also, since most people use these loans and later combine them with construction loans, after 2 to 5 years these loans can be repaid fully without penalties so as to take a construction loan instead or sell the land to be used for construction.

Loans with full income documentation can finance up to 95% of the purchase price or even more. If you cannot fully prove income you’ll only be able to get 80% financing or less. There are some exceptions for these limitations for excellent credit applicants.

Home Buyer Beware - Shingles That Blow Off

2007-10-11T00:16:00.001-07:00

All roof contractors are not the same. Most roofing jobs look great from the street. But did you know that one out of two composition shingle roofs installed today are not installed properly?

The number one installation problem will cause your roof to blow off before your neighbor’s roof does in a wind storm. Well, assuming your neighbor’s roof is installed right.

A starter course, when installed right, is designed to keep the shingles at the eave from lifting at the edge of the roof when the wind blows. Once the wind gets under a loose shingle, you can guarantee that the next strong wind will take it off, perhaps along with many others, and deposit them in the next county.

Here’s the Test
You can quickly determine if the starter shingles were installed correctly. You don’t even have to get up on the roof. Lift the first shingle at the edge of the roof. There should be what looks like two shingles stuck together. If you can’t lift more than three or four inches of shingle at the edge of the roof and the first row is stuck down to the starter shingle under it at the edge, you have a pro for a roofer.

If the first shingle is not stuck down or you can lift more than 4 or 5 inches of the whole business off the roof edge, you have a problem.

Here’s the Fix
A qualified roofer will be able to lift the shingles in the first row and nail down the starter course near the roof edge. He will then apply roof adhesive to seal down the bottom edge of the first row of shingles to the starter.

The Starter Course Quiz
If you are having a new roof put on, you can ask a couple of questions of your roofer. “What are you using for a starter course?” and “Are you installing the starter course according the instructions from the roofing manufacturer?” Every composition shingle roofing package will typically have basic installation instructions on the back. Review them with your roofer.

Here are the key words to listen for when your roofer answers the starter strip question: “We always use a standard shingle and turn it 180 degrees for the starter strip.” Wrong answer.

The right answer is: “We always use a starter course, manufactured for that purpose. We install it with the seal-down strip at the edge of the roof and nail it 3-4 inches from the edge of the roof.” Right answer.

An alternative answer is: “We cut off the exposed tabs of a standard shingle and install what’s left along the edge of the roof with the seal-down stuff at the edge of the roof and nail it 3 or 4 inches from the edge of the roof.” Right again.

The Bottom Line
Just so you know I am not making this up, the people in the know can tell you themselves. The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA), and all roof manufacturers have specific and tested installation methods that work when you follow them. Use a qualified roofing contractor and make sure they follow the instructions.

Know Your Budgets

2007-10-11T00:14:00.000-07:00

The most critical component of custom building is obtaining the right budgets – Yes Plural - “for you.” I can not emphasize this point enough. Every family has different needs and objectives. You are allocating resources (monetary, emotional, time, etc.) to your custom home and you expect to maximize your return on investment.

However, a custom home’s return on investment is not the same as a stock holder’s return on investment. Your return on your home’s investment is personal. Yes, it should have financial implications, but it “MUST” reflect your family’s lifestyle, values and personal sense of style. Your home should be an oasis. A place for entertaining, retreat, and solitude.

Therefore, you should require two budgets. One budget that outlines what you expect to pay for your home. No More, No Less. This is the financial budget. The second budget is a personal budget. This budget defines how your home will reflect your lifestyle, values and personal sense of style.

The personal budget outlines your requirements for items such as views; The style of architecture you want; How you entertain; What type of privacy your require; Do you work from home; Is there a need for a play area; How many Bedrooms do you need; What floor would you like the Master bedroom on; Etc.

It is “critical” that you are honest with the architect and your home builder regarding what you expect to pay and your requirements for your new home. No More, No Less. Without open, honest communication, the architect and your builder can not do the job they are hired to do – Design & Build Your “Custom” Home.

You should have both your financial and personal budgets prior to meeting with an architect. Your builder and the architect will work with your budgets to maximize your homes return on investment.

Tips To Building Your Home Business in Your Local Market

2007-10-10T04:19:00.000-07:00

You have just started a new Home Business that provides a product or service and now you are ready to get out there and let the whole world know about it! Where and how do you begin? First you will need to ask yourself some questions to help you start in this process. Such as, does this market really want and need what I have to sell? To what degree? Do I enjoy this market and will I enjoy it five or 10 years from now? Can this market help me achieve my financial and business-building goals? Will this market need my help long into the future or is it susceptible to change?

Here are some good steps to take in getting started.

1. Call your Local Chamber of Commerce . They can help you with your questions on how accommodating your local area is for whatever service or product you have. For example, if you have 20 landscaping businesses in a 10-20 mile radius that might be a tough business to break into in your area..

2.Attend local Chamber of Commerce events. Joining the Chamber is expensive but has many benefits. However, you can attend events without joining. Use the services of people you meet as soon as possible to reinforce relationships. Be patient. It takes time to build credibility. Commit to five or six repeated exposures.

3.Join forces with another business to promote your company. Partnering with a company in a related industry is one of the cheapest and easiest forms of marketing that you can employ. If you make soaps or lotions for example, you may convince a local spa or salon to carry your products and offer a discount to their customers. Likewise you may offer gift certificates to that spa or salon if they buy your products.

4.Put your company and website name on everything you print: Put it on your T-shirt. Business cards, press releases, stationary, advertising, invoices, statements, get a vanity license plate, coffee cups, posters, ... the more times it is seen the more traffic you will see.

5. Go around to business in your area letting them know you are new in the area and give them your business card. { Side tip here, a good way to generate leads here would be to tell the business owner that you have just started a new business and you are looking for some sharp and motivated people to bring on and if they have any referrals}

6. Place an ad in your local paper.

Bottom line is you have to wear your business like a coat everywhere you go!

Candi May is a internet marketer and Success Mentor. She specializes in helping others succeed in marketing online and building Successful home businesses. She love hunting and fishing and working with her horses in her spare time.

Building Your Home Business by Prospecting for Clients and Customers

2007-10-10T04:18:00.000-07:00

So, you’ve done all the work and set up your home business. That means you did all the paperwork, set up your book work, wrote your business and marketing plan, and basically have everything in place for your success. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you have. All businesses need to get set up in some way.

The next step is to go through the process of actually building your client and customer base. There are several ways to do this. You could advertise, cold call, or find clients or customers on the internet or through your website. The ways of finding customers are almost endless. However, you will find that this is an aspect of your business that takes the most work, at least at first.

Networking is an important aspect of finding customers and/or clients. All businesses benefit from this kind of networking because that means that you will always have a steady reserve of people who are potentially interested in your product or service. These are called “quality leads” because they are valuable. Contacts obtained through personal networking are already interested in your product or service because they expressed an interest in it already. They just need some extra prompting to finally make a purchase.

Networking is Not What You Think

When you think of networking, what comes to mind? A lot of people have the wrong idea of what it really is, probably because they’ve had a bad experience or two with someone who was too forceful. This kind networking includes going door to door or cold calling people out of the blue to generate interest. Some business owners have success with this kind of network marketing, but this isn’t necessarily the best, most effective way because you are not dealing with “quality leads”.

This is good news for people who dread the thought of going door to door or calling strangers. In fact, it is this kind of “prospect hunting” that often turns people off from even owning a home business.

Provide a Good Service and Business Will Follow

The fact is that a good business will grow from word of mouth. If you provide a great service or product, your existing customers will tell others about you. This is the best type of networking to utilize and it is also the most costs effective.

Word of mouth networking is effective because your existing customers are getting people excited about what you have to offer. Therefore, they come to you already interested. It is easier to build your client or customer base this way. One way you can speed it up is to ask your existing customers for referrals. You can ask your customers to tell their friends and family that you may be contacting them so that they can expect your call.

Other Ways to Promote Your Business

There are other ways to find potential customers and clients, or prospects, besides asking for referrals. In fact, it is best to use a combination of different methods. These other methods include:

* Promoting your website
* Writing ads to post online
* Sending out press releases
* Posting in forums related to your business
* Keeping in touch with existing customers
* Contacting referrals or potential customers or clients by phone, email, or writing them a letter

It is important to use several methods at once. That way you can have a steady stream of clients and customers coming in.

Always Work at Finding New Prospects

No matter how busy you are, you should always find time to build up your list of prospects for customers and/or clients. Your existing customers may not always stick around. Not everyone will be a repeat customer, or need to use your service more than once. Neglecting this aspect of your business is a recipe for failure.

Building a successful home business takes a constant amount of work. In the beginning you may find that you are spending a lot of time finding people who want your product or service. But once you are more established, you will spend less time looking for business. This does not mean that you should ignore it. Spending time on this aspect of your business will help you stay successful.

Building materials store to sell more recycled wood

2007-09-21T04:31:00.000-07:00

A nonprofit store in Springfield, Mass., that specializes in recycled building materials has announced it could be selling more lumber because of a state law that will ban the disposal of wood debris and other construction materials, according to a report in the Republican (Springfield, Mass.).

ReStore Home Improvement Center has plans to create a lumber recovery service to help contractors, material haulers and others comply with the legislation that goes into effect July 1, banning the disposal of lumber, asphalt, bricks, concrete and metal.

ReStore then plans to sell the recovered lumber, according to the report.

The store accepts material from homeowners, contractors, contractors and municipal collection centers.

Building bridges from school to home: meeting the challenge of the positive, productive parent-teacher relationship

2007-09-21T04:24:00.000-07:00

There is no more complex and tender geography than the borderlands between families and schools. Everyone believes that parents and teachers should be allies and partners. After all, we are all engaged in the important and precious work of raising, guiding, and teaching our children. But all too often, parents and teachers feel estranged from and suspicious of each other. The relationship can become competitive and adversarial rather than collaborative and empathic. What can teachers do to build stronger ties? Nearly all the teachers I interviewed reported that they receive little, if any, training on building successful relationships with the parents of the children that they teach. Yet, how teachers approach encounters with parents from the first day has a profound effect not only on how parents view the school, but also on the child's experience in and outlook on school and learning as a whole. Teachers need to develop strategies, tools, and skills for supporting productive dialogue with parents. They need to value the authority and wisdom of parents.

To parents, their child is the most important person in their lives, the one who arouses their deepest passions and greatest vulnerabilities, and the one who inspires their fiercest advocacy and protection. And it is teachers--society's professional adults--who are the primary people with whom the parents must seek alliance and support in the crucial work of child rearing. Parents must quickly learn to release their child and trust that he or she will be well cared for by a perfect stranger. This is a hard thing to do. All of the parent's expectations and fears, as well as their own memories--positive and negative--of school experiences, get loaded on to encounters with teachers.

In his 1932 book, Sociology of Teaching, Willard Waller suggests that some tension between parents and teachers is inevitable because of the different roles and functions they play in the lives of children. Parents, he claims, have a "particularistic" relationship with their child, in which the bond is deeply passionate and individualistic. Teachers, on the other hand, have a "universalistic" relationship with their students, one which is more distant and dispassionate. Teachers work hard to find a balance between responding to the needs and capacities of individual students and supporting the development of a classroom community in which children learn to be responsible and accountable to the group.

In other words, when parents plead with the teacher to be fair to their child, they are usually asking for special consideration for their youngster. They want the teacher to consider the unique struggles and strengths of their child and respond accordingly. But when teachers talk about being "fair" to everyone, they mean giving equal amounts of attention, judging everyone by the same objective, universal standards, and using explicit and public criteria for making judgments. Inevitably, said Waller, these differences in perspective produce conflicts and distrust--often masked and oblique--between parents and teachers, even though both would claim that they are laboring with "the best interest of the child" foremost in their minds.

In my research on the parent-teacher relationship, I talked with many strong teachers who prided themselves on the successful relationships they build with their students' families. Most felt the key to their success in working with parents was the ability to put the child--their strengths and their vulnerabilities, their achievements and their challenges--at the center of the parent-teacher conversation. Keeping the focus on the child encourages a conversation that speaks to the unique temperament and capacities of the child--seeing the "whole child" from a variety of angles ("the whole 360 degrees," as one teacher put it). It avoids a conversation that puts forth a narrow view of the child--a recitation of his or her weaknesses or frivolous, ungrounded praise.

In the examples that follow, three teachers talk about how they build and, when needed, mend relationships with parents.

Molly Rose, a first-grade teacher in a city school that serves a largely poor, immigrant population, speaks about "the child as a bridge" between home and school and gives the child the most visible and audible role in her work with parents. "Almost everything I do with parents is with the child at the center," says Molly.

The first communication with the family occurs before school begins, and--true to her word--it is sent to the child. In early August, Molly writes a simple letter to each child in her class, telling each one about her summer. "Last August," she recalls, "I wrote that 'I read a lot of good books, I went swimming, and I went hiking.' Then I added a picture of myself hiking." Along with the letter, Molly attaches a blank page, and she asks each child to draw a picture of his or her summer and have an adult help write a letter back to her.

CABA announces availability of new research on home and building automation

2007-09-14T02:58:00.000-07:00

Using Garden Roof Systems to Improve Performance:" The benefits of roof garden for buildings in Ottawa, Canada were studied. The gardens can lower heat penetration into the building in the summer and thereby reduce cooling demands. Mso, the garden absorbs rainwater, reducing the sudden load on drainage systems during a downpour.

BACnet is a communications protocol development for interconnecting building automation products from a variety of manufacturers. Applications include HVAC, lighting, security, and utility management. BACnet runs on multiple network types, although BACnet/IP over Ethernet is most widely used. Supporting BACnet are the BACnet Manufacturers Association, BACnet interest groups, and BACnet International. The BACnet Testing Laboratories run the BACnet Interoperability Workshop. Integration with enterprise operations is provided with BACnet Web-based tools.

The paper by Nortel Networks explains methods for ensuring secure communications for users of mobile services when away from the office. The goals are to improve privacy and reliability, and to reduce theft of service and identity. The Nortel Unified Security Framework is described. It was noted that half of the threats originate inside the business.

Blueprint for Convergence:" This white paper by Nortel Networks explains the benefit of integrating communications for voice, video, data, and applications. Benefits include cost reduction, improved productivity, and enhanced competitiveness. Step-by-step procedures for analyzing current operations and for planning a transition to a converged system are described.

CABA is interested in pursuing other research studies or white papers, which would benefit its research library, and can be contacted via caba@caba.org or 613-990-7407. For each research paper, document, or white paper that is placed on the CABA Research Library, you will earn $50 CABA Bucks. These CABA Bucks can be used to offset your membership, registration fees, or purchase other CABA goods/services. Join the CABA Information Council to earn additional CABA Bucks and to help build the CABA Research Library.

The Home Depot and KaBOOM!—building playgrounds, strengthening communities

2007-09-14T02:55:00.000-07:00

As the world's largest home improvement retailer, The Home Depot embraces its role as a leader in social responsibility and celebrates its long-standing commitment to volunteerism. At the end of 2004, The Home Depot will have partnered with KaBOOM!, a non-profit group that ensures that children have access to healthy play opportunities, to build 250 playgrounds in communities throughout the United States and Canada. The Home Depot--KaBOOM! partnership will result in 100 builds this year alone.

Earlier this year The Home Depot and KaBOOM! partnered with the Mount Pleasant Hispanic-American Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to build a brand-new playground at the Center. On December 17, more than 150 Team Depot volunteers will gather at the Youth Co-Op Charter School in Hialeah Gardens, part of the greater Miami area. Until now, the school had been unable to afford a playground. However, after the one day blitz build, the more than 500 students as well as families in the surrounding community will be able to enjoy a safe and fun state-of-the-art playground.

Alternative to wood: MDF, a resource-friendly building material, is a good option for interiors - Home - medium density fiberboard

2007-09-11T04:40:00.000-07:00

In the past, medium density fiberboard, or MDF--a dense, smooth particleboard made of compressed fine sawdust and hard resin glue--was typically used as a backing for hardwood veneers. But as high-quality fine-grained wood becomes increasingly expensive, MDF is playing a more visible role in interior design.

"One hundred years ago, people used redwood and vertical-grain Douglas fir and painted them," says Kim Feldman of Jazz Construction & Development. "We use MDF because it can give us the same refined look, but it's earth-friendly." In a new home development called French Ranch (www.frenchranchhomes.com) in Marin County California, Jazz Construction used 1- by 8-inch MDF wallboards and painted them.

"There's a trick to making MDF look natural," says French Ranch developer and builder Bruce Burman, Feldman's business partner. "We use spray or rollers to get the paint on the wall, but we finish it with paintbrushes. MDF is a completely flat material, but you can see the brush strokes in the paint, and that makes it look like a wood grain."

Eco-savvy garage: creative building techniques and recycled materials give this structure a sustainable edge

2007-09-11T04:36:00.000-07:00

A DESIRE to have minimal impact on the environment inspired the design of this handsome garage in western Washington. "We just couldn't see ourselves adding to the impervious surface area of our community," says homeowner Susan Sproull, who wanted to create a shelter for her vintage roadster as well as a workshop for custom woodworking projects. Susan, along with husband Jim, is involved in an environmentally focused nonprofit neighborhood organization; in 2003, the Sproulls' yard was certified as a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary.

Architect Rob Harrison positioned the 20- by 40-foot shed-roof structure outside the dripline of a mature Douglas fir tree. He planted the roof with drought-tolerant sedums and wildflowers. Translucent polycarbonate panels cover the garage's upper wall sections, wrapping the structure like a clerestory window and allowing natural light to brighten the space (which cuts down on energy use).

The green roof is heavier than a standard roof, but because of its thinness--only 4 inches of soil--Harrison was able to compensate for the extra weight by using roof rafters of laminated veneer lumber (LVL), which is stronger than wood. To conserve energy, Harrison installed an infrared radiant heating system, which warms people and objects rather than air.

The workshop is a well-used place. "It was the perfect spot for Jim to build a sea kayak with his grandson," Susan says. "The airy, woodsy feel makes us forget we live in an urban environment."

Many of the materials used inside Susan and Jim Sproull's backyard structure had a past life or are eco-conscious in their own right.

DAYLIGHT AND GREEN CONSTRUCTION The building is wrapped in a ribbon of translucent polycarbonate panels, which suffuse it with natural light. What's more, the architect employed a building technique called stack framing, which uses 25 percent less lumber than conventional construction. Exterior walls are covered in fiber-cement panels from James Hardie.

Pump up your kitchen: forget the gym—building muscle begins at home. Stock up with these 23 essentials and achieve your mass-gain or fat-loss goals

2007-09-11T04:29:00.000-07:00

Get ready, because we're about to sound like your mother. No matter how many times over the years we've told you guys, "Your diet is just as important as your training," most of you just can't get your act together. Do you want muscle or not? To help you once and for all, we're taking the complexity out of the diet equation. In simple terms, here are 23 essentials you need in your kitchen. Having this stuff on hand is half the battle, so stock up, straighten out and fly right!

FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: Red, orange, white, green and purple hues are loaded with healthy phytonutrients, notes Debra Wein, MS, RD, LDN, president and cofounder of The Sensible Nutrition Connection, Inc. Sliced peppers, baby carrots, berries and oranges are easy snacks.

OLIVE OIL: Use this source of healthy omega-9 fatty acids for cooking and on salads. Keep it in the fridge to maintain freshness.

EGGS: One egg packs a solid 6 grams of protein. A tip from nutritionist and trainer Jay Robb, author of The Fat-Burning Diet (Loving Health Publications, 2004): Hard-boil 12 at a time, and you'll always have a mini muscle meal at your fingertips.

LETTUCE: Colorful leaves (spinach, kale, romaine) are loaded with B vitamins, which are essential for energy production, says Wein.

FRESH-SLICED TURKEY BREAST: This lean meat packs 24 protein grams per 4-ounce serving.

LEMONS: "Ideal for flavoring water," Wein points out.

FISH: A proteinladen food that also features generous amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

BEEF: A killer source of B vitamins, iron and all-natural creatine, the leanest cut is top round, which features 36 grams of protein and just 5 grams of fat per 3.5-ounce serving.

LOW-FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS AND CHEESES: These provide calcium, which has been shown to help with weight management, according to Wein. Blend 6 ounces of fat-free plain yogurt with a scoop of whey protein, a few raw nuts and some ground-up golden flaxseed for a great on-the-go breakfast.

FLAXSEED OIL: An essential oil for omega-3 fatty acids. "Drop a tablespoon into a protein drink 1-3 times a day," suggests Robb.

The Cupboard

CANNED BEANS: A great source of low-fat protein that's also high in fiber. "It's one of the most healthful protein sources," remarks Wein. Use them in salads, chili, tacos or alone.

OATMEAL: It jumpstarts your metabolism and keeps you feeling fuller longer and is also high in fiber and a good source of healthy complex carbs.

PROTEIN POWDER: Look for a whey-based protein that contains at least 23-24 grams of protein per ounce, Robb advises. An ounce of protein is 28 grams, so make sure you're getting a lot of protein and just a little bit of flavoring with every scoop.

ONIONS AND GARLIC: They're high in the phytonutrient allicin, which helps prevent cancer, Wein says. Plus, they add flavor to any meal. Refrigerate after cutting.

SPICES: Basil, oregano, parsley, red pepper and chili powder are all great ways to flavor a dish without adding calories, carbs or fat.

RAW NUTS: One ounce of walnuts contains about 2 grams of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, a little more than you'd get in 3 ounces of salmon. Almonds carry roughly twice the calcium of milk, explains Robb. Pecans are rich in cholesterol improving phytosterols.

CANNED LIGHT TUNA: With a whopping 42 grams of protein per 6-ounce can, this is one of the best foods to stack on your shelf. Get it packed in water, which will give you less than 2 grams of fat per serving--12 grams less than oil-packed.

YAMS, SQUASH AND POTATOES: These provide fuel for workouts and help with recovery to nurture muscle growth.

RELATED ARTICLE: KEY STUFF

STOCK YOUR FRIDGE AND CABINETS LIKE A PRO--A BODYBUILDING PRO, THAT IS

What does three-time Arnold Classic champ Jay Cutler keep in his kitchen? To find out, we went straight to the source--his wife Kerry, who prepares most of his meals.

FOOD: We tend to stick to the basics: for carbs, oatmeal and basmati, jasmine or brown rice. For protein, turkey breast, orange roughy, top round steak and shrimp. Vegetables usually consist of broccoll, asparagus and mushrooms. Fruits consist of bananas only. This is in the dieting phase, which we're in right now. I usually cook every two hours for Jay.

APPLIANCES: Our rice cooker goes 24/7 with jasmine or basmati rice. I have one George Foreman grill inside the house and one outside; I use the outdoor one to cook fish so it doesn't smell up the house. I use a steamer for broccoll and asparagus mostly during the dieting phase. The blender is used throughout the day to spin up Nitrotech and Celltech drinks for Jay. The skillet gets a lot of action-frying eggs in cooking spray or cooking turkey breast or steak. The espresso/cappuccino maker is for our late-afternoon caffeine fix. And I use a food scale to weight Jay's carbs and protein on- and off-season.

Fun in the sun: heading to the 2005 International Builders' Show in Florida? Check out our guide to some of the products and programs you'll find at t

2007-09-11T04:26:00.000-07:00

It may still be the deep freeze of winter for many dealers, but in Orlando, Fla., builders and dealers alike will be basking in the sun and the promise of increased sales at the 2005 International Builders' Show, Jan. 13-16. This year's show will include about 1,600 exhibitors, 200 education programs, and, of course, thousands of building pros on the lookout for new products, techniques, and ideas.

PROSALES is proud to be the official dealer publication of the International Builders' Show. And once again we've assembled just a few of the things worth checking out at this year's event. For a complete listing of educational programs and exhibitors, visit www.buildersshow.com. See you there!

Hilti Hilti WSJ 750-ET and WSJ 850-ET jig saws feature Smart Power to provide constant blade speed under load and a blade stroke of 1 1/8 inch. The saws' Active Orbital Action removes more material on the upstroke, the manufacturer says. The PrecisionGuide clamping system secures the blade against wandering and bending, and a six-position stroke rate adjustment matches cutting speed to each job. Four orbital action settings range from smooth to aggressive cutting.

Fypon Made from reinforced polymer, these round and square structural columns can be used for interior and exterior applications. Ranging in height from 6 to 24 feet, they feature hollow centers that can be used as channels for downspouts, wrong, and plumbing.

PL Adhesives & Sealants Formulated to provide a strong, permanent bond to wood, metal, and concrete in interior and exterior applications, PL 400 Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive is water- and weather-proof. The adhesive meets all the requirements of the American Plywood Association, the maker says, and its bond strength helps reduce nailing, floor squeaks, and vibrations in subfloor and decking applications.

Crane Performance Siding The Fluted Lineal features a solid core backing that provides added energy efficiency and 300 percent more impact resistance than traditional vinyl siding, the company says. Available in 20-foot lengths an Aspen-white finish the Fluted Lineal features a 1 1/8-inch pocket that will accept the manufacturer's solid core siding. A 3/4-inch pocket for use with the company's regular vinyl siding also will be available.

Versatex Manufactured in a free-foam cellular PVC extrusion process, Versatex trimboards offer me look of wood without weathering and maintenance, the company says. The product line includes all primary trimboard profiles from 4- to 16-inch widths and three thicknesses, as well as 10-foot and 20-foot outside corners, beaded soffit/wainscoting, and 4-foot-wide sheets. The reversible boards and corners can be installed with a Timber Ridge or Smooth Matte finish.

Pella The Architect Series double-hung window offers a traditional appearance with modern performance, with up to 7 percent more visible glass than leading competitors, the company says. Two Options, the Luxury Edition (LX) and the Style Edition, are available. The LX model features Steady-Tilt for cleaning and LC-50 design pressure performance. The optional VividView screen allows up to three times more airflow than standard fiberglass screens.

Heatilator Designed to accommodate the trend toward larger and more traditionally styled fireplaces, Icon Series direct-vent gas fireplaces, models 60 and 100, do not have to be framed with non-combustible materials. The fireplaces use a patented DVP pipe that makes installation easier and makes them more cost effective, the manufacturer says.

What is a Green Construction?

2007-09-07T04:36:00.001-07:00

As people begin to realize the impact we make on the world around us, going green is becoming a phenomenon. So, just what is green construction?

There has been an increasing concern with environmental and pollution issues in recent years. This has not come about completely without some serious justification. All indications are that we are in a serious crisis. The green construction movement is a reaction to this crisis. Green construction is a home, building, or other structure that is built, maintained, repaired, or even demolished with thought to the environmental impact. This impact may take several forms.

One of these forms is energy efficiency. The production of electricity from the burning of fossil fuels is one of the most harmful activities to the environment in existence today. Green structures incorporate renewable energy sources that might include the use of wind, solar, low impact hydropower, or biothermal energy. The source of power is not the only concern. Another concern is the reduction of power use in lighting and appliances.

Water pollution is another concern addressed in green construction. This is especially true in the case of urban runoff. Storm water runoff is a major source of pollution in rivers and lakes. Green structures take into consideration the reduction of all toxic materials. This includes mercury, asbestos, and lead. These three substances have been linked to major health problems.

Green Building also is involved in waste. Waste is a key word. Waste can be reduced. It can be reused and recycled. The reduction of waste in construction, or renovation, and even demolition involves such things as proper disposal of materials. Landscaping is also involved. Large scale landscaping projects involved with Green Building seek to protect and preserve natural resources as much as possible.

The above are just some of the factors that are part of the green construction movement. They have in common a concern for the environment. There are a wide range of issues that are nearing the real danger point. Global warming has become more than just a liberal hobby, and a recognized scientific fact. Pollution of the sea and the waterways is endemic and increasing. Asbestos and lead have poisoned and sickened thousands.

People are beginning to wake up and realize that we live on a fragile planet and we continue to abuse it at our risk. The green construction movement is a place to stop the slide, and return to sanity. It is a grassroots movement that offers hope not only to us, but also to the generations that will follow us upon this earth.